Month: July 2024

Longlegs is the upcoming horror slasher starring Nic Cage and before you think “Hey, I’ve seen that before” think again, because it seems like Nic Cage has once again completely transformed himself into a shell of what he once was in order to ensure a chilling performance in the film. It seems to have worked.

The movie, directed by Osgood Perkins (real fans know him as “Dorky Dave” from Legally Blonde) hits theaters this weekend and early reviews are confirming that this is not the National Treasure Nic Cage we all know and love: Longlegs Nic Cage is a whole new breed.

The film follows FBI Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), who is tasked with tracking down the elusive serial killer. Through the course of the investigation, she learns that she might have her own personal connection with the killer, who is using the occult and some Zodiac Killer-style messages to lure his victims. When all else fails to scare an audience, throwing in some Satanic Panic is always a surefire way to haunt viewers.

While the story might have been done a few times before, critics agree that Cage gives a career defining performance in the film that will haunt your dreams. Here’s what they are saying:

Peter Debruge, Variety:

In the moment, it’s considerably less scary than the ecstatic early buzz — ginned up by Neon via whisper campaigns and strategic advance screenings — would have you believe. Less than 12 hours after seeing it, however, the demented Nicolas Cage character resurfaced in my nightmares, popping up out of nowhere to screech, “Hail Satan!” in that unnerving, high-pitched voice of his.

How many horror movies can claim to hijack your subconscious?

David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter:

The film allows Nicolas Cage to add another Hall of Fame entry to his gallery of psychos, one that won’t soon be forgotten. If you cast Cage in genre material like this and then only hint at his presence in the trailers, it’s a given that he’s not going to be playing warm and cuddly. The fun in Longlegs is in discovering that Cage’s title character is just one part of the horrific reality behind a growing string of violent deaths.

Tim Grierson, Screen Daily:

Despite the fact that Longlegs dabbles in Satanism and psychic powers, Perkins brings a bracing realism which only makes the sometimes-graphic horror much more upsetting. In due course, Lee will unlock her past and deduce Longlegs’ plan, and the explanations are refreshingly airtight; an impressive achievement considering so many horror films struggle to explain their riddles. Perkins exerts an almost Fincher-ian level of tonal control over this material, and the supporting players — especially Blair Underwood as Lee’s weary boss and Alicia Witt playing her conservative religious mother — are expertly used. In Longlegs, Lee may solve the mystery, but she does not find any satisfaction along the way. Something wicked is still out there – and it is only getting closer.

David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel:

Longlegs is a masterclass in horror and storytelling. Prioritizing tension, characters, and atmosphere, it’s a masterful blend thought-provoking storytelling and “art house.” It’s unholy. It’s unnerving. It’s surreal. It’s Oz Perkins’ magnum opus.

Ian Sandwell of Digital Spy wrote:

It’s the bloody bow on proceedings that cements Longlegs as not just one of 2024’s best horror movies, but one of the year’s best movies overall. You are not ready for the unforgettable and chilling experience that is Longlegs.

Joey Magidson, AwardsRadar:

Longlegs is a horror masterpiece. It’s not just a crowning achievement for the genre, it’s the best film of 2024 so far. I loved it from start to finish, even if it left me with a pounding heart. They so rarely make movies like this anymore, so it’s more than an instant horror classic, it’s something that I’ll never forget.

Longlegs hits theaters on July 12.

Lady Gaga surprised a lot of people with her terrific performance in 2018’s A Star Is Born. The “Rain On Me” singer and Chappell Roan fan is still catching people off guard, even with an Academy Award nomination to her name.

While speaking at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Joker: Folie à Deux casting director Francine Maisler revealed that Gaga wasn’t her idea to play Harley “Lee” Quinn in the film, but she’s thrilled she got the part. “She’s so good in it, you guys. She’s going to blow your mind. I didn’t suggest Lady Gaga. It wasn’t my idea. That was Todd Phillips, before me. But I will tell you, she’s really surprising — and really good,” she said, according to IndieWire.

Maisler continued, “I saw it and I was really surprised. I mean, we all knew what she could do in A Star Is Born, but I thought, ‘Oh, well, that’s kind of in her wheelhouse.’ Something she could do and just be real. But this… Man, she’s good. Joaquin [Phoenix, who plays Arthur Fleck] blows your mind, but that she could keep up with him, and be real — and not just wiped off the screen by what that role is and what the performance is — shows she’s good.”

