Viraldice

There’s nothing quite like an underdog sports movie. From Rudy to The Mighty Ducks to The Karate Kid, pop culture is littered with films about unlikely athletes rising in the ranks to take home the championship. Unfortunately for us, most of those films don’t involve women athletes. In fact, women’s sports films are so few and far between that you could probably list them on a single hand: Bend It Like Beckham, Whip It, A League of Their Own, and a handful of others. I would also add Netflix’s dearly departed GLOW to the list of women’s sports content.

Thankfully, we can now add another classic to that list. Golden Arm, directed by Maureen Bharoocha (in her feature debut) follows small town Kansas baker Melanie (Mary Holland, channeling young Kristen Wiig energy) who is reeling from a divorce and struggling to keep her business afloat.

Melanie is recruited by her best friend, truck driver Danny (Disjointed‘s Betsy Sodaro), to enter the Ladies Arm Wrestling Championship, taking Danny’s place after she breaks her wrist in match. Melanie is apprehensive at first, but changes her tune when she realizes how much prize money is at stake. Melanie has the “golden arm”, aka the talent, but she needs the training and confidence to back up her skills. Enter legendary coach Big Sexy (played by 15-time world arm wrestling champion and Glee actor Dot-Marie Jones), who trains Melanie and helps her rediscover her fighting spirit.

From there, Golden Arm hits all the familiar beats of the genre: training montages, self-doubt, brutal losses, and a shot at the championship. It’s a time-worn formula that is given new life thanks to the brilliant comedic chemistry between Holland and Sodaro. The duo are friends in real life, having performed improv the Upright Citizens Brigade theater in Los Angeles for years.

The film is filled with hilarious riffs and moments between the two, which ground the film in an authentic and warm female friendship. Golden Arm is really a platonic love story between Melanie and Danny, who stick together despite all the obstacles in their path. Melanie also gets a sweet nerdy love interest in the form of Eugene Cordero (Star Trek: Lower Decks). Several more comedy mainstays make cameo appearances, including Ron Funches (Harley Quinn), Kate Flannery (The Office), and Aparna Nancherla (Corporate).

There’s a lot to love in this witty, vulgar comedy. Sodaro, a comedy mainstay often relegated to supporting roles, finally gets a showcase worthy of her prodigious talents. Her combustible energy delivers huge laughs as well as more emotional moments. And much like Whip It, the film is a paean to a niche sport most folks aren’t familiar with. With the costumes and the stage names, ladies arm wrestling shares some DNA with roller derby.

While Golden Arm doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it offers strong performances, great jokes, and unadulterated joy in a story of friendship and empowerment. I mean, what more could you want from a movie?

Golden Arm is currently playing in select theaters and SVOD.

(image: Utopia Distribution)

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The post REVIEW: You Can’t Help But Root for the Arm Wrestling Women of Golden Arm first appeared on The Mary Sue.

Comedy icon Elon Musk is preparing for his stint hosting Saturday Night Live this week. And while Musk is presumably working on his hosting debut with the cast and crew at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, he is also beta testing his jokes on Twitter. We’ve already detailed why Musk is a questionable host, as well as the blowback from SNL castmembers.

But if the many angry man hate emails in my inbox are any indication, we’re being too hard on poor Elon. Maybe these Muskrats have a point, and I should approach his hosting gig with optimism and good intentions. Sounds wacky, but I’m willing to give it a shot. Let’s take a gander at some of Musk’s sketch ideas:

Irony Man – defeats villains using the power of irony

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 1, 2021

Baby Shark & Shark Tank merge to form Baby Shark Tank

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 1, 2021

Woke James Bond
SNL May 8

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 1, 2021

The Dogefather
SNL May 8

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 28, 2021

Okay okay, these are … ideas. Definitely ideas. Perhaps they work better as dank memes than actual sketches. Luckily, plenty of folks hopped on the thread to pitch their own sketches to Musk:

How about a skit where a selfish billionaire has a tantrum and makes a showy to-do about moving his factory to another state, but that new state is so dysfunctional it has a third-world power grid and runs out of electricity to run his factories and cars? That would be hilarious.

— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) May 2, 2021

👍

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 2, 2021

Listen to the writers who have been paid to do that for 46 years

— Chase Mitchell (@ChaseMit) May 2, 2021

Listen to the writers who have been paid to do that for 46 years

— Chase Mitchell (@ChaseMit) May 2, 2021

Instead of going to Mars Elon Musk devotes his time and resources to making life on earth 10x more efficient and sustainable. Focusing on housing for the homeless and water resources. That would be a great skit.

— The Truth Experiment (@LATX91) May 1, 2021

Cast member Chris Redd offered his own piece of advice to Musk:

First I’d call Em sketches 😂 https://t.co/37liDrKYjo

— Chris Redd (@Reddsaidit) May 2, 2021

There are some things we can probably expect to see on the show: a rap with Pete Davidson about Dogecoin and cryptocurrency. Davidson previously did an Eminem-inspired rap on NFTs, so it’s not much of a stretch. We can also assume Musk will be playing himself at some point, and there will likely be a sketch that takes place in space/on Mars.

Here’s the thing: I am not a fan of Elon Musk, but this could be a major opportunity for the tech entrepreneur to poke fun at himself and his image. If Musk showed even a little bit of self-awareness, he could win a whole new fanbase outside of deeply online Dogecoin obsessives. But does he even need to expand his fanbase? The man has more money than God, and will likely continue his C+ Tony Stark journey into history.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens on Saturday night.

(image: Britta Pedersen-Pool/Getty Images)

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The post Oh Cool, Elon Musk Has Some ‘Skit Ideas’ for Saturday Night Live first appeared on The Mary Sue.

The summer may be over, but it’s time to get the Good Vibe Tribe back together for the Summer House Season 5 reunion! And it’s extra exciting because after five seasons, it’s the first proper reunion the gang has ever gotten from Bravo. During Season 2, they were all crammed onto chairs in the WWHL Clubhouse. (Remember how newbie Amit Neuman said all of five words during the whole day? Good times. Honestly the best thing that came out of that reunion was Kyle Cooke‘s legendary 17-page email.) And Season 4’s sit-down, in the early days of the pandemic, was virtual. Personally, I’ll never forgive the Bravo gods for not gifting us a reunion following Season 3. Mostly because we never got the pleasure of seeing Jordan Verroi in the hot seat.

So yes, after five seasons, the housemates have finally graduated to a well-deserved reunion set. And I could not be more here for it. The cascading flowers. The Hamptons-chic vibe. It’s all perfect. But before we dive into the drama, can we talk about this seating chart for a second? Because I’m confused. If the cast can sit together in twos and threes, doesn’t that…violate…the social distancing guidelines set forth by Bravo? At every other reunion in a post-COVID world, cast members have been required to stay six feet apart. In separate seats. With no touching. But I guess that rule doesn’t apply to the Summer House crew? 

It also makes absolutely no sense why Hannah Berner would be second to the end when the majority of the season’s drama revolved around her. At the very least, she should have switched places with Ciara Miller. But something tells me Hannah may have required some coddling, being protected on both sides by her only allies on the show. (Insert eye roll here.) And honestly, the seating arrangement must have been admittedly tricky for production, with Kyle, Hannah and Luke Gulbranson all needing to be separate but as close to the center of the action as possible. So maybe Hannah’s just the one who drew the short straw…

Luke & Hannah’s Revisionist History

After a few softball questions to get everyone warmed up (shout-out to Carl Radke for being named the hottest male Bravolebrity of 2021!), Andy Cohen gets down to business. The first topic of conversation? Hannah and Luke‘s non-relationship from hell. The entire subject makes Kyle want to jump off a cliff, and at this point, I have to say I agree. Hannah claims Luke refused to put a label on whatever they were before heading into the house. Luke, meanwhile, remembers exactly where he was the day he told Hannah they should just be friends. Their stories conflict. The timeline makes no sense. Especially when you factor in Hannah’s relationship with Des Bishop.

