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Brenda Lee has interrupted Mariah Carey’s regularly scheduled domination of the charts during the holiday season. Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” snagged the No. 1 spot on this week’s Billboard Hot 100, leaving Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” at No. 2. A adorably delighted Lee couldn’t believe it, thanked her”Brendanators,” and wiped away tears when UMG Nashville CEO Cindy Mabe delivered the news.

As per Billboard, Lee has waited a long time to hit No. 1 — in fact, it is “the longest wait from a song’s release [65 years]” to No. 1 in the chart’s history. The publication provided more mind-boggling context, as excerpted below:

“Lee is 78 years young; her new Hot 100 coronation will add to her birthday celebration December 11. She becomes the senior-most artist to top the chart, surpassing Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when ‘Hello, Dolly!’ led in 1964. Among women, Lee passes the likewise busy Cher, who was 52 when ‘Believe’ ruled the Hot 100.

In a bit of time-bending, while Lee is currently 78, again, the highest age for an artist atop the Hot 100, she was 13 when she recorded ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’; if the song had led when she was that age, she’d be the youngest woman to have reached No. 1.”

“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” was first released in 1958, and its previous Hot 100 peak was No. 14 in December 1960.

Lee also spoke with Billboard about this achievement and the origins of “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.” Read the interview here.

In the time it takes to watch Martin Scorsese’s latest crime epic, Killers of the Flower Moon, a person could fly from NYC to Miami, run a (quick) marathon, or even undergo a lumbar spinal fusion – essentially, a wielding of the vertebrae that constitutes a major surgery. None of those activities sound as watching the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert de Niro con and kill a path to becoming 1920s oil barons over the course of nearly three and a half hours (especially now that it’s on VOD), but the fact that they all last roughly the same amount of time is telling.

Scorsese is, of course, a director known for favoring longer runtimes, but he’s not the only filmmaker testing the bladder control of audiences. Masters like Ridley Scott, Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, and James Cameron are reliably (and often effectively) verbose. And in the past two years, award-winning and critically adored films like Elvis, Oppenheimer, Babylon, Avatar: The Way Of Water, and Tar all ran for close to or longer than, three hours, doing their part to keep driving this northward trend.

According to What to Watch, the average runtime of the top ten movies by decade has been slowly creeping up from a brisk 110 minutes in the 80s to 126 minutes in the early 2000s to a back-aching 141 minutes in 2022 — a 21 percent jump. It’s not your imagination, your social media dependence, or our collectively shrinking attention spans: movies are getting longer. Critics and film fans aren’t the only ones noticing either.

In a fascinating Vanity Fair investigative piece from earlier this year, writer Natalie Jarvey found that plenty of producers and executives agree that movie length is becoming an issue on the production and marketing sides. But, the studios and streamers they represent are in crisis mode at the moment, scrambling to justify rising subscription prices and ticket costs to court would-be fans. They’re starting to believe that hours-long epics are their key to remaining relevant and, in their misguided panic, they’re prioritizing spectacle over everything else.

Much has been said about studios and streamers chasing the franchise formula made popular (and profitable) by Marvel and, to a lesser extent, DC. Everything is clawing to earn that “event movie” label in order to stand out from the glut of comic book team-ups and TV binge-watches. It’s created a box office bottleneck that’s all but killed the concept of variety when it comes to movie-going.

“There used to just be a lot more balance,” Erik Anderson, founder and editor-in-chief of the website AwardsWatch, told CNN in 2022. “You go look at the top 10 films of any given year going back to the ’90s, ‘80s, ‘70s, and it was a mix of everything: action and science fiction and drama and comedies. What we see now is just Marvel, Marvel, Marvel, [DC Extended Universe], ‘Dune’ – these other existing IPs rather than original content.”

To compete, streamers are courting big-name directors and promising them unprecedented freedom. Most of the time, that manifests in minutes.

But why are filmmakers like Scorsese and Scott subscribing to this new motto of “bigger is better?” And what does it say about the state of filmmaking that those worthy of final cut approval and hours-long odysseys are so homogenous, that the films we’re getting are limited to overlong crime sagas, historical biopics, and CGI-bogged sequels that demand hours upon hours of movie-goers’ time?

