Selena Gomez celebrated her 25th birthday on Saturday. Rather than throw herself a big blowout the way some of us would celebrate if we had a fraction of her success in a quarter of a century, it looks she did things in a characteristically lowkey Selena Gomez way. From what we can tell on her Instagram feed, she had a few good friends over for cake. It even looks like she was wearing pajamas for this decidedly not wild shindig.
"Thank you for all of my bday love. I couldn't be more blessed. A lot of you don't realize how much you mean to me. I. Love. You. --think 25 is going to be epic. Xo," Gomez wrote, captioning a photo of herself sitting on a kitchen island, about to blow a noise maker in front of two green cakes. Her Instagram stories also showed off the cakes and some Polaroids of her in a comfy white, long-sleeve shirt and matching pants.
"My people," she said of another photo taken from behind a group of women holding up their cameras to snap her blowing out the candles.
None Gomez's famous friends appear to be in these pics. As People notes, TheWeeknd is on tour in Paris, and if Taylor Swift was there, she stayed far from any cameras or phones.
Gomez got her share of birthday messages on social media, however, including tweets from Madison de la Garza, Ryan Seacrest, Felicity Huffman, and Ellen DeGeneres.
The singer-actress-producer seems much more focused on something bigger than her birthday happening this month, the release of her mini-movie for her song, "Fetish," which is set to premiere next week.
Once Upon a Time fans, it looks like season 7 could be the most exciting one yet despite worries that they show may lose its mojo with a lot of its starring cast not returning.
The trailer for the latest season has been unveiled, and it there is a lot to look forward to when the premiere comes on October 6th. The cast sat down to share details with those at San Diego Comic-Con, where they confirmed that familiar faces including Regina Mills (Lana Parrilla), Captain Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), and Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) would be back this time around. They will be joined by newcomers to the show Dania Ramirez, Gabrielle Anwar, and Andrew J. West.
In the trailer, we see that Captain Hook will be working as a police officer and his storyline is going to mirror how the series started — appropriate, considering the massive reboot that we're all expecting from the show in season 7. If you loved it once before, you'll love it again...right?
Our guess is that all the talk of remembering in the trailer is a big hint that memory is (once again) going to play a big role in whatever plans the big bad this season has for our heroes. It may also play a role in explaining how a cast can disappear without causing a major rift in the storyline.
It's been confirmed that Ramirez will be playing Cinderella (this will be the first time that audiences have seen a live-action Black Cinderella since the 1997 Disney film adaptation starring Brandy Morewood as the title character) and we get a glamorous glimpse of her here. Her stepmother will be played by Anwar, as "new wicked stepmother, Lady Tremaine." Princess Tiana will also be appearing this season, played by Mekia Cox.
Major concerns arose among the show's fandom, following the announcement that so many characters won't be returning this season. Addressing this directly, Kitsis noted, "We are going to take a few new characters and go on a new journey, and we hope you’ll come along with us.”
It was also said that this season will also focus on "a prominent LGBTQ+ storyline." There aren't any further details on this, but you can bet it'll be exciting to see onscreen.
It's sad to see so many characters that we've grown to love leave, but as the trailer says, a new journey awaits.
Remember when TV couples slept in twin beds and everyone pretty much assumed that Little Ricky was the product of some immaculate conception? Remember when you could watch a show and not worry about a parent or nephew walking in on you? Remember when David Caruso's bare buns on NYPD Blue was as steamy as it got, which is to say, not steamy at all?
Now you don't even need cable to see your favorite TV characters doing the deed, though it certainly doesn't hurt. Viola Davis is pulling out her back. Merkin sales must fly through the roof when Outlander is filming. Frank and Claire Underwood are having threesomes and Remy Danton is a cunning linguist. Thanks to Broad City, "pegging" has entered the mainstream lexicon.
It's hard to play favorites, especially when so much of the good stuff isn't available on YouTube, but these small-screen sex scenes stand out from the rest. Was it good for you?
