Steve Pond's Blog, page 82
July 19, 2025
‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Fawned Over by Fans, Film Press: ‘Return to Form for the MCU’
Early reactions to “Fantastic Four: First Steps” were unbendingly ecstatic, a firestorm of praise for rock-solid performances and no visible VFX flaws. In a word, they were fantastic. Finally?
First-wave social media reviews are highly curated affairs, with secret screenings populated by studio-picked reviewers and journalists whose history of positivity earns them a seat. But Saturday’s onslaught of fawning contained heaps of heartfelt hyperbole – and none of the usual tells that are sometimes coded into the language of disappointed genre fans (no one wrote “It was fun” … exclamation point).
Instead, the July 25 release earned descriptors like “masterpiece,” “magical” and “one of the best things Marvel has ever made.” Quite a feat for director Matt Shakman’s attempt at a “Fantastic Four” film, the first three (2005, 2007, 2015) of which were … “fun!” Right?
Fourth time’s the charm, perhaps.
Take a look at some of the early reactions below – it’s a Thing:
#FantasticFour Is a masterpiece. the visual effects and the score are a HUGE stand out. Galactus Is huge In IMAX. It’s emotional and gives you hope. It beats you off and doesn’t stop. STAY Until the END CREDITS. pic.twitter.com/jEvx7g7Ojt
— deo (@frickyuu) July 19, 2025
#FantasticFour is an incredible movie. The first 60 minutes are fantastic but in general, the whole movie is honestly magical.
— yoshi (@yoshiyshzey) July 19, 2025
If you go into this movie with your expectations high- prepare for your mind to still be blown. It’s THAT good.
Also STAY around for the end creditspic.twitter.com/JJkWSOdofU
#FantasticFour Quite possibly the best Marvel Studios film ever released. Absolutely loaded with talent and standout performances from Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn. If you thought the MCU died with Endgame, think again. Thoughtfully crafted and easily a genre-defining classic pic.twitter.com/nU8k7c7boC
— george mckay (@harpersmedia) July 19, 2025
My #FantasticFour review:
— katie!! (@Takoberu2002) July 19, 2025
It's propulsive, grade-A entertainment, fluent in political theory and cinema history, sexy and provocative, tight as a drum and thrillingly tactile. Bring tissues, but not because you're going to cry. pic.twitter.com/Jgi2PJBKhO
#FantasticFour First Steps is visually one of the best things Marvel has ever made. Parts feel like Interstellar & demand IMAX.
— Brandon Davis (@BrandonDavisBD) July 19, 2025
Galactus is awesome. Silver Surfer looks really, really good. VFX were often immaculate.
Cosmically and on Earth, Matt Shakman dropped a visual feast. pic.twitter.com/bDSiSTNif7
#FantasticFour is a triumph. A pitch-perfect script backed by great performances — particularly from Pedro Pascal — turns what could be a simple superhero movie into a sharp commentary on our society that makes its nuance palatable for those that may not take it at face value. pic.twitter.com/yQ2EszFAcn
— 4⃣ (@upperupland) July 19, 2025
I have seen #FantasticFour !
— maddox
The main 4 were excellently cast and radiate chemistry, their interactions are just as exciting as any action scene
Galactus and silver surfer are incredibly realized and bring serious stakes, something missing from recent mcu movies
a treat!! pic.twitter.com/ALhbipSAt8(@selinasboot) July 19, 2025
#FantasticFour isn't just fantastic: it's a triumph. Shakman's all-time direction & masterful score create a genre-defining retro-futuristic film, leading to a better, brighter & optimistic MCU. The 4 leads are everything we needed. Joseph Quinn's casting is generational. pic.twitter.com/548WpmAJue
—Juan* – Box Office Expert (@filmsbyJuan) July 19, 2025
#FantasticFour is visually stunning, stylish, self-contained, and easy to jump into. I had such a good time with this one. The retrofuturism is such a snack. My stand out is Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm babe I will die for you, you are perfect. pic.twitter.com/RlRgk6U83U
— Ash Crossan (@AshCrossan) July 19, 2025
I came in tempered but #FantasticFour is truly a return to form for the MCU, the opening minutes blew my socks off in IMAX. Gardner’s & Quinn’s work stood out to me the most. Galactus gives this film real stakes and his presence is felt even off screen, incredible miniature work! pic.twitter.com/eStc6TK0mp
— Brian (@BrianLongFilms) July 19, 2025
The post ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Fawned Over by Fans, Film Press: ‘Return to Form for the MCU’ appeared first on TheWrap.
