Every time you reach a milestone with a man, there’s reason for some celebration. Relationships, whether they’re simple friendships, complicated partnerships, or blissful (or not) marriages, an anniversary is a beautiful way to celebrate an ened life. There is one fact that can’t be dodged, and that’s how hard it is to shop for anniversary gifts for men. Not to worry, we’re on it! We’ve got 20 of the best gifts to make sure he knows exactly how special he is, and how thoughtful you are. 2o1k4f

Anniversaries should be fun! A night to celebrate each other, and all that you’ve been through. Get someone to watch the kids, or dogs, get all dressed up and get into it out there! When it comes to buying a gift, think about the things he enjoys to do. What are his favorite TV shows? Does he enjoy the outdoors? Is he a video game guy? All of these things can help you absolutely knock the gift giving into the stratosphere.

That’s the key thing here: categories. Every man has specific things he enjoys around certain activities. Some dudes love sports, so why not some cool team gear? Others enjoy astronomy! Sure, not a lot, but trust us, they’re out there, and they’ll appreciate a partner who knows them inside and out.

Regardless, we’ve made things as easy as we could for you by listing 20 of the hottest anniversary gifts for him.

20. Beats Studio Pro Wireless Headphones 2q2a3i

Can’t go wrong with Beats by Dr. Dre for both style and audio elegance.

If you’re looking to get some over the ear headphones with all the bells and whistles you’re looking for and then some, go for the top shelf. This is the standard bearer for all the other headphones out there. Can’t go wrong with Beats!

19. Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine 236m33

Does he love espresso? Like really love it? Then he’ll love this.

It really is a shame to end up with a substandard espresso machine. Someone who understands not only the beauty of the drip but the mechanical inklings behind it deserves something spectacular. This is it. This is the one.

18. Moon Lamp 5x4j7

He wants to give you the moon and the stars. Why not give it to him first?

An uncannily beautiful facsimile of the real thing, this shining moon lamp works on a lot of levels. It’s also a guaranteed mood setter for when a couple wants to get some romantic lighting going and set the atmosphere perfectly.

17. Zhumell Z130 Portable Altazimuth Reflector Telescope 172615

When a simple replica of the stars just won’t do.

We naturally raise our gaze to the skies to ire the stars, but why not give him something to get even closer to the action? This bad boy is a little pricey, but it’s the best grab and go telescope on the market today. It’s also exceptionally crafted and looks sleek, like a spacehip.

16. HAPPRUN Home Movie Projector 1116

Because everything looks better on a bigger screen!

Can’t afford to get him that big screen TV? A movie projector is the ultimate life hack for that. You’ll only be limited by the size of the walls you want to reflect it off of. Let the summer fun begin!

15. Food Delivery Dice 284h1q

Takes the guesswork out by letting the guesswork do its thing.

If you’re like 90% of the couples on this planet, you tend to get a little indecisive when it comes to getting some take out. Let the dice do all the heavy lifting and relax knowing your significant other can’t argue with the final decision! (We know that’s not true).

14. Indoor Fire Pit e592f

“Siri, make this room romantic as hell.”

It used to be that the only way to get a nice fire going inside was either a wood-burning stove, or a fireplace (or arson). Those days are over, as you can now get this nifty portable and safe fireplace for all your romantic and aesthetic needs. Never leave the house to get firewood again!

If he loves gaming and doesn’t have this, you’ll make his year.

There’s a reason Nintendo is always at the forefront of the video game industry. With legendary characters and games that define and defy boundaries, a Nintendo Switch is such a great gift for someone into video games. This special Mario-colored edition is even more so.

12. Telescoping Magnetic Flashlight 582p2a

For the go go gadget lover in the house.

Gadget time! This is a flashlight (useful) but also it’s flexible and telescopic for getting into those hard to reach places that only your man likes to go. It’s fun and bendy, who could ask for anything more?

11. Moleskine Smart Writing Set 5f1w

Taking a classic to its natural evolution.

What to get the working writer with a penchant for technology? Why, the Moleskine smart writing set of course! You get a smart pen, a smart notebook and a whole lot of freedom. Every stroke gets recorded and can be ed and manipulated in real time. You’ll never lose your notes or ideas again!

10. Casper Snow Foam Pillow 2t2s3b

Is there a better gift than a good night’s sleep?

If you’ve been dealing with a cranky partner lately, perhaps they’re not really getting the quality sleep they need and deserve. A nice pillow can make a huge difference, and the Casper cooling gel pillow is something that needs to be experienced to be believed. It really has the potential to change your life.

9. Gillette Labs Heated Razor Starter Kit 5958u

Every man deserves a hot shave every now and then. Bring that magical experience home.

Okay listen. Sure you don’t need a heated razor, but you also don’t need a TV. These are both luxuries that turn into necessities over time. Your man works hard! Get him a nice shaving experience; something he can look forward to every morning.

8. Marshall Acton III Bluetooth Home Speaker 1e3k4v

If he’s a musician and/or a gearhead, he’ll absolutely love this.

This little speaker is just so perfect. It has the complete Marshall look with that iconic Marshall sound. It’s meant to be effortless and stylish, and it succeeds at both. Even the knobs feel authentic, with just the right amount of weight to them. There’s even a sweet app to go along with it.

7. YETI Rambler Beverage Bucket 17103u

This ain’t your dad’s ice bucket.

What’s so special about this ice bucket? It’s a Yeti, for starters. That means you’re getting top-of-the-line construction and materials that will keep things cold as long as they need to be. It also looks incredibly sleek, like it would beat you in a footrace. Ice cold!

6. Meta Quest 2 — All-in-One Wireless VR Headset 1kd63

A VR headset that won’t make you miss a mortgage payment.

VR Headsets used to be out of the price range of the everyday layman, but those days are thankfully coming to an end. The Meta Quest 2 is the easiest way to get him that VR set he’s always wanted to buy but wouldn’t dream of getting for himself. Think about all the time he’ll be occupied with this thing!

5. New Balance Men S 327 Track Shoe 5o5z5

Putting the N in New Balance.

If there’s a shoe that’s the most New Balance of all the New Balance, it’s the S 327. That’s no ordinary N. Everyone will know that his dad level is in the hundreds when they see him mowing the lawn in these bad boys. Give him what he deserves.

4. Par Three Golf Putting Green 4r6r6g

A short walk to practice his short game.

A putting green in your house is about the coolest gift any partner can get for their man. He will whittle the hours away perfecting his shot, making bets, hanging with the boys and generally having an amazing time all thanks to this portable golfing godsend.

3. Tavato Men’s Gift Tie Set 6d604y

A single tie is a snoozefest, but what about a whole tie experience?