Missandei & Grey Worm
After seasons of simmering sexual tension, Daenerys' right hand man and woman finally get together. Though Grey Worm is initially ashamed of his eunuch body, he bares himself at Missandei's urging. She says she wants to see "all of him."
Adam and Rachel, UnREAL
After weeks of budding flirtation, the star of a dating TV show hooks up with a producer.
Salim & the Djinn, American Gods
In the most explicit gay sex scene in TV history, a struggling Omani immigrant and a djinn with flaming red eyes have a sensual evening in a hotel room. Only in New York, am I right?
Jane & Fabian, Jane the Virgin
Jane may have been a virgin when the show started, but she’s ready for some NSA action now.
Ezra & Aria, Pretty Little Liars
This controversial couple argue and then get between the sheets in a flash forward on the show.
Oliver & Felicity, Arrow
This couple found themselves brought together by grief. Like, totally together with no clothes on.
Jane & Oscar, Blindspot
When a first kiss leads to first time sex, the chemistry is tight.
Rachel & Josh, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Have you ever had someone sing to you while you make love? It sounds horrible, but the way Rachel and Josh do it is pretty great.
Alice & Ben, The Catch
The sweetest taboo is the man you know is bad for you — if you're Alice.
Ghost & Angela, Power
These two take it into the studio and elevate the meaning behind the sexual power struggle in the hottest, rawest scene imaginable.
Eleanor & Jasper, The Royals
Somehow there has been no delayed gratification in Eleanor and Jasper's relationship, and yet all their gratification is constantly delayed. It's hard to be royal.
Bobby & Lara, Billions
Married sex can still be hot, as this couple are out to prove.
Jason & Eric, True Blood
Sure, this entire sex scene is a dream, and a byproduct of Jason's hungering for Eric Northman's vampire blood. But trust us: The unreality of this scene does not take away from the hotness of it.
Alex & Piper, Orange Is The New Black
When these two reunited, it was ON.
Adam & Jessa, Girls
Ask not if Adam and Jessa should be a couple. Ask instead how hot is their sex?
Elizabeth & Phillip, The Americans
For the first several seasons of the series, this married pair of spies have a business relationship. When Elizabeth finally opens up, they have the best sex of their married lives.
David & Syd, Legion
Answering the age old question: how do you have sex with someone who can't be touched?
Dean & Anna, Supernatural Supernatural generally foregoes hot sex for slaying evil in its various forms, but the Dean and Anna the angel relationship was one sexy sex bomb (sorry to the Destiel shippers).
Celeste & Perry, Big Little Lies
We're not sure if "hottest" is the correct adjective to describe Celeste (Nicole Kidman and Perry's (Alexander Skarsgard) tumultuous, violent pairing. Their intense passion culminates in gymnastic kitchen counter sex, but any sexiness is underscored by Perry's temper and thirst for control. Through scenes like this, Big Little Lies is doing important work in depicting the complexities of an abusive marriage.
April & Jackson, Grey's Anatomy This couple have given us some of the show's greatest fights but did you know they also shared one of the hottest sex scenes — and in a bathroom, to boot!
Fiona & Steve, Shameless Extra credit goes to the foley artist, who timed the subtle clanging of pots, pans, and drawer-slamming perfectly to Fiona and Steve's first romp in the kitchen.
Barbara & Renee, Gotham Hidden love tends to have an extra long shelf life.
Alison & Noah, The Affair Ah, remember the season one heyday of The Affair when Alison and Noah were gleefully and (nearly) guiltlessly doing it just everywhere?
Maeve & Hector, Westworld Who knew that two robots having sex could look so lifelike?
Clarke & Lexa, The 100 Their love is forbidden, thanks to a grudge between their people, but it's also the only thing holding two civilizations together.
Raffi & Terry, Murder In The First If two cops slip into the back room to "check some evidence," you know what it means.
Abraham & Rosita, The Walking Dead If sex gets hotter when someone else watches, Abraham and Rosita were having very, very hot sex.
Carrie & Big, Sex and the City When Carrie and Big started the affair that destroyed both of their relationships, it was one of the steamiest moments of their relationship.
