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Welcome to SNX DLX, our weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the market. Here we are a little over a week until Halloween, and we still haven’t been treated with Nike or Adidas big Halloween sneaker releases. It looked like they had plans to drop this week, but all Halloween releases have been delayed until next week, which means if you wanted to rock some glow-in-the-dark sneakers before Halloween, it’s not going to happen.

Given the week we’re entering, it hardly matters that we have to wait for the Halloween drops. WMNS-exclusive Nike Dunks, new Air Force 1s out of the famed Alyx studios, brand new Yeezys, and Salehe Bembury’s latest New Balance collaboration — what is this, summer? Seriously, we haven’t had a week this exciting since early August, so it’s good to see the sneaker brands firing on all cylinders once again. Let’s get into it.

Nike WMNS Dunk High Cashmere

Ahh, another week, another dope as hell WMNS-sized exclusive from Nike. We’re finally at a point now where it feels like Nike’s WMNS-only releases are dope enough to compete with their larger size runs, hell if anything, the WMNS releases have been stronger than anything Nike has dropped all year.

The Dunk High Cashmere features a classic basketball shape constructed with a white leather upper and pastel overlays, with an off-white swoosh and matching outsole accenting the whole thing. This is another winner, even if the colorway feels off-season.

The Nike WMNS Dunk High Cashmere is out now for a retail price of $110. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or at aftermarket sites like Flight Club.

Adidas Yeezy BOOST 380 Stone Salt/Pyrite

At the top of the week Yeezy Brand dropped two new colorways of the 380 silhouette, Stone Salt and Pyrite. This is a classic Yeezy drop, minimal design with earth-toned colorways named after rocks, but get it while you can because we have a sneaking suspicion that Yeezy Brand is beginning to mix things up.

We might be in the final days of the earth-toned Yeezys as we head into an era where Ye is utilizing more color in his designs.

The Adidas Yeezy BOOST 380 is out now for a retail price of $230. Pick up a pair at the Adidas webstore or via Yeezy Supply.

1017 Alyx 9sm x Nike Air Force 1 High

Coming straight out of Matthew M. Williams’ 1017 Alyx studios is probably the most hyped release of the week, the 1017 Alyx 9sm Nike Air Force 1 Highs. The double sneaker drop includes a black tumbled leather iteration with a University Red swoosh, or a University Red sneaker with a black swoosh.

It’s not the most exciting color combination we’ve ever seen (red and black has been done to death), but we can’t deny that it’s dope and probably just as good if not better than those MSCHF Satan Shoes.

The 1017 Alyx 9sm x Nike Air Force 1 High is open for raffle now at Alyxstudio and will retail for a price of $452.

Salehe Bembury New Balance 574 YURT

We’ve been talking about it for weeks and now it’s finally here, The New Balance 574 Yurt, Salehe Bembury’s latest New Balance collaborations. Featuring a re-tooled version of New Balance’s 574 silhouette, the YURT features hairy suede and mesh construction with leather accents atop a new impact-absorbing midsole and a whistle attachment at the heel.

The YURT is meant to be a more outdoors-inspired version of the 574 and was given two neutral colorways and a special box as a result. Your options include a grey Shark Skin colorway or a more lively Forest Green with Burgundy. Both are predictably dope, but the Forest Green wins, hands down.

The Salehe Bembury New Balance 574 YURT is set to drop on October 22nd for a retail price of $149.99. Pick up a pair at the New Balance Webstore.

Adidas ZX 2k BOOST Patrick Mahomes

The Adidas ZX 2K Boost Patrick Mahomes aren’t even out yet and Adidas is already slashing almost $50 off the list price, from $160 to $112. Couple that with the fact that these shoes were originally slated to drop about a month ago and we’re left scratching our heads. What are you trying to tell us about these shoes Adidas?

Whatever, we’re not going to sit here questioning why Adidas is discounting brand new sneakers from one of football’s MVPs, we’ll take the deal! Featuring a textile upper with reflective rainbow accents and a Zebra-striped BOOST midsole, the ZX 2K promises soft cushioning with strong energy return from enhanced performance.

The Adidas ZX BOOST Patrick Mahomes is set to drop on October 23rd for a retail price of $112. Pick up a pair via the Adidas webstore.

Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 MX Oat

Since Yeezy’s inception, the brand has been known for utilizing a very specific monochromatic color aesthetic. Ye doesn’t give every sneaker the monochromatic treatment, but if you zoom out and take a look at every single sneaker ever released by the brand, you’ll see a definite trend. That’s been changing this year. Yeezys are becoming more colorful and even when the brand is keeping things monochrome, they’ve been opting for bolder colors lately.

This MX Oat colorway of the 350 V2 feels like a significant departure from all that’s come before. The MX Oat features a swirling marbled design that combines yellow, blue, orange, and red streaks over a tan Primeknit upper. Looks like we’re entering a new era of Yeezys, bring it on!

The Yeezy Boost 350 V2 MX Oat is set to drop on October 23rd for a retail price of $220. Pick up a pair at the Adidas webstore or via Yeezy Supply, or scoop it up on the aftermarket at GOAT or Flight Club.

