Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 251

Steve Kerr shocked by Mike Brown’s firing from Sacramento Kings

LOS ANGELES — The NBA’s coaching carousel took its first turn of the 2024-25 season on Friday, and it hit close to home for Steve Kerr and the Warriors.

The Sacramento Kings fired Mike Brown, who served as an assistant coach for the Warriors from 2016 to 2022. Like several coaches around the league, Kerr was stunned to hear the news.

“When you think about where that franchise was before Mike got there and where they’ve been the last couple years, the job he and his staff have done — it’s just really shocking,” Kerr said before Golden State’s game against the Clippers. “I know they’ve been in a tough spell, but this is the NBA. We all go through tough spells.”

Brown won the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year award by unanimous vote after he helped Sacramento break its 17-year postseason drought. Less than two years later, he’s out of a job.

The Kings fired Brown six months into a three-year, $25.5 million contract extension. Sacramento is 13-18 on the season and has lost 12 of its last 17 games — a slide that sank to its nadir with a brutal last-second loss to the Pistons on Thursday night.

In Brown’s last game coaching the Kings, his team botched its situational defense in the waning moments of an epic collapse. Up three points, Brown instructed his team to foul before a Detroit player could shoot a 3, and hug shooters around the arc knowing that a two-pointer couldn’t harm them. Instead, star point guard De’Aaron Fox played help defense and had to close out in the corner, fouling Jaden Ivey for the game-winning four-point play.

Brown learned of his firing after he led Sacramento’s practice and as he was heading to the airport for the Kings’ Saturday game against the Lakers. Instead, Doug Christie will serve as interim head coach for that game and going forward. He’s the Kings’ seventh coach since Vivek Ranadive bought the team in 2013.

Nuggets coach Mike Malone, one of those seven former coaches, blasted the firing.

“No class, no balls,” Malone said.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle opened his pregame press conference with a statement, calling Brown one of the “standard bearers for integrity for our profession.”

Brown coached under Kerr with the Warriors for six seasons, a span that included three NBA championships. He got credited with much of the Warriors’ defensive evolution, including holding players accountable with nightly report cards.

Kerr and Brown are close friends and talked on the phone after the Kings made their decision. Brown coached Kerr in San Antonio as an assistant and they’ve known each other for decades.

“It’s not easy, this job,” Kerr said. “This business is pretty rough. I feel terribly for Mike today.”

Recent Coach of the Year winners Brown (2023), Monty Williams (2022), Nick Nurse (2020), Mike Budenholzer (2019), and Dwane Casey (2018) each got fired — often soon after winning the award. That’s five of the eight Coaches of the Year since Kerr won the honor in 2016.

Kerr is the third longest tenured active coach, behind only Erik Spoelstra and Gregg Popovich.

“We all kind of know this is the nature of this business,” Kerr said. “I just know that I feel very fortunate to work in an organization that really values continuity and that allows our team and our staff and our group to get through the rough patches. Because every team in the league is going to face these rough stretches like we’re going through right now. I know I’m probably the exception rather than the rule when it comes to organizational support and continuity. That doesn’t mean it’s going to last forever, but it means I’m very lucky to coach here and work for this organization.”

Injury report

– Both Steph Curry and Draymond Green are out against the Clippers. Curry is managing lingering knee issues and may not play in both ends of back-to-backs as long as the ailment persists. Green, meanwhile, is listed as out with a low back contusion.

– The Warriors play the Suns at 5 p.m. at the Chase Center on Saturday; Curry and Green are likely to return then for the quick turnaround.

– Gary Payton II (calf strain) will be re-evaluated in a week, per the team.

– Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has yet to make his season debut. The Athletic reported that the Clippers are targeting Jan. 4 for his return from a nagging knee injury.

Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office

By HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press

President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue.

The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk.

“President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case and was written by D. John Sauer, Trump’s choice for solicitor general.

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The argument submitted to the court is the latest example of Trump inserting himself in national issues before he takes office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiating with other countries over his plans to impose tariffs, and he intervened earlier this month in a plan to fund the federal government, calling for a bipartisan plan to be rejected and sending Republicans back to the negotiating table.

He has been holding meetings with foreign leaders and business officials at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida while he assembles his administration, including a meeting last week with TikTok CEO Shou Chew.

Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined the TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral.

He said earlier this year that he still believed there were national security risks with TikTok, but that he opposed banning it.

The filings Friday come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The law was was signed by President Joe Biden in April after it passed Congress with broad bipartisan support. TikTok and ByteDance filed a legal challenge afterwards.

Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute, leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.

The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.”

In their brief to the Supreme Court on Friday, attorneys for TikTok and its parent company ByteDance argued the federal appeals court erred in its ruling and based its decision on “alleged ‘risks’ that China could exercise control” over TikTok’s U.S. platform by pressuring its foreign affiliates.

The Biden administration has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok’s U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread or suppress information.

But the government “concedes that it has no evidence China has ever attempted to do so,” TikTok’s legal filing said, adding that the U.S. fears are predicated on future risks.

In its filing Friday, the Biden administration said because TikTok “is integrated with ByteDance and relies on its propriety engine developed and maintained in China,” its corporate structure carries with it risk.

Joby conducts first FAA testing under TIA in simulator in Marina

MARINA – Joby Aviation recently announced it has entered the final phase of certification for its electric air taxi after conducting its first Federal Aviation Administration testing under Type Inspection Authorization. The company expects to start TIA flight testing in 2025 with its first FAA-conforming aircraft currently being built in Marina.

Joby is developing electric air taxis, designed to carry a pilot and four passengers, for commercial passenger service. The air taxis can reach speeds up to 200 mph, offering high-speed mobility with a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters and zero operating emissions.

The testing involved pilots from the Federal Aviation Administration evaluating human factors elements of flight safety using an FAA-conforming flight deck in a Joby simulator in Marina.

TIA testing is considered the final phase of the type certification process, which paves the way for an aircraft to begin commercial passenger operations, according to Joby. This phase involves FAA test pilots conducting testing to validate an aircraft’s performance and safety in accordance with previously-approved certification test plans.

“This milestone demonstrates Joby’s continued industry leadership and is a reflection of the maturity of our test program and the rigorous company testing we’ve already completed,” said Joby Aviation Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt in a press release.

“As well as continuing the for-credit testing of components, aerostructures and systems that is already underway, we are targeting the start of TIA flight testing in 2025 with our first FAA-conforming aircraft, which is currently being built at our facility in Marina, California.”

Joby Aviation has been doing business in Marina for about the past seven years, where it launched production of its aircraft at its Pilot Production Plant with the first aircraft rolling off the line in June 2023.

The Type Inspection Authorization tests were conducted according to a set of criteria outlined in an FAA-approved human factors certification test plan and measured pilot workload under various expected flight conditions, physical ergonomics of the flight deck, as well as other human factors aspects of aircraft safety. Four FAA test pilots completed three days of TIA testing during the engagement.

Earlier this month, Joby Aviation successfully completed static load testing of the tail structure, marking the first time the company has tested a major aerostructure of its aircraft for-credit with FAA representatives present, said the company. The tests took place in Santa Cruz as part of a rigorous testing campaign covering all of the structures, components and systems on the aircraft, producing data that is required for FAA type certification of the aircraft.

During the static load tests, Joby engineers applied loads to the aircraft’s tail structure that far exceed the maximum forces the structure is expected to experience during flight. The FAA-conforming tail structure used in the test, along with the test procedure, instrumentation and applied loads, are outlined in Joby’s certification documents, which have been approved by the FAA as part of the certification process.

Joby Aviation has offices and workshops and is headquartered in Santa Cruz, as well as facilities in San Carlos, Washington, D.C. and Munich, Germany. In September 2023, Joby chose Dayton, Ohio, as the site for its new manufacturing plant.

Joby is also developing a world-class manufacturing facility in Marina, in addition to its integrated test lab and flight-testing capabilities, and where the first of its aircraft rolled off its Pilot Production Plant line in 2023.

In April of this year, Joby broke ground on its new 220,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Marina, expecting to begin operations in 2025. The second production prototype aircraft to roll off the company’s pilot production line was the backdrop for the ground-breaking ceremony.

The company has said the expansion will more than double the total footprint Joby Aviation has at the Marina Airport and will enable the company to deliver 25 aircraft a year.

49ers give birthday-boy Purdy a patchwork offensive line for home finale

SANTA CLARA – Practicing behind a patchwork line is not how Brock Purdy dreamed of spending his 25th birthday Friday, never mind that he just gifted 49ers linemen a caravan of trucks and sports-utility vehicles on two-year leases.

The 49ers are poised to field their most inexperienced offensive line in at least coach Kyle Shanahan’s eight seasons.

Monday night’s chore for whoever blocks: protect Purdy and clear lanes for ball carriers Isaac Guerendo and Deebo Samuel against the NFC-leading Detroit Lions at Levi’s Stadium.

