Movies

The series *Boots* realistically portrays the intense process of joining the Marines, focusing on an 18-year-old who enlists before the implementation of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Adapted from Greg Cope White’s memoir, *The Pink Marine*, the show follows a young man (played by Miles Heizer, known for his teen roles) who spontaneously joins basic training with the friend he has a crush on. *Boots* feels like a comedic take on summer camp – our main character endures tough drills, forms close bonds with his fellow recruits, and learns to persevere. The show suggests that the harshness of military training can actually improve a person, which is a bold claim. I kept watching hoping the series would challenge this idea, but after finishing the season, I’m still unsure if it does.

The saying “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” might seem like an excuse for copying, but there’s still something to it. In horror movies, it’s common to see films inspired by earlier works, as the genre constantly evolves by building on what came before. Sometimes this results in uninspired copies, but films like *Scream* and *Get Out* successfully build upon and improve the movies that influenced them. Ideally, a great horror film both honors the past and tries something new, creating a dialogue with the genre’s history.

Everything is looking good for Netflix, except they still haven’t won the Academy Award for Best Picture. They’ve been close many times – films have been early frontrunners, critically acclaimed at festivals, and gained momentum late in the season. In fact, Netflix films have received the most nominations overall four times in the last seven years. However, they haven’t actually won the award yet, while newer competitors like Apple, Neon, and A24 have. Will next year finally be their year?

The five-year period after the Blip allowed some people to heal and start over, while others took advantage of the chaos. Criminal organizations stepped into positions of power, those in exile gained influence, and even everyday people had their lives unexpectedly changed. This pause fundamentally altered careers, relationships, and political strategies throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The documentary series *Mr. Scorsese* effectively argues that Martin Scorsese is one of the most important American filmmakers of his generation. It highlights his consistent focus on themes of masculinity, wealth, and how both can damage our sense of right and wrong—themes that reflect who we are as a nation. The series made such a strong case that I found myself wanting even more in-depth analysis; Scorsese’s extensive career could easily have supported many more episodes. In fact, I think a weekly release could have continued indefinitely! Here are twelve aspects of *Mr. Scorsese* that deserve further exploration.

People are curious about how much money players on *Survivor* earn, but many are also excited about what future seasons might hold. Jeff Probst recently discussed a potential ‘Golden’ season – featuring returning all-stars – on his podcast, *On Fire with Jeff Probst*. He admitted the idea has been floated around, but explained why he believes it wouldn’t be successful.

The medical drama *Grey’s Anatomy* celebrated a major achievement on Thursday night, reaching its 450th episode. Titled “We Built This City,” the episode looked back at the show’s history with nods to previous seasons and a complex medical case, as fans have come to expect. The episode also featured the return of Kelly McCreary, and her character Maggie was part of a storyline with personal connections to both writer Zoanne Clack and the show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes.

Thirty years ago, Nicole Kidman played a memorable role in the black comedy *To Die For*. The film features her as a woman desperately seeking television fame who manipulates a teenage fan into committing murder. It remains one of Kidman’s most iconic performances, and she was recently seen wearing a t-shirt featuring a still from the movie – and it still looks fantastic!

Tension is high for Grace and Jackson. Their new life in Montana, following the birth of their baby, is quickly falling apart. Grace is frazzled – dealing with a dog constantly pulling the tablecloth down and messes on the floor – while her husband, Jackson (played by Robert Pattinson), just seems to be making things worse. Both Jennifer Lawrence and Pattinson deliver intensely dramatic performances, filled with exaggerated expressions and gestures. The argument escalates to a bizarre point, with Lawrence repeatedly hissing an obscenity while visibly shaking. Pattinson ultimately ends the fight by mockingly imitating Lawrence, ranting about needing to focus on his writing instead of… other things, before dramatically leaving their rundown house.

Watching the latest season really got me pondering something: how much lying can a reality show *handle*? This whole franchise thrives on conflicting stories – it’s basically he-said-she-said, though honestly, nobody ever seems hesitant to accuse! But if everyone’s constantly hiding things, at what point does trying to untangle the truth stop being entertaining and actually start to ruin the show? I’m starting to wonder if these shows can even *survive* if we lose the ability to agree on what actually happened.