Paige DeSorbo concedes that yes, Hannah obviously liked Luke. A lot. We all know this. But everyone seems to be forgetting that Luke also had feelings for Hannah last season. Which is also true. He takes accountability for how his actions could possibly have led Hannah on. But at this point, it’s really a matter of whose side you believe. And considering Hannah’s story is chock full of revisionist history and too many contradictions to count, I’m officially siding with Luke.

It’s actually crazy how much of a 180 I’ve done on this over the course of the season. Early in the summer, I truly felt for Hannah and understood why she felt gaslit. But that was before everyone found about her relationship with Des. Which started before she went into the house. Yes, even if it was just sex on the second date, there was more going on than the one-sided narrative she presented to the cameras.

There’s Something About Ciara

Of course, the one factor no one is bringing up in this love triangle (quadrangle?) is Ciara. The resident newbie of the group arrived in the Hamptons after months of fighting on the front lines of the pandemic as a critical care nurse. And also as Luke‘s one-time hook-up/potential love interest. As we all know by now, this was news to Hannah. But the podcaster stands by her decision to welcome Ciara with open arms. Even if it was more than a little cringe-y and over-the-top. All I have to say is clearly Hannah’s strategy worked, considering Ciara is firmly entrenched on Hannah’s side of the chasm-sized cast divide.

Ciara‘s also come to the reunion ready to spill the tea on her past with Luke. Both agree that they were using the other to rebound back when they were an item. But Ciara reveals that after the last time they hooked up, she was voluntarily abstinent for nearly a year and a half. Even though it had nothing to do with him, that can’t do much to stroke Luke’s ego. She also drops the bombshell that after her second trip to Minnesota, Luke totally ghosted her and blocked her on every social media platform for eight months. Because he’d gotten back together with hiss ex. Oof, not a good look Lucas. It makes you wonder why Ciara even agreed to go to the Hamptons with him in the first place. Especially since these days, the two are passively cordial, but certainly not friendly.

The Timeline of Hurricane Hubbard

We finally move on from the love triangle that wasn’t to the other romantic nightmare of the season: Lindsay Hubbard‘s relationship with Stephen Traversie. After some time, Lindsay can finally admit she asked Stravy to move into the Summer House with her in an attempt to fix their problems. Because everything would be better in a $5 million mansion with all her friends and a camera crew, right? (Let’s face it, not even her bestie Danielle Olivera thought this was a wise course of action. But when Lindsay has a timeline to follow, there’s no stopping her.)

Lindsay swears Stravy was fully on board with the aforementioned timeline, but Stravy’s not there to speak for himself. Much like he didn’t get confessionals during the season so we could hear his side of the story. Do you think Bravo even invited him to the reunion? While she admits she feels “a little” bad for how she treated him on her birthday, Hubb House also thinks Stravy’s constant hiding behind his computer was juts another way for him to run away from the relationship. Danielle jumps in to defend her BFF, saying that Stravy pulled a bait and switch on her. But again, I wonder what Stravy himself thinks of that accusation. On a more positive note, at least Lindsay looks incredible in her neon yellow jumpsuit? Work on your abandonment issues before next season, girl.

The Battle of Kymanda vs. Hannah

When Kyle‘s relationship with Amanda Batula gets brought up, you know drama’s about to go down. When questioned by Andy, Hannah denies ever talking badly about the house’s power couple. Well, this summer, anyway. In fact, she insists she’s “always been there” for Amanda. Which is complete and utter delusion. Or more revisionist history from her. Then the tension ratchets up when Hannah’s fight with Kyle and Amanda over taking out the trash gets dragged into the discussion.

When Hannah plays the victim, Amanda fires back with a completely valid point. Hannah’s always the first one to cry foul when anyone in the house — though mainly Kyle — “yells” her. So why was it OK for her to scream at Amanda when she tried to talk things out? Caught in a glaring double standard, Hannah has no other move but to turn on the waterworks. Claiming she’s “triggered” by Kyle “yelling at” (read: confronting) her, she promptly bursts into the fakest crocodile tears we’ve possibly ever witnessed on Bravo. I mean, c’mon. Hannah just doesn’t like getting called out for her terrible behavior. Thankfully, virtually everyone is unmoved by the display, with several of the roommates calling B.S. on her bad acting.