Nike Air Trainer 3 Saquon Barkley

If you were born before, or even during the ‘90s, you’ve no doubt noticed that modern fashion is completely indebted to that era (as well as the early ‘00s, but that hasn’t quite taken over, yet) but just because modern streetwear is obsessed with the ‘90s, doesn’t mean everything from that decade has carried over, like the Nike Air Trainer 3. Until now.

The Trainer 3 is typically emblematic of Bo Jackson but now Saquon Barkley is inheriting the silhouette and making it his own signature silhouette. The new body features modern reflective detailing as well as Saquon’s signature lightning logo on the heel and his number, 26, stitched at the heel.

We’re pretty excited to see if the Air Trainer 3 becomes a staple of this current era of streetwear, it definitely has the looks to pull it off.

The Nike Air Trainer 3 Saquon Barkley is set to drop on October 22nd for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

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.

If you’re completely new to the world of mezcal, you’ve probably heard it described as “like tequila but smokier.” We understand where people are coming from with that description, but it does a complete disservice to mezcal’s complexity. Mezcal isn’t just a smokier tequila (in fact we could argue that it’s tequila that is actually a brighter mezcal, but we won’t), it inhabits its own world of flavor that is familiar to a tequila drinker, but wholly new. It’s robust, floral, sweet, vegetal, natural, and less often inhabits that ethereal vanilla and caramel world that great tequilas so often sit in, and delivering something more grounded, earthy, and yes, we’ll give it to you, smokey.

But the world of mezcal isn’t as accessible and present as the realm tequila resides in, so… where to start? We’ve tried to simplify the search for you by listing off some of our favorite bottles of mezcal and the occasions they work best for. From the most affordable labels to the most absurdly luxurious we’re sure that whatever bottle speaks most to your needs on in this list will serve as a great entryway into the deep and delicious world of mezcal.

The Best Mezcal For Sweet Sipping — Mezcal Alipus San Luis Del Rio (Zach Johnston)

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $52

The Mezcal:

Mezcal Alipús does everything just right down in Oaxaca. The high-altitude distillery slowly roasts their agave in earthen ovens after stone milling. Wild yeast starts the ferment in old pine vats. Old-school copper stills double distiller the spirit.

Everything is small-time and family-run but the highest standard.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a nice backbone of smoked tropical fruits — think grilled pineapple, smoked mango, baked banana — on the nose next to a rich agave with a hint of spice. The palate has this enticing matrix of savory fruit next to dried cinnamon sticks, orange oils, smoked salt, and a touch of caramel sweetness. The end is short and sort of savory with a hint of spicy greens next to light cucumber slices.

Bottom Line:

While I like sipping this on the rocks, it really shines best in a highball with a touch of lime. The water brings out all those funky savory fruits, more spices, and a touch of dark cacao powder with a little more spice.

The Best Mezcal For Absolute Newbies — Cutwater Mezcal Joven (Dane Rivera)

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $54.99

The Mezcal:

Truly a beginner’s bottle, Cutwater gives you a good idea of what flavors to expect when drinking mezcal — a bounce between charred earthiness and sweet floral flavors— without overwhelming you with something that tastes like a far cry from the tequila you’re more familiar with.

Utilizing the wild maguey that grows in the rocky terrain of Durango Mexico, Cutwater’s Joven is distilled in volcanic pit ovens with an open fermentation process.

Tasting Notes:

An initial hit of sweet cherry greets you and settles nicely into flavors of roasted caramel and vanilla before finishing with a sweet floral kiss. There are no harsh chemical flavors to turn you away from this one, and while the smokiness leaves a bit to be desired, it’s still present enough to satisfy expectations.

Bottom Line:

It’s not going to “wow” the snobby crowd out there, but it’ll give you a good starter course. It should be a journey of flavors and this delivers with something easy to drink that still offers complexity and a lot of flavor.

The Mezcal That Punches Above Its Price Tag — Lejana y Sola Mezcal Joven (Dane Rivera)

ABV: 42%

Average Price: $56.95

The Mezcal:

Lejana y Sola’s mezcal hails from Oaxaca and is produced using traditional electricity-free production methods like fire-pit roasting and horse-drawn Tahona extraction. Utilizing a mix of Espadin and Cuishe agave harvested from the Oaxacan hillsides and distilled at a family-owned palenque in Lachilá, Lejana y Sola truly exemplifies the artisanal tendencies of the mezcal producing scene.

Tasting Notes:

Hearing about traditional production methods is cool and all, but it’s just lip service if it doesn’t have the flavor to back it up. Luckily it’s not all talk with Lejana y Sola thanks to its smokey bite that settles on the tongue in rich ribbons of vanilla and roasted agave. Fruity notes dusted with cracked black pepper linger on the backend.

Bottom Line:

From nose to the body, a pleasure to sip and the smoothest mezcal you’ll find at this price point.

The Easiest Mezcal To Fall In Love With — Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal (Dane Rivera)

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $75.78

The Mezcal:

Don Maguey makes some of the finest Mezcal you’ll ever have the pleasure of tasting, but before you drop $180+ on the brand’s excellent Pechuga mezcal (which, after experiencing this, you’ll want to do), you should start with the also excellent but much more affordable Chichicapa.

This expression is produced in the village of San Baltazar Chichicapa using espadín agave that is twice distilled in traditional wood-fired copper stills. The result is a light on the nose mezcal full of deep complexity that always leaves something for the palate to discover.

