Something happened nearly two decades ago. There was a shift where video rental stores were shutting down because Netflix (who used to deliver literal DVDs) and Redbox were causing a significant decline in customers. Then Netflix became a streaming service, making it even easier for you to get access to the movies you would normally rent for a flat fee and reducing the stress of losing or damaging a DVD.
This jump into streaming created the demand for more streaming services at a time when cable rates were skyrocketing. It made practical financial sense to move over to a couple of streaming services and let go of cable. That is until the streaming services became obnoxiously plentiful.
Anthony Robustiano recently went on an epic rant about his frustration with streaming services after he tried to find a movie to watch. He explains that in order to even know which streaming platform to watch the movie on he first had to Google the movie. That’s when the rant turns up a notch.
“To then finally finding the movie on a streaming service that you own and you get excited and you go to the movie and then Prime Video is like, ‘well we’re going to need an additional $3.99 from you.’ Why? I’m already paying you a monthly fee what are you talking about? And they’re like ‘well you can rent it or buy it for seven grand.'”
You know someone’s a peak frustration when they’re making up ridiculous numbers to express how expensive something is. But Rubstiano wasn’t alone in his irritation with the high price of multiple streaming platforms. Commenters joined in and agreed that maybe cable was actually superior to streaming services after all.
“Also? The entire appeal of Netflix was ‘no ads.’ As a single person I relented and subscribed to Netflix sometime after COVID screwed the world, when tired of having to put up with ads while watching ‘free’ movies on cable or YouTube or a few other free show sources online. Now, they want me to choose between paying a lot more, which I cannot do, or…. Putting up with ADS. Good-bye, Netflix,” one person writes.
“THIS!!!! It’s awful. There’s nothing to watch. Mostly because I can’t find it and get overwhelmed,” another says.
“Everything was faster and easier and worked better 20 years ago and we ruined it. We were all scammed,” someone complains.
“ALL WE EVER WANTED WAS CAFETERIA STYLE CABLE. Let us pick what we’re paying $70/mo for. GOSH,” another person shouts.
The consensus seems to be that since the streaming services now all come with ads and additional fees, bringing back Blockbuster or cable would be preferable. Although some people shared that they kept their old DVD/Blu Ray players so they could physically own a copy of what they purchased, pointing out that when a streaming platform loses rights to a movie or show, you no longer have access even though you may have purchased it.
In a perfect world, a cable company could strike a deal with the streaming services giving you access to all of the platforms for one price along with basic cable. Until then, stores still sell DVD players.
This post contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine
When you think of Deadpool, and superhero movies in general, the word “cameo” comes to mind. We all know these movies don’t exist as standalone films, and these guys never really stay dead, so there is always a slim chance that someone from a past installment or a separate franchise entirely will show up. It’s more fun that way, like when your long-lost relative pops in at the family reunion even though you all assumed they had just moved away.
For Deadpool & Wolverine, the obvious pull is the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. And his popcorn bucket. But the movie also promises more cameos, including the return of fan-favorites, Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead.
The characters first appear in Deadpool and again in the sequel Deadpool 2, and now it’s been confirmed that Brianna Hildebrand appears in the new film as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, while Stefan Kapicic is back as Colossus. Shioli Kutsuna will also reprise her role of Yukio from Deadpool 2.
Negasonic Teenage Warhead is a young mutant who begins training under Colossus in the first film. “It’s crazy to think that when we were filming the first movie… I don’t think any of us thought it would become this big,” Hildebrand told The Hollywood Reporter at the New York premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine this week. “I feel honored to be a part of it.” Even though she’s not a teen anymore, will they change the name to Negasonic Young Adult Warhead instead?
Paul George‘s tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers came to an end this offseason. After joining the team alongside Kawhi Leonard in 2019, George left L.A. for the Philadelphia 76ers as an unrestricted free agent this summer, where he will team up with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to create one of the league’s most exciting trios.
While the writing did seem to be on the wall when George and the Clippers just could not come to terms on the max extension that he coveted, it was still striking to see the team put out a statement indicating that he would be leaving. And on the most recent episode of Podcast P, George dove into one of the reasons that he decided to leave the Clippers, which revolved largely around the team’s perception in Los Angeles.