Yes. A tie is the lamest gift you can get a man. That doesn’t mean all tie-related gifting options are off the table. This high-end set of silk ties includes numerous cufflinks, tie clips and other tie parapheniala to jazz up a weeknight or weekend look. It’s like a treasure chest but with ties instead of treasure you get it.

2. KOHLER Moxie Alexa Enabled Showerhead 3v1c1i

Enough with the tinny smartphone speaker in the bathroom!

It’s a shower head that’s also a speaker! This bad boy really exists and it’s not cheap but it’s a speaker! In a shower head! This is a technology that’s in dire need for any shower singing man worth his bath salt. Bathroom karaoke anyone?

1. Mo Cuishle Neck Massager 2e6no

Keep those stress levels down and everything else up.

Staying loose and limber gets harder the older you get. Stress, wear and tear and the general malfeasance of a daily existence all battle the easy and laid-back life we wish we all had. Enter the Starship Enterprise of neck massagers. This thing has more settings than a French oven, and it’s much simpler to use. Watch him unwind and relax with this sweet vibrating gift from the massage gods.

Ahh, that sweet time of year is here again: the anniversary of the day you decided to dedicate yourself to the woman you love. Whether it was 5 or 50 years ago, it’s still a special day that needs to be handled with care and precision. You can’t buy her just anything. But what should you buy her? We’re here to help! Keep reading for the 20 best anniversary gifts for her.

Some interesting facts before we dive in here. People didn’t always celebrate wedding anniversaries annually. Nowadays, the date is usually one of three instances: either the day a couple met, the day of the marriage proposal, or the actual wedding date. However, the real origin of the wedding anniversary celebration goes back to the Holy Roman Empire.

You see, only two big numbers used to be celebrated. A wife who stayed with her husband for 25 years was awarded a silver wreath, and at 50 years, they got a wreath of gold. Eventually, as time ed, it became more common to celebrate a bit more often. Now we’re on the hook yearly! Don’t worry though, you don’t have to get her something every year, you get to. With that attitude of gratitude in mind, let’s dive in.

Oh, one more thing. These gifts should be among the most thoughtful of the year, so make sure you know what she likes and doesn’t. There’s a lot of jewelry out there so try to get a feel for what she already has, or simply ask. Asking goes a long way.

20. The pink Fill-in-the-Blank Book 3wh5b

For when she wants those sweet words of affirmation.

Don’t worry. We’re not giving you homework. This fun fill-in-the-blank masterpiece gives you simple prompts for different aspects of your love. It can be raunchy, or sweet, or somewhere in between. It comes with pointers so you won’t muck up the feelings and it’s curated from “authors, bloggers, and other creative types.” Plus it’s just really fun to do.

19. Romantic Coffee Mug 6l1y5g

Let her know you love her and are ready for more.

The easy home run gift, better for a newer couple but still a winner regardless. Sometimes it’s the simplest gifts that mean the most. It’s a straightforward sentiment that’s sure to melt even the most icy hearts, especially with the hot coffee inside!

18. Dyson Airwrap 3o2812

The Porsche of hair wrap accessories.

We’ll just come out and let you know this is not necessarily the most affordable of hair curlers, but you get what you pay for and this one is a doozy. It uses air instead of extreme heat so you’re not going to get any heat damage when you use it. Pricey, but she’s worth it, right?

17. Personalized Custom Star Map 326f5d

Show her the literal meaning of star-crossed lovers.

Okay, this is actually really cool. Take the phrase “the stars aligned” to a whole other level by commemorating just where they were in the sky when you had your special day. A visual interpretation of life-long love.

16. A Year of Dates – Sealed Date Ideas 61564p

Build your love story with a romantic year of fun date ideas.

A whole 365 days of date ideas? Sure, this kind of sounds like a cop-out, but we could all use a little help in the date department. You want her to feel special! Write your own story with these suggestions.

15. Your Song Gold Record 31655r

Do you have a special song together? Why not get it in gold?

Every couple has a song that makes them why they fell in love in the first place. Doesn’t even really matter the song; it’s more about the feeling you get when it comes on. This gift will let everyone know how much you love the song and each other.

14. Personalized Photo Puzzle 244b

If she’s into puzzles she’s going to love the thought behind this one.

There are people out there who really enjoy doing puzzles. If it’s your special someone, then she’ll love putting together a unique and personalized puzzle featuring the two of you on your special day. Fun!

13. Custom “Every Love Story” Print e2945

A fitting keepsake reminder of your beautiful day.

Not going to lie, this gift is probably more for a couple that’s been together 25 plus years. It’s a sweet little reminder that every day you get to spend together is an absolute blessing.

12. Personalized Charcuterie Board 236g1d

Natural, beautiful and timeless just like she is.

An elegant board for when she wants to bust out the fancy cheese and knives. Or, something nice for a couple to enjoy while they watch the latest episode of Love Island.

11. Push Pin World Travel Map 41b2v

The couple that travels together stays together. This will commemorate it.

If you’re a traveling couple then this gift is just perfect. It gives you something to look forward to, as well as something to do together when you get back from a trip. Can you make it to all seven continents together? Why not try!

10. Cozy Earth Pajama Set 433z6c

Get her something so comfortable she’ll want to wear to work.

These are some of the most comfortable pajamas on our blue planet, bar none. They are 95% Bamboo Viscose and 5% spandex for that comfy stretch. It’s breathable and moisture-wicking too, so it’ll keep you cool on a hot night.

9. Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Nano 2.0 3v6t6o

For the chef who just happens to be the love of your life.

Whether she’s a hobbyist in the kitchen or a professional chef, this precision instrument will let you know the exact temperature needed to cook something perfectly. No more wondering whether something is actually done or not. Let this bad boy do all the work for you!

8. Monogrammed Flower Vase 472o3m

Brighten up a room and brighten up her heart.

Does she love flowers? How about a vase that reminds the two of you of your special day every time she refills it with her favorite flowers? Crystal and elegant, it makes for a gift she’ll surely love.

7. JIMMYJANE Massage Oil Candle 4b6a2c

Looking for a way to reignite that romantic spark? Here’s a good place to start.

Another two-in-one winner. This sensual candle melts into natural soy wax that melts at body temperature and can have all kinds of fun applications for a couple looking to reignite that fire. Comes in five flavors: Santal, Velvet Spice, Red Tobacco, Mystic Mango and Berry Bliss.

6. Personalized Christmas Ornament 2c3k3m

Make every Christmas a magical and romantic one.

There’s nothing quite like Christmas with the one you love. Even just the inane stuff like a drive to the grocery store or the airport can take on a new meaning and feeling during the Christmas season. Decorating the tree is no different. This beautiful ornament can remind you year after year just how important it is to love someone with everything you can.

5. Airbnb Gift Card y5r1g

A ready-made vacation and a “choose your own adventure” getaway all in one.