Tasting Notes:

Chichicapa is a bouquet of flavors, ping-ponging between notes of rich toasted agave, soothing butterscotch, and chocolate smokiness, and tropical hints of citrus, juicy fruit with a delicate mint (almost chemical, but not quite) lift on the backend. Easily the most refreshing Mezcal I’ve ever had the pleasure of sipping.

Bottom Line:

You’re never going to go wrong with a bottle of Del Maguey, and Chichicapa is a perfect entry point to this rich and complex mezcal. Once you’re familiar with this, move on to the twice-as-expensive Pechuga and compare!

The Most Flexible Mezcal — Bozal Barril “Reserva” Mezcal (Zach Johnston)

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $96

The Mezcal:

Bozal is doing some of the best work in mezcal right now. This expression is made used Barril wild agave that was used as natural fencing on the borders of farms around Oaxaca. The hearts of the wild agave are slow roasted with a lot of smoke before the distillate is made while holding onto the wilder aspects of this truly Indigenous spirit.

Tasting Notes:

The nose on this is so light with moments of burnt orange oils next to a singed burnt vanilla husk and dried jicama flowers. The taste is pure cream with dots of orange oils next to a bitter cacao bean, a little tobacco twinge, and a touch of banana bread with walnuts and brown spice. The finish holds onto the creamy nature while staying light with zero burn, leaving you with the baked banana, burnt vanilla, and a final touch of that dark citrus oil.

Bottom Line:

This is so easy to sip. It’ll really blow you away as a sipper while also shining as a cocktail base.

The Mezcal Best Reserved For Celebratory Toasting — Los Vecinos Del Campo Tobala Mezcal (Dane Rivera)

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $109.99

The Mezcal:

Los Vecinos del Campo is a special project crafted by Buffalo Trace Bourbon makers Sazerac Company and Casa San Matias, makers of the excellent Corazon de Agave, so you’re right to approach this bottle with high hopes and expectations. It absolutely delivers.

Made using Tobala, a species of agave that requires 12-15 years of maturation and yields a limited quality of mezcal (hence the price), Los Vecinos is the type of bottle that inspires chatter between respected drinkers steeped in that artisanal spirits world. Show up to the hangout with a bottle of Los Vecinos, and your snobbier set of friends will step to you with respect.

Tasting Notes:

This leans on the smokier and earthier side of the Mezcal flavor spectrum hitting you with a sharp cactus bite that transitions into a heavy charred oak flavor tand finishes with a burn that bounces between harsh tar, roasted fruit, and spice.

Bottom Line:

You’ll never find a dull moment while drinking Los Vecinos del Campo. When it hits your palate it dances with contrasting and complimenting flavors that will always draw you in for another taste.

Our Desert Island Pick — Clase Azul Mezcal Guerrero (Zach Johnston)

ABV: 42%

Average Price: $999

The Mezcal:

Clase Azul is making some of the best juice in the game — tequila or mezcal. This expression is made from the very rare Papalote wild agave from Guerrero only. The hearts are very slowly roasted with the sea not too far away. Everything about the process is low and slow with wild fermentation, old-school distillation, and local spring water in the mix.

Tasting Notes:

The nose on this is kind of mind-blowing with hints of hot peanut oil in a wok as it just starts to smoke next to oily yet fresh sprigs of rosemary, a touch of wet hibiscus flowers, the bitter pith of a grapefruit, and a bit of pitchy kindling. The palate builds on that pitchy kindling with a rush of the seaside with a bit of a nori edge next to pickled green peppercorns, a hint of grapefruit oils, and a warm and spicy tobacco chew. The end is short but pronounced, with the warmth from the tobacco lingering and leading back toward the bitter grapefruit and the resinous wood.

Bottom Line:

I don’t think I ever had “mezcal” before I tasted this. That’s not true at all. I’ve tasted well over 100 mezcals over the last couple of years. But all of them disappeared when I tasted this. Hell, every tequila I’ve ever tasted disappeared from my memory when this passed my lips. It’s just … divine. It’s like falling into a soft cloud of roasted agave spears and letting them hug you as you slowly fall asleep.

The Mezcal For The Smoke Averse — Madre Mezcal (Steve Bramucci)

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $47.99

The Mezcal:

Madre Mezcal almost has too perfect of a design sense for its own good. The red label that looks like the cover of a Hemingway novel and the poured glass bottle with tiny imperfections… Visit the company’s Instagram and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were on the page of a really savvy influencer (or graphic designer) rather than a booze brand. Surfing, mushrooms, block prints — the whole cultural zeitgeist of a certain type of stylish LA cool person is represented. But the brand’s marketing (which, to be clear, is insanely good and oozes cool, precisely why it might tempt a mezcal aficionado to look askance at the spirit behind the purposefully rudimentary-looking label) should not be allowed to distract from the fact that Madre is made right.

The mezcal I tried (the brand currently features two expressions) is distilled from espadin and cuishe agave and roasted underground before the agave hearts are ground by horse-drawn tahona (at three different family-owned Oaxacan distilleries). It’s specifically aimed at not blowing out your palate with smoke, allowing the vegetal notes of the agave to shine.