Paul George:
“I think initially, coming back to LA that was home. But it’s not the same love. Because when I was in LA, they said, ‘you should’ve been a Laker.’ That’s all I was hearing… I’m on the B Team. That’s how the vibe and the love felt.”
“I think initially, coming back to L.A., that was home, when I first came back to L.A.,” George said. “But it’s not the same love. Cause when I was in L.A., they like, ‘Man, you should’ve been a Laker.’ That’s all I was hearing. It wasn’t no, like, welcome to the Clippers. ‘We’re happy you’re in L.A., but you should’ve been a Laker.’ I’m on the B Team. That’s how the vibe and the love felt.”
For nearly 70 years, McDonald’s has been the place for an affordable, quick, and predictable meal. However, since 2019, McDonald’s prices have risen drastically, and in many places, it now charges fast-casual prices for fast food, even though the quality is the same. What gives?
Over the past five years, the prices of McDonald’s most popular items have risen an average of 141%.
The Food Theorists, a YouTube page with over 5.4 million subscribers that debunks fast food myths and tells the stories behind your favorite food brands and mascots, explains the hefty price hikes in a 9-minute video.
The primary takeaway is that McDonald’s locations are all franchises, so the individual owners have the right to charge what they wish for a product. That’s why a McDonald’s in Darien, Connecticut, charged $17.59 for a Big Mac value meal. There was no nearby competition and consumers driving by on the interstate had fewer food options.
Conversely, in San Jose, California, one of the most expensive places to live and do business, a Big Mac is still relatively affordable ($5.79) because competition in the area keeps prices down.
Therefore, in an inflationary environment where prices are going up on everything, McDonald’s franchises can raise their prices to whatever consumers bear without facing any business consequences.
“If owners see one place is still thriving with higher prices, they’ll increase theirs to get more money, especially when there’s a need for what they’re selling,” Food Theorists say in the video. “Basically, they can drive up prices to match competition because customers won’t stop wanting McDonald’s.”
The question is, when does the cycle stop? If businesses continue to one-up each other by raising prices with little consequences, at what point does all fast food become super expensive? When companies with lower prices begin to thrive, the expensive businesses, like McDonald’s, are forced to return to Earth.
Move over, Brisket. There’s a new adopted animal in town. Two of them, actually. To celebrate (?) the 20th anniversary of Catwoman, a famously terrible movie, actress Halle Berry posed topless with two rescue kitties.
“And STILL… meow!” she wrote on Instagram. “It’s been 20 years today since I had the honor of bringing this iconic character to life. She will always be close to my heart and I will forever be Patience Phillips aka CATWOMAN! Thank you @missjee79! When these black beauties showed up in my yard searching for their mother, Jee helped us through the rescue process. Forever grateful!”
You can see the IG post below.
2004’s Catwoman is a fixture on Worst Movies of All-Time lists (great basketball scene, though), and Berry is understandably annoyed that so much — too much — of the public’s scorn was directed towards her. “I felt like it was Halle Berry’s failure, but I didn’t make it alone,” she recently told Entertainment Weekly. “All these years, I’ve absolutely carried it.”
The Oscar winner “didn’t love” the backlash to Catwoman, especially since she just won a historic Oscar. “Being a Black woman, I’m used to carrying negativity on my back, fighting, being a fish swimming upstream by myself. I’m used to defying stereotypes and making a way out of no way,” she said. “It didn’t derail me because I’ve fought as a Black woman my whole life. A little bad publicity about a movie? I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t going to stop my world or derail me from doing what I love to do.” And that includes directing.
The California Classic and Salt Lake City Summer League kicked off a bevy of on-court NBA action in July, and things continued with the annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas Summer League, with the entire league gathering for what amounts to a 10-day convention that also features basketball games. For those unfamiliar, the biggest stars of the league are nowhere to be found on the court, although they are often seen courtside. The center of attention in Summer League is often on the incoming rookie class and, despite the reality that the 2024 group arrives with less buzz than most recent classes, the top picks still drew quite a bit of attention in the desert.
