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So the new John Wick is pretty long. Nearly a decade ago, the original was an air-tight 96 minutes. Chapter 4 is over an hour longer than that. If that sounds like a long time to be watching an action movie — in a franchise that was simply about a guy avenging his puppy’s death, played by a real-life puppy lover — then get ready to learn it could have been even longer.

In a new interview with IndieWire (in a bit teased out by The AV Club), series director Chad Stahelski talks about its absurd length, which is still not as bad as it could have been. “Our first cut was three hours and 45 minutes, and it felt like three hours and 45 minutes,” he said. “We were like, oh, we’re so screwed.”

Of course, it’s not atypical for all movies to originally be much, much longer than they wind up in final cut. When people talk about “original cuts,” what they usually mean is “assembly cuts,” which are when the editing team puts everything together before whittling it down. All movies have to be whittled down. Sometimes people freak out when they learn movies they love used to be even longer, even petitioning for those cuts to be made public. But trust us, you don’t want to watch assembly cuts. At best, you can simply watch choice deleted scenes on the home video edition.

Still, 169 minutes is pretty long for a movie about a guy shooting people in the head! For some perspective, that’s 11 minutes shorter than Avengers: Endgame and 23 minutes longer than Goodfellas.

(Via IndieWire and The AV Club)

Falling in love can be daunting. But falling out of love is even more terrifying. “There is the art of loving, this is the art of forgetting how,” Caroline Rose sings on “Miami,” one of the lead singles which previewed their upcoming album The Art Of Forgetting.

Songs like “Miami” and album opener “Love / Lover / Friend” stand as haunting juxtapositions to Rose’s previous exuberant, tongue-in-cheek LPs such as 2020’s Superstar. Throughout The Art Of Forgetting, Rose trades in blown-out synths for wood and string instruments, documenting their grief, pain, and breakthroughs on 14 tracks. Marking Roses rawest, most emotional work to date, the musician periodically slips loving voicemails from their grandma into their music: “It got me thinking about all the different ways memory shows up throughout our lives,” Rose said in a statement. “It can feel like a curse or be wielded as a tool.”

Ahead of the release of their album The Art Of Forgetting, which is out Friday, Rose sat down with Uproxx to talk, Elon Musk, performing in a bull fighting ring, and embarrassing tattoos in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

You are probably asking for adjectives but this is what I say…”Miniature dark comedy soundtracks.”

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Come on, you and I both know humanity’s not gonna make it that far.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

Given we pretty much only see the inside of the venue every night, that is basically impossible to answer, but one time we played a show in a bullfighting ring in Fitero, Spain and that was the most memorable show of my life. I’ve never ate so well nor partied so hard in my life.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

I would say the Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar has most inspired my work. He somehow fused camp, melodrama, and color with gore, passion and the grotesque. An artist truly ahead of his time in every way.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

Best meal of my life is my mom’s enchiladas.

What album do you know every word to?

I am currently trying to forget every John Mayer lyric ever written so I can have some space for new material in my brain.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Another impossible question to answer but I remember being really blown away by Tame Impala’s light show when we saw them at ACL a few years ago.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

The best outfit for performing is definitely something long sleeve with lots of layers and is completely unbreathable.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

I don’t use Twitter but my favorite person to follow on that would be Elon Musk because Lord knows what he’ll say next!

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

The most played song is actually a podcast. We play it for every new person who sits in the van for at least 6 hours… And that podcast is Dirty John.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

“Zac Efron shirtless”

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Any of Swamp Dogg’s albums. His demographic is all of humanity.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

One time I slept on someone’s bean bag chair and woke up with a dirty thong on my foot.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

I’m too embarrassed to tell you.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

I’ll pretty much listen to anything that doesn’t have the lyrics “red dirt road” in it.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Brought me coffee in bed.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Tell Jenna Williams you have a major crush on her.

What’s the last show you went to?

Big Thief.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Lord of the Rings.

What’s one of your hidden talents?

This is why I do music, I don’t have any other talents.

The Art Of Forgetting is out 3/24 via New West. Find more information here.

