Category: News

Spending a car payment on a bottle of bourbon is a great big swing. But with serious money comes some pretty serious whiskey. Booze in the $300-$500 range represents an investment in your own bourbon journey. It means you’re looking for something truly unique, because that’s definitely what you get at this price point.

It should go without saying, these prices are not for beginners or anyone just dipping a toe into the broader bourbon world. These whiskeys are the ones you hunt down, cherish, and break out when something truly spectacular happens in your life. Or maybe you store one of these expressions in a vault and sell it down the road for a tidy return. (Option three is that you have unlimited means and none of this caveating matters — in that case, PLEASE SHARE.)

All that being said, we’re not in quadruple digits… yet (we’ll get there). So consider these 10 bourbon whiskey picks to be fairly accessible, compared to what’s to come. Still, we’re clearly getting deep into collector’s item territory with special one-offs and hard-to-find limited releases that we may never see again. That makes this step in our “bourbon at every price point” project a whole lot of fun.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength

ABV: 60.2%

Average Price: $318

The Whiskey:

This whiskey from Angel’s Envy is much beloved and lauded. It’s been called the “best spirit in the world” before, which brings a lot of preconceived notions to this bourbon. The story behind the bottle is a classic tale of sourced whiskey barrels treated exactly right once picked.

The blend of hand-chosen barrels are finished in port casks like the majority of the much-loved Angel’s Envy bourbon line, then bottled with no cutting or fussing.

Tasting Notes:

Based on the 2020 limited release, you’re going to get a nose full of fruits — spicy stewed plums, ripe apricots, and tart cherry — next to a well-aged balance of worn library leather-bound books, ashy wood, and a sugar-maple cookie with a good punch of vanilla. The taste really holds onto the cherry while adding in a salted caramel vibe next to bitter dark chocolate all housed in a cedar box that was once the home to rich tobacco leaves. The end brightens up with a burst of orange zest next to that tobacco and cedar as the finish takes its sweet time fading away.

Bottom Line:

You get a clear sense of “classic” old bourbon notes with a pretty big alcohol kick. For this price, what you’re really paying for is the expertise of Angel’s Envy team finding truly special barrels and presenting that experience in the glass.

Old Forester 150th Anniversary Batch Proof

ABV: 62.8%

Average Price: $322

The Whiskey:

This special release from Old Forester celebrates 150 years of whiskey making by the brand with “150” at the core of the line. Master Taster Jackie Zykan created three batches of this limited release from 150 barrels that were specifically selected by Master Distiller Chris Morris. Once these bottles are gone, there won’t be a whiskey like this from Old Forester again.

Tasting Notes:

Based on Batch no. 1, you’ll be greeted with a mingling of menthol and anise with rich and buttery caramel next to a hint of holiday spices and a touch of sweet fruit. The palate embraces the holiday spice and adds in a peppery edge while the sweetness leans towards pancake syrup with a hint of dark chocolate and old wood beams lurking in the background. The finish marries the dark chocolate to the almost chili pepper spice on the medium-length finish as flourishes of orange oils, wet leather, and salted caramel kettle corn linger on your nicely warmed senses.

Bottom Line:

This is pretty much a collector’s item at this point. It was a special release from a special barrel selection that we’re just not going to see again. That being said, the price is only double its original MSRP, meaning you won’t feel too terrible if you do crack it open to celebrate something.

Kentucky Owl Bourbon

ABV: 63.8%

Average Price: $350

The Whiskey:

Kentucky Owl was Dixon Dedman’s baby. The sourced bourbon is based all around Dedman’s masterful blending skills and his uncanny ability to choose the best barrels for this brand. Sadly, Dedman has left Kentucky Owl to find new avenues to bring the masses great bourbon, but his blends live on and can still be found on the shelf (for now).

Tasting Notes:

Based on the last release, Batch no. 9, expect an opening of apple fritters with maple caramel candies next to vanilla husks and a touch of woody tobacco spice. The palate adds some peppery spice to the caramel while a steaming mug of black tea cut with floral honey warms you down to your soul. The vanilla and honey become creamy as shots of orange oils cut through on the finish, leaving you buzzing from an almost … grape tobacco vibe.

Bottom Line:

There’s certainly going to be a “Dixon Kentucky Owl” and a “Not Dixon Kentucky Owl” divide for bourbon collectors (and drinkers) starting with whatever the next release is. So grab the bottles you can now if you want to taste a true master at work when it comes to sourcing and blending.