After getting our first up close look at the top 5 picks in action in Las Vegas, we wanted to take stock of their Summer League showings, from injury-shortened journeys to eye-popping performances and everything in between.
Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
As many have noted throughout the pre-draft process, the traditional No. 1 overall pick did not exist in the 2024 class. That is not the fault of Risacher, of course, but it is worth emphasizing a month after the big day, simply in an effort to push back against expectations. Risacher’s Vegas journey was cut short by a quad contusion that sidelined him after only two games, though that injury is not expected to linger into training camp later this year.
On the court, Risacher checked the boxes that Atlanta was looking for when the Hawks selected him at the top of the board. The 6’9 wing let it fly from deep, attempting eight three-pointers per game in only 29.5 minutes per contest, and while the results were mixed (29.5 percent), Risacher’s shooting form appears crisp and repeatable. He is also an advanced off-ball mover for a player of this age, even if that particular skill doesn’t necessarily pop in a Summer League setting where the team structure is loose, to put it nicely.
The one mild surprise with Risacher was his passing acumen. While he is an unselfish player that operated within the team context in France, Risacher made a handful of exceptional passes in Vegas that were not necessarily on his pre-draft film. Whether that continues to translate remains to be seen, but Risacher brings the combination of size, shooting, feel, and willingness to do what the team wants that every franchise is looking for, even if not usually at the No. 1 slot.
Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
Risacher and Alex Sarr faced off on the first day of Summer League. Risacher did not dominate the proceedings, but he was clearly the better player in the game and Sarr went on to really struggle during a four-game Vegas run. In an effort to remain upbeat, there was one distinct positive with Sarr, and it came with his rim protection. The seven-footer blocked four shots in the opener against Atlanta and averaged 2.5 blocks per game for the week. Beyond the blocks specifically, Sarr was able to leverage his size into legitimate resistance at the rim, and his play on the defensive end backed up the pre-draft belief that his defense is well ahead of his offense.
Now to the other end, where Sarr really did struggle. The headline-making effort was an 0-of-15 shooting performance on Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers in which he may or may not have set a Summer League record for shooting futility, depending on how far back you want to look. Sarr’s rough night did not happen in a regular season game but, if it had, it would have been the second-most shots attempted in a game without a make in history.
That game certainly raises questions, even if it would be wise to avoid overreacting to a single 40-minute game in any setting, much less in Las Vegas on a Tuesday. Still, Sarr shot 19.1 percent (!) from the field for the week, which speaks volumes in itself. At the moment, Sarr is a classic offensive tweener. He doesn’t seem interested in doing the traditional big man activities on the offensive end, instead leaning on an under-developed perimeter game and relying on a jumper that has potential but isn’t ready yet. Many top guys have had rough Summer League efforts, and it isn’t disqualifying, but it was a tough stretch for the No. 2 pick.
Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
If Alex Sarr struggled, Reed Sheppard did the opposite. The No. 3 pick was fantastic, particularly in the first two games of his Vegas run. Ironically, Sheppard’s lethal jump shot didn’t go in from three-point range, where he made only 27.8 percent of attempts in four games, but to put it plainly, no one is worried about Reed Sheppard’s three-point shooting acumen.
From there, he managed to post 50 percent shooting from the field with more than five assists per game. Beyond the numbers, Sheppard appeared to be in total control. He flashed an advanced handle, was able to get to his spots with relative ease, and Sheppard made all the right passes and reads through the week while operating as the linchpin of Houston’s offense.
Sheppard wasn’t totally flawless in Summer League, especially when it came to on-ball defense. He will be attacked in that area until he proves he shouldn’t be, but the off-ball defense popped with his quick hands, and Sheppard was the talk of Vegas for the first weekend. Houston has to be thrilled with its investment after only a few weeks of observation.
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Unfortunately for interested parties everywhere, Castle’s Summer League journey in Las Vegas was limited to one game, though he did play twice in the California Classic. Castle was quite impressive in his Vegas outing, scoring 21 points and impacting the game on both ends. Offensive efficiency may be an issue for Castle early in his career, and he was just 20-of-54 from the field in three total Summer League games.
