As The Last of Us TV show approaches its season one finale, it gives video game fans a chance to see one of the most powerful narrative moments in modern video game history brought to life through the amazing performances of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. And if they hit that mark right it should divide audiences in the exact same way the source material did back in 2013.
Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be 1000 words of “why the book (in this case video game) is better.” Instead, it is an opportunity to look back to the ending of the original game and discuss it. We have no idea how the TV show plans to handle such a monumental moment, but we do know how the game handled it.
Note: I am about to spoil the ending of the video game The Last of Us. If you have not played the game, or you’re watching the TV show, and you want to remain spoiler free then this is your last chance to avoid that.
To recap: Joel has woken up in a hospital facing the leader of the Fireflies, Marlene. Finally, after hours of one of the most emotionally torturous journeys any game has ever put us through, we are at our goal. Unfortunately, if there is anything the game has taught us at this point it’s there is never a time to celebrate. Marlene informs Joel that Ellie is being prepared for surgery where they will, in simplest terms, remove her brain to reverse engineer a vaccine since she is immune to infection. It’s at this moment Joel, not the player, is given a choice. Does he let the Fireflies take Ellie away from him for the potential good of humanity as a whole, or does he choose to take her away and let humanity fend for itself in an uncertain future?
Players have grown to know Joel well at this point. He is crass, violent, and until Ellie came around only thought for himself. He lost his daughter before the main story of the game even began, and after building a wall of stone around his heart has chosen to let Ellie inside of it. He loves Ellie the same way he loved his daughter, and now he is being forced to decide if he should lose his daughter again. He chooses not to. It’s an understandable decision that any relative would make if given the same choice. In a world full of selfish and terrible people why should Joel be forced to make these sacrifices? Why can’t others? That’s how he sees it anyway.
What’s incredible about this moment from a video game perspective is at the time players were used to always being in control, especially back in 2013 when games everywhere were experimenting with good choice-bad choice, gameplay. The Last of Us told the player that no, they won’t get a choice or an alternate ending for doing it differently, because that decision is up to Joel, cure be damned. He’s taking back Ellie and we are simply along for the ride.
The moments that play out for the player, as they’re forced to fight their way through the hospital, are full of emotional uncertainty. Is Joel making the right decision? Every enemy the player comes across leaves a bad feeling in the player’s stomach, because if they succeed they’re essentially defeating any chance at saving the world.
After escaping the hospital with Ellie, she awakens in the backseat of a car that Joel is driving away. It’s here where we see Joel’s true character reveal itself yet again. Ellie, still in a medical gown and not entirely sure what happened wants to know what’s going on. Joel explains that they found the Fireflies, and then lies to Ellie about everything. They’re no longer “seeking” a cure. It’s here where the game reveals to the player that Marlene is dead, at the hands of Joel, and he is going to do everything he can to protect Ellie from them. A look of disappointment on her face, Ellie rolls over in the backseat and turns away from Joel.
The final moments of the game feature some gameplay with Joel and Ellie where the player takes control of Ellie as the two work their way back to their new home, Jackson City. Joel forces conversation with a despondent Ellie throughout the final moments as it’s clear something else is on her mind. The player reaches the top of what they’re traversing and the game’s final cutscene plays out. Ellie makes Joel swear to her that everything he told her about the Fireflies is true, and at that moment you can see on Ellie’s face that she knows Joel is lying to her. It might be commonplace now for games to let players read characters through their facial animations, but this was still very novel at the time.
The thing about Ellie’s character is she has an incredible nose for nonsense. She’s known the entire time that Joel was lying to her from the very moment she woke up in the backseat of the car and it’s painful for her that Joel is choosing to lie to her again. This is someone she has chosen to open up to and see as something like a father to her. This isn’t some random person lying to her, but someone she has a deep connection with and that makes the lie so much more painful. How she responds to this in the future is up to the player’s interpretation, at least until we see the ripple effects in The Last of Us Part II, but we do know that at this moment she chooses to move on with the lie. Roll credits.
People are complicated, and all of us would love to believe that if we were put into the position of these characters we would choose to make the “correct” decision, but the reality is that many people are going to put themselves first. The Last of Us choosing to focus on that instead, with these characters in particular, is what makes the ending great. Joel isn’t a good person, but he’s not so unlikable that the player wants to see him fail. In a lot of ways, we can understand why he makes the decisions he does because in similar situations we might do the same. Ellie has spent her entire life trusting nobody else around her. So why is she choosing to go along with Joel’s lie at the end, or at least appearing to? Because she cares enough for him that she wants to believe in him. The ending doesn’t work because it’s another emotional gut punch, but because it proves just how broken these people are.
So how does the TV show approach a moment like this? Most fans of the game will be heartbroken if the TV show chooses to go in a different direction. It will feel like viewers who haven’t played the game are being deprived of some truly great and bold storytelling. We know from Bella Ramsey that the finale is going to be divisive, but how exactly is anyone’s guess. Whatever direction they choose to take, we just hope that it doesn’t rob those characters of what makes them special.
Did you know that the guys responsible for one of the most beloved and zany videos of 2014 are nominated for several awards at the upcoming Oscars? Because I sure didn’t.
Actually, let me back up. Somewhere in the recesses of my pop culture-addled brain, I was aware that the 2014 video for the DJ Snake and Lil Jon collaboration “Turn Down For What” was directed by 35-year-old director tandem Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels. And I also knew that Daniels directed the 2022 runaway smash at this year’s Academy Awards.
But somehow, my brain failed to connect the dots in any meaningful way until my editor pointed out to me that I’ve been talking about that movie pretty much nonstop since it came out last year, and that this was exactly the sort of connection that would allow me to do so in the music section. Also, it’s pretty darn nifty that Daniels were able to earn all those Oscar nominations by essentially just doing all the same things they did in their music video on a larger scale.