Tasting Notes:

You do get smoke on the nose but it arrives paired with agave minerality. Cut wild sage and crushed seashells, if I had to put a finer point on the notes. The palate is distinctly un-smokey. It’s still mineral forward — not salty but certainly conjuring that — which is accented by fire-roasted green pepper that’s been spritzed with honey water. The finish is smooth and distinctly un-hot with a little grapefruit rind kicking up.

Bottom Line:

This is a wonderful starter mezcal for anyone who doesn’t want to go too HAM on the smoke. I also like it as a margarita base. While it’s common to do margaritas with mezcal these days, I find many expressions overpower the lime completely with smoke. Madre doesn’t have that problem.

The Mezcal That Is Actually Another Spirit Completely — Raicilla De Una (Steve Bramucci)

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $59.99

The Mezcal:

Racilla is… not mezcal. It’s a different agave-based spirit that had been clandestinely produced for generations to avoid tariffs and was only recognized as an artisanal agave spirit by the Mexican government in June of 2019. Because it’s produced in Jalisco, which isn’t a mezcal-producing state, its designation would be different regardless of how it tasted, but make no mistake — it does taste different. The smokiness is far more subtle than most mezcals and the fruitiness is far more prominent.

Like Madre Mezcal, Racilla de Una has a cool label and a great vibe — there’s even a backstory intertwined with Waves 4 Water, a longtime friend of Uproxx. The brand’s founder, Ethan Lovell, has stylish taste and tons of influential friends, but it’s his love for the spirit itself that really makes this brand shine.

Made with 100% maximilliana agave grown in the mountains of Jalisco and distilled at Taberna Sierra Mascota in an adobe ground oven before being distilled again in stone — both of which create a distinctly different flavor profile than a copper still. The spirit is then aged for eight years, which would put it in the extra anejo zone, were it a tequila.

Tasting Notes:

There is smoke on the nose but it’s really light. Instead, you get peppercorns and a little grapefruit pith, plus some really nice cement-earthen hints turning into earthy, roasted cocoa nibs. By the time we get to the palate, we do get some sugars coming in. In this case, it’s more in the form of brown sugar-basted, roasted citrus fruits. It’s a nice punch of flavor right off the bat. Then things get a little funkier with a little salty Mexican cheese and more cocoa nibs that had touched wet cement as the mouth-coating finish fades.

Bottom Line:

I like this as a sipper to show friends a spirit that they’ve probably never tried. I also like it as a simple cocktail with a little grapefruit soda — basically a paloma riff. But to really enjoy the depth, I say try it straight, add a few droplets of water, then drop in an ice cube and a spritz of soda water — it’s interesting enough to be deeply engaging in all three of those preparations.

Back when the Lakers went on their 2020 NBA Championship run inside the bubble, Halsey launched a basketball-specific Twitter account that quickly became both a good luck charm and a lightning rod. For over a week after the @Halseyandone account went live in September of last year, the Lakers went on a winning streak before beating the Miami Heat in the finals a month later. The pop star tweeted out on the eve of the Game 6 clincher that “my experience has been completely amplified by this account.”

It was pretty clear that Halsey was a bonafide NBA fan. They praised the Heat’s East run, then talked smack to the Miami Heat, showered Alex Caruso and Rajon Rondo with love, and hoops fans (and haters) ate it up.

The account clocked well over 100K followers. But as they say, seasons change, and soon after the Lakers got bounced by the Phoenix Suns in the 1st round of the 2020-21 playoffs, the account went dormant. One month later, Halsey’s son Elder was born. There are more important things in this world than Twitter. (Take notes. You know who you are)

But the seasons have changed again and now Lakers superfan Halsey is back in the hoops twitter game and Elder is apparently along for the ride. “Now I’m literally Halsey and 1,” she tweeted with a downright adorable photo of little Elder in full Lakers gear.

Game 1 of the Lakers season was as up and down for the Lakers, just as much it was for @Halseyandone. Anthony Davis was a giant in the paint in the first three quarters and Halsey promptly showed their allegiance to The Brow.

Then things took a turn for the worst in the fourth quarter. New Laker Russell Westbrook showed that he’s still very much a below average outside shooter and couldn’t really buy a bucket from most anywhere on the floor. He was a paltry 4 for 13 shooting and sported a game worst -23 rating en route to err…leading…the Lakers to a 121-114 loss to the Warriors. Halsey was not pleased and tweeted “I’m gonna puke.”

Not the greatest debut for the greatest basketball team in Los Angeles. But hoops heads and Halsey fans can rejoice that the best NBA x pop star crossover Twitter account is back.

While legendary actress Jamie Lee Curtis might have made a name for herself delighting movie fans everywhere with her extraordinary acting skills — and more recently for her shocking reprisal of Laurie Strode in the latest Halloween movie, Halloween Kills — Curtis is now sharing with the public a bit more about the most important role in her life: being a supportive mother. Following the recent gender transition of her 25-year-old daughter, Ruby, Curtis has made herself available to questions and interviews about being a parent to trans daughter, spreading information and compassion about what that entails. In a recent interview with People, Curtis and Ruby opened up about how their family dynamic has changed since Ruby came out as transgender to her mother last year, explaining how it’s been an ongoing process for everyone involved.