Castle’s perimeter shooting was his biggest concern, and he certainly did not eliminate that worry in a week of Summmer League action. At the same time, he wasn’t afraid to let it fly, which helps, and his all-court game jumped off the screen from home and popped in person. Castle is already a tenacious defender, and he is in a phenomenal context in San Antonio with a Wemby, Chris Paul, and time to develop.
Ron Holland, Detroit Pistons
Holland was the biggest surprise in the top five on draft night, and he took a while to get going in Vegas. The athletic forward shot only 12-of-35 from the field in the first two games, furthering questions about his ability to maintain efficiency at the NBA level and questions about his overall perimeter game. Those concerns did not evaporate in the last two games he played over a four-game week, but Holland definitely improved.
Holland scored 43 points in only 53 minutes across his final two games, letting 11 threes fly and shooting 17-of-36 from the field. It should be at least noted that the competition declines as Summer League continues, so perhaps a curve is needed. With that said, Holland was at times a force in transition, and his athletic tools did come to the surface. He isn’t an ideal fit with the current Detroit context that still needs more shooting, but Holland’s talent is undeniable. We’ll see if the shooting gets to a place where it can augment the rest of the package.
It makes sense that there would be injuries while making the John Wick movies. People are always getting thrown through glass windows, or falling down stairs, or in the case of one real-life accident, a stunt performer had their head cut “open.” But Keanu Reeves found making a comedy more painful than an action movie, probably becahe he shattered his kneecap like a “potato chip.”
During Monday’s episode of The Late Show, Reeves discussed a scene from Good Fortune, the upcoming comedy written and directed by Aziz Ansari that also stars Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, and Sandra Oh. “I was filming a scene with Aziz Ansari and Seth Rogen and we were in a cold plunge,” he told host Stephen Colbert. “I was loving it, I was standing there, and we finish the scene, and you know when you’re cold and you’re [shuffling]? I had a bathing suit and a towel, and you put it over your head and you do the cold shuffle?”
I want to take a moment and suggest there be a dance called The Keanu Shuffle. It involves looking awkward but cool, and occasionally saying “woah.”
Anyway, please continue Keanu.
“I’m doing the cold shuffle in this room that had protective carpets down and then… there was like a little pocket, and my foot got caught in the pocket in the shuffle, and then I went [down], but [my knee] didn’t follow. And then, in slow motion, I went falling. My arms came out, but then my knee failed because it’s got some stuff, and I spiked it. And my patella — kneecap — cracked like a potato chip.”
“Comedy’s hard, man,” Reeves quipped.
The actor was spotted with crutches on the Good Fortune set, but Ansari praised him at CinemaCon 2024 for being “such a trooper.” Reeves was quickly back to work following the injury, and the only thing he couldn’t film was “some scenes where he needed him to do salsa dancing, which we need to pick up. He was like, ‘I’ll do it!’ We’re like, ‘Keanu, calm down. We’ll do the salsa dancing once your knee’s healed.’” If I can’t get The Keanu Shuffle off the ground, I’ll settle for footage of Reeves salsa dancing.
You can watch The Late Show interview above.
Good Fortune does not currently have a release date.
Facebook is no longer just your mom’s favorite place to share embarassing photos.
The social media platform has grown in popularity for young users and creators who enjoy forming connections with like-minded individuals through groups and events.
Many of these users even take things offline, meeting up in person for activities like book clubs, brunch squads, and Facebook IRL events, like the recent one held in New York City, and sharing how they use Facebook for more than just social networking.
“Got to connect with so many people IRL at an incredible Facebook pop up event this past weekend!” creator @Sistersnacking said of the event. So many cool activities like airbrushing, poster making + vision boarding, a Marketplace photo studio, and more.”
Tay Nakamoto, a designer known for her whimsical, colorful creations, attended the event and brought her stunning designs to the public. On Facebook, she typically shares renter-friendly hacks, backyard DIY projects, and more with her audience of 556K. For the IRL event, she created many of the designs on display, including a photobooth area, using only finds from Facebook Marketplace.