The track record for music video directors who turned to film has some truly wild variation. Sure, directors like Francis Lawrence (“Bad Romance,” “I’m A Slave 4 U”) went on to direct blockbusters (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Mockingjay) while Spike Jonze (“Buddy Holly” and “Sky’s The Limit”) garnered critical acclaim for his arthouse films (Being John Malkovich, Her). But you also have Michael Bay and Hype Williams. The less said about Belly, the better.
But if you’d told people in 2014 that the people behind the unhinged “Turn Down For What” video would ultimately bring their transgressive commitment to chaos to the big screen – and earn 10 Academy Award nominations in the process – they might not have believed you. But in viewing Everything Everywhere All At Once, they’d see that all of the hallmarks of Daniels’ style remain intact. Which means that even after all their success, “Turn Down For What” might remain their greatest accomplishment yet.
In case you need a refresher on just how wild DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s video gets, here it is. The video opens on the rooftop of an apartment building, with a man staring into the camera as the beat builds. He leaps into the air in an apparent belly flop that smashes through the roof as the beat drops, landing in the apartment below. He proceeds to twerk on and/or hump practically every piece of furniture, terrifying the apartment’s occupant. She phones the police, and at this point, you’re likely expecting the story to proceed from what is an unusual but still altogether believable standpoint.
You’re wrong, though. So wrong. Not only does the phone officer’s face melt off a la René Belloq in Raiders Of The Lost Ark – one of many pop culture callbacks throughout Daniels’ work – but the dancing affliction of patient zero turns out to be somewhat contagious. After the lady’s clothes get blown off with a pelvic thrust, she joins in the debauchery, dropping her derriere right onto the first man’s face and once again crashing through the floor into the next apartment. This time, they disturb a family sitting down for dinner, leading to looks of horror and dismay as the process starts all over again.
The dance moves this time run the gamut of provocative Caribbean and South American styles (my favorite is the Brazilian Surra de Bunda, in which the female dancer rests her legs on her partner’s shoulders and then repeatedly smashes her posterior into his face… it’s so ridiculous) until the family gets into it too. The mother’s mammaries move of their own accord, the dad and daughter start headbanging, and before you know it, yet another apartment is practically demolished. And yes, they once again end up in the unit below, where at least an actual party is taking place.
The unsuspecting partygoers stare at the newcomers for a bit, and then things get really out of hand. A police officer sent over for the noise joins the party (of course), more furniture and flatware gets destroyed, and in the end, everyone ends up slumped over. That doesn’t stop the first guy’s sweatpants from twitching ominously as the video cuts to black.
When the video was first released, it was a phenomenon, leading to thinkpieces in Vox and on music interest sites, memes, and edits that made it even more ridiculous than it originally was. The internet couldn’t get enough; the song itself was licensed for use in films like 22 Jump Street, Furious 7, and the second Angry Birds movie, appeared in comedic sketches on The Tonight Show, and was even used in political campaigns like Rock The Vote and Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative.
But that video was a huge part of the reason it stuck – people couldn’t get enough of it (to date, it’s accumulated well over a billion views on YouTube). And it established many of the signature flourishes of Daniels’ direction style, from irreverent and downright vulgar humor to the prominently Asian cast – which was as revolutionary in its day as that of the multiverse-hopping Oscars multi-nominee. Much like the dancing contagion from the video, Everything Everywhere features a sort of “everybody was kung-fu fighting” plot element in which one character suddenly displays outsized combat proficiency before nearly every other character becomes a drunken master.
Slow-motion butt drops figure prominently into both works, both for comedic purposes and plot advancement. Even the concept of each apartment being its own little ecosystem before the dancers crash through its ceiling is echoed in the use of the multiverse, where each timeline is encroached upon by Michelle Yeoh’s Evelyn as she seeks the means to defeat the “villainous” Jobu Tupaki. The film is littered with the same sort of pop culture references that led Daniels to nod to Indiana Jones; a song lyric absent-mindedly inserted into some dialogue by Kwan winds up leading to the song itself becoming the connective tissue between worlds.
Even the song’s title seems to reflect Daniels’ maximalist philosophy. As the multiverse shenanigans get nearly overwhelming, as so many plot points converge that you wonder how they’ll keep track, just when you think Everything Everywhere can’t possibly get any bigger, louder, funnier, more obnoxious, heartbreaking, or poignant, Daniels ask themselves, “Turn down for what?” and go even harder. As it turns out, that could be a winning strategy.
The dizzying preparation stage of soon-to-be-parenthood can be a little daunting. Everyone and their grandma—literally—bombards you with congratulations, advice and doomsday-like predictions about how your life is about to change.
People try to prepare you for parenthood by sharing horror stories or warning you about how hard it’s going to be with the best of intentions. Parenting can be tough, and going into it with overly rose-colored glasses can lead to some painful reality checks. But too many jokes about never sleeping again or anecdotes about toddler tantrums can also dampen what should be a joyful time of anticipation and excitement and make parenting sound like a total drag, which it’s not.
“I’m tired of hearing the…’You’ll never sleep again’ ‘Your travel life is over’ ‘Say goodbye to your weekends,'” Fanaroff wrote. “My first baby is joining us in the next 3 weeks and I’m excited, nervous, anxious, and grateful. I’d love to hear your favorite parts of having a newborn/baby/kids.”