Cordelia & Hank, American Horror Story: Coven Their relationship might have turned out to be, um, toxic, but Cordelia and Hank did have some hot ritual sex before it all fell apart.
Rayna & Deacon, Nashville They get together and break up with enough frequency (and velocity) to break your neck, but when they do come together it's a powerful physical connection.
Damon & Elena, The Vampire Diaries There were a lot of couples in this show, but Damon and Elena were always the hottest...and the most star-crossed.
The Fall When Stella gets her groove on in The Fall, it is always hot.
Sense8 When a group of people around the world find themselves mentally linked, "group sex" takes on a completely different meaning.
Jessica Jones & Luke Cage, Jessica Jones When two superheroes get carnal, everything around them gets destroyed. It's supersex.
Hank & Abby, Californication Call it tit for tat: after Abby gets Hank off his jail sentence, Hank gets Abby off.
Don & Rachel, Mad Men Don Draper had a lot of affairs, but his love for married store owner Rachel Katz was the hottest, deepest, and realest relationship he seemed to get into.
Buffy & Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Imagine if your love literally made the world crumble around you.
Lip & Helene, Shameless Lip's forbidden affair with his older female professor created some of his hottest scenes on the series to date -- in part because he finally got emotionally invested in his sex life.
Rachel & Mike, Suits Only when Rachel finally learns Mike's big secret and the truth is out can they give into their intense feelings for each other in the file room.
Henry & Casey, Party Down The sexual tension between these two finally came to a head when Casey told Henry she was getting a divorce.
Poldark & Demeiza, Poldark Demeiza goes from house maid to future wife in one very seductive twirl of the dress.
Ragnar, Lagertha, & Athelstan, Vikings When two godless heathens try to tempt a priest into their bed, this is what happens.
Bill & Sookie & Eric, True Blood Whether you were Team Bill or Team Eric, we has to admit that this dream sequence brought us the best of all worlds.
Alex & Ryan, Quantico It's a meet-cute in reverse when you have super hot car sex on the first date, right?
Jake & Amanda, Melrose Place They fight, they make up, wash, rinse and repeat -- that is the formula for hot sex on a nighttime soap.
Mary & Francis , Reign It took a long time, as was the custom for the time period, but when Francis and Mary finally consummated their marriage it was magical.
Tommy & Grace, Peaky Blinders He's a bad man and she's a spy, but when they finally come together it's worth crossing enemy lines.
Mary Jane & Andre, Being Mary Jane The hotness just jumps off these two whenever they're together, and they get together in some really sexy spots.
Nancy & Jack, Weeds The hair pulling is only beginning of this sexy scene revolving around domination.
Buffy & Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Anticipation is the key to Buffy and Angel's love, but when they finally do connect physically, it turns sour — quickly. But goodness, all the time we spent waiting for that moment to come!
Karen's Fantasy Threesome, Mistresses It's very, very difficult to lead a group marriage counseling session when all you can think about is the hot threesome you'd rather be in.
Jimmy & Gretchen, You're the Worst If you ever wonder what keeps Jimmy and Gretchen together, it's their amazing sex life.
Belle & Her Favorite Client,The Secret Diary of a Call Girl There's a lot of sex in this series about the life of a call girl, but most of it is not terribly sexy. When Belle is reminiscing about a meeting with her favorite client, however, things get really, really hot.
Eddie & Sarah, The Path This is what hot, married sex looks like. Eddie and Sarah are constantly negotiating their differences, but they often resolve their problems with amazing sex. Frequently in the kitchen.
Pictured: Aaron Paul and Michelle Monaghan in The Path.
Photo: Courtesy of Hulu.
Ali & Emily, Pretty Little Liars Emison is born with one hot kiss under the covers, while a longing version of "I'll Be Watching You" plays in the background — sexy and mysterious.
Jessica Jones & Luke Cage, Jessica Jones When two superheroes get carnal, everything around them gets destroyed. It's super sex.
Danny & Alex, London Spy Ben Whishaw and Edward Holcroft steam up the screens in this British spy drama. The scene drew some viewer complaints, but they weren't from us.