The 7 Best New Movies Streaming on Netflix Right Now
Netflix’s July slate includes more than a few high-profile film originals, including “The Old Guard 2” and Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore 2.”
In addition to its own, in-house movies, though, the streamer has also added an exciting batch of film acquisitions to its platform this month. Some of the noteworthy July additions to Netflix’s library include an unfairly oft-forgotten Tom Hanks thriller, an enduring 1980s classic, the most underrated “Mission: Impossible” movie and one of the most important films in Hollywood history.
Here are TheWrap’s picks for the seven best movies that have started streaming on Netflix in July.
“Captain Phillips” (Sony Pictures Releasing)“Captain Phillips” (2013)Based on a real-life 2009 hijacking, “Captain Phillips” is a nerve-wracking hostage thriller with a shockingly cathartic final act. Directed with intimate, unrelenting intensity by Paul Greengrass, the film follows Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks), an American merchant marine, as his ship is boarded and he is taken hostage by a crew of Somali pirates. Anchored by one of the best late-career performances that Hanks has ever given, “Captain Phillips” forces you to sit in the same, suffocating anxiety as its protagonist.
Actor Barkhad Abdi earned an Oscar nomination for his supporting performance in the film, and Hanks arguably should have received the same level of recognition. His performance in the thriller’s closing minutes is heart-shattering, and it is a perfect example of how well “Captain Phillips” manages to hold onto the humanity at the center of its story, even as it uses all the cinematic tools at its disposal to make you hold your breath.
“The Karate Kid” (Columbia Pictures)“The Karate Kid” (1984)There is a reason why “The Karate Kid” inspired not only multiple sequels but also two franchise reboots and a multi-season, acclaimed follow-up TV series. Like many other beloved 1980s blockbusters, it is the perfect mix of silly and heartfelt and has, consequently, emerged as one of the most iconic Hollywood underdog movies of the past 40 years.
That is, in no small part, thanks to the fact that it was directed by “Rocky” filmmaker John G. Avildsen, who expertly roots viewers with understated grace in the relatable, new-to-town plight of the young Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) as he starts karate training in order to stand up to his new bullies. His ensuing journey proves to be thrilling, challenging and more rousing than it arguably should be. Such is the enduring magic of “The Karate Kid.”
“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” (Paramount Pictures)“Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation” (2015)“Mission: Impossible” is one of Hollywood’s biggest and most popular franchises, and yet its fifth installment, 2015’s “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation,” feels strangely underrated. Written and directed by franchise veteran Christopher McQuarrie, “Rogue Nation” follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) as he is forced to go on a covert fight against an international group of rogue government agents after the Impossible Missions Force is disbanded. Most notable as the film that introduced fan-favorite character Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), “Rogue Nation” is a film brimming with a decidedly classical kind of Hollywood romanticism.
That is reflected not only in its decision to travel to Casablanca and give Ferguson’s disgraced MI6 spy the same name as Ingrid Bergman’s “Casablanca” heroine, but also in its best set piece: a complex, bravura assassination attempt at a Vienna opera house. Combine all of that with the film’s thrilling midpoint motorcycle chase and its opening, death-defying cargo plane stunt and it is clear that “Rogue Nation” is one of the best “Mission: Impossible” movies to date. Now that it is on Netflix, you have the chance to come to that conclusion yourself.
“The Notebook” (New Line Cinema)“The Notebook” (2004)“The Notebook” felt timeless when it was released in 2004 and still does today. Based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks, the film follows Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) as they fall in love in the 1940s and are torn apart by their different social standings and World War II only to have their feelings for each other resurface again when they reunite years later. Directed with complete, unvarnished romanticism and sentimentality by director Nick Cassavetes, “The Notebook” benefits greatly from the talents of its actors, including Gosling, McAdams, James Garner and Gena Rowlands.