Fanaroff tells Upworthy he thought he might get a couple of responses to his request. He never expected he would get a deluge of parents delivering the goods in the most heartwarming way.
u201cIu2019m tired of hearing theu2026nnu201cYouu2019ll never sleep againu201dnu201cYour travel life is overu201dnu201cSay goodbye to your weekendsu201dnnMy first baby is joining us in the next 3 weeks and Iu2019m excited, nervous, anxious, and grateful. nnIu2019d love to hear your favorite parts of having a newborn/baby/kidsu201d
“Babies are magic,” shared Mary Katharine Ham. “Just had my 4th, and it will never cease to amaze me how much you can love hanging out w a person you just laid eyes on and who also cannot talk. Nothing better than a baby snoozing on your chest. You have many moments of wonder & sleepy smiles ahead of you!”
Babies are magic. Just had my 4th, and it will never cease to amaze me how much you can love hanging out w a person you just laid eyes on and who also cannot talk. 😂 Nothing better than a baby snoozing on your chest. You have many moments of wonder & sleepy smiles ahead of you!
“Waking them up in the morning,” wrote Teddy Mitrosilis. “Our 6 month old has the biggest smile every morning when we get her up, as if she’s genuinely astonished she gets another day. Enjoy every time you get to do that!”
Waking them up in the morning.
Our 6 month old has the biggest smile every morning when we get her up, as if she’s genuinely astonished she gets another day.
“Our baby girl hit 11 months today,” wrote Vincenzo Landino. “It’s amazing. Seeing her face in awe every time she experiences something new. Seeing how she picks up on little quirks from me and my wife already. It’s all so awesome. Just enjoy the ride. Do what works for you.”
Our baby girl hit 11 months today. It’s amazing. Seeing her face in awe every time she experiences something new. Seeing how she picks up on little quirks from me and my wife already. It’s all so awesome. Just enjoy the ride. Do what works for you.
“Babies unlock a whole new and different part of life filled with those things, sure, but also of love, joy, happiness, meaning, and purpose,” wrote Jason Schulweis. “You get a brand new perspective on life, and your heart grows. It’s the best thing in the world.”
Babies unlock a whole new and different part of life filled with those things, sure, but also of love, joy, happiness, meaning, and purpose. You get a brand new perspective on life, and your heart grows. It’s the best thing in the world.
“You will be more proud than you have ever been, and your heart will be heavy with burden (because of the crazy world) but full of hope because your child will know your love. don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” shared Kahlil Ashanti. “I have three boys and they are my joy.”
@HarrisFanaroff you will be more proud than you have ever been, and your heart will be heavy with burden (because of the crazy world) but full of hope because your child will know your love. don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I have three boys and they are my joy.
“It’ll start with them grabbing a finger, and then one day you’ll be walking and you feel them reach up and grab your hand,” he wrote. “That’s when the heart melts!”
Harris — Nothing better than when the hand hold. It’ll start with them grabbing a finger, and then one day you’ll be walking and you feel them reach up and grab your hand. That’s when the heart melts!
Jason Cohen agreed with the other answers and added, “Bottom line is the good stuff outweighs the negatives 100:1. Holding that little life, watching them figure out the entire world, the giggles and little hands on your face, seeing you in them, for good or Ill they’ll have to figure out themselves.”
Some good answers here.
Bottom line is the good stuff outweighs the negatives 100:1.
Holding that little life, watching them figure out the entire world, the giggles and little hands on your face, seeing you in them, for good or Ill they’ll have to figure out themselves.
So many parents chimed in with the things that make parenthood magical, wonder-filled and joyful.
“I’ve read probably about 200 of them to my wife,” Fanaroff says. “I’ve also had 100+ people message me directly to tell me how much they and their partner have enjoyed reading them and it’s been so refreshing for them to see.”
After receiving over 3,000 positive comments about having kids, Fanaroff says he’s most looking forward to watching his wife become a mom, hearing their baby’s first laugh and seeing their baby’s first smile. “And one that I never thought of until all these comments but apparently that new baby smell!” he adds.
Can confirm. Babies smell like heaven.
Fanaroff says the response to his tweet has been “amazing,” and it’s true. Not only is it an uplifting, positive boost for folks who are looking forward to welcoming a child to their family, but it’s also a good reminder for all parents of the beauty and joy that make the hard parts 100% worthwhile.
Sure, we early birds get the worm. But you know what we miss out on? Dancing at clubs. Laughing at comedy shows. Having a social life beyond anything brunch related, more or less.
I think I speak for all of us early risers when I say that we’d kill to go to certain events that our night owl friends partake in, if only it were when the sun was still shining and our energy levels were still high. We’re fun, we promise. But once the PJs are on…there’s just no going back, ya know?
Fear not, morning people. We have a new champion. And her name is Jamie Lee Curtis.
Curtis recently made headlines as an early-to-bed advocate after declining an invite to an Oscar’s nominee dinner at 7:30 p.m. The “Halloween” star earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in “Everything, Everywhere, All At Once.” This might have been her first Oscar nomination ever, but that doesn’t change the fact that “mommy goes to bed early.”
Speaking with Today (in jammies, no less) Curtis said, “I love the morning. I love the idea that I control the universe in the morning,” noting that her usual wake-up time is 4 a.m. Conversely, she noted, “Nothing good happens to me after 9 o’clock.”
While on the red carpet for the Film Independent Spirit Awards, Curtis took her sentiment a step further.
“I am going to just say this now as a taunt and as a suggestion,” she began, before challenging bands like U2 and Coldplay to offer matinees.
“What about a 12 noon concert, Coldplay? What about it?!” she quipped.
Getting more riled up, she even called out The Boss.
“Bruce Springsteen, do a f**king matinee. You’re old! Why wouldn’t you let me come see you, Bruce Springsteen, in your glory days—pun intended—and do it at noon or 1 o’clock?”