Parker’s Heritage Heavy Char Barrels Aged 10 Years

ABV: 60%

Average Price: $392

The Whiskey:

Every year, Heaven Hill releases their special Parker’s Heritage whiskey and it’s always a barn burner. Last year’s release was a 10-year-old bourbon aged in very heavily charred oak. The whiskey was rested for ten long years in 102 barrels in a very specific part of a specific warehouse at Heaven Hill to imbue the spirit with that x-factor.

Tasting Notes:

Now, you’ll probably hear “heavily charred” and “ten long years” and think this is going to be some big, woody, charcoal-filled, and overdone whiskey. It’s the opposite of that and you learn that from the first nose of subtle orchard fruits stewing in holiday spices, vanilla, and buttery brown sugars. The citrus comes in early with a deep orange marmalade feel next to a buttery Southern biscuit cut with some dried fruits, eggnog spices, and… maybe unsalted nuts.

The end holds onto the spice while keeping the fruity sweetness front-and-center on the slow fade.

Bottom Line:

This is the 14th release in Parker’s Heritage line and one of our favorites from the list. Though, it’s still hard to forget about 2018’s Orange Curaçao Finish Bourbon. If you can’t get that classic, this is also excellently crafted bourbon from one of the true powerhouses of Kentucky bourbon.

Four Roses 130th Anniversary

ABV: 54.2%

Average Price: $399

The Whiskey:

This 2018 special release from Four Roses had a very limited run, meaning there aren’t a lot of bottles left out there. The juice in the bottle is a blend of four whiskey recipes (generally all high-rye) from Four Roses that were aged from ten to 16 years before coming together for this one-off.

Tasting Notes:

This is a succinct whiskey thanks to a nose of crème brûlée full of vanilla seeds covered in ripe raspberries, blueberries, and blackberry. That fruitiness edges more towards peaches and pears with a stem and core woodiness next to cinnamon/maple syrup leading towards a touch of menthol tobacco. The end holds onto the cinnamon more than the maple as it slowly fades away, leaving you with a sense of dried apples steeped in cream soda.

Bottom Line:

This is a great example of how unique and kind of funky (in the best way) Four Roses can get. It’s something truly special in the world of bourbon and will be a true palate expander and conversation starter.

Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel

ABV: 66.85% (varies)

Average Price: $399

The Whiskey:

Blanton’s is “The Original Single Barrel” bourbon, and this expression is the purest form of that whiskey. The juice in this case is from the barrels that need no cutting with water and are perfect as-is from the barrel. All the barrels will come from Warehouse H (where Elmer T. Lee stored his private stash of barrels back in the day) and arrive with varying proofs.

The through-line is the excellent taste of that single, unadulterated barrel in each sip.

Tasting Notes:

The taste will vary slightly but expect a nose full of very bespoke dark chocolate-covered salted hard caramel toffees encrusted with almonds and pecans — the kind you get from a chocolate shop that imports their goodies from somewhere like Belgium. The nutty toffee carries through into the taste as oily vanilla pods mingle with cedar boxes of dried tobacco leaves and a touch of floral honey. The end is very long and sticks in your senses, with a hot buzzing that subtly fades through all that sweetness.

Bottom Line:

This is one of those bottles that you save for a very special occasion. But it also tastes too good to not crack it open and enjoy. Sure, you could save it and flip it. But, why? Seize the day!

Old Charter Oak French Oak

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $469

The Whiskey:

Sticking with Buffalo Trace, this is their 12-year-old bourbon that’s been finished for a spell in French oak. The whiskey is then married and dialed in to really highlight the subtly of that hardwood from France in every sip.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a mix of dried roses, marzipan, and pears on the nose that leads towards a sour cherry counterpoint with a nod towards vanilla-heavy cream soda. The palate holds onto that creamy vanilla while the oak softens towards a wet log floating in a high alpine lake surrounded by fields of wildflowers. A sweet maple sap arrives late as the wood edges towards wet cedar and a hint of cherry tobacco on the short-ish finish.

Bottom Line:

This feels like a very “crafty” bourbon from a huge brand. There’s a unique touch to this whiskey that feels like nothing else coming out of Buffalo Trace. That also means this probably isn’t for everyone. Still, it’s unique, delicious, and very easy to drink.