The film made instant stars of both Gosling and McAdams, and it is not hard to see why. Their chemistry and charisma elevate “The Notebook” at every turn and validate all of its biggest, most melodramatic swings. It’s the best Nicholas Sparks adaptation that Hollywood has produced, and while it inspired more than a few lifeless imitators, none ever came close to matching the radiant star power or magic of “The Notebook.”
“A Star is Born” (Warner Bros. Pictures)“A Star Is Born” (2018)A directorial debut that immediately turned Bradley Cooper into one of Hollywood’s most promising actor-directors, “A Star is Born” is a remake that works on just about every level. Adapting the same story that was told in the three previous “Star is Born” iterations, the film follows an alcoholic country musician (Cooper) suffering from Tinnitus who discovers and falls in love with a struggling female musician (Lady Gaga). Their relationship elevates Gaga’s Ally into a rising star, challenging and transforming both of their lives.
Directed with astonishing control by Cooper and featuring a legitimately great soundtrack of original songs, “A Star is Born” is the rare remake that manages to follow the same beats as its predecessors and not only create the same kind of cinematic, dramatic power but also still feel distinct. It was a smash hit when it debuted in theaters in 2018, and seven years later, it still feels like an unlikely, impressive achievement.
“Jaws” (Universal Pictures)“Jaws” (1975)One of the most iconic and beloved American films of all time, “Jaws,” celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. It is, therefore, fitting that the blockbuster has arrived on Netflix this month. Based on the novel by Peter Benchley, the film follows a police chief (Roy Scheider) who teams up with a well-educated marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a lifelong sailor (Robert Shaw) to hunt down the man-eating great white shark that has begun to terrorize his island’s residents.
Featuring an unforgettable score by John Williams and directed with confident, economic style and artistry by Steven Spielberg, “Jaws” invented the modern Hollywood summer blockbuster. Its immediate and lasting impact on the entertainment industry cannot be overstated, and yet no matter how many times it is referenced, ripped off or quoted, “Jaws” never loses its magic. It is one of the most rewatchable thrillers ever made. No matter how many times you see it, the film never loses its ability to play you like a fiddle.
“Mad Max: Fury Road” (Warner Bros. Pictures)“Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)Speaking of thrillers that hold up against multiple viewings, director George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” is an electrifying, shotgun blast of pure action and fiery mayhem. Simultaneously a legacy sequel and a complete franchise reinvention, the film follows its eponymous hero (Tom Hardy, taking over for Mel Gibson) as he joins forces with the commander (Charlize Theron) of a fuel-guzzling truck who has fled with a diabolical warlord’s (Hugh Keays-Byrne) young wives across a desolate, post-apocalyptic desert landscape in search of freedom and a better life.
The resulting film is a breathless, 2-hour-long chase thriller consisting of some of the most ingeniously staged vehicular action sequences ever put to film. In 2017, “Ocean’s Eleven” filmmaker Steven Soderbergh pointedly said of the “Mad Max” sequel, “I don’t understand how they’re not still shooting that film and I don’t understand how hundreds of people aren’t dead.” That just about sums up the awesome, incomprehensible power of “Mad Max: Fury Road” and the technical artistry on display in every one of its frames.
The post The 7 Best New Movies Streaming on Netflix Right Now appeared first on TheWrap.
Billie Eilish Teams With James Cameron for 3D Concert Film
Billie Eilish and James Cameron are teaming for some kind of 3D concert film, the singer announced Saturday from the stage during a performance in Manchester, United Kingdom.
“So you may have noticed that there are more cameras than usual in here,” the Grammy-winning singer told the sold-out crowd. “I can’t say much about it, but what I can say is that I’m working on something very, very special with somebody named James Cameron, and it’s going to be in 3D.