Chuck & Blair, Gossip Girl This limo scene started one of the greatest relationships of our time. #Chair forever.
Jon Snow & Ygritte, Game of Thrones It turns out Jon Snow does know something.
Pictured: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie in Game of Thrones
Photo: Courtesy of HBO.
Kate & Sawyer, Lost It's animalistic and hot, except you can't help but wonder how Kate's armpits are still hairless when she's been imprisoned on a deserted island for so long.
Connor & Paxton, How To Get Away With Murder "He did this thing to my ass that made my eyes water," Pax said after their copy room hookup.
Pictured: Natasha Lyonne and Yael Stone in Orange Is the New Black
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.
Libby & Robert, Masters of Sex One second, they're discussing the roles to which society confines them, the next, they’re making rapturous love on the kitchen floor.
Pictured: Caitlin Fitzgerald and Jocko Sims in Masters of Sex
Photo: Courtesy of Showtime.
Olivia & Fitz, Scandal Let's be honest: There were a lot of scenes to showcase from Scandal, because Olivia and Fitz's chemistry is off the charts. There was that time on the campaign trail, "If you want me, earn me," and the cabin in Vermont. We're choosing the phone sex, though, because how often do you witness truly hot phone sex on TV?
Alisha & Future Simon, Misfits Do Brits do TV sex better? A very important case study.
Kalinda & Lana, The Good Wife Kalinda employs a creative manipulation technique here. Alas, the uncooperative Lana is left with some proverbial blue balls.
Sons of Anarchy, "Fucktage" Almost every member of the SAMCRO gang is getting it on in the explicit opening montage of an episode called "Faith and Despondency." Also note Wendy engaging in some battery-operated self-loving.
Pictured: Charlie Hunnam in Sons of Anarchy
Photo: Courtesy of FX.
Marnie & Desi, Girls It's nice to see Marnie trying new things.
Pictured: Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Allison Williams in Girls
Photo: Courtesy of HBO.
Charlotte & Harry, Sex and the City She can't believe he'd find her sexy in her glasses. The bachelor pad in which he's squatting is repulsive. Neither of things matter because it's on.
Jamie & Claire, Outlander She’s conflicted because of her overwhelming attraction to the young Scot and the fact that she’s technically married to someone else in the 20th century. He’s nervous because he’s a virgin. They figure it out in no time flat on their wedding night.
Photo: Courtesy of Starz.
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Rejoice, Insecure fans, for HBO’s pitch-perfect romantic comedy is finally back for season 2. When we last saw Issa Dee (Issa Rae) and her Los Angeles friend group, the show’s lead character had been left by her longtime boyfriend, Lawrence (Jay Ellis). While the rules of rom-coms suggest fans should immediately start rooting for a reconciliation, I, and the rest of the Internet, could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Issa and Lawrence were terrible together. Lawrence was too obsessed with being a Sad Boy to celebrate his own girlfriend’s birthday. Issa was too over Lawrence’s Sad Boy antics to avoid having sex with her ex-hookup Daniel (Y'lan Noel). With the couple’s relationship officially done at the end of season 1, it seemed like everyone could move on from their romantic nonsense, despite the fact it might be a bit sad for both people. Unfortunately, season 2 premiere "Hella Great," proves this duo isn’t over — and that’s probably for the worse.
At the end of season 1, it was clear Issa had fallen into the "You don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone" trap once Lawrence learns she was unfaithful. During a girl’s trip to Malibu, Issa, her best friend Molly (Yvonne Orji), and their friends Tiffany (Amanda Seales) and Kelli (Natasha Rothwell) party with some younger men at a bar. Kelli, who didn’t hook up with anyone, complains the next morning, "I bought that little boy hella drinks last night. Men these days are hella trifling. Just be thankful you have Lawrence."