Scorsese can craft a two-hour crime classic that hums like no one else – see Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, and Raging Bull for proof. Killers three-hour-plus runtime not only obliterates the final cuts of these films, but it also gets lost in its own weeds a bit by taking on the entirety of its source material, teetering between a crime thriller, a police procedural, and a more interesting character study of Lily Gladstone’s protagonist, Mollie Burkhart. And it’s not just Scorsese’s opus that struggles to confine itself to a more bearable runtime. Damien Chazelle’s gorgeously shot three-hour Babylon flop, Scott’s deliciously fun two-plus hour chronicle of the fall of the house of Gucci, Nolan’s fascinating three-hour history lesson about the man who drive The Manhattan Project, Cameron’s mesmerizing CGI-saturated sequel to Avatar — they all took hits for dragging in different acts.

And, like Scorsese, all of these directors have proven capable of doing more with less – time that is. Who remembers Whiplash? Blade Runner? Alien? Memento, Batman Begins, Terminator? Most of these films were under two hours but none approached the length these guys are now flirting with in each new project they announce. Perhaps it’s a way to wrestle back control of an industry and a broken system that’s prioritized the instant gratification of franchise fare over everything else for far too long.

Scorsese has made no secret of his distaste for comic book movies. By making three-hour dramas tailored to discerning adults, is he proving cinema should not be limited to spandex and multiverses? Cameron has griped that audiences are willing to binge hours of a TV show but balk at a film measuring the same amount of time. That type of “blitz viewing” isn’t really comparable as so many of these directors are asking fans to trek to theaters instead of streaming at home, but as studios continue to try to court audiences away from their couches, is it a hill Cameron and others are willing to bury their self-control under?

And is all of this added time really serving moviegoers?

After all, studies have shown that most people have an average attention span of just 90 minutes. That’s not a consequence of smartphones or social media, it’s just science, and it’s reflective of audience preference when it comes to theater trips. In a 2021 survey for the LA Times, 36% of respondents “said they often sought out a film’s runtime before deciding to see it.” Of that number, 57% “expressed trepidation about movies running past 150 minutes.”

Yet, here we are, with over a dozen of the year’s most notable films teasing anxieties around that 150-minute mark. Almost all are made by men, most trade on existing IP or history, and too few feature protagonists of color. While some of these movies have found breakout success at the box office, more still haven’t made a dent big enough to justify their “event viewing” bloat, despite being helmed by prolific directors, sporting star-studded casts, and boasting fascinating subject material. These movies aren’t categorically bad, just the opposite. Films like Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon are rich, engrossing awards contenders that deserve to be seen, but are their runtimes working against that objective?

As this is a piece debating the value and prolificacy of longer films, now is about the time Roger Ebert’s definitive stance on the subject would be wielded to argue against the correlation between more minutes and weaker storytelling. “No good movie is too long and no bad movie is short enough,” might as well be the bumper sticker attached to every marathon movie audiences have had to endure over the past few years. But, when it comes to the latest crop of overlong cinematic slogs, there’s another, more apt motto from Orson Welles that filmmakers might benefit from investigating: “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.”

It’s not true for some, but it does apply to most. Hopefully, Hollywood remembers that.

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Hugh Grant is being all kinds of salty while talking to reporters. This time around, the actor is bemoaning his experience on the set of Wonka where he plays an Oompa Loompa across from Timothée Chalamet’s beloved chocolatier.

During a press conference for the film, Grant went so far as to equate the CGI camera rig he wore for Wonka with a “crown of thorns” because why not work in the suffering of Christ? Clearly, Grant was not a fan of the process, and he did not hold back his disdain for the Wonka experience and filmmaking in general. It’s all a big pain in the ass to Hugh Grant.

Via Deadline:

“I made a big fuss about it,” Grant said. “I couldn’t have hated the whole thing more.” Asked if the ends justified the means, he replied: “Not really.”

Grant later joked that it was nothing personal against Wonka and director Paul King. “I slightly hate [making films] but I have lots of children and need money,” he said.

Grant’s grouchy attitude towards filming Wonka arrives after a similar incident at this year’s Oscars ceremony where the actor could not have been more disinterested in a red carpet interview with Ashley Graham. Grant was bluntly dismissive of her questioning and made no effort to even act like he wanted to be there. It was palpable and increasingly on brand for the actor who’s openly admitted to having tantrums on set.

Wonka opens in theaters on December 15.

(Via Deadline)

Charli XCX shared last week that she and George Daniel, drummer for The 1975, will be “f*cking for life!!!” Charli XCX has since deleted her Instagram post, but People confirmed that the couple are engaged. Charli began this year remixing Caroline Polachek’s “Welcome To My Island” with Daniel, and she ended it on the red carpet at the 2023 British Fashion Awards at Royal Albert Hall in London, where she was asked by ES Magazine to identify the highlight of her year. (There was a bop for the Barbie soundtrack squeezed in there as well.)