The conversation began with Ruby explaining that while the experience of coming out to her parents was “scary,” she wasn’t worried about it, as her parents had always been “so accepting” of her throughout her entire life. Curtis continued, stating that more than anything, Ruby’s transition has been an opportunity for her to learn and grow.

“It’s speaking a new language,” she says. “It’s learning new terminology and words. I am new at it. I am not someone who is pretending to know much about it. And I’m going to blow it, I’m going to make mistakes. I would like to try to avoid making big mistakes.”

Ruby was quick to state that she doesn’t get mad at her parents for making mistakes as they relearn how to address her, telling her mother she’s “done the most” she can and “that’s all [she] wants.” In order to better support her daughter, Curtis said she has become increasingly more intentional with her speech, finding herself slowing down and being more “mindful” about what she’s saying, as well as paying attention to how she’s saying it. Curtis then admitted she still “messes up,” but doesn’t mind sharing her stumbles and experiences if “one person reads this” and then feels free to come forward as transgender to their own family, friends, and community.

“I am here to support Ruby. That is my job. Just as it is to care and love and support her older sister Annie in her journeys. I’m a grateful student. I’m learning so much from Ruby. The conversation is ongoing. But I want to know: How can I do this better? .. You still mess up, I’ve messed up today twice. We’re human. But if one person reads this, sees a picture of Ruby and me and says, ‘I feel free to say this is who I am,’ then it’s worth it.”

Bringing back actors who were in previous superhero movies is all the rage now. Michael Keaton’s coming back as Batman for The Flash solo outing. A number of the old Spider-Man-verse guard are back for the third Tom Holland one. So what about Halle Berry? Will she be coming back as Catwoman, the role she played in the titular 2004 film? Oh, almost certainly not.

Variety caught up with the Oscar-winning actress, who took on the role (not Selina Kyle, but a new character named — and this is real — Patience Phillips) shortly after becoming the first Black woman to win the Best Actress trophy for Monster’s Ball. They asked her if she’d seen the new trailer for The Batman. She hadn’t. And she had a good excuse: She’s too busy on post-production for her new action movie, Bruised, which is also her directorial debut.

Berry was then asked if she was game for returning to Catwoman. “Probably not,” she said, with a laugh. “I think I’m good.”

You might not remember 2004’s Catwoman. In some ways, it’s a game-changer. It’s the first comic book movie with a Black female superhero. And it’s one of the first with a female superhero. (Though the first came 20 whole years earlier: Sheena: Queen of the Jungle, starring Tanya Roberts, which beat the Helen Slater Supergirl to theaters by three whole months.) It was also a critical and commercial catastrophe, making Berry a one-and-done version of Batman’s favorite frenemy. (Then again, so were Michelle Pfeiffer and Anne Hathaway.)

This isn’t the only time Berry’s been asked about the movie recently. Back in August, she talked about not being all that enthused for the project from the start. “It’s like, okay, that’s a film I can’t say I’m totally in love with, but this isn’t a hobby. It’s how I take care of my children,” she admitted. But she didn’t exactly regret it. “It was one of the biggest paydays of my whole life, which, there’s nothing wrong with that.” She added, “I don’t want to feel like ‘Oh, I can only do award-worthy stuff.’ What is an award-worthy performance?”

Anyway, good for her, if you have a chance to take the money, take it and run. And never look back, even if someone asks you to.

(Via Variety)

Psychological horrors terrify us. Not with jump scares and gore, but by seeping deep into our dark and twisted insides. As the audience, we are left not exactly spooked. More like utterly unnerved.

It’s a form of storytelling that inspires so much creative layering and nuance, that even those who are normally horror averse can find something to sink their teeth into.

Just what makes these movies so compelling? The answer to that is obvious when we look in the mirror.

The foundational formula for this horror subgenre is simple: Start with mystery, incorporate elements of horror and be sure to add a dash–or five–of disturbing psychological components. Anything from mental illness to extreme cult practices, it’s all fair game in this world.

Instead of monsters, ghosts and chainsaw-waving hillbillies, the victims in psychological horror are often fleeing from more insidious types of darkness: trauma, society and human nature itself. Unlike a fun, campy slasher flick (no offense Jason and Freddy), the “evils” of psychological horror are what we universally face on a daily basis, at least on an emotional level. One might not ever find oneself physically turning into a demon bird ballerina like Natalie Portman in “Black Swan,” but most of us have felt the specter-like presence of perfectionism.

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Because psychological horror movies take on real human evils, the scary appeal is often timeless. Take, for instance, the dark side of celebrity worship, as seen in “Misery.” That movie was made more than 30 years ago and still delivers a gut punch. Or in “Rosemary’s Baby,” one of the first psychological horrors ever made popular. Gee, I can’t imagine how the terror of a woman not having body autonomy can have relevance in this day and age…

When society is the story’s villain, life-threatening danger is disrupting the status quo. You know, like not being a proper housewife, as with “Stepford Wives.” Or being poor, like in Netflix’s biggest show ever, “Squid Game.” Its theme about the “games” we are forced to play in an often capitalist, money-driven world transcends language. After all, who hasn’t felt victimized and utterly trapped in a society out to get them?