The latter half of that statement becomes Issa’s mantra for the trip as she prays Lawrence will decide to forgive her. But, her hope isn’t because she truly loves Lawrence. It’s because, as Kelli reminds our heroine, men out here are terrible, and at least Lawrence is handsome, faithful, and all Issa’s. But, did Issa really need to be "thankful" for her boyfriend? No. This is a guy who wasted years upon years "trying" to get his app off the ground. This is a guy who needed to be convinced to take an amazing job with benefits and a parking spot because bills. Yes, Lawrence is definitely on a post-Best Buy upswing by the end of season 1, but it comes too little, too late, as Issa’s passion for her man had already died long ago.
Despite the facts of how Issa truly felt about her boyfriend, season 2 opens with Issa pining for the days when she was in a relationship. As Kelli practically prophesied in Malibu, a newly single Issa’s countless app-curated dates are all trifling. She smiles through a montage, politely listening to a random coterie of men ask her about where she’s from, why she’s single, and how she likes working with kids. The alarmingly repetitive conversations are so bad, Issa daydreams about rapping to her suitors, "I don’t wanna be here, but my ex won’t take me back, so my broken ass is here small talkin’ over apps." Still, we don’t actually understand why Issa wants to get back with Lawrence. Their relationship was comfortable and familiar, but, so is a cushy pair of slippers. That doesn’t mean you can’t eventually toss those shoes out when they get far too ratty to wear and order a new pair on Amazon. Hell, you can even go barefoot for a while. Issa only misses Lawrence because dating is hard, boring work.
Still, Issa spends the rest of "Hella Great" wishing for Lawrence and trying to figure out a way to get him to their apartment, which he still hasn’t officially moved out of. All of the scheming feels unnecessary. Molly reminds her best friend, “Real talk though, guys always want you back when they know you’re doing good without them.” Here begins Issa’s scheme to seem hella great, as the episode is called. She imagines all the ways she could open the door when Lawrence will inevitably arrive at the apartment. She's pious, overtly sexy (“Here’s your jury booty”), and casual, with a corresponding outfit for each character. Issa even throws a wine-down party on the evening Lawrence is supposed to come over to pick up his jury duty letter. The bash veers wildly off the tracks, ending with a fireball enveloping Issa’s trash bin and leaving burn marks all over her wall. On top of that, Lawrence doesn’t even show up.
Speaking of season 2 Lawrence, the premiere plays out as his fuckboy origin story. The "good guy" persona we came to know has dimmed, and in its place is a guy who comes over to a woman’s house on a Friday, enjoys a full sex weekend, and then disappears just before Monday rolls around, never to be seen or heard from during the workweek. Plus, he is sleeping on an air mattress in his friend’s living room. All Lawrence needs to do now is to start texting random girls from Tinder, "U up?" at all hours of the early morning.
When Lawrence realizes he’s treating his new lady friend Tasha (Dominique Perry) terribly, he tries to remedy the situation by taking her out on the night he’s supposed to visit Issa’s apartment. The date clearly signals Lawrence might be ready for something more serious with his bank teller hookup, who’s very much into him. Every single time Tasha glances at Lawrence, her eyes scream, "So, when are you going to be my boyfriend?" Despite this game-changing dinner, Lawrence still ends the episode having sex with Issa.
While some may regard the premiere's closing sex scene as proof Issa and Lawrence simply can’t quit each other, it also proves things will always be awkward between these two. Lawrence surprises Issa by coming to the apartment about a day later than he said he would. Issa has no time to prepare for the encounter and is therefore her most natural self. So, the duo share a few tense looks and eventually fall back into each other’s arms, having sex on the couch that is a metaphor for their relationship. The encounter is fast and leaves both parties looking bewildered. Issa nervously runs her hands through her hair afterwards, and Lawrence dashes out, giving his "ex"-girlfriend a kiss on the cheek as a parting gift. There’s no emotional pillow talk or declarations of undying love. While the latter is probably an unrealistic expectation, the post-breakup sex is simply uncomfortable, and hints things may always be simply uncomfortable for everyone involved. The hookup squarely doesn’t scream "First steps to reconciliation."