Trying to get Hannah to take accountability bring up a really fascinating issue. Namely her penchant for throwing out trendy buzzwords like “toxic masculinity,” “triggered” and “misogynist” whenever she’s on the losing end of a confrontation in the house. When she has no genuine rebuttal to Kyle, he’s being a “toxic man.” When Amanda doesn’t agree with her, it’s suddenly a “toxic friendship.” As Andy asks, where’s the line between toxic masculinity and an individual disagreement between a man and a woman? As Lindsay points out, she’s gotten into plenty of fights with all the men in the house and has never pulled that card. Partially because I don’t think any of the Summer House guys demonstrate toxic masculinity. If anything, they’ve grown a lot over the years and are the kinds of straight guys I’d actually want to be friends with.

Gossip on the Podcasts

Thankfully, Danielle holds Hannah‘s feet to the fire, pointing out that often the problem, as well as the single most toxic person in the house. This leads even deeper down the Hannah rabbit hole to everything she’s said about her cast mates in the press lately. First it was that she’s only Kyle‘s friend because she gets paid to be. And that Kyle allegedly said that everything she has in her career is because of him. It’s all tit for tat, but Lindsay lays down the gauntlet by breaking the fourth wall. She points out that the entire premise of this show started as friends sharing a house in the Hamptons every summer. Friends. Real friends. That’s the key. So if you’re faking your friendships, maybe you don’t belong on this show?

There’s one more low blow to cover: apparently Hannah spread rumors on a podcast that Carl had a drug problem. Which is so defamatory and unacceptable. Even if it was just a “joke about Adderall.” Don’t come for my Carlito. And when she denies it, that’s when the powder keg finally blows. Poor Carl’s only using that as an example to try to show her how the things she says are hurtful. Further, no one thinks Hannah’s overblown apology to Kyle in the house (“like, you’re the man!”) was genuine. And Hannah admits she was only trying to pander to his ego in saying she was sorry. The conversation just goes in circles, with Hannah deflecting and showing no remorse. So much so that Kyle gets up and storms off the stage, in the first but not the last walk-off of the reunion, calling Hannah the “most self-absorbed person [he’s] ever met in [his] entire life.” Now who can’t wait for Part 2?

TELL US – IS THERE HOPE FOR HANNAH’S FRIENDSHIPS WITH THE GROUP? SHOULD STRAVY HAVE BEEN AT THE REUNION? ARE YOU TEAM KYLE OR TEAM HANNAH?

[Photo Credit: Bravo]

The post Summer House Reunion Part 1 Recap: So Triggered, So Shook appeared first on Reality Tea.

Recently, there’s been a deluge of announcements regarding DC’s Green Lantern, a legacy character that has struggled to make its mark on the big screen. While Green Lantern has appeared in several animated films, series, and video games, DC has struggled to carve out a live-action space for the iconic superhero. There was, of course, the disastrous 2011 film with Ryan Reynolds, but the less said about that the better. Now, nerd news is a abuzz with competing Green Lantern projects. So what in the brightest day and blackest night is going on here? Let’s get into it:

Zack Snyder’s Green Lantern:

GRATEFUL!
Stretching between takes.
#drivewaystudios #RestoreTheSnyderVerse pic.twitter.com/x26f5zjWHn

— Wayne T. Carr (@WayneTCarr) May 1, 2021

In the seemingly never ending saga of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the director revealed that he had intended to introduce Green Lanterns John Stewart (played by Wayne T. Carr) and Kilowog in the film. Ultimately, Warner Bros. put the kibosh on his plans, so the character was rewritten as the Martian Manhunter, played by Harry Lennix. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Snyder said, “We shot a version of this scene with Green Lantern, but the studio really fought me and said, ‘We really don’t want you to do Green Lantern,’” Snyder said. “So I made a deal with them, and they let me do this [instead].”

Snyder recently shared a photo of the greenscreen shoot, which took place in his driveway, on Vero. While fans have added #RestoretheGreenLanternScene to the #RestoretheSnyderverse campaign, it’s unlikely HBO Max will do anything with the brief scene.