Weller Full Proof

ABV: 57%

Average Price: $472

The Whiskey:

Weller is known for its classic wheated bourbon whiskey. This version is their wheated whiskey that’s presented as-is from the barrel. The Full Proof bourbon goes in the barrel at 114 proof and goes in the bottle at the same proof. There’s no filtering or cutting with water. So you’re getting every nook and cranny from the barrel in the bottle.

Tasting Notes:

This one opens with the essence of cherry that’s been boiled in butter and raw sugar until it’s infused into a caramel candy that’s then wrapped up in vanilla tobacco leaves. A soft pine note comes into play as that caramel and cherry mingle with a hint of vanilla latte dusted with cinnamon. The end is very silky and subtle with a bit of creamy chocolate soda leading back to that vanilla tobacco and cherry caramel.

Bottom Line:

This is one of those bottles that you really wish was much closer to its MSRP of … $50. If that were the case, this would be the perfect everyday sipper with a single rock to really let it bloom. As is, it remains a special bottle at a similarly special price.

Booker’s 30th Anniversary

ABV: 62.9%

Average Price: $499

The Whiskey:

Booker’s is Jim Beam’s high-end blend of honey barrels from their vast warehouses. In this case, the limited edition bottle was released to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Booker’s Bourbon. The juice in the bottle is from nine to 16-year-old barrels from very specific parts of the warehouse. The barrels were married and then bottled at cask strength to maintain the beauty of the barrel in the bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Imagine over-ripe bananas simmering in a pan with molasses and butter and a steaming pan of cornbread nearby and you’ll be close to the nose on this one. There’s a hint of wildflowers in honey with cinnamon sticks and whole nutmeg that grows warm on the tongue. Then you’re taken towards a big ol’ bite of a vanilla buttercream frosted pound cake right after a long drag off a cherry-laced cigar. Those notes hold as the fade amps up with the spices, leaving you with a big, long buzz throughout your senses.

Bottom Line:

This might be the absolute mountaintop of Jim Beam. It’s really a spectacular example of the brand with a deeply satisfying vibe from start to finish.

Heaven’s Door The Bootleg Series 2020 Edition

ABV: 52.3%

Average Price: $500

The Whiskey:

This is the second installment of Bob Dylan’s Bootleg Series whiskey. This expression is a 15-year-old sourced bourbon that Heaven’s Door finished in Jamaican rum casks. The juice was then bottled at cask strength to hold onto that rumminess.

Tasting Notes:

The nose on this is like unwrapping a dry tobacco leaf from around hot cornbread that’s soaked in melted butter and maple syrup. That buttery corn sweetness persists as fresh slices of juicy apricot arrive next to a touch of dried flowers, eggnog spices, and marzipan. Everything becomes super creamy as the spices, vanilla, and syrup lead towards an almost dry note of cedar and coconut. The end fades very slowly as that coconut browns and dries until you’re left with a fruit, orgeat, and tropical spiced rum vibe.

Bottom Line:

This is a great whiskey to pair in a shredding guitar solo. One where your head slowly starts to bob without you really noticing. Your eyes will shut tightly as the dram slowly heats you to your soul and the guitar shreds you to tears.

It’s not a bourbon. It’s an experience.

While kidnappings by complete strangers in broad daylight are extremely rare, they can and do happen. If a child ever finds themselves in that situation, it’s important for them to know what to do.

A security camera captured a scary kidnapping attempt in Florida that has people praising the 11-year-old girl who fought off her attacker and even left a clue that helped police identify him.

Video footage shared by the Escambia County Sherriff’s office shows the girl sitting alone at her bus stop at around 7:00 am when a white car turned at the median, then returned a minute later. A man exits the vehicle, runs up to the girl, and grabs her, attempting to carry her back to the car. Sherriff Chip Simmons told reporters that the man was carrying a knife. The girl put up a fight and the man stumbled, then ran back to his car and drove away as the girl ran in the opposite direction.

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The girl was playing with blue slime when the man approached her, and she wiped some of it on his arm in the struggle. When police arrested the suspect, who has been identified as 30-year-old Jared Paul Stanga, they saw the slime still smeared on his arm.

Simmons told reporters at a news conference that Stanga has an “extensive” criminal history that includes sexual offenses against children. Stanga has now been charged with the attempted kidnapping of a child under 13 and aggravated assault and battery.