During a "Hella Great" heart-to-heart with Molly, Issa admits, "Bitch, of course I want my man back. I was lying." But, after this episode, Issa should probably change her mind on that one. Especially since, as the season 2 preview promises, Issa’s side dude Daniel is about to return. After a season of The Issa And Lawrence Show, it might be time for Issa to explore the other half of Insecure 's love triangle.
Most people find cheating to be a rather icky thing to do. No matter how you feel about monogamy, it's pretty awful to lie to your partner and violate their trust by getting involved with someone behind their back. Of course, while most of us would hate to find ourselves in this romantic situation in real life, movies are a much different story.
Even the most loyal among us sometimes like to indulge in films about affairs. Maybe it's getting lost in a fantasy you know you would hate to fulfill in real life, or just the general excitement that comes from the movie's illicit love (or, often, straight-up sex). No matter what your reason for sitting through a film about a not-so-neat affair, there's more than enough movies to satisfy the urge. Hollywood adores some steamy adultery, so don't feel guilty about enjoying this genre.
So what affair movies are top-notch? These movies range from romances to thrillers, but each one has something in common: They're totally extra (-marital, that is.) Click through to see which ones you should watch when the mood strikes.
On paper, Margot (Michelle Williams) and her husband, Lou (Seth Rogen), have the perfect life. After five years of marriage, they still love each other, and get along splendidly. But Margot questions her happiness when she meets a charming, freewheeling rickshaw driver named Daniel (Luke Kirby), who's everything Lou is not. In this story of a woman on the fault line between two relationships, no choice is the right one.
Same Time, Next Year(1978)
Each year, George (Alan Alda) and Doris (Ellen Burstyn) reunite at a small California inn to have a one-night affair. The ritual began in 1951, and they haven't missed a meeting, despite marriage and children. Over the years, they develop an intimacy that runs like a current through their personal hardships, and sustains them.
The Descendants(2011)
After Matt King's (George Clooney) wife falls into a coma after a tragic accident, Matt is left to raise their two daughters — and deal with the repercussions of secrets that come tumbling from her past.
Betrayal(1983)
The movie opens in a pub, where ex-lovers Jerry (Jeremy Irons) and Emma (Patricia Hodge) hash out the events of their seven-year-long affair. A literary agent, Jerry was the best friend of Emma's husband, a well-to-do English publisher.
Told in nine segments in reverse chronological order, the film's a careful portrait of the choices we make and the repercussions they have.
American Beauty(1999)
For years, Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) thought adhering to the capitalist American dream would bring happiness. When he finds he's still empty on the inside, Lester decides to reinvent himself as a responsibility-shirking teenager. Along the way, Lester's pulled into a heavy flirtation with Angela (Mena Suvari), his daughter's seductive best friend. The affair doesn't go places, but Lester's imagination does, including the iconic scene of Angela floating in rose petals.
Y Tu Mama Tambien(2001)
In this steamy Mexican film, a pair of 20-something best friends take a road trip through Italy with a mysterious older woman. Along the way, the boys' loyalties to their girlfriends are tested through the trip's ever-increasing sexual tension. Then, it's revealed that both boys have slept with each other's girlfriends — so all bets for fidelity are off.
Indecent Proposal(1993)
Beware turning your marriage into a money-making scheme. After a financial crisis hits David Murphy (Woody Harrelson) and his wife, Diana (Demi Moore), hard, they turn to Vegas to win big gambling. When, surprise surprise, gambling falls through, the couple is offered one last ray of financial hope through a mysterious billionaire (Robert Redford). He'll give the couple $1 million dollars — if he can spend a night with Diana.
The English Patient (1996)
During the final days of WWII in Italy, a French-Canadian nurse sits with a severely burned patient. Through his intense bandages, the patient begins to weave a story of the great affair, adventure, and tragedy he had while a cartographer in Africa recently. Key takeaway from the gorgeous and ornate film: best wait for the discreetness of a city to start an affair, because it's easy to get caught in a desert.