While Snyder’s Lantern is unlikely to see the light of day, at least there’s this extremely cool costume concept of Kilowog from illustrator Jerad S. Marantz:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by jsmarantz (@jsmarantz)

HBO Max’s Green Lantern Series:

‘Green Lantern’ HBO Max Series Casts Finn Wittrock https://t.co/RqBwvI5nV0

— Variety (@Variety) April 30, 2021

Warner Bros. wouldn’t let Snyder use the Green Lantern in his Justice League cut, partly because they already had a new Green Lantern series in the works at HBO Max. This week, they announced that Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story, Ratched) has been cast as Wittrock will star as Lantern Guy Gardner, who is described as “a hulking mass of masculinity, and, as rendered in the comics, an embodiment of 1980s hyper-patriotism. And yet, Guy is somehow likable.”

Wittrock is the first actor to be cast in the expansive series, which begins on Earth in 1941 with the first Green Lantern, secretly gay FBI agent Alan Scott. The series, which spans decades and galaxies, finds Gardner in 1984 alongside half-alien Bree Jarta. The series is expected to introduce more members of the Lantern Corps, both characters from the comics and original creations.

The series is set for 10 hour-long episodes on HBO Max. The series will be co-written and executive produced by Greg Berlanti (Arrowverse), Seth Grahame-Smith (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) and Marc Guggenheim (Arrowverse and the 2011 Green Lantern film).

Green Lantern Corps Movie:

But what of John Stewart, the first Black superhero to appear in DC Comics? Many were annoyed by the announcement of Wittrock’s casting in the Green Lantern series, given that John Stewart is more popular and relevant Lantern than Guy Gardner. It’s also not a great look considering Ray Fisher’s accusations of racism at the studio, which were made all the more obvious with the release of the Snyder cut and the restoration of Cyborg’s entire storyline.

But according to Heroic Hollywood, a John Stewart/Green Lantern movie is in the works. This Green Lantern Corps film is still in development, with Stewart as the lead and Hal Jordan appearing as a mentor. The film was being developed and written by Geoff Johns, but given the accusations of racism against him, it’s unclear how and if the project will proceed. A good first step would be bringing on a Black writer and director.

Which Green Lantern project are you most excited about? Which Lantern deserves their own series? Let us know in the comments!

(via Variety, image: DC Comics)

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The post What Exactly Is Going on With All These Green Lantern Announcements? first appeared on The Mary Sue.

Jennifer Lopez warned us, guys.

She said years ago not to be fooled by the rocks that she's got because she's just (she's just...) Jenny from the Block.

Translation?

The artist may be rich and she may be famous, but she still knows how to get down and play dirty.

How else can we interpret the fact that, just two weeks after splitting from Alex Rodriguez amid rumors the former baseball player cheated, Lopez is now hanging out with ex-fiance Ben Affleck?!?

According to In Touch Weeklly, the singer and the actor are "hanging out again."

They've done so on multiple occasions of late, a source tells this tabloid. 

"A lot of time has passed, they’ve both matured,” explains the insider. “Jennifer still cares for Ben, she never really stopped. Apparently, they reconnected like no time had passed.”

Affleck and Lopez dated in the early 2000s and engaged in 2002.

They were infamously dubbed “Bennifer” by the media at the time, giving an endless arrray of interview during their peak romantic period and fawning all over each other,

However, they postponed their wedding in 2003 and split months later in January 2004.

Since then, Lopez has called the breakup with Affleck “probably my first big heartbreak."

Now?

Affleck broke up with Ana de Armas in January, while Lopez ended her engagement with Rodriguez last month, prompting immediate chatter that Affleck would swoop in and try to tap that again.

Page Six, meanwhile reports that Affleck has visited Lopez three times after her return from the Dominican Republic.

The outlet even published pictures of the male star exiting a white Escalade at a location near J. Lo's Los Angeles home on April 29... and it appeared to be the same vehicle Jennifer was riding in earlier that day.

What does all this mean?