“I cannot help to think that this could have ended very differently,” Simmons said. “Had this 11-year-old victim not thought to fight and to fight and to just never give up, then this could have ended terribly. Why else do you think that this man stopped, stopped his van and tried to pick her up and take her into that van? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what his intentions were, but they were not good.”

Simmons also told reporters that Stanga had approached the girl about two weeks ago at the bus stop and “made her feel uncomfortable.” She told school officials and her parents about the incident, and her mother started accompanying her to the bus stop. Tuesday was the first day her mother had not been with her at the bus stop since that incident.

Simmons called the girl his hero for fighting to get away. She ended up with some scratches—and obviously experienced some trauma—but otherwise walked away uninjured.

“My message is that she did not give up,” he said. “She did the right thing, and she fought and she fought.”

Parents don’t want to imagine anything like this happening to their child and may not want to scare them by telling them it could happen, but it’s also important to prepare kids for all possibilities. Some children might freeze in fear or confusion in a potential abduction situation, but experts recommend kids fight back if someone actually physically grabs a child and tries to take them someplace.

“Kicking and screaming, opening the door, shouting, ‘Who are you? I don’t know who you are. You’re hurting me. Stop it.’ To try to call attention to the situation they’re in,” Marylene Cloitre of the New York University Child Study Center told ABC News. There are even formal programs in some places that teach kids what to do in various situations and have them practice using their voice and putting up a struggle, such as this one in the Chicago suburbs.

Training teaches kids to yell, run and fight back to escape kidnappers

www.youtube.com

There is no audio on the security footage in Tuesday’s attempt, but it’s clear the 11-year-old was not going to go quietly. Her instinct to fight back paid off, and thankfully she is home safe now. Hopefully, the justice system will now do what is necessary to protect her and other kids from the would-be kidnapper.

In a historic first, Arnold Schwarzenegger will star in a new untitled TV series for Netflix. The series will be a “one-hour global spy adventure” (don’t call it a drama) starring the Governator and Top Gun: Maverick‘s Monica Barbaro as a father-daugther team who had no idea they were both working for the CIA.

“Fans from all over the world have been asking me for a wild ride like this for years, and now they’re finally going to get it because of our great partners at Skydance and Netflix,” Schwarzenegger told Deadline in a statement. “I am beyond pumped to start work on the show with Nick and Monica and the whole team.”

Here’s the official synopsis:

In the series, created by Nick Santora (Jack Reacher; The Fugitive series), when a father (Schwarzenegger) and daughter (Barbaro) learn that they’ve each secretly been working as CIA Operatives for years, they realize their entire relationship has been a lie and they truly don’t know one another at all. Forced to team up as partners, our series tackles universal family dynamics set against a global backdrop of spies, fantastic action and humor.

Hmm. That kind of sounds like True Lies. At the very least, it’s doesn’t not sound like True Lies. But True Lies was fun. Let’s do it again.

Anyway, despite the pandemic shutting down most of Hollywood, Schwarzenegger has kept himself busy and has been an active presence on social media where his entertaining videos have done everything from chastise the GOP for the January 6 insurrection while waving his Conan sword and encouraging Americans to get vaccinated so we can put the COVID-19 crisis behind us.

(Via Deadline)

Sure, you could listen to the CDC and start going outside again sans mask… or you could skip the whole “rejoining society” trend and stay inside to binge all of the shows and movies coming to Hulu this month. We know what we’d choose. The second season of FX’s surprise hit comedy Dave, a pregnancy thriller starring Ilana Glazer, a handful of blockbusters and even more returning cable series are all much more tempting than eating inside an Olive Garden, after all.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) Hulu this June.

Dave: Season 2 (streaming 6/17)

FX’s breakout comedy returns this month and sees Lil Dicky figuring out how to take his rap game to the next level after that wild radio show interview that capped off the season one finale of the show last year. Expect plenty of celebrity guest appearances — Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Benny Blanco, Kyle Kuzma, Doja Cat, J Balvin, Rae Sremmurd, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lil Yachty, Lil Nas X, and Kevin Hart to name a few — plus some new faces from Lil Dicky’s record label who are responsible for keeping his budding career on track.