Brokeback Mountain (2005) Jake Gyllenhaal and the late great Heath Ledger play ranchers drawn together during long nights on the range. Their love is passionate and bristling with implications. The main characters’ long, brooding glances, palpable chemistry, and societal entrapment make this a truly unforgettable love story. Equally interesting is the film’s portrayal of the repercussions of infidelity, and the specific cracks and fissures that erupt in each man’s marriage.
Match Point (2005) Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson play adulterers in this Woody Allen thriller. Though their romance is peppered with steamy kisses in the rain, ultimately, the film ends...well, not so well for everyone involved.
Swimfan (2002) At the height of the early-'00s teen melodrama, there was Swimfan, a movie as sexy as it is scary. In the film, reformed bad boy turned swimming superstar Ben (Jesse Bradford) cheats on his lovely girlfriend Amy (Shiri Appleby) with the seductive new girl Madison (Erika Christensen). Turns out, Madison is a bucket of crazy, and attempts to ruin Ben's life (and end it) after he decides to end their affair. At least they'll always have sex in the high school pool...?
Closer (2005) If you believe in love at first sight, you never stop looking. Such is the premise of Mike Nichols' affair drama, which entangles two couples into one another's lives with devastating consequences. Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen, and Julia Roberts give performances that are as excellent as they are heartbreaking.
Fatal Attraction (1987) Some hot affairs fizzle out. Others end with your daughter's pet bunny in a pot on the stove. (Ugh, nightmares for days.) While you might not fantasize about this affair, you'll be hooked, and likely terrified, by Glenn Close's portrayal of the obsessed Alex.
Chloe(2003) This movie, a remake of the 2003 French film Nathalie, features Amanda Seyfried in a role far darker than some of the rom-com heroines she's played. Here, she's a manipulative call girl named Chloe, whom suspicious wife Catherine (Julianne Moore) hires to tempt her husband (Liam Neeson) to see if he has been unfaithful. Things get more complicated when Catherine is seduced herself.
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If you tuned into watch the second episode of Game of Throne ’s seventh season last night, you know that two of the Sand Snakes, Nymeria and Obara, were killed by the violent and vengeful Euron Greyjoy. We're certainly sad to see two extremely skilled women warriors exit the show, but Jessica Henwick, the actress who played Nymeria Sand, was actually ready to let the character go because of her busy filming schedule. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Henwick explained how she found out that her character was going to be killed off the show and how she managed to squeeze filming Nymeria's final scenes into her tight schedule.
An FYI to all the Game Of Thrones actors out there, the actress that played Oberyn Martell's whip-wielding daughter says you know your character's time is coming to an end when you get a call from BOTH showrunners. She explained in her interview, "As soon as you hear that more than one of them is on the call you know what that means. If it’s just one they’re probably talking about the story. But if it’s both of them then you know."
So, both David Benioff and D.B. Weiss called Henwick to break the news and asked her to return to film Nymeria's final scene so that viewers would get some resolution and not be left forever wonder what happened to the Sand Snake. However, that almost didn't happen because Henwick was just too busy. At the time, she was filming Marvel's Iron Fist in New York and wasn't sure she would be able to get time away to film her scenes for Game Of Thrones. In the end, she was able to secure a release on two weekends, and though her death scene was supposed to be more drawn out, they were able to film a quicker version of the Sand Snake's death.
Even though Nymeria's death scene was cut a bit short, it seems it was no less brutal to film. Henwick said of filming, "It was one of the few occasions where it was more intense on set than it will be on screen... For this, the audience can’t feel the heat on their face from the pyrotechnics going off or feel the wave machine trying to knock us off our feet, or the sweat dripping off our faces." It's rough that the actress had to fly back and forth between New York and Belfast and deal wigs catching fire, but we're selfishly glad Nymeria didn't suffer too badly.
But the U.S. Senate’s Office of the Parliamentarian, which acts as the official advisor of the upper chamber, ruled on Friday that the anti-abortion provisions in the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) violate a guideline called the "Byrd Rule," adding a new obstacle that could prevent the Senate healthcare bill from passing. (We don't know yet what the repeal-only bill looks like, but it could contain a similar plan to defund Planned Parenthood.)