Two different actors have won an Oscar for playing the Joker. Maybe Lady Gaga will be the first for Harley Quinn?

Joker: Folie à Deux comes out in theaters on October 4.

House of the Dragon’s fourth episode left us with plenty of questions about how the show is adapting its source material, if dragons will ever earn any real respect in Westeros, and exactly what Daemon’s getting up to at Harrenhal besides experimenting with psychadelics and threatening small children. Mostly though, “The Red Dragon and the Gold” left us crying, shaking, and throwing up over the ways hurt people, hurt people (and dragons).

We don’t have any satisfying answers or clinically-approved ways of coping with the trauma of watching these mythical creatures die (the dragons, not the bleached blondes riding them), but we do have an updated character ranking after HoTD’s latest episode that might put these power plays into perspective.

Aemond Targaryen

Aemond and Vhagar are two-for-two when it comes to mauling their relatives to death, which feels like a fact both would treat as a humble brag, to be honest. Not only did Aemond fail to cc Aegon on any of his battle-planning emails with Criston Cole, he shamed him in bilingual in front of his war council and torched him out of the sky as his entire army watched on. Yet, for all his “wins” this episode, his (understandable) grudge against his king proves that behind the eye-patch and the c*nty catwalk, Aemond’s still that sensitive, broken little boy trying to earn the respect of those around him. But would he be as big and bad without the world’s oldest, largest living war machine behind him? Probably not.

Rhaenys Targaryen

Look up “ride or die” in the dictionary and you’ll find a picture of Rhaenys Targaryen. The Queen That Never Was demonstrated just how much better she is at this whole ruling business over the course of the season, making the ultimate sacrifice for her chosen monarch when the time came. Her character was a fascinating study of power through a feminine lens – how women grapple for it within a patriarchal structure, how they’re denied it, and how they take back some for themselves in ways both big and small. Whether it was clawing Aegon and Sunfyre out of the clouds, facing down certain death to deal blows to Team Black’s greatest enemy, or reading her husband’s adulterous tea leaves, Rhaenys always held a quiet kind of strength and superiority compared to the men around her. She deserved more than what she got in life, but at least she’ll leave behind a legacy greater than that of the men who wronged her.

Corlys Velaryon

It’s not that Corlys does anything particularly noteworthy this episode. In fact, he’s a bit of a coward when faced with his wife’s side chick allegations, but he does position himself as a man of influence amongst the squabbling sh*tbrains that make up Rhaenyra’s council. It’s probably because he has great hair and a working penis, but the Black’s Queen needs all the help she can get right now. Hopefully her potential Hand won’t be too put off by the unfortunate dead-wife situation.

Jacaerys Velaryon

Jacaerys Velaryon is never beating those mama’s boy allegations, we fear. Rhaenyra’s eldest did his best to rebel this episode, calling on every hormone that blessed him with those luscious curls and buccal fat-free cheeks to launch some angst his queen’s way. He made some strategic moves, defending his cousin to the sad sacks his mother hired and volunteering to aid Rhaenys at Rook’s Rest before a stern look from mommy shut him up fairly quickly.

Criston Cole

A girl said no to Criston Cole just once and now, the flaccid trash waffle is in full-blown domestic terrorist mode, beheading Rhaenyra’s allies and tossing out the most unoriginal insults to her honor in the process. Despite being a hypocritical slimebucket, Cole has managed to amass an army in Aegon’s name, one that’s so large, it threatens Team Black’s access to the mainland, hence why Rhaenys needed to commit seppuku on dragon back. But think of how many lives might have been saved if this Dornish hick had simply been content to punch above his weight class as a Targaryen queen’s side piece instead of resenting her for turning down a life of oranges and cinnamon and abject poverty?

Rhaenyra Targaryen

Now that Rhaenyra can sleep soundly, knowing she’s down everything in her power to prevent war, we expect to see the Targaryen show a bit of fire and burn her enemies to the ground. The word “peace” shall never again escape her lips. The Ice & Fire prophecy goes back on the shelf to collect dust. The good of the realm be damned – it’s time to grow a pair of ovaries and commit fratricide.

Larys Strong

Larys has earned a seat at Aegon’s table, which sounds like a promotion until you realize it means he’s an easy scapegoat for all of the king’s poor leadership decisions. Luckily, Alicent doesn’t know how to tidy up after herself so the clubbed-foot busybody has a bit more dirt to bury his enemies with now.