False Positive (Hulu film streaming 6/25)

Ilana Glazer stars in this pregnancy thriller that also features Justin Theroux and Pierce Brosnan. Glazer plays Lucy, a young woman struggling with fertility issues who seeks the help of a renowned doctor (Brosnan). Theroux plays Lucy’s husband, Adrian. The two eventually get pregnant, but Lucy quickly starts to realize there’s something sinister going on with her doctor’s practice and his interest in her child.

Avail. 6/1
Changing the Game (Hulu Original)
American Ninja Warrior: Season 13 Premiere
Housebroken: Series Premiere
Small Fortune: Complete Season 1
50/50 (2011)
A Most Wanted Ma (2014)
A Perfect Day (2006)
A Prayer For The Dying (1987)
The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
Across The Universe (2007)
Alive (1993)
Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid (2004)
Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008)
Anacondas: Trail Of Blood (2009)
Arachnophobia (1990)
Batman Begins (2005)
The Big Chill (1983)
The Birdcage (1997)
Black And White (2000)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project: Book of Shadows (2000)
Bloody Sunday (2002)
Blue Streak (1999)
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009)
Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star (2011)
Charlotte’s Web (1973)
The Company You Keep (2013)
Conviction (2010)
Convicts (1991)
Convoy (1978)
The Cookout (2004)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Desperate Measures (1998)
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005)
Dragonfly (2002)
Driven (2001)
El Dorado (1967)
Face/Off (1997)
The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
The Full Monty (1997)
Fun in Acapulco (1963)
Gamer (2009)
Get Smart (2008)
Hanging Up (2000)
Hud (1963)
The Hustler (1961)
Jennifer 8 (1992)
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Just Wright (2009)
Kick-Ass (2010)
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2000)
Last Chance Harvey (2008)
The Last House on the Left (2009)
Little Women (1994)
The Long Goodbye (1973)
The Love Letter (1999)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Once Upon A Crime… (1992)
Ordinary People (1980)
Places In The Heart (1984)
Primary Colors (1998)
Revolutionary Road (2008)
Richie Rich (1994)
Rules of Engagement (2000)
Sabrina (1995)
Savage State(2021)
Saving Silverman (2001)
Scorpio (1973)
Silence (2016)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
The Soloist (2009)
Some Girls (1988)
Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
Soul Survivors (2001)
Still Waiting (2009)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Switchback (1997)
The Time Machine (2002)
To Die For (1995)
The Upside (2017)
Vanity Fair (2004)
Waiting… (2005)
Walking Tall (1973)
Wayne’s World 2 (1993)
Weekend at Bernie’s (1989)
Wilde (1998)
Wings Of Courage (1995)
Witless Protection (2008)
Young Adult (2011)

Avail. 6/2
America’s Got Talent: Season 16 Premiere

Avail. 6/3
MasterChef: Season 11 Premiere
A Glitch in the Matrix (2020)
Night of the Kings (2021)

Avail. 6/4
The New York Times Presents: New Episode
Beat Shazam: Season 4 Premiere

Avail. 6/5
Emergency Call: Season 2 Premiere
Rams (2021)

Avail. 6/7
Celebrity Family Feud: Season 7 Premiere
The Chase: Season 2 Premiere
To Tell the Truth: Season 7 Premiere

Avail. 6/8
The Bachelorette: Season 17 Premiere
Legion Of Brothers (2017)

Avail. 6/9
The Croods: A New Age (2020)

Avail. 6/10
Trolls: TrollsTopia: Complete Season 3 (Hulu Original)
Card Sharks: Season 3 Premiere
Trust (2021)
Two of Us (2019)

Avail. 6/11
Love Victor: Season 2 Premiere (Hulu Original)
Real Housewives of Potomac: Complete Season 5
Come True (2021)

Avail. 6/13
Dragonheart (1996)
Dragonheart: A New Beginning (2000)
Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer’s Curse (2014)
Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire (2017)
Not Fade Away (2012)
Willy’s Wonderland (2021)

Avail. 6/14
Rūrangi: Complete Season 1 (The Yellow Affair)