Injuries have so thoroughly depleted the Niners (6-9) that 3-of-5 spots could feature linemen making their 49ers’ starting debuts. The only healthy starters are center Jake Brendel and right guard Dominick Puni, who offensive line coach Chris Foerster plans on keeping that duo in their regular roles while “plugging in three guys around them.”

“More anything, it’s communicating them about the cadence and timing of plays, just helping them in that regard, and talking to them at lunch,” Purdy said. “It’s new, it’s different, it’s a tough situation, but this is the NFL so we have to adapt and be ready to go.”

When Foerster entered his press conference after Friday’s practice, he quipped to reporters: “If there’s five of you, we can have a tryout right now. … It’s a challenge for me but a great opportunity for guys entering the lienup to show what they can do.”

Left tackle Trent Williams and his backup, Jaylon More, both went this week on injured reserve, which is where left guard Aaron Banks (knee) is expected to land before Monday night’s 5:15 p.m. kickoff. Right tackle Colton McKivitz did not practice Thursday, after being limited by a knee issue, and versatile backup Spencer Burford remains sidelined with a calf injury from subbing at left tackle in Sunday’s loss at Miami. Offensive linemen Ben Bartch and Jon Feliciano also are on injured reserve.

Nick Zakelj is expected to make the first start of his career, most likely at left guard. “I know it’s just an amazing opportunity to have,” Zakelj said. “I can’t wait to go grasp it and go out there, fly off the ball and let it loose.”

Charlie Heck, poached Wednesday off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad, made 21 career starts for the Houston Texans from 2020-23, and Thursday acquisition Matt Hennessy made 22 starts as the Atlanta Falcons’ 2020-22 center. No other linemen have starting experience, including Zakelj, Austen Pleasants, Sebastian Gutierrez, Isaac Alarcon and undrafted rookie center Drake Nugent.

“When it comes to the pass game, I can do my part getting the ball out, being on time and help them establish their feet within the game,”  Purdy said.

“When you lose offensive linemen, it limits you to certain things you can and can’t do. But our game plan is fun,” tight end George Kittle said. “There are a lot of things we haven’t done for a while that we’ll be able to pull out.”

Noting he felt before the season the 49ers had nine starting-caliber linemen, Foerster said: “That was good depth to have. That depth now has been blown out of the water.”

PURDY’S ‘MNF’ MESSAGE

Purdy channeled his childhood in a motivational message to teammates on his birthday. Specifically, he brought up the aura of playing on “Monday Night Football,” which he’ll do for just the fourth time in his career and second this season (see: Week 1 win over the Jets). Purdy said his message was: “Man, our season’s been tough, just the way it’s gone. But we have two games left. We have a Monday night game in front of everybody to go out and live a childhood dream.’

” ‘We’re all in our 20s and 30s playing football for our jobs, so let’s go out there. We have such a great opportunity in front of us to enjoy this game, compete, and let’s enjoy it together. The little kid in me is always pumped for these kind of games. I’ll never take it for granted. More than anything, that’s when Levi’s gets rolling and rocking. I want to do my part in helping it get to that point.”

LYNCH’S STATE OF FRANCHISE

General manager John Lynch, speaking for the first time since Sunday’s official elimination from the playoffs, is in the investigation process of examining the 49ers’ 2024 woes and potential cures.

“I can’t believe we’re here, but we are. We have to accept that. We have to learn from that,” Lynch said on KNBR 680-AM. “We can’t just chalk it up to, ‘There were a lot of injuries.’ The team we’re playing, Detroit, they had a lot of injuries but they found a way. We have to look at the root, and we have been looking at the root causes. We’ll fix it.”

One obvious issue is the 49ers’ inability to close out games, something that’s carried over from past playoff defeats to this season’s four NFC West defeats. Lynch noted that the absences of All-Pros Williams and Christian McCaffrey factors into that. “But we can’t chalk it up to just that. We have to go deeper,” Lynch said. “There are ways we could have gotten it done. When you have division opponents (down) multiple scores, you have to put people away, and that’s what we didn’t do this year. We have to own that. We have to get to the bottom of why exactly that happened, with every decision we make.”

HEALTH CENTER

Fullback Kyle Juszczyk did not practice because of illness. Juszczyk has played every game this season after taking a pay cut in the spring. He is aiming for his ninth straight Pro Bowl invitation.

Also not practicing were Banks, McKivitz, defensive end Robert Beal (ankle) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who coach Kyle Shanahan has ruled out for the rest of the season.