Nothing, according to TMZ, which alleges the celebrities are "strictly friends."

Adds People Magazine in the wake of their reconciliation:

"They have spent time together in L.A. over the past week. They have a lot of love for each other. They have always admired each other."

Still, it's hard not to imagine Lopez at least knows what she's doing here.

It's hard to imagine this time spent with her ex isn't meant to make Rodriguez jealous... considering he allegedly had an emotional affair with Madison LeCroy in 2020.

At minimum.

“He contacted me. And yes, we DMed," LeCroy admitted this February of her connection to Rodriguez, adding that the two had FaceTimed.

But other than that, there was nothing. I’ve never physically seen him, touched him. I am not a f—king liar and I will stand up for that.”

She's neverr physically touched him?!?

Most observers took this precise wording to very possibly mean that LeCroy and Rodriguez had simultaneously masturbated while on said FaceTime calls last year.

Did this really happen?

We cannot say for certain.

But the possibility, which has been theorized for quite some time now around the Internet, must be humiliating for Lopez.

What better revenge could she therefore get than to at least make it look like she may be back together with Affleck?!?

"They are friends," another source People Magazine insisted on Friday.

"They have always been friends and they have seen each other through the years."

Yes, fair.

But could they be friends... with benefits.... who see each other with no clothes on sometimes?

The post Satyajit Ray at 100: The musical genius behind the auteur appeared first on Little White Lies.

Ashley Cain has provided fans with a heart-shattering update on how he's feeling at the moment.

The former Challenge cast member and professional soccer player lost his 8-month-old daughter, Azaylia Diamond, last week after she had been diagnosed with cancer in October.

A week after this unimaginable loss, Cain is still reeling from her passing.

For the most understandable of reasons, of course.

"I wanted to take this time to give thanks for all the love, care and support for Azaylia throughout her battle and still now for us as a family," Cain wrote to open his lengthy Instagram message.

"I am broken and hurting more and more everyday right now," he added.

This past fall, the 30-year old reality star revealed that Azaylia had been diagnosed with a "very rare and aggressive form" of leukemia, a blood cancer.

Over the subsequent few months, the infant went through treatments in the hospital, as Cain kept followers apprised of her condition.

Tragically, he, girlfriend Safiyya Vorajee and their doctors were unable to save the little girl.

Wrote Cain a few days ago, following his daughter's passing:

"Rest In Paradise Princess 👼🏼🌈I will always hold you in my heart until I can hold you again in heaven ❤️😢 #AzayliaDiamondCain."

On Saturday, Cain made no secret of the horrible pain he continues to endure.

Cain wrote that he "made a promise to my daughter that I would keep her name alive by continuing to help other children, adults and their families during their own battles and I will honor that promise until I see her again.

Similarly, on her own Instagram Story, Vorajee uploaded a photograph of the pair's late daughter, writing "so beautiful I think about you all day and night," adding:

"Trying to get myself out of bed in the morning has never felt so hard.

"The pain that hits me when I open my eyes is unbearable, I just want this all to be a dream."

In February, Cain said his family was "urgently informed that Azaylia's leukemia had returned," mere moments before she was due to leave the hospital after a stem-cell transplantation.

Shortly before her Azaylia's death, Cain was told to "make the most" of his time with his daughter by physicians who told him that the baby was nearing her final days.

The MTV personality went on to post images of Azaylia eating from her high chair and going for walks in her stroller.

Common, everyday occurrences -- that took on extra special, sentimental and sad meaning for her parents.

On Friday, Vorajee also reflected on the heartbreak she can't shake.

"1 week today this was all happening," she wrote alongside photo of her and her baby together.

"You are so incredible Azaylia, you have changed My life.

"Honestly I feel so proud of you, I am lost without you but I [know] your with me close all the time."

Added Cain a week ago, paying tribute to Azaylia by addressing her directly:

"I can’t put into words my sadness and pain, there aren’t words to describe it.

"I love you with every ounce of my body and I miss you so much already. You made me a better man. You made me the person I’ve always wanted to be.

"You’ve taught me more in your 8 months than I’ve learned my whole life.'