Avail. 6/15
Accused: Guilty or Innocent?: Complete Season 1
Alone: Complete Season 7
Alone: The Beast: Complete Season 1
America Our Defining Hours: Complete Season 1
The Celebrity Dating Game: Complete Season 1
Dance Moms: Complete Season 8
Duck Dynasty: Complete Season 3
Forged in Fire: Complete Season 7
Hoarders: Complete Season 11
Married at First Sight: Complete Season 11
Mountain Men: Complete Season 6
Swamp People: Complete Season 11
The UnXplained with William Shatner: Complete Season 1B
Born to Play (2020)
Gone Girl (2014)
Her Deadly Sugar Daddy
Her Name Is Chef (2020)
Michael Smerconish: Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Talking (2020)
Nasrin (2020)
The Obituary of Tunde Johnson (2020)
The Outside Story (2021)
Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate (2020)

Avail. 6/17
DAVE: Season 2 Premiere (FX on Hulu)
Phobias (2021)

Avail. 6/18
Holey Moley 3D in 2D: Season 3 Premiere
The Hustler: Season 2 Premiere
When Nature Calls: Series Premiere

Avail. 6/20
The Guilt Trip (2012)

Avail. 6/21
Cutthroat Kitchen: Complete Seasons 2 & 3
Worst Cooks In America: Complete Season 4
Backyard Builds: Complete Seasons 1 – 4
Big Bucket Food List: Complete Season 1 – 2
Family Home Overhaul: Complete Season 1
Farmhouse Facelift: Complete Season 1
Home to Win: Complete Seasons 1 – 3
Home to Win for the Holidays: Complete Season 1
Jr. Chef Showdown: Complete Seasons 1 – 2
Save My Reno: Complete Seasons 1 – 4
Hot Market: Complete Season 1
Wall of Chefs: Complete Season 1
Hostiles (2017)

Avail. 6/22
Monster Trucks (2017)

Avail. 6/23
College Bowl: Series Premiere
Motherland: Fort Salem: Season 2 Premiere

Avail. 6/24
An American Haunting (2006)

Avail. 6/25
FALSE POSITIVE (2021) (Hulu Original)
Making It: Season 3 Premiere

Avail. 6/26
The Chloe Show: Series Premiere

Avail. 6/27
Safer at Home (2021)

Avail. 6/29
Bratz: The Movie (2007)
Harvie & The Magic Museum (2021)

Avail. 6/30
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
Jack Reacher (2012)
The Sweet Life (2016)

Leaving 6/4
Intrigo: Dear Agnes (2019)

Leaving 6/5
The Appearance (2018)

Leaving 6/11
Intrigo: Samaria (2019)
LA 92 (2020)

Leaving 6/17
Identity (2003)

Leaving 6/30
28 Days Later (2003)
50 First Dates (2004)
A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994)
A Night at the Roxbury (1998)
A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
A Simple Plan (1998)
A Storks Journey (2017)
The Birdcage (1997)
Blue Streak (1999)
Brooklyn’s Finest (2010)
Bug (2007)
Bulworth (1998)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)
Changeling (2008)
Cheech & Chong’s Still Smokin’ (1983)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Convicts (1991)
Convoy (1978)
The Core (2003)
The Devil’s Double (2011)
Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)
Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995)
Dude, Where’s My Car? (2000)
Face/Off (1997)
The Foot Fist Way (2008)
Frankie & Alice (2014)
The Full Monty (1997)
Garden State (2004)
Get Smart (2008)
Girl With a Pearl Earring (2003)
Guess Who (2005)
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)
How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
I Am Legend (2007)
Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport (2000)
Junior (1994)
Knowing (2009)
Little Women (1994)
Live Free Or Die Hard (2007)
The Long Goodbye (1973)
The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
Monster’s Ball (2001)
Mystery Science Theatre (1996)
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
New In Town (2009)
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
The Ninth Gate (1999)
Once Upon a Crime… (1992)
Pandorum (2009)
Paycheck (2003)
The Polar Express (2004)
The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Ramona and Beezus (2009)
Revolutionary Road (2008)
Rio (2011)
Salt (2010)
The Sandlot (1993)
Saving Silverman (2001)
Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Scorpio (1973)
Sex and the City (2008)
Sex and the City 2 (2010)
Shirley Valentine (1989)
Sleeping With the Enemy (1991)
Some Girls (1988)
Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
Soul Plane (2004)
The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Thirst (2009)
Vantage Point (2008)
Vertical Limit (2000)
Walking Tall (1973)
War (2007)
The Wedding Planner (2001)

Back in October, Phoebe Bridgers announced that she was teaming up with Dead Oceans to launch her own record label, Saddest Factory Records. Not long after that, she started pushing Claud, who has become an indie favorite, as the label’s first artist. Today, the roster has expanded, as Muna has announced they are the newest Saddest Factory artist.