Alys Rivers

Here’s what we know of Alys Rivers: She’s probably a witch, maybe hundreds of years old, gives the appearance of smelling like a swamp, loves to roofie silver-haired squatters, and would probably love Stevie Nicks’ discography.

Alicent Hightower

Oh really? Alicent didn’t “do anything” this episode? How about manipulating the royal master into brewing her a cup of abortion tea and sending her first-born into battle drunk and deflated by her complete lack of faith in him?

Baela Targaryen

We hate to say this, but she really should’ve burnt that forest down when she had the chance.

Daemon Targaryen

While his wife risked her neck to sue for peace in King’s Landing and Rhaenys gave her life to defeat the eyepatched-twink obsessed with him, Daemon is knee-deep in the renovation of Harrenhal. He’s arguing with Rivermen over facts and figures, trying to hire good help and being met with baby-faced boys too cowardly to pick up a pillow and do the work themselves. He’s having weird dreams and even more disturbing midnight chats with a castle witch whose been lacing his mead with the Westeros equivalent of LSD. And, with Cole’s victory at Rook’s Rest, his deadline for getting the crumbling heap in garrison shape has just been pushed up. Daemon could use a project manager, and fast.

Aegon Targaryen

Someone get Aegon access to a Duolingo subscription and the number of a good plastic surgeon, he’s going to need both to fend off the ruthless ambition of his younger brother from his (probable) death bed.

HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’ airs on Sunday nights.

It’s been a long road for the Dutton family. After premiering in 2018, Yellowstone has only gained more momentum over the years, thanks to dads all over the country trying to convince their young adult children to tune in. The first two seasons were popular enough, but after viewership skyrocketed during season three, Yellowstone became a sensation… but that wasn’t quite enough to keep Kevin Costner around.

Season five part one first premiered in November 2022, and since then, a lot has gone down. Costner left the series to finish his passion project, Horizon: An American Saga, and while at one point it seemed like he would be open to returning for the rest of season five, he keeps saying otherwise. Right now, it seems like that door is closed for Costner, and here’s what else is known about the show’s final run:

Plot

Without John Dutton, there are still some serious loose ends to tie up in the remaining episodes. Wes Bentley, who plays Jamie Dutton, hopes the series brings fans some answers regarding the future of the ranch and the Dutton family, which was up in the air in the beginning of season five as Beth and Jamie clash over his calling for John’s impeachment.

Last year, Bentley told The Hollywood Reporter, “Obviously, I’m not the writer. But as a viewer, there are so many potentials for Jamie. Does he go down with John? Does John go down because of Jamie? Does Jamie have a hand in it at all, or does it turn out Jamie tries to protect him? It’s hard to read Jamie,” he said. “There are so many potential ways he deals with John’s ending.”

Both Paramount and the cast are staying quiet about further details, although both Ian Bohen and Jen Landon have revealed peeks from behind the scenes.

Additionally, there are still plenty of Yellowstone spinoffs in the works, including another season of 1923 and the upcoming 6666 and 2024, in addition to whatever Matthew McConaughey is cooking up.

Cast

The cast includes Brandon Sklenar, Darren Mann, Cole Hauser, Ian Bohen, Jen Landon, Ryan Bingham, Michelle Randolph, James Badge Dale, Marley Shelton, Brian Geraghty, Aminah Nieves, Jerome Flynn, Forrie J. Smith, and Julia Schlaepfer.

Release Date

Regardless of what Costner seems to think, season five part two of Yellowstone is set to premiere on CBS on November 10, almost exactly two years after the season began. The delivery is reportedly set to consist of six episodes, but Taylor Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter that it could be more. “If I think it takes 10 episodes to wrap it up, they’ll give me 10,” he said. “It’ll be as long as it needs to be.” Production on the final episodes began in May.

Trailer

Filming is ongoing, so chances are good that an official teaser clip should surface soon.

Netflix’s Baby Reindeer volleyed creator, writer, and star Richard Gadd’s status into the stratosphere, and soon enough, speculation began over what his next project would be, although few details emerged at the time. As it turns out, “Lions” is a working title for a series that has now been picked up by HBO, which will produce and air in conjunction with BBC and BBC Scotland.

That HBO has picked up this series is striking, not only because Gadd was surprised by his success and originally only expected Baby Reindeer to be a mild cult hit at best, but because his approach to triggering subject matter is similar to that of Michaela Coel with I May Destroy You. That series was also produced as a joint HBO-BBC release in 2020 and was a critical and audience hit. The two creatives both share a flair for inserting dark comedy into serious subject matter with an unflinching eye, and HBO’s confidence in Gadd’s new story bodes well for another powerful production.