Even settling for the wee hours of 2 p.m., New York theatre’s matinee time, Curtis agreed that “I will come and hear your five-hour concert, Bruce, at 2 o’clock, and I’m gonna be home and in bed by 7:30.”
Early risers of all walks of life couldn’t agree more.
“Yess!! I’m all about that vieja life, we need earlier concerts! Haha 🔥🙌😂,” one person commented
Another added “I’m not a boomer, but I am at a point in my life that I would not mind this at all…👏👏👏😂”
Morning people, you are seen. This is a trend that needs to be manifested. Here’s to living life to the fullest…at least until bedtime!
The biggest bourbon brands are easy to find. But that doesn’t mean they’re all good or worth your time (or money). Just because something is on every shelf around the country doesn’t mean it’s going to be the best. It just means it’s ubiquitous. Still, basic, entry-level, and big-name bourbon is popular for a reason. Most of it is pretty okay, some of it is bad, and a few select bottles are actually kinda great. That’s where a blind tasting comes in as a lifesaver when figuring out which of the standard big-name bourbon bottles are actually good to buy and drink.
To help you make the best decision when you’re at the liquor store and staring down the aisle of seemingly endless bourbons, I’m going to blindly taste and rank 10 standard bottles from the biggest and best-selling bourbon brands. There’s nothing fancy in this lineup. This is down-and-dirty cheap big bourbon with recognizable names that you can 100% find.
Our lineup today features the following bottles of bourbon:
Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Knob Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 9 Years
Bulleit Bourbon
Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
When it comes to ranking these bottles, I’m going off of taste alone. I’m here to find you the best bottle your money can buy from the small batch, standard, and findable bourbon whiskeys on the market. Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Nose: Soft and sweet apple and cherry woods greet with a good dose of sour red berries dusted with brown winter spices, especially clove and nutmeg.
Palate: The palate leans into soft and salted caramel with a hint of those berries underneath while the spices get woodier and a thin line of green sweetgrass sneaks in.
Finish: The finish is silky and boils down to blackberry jam with a good dose of winter spice, old wood, and a hint of vanilla tobacco.
Initial Thoughts:
This has a lovely nose, a great body, and a solid finish. I really like this.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose has classic hints of caramel and vanilla with a grassy underbelly next to soft cherry, hints of oak, and a touch of apple orchard.
Palate: That grassiness becomes vaguely floral as slightly spiced caramel apples arrive, along with a chewy mouthfeel that leads towards a soft mineral vibe — kind of like wet granite.
Finish: The end holds onto the fruit and sweetness as the oak and dried grass stay in your senses.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a nice wheated bourbon with a soft landing. It’s not quite as well-rounded as the last sip but has a nice depth.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Classic notes of vanilla come through next to a dark maple syrup sweetness, a flourish of fresh mint, and a leatheriness that’s just punctuated by dark burnt orange.
Palate: The palate cuts through the sweeter notes with plenty of spices — like clove, star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon — next to a hint of tart berries, a whisper of dark chocolate, and a dash of sweetly spiced oak.
Finish: The end is long and lush and slowly fades back through the dark citrus and berries with a lively spiced finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This is damn good whiskey. It’s as well-built as the first sip and maybe a tad more refined.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a rush of apple cider and vanilla cake with a hint of dark chocolate, orange zest, caramel, and some sour red berries tossed with fresh tobacco and mint.
Palate: The palate opens with some dried apple skins next to cinnamon sticks floating in hot and spicy apple cider, a hint of mint tobacco, and salted orange dark chocolate bars.
Finish: The end has a nougat wafer vibe next to caramel, vanilla cookies, and boot leather.
Initial Thoughts:
This is classic bourbon with a very light touch. All the key elements are there without any rough edges at all.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is very light but does meander through apple candy, dry corn, vanilla, and a touch of caramel.
Palate: The taste stays on a similar path with a hint of brown spice and “oak.”
Finish: The end is short but does touch on more vanilla and oak with a hint of cherry tobacco way in the background before an ethanol note takes over.
Initial Thoughts:
This is basic bourbon with a clear profile and a light end.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sweet and buttery toffee is countered by burnt orange, old oak, and a hint of cumin and red chili pepper flakes.
Palate: The palate leans into soft vanilla pudding cups with a touch of butterscotch swirled in next to orange oils, nougat, and a hint of menthol tobacco.
Finish: The midpalate tobacco warmth gives way to a finish that’s full of woody winter spices and a whisper of Cherry Coke next to orange/clove by way of a dark chocolate bar flaked with salt.
Initial Thoughts:
This has a nice spiciness next to classic Kentucky bourbon cherry notes. It’s well-balanced and warming.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this feels classic with a bold sense of rich vanilla pods, cinnamon sharpness, buttered and salted popcorn, and a good dose of cherry syrup with a hint of cotton candy.
Palate: The palate mixes almond, orange, and vanilla into cinnamon sticky buns with a hint of sour cherry soda that leads to a nice Kentucky hug on the mid-palate.
Finish: That warm hug fades toward black cherry root beer, old leather boots, porch wicker, and a sense of dried cherry/cinnamon tobacco packed into an old pine box.
Initial Thoughts:
This is rich and bold. It’s also quintessential bourbon from top to bottom. But it’s not that much more.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a very classic, spicy bourbon nose with clear hints of vanilla, oak, spice, and wood.
Palate: The spice is squarely in the cinnamon category, with creamy vanilla, warm tobacco, and a hint of orchard fruit lurking in the background.
Finish: The end is warm but not hot. The oak, dark spice, brown sugars, and whisper of corn linger on your senses through the medium finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This has classic bourbon notes and a thinner finish.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of sweet yet slightly bitter tea next to rye crust and winter spice next to a flutter of fresh mint on the nose.