Running back Isaac Guerendo participated in a second straight practice and looks on track to make his third career start. Also limited were safety Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle) and defensive end Leonard Floyd (shoulder).

Running back David Montgomery (knee) was the only player on the Lions’ active roster not to practice. Cornerback Terrion Arnold (illness) was limited after missing Thursday’s session. Full participants were guard Graham Glasgow (knee), wide receiver Kalif Raymond (foot) and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck).

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GAMEDAY GUIDE

Levi’s Stadium parking lots are to open at 1:45 p.m. Stadium gates open 30 minutes later for club- and suite-ticket holders, with entry for all others starting at 3:15 p.m. Halftime entertainment will feature MIMS and Freedom Williams (from the C+C Music Factory). Tony Lindsay will perform the national anthem.

 

Conservationists torch trees to save coastal prairies

Next to Empire Grade Road near UC Santa Cruz, firefighters touch their torches to the dried grass, causing flames to fan out across the field. The burn engulfs shrubs and saplings that grow amongst the grass, while the fast-moving fire leaves taller trees unscathed.

This prescribed burn was one of many lit near the California coast this fall. It aims to keep the grassland free of trees and shrubs, maintaining the coastal prairie, one of California’s most overlooked ecosystems.

Rolling hills of grass and wildflowers once blanketed swaths of the state’s western edge.  Periodic fires set by Native Americans maintained these open fields, since grasses spring back faster from fire than trees and shrubs.

But when European colonization extinguished these blazes, the balance shifted, and dense forests began overtaking the grasslands. Today, only about 10% of native coastal prairies remain.

Firefighter watches a prescribed burn spread across Marshall Field. (Mark DeGraff — Herald Correspondent)

This change has had serious consequences, since healthy prairies provide little fuel for wildfires, have high biodiversity, and are full of tender plants that cattle and deer love. But with tribal and fuel reduction burns on the rise throughout the region, land managers are increasingly using these fires to rejuvenate grasslands.

“Fire can create a clean slate that temporarily reduces competition and creates light,” says Georgia Vasey, a graduate student at the UC Santa Cruz Center for Coastal Climate Resilience. Her research centers on reviving coastal prairies, which can be complicated. Restoring a grassland is not as simple as removing the trees.

“What often comes back is invasive grasses,” says Lathrop Leonard, a forester for California State Parks who does a lot of prescribed burns on coastal prairies. “And while it’s still a success that we got it back, the grasses, it’s not as good as it could be.”

With coastal prairies in a centuries-long decline, many of their constituent plants are endangered. Nonnative plants from Europe and Asia often take over. This is a problem, Vasey says. “In California coastal prairies there are maybe 300 native plant species. But now when you look at nonnative grassland you might see just 10 species.”

A native prairie is “a mosaic of bunch grasses that are interspersed with all these little flowers,” Vasey says. Alternatively, Leonard says that many nonnative grasses are sod-forming. They spread via underground stems that choke out everything else.

Vasey is working to restore these native prairies, starting with the wildflowers. She plants their seeds in pockets of prairie right after a burn and is waiting to see if they multiply over time.

“When you think of super blooms in the spring,” she says. “You’re thinking of these vast spreads of wildflowers. That’s what I’m trying to restore.”

Vasey holds community workshops with researchers, ranchers and land managers to better understand how fire impacts local grasslands. They are creating a coastal prairie fire guide that shows what to expect after a burn.

A study plot at UCSC Marshall Field with berms and swales to restore wildflowers to different microenvironments.(Mark DeGraff — Herald Correspondent)

But after centuries of efforts to protect California’s forests, “we’ve had a fair amount of backlash at some of our coastal prairie restoration projects because people are concerned that we’re murdering trees,” says Sarah Vroom, executive director of the Mattole Restoration Council. She believes that there has been so much emphasis on protecting forests while prairies have been overlooked.

“I once heard someone say: ‘there’s a Save the Redwoods League, where’s the Save the Grasslands League?’” Vroom adds that there is a California Native Grasslands Association, which gets less attention.

“I want Californians to look at the hills and say ‘those should be open, beautiful grasslands or oak savannas,’” she says. They should “understand the reality of how much forest has encroached into grasslands.”

Family travel 5: Read the book, then visit the setting

By Lynn O’Rourke Hayes, FamilyTravel.com (TNS)

Here are five ideas from the literary world that may help shape your next adventure.