Ted Cruz must secretly love to tweet about movies, and I have to admit, I kind-of love it when he does this, too. It’s a lot of fun. Years ago, the noted The Princess Bride superfan got trounced when he feuded with Cary Elwes, and he once made the grave mistake of tweeting about Fight Club and received some swift comeuppance. And earlier this week on a related note, horror book-and-movie maestro Stephen King didn’t waste fancy words while talking back to Ted, and now, he’s waded into Rocky territory.

What an odd world we live in. This happened when writer Oliver Willis noted Twitter sidebar trends and made a crack about “trump: the movie” casting going too far, and Ted was apparently thrilled to see this happen because Carl Weathers’ name (he happened to be trending due to this week’s episode of The Mandalorian) appeared in the sidebar.

Ted pretended (?) to be flattered, and he responded, “Nice! I’m being played by Apollo Creed!!”

The joke (I guess? you can never tell with Ted) would be that Parker Posey (or “Posie Parker”) would be playing Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Weathers, who embodied heavyweight champ Apollo Creed for the Rocky movies, would be playing Ted Cruz. This is, of course, very funny on multiple fronts. (It’s unclear whether Ted wanted to be played by Carl or the character Apollo, but that probably doesn’t matter.)

The photoshops began to fly, and even more than that, a certain Rocky IV scene surfaced in the commentary.

Ted might not have meant for this to happen.

Then came a “You wouldn’t even be Ivan drago” remark and lots of laughter.

And this wouldn’t be complete without a Cancun/”Apollo Fleet” joke.

Never mind all the bluster about Halle Bailey‘s starring role as The Little Mermaid. The real first Black Disney princess was Brandy. Back in 1997, the R&B icon starred in a made-for-TV production of Cinderella as the titular orphan alongside Whitney Houston as her fairy godmother. For years, Rodgers And Hammerstein’s Cinderella was consigned to the VHS collections of ’90s kids until making its debut on Disney+ in 2021 (Bernadette Peters played the wicked stepmother, a true triumph of casting).

But it turned out that Disney wasn’t content just to bring back the original movie. Late last year, it was announced that Brandy’s Cinderella — along with her Prince Charming, Paolo Montalban — was returning in the latest installment of the Descendants film series, which revolves around the children of Disney heroes and villains (Rita Ora is also cast to play the Queen of Hearts). Today, fans got their first look at the reunited couple in their reprised and revamped roles and caught all the feels, gushing on Twitter about the surge of nostalgia the sight brought on.

Of course, plenty of attention was lavished on a long-running gag about the genetics of the original TV movie continuing in the new one. Montalban, who plays the prince (Christopher Rupert Vwindemier Vlandamier Carl Alexander Francois Reginald Lancelot Herman Gregory James), is Filipino, while his parents, the king, and queen, were portrayed by Victor Garber and Whoopi Goldberg. Suffice it to say, it’s been a source of endless, head-scratching delight for fans of the movie for the past 26 years.

Well, the tradition apparently continues; Cinderella’s son, Chad, is portrayed by Jedidiah Goodacre, who had previously appeared in the prior movies in the series. He’s obviously, well… not Black or Filipino. This is an amusing byproduct of his casting back in 2015 when no one had any idea what the series’ king and queen would look like. Now, it’s an accidental but hilarious nod to the colorblind castings of yesteryear and fans couldn’t help but point that out.

And, of course, for those poo-poo-ing the announcement out of ignorance and bigotry, fans had plenty to say about them as well:

Descendants: The Rise of Red is set to stream on Disney +.

Donald Trump took a break from fantasizing about his perp walk to rant about Ron DeSantis sitting down with Piers Morgan. While the full interview won’t air until Thursday, Fox has been promoting excerpts from the exchange, and clearly, Trump caught wind of them.

In both of the clips, DeSantis takes notable shots at Trump while also talking more and more like he’s going to challenge Trump for the Republican nomination. The Florida governor took the former president to task for his weird use of nicknames, not firing Dr. Fauci, and his all around “daily drama.” Like clockwork, Trump delivered on that last time with a belligerent post on Truth Social:

While I am fighting against Radical Left Lunatics, Persecutors, and unfair Prosecutors who want to destroy us all, Ron DeSanctimonious is not working for the people of Florida as he should be, he is too busy chatting with a Ratings Challenged TV Host from England, desperately trying to rescue his failing Campaign—But it’s my fault, I put him there!