Eilish did not give details about the nature of the finished project, but said the “Avatar” director was in attendance at the show. Eilish said her four-show run, with performances between Saturday and Wednesday, would be part of the project.
“So, take that as you will and these four shows here in Manchester, you and me are part of a thing that I am making with him. He’s in this audience somewhere, just saying. So don’t mind that, and also I’ll probably be wearing this exact outfit for like four days in a row.”
Eilish is in the middle of a global tour for her latest album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft.”
A representative for Eilish told TheWrap that more details would be released in the coming months. As if Cameron won’t have enough to do during that time – the director is set to release “Avatar: Fire and Ash” just in time for Christmas 2025.
Eilish already has one (two-dimensional) concert film in the can: “Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles” from 2021. That same year, she released the documentary “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry.”
The post Billie Eilish Teams With James Cameron for 3D Concert Film appeared first on TheWrap.
Tulsi Gabbard Levels ‘Treasonous Conspiracy’ Accusations at Obama Administration Over Russia Probe | Video
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accused Barack Obama of taking part in a “treasonous conspiracy” Saturday on Fox & Friends, accusing the former president and other officials of “manufacturing intelligence” to suggest Russia attempted to influence the results of the 2016 election.
Special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s landmark 2019 report found no evidence the Trump campaign colluded with Russia at the time, but did determine that it made efforts to interfere in the election.
Tulsi Gabbard is now threatening to press charges on former President Obama for what she calls a "coup" and "treasonous conspiracy"
— Ron Smith (@Ronxyz00) July 19, 2025
This is what Trump's America has become. Pathetic! pic.twitter.com/UOGpJSJd9l
“All of a sudden, in the early days of December, there was a president’s daily brief that was drafted,” Gabbard said. “This is put together by the different elements of the intelligence community that reflected that same assessment: Russia did not try to hack the election in essence.”
“That … that document was pulled hours before it was supposed to be published for the president to see that following morning,” she continued. “That document was never published until we released it yesterday. One day later, President Obama calls a meeting of his National Security Council, his top officials, to be held on what they called a sensitive topic.”
“And the results of that meeting, which we released yesterday in these over 100 documents that talk about in detail how President Obama and his team, he directed a manufactured piece of intelligence that detailed not if, but how Russia tried to influence the outcome of the United States election that President Trump won in November of 2016. This document was then used as the foundation for everything that came next.”
The administration, she continued, then waged “essentially a years-long coup” against Donald Trump.
When asked if Obama could be, or would be, charged in connection with this so-called conspiracy, Gabbard dodged offering a real answer. “I’m not a lawyer. We’re referring all of this to the Department of Justice. I know that Attorney General Pam Bondi is committed to bringing about justice to those who have broken the law,” she said.
Gabbard has also named former director of national intelligence James Clapper as well as then-secretary of state John Kerry and then-national security advisor Susan Rice as having participated in the scheme she presented to “Fox & Friends.”
The accusations against Obama come as the Trump administration is facing mounting calls to come clean about the current president’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein — calls that are coming from within the MAGA house, who have demanded the administration release files.
Trump has alternately claimed such files are non-existent, or that they were created by the Obama administration. The president’s decision to nominate Gabbard to director of national intelligence was one of his most controversial, largely due to her lack of intelligence experience, as well as her demonstrated record of having offered comments in support of Vladmir Putin.
Watch the interview with Gabbard in the video above.
The post Tulsi Gabbard Levels ‘Treasonous Conspiracy’ Accusations at Obama Administration Over Russia Probe | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Cheating Scandal Rocks Astronomer CEO Andy Byron at Coldplay Concert: Timeline, Fallout and Viral Memes
The internet erupted this week after a couple went viral following their reaction to being caught on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert — and it turns out the so-called couple were each married to other people and employed by the same tech company, Astronomer. The moment has since spawned media coverage, countless reactions and recreations from ESPN, sports teams, celebrities and more.
What is the Astronomer cheating scandal?First things first: CEO Andy Byron and head of HR Kristin Cabot were at a Coldplay concert when they were caught embracing on the so-called kiss cam. The initial video likely would not have gained too much attention except Cabot and Byron each had huge reactions to being spotted — Cabot threw her hands up over her face and turned away while Byron quickly ducked out the frame.