Choose an amount between $50 and $500 and let her decide whether she wants to go lay on the beach or hike the Grand Canyon. Sure, gift cards can feel impersonal but this one is a real experience. Also, they never expire!

4. Maya J Eternity Ring 6b4w6m

Who says jewelry has to break your bank ?

The Maya J Eternity ring was actually named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things a few years ago. Every cubic zirconia stone is placed carefully to maximize shine and brilliance. This is an easy win for everyone.

3. YnM Weighted Blanket 4w4s4e

Don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. It’s maybe the best gift you can give.

When you can’t hug her, get her a blanket that can. This snug and hefty blanket is warm and cuddly in all the right ways. It will keep you nice and covered, like you’re there to hold her even when you’re away.

2. Heart Birthstone Love Necklace 4h3ze

Tell her you’ll love her forever with a stone symbolizing her birth and a necklace that symbolizes your love.

Another two-fer, this one is. Not only will she love that you got her birthstone, but there’s also the engraving to let her know exactly what she means to you. It doesn’t hurt that it’s not going to force you to file for bankruptcy, either.

1. Hand Casting Kit 1x2j5q

Things fly by so fast why not get her a nice way to express your eternal love?

Romance comes in all shapes and sizes, and casts! This is one of those activities you’ll never forget, and you get a lovely keepsake of it for as long as you live. Romance isn’t dead, it’s just waiting for you to wake it up. Make some moves!

It’s rarely an easy task when it comes to buying a birthday gift for a man. Either they want something really cool and they don’t quite know what it is, or they just say screw it and ask for a another necktie. Sometimes you have to drag it out of them! Who wants to do that? How about some help? Here are 13 of the best birthday gifts you can get for men right now.

Before you settle on a gift, try to think of what category said gift will be in. Is this man someone who enjoys the outdoors? Maybe a nice whisky or some camping gear. A knife even. Outdoorsmen can’t seem to get enough of their knives. Maybe they’re more of a tech guy. Then you can look into gadgets and electronics, maybe a video game.

That’s probably the easiest way if you want to surprise someone AND make them happy. There’s an alternative, too though. You could just send them a list of 3-5 items and ask which they like the best. That way it’s still a surprise and they get something they want! But what 3-5 items? You are in the right place to find out.

13. Theragun Relief 706u6t

Perfect for: The athlete 1i342w

This sleek, easy-to-use vibrating therapy device will surely soothe those post-pickleball muscles and keep things loose for your next big match. This thing is the Rolls Royce of muscle massage. It works all over the body and it has an incredibly simple design with a single button and three settings. This bad boy also comes with 3 attachments: a “dampener” for sensitive areas, a “standard ball” for general use and a sweet, sweet “thumb” for those pesky trigger points. Get that man some relief already!

12. adidas Samba Shoes 4r1s4g

Perfect for: The retro sneaker head 1h4n3d

Classics don’t really ever fall out of fashion. That’s why they’re classics! The adidas Samba is no different. It’s a go-to look that’s just as popular now as it was in 2000, something that’s exceedingly hard for any brand to pull off. Get this: the Samba was made in 1950 so soccer players could train outside when the ground was frozen. It comes in white with black stripes and vice versa, and it’s made with leather to last. A simple shoe that has yet to go out of style. Also, popular with aforementioned soccer players. Win win.

11. Geekey Multi-Tool 6u4b17

Perfect for: The tool and gadget nerd 6n5e15

Okay this isn’t for everybody obviously, but if you’re the type of man who enjoys a cool gadget that can do a ton of stuff all-in-one, then boy do we have the gadget for you (or your intended). What can’t this thing do! So it’s a “bike spoke key, screwdriver, wrench, scoring tip, box cutter, serrated edge, can opener, wire stripper, file, ruler, protractor, bottle opener, multi-head fit driver and ‘more.'” Who doesn’t want all that stuff in a gadget the size of a key?

10. Ray-Ban Pilot Sunglasses 4314z

Perfect for: That throwback, laid-back look d1q30

These are cool “pilots glasses” but not the aviators everyone seems to have. They’re a little bit of a different flair with an easy silhouette and a gradient lens color. This is kind of interesting as well: according to Ray Ban, these glasses “have a direct impact on your face shape – to give balance and proportions to the face, the frame shape should be in contrast with the face shape.” Did you get all that? Basically, these look best on “Oval-Heart-Square-Round faces.”

9. Apple Watch Series 9 5p613i

Perfect for: The health conscious techie 6329f

At this point we can all agree that the Apple Watch is a pretty neat product. This latest series is “carbon neutral,” meaning it’s better for the environment? Who knows if that’s true. Regardless, there are ways to use the watch without even touching it, and it’s a great way to monitor your health. In fact, that’s one of the biggest selling points. It can take an ECG, monitor blood oxygen and chart your heart rhythm for irregularities. It can log your sleep patterns and according to Apple, it can “take note of your state of mind to help build emotional awareness and resilience.”

8. Ciekope Tabletop Fire Pit 6h4416

Perfect for: The city dweller t5h3z

There are a couple of pretty neat features with this portable fire pit, but the most ingenious has to be the fact that it’s smokeless. It’s a fire pit with no smoke! How is such a thing possible? It uses everyday isopropyl alcohol as a fuel. You might be asking if that’s safe to breathe in (a legitimate question), but it turns out when isopropyl alcohol burns it just creates water vapor and carbon dioxide. This one’s probably not for the younger males in your life but it’s a really cool gift for something like a rooftop party in the city. Oh, and each burn lasts for more than an hour.

7. Top 100 Movies Scratch-Off Poster 3i6n5m

Perfect for: The movie enthusiast/scratch off lottery lover 3f1c2p

This is the perfect gift for the cinephile in your life, or even just someone who enjoys movies but wants to get even deeper into them. This poster has all the top-rated movies and it comes in a cool tube and is made of thick, laminated paper. It also comes with its own scratching plectrum and some pins and thumbtacks for easy mounting, as well as an eraser to keep things clean. It’s a fun way to get into some classic films from the past 80 years or so.

6. Astronaut Light Projector 232248

Perfect for: The space lover 1c3z27

Bring the final frontier into your bedroom with this clever little space projector. It transforms the ceiling of your room into the beautiful night sky. This is a great gift for a teen who loves space or a man who loves to sit back and ire the stars. It has a plethora of different modes and colors, creating a variety of lush visual scapes. It’s also one hell of a vibe setter. The only way to get stars like this otherwise is to drive out to the deep country where there’s no lights, and that’s just so much work.