The Anne Frank House and Museum, AmsterdamTourists line up inside the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam on July 5, 2024, to see the tiny annex where Anne and her family stayed for nearly two years during the Nazi occupation. (Colleen Thomas/Tribune News Service/TNS)

Anne Frank’s story of her Jewish family’s ordeal during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands became an international bestseller and an iconic example of the bravery exhibited by many during a horrific time. The book was later translated into more than 70 languages and adapted for stage and screen. Anne’s father, Otto Frank, the only surviving member of his family, hoped that readers of the diary would become aware of the dangers of discrimination, racism and hatred of Jews. Today, visitors to Amsterdam can visit the Secret Annex where Anne hid for two years, writing about the experience in her diary, before being discovered and sent to a concentration camp. The Anne Frank House museum shares the powerful story through quotes, photos, videos and original items. Tickets for a specific time and date are required. Plan in advance.

For more: www.annefrank.org

Laura Ingalls Wilder Home & Museum, Mansfield, Missouri

The mission of this Midwestern museum, located in the Ozarks region, is to inspire curiosity and foster learning about the American pioneer experience through the life and literature of the famous author. Guests visiting the Rocky Ridge Farm will discover the chapters of Laura’s life that honed her writing skills and inspired her Little House book series. The museum exhibits include artifacts that illustrate the pioneer life described by Wilder. Expect to see Pa’s fiddle, handwritten manuscripts from the Little House books, keepsakes of the Ingalls and Wilder families, needlework crafted by Laura and other items familiar to her readers. Make time to explore the peaceful walking paths where the Wilder family wandered.

For more: www.lauraingallswilderhome.com

Anne of Green Gables on Prince Edward Island

Published in 1908, the novel Anne of Green Gables has played a major role in drawing tourists to Canada’s smallest province, located off the eastern coast of Canada in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Fans of the best-selling book are eager to relish the wide-open spaces, scenic trails, vistas and beautiful beaches the author made famous.

Eager visitors will want to explore the sites portrayed in the book and to learn more about its author, Lucy Maud Montgomery. (It’s estimated that more than 50 million copies have been sold worldwide.) Visit the old farmhouse, where much of the famous novel was set, and take part in activities at the Green Gables Heritage Place that include ice-cream making demonstrations, safe races, hiking on nature trails, carriage rides and tours offered by rangers dressed as characters from the book.

For more: www.tourismpei.com

Harry Potter World, London

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For more: westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/; www.visitscotland.com

Your own backyard

It can be fun to research the literary history of your own community. Are there famous writers who grew up or are currently living nearby? Research readings that may be happening in your local bookstores or libraries. Take advantage of free programs for kids including story hours and the opportunity to curl up in comfy chairs with a great book. If you have an independent bookstore near your home, consider supporting this literary gem of a resource.

©2024 FamilyTravel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

‘Babygirl’ review: Secrets, lies and one road to a fulfilling sex life, starring Nicole Kidman

The composer David Raksin once described his film music as melodically tricky enough that ideally, he joked, the listener should skip the first hearing and try the second.

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A second viewing revealed more, like most second encounters. Its examination, with weirdly comic swerves, of one woman’s risky road to sensual fulfillment lands on some good, old-fashioned values, capping a relationship between a formidable robotics firm CEO, played by Kidman, and her seductive, strategic intern, played by Harris Dickinson. In the broad terms of the BDSM realm, the boss is the submissive to the intern’s dominator. Now, this may be familiar territory for you, or it may not be. “Babygirl” doesn’t care. It’s nonjudgmental in ways some audiences won’t like. But as a table-turning riff on sexual thrillers with a male gaze, and as a portrait of one woman’s sensual fulfillment, it’s pretty compelling.

She and he meet outside the company’s Manhattan office. There’s a small crowd staring in awe at the intern, Samuel, as he calmly brings a snarling dog to heel with a few simple commands and a “good girl” on his lips. Romy, the executive, takes note of what’s happening. They exchange not glances, really, but stares bordering on glares bordering on lust. (The narrative moves right along in these early scenes.)

We’ve already gotten a defining element of Romy’s emotional and psychosexual makeup in the opening, set hours earlier, with Romy and her theater-director husband, played by Antonio Banderas, in the throes in bed. It’s a lie: She has faked orgasms across the whole of their marriage. She has desires she has never talked about with her husband. Seconds after this scene, Romy makes a hasty retreat with her laptop to another room, where she masturbates to some submissive-centric porn. Reijn establishes the stakes and Romy’s secrets with darting speed and efficiency.