As for which of DeSantis’ barbs rubbed Trump the wrong way is not known, but perhaps the most devastating burn was when the Florida governor basically waved Trump off as a nuisance and said his real opponent, should he run, would be Joe Biden.

“Ultimately you know the guy I’m gonna focus on is Biden because I think he’s failed the country,” DeSantis told Morgan. “I think the country wants a change. I think they want a fresh start and a new direction, and so we’ll be very vocal about that.”

(Via Donald Trump on Truth Social)

One of the more exciting additions to the John Wick-verse is Rina Sawayama. The British-Japanese musician makes her big-screen debut in John Wick: Chapter 4, where she plays Akira, the concierge at the Continental Hotel in Osaka, Japan. You wouldn’t know Sawayama hasn’t acted before, however: she’s a natural in the role, and has a bigger part than you might imagine. This is no stunt casting, although she does do her own stunts.

“She was great,” star (and confirmed lovely person) Keanu Reeves told Entertainment Weekly about Sawayama. “I think she’s amazing in the film, and she came to John Wick training camp, and just threw herself into it, was so enthusiastic. She has a dance background, so she was really great with moving through space, and it was really great to see how she excelled, and also brought her character a flavor [to] how she fought. It was great.”

Sawayama also contributed a song to the John Wick: Chapter 4 soundtrack. You can hear it here (while doing the M3GAN dance).

John Wick: Chapter 4, which also stars Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Scott Adkins, Ian McShane, and Lance Reddick (RIP), opens this week. It rules.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

With 2023’s SXSW events officially behind us, it’s time to look back on all the madness, chaos, and (above all) fun that went down in Austin, Texas last week. The wild week included a live taping of UPROXX’s Fresh Pair with co-host Katty Customs and Texas hip-hop legend Bun B — powered by our NFT partners STEPN and WAGMI Beach and featuring cocktails by Los Siete Misterios mezcal. All three of those sponsorships underscored the custom nature of Fresh Pair, with bespoke cocktails created just for this event and a sneaker-based NFT collab on the way.

The Fresh Pair event was part of a three-day takeover hosted by the show’s co-host and all-around icon, Just Blaze. Backed by Twelve Rivers Realty and the video game company he cofounded, Brass Lion, Just went all-in this year and the crowd showed up in big numbers.

Night one of the takeover opened with Just Blaze throwing a party in the Native Hostel ballroom which quickly turned into one of those nights that feels like it only happens in the movies. Over the course of more than seven hours (!!!), the superproducer was joined on stage by DJ Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kweli, Bun B, Redman, Jadakiss, Freeway, Beanie Seigel, and eventually even Dave Chappelle. I mean… just look at this scene:

Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to be there that night? Who wouldn’t have been geeked when Dave Chappelle pushed away his (incredibly tough-looking bodyguards) and waded into the crowd for photos? Or when Redman came out spitting absolute fire with the same intensity and speed he had on his fastball in ’99?

The next day, Native Hostel, Brass Lion, and Twelve Rivers hosted Fresh Pair for their first on-the-road live taping. The event featured cocktails and a tasting table by Los Siete Misterios mezcal and was sponsored by STEPN and WAGMI Beach (look for the NFT coming soon!). Katty Customs brought some killer kicks to present to Bun B while he opened up about everything from his early hits to working with Jay-Z.

That taping was followed by a cocktail party with a step and repeat, some bomb barbacoa tacos, and a whole lot of mezcal while DJ Buck Rodgers spun and scratched. Later that night, Blaze hosted another party at Native Hostel’s Ballroom, inviting DJ Natasha Diggs and L3ni of Soul in the Horn with a late-night appearance by special guest DJ Pee Wee (you know, Anderson .Paak) to close out the evening.