“Oh what?” Coldplay’s singer Chris Martin said from the stage as he noticed the odd reactions. “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”
It turns out the answer was the former.
The video was shared on TikTok and soon hundreds, if not thousands, of online sleuths were searching for answers. By Friday both Cabot and Byron had been placed on leave by Astronomer.
What Astronomer said about the cheating scandalAstronomer announced Saturday that Byron has resigned while Cabot was still on leave from the company.
“As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” the company said in a statement shared by CBS News.
The company named co-founder and chief product officer Pete DeJoy as interim CEO. Both Byron and Cabot deleted their LinkedIn profiles following the incident.
What people are saying about the Astronomer cheating scandalThe scandal naturally inspired plenty of reactions. On Friday ESPN “SportsCenter” anchors Gary Striewski and Randy Scott offered their own version of the video during the show’s opening:
"It's time to Kiss It Goodbye. Baseball's probably not the only thing you could say that about recently." pic.twitter.com/NuhHesFeb5
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 18, 2025
Plenty of sports teams also took full advantage of the virality of the scandal at their subsequent games:
Phillies debut the “Coldplay Kiss Cam”.
— Jason Martinez (@JasonFox29) July 19, 2025
Wait for it… pic.twitter.com/nOxfszINRE
The Coldplay Kiss Cam at Busch Stadium by @TheSavBananas
— Scott Perdue (@scottperdue) July 19, 2025#ColdplayKissCam #SavannahBananas #BuschStadium #Cardinals @Cardinals pic.twitter.com/X48Z3tyjoY
And there have been memes galore making fun of what went down, but in the style of shows like “The Sopranos” and “Succession.”
Astronomer CEO when he got home from the Coldplay concert pic.twitter.com/xri2Zz3tCu
— Jay (@jaybronious) July 17, 2025
Me looking to see what roles are available at Astronomer bc their work culture seems mad chill pic.twitter.com/eiaQfMSN8Q
— Alvin Borum (@DiversityHire) July 17, 2025
Me at Astronomer pretending to work so I can hear the tea pic.twitter.com/Rb0k7xieNK
— nat(@laugh_track_nat) July 17, 2025
Guy whose wife went to a Coldplay concert with her boss last night logging in today pic.twitter.com/kTYenc2lwQ
— Parody CEO (@parody_ceo) July 17, 2025
The Cameraman at that Coldplay concert pic.twitter.com/MHtqBxbwC6
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) July 18, 2025
The post Cheating Scandal Rocks Astronomer CEO Andy Byron at Coldplay Concert: Timeline, Fallout and Viral Memes appeared first on TheWrap.
Katy Perry Left Clinging to Flying Prop After Mid-Song Malfunction | Video
Katy Perry is the latest touring pop star to be hit with a major prop malfunction while mid-song — and mid-air. Multiple fan videos from Perry’s performance in San Francisco showed the singer nearly falling from a flying butterfly as it traversed the Chase Center.
Perry was singing her 2013 hit “Roar” Friday night when the prop appeared to tilt and drop, which prompted her to grab on to the cables and look up. Perry then waved to the crowd to indicate she was OK.
Katy Perry’s tour prop malfunctions midair. pic.twitter.com/Fu8bPYhfWy
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 19, 2025
The singer later poked fun at the moment and shared a zoomed in photo of her expression as it happened in her Instagram Story. “Good Night San Fran,” she captioned the post.
The malfunction comes weeks after Beyoncé experienced a similar moment of terror when the flying car she was traveling in during a Houston show began to tilt mid-air. Beyoncé paused the show and asked production to “stop” repeatedly, before carrying on with the performance once the issue was resolved.
The crowd cheered as the production crew attempted to rectify the situation. “Thank you for your patience,” Beyoncé said. The car was eventually lowered to the floor level.
Both the car and Beyoncé were harnessed to cables, and the singer was also seen gripping on to one as the crew navigated the situation.