Other times, trauma is the relentless ghost of the genre. And the story takes a more heartfelt approach, as with Netflix horror king Mike Flanagan’s “Haunting of Hill House.” His captivating story is really a family drama, about siblings haunted by death who cannot escape the grips of grief. To survive, they have to process what really happened. That’s a journey many of us face.

Psychological horrors are the ultimate scary movie.
upload.wikimedia.org

Psychological horror can expose us to the real-life atrocities of humanity in a way that we can’t ignore, inspiring real change. There’s no better modern-day example of this than Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” a film that views racism through the lens of a comedy horror. In his screenwriting tips, Peele suggests, “When writing comedy or horror, know that both present the truth. Use writing projects to dig you out of your own fear and darkness. Use that fear to learn how to scare the audience.” The truth in the case of “Get Out” is the very real, still-existent racism, even in post-Obama America, and the fear Black Americans have of losing their identity.

The film went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, proving the profound power horror can have when it carries emotional substance.

Basically, what I’m saying is this: As Halloween approaches, and you find yourself looking for the next scary flick to watch, why not give yourself some real nightmare fuel? The darkness of the human race will continue to evolve and change over time, and psychological thrillers will evolve alongside it. So you’ll never run out of options. Plus, they’ll leave you with an intense, all-consuming type of dread in a way that not other horror genre can’t.

Isn’t that what the holiday is all about?

Each year on Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil—aka the world’s most famous groundhog—peeks his head out and determines whether winter will last another six weeks or not based on whether he sees his shadow. There’s a whole ceremony for the event and everything. (Ah, the hilariously bizarre things we people do for fun.)

Phil now has competition in the adorable animal prediction world, only instead of a groundhog, we’ve got Noodle the ground-dog.

Noodle is a 13-year-old pug who really, really loves the ground. So much so that on some days, he simply refuses to get up off it, which has turned him into a viral daily prediction sensation.

On his TikTok channel, Noodle’s owner shares the senior puggo’s decision about what kind of day it’s going to be based on whether he “has bones” that day or not. If Noodle gets propped up and decides to stay standing on his own four feet, it’s a “bones day.” If he gets picked up and immediately flumps back down onto the ground, it’s a “no-bones day.”

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We’ve all had no-bones days—probably lots of them during the pandemic. And now we have some cosmic canine permission to just let those days be what they are.

Here’s Noodle on a bones day:

Bones day = a productive, positive, life-is-on-our-side kind of day. We’re up. We’re ready to go. Bring it, universe, cuz we’re ready.

And here he is on a no-bones day.

No-bones day = let’s stay in bed because we’re not ready for the world and the world isn’t ready for us.

The whole fun of keeping up with Noodle, though, is not knowing which kind of day it’s going to be. It’s the same reason thousands of people show up to watch Punxsutawney Phil look for his shadow. The anticipation is the thing.

Well, that and the funny commentary from Graziano after Noodle either stands or slumps.

“It’s a bones day on Monday, you guys. This is so exciting—you know what to do!” Graziano said after Noodle stood briefly to kick off this week. “You’ve got to treat yourself today. The Japanese fried chicken you were going to get for lunch? Get the curry to dip it in. All those festive gourds? Buy ’em! That raise you deserve but haven’t asked for yet? You totally deserve it. Ask for it! You’ve gotta treat yourself today!

Noodle has become such a viral phenomenon that people have started making Noodle fan videos.

This fan video even includes an original song.

Amazing. And look at Noodle’s tongue. Clearly, it’s a no-bones day.

People are loving checking in with Noodle as if they’re checking a daily horoscope—so much so that someone who isn’t even Graziano created a Twitter account just to announce whether is a bones day or a no-bones day.

No bones today. Let your boss know.

— Does Noodle Have Bones (@NoodlesBonesDay)
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Graziano adopted Noodle when he was 7 1/2 and they’ve been good friends ever since.

“He’s a silly old pug. He’s got such a personality,” Graziano told the Boston Globe. “You know, every dog is the best dog. Like, everyone’s dog is the very best dog who’s ever been? But I have to say Noodle is the very best dog that’s ever been. He’s got such a big personality.

“I never thought this would be like a fortune-telling thing,” he added. “It was never anything like that. It was literally just to see if he is ready to go on a walk or not. And then people all of a sudden were like ‘Well it’s a no-bones day‚ so I can’t do anything,’ and I was like, yeah that’s kinda how it goes.”

Indeed. That’s how it goes, which is why Noodle makes the perfect pandemic mascot. Thanks for sharing him with us, Jonathan Graziano. (You can follow them on TikTok here.)

Iconic Motown singer-songwriter Edwin Starr once asked us, “War, what is it good for?”

As it turns out, war can be good for anything! From small business to freedom itself, all is fair. At least it is to Fox News.

The conservative news network has used the word “war” so many times, The Recount created a hilarious—if not savage—compilation video, with the caption: “The war on Christmas is just the tip of the iceberg. Get ready for the #FoxeverWars.”

The video racked up a total of 46 “wars”. Yes, 46. That was not a typo.

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Welcome to the Foxever Wars

www.youtube.com

The usual suspects were there: a war on wealthy Americans and Republican governors, a war on men, white men, and conservative women, a war on Christianity. The last one I find ironic. No offense, but doesn’t Christian doctrine dictate a constant war between good and evil anyway? Oh, and to be fair, there’s also a war on Judaism.