“Decorating out of 100% Facebook Marketplace finds was a new challenge but I had so much fun and got it doneeee. This was all for the Facebook IRL event in NYC and I got to meet such amazing people!!” Nakamoto shared on her page.
Also at the event was Katie Burke, the creator of Facebook Group “Not Wasting My Twenties.” Like many other recent grads at the start of the pandemic, she found herself unemployed and feeling lost. So she started the group as a way to connect with her peers, provide support for one anopther, and document the small, everyday joys of life.
The group hosts career panels, created a sister group for book club, and has meetups in cities around the US.
Another young creator making the most of Facebook is Josh Rincon, whose mission is to teach financial literacy to help break generational poverty. He grew his audience from 0 to over 1 million followers in six months, proving a growing desire for educational content from a younger generation on the platform.
He’s passionate about making finance accessible and engaging for everyone, and uses social media to teach concepts that are entertaining yet educational.
No matter your interests, age, or location, Facebook can be a great place to find your people, share your ideas, and even make new friends IRL.
After coming to fame via High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and finding some early success with his music career, Joshua Bassett is ready: His debut album, The Golden Years, is out soon. Before the project drops, here’s everything you need to know about it.
Release Date
The Golden Years is out 7/26 via Warner Records. Find more information here.
Tracklist
1. “Biting My Tongue”
2. “The Golden Years”
3. “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes”
4. “Don’t Let Me Down” Feat. Jenna Raine
5. “Cherry Blossom”
6. “Circles”
7. “Wildfire”
8. “Little Rita”
9. “Would Ya Tell Me”
10. “Mirror”
11. “Look How Far You’ve Come”
07/30 — Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre
08/01 — Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
08/02 — Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
08/03 — Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater
08/05 — New Orleans, LA @ Fillmore New Orleans
08/06 — Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place
08/08 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
08/09 — Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Co.
08/10 — Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
08/12 — Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
08/13 — Charlotte, NC @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
08/14 — Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six Pavilion
08/16 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Presented by Highmark
08/17 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
08/20 — New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
08/21 — Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
08/23 — Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
08/24 — Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
08/25 — Minneapolis, MN @ Armory
08/27 — Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
08/28 — Sandy, UT @ Sandy Amphitheater
08/30 — San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
09/01 — San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU
09/03 — Los Angeles, CA @ YouTube Theater
09/16 — Dublin, IE @ 3Olympia Theatre
09/17 — Belfast, UK @ Ulster Hall
09/19 — Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy
09/20 — Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy
09/22 — Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
09/23 — London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
09/25 — Brussels, BE @ La Madeleine
09/27 — Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
09/29 — Paris, FR @ Salle Pleyel
10/01 — Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz
10/03 — Milan, IT @ Fabrique
10/05 — Munich, DE @ Muffathalle
10/06 — Cologne, DE @ Carlswerk Victoria
10/07 — Berlin, DE @ Huxleys Neue Welt
10/09 — Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
Every time a new sports video game comes out, the first few weeks bring a ton of viral videos of insane things happening, often due to bugs or glitches that need to get patched out. However, with EA Sports College Football 25, some of the insanity is cooked into the game on purpose, because college football is at its best when things are going crazy and the developers wanted to bring that to the game (as frustrating as it can be).
That’s why passing is so hard and tackling is also much more difficult than usual as a combination of new hit stick tuning and players being rated lower in that skill — just 49 players of the thousands in the game being rated 90 or above in tackling. As a result, it’s hard to figure out what viral clips coming out are going to end up as things that get patched up and what are simply the crazy things that can happen in the game. With that in mind, a clip went viral early this week of an online matchup between Penn State and Arizona in which the Penn State kicker morphed into Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson on a fake field goal pass on an extra point, as he ran backwards all the way inside his own red zone, breaking dozens of tackles, before turning upfield and running it in for the two-point conversion.
I have no idea why you would turn and run back this far, but it’s extremely funny watching the kicker (who might actually be a backup QB, as 17 is the number of Ethan Grunkemeyer on the current roster) shake off tackle after tackle before somehow getting back upfield with a wall of blockers and cruising in for the two-point score.
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