In a tongue-in-cheek statement, the band explained how they came to join the Saddest Factory team, saying:

“Phoebe asked us to be in a four person couple with her. We said, ‘Sadly, we are all taken but we will happily sign to your record label for the small fee of 10 million dollars.’ After much negotiation, she obliged. We look forward to this lifelong partnership and Phoebe raising our first born children, as was included in the contract. This will be the last time we speak publicly as we will be giving her our voices in a cursed golden locket (with the exception of our bi-monthly contribution to the Podcast Industrial Complex). And maybe some music.”

In her own statement, Bridgers added, “I thought they were a boy band.”

Presumably, this all means that Muna is readying their upcoming third album. Their last full-length album, Saves The World, was released in 2019.

UK post punk outfit Black Midi returns with a few exciting announcements. Not only did they share another preview of their impending Cavalcade LP, but they’ve expanded their tour dates an announced a special sweepstakes contest.

The new track “Chondromalacia Patella” shares a similar sound to the bands previously released singles “Slow,” “John L,” and “Sweater.” Inspired by one of the band members’ knee injury, the single boasts their signature abrasive guitars and quick-tempoed chords.

Alongside the single’s release, Black Midi announced they’re officially launching a “Golden Ticket” contest. One special ticket will be inserted to the band’s LP sold in the US and one in the UK. Those who find the Golden Ticket are able to choose one of three prizes. They can choose to have Black Midi perform at a specified function, get the chance to spend the day in the studio with them, or they can secure guestlist spots for two people for all future worldwide Black Midi headline live shows for the next ten years.

Listen to Black Midi’s “Chondromalacia Patella” above and find their expanded 2021 and 2022 tour dates below.

10/10/2021 — Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
10/04/2021 — San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
10/05/2021 — Sonoma, CA @ Sebastiani Theatre
10/07/2021 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
10/08/2021 — San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
10/09/2021 — Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s
10/11/2021 — Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
10/12/2021 — Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
10/14/2021 — Lakewood, OH @ Mahall’s
10/15/2021 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit
10/16/2021 — Kingston, NY @ Tubby’s
10/18/2021 — Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
10/19/2021 — New York, NY @ Webster Hall
10/21/2021 — Baltimore, MD @ Union Brewery
10/23/2021 — Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle Tavern
10/26/2021 — Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
10/27/2021 — New Orleans, LA @ Republic
10/29/2021 — Austin, TX @ TBD
10/30/2021 — Houston, TX @ The Secret Group
03/22/2022 — Madison, WI @ Majestic Theater
03/25/2022 — Detroit, MI @ The Majestic
03/26/2022 — Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre
03/28/2022 — Montreal, QC @ Société des Art Technologiques
03/29/2022 — Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
03/30/2022 — Providence, RI @ Columbus Theater
04/03/2022 — Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
04/05/2022 — Washington, DC @ The Black Cat
04/06/2022 — Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
04/09/2022 — Nashville, TN @ Basement East
04/11/2022 — Seattle, WA @ Neptune
04/12/2022 — Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
04/13/2022 — Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
04/19/2022 — Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre

Cavalcade is out 5/28 via Rough Trade. Pre-order it here.

While sitting down to promote her upcoming role in the Eternals that’s finally making its way to theaters after being delayed for over a year, Salma Hayek revealed that she’s been battling a private COVIDstruggle of her own. The actress revealed that she was infected very early in the pandemic, and at the time, the prognosis was not looking good.

According to Variety, Hayek has never talked publicly about her health struggles until dialing in for a Zoom interview to talk about all things Marvel:

“My doctor begged me to go to the hospital because it was so bad,” says Hayek, 54, from the London manse that she shares with her husband, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault, and their 13-year-old daughter, Valentina. “I said, ‘No, thank you. I’d rather die at home.’”

Hayek spent about seven weeks isolated in a room of the house. At one point, she was put on oxygen. She still hasn’t fully regained the energy she once had.

Despite still suffering from the long-haul effects, Hayek returned to work last April and began filming Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci alongside Adam Driver and Lady Gaga. “It was the perfect job to just get back into it,” Hayek told Variety.