Things pretty much escalated from 0 to 100 after that. Both parents and children are in a war, as well the suburbs. I guess cities are now a war-free zone, who knew?

Holidays? Forget about it. Christmas and Thanksgiving are back-to-back wars.

Think inanimate objects are safe? Guess again! There’s a war on cars! A war on straws! A war on styrofoam!

How’s this for logic? Cows + dogs = war. Cats were not mentioned. Therefore, cats = peace. Every cat person already knows this, but now everyone knows.

The food pyramid is practically a battlefield, having a war on meat, soda, appetizers, and … wait for it … hot dogs. That one was my personal favorite.

Even though Fox also declared a war on fun, reading the amusing comments to this video proved that fun has indeed survived the trenches.

Like one twitterer who shared their buyer’s remorse, saying “I wish I knew there was a war on Christmas again, I just finished my shopping.”

One person wrote on Twitter, “I would relish in a hot dog war.” It brought me great joy.

“Let’s not forget the war on Beatty, the war on Buffett, and the war on G. Harding,” another word play lover wrote.

Another person even brought in a very appropo “Star Wars” reference. Hilarious.

Seriously, if you’re looking to get drunk fast, make this a new drinking game while watching Fox News. That might be considered a war on your liver, but hey, the word has now lost all meaning anyway.

Night Teeth (Netflix film) — Debby Ryan and Lucy Fry play the lead-character vampires of this film, but there are also vampires played by Megan Fox and Sydney Sweeney, so you know what that means: any human in their sights is in big trouble. That includes a college-student-turned-chauffeur, Benny (Jorge Lendeborg, Jr.), who’s tasked with driving the two primary vamps around to parties, where they can get their thirst on. Can Benny stay alive, can he save Los Angeles, and can he possibly do both things? Talk about a guilty pleasure of a movie.

Found (Netflix film) — This documentary follows teen American girls who somehow discover that they’re cousins by blood. This leads to an online-meeting that turns into a real-life journey, wherein the teens travel to China for answers and adventure. It’s an emotional journey but a rewarding one.

Stuck Together (Netflix film) — Seven families who are stuck during Parisian lockdown endure the best and worst of each other over the course of three months. Man, this should inspire everyone who can get to the country side to do so, stat.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (CW, 8:00pm) — Sara and Ana have hatched a plan, and Nate’s in impersonation mode, all while Hoover scores some lucrative tickets, and everyone wants to make it to Manhattan.

Batwoman (CW, 9:00pm) — Alice and Batwoman’s team-up might not last too long if things don’t go right in this episode, which involves Killer Croc’s murderous rampage in Gotham.

The Wonder Years (ABC, 8:30pm) — This reimagining adopts a different perspective (from the Fred Savage-starring original show) with the focus on an African-American family and their home base in 1960s Montgomery, Alabama. Don Cheadle narrates the usual tween ordeals and also the experience of being part of a Southern Black family. This week, Dean really doesn’t want to go to the church lock-in, but he also wants to have his first kiss. Conundrum.

American Horror Story: Double Feature (FXX, 10:00pm) — Mamie’s forced to make a bold move, as all of the characters face off against hte future.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — Issa Rae, H.E.R.

In case you missed these streaming picks from last Wednesday:

Dopesick: Season 1 (Hulu series) — Michael Keaton (who is still the greatest Batman in history, so don’t mess with him in any role) finally comes to TV beyond cameo mode. Here, he takes on Big Pharma as a physician whose patients are dying off amid an opioid epidemic, and Rosario Dawson portrays one of the heroes who want to take the makers of Oxycontin down. The title of the source material (Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America, the book by Beth Macy) tells you a lot, but this trailer promises an intense ride, and the cast includes Michael Stuhlbarg and Kaitlyn Dever, who’s all over TV now and making Justified‘s Loretta proud here.

Just Beyond: Season 1 (Disney+ series) — This horror-comedy anthology bases itself on R.L. Stine’s BOOM! Studios comic book series of the same name. Expect plenty of supernatural journeys (with a personally affecting touch) through alternate dimensions with witches, aliens, and ghosts onboard.

For the fourth time in LeBron James’ four-year tenure as a Los Angeles Laker, they dropped their regular-season opener. This time, it came at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, 121-114, and kicked off the LeBron-Anthony Davis-Russell Westbrook Era with a loss.

The former two were spectacular and the best players on the floor, combining for 67 points. They looked every bit the superstars who guided Los Angeles to a title fewer than 13 months ago. Westbrook, though, as the newest member of this trio, did not. He struggled to the tune of eight points on 4-of-13 shooting, four assists and four turnovers.

Some of it was his responsibility. Seven of his 13 field goal attempts were jumpers, a few of which were ill-advised, early clock pull-ups. These are not conducive to maximizing his offensive impact anywhere, independent of context.

Other portions were outside of his control. Head coach Frank Vogel elected to start DeAndre Jordan and 23 of Westbrook’s 35 minutes were spent alongside Jordan or Dwight Howard. Sixteen of them were spent alongside two of Jordan, Howard and Davis.