Of course, Lions will be very different from Baby Reindeer, so let’s talk about what information has surfaced.

Plot

Gadd didn’t waste any time between Baby Reindeer‘s take off and his next phase, which was swiftly greenlit by BBC weeks before HBO officially climbed on board. Lions aims to examine the nature of masculinity as embodied by two estranged brothers (Ruben and Niall) in different eras of their lives. The project was originally envisioned as a six-part drama as reported by Deadline, and an HBO press release confirms that the episode count will stick, and the series will primarily be a drama. Gadd is onboard as writer, creator, and executive producer with HBO Senior VP of Drama Programming Kara Buckley calling this “a gripping and evocative series.”

In the press release, Gadd expressed his excitement to join HBO’s “iconic roster of shows.” He also admitted that “[o]rdering a HBO boxset of The Sopranos, The Wire, or Oz and watching it from start to finish were some of the happiest moments of my childhood.” Here are details from the show’s synopsis, which picks up here after Ruben surfaces out of the blue at Niall’s wedding, and “an explosion of violence” follows. Yes, this sounds as intense as expected from a story penned by Richard Gadd:

Spanning almost forty years from the 1980s to the present day, this ambitious series will cover the highs and lows of the brothers’ relationship, from them meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults – with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way. It will capture the wild energy of a changing city – a changing world, even – and try to get to the bottom of the difficult question… What does it mean to be a man?

Cast

Gadd does not plan to star in Lions, and at present, nobody is revealing who might star.

Release Date

HBO has not specified a release window, and production is just getting started this summer, so mid-2025 is likely the earliest that we’ll see a premiere.

Trailer

No footage = no trailer, but Gadd did act in a newly released short film called Truth Serum, which began streaming on Oliveto on June 17. You can watch that trailer below.

In April, Vampire Weekend released their first album in five years, Only God Was Above Us, which Uproxx’s Steven Hyden named among his “Favorite Albums Of 2024 So Far.” The album could have been even better, according to lead vocalist Ezra Koenig.

Koenig recently appeared on Tetragrammaton With Rick Rubin and stumbled into sharing that he’s “actually been working on one song that was almost on the album,” and it’s entitled “New York Hospital.”

“I think it was partially just because I realized — somehow, very deep into our friendship, it came about that, oh, me and [Chris] Baio were born at the same hospital,” Koenig explained, adding that, of course, the Upper East Side hospital was called New York Hospital at the time but has since rebranded.

Koenig continued, “I was like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of cool that we were born in the same place, the same year,’ and then, naturally, at this phase of life, you think — when it’s no longer all about you the way it is when you’re young, and you think about, ‘Oh, I’m in between.’ I think about the older generations and where they were born and how they grew up, and I think about the younger generations.”

Koenig played Rubin the song on the acoustic guitar with the disclaimer, “It’ll sound kind of folky.”

Listen to Koenig play “New York Hospital” above, beginning at the 59:50 mark.

One of the byproducts of the COVID pandemic was the widespread adoption of Zoom and other video conferencing tools in just about every workplace, allowing for better remote communication. In the sports world, Zoom press conferences became the norm when sports resumed but access was limited, and even as everything has opened back up, many teams and leagues still offer a Zoom link for media that aren’t able to travel to games.

The WNBA is among the leagues that uses Zoom for press conferences regularly, as there isn’t a robust traveling media due to a general lack of investment in the writers that cover the league from outlets. As a result, Zoom press conferences are the norm and allow for greater participation, which is a good thing, but it also requires those who take part in the virtual pressers to be diligent with their mute button if they’re going to be multi-tasking.

On Sunday night, after Angel Reese broke the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles, the Sky’s presser with Reese, Teresa Weatherspoon, and Marina Mabrey was interrupted by someone who didn’t mute their mic watching The Big Bang Theory.

It’s very funny watching the three different reactions to it from the podium, as Weatherspoon looks fed up, Reese finds it hysterical, and Mabrey is just glad she wasn’t going insane when she was hearing things in the background. It’s a helpful reminder that if you’re going to be on a conference call, something has to be muted, either the TV or your mic. Otherwise, everyone’s going to be very confused when Sheldon is talking on the call.

It has officially been one year since Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour swept through Kansas City, Missouri, which Travis Kelce attended and later lamented his inability to give her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it. Extremely long story short: Kelce and Swift are happily in love, and Kelce is a massive The Eras Tour groupie during the NFL offseason.