Palate: The palate carries that spice into peppery territory with hints of oak, vanilla, tart apples, and honey alongside light but spicy tobacco lurking in the background.
Finish: The spice gets a little more peppery as a final spritz of orange oils arrives to help the end slowly fade out towards a lush vanilla-honey end.
Initial Thoughts:
This was interesting but so light that it almost disappeared on the palate by the end.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a classic sense of “bourbon” on the nose with notes of mild caramel, buttered popcorn, peanut brittle, vanilla pudding, mild Cherry Coke, and a dash of apple orchard.
Palate: The palate largely leans into the nose’s vibe with a deep sense of cherry/vanilla pudding next to candy corn and dry straw.
Finish: The end is light and short thanks to that proofing water but does carry notes of cherry tobacco, old tobacco leaves, and a hint of dry oak with a sense of maybe some pecan-chocolate clusters lurking in there somewhere.
Initial Thoughts:
This is another classic bourbon-y bourbon that also just kind of disappears by the end.
Part 2: The Bourbon Ranking
Zach Johnston
10. Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 10
This bourbon is made with Beam’s classic low-rye mash bill and special yeast that was pulled from the window seal in James B. Beam’s kitchen back in the 1930s. That heritage is the core of every Beam product. This straight bourbon is aged for four years before the barrels are blended/batched and it’s all cut down to 80 proof.
Bottom Line:
This washed out the most. There was zero wrong with it, it was just really light. That means you should use this for highballs with sugary/spicy sodas and big garnishes.
9. Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 5
This is more of an entry point for Evan Williams. The whiskey is a mix of four to seven-year-old barrels of the standard Heaven Hill bourbon. The difference in this bottle is that it’s proofed at a slightly higher 86 proof, giving it a slight edge against Evan Williams Green Label at 80 proof.
Bottom Line:
This was pretty thin too. It had a tad more depth than the Beam above, but that’s really reaching. Overall, this is a highball whiskey.
Unlike standard Jim Beam, this mash bill leans more heavily into the rye, creating a solid base for two very closely related bourbons — this and Old Grand-Dad. Basil Hayden’s is made from barrels pulled from specific ricks, blended, cut down to 80 proof, and bottled under the watchful eyes of Jim Beam’s master distillers and blenders.
Bottom Line:
This had a nice complexity but was so light on the finish. I wanted it to last longer. I can see enjoying this in a simple cocktail but that’s about it.
This whiskey embraces a high-rye mash bill that’s comprised of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malted barley. The juice is then rested for six years before blending, cutting down to proof, and barreling.
Bottom Line:
This is a pretty classic spicy bourbon. There are no bells or whistles and it’s not going to wow you. That said, this would work really well as a cocktail base thanks to those bolder spicy notes.
6. Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky — Taste 2
This is Maker’s signature expression made with Red winter wheat and aged seasoned Ozark oak for six to seven years. This expression’s whiskey is then sourced from only 150 barrels (making this a “small batch”). Those barrels are then blended and proofed with Kentucky limestone water before bottling and dipping in their iconic red wax.
Bottom Line:
This is where things get more complex. This also had a soft landing but it didn’t feel thin. It was complex and stood out. Get this if you’re making cocktails. It’ll shine.
A lot of Wild Turkey’s character comes from the hard and deep char they use on their oak barrels. 101 starts with a high-rye mash bill that leans into the wood and aging, having spent six years in the cask. A little of that soft Kentucky limestone water is added to cool it down a bit before bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is so classic. It’s that perfect balance of spicy sweet Kentucky bourbon that just delivers. Get this if you’re looking for a great workhorse whiskey for mixing, shooting, or everyday sipping.
The mash bill on this bourbon is mid-range rye heavy with 18% of the grain in the bill for support. Triple distilling in pot stills (like Irish whiskey) and blending with column-distilled whiskey is utilized. The bourbon then rests for six to seven years — taking time to mature before barrels are pulled for blending, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was subtle and nuanced and felt downright essential as a Kentucky bourbon pour. It was still just standard though, making this a great candidate to build good cocktails with.
3. Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 9 Years — Taste 7
This is Jim Beam’s small batch entry point into the wider world of Knob Creek. The juice is the low-rye mash aged for nine years in new oak in Beam’s vast warehouses. The right barrels are then mingled and cut down to 100 proof before being bottled in new, wavy bottles.
Bottom Line:
This was big and bold and very spicy cherry forward. If you’re looking for something to mix a killer Manhattan or old fashioned with, this is it.
2. Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 1
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is a blend of four whiskeys. The blend is split evenly between the high and mid-ryes with a focus on “slight spice” and “rich fruit” yeasts. The whiskey is then blended, cut with soft Kentucky water, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This leaned into unique flavor notes that went beyond basic Kentucky bourbon cherry and spice. There were botanicals, herbs, orchard fruits, and florals. It was complex but didn’t lose any of its basic characteristics to be unique. Get this if you’re looking for something a little different on the palate amidst your regular bourbon routine.
This is the whiskey that heralded a new era of bourbon in 1999. Famed Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee came out of retirement to create this bourbon to celebrate the renaming of the George T. Stagg distillery to Buffalo Trace when Sazerac bought the joint. The rest, as they say, is history — especially since this has become a touchstone bourbon for the brand.
Bottom Line:
This bourbon delivered the best overall experience. It was complex yet approachable. It was classic yet had its own vibe. It just tasted good. I’d keep this on hand for cocktails and on the rocks for daily sipping.
Part 3: Final Thoughts On The Bourbons
Zach Johnston
It was nice re-tasting some of these standard bourbons. There wasn’t a “bad” bourbon in the bunch. Some were simply more macro and proofed down which made them better for shooting or mixing with ginger ale.