5. Ooni Karu 12 Pizza Oven 4h3o5c

Perfect for: Pizza lovers 526r14

What! A portable pizza oven? This is maybe the best gift on this whole list. This portable dream-fulfilling machine is only 10 kgs, meaning you can just throw it in the back of the Tahoe and take it where you need to go. You can use charcoal for that rustic, outdoorsy flavor or if you’re more of a gas man, there’s a gas burner sold separately. It’s not the cheapest thing you’re ever going to buy, but it MAKES PIZZA. It’s hard to see a downside here. Does anyone see a downside?

4. Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow 12f4e

Perfect for: The traveling man 3h6052

If your man is on the road a lot flying from place to place for work, get him something nice and soft to save his neck on those red-eye flights. This thing is made to keep your chin held so your spine stays aligned while sitting. It’s surprisingly easy to travel with, and if you don’t want to keep it around your neck it shrinks to 60% of its original size and comes with a nifty travel bag. It’s deliberately made low enough to not interrupt any headphone or earbud use, too.

3. Loftie Clock 54252d

Perfect for: A man who appreciates a good night’s sleep 63695f

It’s not an exaggeration to say that not enough men prioritize their sleep. This alarm clock aims to put a stop to all that. First of all, it looks like an icecube in a glass of bourbon. Very sleek and aesthetically on point. Feature wise, it has a two-phase alarm that “mimics” how you wake up naturally instead of “jolting” you awake. Everything about this clock is meant to blanket surroundings in calm vibes. There’s also tons of customizable settings that include bedtime stories, meditations, and soothing animations.

2. My Arcade Retro Arcade Machine X an5h

Perfect for: The retro gaming nerd 1x5d4

We don’t care who you are; arcade machines are fun. The little knob, the buttons, the cabinet — for a certain type of man, these things are all akin to a first romantic love. This little arcade machine has more than 300 games to keep you clicking and clacking away. It’s just a cool thing to put on your desk and tinker with when you’re trying to kill those last ten minutes in the office or in a zoom meeting. It runs on AA batteries and has a cute little 2.5 inch screen. Fun!

1. Original Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker 3f5x28

Perfect for: It’s popcorn. Who doesn’t love popcorn? 5d6pt

This is about as close you can get to movie theater popcorn without going to the movie theater. This stainless steel popcorn maker can handle six quarts of goodness and was made to help make popcorning the easiest vocation known to man. The best part? It only takes about 3 minutes to go from no popcorn in your life to a whole bunch.

One innocent foodie’s day was turned upside down after what was supposed to be an average pasta meal turned into their worst (furry) nightmare. 

The video comes courtesy of TikTok @funkyfrogbait, who posted the stomach-churning incident to their 2.1 million followers on July 12. 

“Guys, guys — so I just got myself a big ol’ big daddy spoonful for my little pasta dish,” they said, holding up a bottle of Priano Four Cheese tomato sauce and showing a mound of pasta already covered in sauce. “And I just looked over to the big spoonful and just licked off the spoon too because you know, daddy loves tomatoes.” 

Unfortunately, said pasta spoon had already been dipped, poured, and licked after it was discovered that it belonged to a bottle well past its expiration date.  

“What the [expletive] is that!?” they shouted, turning the camera around to reveal a giant moldy fuzz ball on the underside of the bottle’s unscrewed cap. It’s unclear whether the bottle of Priano was sold past its expiration date, or was left to mold by the once-hungry foodie who is likely in no hurry to buy from the brand any time soon. 

“It’s so big I thought it was just the top of the jar/didn’t see anything,” said one person in the comments. It’s true — at first glance, the underside of the unscrewed cap looks innocently grey, as if a clean oval had been licked right off the surface.

Obviously, that is not the case at all, and it just so happens that others can relate to this devastatingly disgusting situation. 

“I did this with queso dip once,” said one person in the comments section. “Was eating chips for a solid 10-15 min before I noticed the lid was COVERED in green powder mold.” 

“BRO SAME I ATE A BAGEL TOOK A BIG BITE LOOKED AT IT AND IT’S FULL OF MOLD I’M GONNA DIE TOMORROW,” said another.

Indeed, if you had any hope of making pasta today, you might want to pause those plans until you do a full bottle inspection of your Preggo, Priano, or Barilla bottles. As a matter of fact, let’s just stick to water today.

Oliver Stone is no stranger to controversy. Since winning an Oscar for writing Midnight Express in 1979, Stone has proven to be one of the most brash and outspoken figures in Hollywood history. He’s made films excoriating the Vietnam War, the JFK assassination, and the sensationalism of reality TV. He’s made historical epics about disc jockeys, U.S. presidents and rock stars. He’s made documentaries that humanize world leaders like Vladimir Putin and Fidel Castro.

He also has a bone to pick with John Wick. Stone was asked about the action franchise during a recent interview with Variety, and he made it clear he was not a fan. “I saw John Wick 4 on the plane,” he explained. “Talk about volume. I think the film is disgusting beyond belief.” He went on to say that the franchise’s treatment of violence and murder was more akin to a “video game” than anything a real person would experience.

While the notion of Stone bashing a violent franchise seems hypocritical, given his output, his best films have always managed to thread the needle between brutality and thoughtfulness. It doesn’t always work, which is why Stone has released duds like World Trade Center (2006) and Savages (2012), but when it does, it results in something truly special. Here are Oliver Stone’s ten best films.

10. U-Turn (1997) 3u6a1z

U-Turn was misunderstood upon release. Stone wanted to distance himself from the weighty subject matter of his previous film, Nixon (1995), and felt the best way to do so was to adapt a pulp novel by John Ridley. It worked artistically and failed commercially. U-Turn is one of the bleakest examples of neo-noir ever released, and this commitment to genre convention makes it one of the most underrated films in Stone’s career.

Sean Penn plays a con man who gets stranded in Superior, Arizona. He has to kill time while his car gets worked on, and winds up getting drawn into a twisted web of blackmail involving a sheriff (Nick Nolte) and his young wife (Jennifer Lopez). Explaining more than would risk spoiling the plot, which includes several twists, but we will say that even the film’s ing cast is loaded. Even the smaller roles are played by former and/or future stars like Jon Voight, Billy Bob Thorton and Joaquin Phoenix.

Stone is often chastised for letting his politics get in the way of his talents, but U-Turn proves that he could churn out a straightforward crime thriller with the best of them. The nihilist slant of the film may be off-putting to some, but those willing to buy into the worldview will be rewarded.

9. Nixon (1995) 684g44

Even though it has a gargantuan runtime of 213 minutes, Stone’s take on the life of America’s most hated President is a remarkably gripping affair. The fact that Anthony Hopkins doesn’t look very much like Richard Nixon doesn’t matter; he embodies the spirit of the disgraced man and provides a very balanced portrayal of him, without necessarily making him sympathetic. It’s one of Hopkins’ most underrated turns, and the recipient of a well-deserved Oscar nomination.