Over the weekend, Kelce attended Swift’s The Eras Tour shows at Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam. On Saturday, July 6, Swift performed a mashup of “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My),” “So High School,” and “Everything Has Changed” as her second surprise song. A Swiftie named Kristen posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Taylor Swift really just went on stage and sang ‘I love Travis Kelce’ for five minutes straight,” and that’s really the best description.

Swift hadn’t performed “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)” in 16 years, so that was notable by itself. Swifties had already zeroed in on “Mary’s Song” as an invisible string tying Kelce to Swift because of the outro, in which Swift sings, “I’ll be eighty-seven, you’ll be eighty-nine.” The line took on a brand-new meaning once she entered a relationship with Kelce because he wears No. 87 for the Kansas City Chiefs, and both were born in 1989.

The Tortured Poets Department track “So High School” is pretty obviously a song about Kelce, and “Everything Has Changed” featuring Ed Sheeran is a Red classic without any Kelce Easter eggs apart from the fact that, paired with “Mary’s Song” and “So High School,” Swift is indicating that her life has flipped upside down for the better since meeting Kelce. Which, duh.

Below, check out Swift’s full mash-up performance and other clips of Kelce (and Patrick and Brittany Mahomes) from the show.

Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney spent so much time pretending to have an affair while filming Anyone But You, when all they had to do was take photos with a cute dog. It would have been a lot easier.

The MVP of the Twisters marketing tour has been Brisket, a freaking adorable terrier poodle mix that Powell adopted last year. Ahead of the release of the not-a-sequel to 1996’s Twister, the actor paid tribute to his fuzzy friend on Instagram. “Shortly after being adopted, @hotbrisket joined the cast of Twisters and was quickly called ‘the Lassie of his generation.’ Rumors are swirling of him leading a Homeward Bound reboot that would crown him as Hollywood’s King of the Animal Kingdom,” Powell wrote (yes, Brisket has his own Instagram account with over 26,000 followers).

The Hit Man and Top Gun Maverick star also shared a number of photos of Brisket, including one where he’s holding the pup while standing shirtless in front of a mirror. It’s the final slide:

Not to be outdone, a day prior to Powell’s post, Sweeney shared her own mirror selfies. “i dont do mirror selfies often but when i do they are chaotic,” she wrote.

Who has the more chaotic mirror selfie: shirtless Glen Powell holding a confused-looking dog, or Sydney Sweeney wearing a bandana (?) as a top? This can only be settled in the Anyone But You sequel: Anyone But 2.

Twisters comes out in theaters on July 19.

Come here. Wait, back up.

If you recognize the above bit, you probably know of Jordan Howlett, aka “Jordan The Stallion,” the 27-year-old TikTok star best known for his “fast food secrets club” posts, where he dishes on the ingredients and recipes used by corporate food giants like Olive Garden or KFC.

Lately, though, Jordan has become known for something else, though: His uncanny resemblance to not just one, but TWO of hip-hop’s favorite artists. Fans noticed he looks just like both Method Man and Childish Gambino, despite generational differences, and both artists have appeared in comedic vignettes with Jordan riffing on his “old man” clothes and reading from his notebook of “secret recipes.” Check out some videos and photos below.

https://twitter.com/themrd81/status/1809685366628344091

So, who is Jordan, and how does he know so much? Well, according to San Diego Magazine, he’s a native of Southern California who was born near LA and grew up in nearby Victorville before moving with his family to San Diego-adjacent Oceanside. Per the New York Times, he originally had dreams of baseball stardom — however, due to his awkward nature, he never received any college offers, so after community college, he transferred to UC Riverside, hoping to make its team as a walk-on. He earned a scholarship (which was a good thing, because he only had enough money for one partial tuition payment and slept in his car for a while), but the pandemic derailed his hopes.

After working a string of fast food jobs, he took a swing at building a TikTok following after his older brother saw some viral success. His content consisted — at least at first — of what the Times describes as “uncontroversial — or playfully controversial — topics,” while talking into his phone, pointed at a mirror, zooming in and out to emphasize his points. The notebook made an appearance a couple of years ago, and has become a staple of his content profile since. And as he grows in stature, so too do the guest cameos; in one video, Kevin Hart pops in unannounced to have a jovial argument with the content creator.

He naturally plays coy about just where all those recipes come from, but it’s probably safe to assume he took a few things home from those jobs. Now, if only he can get people to stop asking him to rap.