Category: News

Why can’t “good” music also be funny? It’s a question I’d like to ask of every award show that’s aired over the past 20 years.

History’s proven that, even when ceremonies like The Golden Globes or The Oscars acknowledge good music, they refuse to recognize the talent it takes to write a song that’s both catchy and funny. Heartfelt ballads, jazz-peppered dance numbers, and acoustic country crooners — those are the shoe-ins, the songs that have enough gravitas to justify their inclusion on Hollywood’s biggest night. And when voting bodies do deign to hand out a trophy to a number from a comedy or musical, it usually comes in the form of a Disney property — an animated breakout with mass appeal and an endearing, inspiring message.

Normally, that’s something we wouldn’t balk at. Normally, we’d just keep our mouth shut. Except this year, the snubbing of musical comedy came at the expense of “Ja Ja Ding Dong,” and that injustice just cannot stand.

The summer of 2020 was tough. Our society was plagued by a pandemic and a presidential election. Music festivals were canceled. Movie theaters shuttered. The WAP Tik Tok challenge was poised to take hold. It was a time of chaos and uncertainty. But Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga — a Will Ferrell-backed comedy that hoped to introduce a beloved European singing competition to American audiences — was a bright spot, a two-hour musical jaunt filled with mischievous elves and ridiculous costumes, international pop bangers, and Canadian national treasure Rachel McAdams. It was a movie about chasing your dreams and recognizing the value of home; a melody-infused dramatic saga about star-crossed lovers littered with kitschy techno bops.

Its songs were silly and meaningful, crammed with lyrics that doubled as comedic puns, the kind of jingles you laughed at while you nodded your head to. There were operatic numbers filled with sexual innuendos about African lions; club raves chronicling the hero’s journey of a volcanic protector man; an upbeat romance ballad and an accordion backed Icelandic pub folk-song with spaced-theme references to a man’s climax. These songs merged character arcs with the film’s brazen comedy, they weaved strangely funny stories, traded in bizarre rhymes and rhythms, and still, they managed to pass as believable entries into the world’s biggest music competition.

Yet, when the Golden Globes announced the nominees in their “Best Song” category, there was a glaring lack of Ferrell-inspired musicianship. This got us thinking: What other comedic musical triumphs have been ignored by the out-of-touch, humorless gatekeepers known as awards voters?

Todd Phillips’ first Hangover flick was a crass, crude frat-boy romp around Las Vegas, which made the impromptu hotel room lullaby from Ed Helms’ character even more remarkable. “Stu’s Tiger Song” was added as an interlude between the film’s more outrageous action scenes, a way for the boys to pass the time as they waited for some Big Cat tranquilizers to take effect. It’s a soft, childlike melody underscored by the group’s desperation to find their missing friend and Helms’ imaginative wonderings about the sleep habits of grown tigers. It was a moment of quiet beauty in the middle of a raucous, boozy, crime-laden adventure and it deserved more.

So did the work of Babyface, Adam Schlesinger, and everyone else involved in crafting the superb soundtrack to a 2001 teen comedy, Josie and the Pussycats. Sure, the movie flopped with audiences who couldn’t understand how it was parodying the subliminal advertising in pop music at the time, but that’s no excuse for the industry insiders who snubbed it during awards season. Maybe the boy-band stylings of Du Jour’s “Backdoor Lover” were too erotic, but what of the girl group’s “Pretend to Be Nice,” a punk-themed feminist anthem that could’ve topped Billboard charts back in the day?

There are less obvious comedically-inspired songs that deserve recognition too. Jason Segel gave us a lesson in artistic expression through puppetry when he penned “Dracula’s Lament,” the sorrowful ballad that serves as the centerpiece to his Dracula Musical in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. (That film also crafted Aldous Snow’s British pop number “Inside of You” which gave the supporting character a solo spin-off.)