As for the Eternals, Marvel fans caught their first glimpse of Hayek as Ajak when the studio dropped its Phase 4 trailer/celebration of movies at the beginning of May. An official trailer for Eternals is rumored to be coming soon, which should give fans an even better look at Hayek and the ridiculously good-looking cast in action.

(Via Variety)

Phosphorescent dropped his latest album, C’est La Vie, in 2018. That came after a long wait, though, as his previous albums before that were 2013’s Muchacho and 2010’s Here’s To Taking It Easy. Now, Phosphorescent is getting ready to revisit that era with his next release, The BBC Sessions, which is set to drop on June 11 via Dead Oceans.

The five-track EP features performances from a pair of BBC Radio performances, one from 2011 and one from 2013. The collection opens with a previously unreleased rendition of “Song For Zula” from the 2013 session, which has been shared today. That is followed by “Terror In The Canyons (The Wounded Master)” from the same performance. Rounding out the release are three songs from the 2011 session: “At Death, A Proclamation,” “Los Angeles,” and “We’ll Be Here Soon.”

Listen to “Song For Zula” above. Below, check out the The BBC Sessions art and tracklist. Also revisit our 2018 interview with Phosphorescent here.

1. “Song For Zula” (BBC Radio Performance 2013)
2. “Terror In The Canyons (The Wounded Master)” (BBC Radio Performance 2013)
3. “At Death, A Proclamation” (BBC Radio Performance 2011)
4. “Los Angeles” (BBC Radio Performance 2011)
5. “We’ll Be Here Soon” (BBC Radio Performance 2011)

The BBC Sessions is out 6/11 via Dead Oceans. Pre-order it here.

React Like You Know is back and this week, we’ve got a new panel and an inescapable, game-changing classic for them to watch and respond to. When Missy Elliott‘s Hype Williams-directed video for her debut single “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” dropped in 1997, it blew minds with its eye-popping, surreal imagery, avant-garde fashion choices (the air-filled “trash bag” jumpsuit!), and Williams’ signature fish-eye lens technique. It’s safe to say, hip-hop wouldn’t look anything like it does today without Missy’s adventurous debut video.

So, how does it measure up for our gen-Z panelists? Well, the episode opens with a few “Oh my God!” exclamations from Erica Banks and Fousheé, and even NLE Choppa can’t help but gush, “Missy was beautiful!” BRS Kash notes the fish-eye look “makes the video so much more dramatic,” while Blac Chyna, Cozz, and DaniLeigh all shout out the “trash bag” style — even though Missy revealed long ago it was a patent-leather jumpsuit. The Hummer also gets a lot of attention from the panel, while our studio team gets some interesting responses about the producer-artist relationship between Timbaland and Missy, as well as whether Puff Daddy can be “all in their videos — dancin.’” (The answer’s a resounding yes.)

Missy, meanwhile, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her third album, Miss E… So Addictive, with the release of her equally groundbreaking 2001 MTV VMAs performance on YouTube coming later today.

Watch the latest React Like You video above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Jim Carrey won a Golden Globe for his performance in Man on the Moon, but it came at a cost — to everyone around him.

As chronicled in the documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, Carrey became Andy Kaufman for months, “like the ghost had possessed his body.” This “process” included the comedian’s alter-egos, slimy lounge singer Tony Clifton and a misogynistic wrestler. He essentially gave himself free rein to be a nightmare on set under the guise of method acting, which actor Martin Freeman spoke out against in a recent interview.

On the Off Menu podcast, the Sherlock star called Carrey’s behavior on the Man on the Moon set the “most self-aggrandizing, selfish, narcissistic f*cking bollocks I have ever seen… When younger, I think it’s quite common to think that completely losing yourself is the goal because it feels grown-up and it feels proper. But the older I’ve got, the more I don’t really look to that. To be honest, it’s quite a pain in the arse when someone ‘loses themselves.’ It is a massive pain in the arse because it’s no longer a craft and a job.”

Freeman thinks Carrey is probably a “lovely and smart person,” but he draws the line at his method acting. “The idea that anything in our culture would celebrate or support it is deranged, literally deranged,” he said. “You need to keep grounded in reality, and that’s not to say you don’t lose yourself in the time between ‘action’ and ‘cut,’ but I think the rest of it is absolute pretentious nonsense and highly amateurish. It is not professional.”

So… I’m guessing Freeman won’t be in Sonic the Hedgehog 2?

(Via the Telegraph)