The Banderas character is deep into rehearsals for a modern staging of Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler,” a play about a thwarted sensual creature much like the woman he’s married to but doesn’t really know. Samuel requests Romy to be his mentor as part of his internship program; she doesn’t know what she’s been roped into until he’s there, in her office doorway. His come-ons lack all pretense and while she’s taken aback, and spouts the usual boilerplate HR commentary about what’s appropriate behavior and what isn’t, she doesn’t have her heart in it. Soon, it’s shared cigarettes on patios and makeout bouts followed by scenes where Romy visits the bar where Samuel bartends. He orders her a glass of milk as a dare; she downs it. The roleplay demands escalate. Soon she’s on all fours in a hotel room with him, obeying commands like the dog in the overture. Kidman has taken leaps before and has done plenty of nude scenes in recent years. But in “Babygirl,” the queasiness of the scenario is played both straight and for eccentric black comedy, which wouldn’t work at all if Reijn’s psychological territory — the shame and desire and insecurity — didn’t guide the way.

Romy and Samuel are damaged souls, yearning for a connection both darkly thrilling and, from a corporate policy point of view, untenable. Reijn’s screenplay doesn’t over-detail the source of either character’s damage, though we hear of Romy’s childhood, her upbringing in the confines of a cult. Samuel’s admiration and fear of his distant, strict, presumably violent father has left his own wiring a little haywire.

Nicole Kidman (right) and Antonio Banderas play a long-married couple in “Babygirl.” (Niko Tavernise/A24)

This is Reijn’s third feature, following “Instinct” (2019) and her first film in English, “Bodies Bodies Bodies” (2022). “Babygirl” is not an erotic thriller per se, although the movie takes plenty of inspiration from Hollywood’s sexual transgression hits of the ‘80s and ‘90s (“Fatal Attraction,” “Basic Instinct,” “Indecent Proposal”). Reijn has said in interviews that she rewatched “9½ Weeks” a lot as a teenager, a lot a lot. Her adult self has plenty of issues with that movie. The subject of a woman’s sensual curiosity and a controlling male looking for female submission is not one of them.

Dickinson’s Samuel is an intriguing, insolent magnet from the start. He’s also opaque and essentially unknowable in many ways. “Babygirl” has a peculiar rhythm and in the third and final section, after the affair has sent Romy into a full-on panic, things feel more hypnotized than hypnotic. Yet Kidman’s emotional abandon keeps costars Dickinson and Banderas on their toes. You’ll find the ending pat, but it’s a sincere affirmation of some good old-fashioned relationship virtues, honest communication most of all.

Also, the “Hedda Gabler” angle with “Babygirl” is hardly accidental. Ibsen’s notorious sexual vagabond suffocates in her marriage to the dullest academic on the planet, and she cannot square her desires with her lust for appearances. The character made no sense to most critics back in the late 1800s. Novelist Henry James reviewed the play, adored it, yet professed his confusion that he couldn’t locate “the type-quality in Hedda.” In other words, the character was a tangle of impulses, qualities, drives.

At its best, the flawed, worthwhile “Babygirl” offers a similarly dimensional example of a woman, searching for a truer self, and fewer false fronts to maintain. Kidman rises to the occasion, and while one-note mediocrities like “The Substance” offer gallons of fake blood where the provocations should be, Reijn’s film — seen the second time, at least – only needs its nerve and its interest in what Kidman can do, which is more than I even realized.

“Babygirl” — 3 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: R (for strong sexual content, nudity and language)

Running time: 1:54

How to watch: Premiered in theaters Dec. 25

Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

Horoscopes Dec. 27, 2024: Timothee Chalamet, calling the shots and managing your life is up to you

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Timothee Chalamet, 29; Hayley Williams, 36; Wilson Cruz, 51; Savannah Guthrie, 53.