Still, I’d say the top six are all winners. The distance between those six when it comes to quality and depth is paper thin.
And then the top three are all really tied. They do offer completely different profiles though. I’d say, go for the Knob Creek when you want a great bourbon cocktail, grab the Buffalo Trace when you want a classic bourbon sipper on the rocks, and pour a splash of the Four Roses when you want something a little different.
Avert your eyes, Devin Booker. It’s been nearly one month since dating rumors were sparked between Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner. TMZ relayed the recent Grammy winner and Jenner were spotted last month leaving the Beverly Hills restaurant Wally’s separately, but the belief was that they had been there together on “a double date” with Justin and Hailey Bieber.
Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny’s rumored romance is no longer speculation — they were finally photographed together in the same frame … and they’re touching bods. https://t.co/AvdTs3eeGs
Per Page Six, Bad Bunny and Jenner had been at dinner with Kylie Jenner and family friend Travis Bennett (aka former Odd Future member Taco).
However, there has been no concrete confirmation from Bad Bunny nor Jenner that they are dating. Both parties’ representation hadn’t responded to the outlet’s request for comment.
Jenner was previously in a long-term relationship with Booker, an All-NBA and All-Star point guard for the Phoenix Suns.
Peoplereported last November that the couple had ended their relationship the month prior. An unnamed source told the publication, “Both have incredibly busy schedules right now with their careers and they’ve decided to make that a priority.”
People added, “An insider also revealed that the decision to end their romantic relationship was mutual and just came down to timing, though Jenner and Booker do plan to stay in touch.”
Also in November, E! News cited an unnamed insider relaying that Jenner was “not really open to dating right now.”
Jeopardy! fans do not miss a trick, so you better believe they immediately noticed a major error during Wednesday night’s episode. As host Mayim Bialik introduced the contestants at the start of the game, their final scores were visible on the screen before the competition even began. Essentially, the show revealed the winner before anyone even started playing.
Of course, eagle-eyed Jeopardy! fans noticed the flub and a clip of the editing error went viral on Twitter as viewers couldn’t believe what they just saw.
“The score display areas should be blank, but there are numbers there. And those are the final scores! Major editing glitch,” Philip Young tweeted.
#Jeopardy#glitch–final scores shown when Mayim Bialik introduces contestants–even before the first question. Check the podiums at the outset. The score display areas should be blank, but there are numbers there. And those are the final scores! Major editing glitch.
“I thought it was Thursday already and that I missed something when I noticed that,” another fan wrote. “But then I realized I didn’t sleep through the day and it was just an error.”
I thought it was Thursday already and that I missed something when I noticed that. But then I realized I didn’t sleep through the day and it was just an error.
And things started getting ugly. “An inexcusable production error,” tweeted a disgruntled viewer.
An inexcusable production error.
— Amanda Rykoff is Pro-Abortion (@amandarykoff) March 9, 2023
Lilly then offered her own Jeopardy! experience to theorize what might have went wrong:
My guess is that they had to do a pickup on all/part of Mayim’s intro & recorded that at the end of the game but forgot to reset the screens. When I was in the audience for a taping last year, there was a late-game pickup where something like this could have happened. They had put up the [Final Jeopardy] dividers and cleared the contestant names from the screen for them to write their wagers, but then needed Ken to re-do something. So they had to clear the wagers, put the dividers back down, and have the contestants rewrite their names so they would appear correctly on the podiums in the shot. I assume it was just completely overlooked, but it’s also possible someone noticed the mistake but figured it didn’t matter as much since the “final” scores are only the first of a two-day total. Maybe they will address this on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast next week!
Lilly chimed in later with one other piece of info that could also explain the flub.
“They did mention on the podcast that the turnaround on these episodes was TIGHT, usually they tape about 2 months ahead but this tournament taped Jan 29/30/31, just 3 weeks before it started airing,” she wrote. “So the editing process may have been a bit more rushed than usual.”
American single malt whiskey continues to be one of the most interesting spirits categories on earth right now. New brands and new expressions from classic brands are hitting shelves almost constantly these days. The most exciting part is that those new bottles of whiskey are coming with new ideas — things like unique malt mixes, higher proof points, and hyper-local terroir are all adding to the beauty of this whiskey genre.
With so much new stuff hitting shelves, I figured it was high time to pour some drams and blindly taste them to find a few that you should try too. Since it’s spring, I didn’t have to look too far back to find new and exciting American single malt whiskeys to taste. Most of the bottles I blindly tasted were just released in the past weeks (with a few coming in late last year).
Our lineup today features the following bottles of whiskey:
Westward American Single Malt Whiskey Single Barrel Selection Grand Cru Sauternes Cask
Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey 108 Proof
Jack Daniel’s Twice Barreled Special Release American Single Malt
Lost Lantern 2023 Single Cask #2 — Westland Distillery American Single Malt Finished in Red Wine Cask 8 Years Old
Tattersall Interstate Whiskey American Single-Malt Aged 4 Years
Broken Barrel Luciferous American Singel Malt Whiskey
Lost Lantern Single Cask #1 — Westland Distillery American Single Malt 7 Years Old
Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey American Single Malt Cabernet Wine Cask Finished
After I tasted these whiskeys blindly, I ranked them according to how tasty they were. It’s as easy as that, folks. No weight was given to price or availability. Sound intriguing? Let’s jump right in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Blind Taste Test Posts Of The Last Six Months
Nose: This has a deep nose that takes you on a journey through green chili, soft caramel, burnt orange peels, grilled peach, summer flowers, and danish filled with vanilla cream and red fruit compote.