Ferrell pops up again, in the late 2000s with his “Boats N Hoes” rap, a raunchy nautical banger he wrote with John C. Reilly that marked a turning point in the pair’s sibling rivalry on screen. Schlesinger makes another appearance too, crafting some fine melodies for the Hugh Grant-starring rom-com Music & Lyrics. “Pop Goes My Heart” is an authentic 1980s expression of first love, but Hayley Bennett’s “Buddha’s Delight” is the Britney Spears-inspired exotic piece-de-resistance that feels especially relevant right now.

There’s “Walk Hard,” Reilly’s gritty, metaphorical answer to Johnny Cash, and “Please Mr. Kennedy,” an earworm from Inside Llewyn Davis accented by the baritone utterings of Adam Driver. But perhaps the worst slight when it comes to musical comedy (or comical music) happened when awards voters disrespected the genius of Andy Samberg’s Pop Star: Never Stop Stopping. The film, a mockumentary-style parody of a pop star’s downfall, houses a handful of hits — songs that are catchy enough to justify the hype surrounding Samberg’s musical icon, and stupid enough to laugh aloud with. They’re raps about the importance of staying humble, even when you’re a musical prodigy. They’re synth-beat-backed takedowns of the Mona Lisa, they’re catchphrase compilations featuring Emma Stone, love ballads that invoke Bin Laden, and an equal rights anthem backed by powerhouse vocals from Pink.

These tracks aren’t your typical awards show fare — which might be indicative of a larger problem when it comes to recognizing comedy that might not necessarily be labeled as smart. But that doesn’t make them any less worthy of recognition because what they’re doing is infinitely more complicated than just crafting a melody and lyrics to accompany a movie’s theme. They’re telling a story, helping a joke to land, creating musical parody that can live on in different forms using of-the-moment sounds and sharp humor.

They, too, are what constitutes “good music,” and it’s time that awards voters get down with that.

Last Updated: February 15th

Sad movies take a lot of forms, but this list of good Netflix films hits the big buttons, including some of the most powerful movies to watch about star-crossed love, concentration camps, death, and Adam driving yelling a bunch.

Regardless of what gets your tear ducts primed and pumping, there is something in this list must-watch streaming sobfests that will get at your heart’s sorrow spot. “Enjoy” the 15 saddest movies on Netflix right now responsibly.

Related: The Best Dramas On Netflix Right Now

Marriage Story (2019)

Run Time: 136 min | IMDb: 8.1/10

Noah Baumbach’s star-studded divorce drama is pure Oscar bait, but in the best way. The film takes a look at messy breakups with Scarlett Johansson playing an actress and mother named Nicole, who is intent on separating from her stage director husband Charlie (Adam Driver). Laura Dern and Ray Liotta play their hard-hitting lawyers, who don’t help in diffusing the tension and resentment building between the pair when Nicole moves herself and their son across the country. It’s an intimate look at the emotional wreckage of a divorce and the struggle to put a family back together again, and it’s carried by some brilliant performances by Driver and Johansson.

Moonlight (2016)

Run Time: 111 min | IMDb: 7.4/10

Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight will always be remembered for winning the Academy Award for Best Picture after a mix-up that initially named La La Land as the winner. But that’s just an asterisk attached to a momentous coming-of-age story set over three eras in a young man’s life as he grows up in Miami, grappling with the sexuality he feels will make him even more of an outcast while searching for guidance that his drug-addicted mother (Naomie Harris) can’t provide. The film is both lyrical and moving and won justifiable acclaim for its talented cast, including a Best Supporting Actor award for Mahershala Ali as a sympathetic drug dealer.

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Run Time: 85 min | IMDb: 7.5/10

Michael B. Jordan carries this powerful drama from Ryan Coogler. The film marks Coogler’s debut and covers the true story of Oscar Grant III, a Bay-Area resident who was killed in 2009 by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle at the Fruitvale district station of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system in Oakland. Rather than focusing solely on the tragedy, Coogler weaves a compelling story of a young man who wrestled with his past and had hope for his future just before his life was taken from him.