The approach Stone took with Nixon was replicated to a lesser degree with W. (2008). With the former, Stone’s attempt to depict someone he actively disagrees with doesn’t feel hackneyed or like he’s trying to sit on the fence. With the latter, the complications of George W. Bush get sorted out with dime-store psychology. There’s little to mull over when the credits roll.

Stone frames Nixon as a Shakespearean tragedy. He acknowledges that the man had greatness in him, and a megalomania that proved his undoing, but crucially, he does not tell the viewer what to think. He embraces ambiguity more than usual here, and it proves a wise choice. Worth revisiting.

8. Talk Radio (1988) 51141

The one-two punch of Platoon (1986) and Wall Street (1987) made Stone the hottest director in Hollywood. He could have signed on for any blockbuster of his choosing in 1988, yet he chose to strip things down and adapt the play Talk Radio by Eric Bogosian and Tad Savinar. The play was based on the assassination of Denver radio host Alan Berg in 1984, and its themes of censorship and political dissent perfectly aligned with Stone’s perspective.

Talk Radio is unique among Stone’s films because of its intimate setting. While Platoon and Wall Street play out in jungles and board rooms respectively, most of the scenes in Talk Radio take place in a claustrophobic radio booth. The director realized that the words are what matter here, and his ability to adjust his style accordingly makes the film’s violent climax all the more impactful.

7. The Doors (1991) 22576m

The Doors chronicles the rise and fall of the rock band of the same name. More specifically, the rise and fall of its legendary frontman, Jim Morrison. The film takes major liberties with Morrison’s life, and was heavily criticized for being inaccurate upon its release (a common occurrence with Stone), but we’d be lying if we said The Doors wasn’t a fascinating, mesmerizing experience.

The film works best when viewed as a manifestation of the “Lizard King” persona that Morrison cultivated during his lifetime: beautiful, deranged, and unpredictable. Stone’s recreations of the 1960s are bizarre and scenic, and the musical performances by the band make up some of the most impressive staging of his entire career.

That said, The Doors would not work at all were it not for the magnetic performance of Val Kilmer. He disappears into the role of Morrison, recreating the singer’s distinct voice and aloof charisma so well that it’s hard to think of Morrison without also thinking of Kilmer. Stone released JFK the same year, so he was well-represented at the 1992 Oscars, but the fact that Kilmer was snubbed for Best Actor is frankly ridiculous.

6. Wall Street (1987) 6b6373

Wall Street is one of Stone’s most iconic films. He creates one of the screen’s most memorable villains in Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a power-hungry broker who preaches the value of greed and who takes aspiring yuppie Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) under his wing. The film may seem a bit safe to younger audiences, but that’s only because the bones of the story have been dug up and recycled by generations of directors.

Sheen does some of his best acting here, and Douglas, who would spend the rest of his career as a troubled hero, gets to chew the scenery as one of the definitive ’80s bad guys. The film also benefits from its authentic sense of time and place. While most of Stone’s films are period pieces, Wall Street captured something that was happening in American culture in real time, making it feel all the more real.

5. Natural Born Killers (1994) 2673g

Natural Born Killers got ripped to pieces in 1994, but can now take its place as one of the key films of Stone’s career. He took a spec script by Quentin Tarantino and rewrote it to reflect the gross glorification of true crime and violence in American culture. It is a work of extreme contradiction. In effect, Stone’s criticism of the mainstreaming of violence and the cult of celebrity surrounding murderers is depicted through a cult-like treatment of his main characters: Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis).

It is a brash, loud and uneven film. Stone shoves so much vibrant and stylised imagery at you that it seems shallow at first, but there are strong ideas at work and the confidence with which Stone conveys them is nothing short of mesmerizing. The film is shocking even now, and the further we get away from Natural Born Killers the more prescient it proves to be.

4. Any Given Sunday (1999) 25471b

Any Given Sunday works as both an exposè on the political machinations of football and a riveting, ensemble melodrama that’s anchored by one of Al Pacino’s last great performances. Pacino is legendary football coach Tony D’Amato, who strives to do the best for his team and hold off the overbearing influence of his general manager, Christine Paggliaci (Cameron Diaz). He also tries to bond with Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx), the upstart who took the quarterback gig from injured veteran Cap Rooney (Dennis Quaid). Everybody has selfish motives, and part of what makes the film special is that it embraces each character’s flaws without villainizing them.

Oliver Stone’s speechifying has never been more rabble rousing and inspirational than it is here, and Pacino delivers each line of dialogue with panache. The frenetic editing style that Stone introduced in JFK is also turned up to eleven, which can sometimes make it difficult to keep track of what’s happening. Your mileage may vary on the dozen or so subplots that the film tries to juggle, but there’s something charming about the messiness of it all. Any Given Sunday is Stone’s version of a crowd-pleaser, and it still holds up today.

3. Platoon (1986) 321e6c

Platoon will always be the film that Stone is ed for. He’s made better films, and more incisive ones, but Platoon taps into a primal rage that still radiates off the screen in 2023. Charlie Sheen plays Chris Taylor, a Vietnam soldier rattled by the horrors of combat, whether it be from the enemy or deranged peers like Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger). Stone’s writing is straightforward in of its symbolism, with Barnes and Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) serving as the devil and angel on Taylor’s shoulder, but it’s executed with such efficiency that it’s hard not to be won over.

Platoon also establishes Stone’s talent for casting. He turned Sheen into a household name and launched the careers of Berenger and Dafoe. Then there’s the actors who barely have lines but are still relevant today: Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker, Kevin Dillon, Keith David and John C. McGinley to name a few. The film would go on to win four Oscars including Best Director and Best Picture, and remains one of the greatest depictions of war ever put on-screen.

2. Born on the Fourth of July (1989) 415f61

The story of Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic had been floating around Hollywood since the 1970s. It seemed as though every attempt to get it made fell apart due to the controversy surrounding the man himself, but it was precisely this controversy that attracted Stone. Born on the Fourth of July is a perfect encapsulation of the frustration and rage that Stone himself felt as a combat veteran, coupled with a story that spoke to generations of moviegoers.

Born on the Fourth of July chronicles Kovic’s journey from patriotic teenager to paralyzed soldier, and his transition to anti-war activism after returning home. It’s as tragic a story as has ever been told about the Vietnam War, and it’s elevated by the casting of Tom Cruise as Kovic. Cruise gives his finest ever performance, and Stone, knowing that the baby-faced star had come to symbolize yuppie America, wrings out moments of anguish that play in fascinating contrast to the cheesiness of Top Gun (1986). Stone took home his second Best Director Oscar for Born on the Fourth of July, and it’s hard to argue with the ruling.