Palate: There’s a sharp cherry soda on the palate with a hint of grapefruit, pineapple, and ripe peach next to bright ginger, soft coconut, and a hint of honeyed malt with a whisper of nuttiness.
Finish: That orange comes back on the finish with a soft fresh floral edge next to light cedar bark braided with chewy fresh tobacco dipped in honey and dusted with citrus zest.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty goddamn delicious. It’s deep yet bright and fun.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A light sense of sweet Cream of Wheat opens the nose with a dollop of honey and peach next to stewed kiwi with nutmeg and a very fleeting sense of walking through a garden shop.
Palate: Spiced malts and stewed pears lead to more honey, dry dates, and a hint of fresh pear with a soft woody vanilla underbelly.
Finish: That woody vanilla drives the smooth finish with a hint of cinnamon bark, nut cake, and some pear cider.
Initial Thoughts:
This was pretty good overall. It didn’t blow me away but it was … nice.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Light chocolate powder malts greet you on the nose with soft leather, a hint of cedar, fresh gingerbread, oatmeal cookie dough, and some sweet ice tea powder.
Palate: The palate opens up with a sense of sour red fruit with a rich vanilla foundation that leads to woody spices and saddle soap with a vanilla white cake sweetness.
Finish: The mid-palate expands toward higher ABV buzziness with a note of almond and coconut and fresh leather on the finish with a fleeting sense of cream soda just kissed with orange-chocolate syrup.
Initial Thoughts:
This is really good whiskey. There’s a lot going on and it all pays off/comes together by the end.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried cherries and sultanas mingle with spiced red wine-soaked oak and a hint of old leatheriness on the nose.
Palate: Dark berries and leather lead to clove and allspice woody spice with a hint of pine dank and vanilla cookies.
Finish: Those woody spices and dark berries drive the finish toward soft vanilla and moist nuttiness with a hint of sweet vermouth.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a really tasty whiskey that really leans into the red wine vibes. It’s almost like a sweet dessert red wine.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Hefty crafty graininess presents on the nose with a sweet porridge vibe cut with honey, dried red fruit, and nuts.
Palate: Dried red chilis give way to dark chocolate-covered espresso beans on the palate with a light sense of dry grain husks and chocolate malts.
Finish: Those chocolate malts drive the finish with a hint of orchard fruit on a thinnish end.
Initial Thoughts:
This wasn’t terrible. But it wasn’t great either. It did have a nice balance between the very young grainy nose and the more mature palate.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of fresh squash with a good dose of winter spices, light caramel, and wet malts rounding things out.
Palate: The taste has a moment more of that fresh squash before hitting a note of harsh chili pepper spiciness that buzzes hard on the palate with a sense of coconut and banana next to woody spice.
Finish: There’s a fair amount of spice at the end but the ABVs push past a pleasant buzz toward a full burn which mutes the lingering fruit, vanilla, and spice.
Initial Thoughts:
This is just a bit too much on the ol’ ABVs and losses the plot a little. There’s good stuff in there, I would need an ice cube to find it though.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a bright sense of dark citrus oils and tropical fruits next to wet brown sugar, subtly spiced malts, and a hint of woody oak spices cut with dark chocolate powder.
Palate: That dark chocolate powder welcomes you on the palate with white pepper, eggnog spices, and dark espresso beans counterpointed with bright tropical citrus and starfruit next to caramel and vanilla buttercream.
Finish: That caramel and buttercream drive the finish toward a hint of sweet oatmeal cookie dough cut with clove and sharp cinnamon and just kissed with nuttiness and chocolate chips.
Initial Thoughts:
This is good whiskey, folks! It’s complex yet welcoming. It’s not overly sweet or dry. It’s just right.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Diacetyl runs heavy on the nose kind of like plunging your nose into an unpopped microwave popcorn bag. It’s fundamentally faulty.
Palate: There is a nice spiced malt under the diacetyl on the palate with a light sense of grape soda and maybe some ginger rock candy.
Finish: The finish is sweet and artificially buttery with a thin end.
Initial Thoughts:
Nope.
Part 2: The Ranking
Zach Johnston
8. Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey American Single Malt Cabernet Wine Cask Finished — Taste 8
This Oregon malt is aged next to the ocean before going into Columbia valley Cabernet barrels for a nine-month finish. Those barrels are then batched and proofed with local water before bottling.
Bottom Line:
No amount of aging could hide the fault in this whiskey. Hard pass.
7. Tattersall Interstate Whiskey American Single-Malt Aged 4 Years — Taste 5
This Minnesota whiskey uses Wisconsin malted barley — one that’s smoked with cherrywood and another that’s dark roasted. The hot juice is filled into new oak barrels for a four-year rest before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was fine. It had a super grainy/crafty/young nose but actually did balance out by the end. I wouldn’t reach for it ever again though.
6. Broken Barrel Luciferous American Singel Malt Whiskey — Taste 6
This whiskey is made from 100% Indiana single malt whiskey. Those barrels are then re-barreled into Amaro and French oak casks for final maturation. The final blend is a mix of 80% Amaro barrels and 20% French oak before and bottling at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This has a lot going for it. There’s a complex flavor profile in this pour, it’s just hiding behind too many ABVs. You’ll need a rock to really enjoy this. So if you want an overly proofed single malt, I guess give this a try.
5. Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey 108 Proof — Taste 2
This whiskey from Limestone Branch Distillery is a sourced single malt from Indiana. Four-year-old barrels of the malt whiskey was sent down to Kentucky where Stephen Beam masterfully blended and bottled this whiskey.
Bottom Line:
This was pretty good overall. I can see pouring this on a lazy weekday when I don’t want to be challenged. It’s a very easygoing whiskey with a nice overall flavor profile.