Happy Birthday: Stop wasting time. Life is yours to discover. Follow your heart, do whatever you feel passionate about and make each day memorable. Calling the shots and managing your life is up to you. Take the initiative, and you will find a way to use what you enjoy doing to sustain your preferred lifestyle. Let go of negativity and replace it with a positive attitude and an open heart in pursuit of happiness. Your numbers are 6, 14, 22, 26, 31, 36, 45.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take time to learn, gather information and discover trends to help you get ahead. Your downfall will be cutting corners when time and precision are essential. Slow down and watch what matters; you will surpass your goals and impact those around you. Personal growth is favored. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Set sail for your destination of choice and enjoy the ride. You have plenty to gain and learn from the experiences you encounter. Sitting still instead of making progress will create tension and personal problems with someone you need in your corner. Replace anger with accomplishment. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t second-guess yourself when you should question what others want you to do. Take pleasure in expressing yourself, your desires and your plans; you’ll gain respect and the help you need from those heading in a similar direction. Own the spotlight and be a leader, and doors will open. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Refrain from putting limitations on yourself. Let your experience and desire lead the way, and you will be happy with the outcome. Choose to use your imagination, which will separate you from any competition. Put your energy where it counts, and it will make the most difference. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You’ve got the stamina to do something great. Engage in events that build you up and command the confidence to explicitly target what you want and carry you to the winner’s circle. Trust and believe in your ability; nothing will stop you from getting what you want. Romance is featured. 5 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Troubles will mount at home or work if you let your emotions come between you and making good decisions. Be wary of anyone trying to tempt you with excessive behavior or lure you into believing what isn’t factual. Reach your conclusions by summarizing facts and getting what you want in writing. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Look at trends and see how to apply them to something you want to pursue. An open mind and dialogue will stimulate your thinking and encourage you to trust your instincts as you follow your dreams. Refuse to let laziness take over when victory is what you need. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Coast along, enjoy the ride and live in the moment. Your encounters will be eye-opening and encourage you to incorporate new ideas, concepts and trends into your daily routine. Choose a positive attitude and healthy lifestyle, and everything will fall into place. Let go of the past and embrace change. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be an influencer, speak the truth and demonstrate what you can do. Build your brand and be ready to face off with those trying to beat you at your own game. You know the rules and how to navigate your way to the top. Do your thing and enjoy the ride. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Leave nothing undone. It’s up to you to make things happen. Justice and fair play are essential to feel good about finding your path to victory. Put your life in perspective, and you’ll recognize what you want and the best way to turn your dream into a reality. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Set a budget and work toward making your life easier and your space more accommodating. Feeling good about yourself and your surroundings will boost your confidence, morale and ability to sell yourself to potential followers. Set your target, and don’t stop until you reach your goal. 2 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Show a little passion, and you’ll have an impact on those you want to impress. Make your presentation failproof by sticking to the facts and fulfilling your promises. A change is long overdue. It’s time to lead the way instead of taking orders from someone you know you can outmaneuver. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are optimistic, calculating and perceptive. You are mysterious and wary.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

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Steph Curry to miss Warriors’ game against Clippers

Steph Curry is making his second trip the brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, but he won’t be suiting up.

Curry, 36, is inactive for Friday night’s game against the Clippers. With the tilt being the first of a back-to-back, the Warriors are holding him out to manage the bilateral knee tendinitis he has been dealing with this year.

Golden State (15-14) will also be without Gary Payton II, who exited the Christmas Day game with a left calf strain that will sideline him for at least the next week.

When the knee issues started to pop up in late November, part of the conversation between Curry and the training staff centered on whether to play back-to-backs. On Dec. 5, he sat out the Houston game one day before playing against Minnesota.

Now, the Warriors have spiraled to 10th in the Western Conference after losing 11 of their past 14 games — including a Christmas Day classic with the Lakers. Before that game, Curry addressed the team with a brief speech, acknowledging that the Warriors are at an inflection point. 

Despite the need for urgency, the Warriors have always, and will continue to, see the bigger picture with their superstar.

“That’s always been a part of the challenge,” Curry said on Christmas. “I want to play every game. Especially when you look at the standings and the games matter, but more so just trying to get over the hump, to have something to feel good about and you want to be a part of that…You still have to consider the miles I have and where I’m at in my career, you’ve got to be smart.”

Curry played 36 minutes against the Lakers — near his season-high. He scored 38 points, including the Warriors’ last eight down the stretch. Golden State likes to keep him around 32 minutes, but ramped him up as the game — and stage — dictated.

“We have to help him get through the regular season,” head coach Steve Kerr said on Christmas.

Friday will be Curry’s sixth missed game of the season. Even with a subpar December by his lofty standards, Curry is averaging 22.5 points, 6.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds while hitting 4.3 triples per game.

Curry ranks eighth in the league in box plus/minus and 13th in value over replacement player — two advanced stats that capture all-around impact.

The Warriors are 4-1 in games without Curry this season, including an impressive victory over the Rockets in which Jonathan Kuminga scored a season-high 33 points. Golden State is likely to put the ball in his hands more in Curry’s absence as well as feature new guard Dennis Schroder often.

The Clippers beat the Warriors in each of their first two meetings. Los Angeles sits in seventh place at 17-13 despite missing Kawhi Leonard — who won’t debut Friday — all year. Wing Terance Mann is also listed as out with a broken finger.