1. JFK (1991) 1n466q

JFK is the crowning achievement of Stone’s career. In this nearly four-hour, quasi-investigation, the director breaks down the John F. Kennedy assassination and attempts to answer the question that has been on the nation’s mind since Nov. 22, 1963: Did a crazed gunman act alone, or was there a multi-pronged government conspiracy to remove the first Catholic president?

Stone clearly believes the latter to be true, and while he doesn’t possess the evidence to make his stance ironclad, he uses all of his technical mastery and storytelling trickery to give the illusion of truth. It works. JFK is one of the most riveting political thrillers of all time because it is willing to cut corners and condense real-life events into easily digestible, memorable scenes. It never loses steam despite its lengthy runtime, and the editing cobbles together different film stocks, color schemes, and recreations without ever being hard to follow.

Then there’s the cast. Kevin Costner was at the peak of his powers here, and he delivers a searing performance as the district attorney who’s unwilling to look the other way. Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Oldman are superb as the man suspected of conspiracy and the crazed gunman, respectively. The rest of the ing cast speaks for itself: Michael Rooker, Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, Kevin Bacon, John Candy, Walter Matthau, and Joe Pesci.

Upon release, JFK was hated by journalists and news anchors. Most famously, the late Walter Cronkite demonized it by saying “there is not a shred of truth in it. It was a mishmash of fabrications and paranoid fantasies. It did not reflect the elementary principles of good journalism.” Cronkite was right to an extent, but to dismiss a fictional retelling for being “too” fictional ignores the tremendous artistry that Stone and company showcased. JFK is a masterpiece. If it gets you thinking and questioning, then the film has done its job.

So there you have it; our top 10 Oliver Stone films.

Deadpool 3 just keeps getting better and better. Ryan Reynolds has revealed The Crown star Emma Corrin will be ing the highly anticipated threequel in the Merc with a Mouth series. The British actor is set to be playing the villain in the film, but no other details about their character have been disclosed.

That means it’s time for some speculation, as we try to guess what character Emma Corrin could be playing in Deadpool 3. It’s hard to tell considering we know very little about the plot of the film, except for the fact that it will act as the introduction of Wade Wilson into the MCU, and with him, possibly, the X-Men. Well, we know for sure that one X-Man will be stopping by: Hugh Jackman reprises his iconic role as Wolverine.

Emma has been making massive waves in the industry ever since playing Princess Diana in the Netflix fictional royal drama. A career detour to the superhero genre is surprising but not unwelcome, since Deadpool 3 is set to be R-rated and surely as clever and incisive as its predecessors. Now with the rising star on board, only good things can come of it, surely.

Gwenpool 173c2z

While Gwenpool isn’t exactly a villain, she could still cause enough ruckus to force Deadpool to intervene. In the comics, Gwenpool is aware she’s in a comic book, because she comes from our world, and is a fan of Marvel comics herself.

Initially she’s human, but her fourth wall awareness allows her to change her own narrative and story lines, and she makes herself a mutant, like Wade. Additionally, because she was an avid reader of Marvel Comics, she knows all about the secret identities of villains and heroes alike, and can predict the outcomes of most situations. Gwenpool eventually becomes a mercenary, killing for money, in order to survive. In the comics, Gwenpool eventually meets Wade, and together they defeat mastermind hitman Arcade.

Dreadpool 1m6q19

It’s thanks to the multiverse that we get to have Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson in the MCU, but there will most likely be other Deadpool variants to deal with as well. Variants that might not be as friendly, as is the case with Dreadpool.

In the comics, Dreadpool is the leader of the Evil Deadpool Corps, a group of Deadpool variants tasked with murdering as many other variants as possible. He’s brainwashed by a mad scientist called Psycho-Man into essentially becoming a nihilistic killing machine.

Casting Corrin, a non-binary actor, as Dreadpool, who is originally male in the comics but could obviously be adapted, would be a bad-ass move on Marvel’s end, and one hell of a story line for both the My Policeman actor and Reynolds to tackle.

Danger 1o2o45

Marvel fans have been convinced Danger will be the villain in Deadpool 3 ever since Ryan Reynolds posted what is possibly one of the best casting announcement videos of all time, in which he can be seen reading Wolverine Vol. 7 No. 21 while on the toilet. In that issue of Wolverine’s comics, Deadpool and Wolverine fight Danger together.

Danger is the sentient robot personification of the Danger Room, the X-Men’s hyper-technological training ground. Created by Charles Xavier, and initially constrained to the Danger Room programming, Danger manages to break free with a vendetta against the X-Men and Professor X. Parts of her are made from advanced alien technology, which gives her pretty terrifying and hard-to-beat powers.

Typhoid Mary t2k54

In the early days of Deadpool 3, it was heavily rumored Typhoid Mary would be one of the film’s main villains. This was before it was announced that the Ryan Reynolds-led series would be making the jump into the MCU. The reason why this might discredit the rumor is because Typhoid Mary was previously included in Iron Fist, a Marvel Netflix show whose universe might become MCU canon come Daredevil: Born Again‘s premiere.

Regardless, it’s now pretty obvious Deadpool 3 will deal with the multiverse to some capacity, given Jackman’s involvement, so a different actor playing the same character could still be explained away. In that case, fans should know that Typhoid Mary is one of three personalities of Mary Walker. She’s a mutant with pyrokinetic and telekinetic powers — so the ability to set things on fire, or move them with only her mind. While Typhoid Mary can be violent, it’s Bloody Mary Deadpool and Wolverine should worry about. Mary Walker’s other alter is incredibly blood-thirsty and sadistic.

Emma Frost f4t6y

As the MCU begins to slowly introduce the X-Men into the Sacred Timeline, Emma Frost will undoubtedly be one of the most requested as a central part of the history of the mutant race. A powerful telepath, Frost is the heistress of the Massachusetts Academy, which functions as an alternative to the Charles Xavier Institute, and repeatedly tries to recruit his students to her ranks. She also eventually manifests a mutation that allows her to turn her body into indestructible diamond material.

Although her path in the comics hasn’t crossed Deadpool’s often, her connections with Wolverine are plenty. The two have fought on numerous occasions, later becoming allies when the murder of Frost’s sister causes her to have a change of heart, and redeem herself by ing the X-Men.

Directed by Shawn Levy, Deadpool 3 hits theaters Nov. 8, 2024.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Rings of Power season 1 finale.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power concluded its eight-part first season in suitably epic fashion today with a villain reveal we were all expecting, but that still came as a huge surprise. While the emergence of Sauron was the prequel series’ worst-kept secret, it still came as a shock to many fans when Charlie Vickers’ Halbrand was outed as the legendary dark wizard in disguise.