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War Horse (2011)

Run Time: 146 min | IMDb: 7.2/10

Horses, like dogs, make for worthy emotional fodder and this Steven Spielberg World War I epic proves it. There’s plenty of front-line action here, but it’s filtered through the lens of a young boy named Albert (Jeremy Irvine) and his connection to his beloved horse. When the animal is sold to the cavalry, Albert enlists and leaves his small English village to track down his best friend. Tom Hiddleston and David Thewlis also star as Spielberg uses sweeping shots of tattered battlefields to give us a birds-eye-view of the devastation war can cause.

Roma (2018)

Run Time: 135 min | IMDb: 8.7/10

Oscar-winning writer/director Alfonso Cuaron delivers what may be his most personal film to date. The stunningly-shot black-and-white film is an ode to Cuaron’s childhood and a love letter to the women who raised him. Following the journey of a domestic worker in Mexico City named Cleo, the movie interweaves tales of personal tragedy and triumph amidst a backdrop of political upheaval and unrest.

Carol (2015)

Run Time: 118 min | IMDb: 7.2/10

Patricia Highsmith made her name with dark, misanthropic thrillers like The Talented Mr. Ripley and Strangers on a Train. But her early work also included The Price of Salt, a novel about the relationship between a shopgirl and an older married woman. Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett bring this doomed romance to life, playing a pair of lovers kept apart by societal conventions. Their heartbreaking romance ends as well as can be expected, but the journey definitely involves some tears.

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The Sky Is Pink (2019)

Run Time: 143 min | IMDb: 7.5/10

Priyanka Chopra stars in this absolute tearjerker from Indian director Shonali Bose, playing a woman named Aditi whose epic love story is told in the past and present tense by her daughter. Spanning decades, we see Aditi’s relationship with her husband play out from the eyes of her spunky teenage daughter who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. It’s devastating yet hopeful — the perfect combo to get those tear ducts working.

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Pieces Of A Woman (2021)

Run Time: 126 min | IMDb: 7.1/10

Be warned: this film is basically two hours’ worth of emotional terrorism. You should still watch it, mostly because Vanessa Kirby delivers a star-making performance as Martha, a young woman who experiences a terrible loss and goes on a year-long journey to cope with it. Shia LaBeouf plays her husband, who kind of crumbles under his own grief, and Ellen Burstyn plays Martha’s overbearing mom. The sad bits never really let up, but then again, that’s what you’re here for, right?

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

Run Time: 118 min | IMDb: 7.8/10

Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio star in this heartbreaking family drama about a young man struggling to care for his disabled brother and morbidly obese mother. Depp plays the titular Gilbert Grape, a kid with plenty of dreams and even more responsibilities keeping him from pursuing them. DiCaprio plays his mentally challenged younger brother Arnie who relies on Gilbert and their mother — a woman whose weight threatens her health — for everything. It’s a tearjerker for sure, but it’s also brilliantly acted and painfully relatable.

The Fundamentals Of Caring (2016)

Run Time: 97 min | IMDb: 7.3/10

Paul Rudd is at his most charming and charismatic here. He plays a newly trained caregiver to a distant teenager with muscular dystrophy named Trevor. After some icebreaking, the two set out on a trip to see some of the most boring roadside attractions middle America has to offer. It’s a bit more optimistic and feel-good than others on this list but don’t let Paul Rudd’s cuddly vibes fool you — there will be tears.

A Walk To Remember (2002)

Run Time: 101 min | IMDb: 7.4/10

Is there any movie more soul-crushingly tragic than this Nicholas Sparks gem from the early 2000s? Answer: no. Mandy Moore plays a cancer-stricken teen named Jamie Sullivan who attracts the attention of school jock Landon Carter after he gets into a bit of trouble and is forced to do community service to make up for it. It’s a tropey opposites-attract love story, but Moore’s rather exceptional in it and the soundtrack doesn’t suck either.