Appellate court overturns rape conviction of ex-49ers star Dana Stubblefield

SAN JOSE — An appellate court has overturned the 2020 rape conviction of ex-San Francisco 49ers star Dana Stubblefield, ruling that the prosecution violated the Racial Justice Act by stating at trial that his status as a famous Black man was why police never searched his house for a gun he was accused of using during the crime.

In an opinion published Thursday, the San Jose-based Sixth District Court of Appeal declared that Stubblefield’s conviction is “legally invalid” and also vacated his subsequent 15-year prison sentence.

Stubblefield, who played for the 49ers from 1993 to 2001 — and was NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1997 — has been in state prison since 2021 while his appeal was litigated. The now 54-year-old was convicted of raping, with the threat of a gun, a woman who had come to his Morgan Hill home to interview for a babysitting job in 2015.

“We’re over the moon,” Allen Sawyer, who served as Stubblefield’s trial attorney, along with Ken Rosenfeld, said in an interview Thursday. “We knew from the day we stepped out of this courtroom when the jury came back, that this was not over, that this would not stand.”

As a result of the higher court’s ruling, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office now has to decide whether to re-file charges and prosecute the case again. There is no clear timeline on when that might happen.

The DA’s office declined to offer specific comment on the ruling, saying in a statement, “We are studying the opinion.”

The Racial Justice Act of 2020, authored by state Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, went into effect in 2021 and makes it illegal to obtain a conviction “on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin.” The law allows legal challenges to charges, convictions and sentences influenced by systemic bias.

Thursday’s appellate ruling marked the first major case reversal in Santa Clara County citing the law. In nearby Contra Costa County, the act has been cited in at least three rulings that overturned serious charges, including murder convictions.

A three-judge panel led by Presiding Justice Mary Greenwood, who authored the ruling, found major problems with Deputy District Attorney Tim McInerney’s explanation to jurors for why Morgan Hill police did not search Stubblefield’s home for a gun he was accused of using to threaten the woman during the reported 2015 sexual assault.

Greenwood referenced how McInerney, in his closing arguments in July 2020, said a police search of Stubblefield’s home in the early stages of the investigation “would have opened up ‘a storm of controversy,’” which the justice took as an implicit reference to civil unrest across the country over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020.

That assertion, Greenwood wrote, “implied the house might have been searched and a gun found had Stubblefield not been Black, and that Stubblefield gained an undeserved advantage at trial because he was a Black man.”

“Whether a search would have uncovered a gun or confirmed the absence of one, the argument meant Stubblefield’s race might well have impacted the state of the evidence, shifting the weight of it either against him or in his favor,” Greenwood later wrote. “Using race in that fashion invited the listener to consider the fact that Stubblefield was a Black man in weighing the evidence.”

That characterization, the ruling stated, could have unfairly encouraged someone, including a juror, to “feel justified or even compelled by misguided notions of racial fairness to overlook or discount the absence of a gun” when determining Stubblefield’s guilt.

Greenwood added that the prosecution’s statement gave a clear nod to the outrage over Floyd’s killing, “appealing to racially biased perceptions of those events and associating Stubblefield with them based on his race.”

The reported victim, identified in court as Jane Doe, testified that after she and Stubblefield finished an initial interview and she left his house, he texted her, saying he would like to pay her for having come up from Hollister. Doe had said that when she returned, he gave her $80, then locked the front door and carried her into a first-floor bedroom and assaulted her.

Rosenfeld and Sawyer challenged Doe’s honesty during her testimony, disputed the prosecution’s timeline and argued that the reason she returned to the home was to collect money for a paid sexual encounter.

They noted after the conviction how jurors rejected two felony charges alleging that Stubblefield exploited a woman who was mentally incapable of providing consent to sex. During trial, they also sought to show that Doe’s proficiency with websites and social-media contradicted the prosecution’s claims of her intellectual disability.

Sawyer said the appellate ruling gives credence to the defense team’s frustrations with being prevented by Judge Arthur Bocanegra to introduce evidence that would have exonerated Stubblefield at trial, rather than three years into a sentence at Corcoran State Prison.

They also took issue with COVID-19 courtroom measures at trial that presented their client as masked and separated from his attorneys by glass, which Sawyer said gave the appearance of Stubblefield being “caged” in front of the jury.

“The context of this case was so unfair, layers upon layers,” Sawyer said Thursday. “But we’re happy, and we can’t wait to get Dana out of custody. We expect that to happen soon.”