The platinum-certified pop star stopped herself from saying the first thing that popped into her head before finally replying, “Um, I finished a record, but it’s not out. So, next year, that will be out, and then I can say that’s my highlight.”

Not to be that person, Charli, but technically, releasing an album will be your highlight of 2024, and we will never know what you refrained from publicly sharing as your true highlight of 2023.

Regardless, Charli XCX doubled down on album mode by posting an Instagram carousel from Monday’s (December 4) British Fashion Awards alongside the caption, “bye for now.” That can only mean one thing: The next time we hear from her, she will probably wipe all of her social media accounts and announce her aforementioned new album.

Charli XCX’s last LP, Crash, arrived in March 2022 and was met with such success that she wasn’t sure how to follow it up.

“It’s still a shock to me — and it’s quite stressful because I’m like, ‘Oh crap, what do I do now?’” she told BBC Music in August 2022. “I feel like the narrative around my work has often been, ‘She’s one step ahead,’ or, ‘She’s pushing the boundaries and no one ever quite gets her.’ So to achieve these things feels really special and unique, and it’s something I feel like I’ve achieved with my fans. But at the same time, what does it mean for me?”

It sounds like we’ll all find out together in 2024.

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

The Barbie soundtrack is a Warner Music release. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Although Cardi B and Offset have been one of hip-hop’s favorite couples for the past few years, some fans are convinced that there’s trouble in paradise after the two rappers apparently unfollowed each other on Instagram.

Meanwhile, Cardi posted a few crypic messages on her Instagram Story, writing, “You know when you just out grow relationships,” and “I’m tired of protecting people’s feelings…I GOTTA PUT MYSELF FIRST.” Some fans have interpreted this as a sign that the relationship she’s outgrown is the one with Offset.

It wouldn’t be the first time the couple has had a seeming falling out online; in fact, in 2020, Cardi B reportedly filed to divorce Offset, although she later withdrew that request. It was the second time Cardi had made moves to break things off after previously announcing a breakup in 2018.

However, there are plenty of fans who believe that the move was made to garner attention for a rollout (including, of course, the Barbz, who would believe the sun shining in June was a conspiracy against Nicki Minaj).

There have been plenty of rumors over the last five years that Offset allegedly cheated on Cardi, but she’s shut them down each time. They’ve also recently collaborated on songs such as “Jealousy,” performed onstage together, and guest-starred on Baby Shark’s Big Show, with roles in the upcoming movie.

All of this points to at least a steady working relationship (bolstered by their co-parenting two children, Kulture and Wave, as well as Offset’s kids from previous relationships), if not a romantic one. Neither has made any concrete statements about a possible breakup, so we’ll just have to rule this one a “maybe” — but it doesn’t seem all that likely, considering the only evidence is a mutual unfollow. What if they just don’t like each other’s content?

Pink is ready to bring her fan-praised Summer Carnival Tour into the new year.

In 2024, the “Just Give Me A Reason” singer is scheduled to touch down in Australia, Europe, and North America for several dozen shows. Sheryl Crow, The Script, Gayle, and KidCutUp are slated to appear as featured guests for some dates. Outside of the confirmed itinerary, the next question on fans’ minds is how much of a dent this tour will leave in their pockets.

How much are tickets for Pink’s Summer Carnival Tour?

Although the general ticket sale for the newly announced dates won’t start until December 11, a rescheduled stop has given up a few clues. On Ticketmaster, Pink’s November 6, 2024, concert in Arlington, Texas, shows that tickets for the tour will range from $65 to over $1,185. For example, the lowest single ticket in Globe Life Field is standing-room-only admission in the arena’s main concourse area. This ticket will cost $65.20 before fees.

On the other hand, the most expensive ticket at the venue is a part of the VIP package. This ticket will run you about $1,190.85, but it includes one premium reserved ticket in rows 1 to 3, priority check-in & entrance, access to the pre-show reception with food, Pink carpet entry & photo op, crowd-free merch shopping, a limited edition lithograph, exclusive merch item, collectible laminate, and lanyard, as well 1 VIP parking space per order (when available).

Average tickets for Pink’s Summer Carnival tour are between $115 and $500. Find more information here.

Inflation has strained countless American households, forcing many to ask each other the big question: “How are people affording life right now?” A TikTokker named Loc_Rants responded by reframing the current moment into something more hopeful.

They believe we can get through challenging times by turning away from consumerism and focusing on what matters.

Loc_Rants describes themself as a “non-binary Christian Commie” and regularly creates videos on how economic life for the Average American has changed over the years.