Now that Sauron is on the scene we can expect things to heat up to Mount Doom levels when the show returns for its much-anticipated second season. That’s what executive producer Lindsey Weber is promising, anyway. While unpacking the explosive finale in an interview with Deadline, Weber had a brief tease to make about what fans can expect in Rings‘ sophomore run, including that it’s set to be “fundamentally different” and much darker and scarier. As she put it:

“Season 2 is fundamentally different in that our main villain is out and about, and doing his thing. I think in some ways, it’s going to grittier, more intense, maybe a little scarier.”

Episode 8 revealed that the new King of the Southlands was really Sauron all along, which is a huge betrayal to both Galadriel and the audience, who had already fallen for what they assumed was an original character created for the show. Although, even now they know he’s evil incarnate, some can’t seem to find in their hearts to hate him, instantly creating an army of Sauron stans in the process.

As for season 2, the good news is that filming has already begun on it this October. The bad news is that, despite this, additional episodes won’t be with us for a long while yet as the first batch took two whole years to produce. In the meantime, you can rewatch all of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1 on Amazon Prime Video.

The 94th Oscars has, for whatever reason, seen the introduction of a fan-voted ‘Most Cheer-Worthy Movie Moments’ poll and, for whatever reason, a random moment from Zack Snyder’s Justice League took out the top spot.

Compiled by encouraging fans to use a hashtag on Twitter, the top five saw some — some — of cinema’s most memorable scenes celebrated, from Neo’s back-bend in The Matrix to the union of three Spider-Men in No Way Home.

But, despite all that, it was *ahem* ‘The Flash Enters Speed Force’ from Zack Snyder’s Justice League cut, released last year.

This scene doesn’t come to mind? Not to worry — seems like those on Twitter earnestly re it either.

However, some argued the moment is one of cinema’s greatest peaks, tweets that are definitely meant to be taken as gospel, comparing it to the likes of Citizen Kane, The Godfather, and more.

Additionally, people are now inserting The Flash entering speed force into some historic moments and images, kicking off with one of the most infamous moments in Oscars history.

All jokes aside, Snyder seemed happy with the honor, taking to social media to document the announcement, simply writing “Awesome.”

Interestingly, Zack Snyder fans have continued to rally behind the director in the long-awaited Fan Favorite poll, where Twitter s voted for their most-loved film of 2021. Remarkably, Snyder’s Army of the Dead took out the top spot, beating out the expected winner Spider-Man: No Way Home.

In what will be known as one of the most awkward Oscars moments in history, Will Smith has slapped Chris Rock on stage after the latter made a controversial joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

In the lead-up to Rock presenting the Best Documentary award, Rock referenced Will Smith’s likelihood to win the Best Actor award at the ceremony for his performance in King Richard, before making a joke about Pinkett Smith’s look for the evening — a green ensemble with a completely shaved head.

“G.I. Jane 2! Can’t wait to see it!” Rock joked before the camera cut to a laughing Will and an obviously peeved Jada.

Shortly after, Will slowly walks onto the stage and socks Rock directly in the face before returning to his seat. Rock stands there stunned before Will screams from the audience: “Keep my wife’s name out your fucking mouth!”

Rock stresses that it was a “G.I. Jane joke” before Smith, visibly livid at this point, repeats his warning to Rock. After what felt like a lifetime of awkward silence, Rock said, “That was the greatest night in the history of television.”

It is unclear whether it was a scripted bit, coinciding with the gaffes made by the show’s hosts Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and Wanda Sykes, as Will seemed to bounce back to his usually spritely self, congratulating the winner of the Best Documentary award, Summer of Soul.

After a commercial break, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs took to the stage to play peacemaker, encouraging Will and Chris to make up following the conclusion of the ceremony.

“Will and Chris, we’re gonna solve that like family at the Gold Party,” Combs said, to which Smith was seen laughing and applauding.

Slow Motion footage of the slap surfaced on Twitter.

Smith’s publicist was later seen talking to the actor at the last commercial, according to footage posted on social media.

Will Smith was later being comforted by Tyler Perry and Denzel Washington. Washington’s advice was referenced later in the show when Smith went on-stage to accept the Best Actor Oscar.

Despite the incident, Will Smith took to the stage to receive his Best Actor award for his performance in King Richard, saying Richard Williams was a “fierce defender of his family,”

“In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world. Making this film, I got to protect Aunjanue Ellis, one of the strongest, most delicate people I’ve ever met. I got to protect Saniyya and Demi, the two actresses who played Venus and Serena,” he said as he accepted the Best Actor Oscar.

“I want to be an ambassador of that kind of love and care and concern. I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize for my fellow nominees; this is a beautiful moment, and I’m not crying for winning an award. It’s not about winning an award for me, it’s about being able to shine light on all of the people. Tim, and Trevor, and Zach, and Saniyya and Demi and Aunjanue and the entire crew of King, and Venus and Serena and the entire Williams family; art imitates life.”

“But love will make you do crazy things. To my mother, a lot of this moment is really complicated for me, but to my mother, she didn’t want to come out — she has a knitting crew, she’s in Philly watching with — being able to love and care for my mother and family, my wife, I’m taking up too much time. Thank you for this honor, thank you for this moment, and thank you on behalf of Richard and the entire Williams family, and I hope the Academy invites me back. Thank you.”

Despite bidding a bittersweet farewell to the longest running animated kids show in history, the popular aardvark who loves to read — Arthur — has plenty of lessons for children in the future.

In an exclusive interview with We Got This Covered, Hero4Hire’s associate creative director and lead animator Dan Flynn explained that Arthur‘s web-based shorts were created to speak directly to 4-to-7-year-olds about their issues, on the platforms kids are most likely to use.

“Basically, they’re 2-3 minute shorts. A lot of times, they’re very topical about what’s kind of going on in the moment, in the world, in the country,” Flynn explained. “The idea would be to continue on with that premise where, you know, every few months or so, we would … come out with an animated short that kind of resonates with what kids and adults alike are dealing with in the world today.”

Some of the topics the shorts have tackled — either directly or through a metaphor children can understand — include racism, graduating school amidst the coronavirus pandemic, and using a story about a school voting to change its mascot as a metaphor for how to prepare for a U.S. Presidential election cycle.

The first shorts were first styled like a Zoom meeting, mirroring the pandemic, subsequent lockdowns and remote learning environments that millions of kids were experiencing at the time. More recent episodes, like “And The Winner Is… The New Mascot of Arthur’s Elementary School,“ showed characters interacting face-to-face on the playground, like a traditional episode. 

Flynn explained GBH Boston writes the scripts for the shorts, ing them onto Hero4Hire, with the TV show’s voice actors recording them. The goal is to make the shorts “indistinguishable from what you see on TV”.

“I feel like we’ve accomplished that here at Hero4Hire. Because yeah, they give us the voices, they give us their original assets, backgrounds, you name it.”

Flynn said they primarily use Adobe Animate to make the web shorts, a modern descendent of Adobe Flash which powered the web cartoons of the early 2000s. But they strive for a “hand drawn look to the character designs” and watercolor-like backgrounds.