The Florida Project (2017)

Run Time: 111 min | IMDb: 7.6/10

Willen Dafoe lends his name to this little indie that generated plenty of buzz during awards season just a few years ago. It follows the story of six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) who lives with her mother in a run-down motel near Walt Disney World. Moonee, along with a couple of kids also living at the motel, gets into all sorts of mischief while her mom works first as an exotic dancer, then resorts to prostitution when things get rough. Poor and neglected, Moonee still finds joy in her unforgiving environment and though things end on a bittersweet note, this feels like one of the more hopeful movies on this list.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)

Run Time: 100 min | IMDb: 8/10

This coming-of-age indie is based on a beloved book, but if fans were worried that the story of a depressed teenager who finds friends and a sense of belonging in a group of lovable misfits wouldn’t translate on screen, they shouldn’t have been too concerned. Stephen Chbosky wrote the novel, but he also penned the screenplay and directed this flick, which sees Logan Lerman play Charlie, the social outcast, and Emma Watson play Sam, the alt-pixie-dream girl he falls for. Everyone’s good in this, but it’s Ezra Miller’s Patrick who really stands out.

Extremis (2016)

Run Time: 24 min | IMDb: 7.3/10

Clocking in at 24 minutes, the Oscar-nominated Extremis really would only work as a short, as its subject matter is almost unbearably heavy. Following terminal patients, their families, and their doctors, the tearjerker zeros in on the decision that many people are forced to make: whether to end a life or keep struggling to hold on. Netflix’s first foray into short documentary, it’s raw insight that can be rough for anyone who has been in similar shoes or spent any time facing dire choices in a hospital.

Les Miserables (2012)

Run Time: 158 min | IMDb: 7.6/10

Before he gave us the truly horrifying theatrical interpretation of Cats, director Tom Hooper helmed another stage-to-screen adaptation, this one centering on revolutionary-era France. Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, and Eddie Redmayne lead the cast of this star-powered vehicle which took home three Oscars and tells the tragic story of Fantine (Hathaway), a prostitute who gives up her daughter and Jean Valjean (Jackman) a man hounded by a dogged policeman. Their lives connect in interesting ways over the years but be prepared, Hathaway’s performance will break your soul.

Recent Updates Through February 2021
Added: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Fruitvale Station, Pieces Of A Woman
Removed: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Notebook, Dallas Buyers Club

Moneybagg Yo released a lot of music in 2020. The Memphis rapper debuted two full-length albums, one of which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. He also dropped “Said Sum,” a track that achieved viral fame on TikTok and saw remixes by the City Girls and Westside Boogie. And because of his fruitful year, the rapper apparently raked in a solid amount of cash. This had led the rapper to have a pretty skewed view of the virus’ affect as Moneybagg Yo said he hopes the pandemic doesn’t end.

The rapper shared his thoughts in a tweet, which fans instantly slammed as insensitive. Stating that he’s made millions of dollars this past year, Moneybagg Yo wrote, “Not gone lie I made a couple Ms in da pandemic, ion want it to end.”

Doubling down on the sentiment, Moneybagg continued to say: “I feel like the pandemic help a lot of people.” While the rapper did not elaborate, it seems as though he was referring to the staggering trajectory of the stock market in recent months.

A few hours after sending the initial tweets, Moneybagg Yo walked back on his comments, realizing now tone deaf they were. “I apologize to everybody I offended my comment was very insensitive it was not my intent to hurt anyone.”

Read Moneybagg Yo’s tweets above.

Joss Whedon was hit with a fresh batch of accusations last week after Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, claimed he had engaged in various forms of workplace harassment. Her allegations weren’t that shocking: Last summer, Ray Fisher — who played Cyborg in Justice League, which Whedon took over after original director Zack Snyder had to leave the project — lobbed furious allegations his way. And as more and more Buffy/Angel alumni speak up in support of Carpenter, Fisher made sure to get some jabs in, too.