Photos from the live taping of Fresh Pair:

You might recall us singing the praises of Sara Beth, the exuberant young mom with major vocal chops dubbed the “Accidental American Idol.”

During Sara Beth’s initial audition for the show, judge Katy Perry made a joke that rubbed many viewers the wrong way.

Before Sara Beth even began to sing, the 25-year-old revealed that she had three children, which prompted Katy Perry to dramatically stand up from her seat and feign shock. When Sara Beth, all smiles, said, “If Katy lays on the table, I think I’m going to pass out,” Perry retorted, “Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much.”

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So many fans began calling out Perry’s comment that Sara Beth herself spoke out in a TikTok video that has since gone viral.

“At the start of my audition, before I sang, I mentioned that I had three children and was a young mother, and Katy Perry made a joke that wasn’t super kind,” Sara Beth explained, using air quotations around the word “joke.”

She continued, “I don’t have too much to say on my feelings about it because I feel like it’s probably pretty self-explanatory. I mean, it was embarrassing to have that on TV. And it was hurtful and, you know, that’s that.”

From there Sara Beth could have gone on the defensive, but instead chose to offer some positivity and encouragement.

For the moms who had reached out with supportive comments—and all moms in general—she said, “I see you and I hear you and I am grateful for you and you’re worthy…Keep loving your babies.That’s all that really matters and other comments don’t feel necessary.”

Really, Sara Beth’s sentiments can be boiled down to this one statement: “I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool, and I think that mom-shaming is super lame.”

@sarabethliebe

Well. I didnt think id be making this video, but i just wanted to say a couple things since im being flooded with articles and comments/messages about this.

♬ original sound – Sara Beth

Sara Beth had the comments turned off for her video, but with over 25,000 likes, it feels safe to say the message resonated with others. And from the looks of things, it seems like that joke, however hurtful, hasn’t really kept Sara Beth down. Her demo “Last October” just debuted on Spotify, and she is posting a ton of amazing covers over on TikTok. Good for you, mama.

Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.

Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. After an incredibly slow but strong week, we’re following it up with… another slow week. We’ve got nothing but bad news for sneakerheads, not only is this week another slow one, it’s arguably one of the weakest we’ve had all year with only six notable drops, two of which are wider releases of sneakers we talked about last week.

That means there are only four new shoes in this roundup. Only four, notable, new designs. That’s straight-up sad.

On the bright side, things will get better beginning next week. But not much. We know this isn’t an ideal way to start a “best sneakers of the week list” but we’re just being real with you — save your money for something truly great! But that isn’t to say this week is dominated by duds, it’s not, some of the notable releases this week include the latest MSCHF drop, a Nike collaboration with Fly Streetwear, a new Billie Eilish branded AF-1, and the return of the Big Bubble Air Max, all of which are legitimately dope and worth your time.

Let’s dive into the six best sneaker drops of the week!

Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 Pine Green

No, you’re not experiencing Deja Vu, this is a drop we highlighted last week, but that was when it was exclusive to Nike-affiliated skate shops across the country. This week it finally got a wide release online, and yeah, we’re going to talk about it again (it’s a slow week!). Featuring a strengthened toe box, flexible plastic detailing, and a heavy tread zonal gum rubber outsole, this Jordan 4 is altered and strengthened to stand up to the abuse of street skating.

It manages to satiate the desires of both skatewear fans and Jordan heads. A meeting of the minds that looks great in the process.

The Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 Pine Green is out now for a retail price of $225. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or your favorite aftermarket site.

MSCHF Super Normal 2 Mint

Hot on the heels of launching what is arguably 2023’s most talked about shoe, MSCHF is back with another sneaker release and this time it looks like they’re playing it shockingly safe. As safe as a sneaker that apes the shape and vibe of a famous Nike silhouette can be!

The Super Normal isn’t a new design for MSCHF, but the AF1-esque silhouette now has a new minty colorway. Featuring a white leather upper with wavy panel designs and mint detailing on the outsole, tongue, collar, and eyestay, the Super Normal 2 shows that pranks aside, MSCHF is really good at making dope shoes.