4. Lost Lantern 2023 Single Cask #2 Westland Distillery American Single Malt Finished in Red Wine Cask 8 Years Old — Taste 4
This year’s Lost Lantern releases are here! Cask #2 is a Washington state single malt made from 70% Great Western “Pure WA” Pale malt, 13% Briess Extra Special malt, 9% GW Munich malt, 4% Thomas Fawcett & Sons Brown malt, and 4% TF&S Pale Chocolate malt. That mix of malts is fermented, distilled, and aged in lightly toasted/heavily charred ISC Cooper’s Select barrel. After five years, the whiskey was re-barreled in a first-fill Washington Cabernet Sauvignon cask for an additional three years of mellowing before bottling 100% as-is in only 185 bottles.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty freaking good whiskey. It does lean really hard into that red wine finish, which is why it’s slightly lower on this ranking. But if you’re looking for a bold red wine finish on a soft and well-made single malt, then this is definitely the bottle for you.
3. Jack Daniel’s Twice Barreled Special Release American Single Malt — Taste 3
This new whiskey from Jack Daniel’s is made with a 100% malted barley mash bill. Those grains are milled and mashed with Jack’s famed cave spring water. That mash is then fermented with Jack’s own yeast and then distilled. The hot juice is slowly dripped through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal and is then filled into new American white oak barrels for a several-year rest. Finally, those barrels were batched and re-barreled in Olorosso sherry casks for a final maturation before bottling as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This has a wonderful nuance that beckons you back for more. It does lean more toward a bourbon than a single malt, but that’s not a knock. That’s why this is so enticing. If you’re looking for something completely new from Jack Daniel’s, then this is a must-buy.
2. Lost Lantern Single Cask #1 Westland Distillery American Single Malt 7 Years Old — Taste 7
This whiskey is all about Washington state terroir. The mash is a local five-malt recipe that Westland is known for. This whiskey then spent seven years resting in one barrel from ISC Cooper’s Select line before Lost Lantern bottled the whole barrel 100% as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is just good. It’s soft and approachable while delivering a deep flavor profile that hits just right. If you’re looking for a great standard definition of American single malt and how good it is getting, this is it.
1. Westward American Single Malt Whiskey Single Barrel Selection Grand Cru Sauternes Cask — Taste 1
This is Portland’s classic American single malt taken up a level. After years of resting, a single barrel was re-barreled in a sauternes cask from France’s Grand Cru Classé estate. 14 months later, Westward bottled that whiskey with a kiss of local water.
Bottom Line:
This was far and away the best taste on the panel. This is great American single malt and the bottle you should buy to convert any whiskey drinker into the wonderful world of ASM.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
You can skip the bottom three bottles outright. I’d recommend getting the Lost Lantern bottles the most. You’re never going to see those single-barrel expressions again. This is your only chance to taste those and it’s 100% worth the price of entry.
Beyond Lost Lantern, that Westward Single Barrel is a must-have. It’s a great whiskey from top to bottom with a wonderful flavor profile that takes you on a journey. You cannot beat it as a whiskey, American single malt or not.
Every once in a while a movie so absurd and critically panned comes along and gains traction for some reason, which is exactly what happened with Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 indie film The Room.
The cult classic found popularity in perpetually online teens and overly caffeinated college students at some point in the mid-2000s when it became a bizarrely beloved feature film, and thus cemented itself as one of the best worst movies of all time, and even spawned a James Franco biopic. Knowing that, it seems like the perfect time to reshoot the movie with American treasure Bob Odenkirk, right?
While it may sound like a joke or a side bit in Mr. Show with Bob and David, Odenkirk is actually starring in a DIY remake of the original film as Wiseau’s character Johnny, who is stuck in a love triangle with his best friend and fiance. And Odenkirk is very excited about it.
“This is real. This is true,” Odenkirk tweeted in response to the news that many didn’t believe. “And let me tell you, I tried my best to SELL every line, as honestly as I could…and I had a BLAST.” I do believe him.
This is real. This is true. And let me tell you, I tried my best to SELL every line, as honestly as I could…and I had a BLAST https://t.co/v261E1DKnG
The remake (which was mostly shot on greenscreen, making it even campier) is produced by Acting For A Cause and will be available to purchase online in the future, with proceeds going directly to The Foundation for AIDS research. According to Variety, Wiseau and his team were unaware that the film was being made. Had he known, he might have been a distraction.
Best cast Best crew Best day
And even better- the whole thing is to raise money for AMFAR, an amazing charity
So excited for you all to see THE ROOM starring Bob Odenkirk, Bella Heathcote, and Brando Crawford pic.twitter.com/dRM50iSe9r
Among streaming services, Netflix has some of the best subtitles and closed captions. The font is pleasing and the text is mostly (but not always) accurate. And now there’s even more customization options for hard-of-hearing and visually-impaired subscribers, as well as everyone who needs to take a screenshot of something Tim Robinson said on I Think You Should Leave.
Netflix is giving subscribers the ability to pick from small, medium, and large sizes for its subtitles and closed captions, as well as “four styles/colors, which include the default white text option, drop shadow (white text with black background), light (black text with white background), and contrast (yellow text with black background),” according to Tech Crunch.
Netflix members were previously only able to access these subtitle and closed caption sizing and style options via the web. So it’s a welcome update for TV users, especially since streaming on large screens like connected TVs, smart TVs and gaming consoles represented 77 percent of globally streamed minutes in the first quarter of 2022.
Netflix provided an example of what the customization looks like:
netflix
Wow, it’s like Jenna Ortega is yelling right at you!
Now you have even fewer reasons to not watch with the captions on. You can find out how to your customize your profile here.
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