The post Katy Perry Left Clinging to Flying Prop After Mid-Song Malfunction | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
7 Best Romance Movies on Prime Video Right Now
It’s not quite cuffing season yet, but is there ever really a bad time for a romance movie?
Well, sure, if you’re going through a break-up it might be hard. But if you’re here, we suspect that isn’t the case, because you want to know which love stories you can watch on Prime Video right now. Well, there are a lot. So, we’ve narrowed down some selections for you.
You can take them, you can leave them, we support you either way. We just want you to have a good movie night. So, without further ado, here are 7 of the best romance movies on Prime Video right now.
MGMLars and the Real Girl (2007)If you’ve never seen “Lars and the Real Girl” before, a quick heads up: it’s a bit odder than you might expect. Still, it’s very good. In it, Ryan Gosling falls for a mannequin, convincing himself she’s real. But, instead of becoming an outcast, his entire community rallies to support him, and help him eventually work through the delusion.
It’s one of those that reminds you how kind people can be, and there is a cute love story (between real people, don’t worry) as a bonus. You’re going to want to watch this one sooner than later though, because it leaves Prime Video at the end of July.
LionsgateLittle Italy (2018)OK, admittedly, we’re playing a little fast and loose with the word “best” here, and you can be mad at that if you want. “Little Italy” is certainly not one of the all-time great love stories committed to screen and it falls into some rough stereotypes. It even became the subject of an episode of “How Did This Get Made?” — a podcast that specifically picks apart bad movies.
However, it is enjoyably corny, features an enemies-to-lovers storyline inside a family feud story, and stars Hayden Christensen post-Star Wars. Sometimes, you just need an easy watch that you both enjoy and hate at the same time. It might make you want to watch “Mystic Pizza,” a far superior romance movie that just so happens to also be on Prime right now.
Warner Bros.A Walk to Remember (2002)“A Walk to Remember” is a romance movie you revisit if you maybe want to cry; it is a Nicholas Sparks story after all. Starring Mandy Moore and Shane West, the story sees bad boy Landon fall in love with the reverend’s daughter Jamie, and become determined to turn his life around.
When their love story is rocked by the reveal that Jamie is dying, Landon does everything he can to give her the full life she dreams of. To quote one of Moore’s delightfully 2000s songs in the film, “It’s gonna be love, it’s gonna great, it’s gonna be more than [you] can take.” Just lean in.
BKBKMPK01_00085_13A_14AR Heath Ledger stars as Ennis Del Mar and Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack Twist in director Ang Lee’s BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, a Focus Features release.Credit: Kimberly French / © 2025 FOCUS FEATURES LLCBrokeback Mountain (2006)“Brokeback Mountain” turns 20 this year, so what better time than now to revisit one of Heath Ledger’s and Jake Gyllenhaal’s best films? This love story marks a touchstone not just in queer cinema, but in cinema at large. It’s an emotional wringer, but always worth it.
“When I think about the power of narratives, books and films, ‘Brokeback’ has that power,” screenwriter Diana Ossana told TheWrap. “It has the power to move people, to make them rethink their preconceived notions about things. If I were to tell you the single word that I think exemplifies the story — and it’s something that we have very little of right now — it’s compassion.”
But be warned, “Brokeback Mountain” also leaves Prime Video at the end of the month.
Nnamdi Asomugha and Tessa Thompson in “Sylvie’s Love” (CREDIT: Amazon Studios)Sylvie’s Love (2020)“Sylvie’s Love” is a period piece, taking viewers back to a pure love story of the 1960s, but not a typical love story of the era. Starring Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha, the story centers on a couple who quickly fall in love, but both have dreams they want to chase. It’s very sweet, and one you might’ve missed, given it was a pandemic release.
“I was really trying to kind of create an instant classic, as much as that’s possible to do,” director Eugene Ashe told TheWrap back in 2021. “I’m hoping that it’ll still resonate with people 20 years from now. That was ultimately the goal. I feel like I snuck one in, you know?”