Fisher didn’t mention Carpenter et al., and didn’t single out Whedon but also included the film’s producers. “There’s only one reason that I haven’t been sued by Joss Whedon, Toby Emmerich, Geoff Johns, Jon Berg, or Walter Hamada: They know I’m telling the truth,” Fisher wrote.

The actor accused Whedon of “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” behavior towards not only him but his fellow cast and crew. Meanwhile, Carpenter has claimed the TV- and filmmaker of, among other things, firing her after she got pregnant. Her Buffy colleague Michelle Trachtenberg also made some startling allegations, writing on social media, “The last. Comment I will make on this. Was. There was a rule. Saying. He’s not allowed in a room alone with Michelle again.” In other words, we’re still only at the beginning of what may be a messy and disturbing investigation.

(Via Deadline)

Monday marked Megan Thee Stallion‘s 26th birthday and she celebrated the day the best way she knew how: by dropping a sizzling freestyle video. Fans and musicians alike praised the rapper’s talent and shared celebratory messages. But one celebrity’s happy birthday wishes outdid them all: Beyonce officially wished Megan a happy birthday, and now she feels on top of the world.

Beyonce’s kind birthday wish was publicly posted on the singer’s website:

Shortly after seeing the message, Megan reflected on how blessed she felt. “I’m healthy, I can take care of myself, my friends & family love me, my boo love me (he mad at me rn but he still love me) shiddd Beyoncé love me, I’m just happy and blessed lol,” she wrote.

It was well earned as the rapper has been putting in a lot of hard work lately. Not only did she release the mixtape Suga in 2020, but she also dropped her debut album Good News, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Before that, she also earned her first No. 1 song after her Cardi B collaboration “WAP” broke the internet.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The New York Knicks entered Monday night’s game with the Hawks tied with the Hornets for sixth in the East at 13-15, thanks in large part to the sensational, All-Star worthy season Julius Randle has been having so far.

Randle is averaging 22.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, and has become a legitimately good three-point shooter at 39.4 percent. The skidding Hawks came into MSG needing a win desperately, but Randle refused to oblige as he went off for a season-high 44 points to lead the Knicks to a win in the highest scoring performance by a Knick since Carmelo Anthony back in January 2017.

The Hawks fell behind by double digits early, but clawed back to take a lead in the third quarter and kept things close for much of the game. However, Randle put them away with his career-high seven made threes, and some incredibly tough buckets late in a sensational individual performance to lead New York to a 123-112 win.

Helping Randle on Monday was R.J. Barrett with 21 points and seven rebounds and Immanuel Quickley with 16 points and five assists off the bench, but in closing time Nerlens Noel made a number of big plays on defense and punctuated the win with a vicious putback dunk over John Collins.

After the game, his teammates took the mic in the postgame interview to make sure they put it out there that he is indeed an All-Star this year, and you’d be hard-pressed to find an argument against that right now.

On Saturday, after five days of trial, the Senate voted to acquit former president Donald Trump of his role in the failed MAGA coup that resulted in five dead. But that doesn’t mean the investigation is over. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced her plans to create a “9/11-type commission” to look into it — a reference to the report by outside investigators into September 11 attacks, performed nearly 20 years ago.

“To protect our security, our security, our security, our next step will be to establish an outside, independent 9/11-type Commission to ‘investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to the January 6, 2021 domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex,’” Pelosi wrote in a letter to fellow House Democrats.

While the majority of the GOP continue their fealty to Trump, downplaying the attacks and demanding the country move on, their Democratic counterparts and a clutch of Republicans feel decidedly otherwise. Some even view it as an act of domestic terrorism. Pelosi was among the lawmakers sought by some members of the invading mob. Mere days after the attack, the House voted to impeach Trump a second time, with 10 Republicans joining their ranks.

The Senate once again failed to convict Trump, just as they had done over a year prior, when he was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice, in a phonecall with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Shortly after helping to deliver the acquittal, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell gave a speech in which he admitted Trump was responsible for the tragic events. He was also one of many who voted to acquit.