The MSCHF Super Normal 2 Mint Green is out now for a retail price of $170. Enter a raffle to pick up the shoes at MSCHF or hit up your favorite aftermarket site.

Air Force 1 Low Billie Triple White

Billie Eilish’s next collaboration with Nike has just dropped and it’s the best one yet! The massive pop star’s collaborations with Nike are quietly some of the best (more people need to get on the Billie train before it’s too late!) and this week she’s tackling the mighty AF-1 in the legendary Triple White colorway. ‘

Featuring a patchwork mosaic upper, cork sockliner, and cross-stitched detailing, Eilish’s AF-1 is equal parts traditional and elevated. Altering what is easily one of the most iconic silhouettes in the sneaker universe isn’t an easy feat, but Eilish nails it.

The Air Force 1 Low Triple White is set to drop on March 23rd at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Action Bronson x New Balance 990v6 MADE in USA Baklava

Another sneaker we covered last week, Action Bronson’s first New Balance collaboration, the Baklava, is getting a wide release this week. Featuring a vibrant colorway with pigskin and synthetic overlays, mesh underlays, and a FuelCell cushioned midsole, this 990v6 was apparently inspired by ‘life-giving elements’ like water, earth and electricity, and sports reflective accents, a large bold blue ENCAP midsole, and TPU back tab pieces.

It’s got a lot going on but it manages to capture Action Bronson’s vibe and that’s all we ever want from a collaborative sneaker.

The Action Bronson x New Balance 990v6 MADE in USA Baklava is set to drop on March 24th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $219.99. Pick up a pair via the New Balance webstore.

Nike SB Dunk Low x Fly Streetwear Gardenia

Nike and Fly Streetwear are teaming up for a new SB Dunk that celebrates skate culture and city life. Featuring embroidered bouquet graphics, a tough suede and leather build, and a mix of Game Royal blue and white with key lime accents, the sneaker, dubbed “Gardenia” was inspired by the gardenia flower streets vendors of Shanghai.

The sneaker is dropping alongside a matching apparel collection.

The Nike SB Dunk x Fly Streetwear Gardenia is set to drop on March 25th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $120. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT.

Nike Air Max 1 ’86 Original Big Bubble

Nike is bringing back the legendary 1986 Big Bubble Nike Air Max 1. Replicated from CT scans, this sneaker recreates the original Air Max 1 design which featured a larger Air unit window — hence the name — in its original grey, white and University Red colorway.

The original pair was limited to 400,000 pairs and was subsequently replaced because Nike engineers found that the large air unit and window led to lots of cracking in colder temperatures, so the design detail was shrunk down giving us the Air Max 1 we all know and love. Does that mean these will one day crack given the right temperature conditions? Nike isn’t saying, but we doubt it.

The Nike Air Max 1 ’86 Original Big Bubble is set to drop on March 26th at 7:00 AM in both Men and Women’s sizing for a retail price of $150. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.

Questlove is one of the most celebrated musicians of the present day. The Grammy Award-winning artist’s latest business venture is the perfect avenue for him to bridge together his wide array of passions. In a new interview with The New York Times, the entertainer (real name Ahmir Khalib Thompson) revealed that he’s launching his own book imprint at MCD Books.

Named in homage to the late Prince, Auwa Books will feature, in his words, “a mix of fiction and nonfiction that ranges from memoirs to books about music history and business.”

The first release slate to be released from the company is funk music icon Sly Stone’s memoir, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) written with Ben Greenman. Next year, Thompson and Greenman will team up for Hip-Hop Is History, an examination of hip-hop’s first 50 years.

When asked about what inspired him to launch the imprint, Thompson said, “With the rapid influx of death happening with Black creators and no one to pass the recipes down, I wanted to bring action to a dire situation.” This was the driving force behind his Oscar Award-winning documentary Summer Of Soul.

He later added, “I’m in a phase of my life where I’m trying to rebuild the world I never had myself as a kid,” he said. “Through this imprint, I’m offering a platform.”

Questlove has already written several books of his own, including Mo’ Meta Blues, Creative Quest, and Music Is History; with a children’s book on the way, there’s no doubt Auwa Books will be a success.