Universal PicturesImagine Me & You (2006)Long before Matthew Goode was starring in “Dept. Q,” he was starring in “Imagine Me & You,” fighting for his life to not lose his wife, played by Piper Perabo, to Lena Headey (and spoiler alert, failing). Like “Brokeback Mountain,” it was more novel during its time, as there weren’t many stories in 2006 about two women falling in love.
Sure it still follows a standard romcom formula, even leaning in on the idea of love at first sight. But it’s sweet and has a stacked cast, and sometimes that’s all you need for a nice evening watch.
“The Big Sick” (Amazon Studios)The Big Sick (2017)There’s a reason “The Big Sick” was one of the most acclaimed films of the year it came out and earned an Oscar nom. Starring Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan, the story is loosely based on the real-life love story between Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, who wrote the script with him. It faced some criticisms (which Nanjiani later apologized for), but in all, it’s a winner.
The post 7 Best Romance Movies on Prime Video Right Now appeared first on TheWrap.
Shannon Sharpe Settles Rape Lawsuit for $50 Million
Shannon Shape has settled a rape lawsuit filed against him by an ex-girlfriend, the woman’s attorney Tony Buzbee confirmed to TheWrap. The woman, identified as Jane Doe, accused Sharpe of “pain and suffering, psychological and emotional distress, mental anguish, embarrassment and humiliation.” The former football star settled for $50 million.
“On April 20, 2025, The Buzbee Law Firm filed a complaint in Nevada making several allegations against Shannon Sharpe on behalf of our client. Both sides acknowledge a long-term consensual and tumultuous relationship,” Buzzbee said in a statement.
“After protracted and respectful negotiations, I’m pleased to announce that we have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution. All matters have now been addressed satisfactorily, and the matter is closed. The lawsuit will thus be dismissed with prejudice.”
Sharpe immediately denied the allegations when the lawsuit was filed in April.
“My statement is found here and this is the truth. The relationship in question was 100% consensual,” the “Club Shay Shay” host wrote in an X post at the time. “At this juncture, I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties. I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL pre-season.”
The woman, who has been described as being in her early 20s (Sharpe is 57), filed the suit in Nevada’s Clark County. She accused Sharpe of raping her in October 2024 and January 2025.
Sharpe’s team insisted the pair were in a “consensual, adult relationship that included role-playing, sexual language and fantasy scenarios explicitly requested.”
The relationship between Sharpe and the woman took a southward turn after he inadvertently shared a video of himself having sex on Instagram Live in December. Court documents state the woman demanded an apology from Sharpe, who replied, “I’ve already apologized. Stop playing childish [games].”
The post Shannon Sharpe Settles Rape Lawsuit for $50 Million appeared first on TheWrap.
July 18, 2025
Nick Offerman Explains Why He Wouldn’t ‘Pick an Argument’ With Trump-Supporter Co-Star Dennis Quaid: ‘Something I Try to Handle With Nuance’
Nick Offerman is a publicly vocal critic of Donald Trump, but he’s not going out of his way to get into fights with Trump’s supporters, and that very much includes coworkers — such as his recent co-star, Dennis Quaid.
The actors appear together in the thriller “Sovereign,” which tells the story of the 2010 West Memphis police shootings. Offerman plays Jerry Kane, the member of the fringe right wing “Sovereign Citizen” movement who along with his 16-year-old son attacked and then killed two police officers and wounded two others before being killed themselves in a later shootout. Quaid plays a local police chief overseeing the manhunt to catch them.
In a Reddit AMA on Friday, Offerman was asked by one user how he interacts with Trump-supporting colleagues like Quaid in particular. Admitting the issue is “tricky,” Offerman explained at length how much he respects Quaid as an actor and as an influence, and how he prefers to approach political interactions with “nuance,” and lean in on a “message of empathy and true patriotism into the work that I do.”
Quaid, Offerman began, is “a fantastic actor whom I’ve looked up to my whole life,” and is “better in this film than almost anything I’ve seen him in.” The two didn’t share many scenes together, Offerman continued, which meant there wouldn’t have been much opportunity to get into politics, something the actor joked would have sounded like, “Good morning, Dennis. How about those Epstein files? Anyway, want to run our lines?”