The video begins with TikTokker Blaire Allison asking how people can afford to live right now, to which Loc responded, “We can’t afford life, so we’ve just stopped buying things, which is delightful because companies don’t know what to do about that,” Loc said in a video that’s been seen over 1.3 million times.

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She then noted that older generations had credit cards with much lower interest rates so it was a little easier to get by during tough times. She’s right in saying that interest rates on credit cards were lower in the past, but her 2 to 3% quote is much lower than history would indicate.

@loc_rants

#stitch with @Blaire ✨ Allison #millennial #america

However, she’s spot on when she says that credit card interest rates are too high these days. The latest data from Bankrate shows that the average retail credit card interest rate is at a record high of 28.93%. “We’re not going to put things on our 24% interest rate credit; we’re not gonna do it,” Loc said in their post.

Even though the topic of Loc’s post seems bleak, it comes with a silver lining. The current economic environment allows people to rethink their relationship with American consumer culture and find value in things that matter, such as family and community.

“So we’re not we’re not living, we are surviving and we are finding new ways to define success and we are building communities,” Loc says. “We’re staying home and we’re going to our local libraries and we are just hand making things and it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be.”

Like many people, Loc’s Christmas gift to her family this year is her presence and that should be more than enough. “This year, my Christmas present to my family is the plane ticket to get there,” they said.

The post resonated with many in the comments who are making significant changes to their spending habits due to inflation. “We’re quiet quitting consumerism,” Smcsparrow wrote. “Previously buying brand new stuff, but right now just rather spend it on thrift stores to at least have stuff,” Monique added.

“I’m thrifting most things and avoiding retail stores like the plague,” MsSunshine58 wrote.

Even though inflation has posed a significant challenge to millions of Americans, Loc’s video provides a realistic ray of hope. Many of us may be in survival mode, and even though it isn’t optimal, it offers the opportunity to find joy in handmade and personal experiences and to realize that success and happiness come in many different packages.

The holiday season has arrived with its cozy vibe, joyous celebrations and inevitable indulgences. From Thanksgiving feasts to Christmas cookie exchanges to Aunt Eva’s irresistible jelly donuts—not to mention leftover Halloween candy still lingering—fall and winter can feel like a non-stop gorge fest.

Total resistance is fairly futile—let’s be real—so it’s helpful to arm yourself with ways to mitigate the effects of eating-all-the-things around the holidays. Serving smaller amounts of rich, celebratory foods and focusing on slowly savoring the taste is one way. Another is to counteract those holiday calorie-bomb meals with some lighter fare in between.

Contrary to popular belief, eating “light” doesn’t have to be tasteless, boring or unsatisfying. And contrary to common practice, meals don’t have to fill an entire plate—especially when we’re trying to balance out heavy holiday eating.

It is possible to enjoy the bounties of the season while maintaining a healthy balance. Whether you prefer to eat low-carb or plant-based or gluten-free or everything under the sun, we’ve got you covered with these 10 easy, low-calorie meals from across the dietary spectrum.

Each of these recipes has less than 600 calories (most a lot less) per serving and can be made in less than 30 minutes. And Albertsons has made it easy to find O Organics® ingredients you can put right in your shopping cart to make prepping these meals even simpler.

Enjoy!

Not quite green eggs and ham, but closeAlbertsons

Breakfast Skillet of Greens, Eggs & Ham

273 calories | 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (5 oz) pkg baby spinach

2 eggs

1 clove garlic

4 slices prosciutto

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 medium zucchini squash

1/8 cup butter, unsalted

1 pinch crushed red pepper

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

Get your cauliflower power on.Albertsons

Creamy Cauliflower Salad with Ham, Celery & Dill

345 calories | 20 minutes

1/2 medium head cauliflower

1 stick celery

1/4 small bunch fresh dill

8 oz. ham steak, boneless

1/2 shallot

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp curry powder

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

1/8 tsp paprika

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

Plant-based food fan? This combo looks yums. Albertsons

Grilled Chili Tofu Skewers with Ranch Cabbage, Apple & Cucumber Slaw

568 calories | 20 minutes

1 avocado

1/2 English cucumber

1 (12 oz.) package extra firm tofu

1 Granny Smith apple

3 Tbsp (45 ml) Ranch dressing

1/2 (14 oz bag) shredded cabbage (coleslaw mix)

2 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

Sometimes you just gotta frittata.Albertsons

Bell Pepper, Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata with Parmesan