Arthur’s graduation speech to his fans was the first digital short, one Flynn described as a nice acknowledgement to many students who missed out on their own in-person graduation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“All these kids who grew up with Arthur — like all of them, even the high schoolers — missed it. And so, it was nice to be able to create a short where he addresses the students and kind of addresses the fact that, you know, things are weird.”

The studio also created an episode where Muffy and Francine talk about the importance of wearing masks and one where Mrs. MacGraddy talks with Arthur and Buster about fighting racism a few months after the murder of George Floyd. 

The web short on tackling racism was dedicated to John Lewis, who appeared on the Arthur TV show in 2018 as Mrs. MacGrady’s old friend. It published a month after the legendary civil rights leader and U.S. representative died.

In of whether the world of Arthur influenced him growing up, Flynn said the books were a staple in his home as a kid since they were quite popular. And although he was a teenager by the time the show came out in 1996, he still called it, “very much a part of my life.”

“It was a huge honor when we ended up getting these shorts to do because I already knew so much about it. And again I grew up on the books and they meant so much to me that it was just kind of like this weird full circle moment for me.” 

Flynn said he ired the 2019 episode of the TV show, “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone,” for its depiction of the series’ first gay marriage, though he did not have a hand in producing it. 

“I’m gay myself, so to put myself in the shoes of a kid watching today … it’s just so poignant for me because it’s the kind of thing that I wish I had when I was a kid on TV. But to see them kind of unabashedly tackle that subject. Again, it’s just such an honor to be a part of them now, because they’ve broken so many barriers like that.” 

Flynn said he doesn’t know what subject matter the Arthur web shorts will tackle going forward, but they’ll definitely be doing more episodes in the future. 

According to a PBS press release: “New content from ARTHUR will continue rolling out in 2022 and beyond, including a podcast, video shorts that tackle timely and compelling topics, and digital games. The 25 seasons of ARTHUR (250+ episodes) will continue to be available on PBS KIDS.”

You can find access to all of Arthur’s digital content, including full episodes, the digital shorts by Hero4Hire, games, and activities on PBS’ website. 

There’s a week left before the live-action Master Chief rallies against humanity’s biggest threat in Paramount’s Halo series. But be forewarned: this adaptation won’t soar to the same heights as its video game franchise.

At least that’s according to what the earliest reviews are telling us. It seems that despite producers Kyle Killen and Steven Kane’s best efforts, not to mention a slew of other creatives who’ve worked on this project since its conception back in the early 2010s, Halo hasn’t managed to impress critics all that much.

The Hollywood Reporter called out similarities between Halo and The Mandalorian‘s setting and story, saying Halo‘s series “has a generic story, limitedly engaging characters and a clearly high special-effects budget that yields respectable but unremarkable results”. “In the absence of prior attachment, that’s insufficient for ongoing interest,” THR concluded.

Variety also had mixed feelings, saying Paramount’s Halo comes in an age where “a plethora of TV and streaming options that look and feel similar” mitigate the influence of its wow factors to a large degree.

IGN gave the premiere episode a 7 out of 10. “As much as the premiere focuses on capturing the iconic weapons and technology from the games, it also shows a willingness to move its story in dramatically different directions,” IGN wrote.

Forbes was much more positive hot take on the series, saying Halo “so far has something for franchise fans and broader audiences alike.”

“The combat was enjoyable to watch, and the SFX were sufficiently impressive in that and the space battles that the series will be one to enjoy beyond game aficionados,” Forbes wrote.

As of writing this, the show — slated for a March 24 release on Paramount Plus — exhibits a dreaded 54% rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes with 13 ratings, but the rest of the reviews might still prove more forgiving of this expensive live-action adaptation of the popular military sci-fi franchise.

Why is International Women’s Day Celebrated on March 8?

With its roots in the labor movements of the early 20^th century, International Women’s Day is an internationally- recognized holiday that celebrates the strides that women have made for equality, while recognizing the work yet to be done. But the questions remain; when did the holiday start, and why does it take place every March 8?

The first official National Woman’s Day was held across the United States on February 28, 1909, and was intended to draw attention to women’s rights, the unsafe conditions at factories at which they worked, and universal women’s suffrage, a movement to give American women the right to vote. Some western territories had already granted women the right to vote; in 1870, Wyoming and Utah became the first states to officially grant them the franchise as they ed into statehood. But a woman’s right to vote wasn’t officially recognized in the Constitution until 1920, with the age of the 19^th Amendment.

At a Woman’s Day rally in New York City, Charlotte Perkins Gilman was one of the featured speakers. She is best ed today as the author of the short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” a fictionalized of her treatment at the hands of the psychiatric community at the time. Her story, as well as writings by her contemporaries including Virginia Woolf, helped draw attention to the women were treated for “hysteria” by a male-dominated medical community, and helped usher in reformation. At the rally, she said, “It is true that a woman’s duty is centered in her home and motherhood but home should mean the whole country and not be confined to three or four rooms of a city or a state.”

At the Second International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen, in 1910, at a meeting attended by over a hundred women from 17 countries (including the first three women elected to Finnish Parliament), a motion was unanimously approved to consider women’s worker’s rights a part of the overall movement to gain suffrage. To commemorate this struggle, it was decided to hold a holiday modeled after May Day (also known as Labor Day), an international date to celebrate worker’s rights.

Thus on March 19, 1911, over one million people in Austria, Denmark, , and Switzerland attended rallies to commemorate the first International Women’s Day. On March 25, 1911, a sweatshop known as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory located in Greenwhich Village, Manhattan, caught fire. The resulting loss of life is still considered one of the worst industrial disasters in United States history, resulting in the deaths of 146 workers, 123 of which were women and young girls. Future International Women’s Day rallies would be centered around the rights of workers.

As World War I loomed over the horizon in 1913, Russian women marched in their first International Women’s Day celebration. While the countries of Europe and the United States held their IWD rallies in of suffrage and women’s rights, Russian women were also marching for peace; in 1917, while WWI was in full swing, Russian women held an International Women’s Day march on March 8 to protest the deaths of over 2 million Russian soldiers. They were ed by factory workers protesting bread shortages. By the next day, 150,000 protestors marched in the streets  of Petrograd, then the Russian capital. The so-called “Peace and Bread” marches are considered the start of the Russian Revolution. In 1922, Vladimir Lenin declared the day would be celebrated as a day for all women, and later this was declared a national Soviet holiday.

The date was formally adopted as a holiday worldwide when in 1975 the United Nations began officially commemorating International Women’s Day on March 8 as well, with the date traditionally marked by an address by the UN Secretary General. Today, International Women’s Day is officially celebrated on March 8 in over 100 countries around the world.