Worst of all, he was paired with Rajon Rondo for seven minutes and during that span the Lakers were a minus-15. Rondo did not resemble a rotation-caliber guard on a contender last season and he certainly didn’t challenge that sentiment yesterday. Even ignoring that, trotting out Westbrook next to him in the backcourt simply doesn’t benefit either of them or the team and prevents Rondo from proving my hypothesis wrong.

For a guard in Westbrook who’s best with space around him and shouldn’t be relied upon to shoot outside the paint, Los Angeles sure constructed lineups that ran counter to such a concept.

With Rondo in the fold, the two former All-Stars took turns commandeering the offense and relegating the other to spot-up duties, a job for which they’re unqualified. A high ball-screen for Westbrook shouldn’t feature Rondo as a release valve shooter. If Rondo is going to maintain a rotation spot, Vogel has to separate him and Westbrook. And if Westbrook is going to fully succeed as a Laker, Vogel has to separate him and Rondo. Possessions like these are just frivolous, imprudent efforts.

Part of the reason so many of Westbrook’s minutes were shared with an ill-suited veteran center in Jordan or Howard is because the Lakers do not play Davis as a center full time. Their goal and his goal is to avoid the constant rigors that transpire as a full-time 5, while also enabling him to be a ball-hawk defensively and attack mismatches as a scorer. There are exploits to Davis at the 4, even if he and Los Angeles are optimized when he’s a center.

I understand why Davis isn’t deployed at center more during the regular season and save it for the playoffs. But I also now wonder if the balance must shift because the team’s third-best player would so significantly benefit and more quickly integrate to a new setting. About 22 of Davis’ 39 minutes (56 percent) came without Jordan or Howard on the floor. Westbrook was present for roughly 12 of them.

Increasing his workload at center from 56 percent to, say, 75 percent, assuming he’s comfortable with that physically, would free up space for Westbrook and the offense. Davis as a 4 would be more serviceable if Jordan or Howard were viable rotation bigs, but neither really is at this stage of their careers and they both struggled Tuesday.

Davis’ dominant play-finishing slots aptly next to Westbrook, who ranked third in assists at the rim between 2018-19 and 2020-21, per PBPStats, and routinely spoon-feeds big men inside. Although Davis isn’t the 5 here, this play provides a vision of how Westbrook’s interior passing chops and his finishing prowess can harmonize if Westbrook consistently draws attention near or in the paint:

Yet on other occasions, the ways Davis as a 4 limits Westbrook’s on-ball creation manifested. He should not be resigned to catch-and-shoot responsibilities, which was the case a bit too commonly Tuesday. An intermittent spot-up three from Davis isn’t a deathknell offensively, but simply seems like a poor allocation of collective talent in general.

Replacing Jordan with Malik Monk (who admittedly struggled yesterday), Trevor Ariza (when healthy) or Wayne Ellington (also, when healthy) in the starting unit would empower Davis to be the roll man in snug ball-screens for Westbrook or inhabit the dunker spot to occupy helpers when the former MVP posts up.

While the initial results for Westbrook’s stint offensively were discouraging, game one was not without some encouraging examples process-wise. He parlayed his anti-gravity off the ball into attacking runways and his explosiveness off the catch remains so sudden and overwhelming. At this point, it’s cliche, but he has to embrace cutting. Instilling its value into him is paramount. Success followed when he was either primed to rip off the catch or sliced into the defense before the ball even swung his way.

The Lakers didn’t go to their cheat code of the LeBron-Davis empty corner pick-and-roll much, yet the outline of how Westbrook can benefit from the attention that action commands was evident. Second-side pick-and-rolls for him when the floor is properly spaced might also become a reliable tool when Los Angeles streamlines its rotation and some of their now-injured guys return. The correct lineups and play calls are necessary for this star-laden experiment to work, but Monday certainly provided glimpses of how that success could manifest.

Beyond what the opening night loss laid out, the Lakers should also scheme more sets involving Westbrook as a screener for Davis or James, particularly snug pick-and-rolls inside the arc. According to Cleaning The Glass, Los Angeles’ rim frequency against the Warriors was a pitiful 26 percent. Some of that is surely tied to insufficient floor-spacing. But a team who saw James, Davis and Westbrook play 113 of a possible 144 minutes should mash its way to the rim more than that and better catering the Xs and Os and rotations to those three guys can help accomplish this.

Similarly, if Davis and Westbrook do see more time together without another big on the floor, empty corner pick-and-rolls should spike in volume, especially in early offense, which is where Westbrook is best equipped to handle possessions.

The pace of last night’s game was a breakneck 112.5. For reference, the Washington Wizards led the NBA in pace last season at 104.67. I’m curious how sustainable that is for a veteran-laden squad. Promoting open-floor reps with Westbrook out there is prudent, but if the offense looked murky at that pace, a regression to the mean could spell a bit more trouble before daylight arrives.

Monday was the first meaningful data point along a journey of many required to assess the Russell Westbrook Experience in Los Angeles. This one, while confounding and frustrating on the surface, looks more optimistic underneath. There’s certainly work to be done, both from the coaching staff and Westbrook himself. There’s also probably a cap to growth, given his shaky jumper and inconsistent decision-making offensively. But there is absolutely substantial, attainable growth to be actualized that might have this random night in October as nothing more than the ground floor of a profitable exercise.