513 calories | 25 minutes

6 eggs

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

2 oz Parmesan cheese

1 red bell pepper

1/2 medium red onion

8 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

Caprese, if you please.Albertsons

Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Classic Caprese Salad

509 calories | 25 minutes

3/4 lb chicken breasts, boneless skinless

1/2 small pkg fresh basil

1/2 (8 oz pkg) fresh mozzarella cheese

1 clove garlic

3 tomatoes

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 3/4 pinches black pepper

1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

These mushrooms look positively poppable.Albertsons

Warm Goat Cheese, Parmesan & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

187 calories | 35 minutes

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms

1 clove garlic

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1 1/4 pinches crushed red pepper

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

Move over, avocado toast. English muffin pizzas have arrived.Albertsons

English Muffin Pizzas with Basil Pesto, Goat Cheese & Tomatoes

327 calories | 10 minutes

3 Tbsp (45 ml) basil pesto

2 English muffins

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/2 pint grape tomatoes

3/4 pinch black pepper

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

This pita pocket packs a colorful punch.Albertsons

Warm Pita Pocket with Turkey, Cheddar, Roasted Red Peppers & Parsley

313 calories | 20 minutes

1/4 (8 oz) block cheddar cheese

1/2 bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

4 oz oven roasted turkey breast, sliced

1/2 (12 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers

1 whole grain pita

3/4 pinch black pepper

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp mayonnaise

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

Did we say, “Move over, avocado toast?” What we meant was “Throw some prosciutto on it!”

Albertsons

Avocado Toast with Crispy Prosciutto

283 calories | 10 minutes

1 avocado

2 slices prosciutto

2 slices whole grain bread

1 5/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

Vegetarian chili with a fall twistAlbertsons

Black Bean & Pumpkin Chili with Cheddar

444 calories | 30 minutes

2 (15 oz can) black beans

1/2 (8 oz ) block cheddar cheese

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 green bell peppers

1 small bunch green onions (scallions)

1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin purée

1 medium yellow onion

1/2 tsp black pepper

5 7/8 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

For more delicious and nutritious recipes, visit albertsons.com/recipes.

Earlier this year, Jamie Foxx was hospitalized after a significant health scare while on the set of his latest film. Foxx collapsed on set and was rushed to the hospital, where his condition wasn’t revealed.

Since the ordeal, Foxx has posted various social media updates, though he largely remained out of the spotlight, that is until this week when he appeared at the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema and Television event. Foxx accepted an honor from Jurnee Smollett, and the actor references his harrowing hospital stay to the audience.

“You know, it’s crazy, I couldn’t do that six months ago — I couldn’t actually walk,” Foxx told the audience. He then poked fun at various rumors that he was replaced by another Foxx look-a-like. “I’m not a clone, I’m not a clone. I know a lot of people who was saying I was cloned out there.” This is a common theory among celebs, unfortunately.

While the actor didn’t disclose what really went down, he added that he has a new lease on life, “I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy, because it’s tough. I have a new respect for life. I have a new respect for my art. I watched so many movies and listened to so many songs trying to have the time go by. Don’t give up on your art, man, don’t give up,” he said.

Back in Action, Foxx’s upcoming Netflix movie, is expected to drop sometime next year. Even though he is not a clone, they did have to use a body double in order to wrap up filming, so yeah, he was replaced for a little bit. But now he’s back!

(Via Comicbook)

As part of Variety‘s Actors on Actors series, Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy interviewed each other about the success of Barbie and Oppenheimer. The mutually-beneficial phenomenon known as “Barbenheimer” was only made possible by Robbie refusing to change the release date for 2023’s most pink movie.

“One of your producers, Chuck Roven, called me, because we worked together on some other projects,” she told Murphy. “And he was like, ‘I think you guys should move your date.’ And I was like, ‘We’re not moving our date. If you’re scared to be up against us, then you move your date.’ And he’s like, ‘We’re not moving our date. I just think it’d be better for you to move.’ And I was like, ‘We’re not moving!’ I think this is a really great pairing, actually. It’s a perfect double billing, Oppenheimer and Barbie.”

That’s also the correct order to watch them in a double feature.

Later in the interview, Robbie made a reference to Mean Girls that Murphy had a very Cillian “What’s a Meme?” Murphy response to.

ROBBIE: No, I’m not done with pink yet. Yeah, the costumes were incredible. I mean, you just can’t have a Barbie movie without the color pink. And everyone really got on board with that. I’d make a “On Wednesdays, we wear pink” day. Do you know that reference from Mean Girls?

MURPHY: I had forgotten that reference.

Murphy and Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan have made six movies together. Their next collaboration should be a documentary about Murphy watching Mean Girls. That’s the entire movie: just a fixed shot on Murphy saying “that’s funny” at the Halloween party scene. It would outgross Barbie.

(Via Variety)