“Dealing with Trump supporters in the world is something I try to handle with nuance, because I know many others around the states who are very good people and citizens and would give you the shirt of their back,” Offerman explained. “They are on the receiving end of an absolute firehose of misinformation, so it’s really cognitively dissonant (impossible) to engage in rational discourse.”
The “Parks and Rec” star continued that Trump supporters as a result “readily voted for and support an adjudicated rapist and felon (and crook and creep and fraudster and liar and on and on) and are able to dismiss these national embarrassments and humiliations because their news channels tell them that the decisions of actual juries of their peers are a hoax or somehow false.”
As a result, the actor continued, attempting to argue over that stuff “feels somewhat futile… and so instead of engaging with the wild amount of hatred that comes my way in the form of homophobia and toxic masculinity and so forth, I try to simply pump that message of empathy and true patriotism into the work I do.”
Offerman also emphasized that in his view, Trump supporters and their opponents face a much bigger shared problem, namely that “we are all being fed the information that the billionaires and the corporations want us to be fed, they are profiting rapaciously from us all shaking our fists at each other and hollering about what latest science Joe Rogan’s expertise has blessed us with, when it requires all of us to make this country great.”
“I think we’re all wrong about a lot of things,” he added, “but the reason I lean left is because at the end of the Republican plan is austerity and literal fascism, sad military muscle parades and mounted troops in the [sic] LA, the coolest city in the world, and all the rest of the current bed-sh—tings, and at the end of the Democrat plan is health care and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for everybody.”
Governing so many people is rife with flaws and always will be,” Offerman went on, “but if ‘my side’ encouraged me to hate anybody, I’d go looking for another side. No matter who we voted for, it requires all of us (including an overwhelming number of immigrants) to make the great bounty this country produces, and is then so disproportionately pocketed by the ultra-wealthy, so I am not going to pick an argument with Dennis Quaid over our political leanings because I’m going to shake his hand and try to make a great film.”
The post Nick Offerman Explains Why He Wouldn’t ‘Pick an Argument’ With Trump-Supporter Co-Star Dennis Quaid: ‘Something I Try to Handle With Nuance’ appeared first on TheWrap.
Wall Street Journal Asserts ‘Full Confidence’ in Trump-Epstein Report, Vows to ‘Vigorously’ Fight Libel Lawsuit
The Wall Street Journal signaled it won’t flinch in reaction to Donald Trump’s libel lawsuit over the paper’s bombshell reporting on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, vowing in a statement Friday to “vigorously defend” itself in court.
“We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit,” the Rupert Murdoch-owned Journal said in a statement.
On Thursday WSJ reported on previously unrevealed details about Trump’s long-documented friendship with Epstein, publishing the content of a note the president wrote for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003. Consisting of “several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appears to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker,” Trump’s message included an imaginary conversation between Trump and Epstein, which according to WSJ was as follows
One section of the note, according to the WSJ, included the following lines:
Donald: We have certain things in common, Jeffrey.
Jeffrey: Yes, we do, come to think of it.
Donald: Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?
The message ended with, “may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump filed his $10 billion lawsuit on Friday.
Trump and Epstein were friends for at least 15 years, at one point telling New York magazine in 2002, “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”
The Wall Street Journal’s statement comes in stark contrast to other major media outlets of late. Disney paid Trump $15 million in late 2024 to settle a lawsuit over ABC’s George Stephanopoulos saying the president was “liable for rape” in the lawsuit filed bu E. Jean Carroll. Technically, Trump was found liable for sexual abuse, which carries a different definition in New York, where the E. Jean Carroll trial took place. Nevertheless, experts by and large assert Trump’s lawsuit would have failed.
And just 2 weeks ago, Paramount announced a $16 million settlement with Trump to settle his lawsuit against the company, based on the baseless claim that a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris had been “deceptively edited.”
The post Wall Street Journal Asserts ‘Full Confidence’ in Trump-Epstein Report, Vows to ‘Vigorously’ Fight Libel Lawsuit appeared first on TheWrap.
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