(Via CNN)

It’s been just over three years since Migos released their well-received album Culture III, and fans have been anxious for its successor ever since. The group has dropped a few hints about the album, recently saying it was expected to arrive at the “top of the year.” But now, Quavo has offered more insight into when exactly people can expect to hear more music from the powerhouse trio.

Quavo was out on a Valentine’s Day date with Saweetie at LA’s BOA Steakhouse when they were bombarded by paparazzi. The cameramen followed the pair to their car when one of them asked Quavo about the status of Culture III. Quavo responded as he entered his car, spilling more concrete information than fans have had in months. “It’s coming real soon,” he said. “Less than a month and a half.”

The rapper’s album timeline makes since given Migos’ recent teasers. Just a few weeks ago, Migos unveiled an official trailer to the album, which offered an inside look at the project’s recording process. “We’re just young men trying to grow,” Quavo said in the trailer. “Right now, we’re at a point in our life we’re allowed to sit down and build and start from scratch.”

Watch Migos’ Culture III trailer above.

Saweetie is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

John Wall was synonymous with Washington D.C. in his time in the nation’s capital, not just because of his exploits on the basketball court for the Wizards, but because of the way he fully embraced the city off of it. Wall gave back to the city in an immense way, always putting in work in the community and became a beloved figure.

So when he was traded this past offseason for Russell Westbrook, just as he was set to make his return from an Achilles injury, there was plenty of backlash from the fanbase. Westbrook and the Wizards’ struggles and Wall’s resurgence in Houston has not helped those feelings of contempt, and so on Monday when Wall returned to Washington for the first time since the trade (and his second and final game against the Wizards this season) there were plenty with torn allegiances and it didn’t feel like a proper homecoming in the empty arena.

Wall got off to a hot start, slicing through the porous Washington defense for a thunderous dunk, showing some emotion after as he clearly enjoyed taking it to his old team.

The Wizards played a tribute video to Wall during the first timeout, balancing his on-court highlights with those off of it, a reminder of everything he did in the community as well as for the team.

Wall would finish the night with 29 points and 11 assists, a strong outing for the shorthanded Rockets, but not enough to take down Bradley Beal and his former squad. Beal, the NBA’s leading scorer, had 37 points on the night as he continues to be the best scorer in the league this season, and Washington pulled away with a 131-119 win.

After the game, Wall and Beal had a handshake and embrace as the two former teammates saw each other for the final time this season.

Whenever the Rockets go back to Washington next season, when fans are back, it will feel like a much more appropriate welcome for Wall, but for now, both sides can move on for the remainder of this season now that their brief season series is done.

Monday night saw John Wall’s return visit to the nation’s capital after he was traded this offseason to the Houston Rockets for Russell Westbrook, and the focus was on the former All-Star’s exploits against his old team. He had a big first half, scoring 22 points and dishing out seven assists, dueling with his old friend Bradley Beal, who had 19 at the break, in yet another high-scoring affair in D.C.

Unfortunately for Wall and Wizards fans, no one is allowed in the arena in Washington for games and as such, there wasn’t a chance for the D.C. faithful, who loved Wall, to give him a proper reminder of how much they appreciated his time with the Wizards. The stands at the Capital One Arena are tarped up and pushed back, as is the case most everywhere in the league, and we learned one of the sneaky downsides to this setup on Monday.

In the early third quarter the game ball rolled out of bounds and somehow snuck under the stands, leaving the Wizards do-everything All-Star to go retrieve the thing.

Beal quite literally does it all for Washington, leading the NBA in scoring and even crawling under stands to make sure the game ball doesn’t get lost. This is something that you usually only see at a pickup run in an empty high school gym, but the 2020-21 season is full of surprises and we were blessed with what will surely become a highly used GIF of Beal crawling under the stands.

It’s a good thing he went and got the ball, because he caught fire in the third, piling up 12 points in the period to help the Wizards get out to a 10-point lead before he took a rest late.