As of now, Republicans are trying to pass their healthcare reform through a budget process called reconciliation, which allows them to pass bills with a plain 51-vote majority instead of the traditional 60-vote threshold. But the Senate Parliamentarian's guidelines say that if reconciliation is used for the healthcare bill, there can't be "provisions that are ‘merely incidental’ to the budget." This basically means all included provisions must have an impact on the budget and not be driven primarily by ideology or the desire to make a policy change.
Defunding Planned Parenthood for a year and preventing tax credits from being used to buy health insurance plans that cover abortion services are two "merely incidental" provisions, according to the Parliamentarian. Therefore, Republicans would need 60 votes to pass healthcare reform.
The issue is that the party controls only 52 seats in the Senate and all Democrats are opposed to any effort to repeal Obamacare. And if the GOP foregoes the anti-abortion provisions, it would likely anger many conservatives who oppose Planned Parenthood and would like to see it defunded (even though the organization can't use federal funds to provide abortions because of the Hyde Amendment, and the Medicaid reimbursements it receives cover health services such as birth control and cancer screenings.)
It's not the first time the Byrd rule has been considered in relation to defunding Planned Parenthood. In 2015, Congress tried to pass a reconciliation bill that defunded the organization and repealed the ACA. Experts said the rule could have been used to prevent the bill from reaching President Obama's desk.
Dana Singiser, Planned Parenthood's vice president for public policy and government affairs, said the effort to defund the organization is "clearly political."
"No amount of legislative sleight of hand will change the fact that the primary motivation here is to pursue a social agenda by targeting Planned Parenthood because we provide the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion," she said in a statement provided to Refinery29.
She added, "The bottom line is that it is absurd for anyone to assert that the purpose of this provision is budgetary — when it is plainly clear that this dangerous policy is rooted in a political agenda. This does not change the fact that Trumpcare is the worst bill for women’s health in a generation and should fail."
But Joe Brenckle, a spokesman for the Senate Budget Committee Republicans, told CNN that the Parliamentarian's ruling was not set in stone.
"The parliamentarian has provided guidance on an earlier draft of the bill, which will help inform action on the legislation going forward," he said.
Republicans are currently trying to figure out how to get their healthcare reform off the ground. If successful, they'll have to decide whether to include the anti-abortion provisions and put the whole bill at risk of not passing if it can't reach 60 votes.
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It's already become pretty clear that 2017 is going to be a stellar year for music. We're anticipating new albums from tons of our favorite artists, which you can keep track of here. We've got a running hot new songs each week to add to your playlist rotation. And now, we're keeping you clued in on the best lyrics we've heard this year (so far).
But what makes a lyric great? Well, that's up to the songwriter and the listener — music is personal, and what sticks with one person might soon be forgettable to another, but we think you'll agree that these have a way of perking one's ears up. Great lyrics can make you laugh, make you think, make you feel. From the witty to the heartbreaking, from sweet pop choruses to politically-charged rap verses, we appreciate them all.
So enjoy our very favorite lyrics of 2017 so far. We'll be updating this post every couples of weeks to keep things fresh.
"Heartbreak Diet," Sälen
I am done with sticky people (sticky people) That are too hard to pick out of my teeth Don't call me I'm on my heartbreak diet Love isn't good for you I think I'll burn it
Don't be deceived by the lead singer's sweet soprano voice. Like Lily Allen, bracingly clever lyrics are paired with a saccharine voice — and the results are perfect.
"I Love You So Much," DJ Khaled and Chance the Rapper
You're my son, you're a mogul You're an icon, you're a legend You're the greatest, I love you, I love you so much
Does this song display lyrical acrobatics? No. But this exuberant song about DJ Khaled and Chance the Rapper's love for their kids has made us cry more than once.
"Call It Dreaming," Iron & Wine
Where the sun isn't only sinking fast Every night knows how long it's supposed to last Where the time of our lives is all we have And we get a chance to say Before we ease away For all the love you've left behind You can have mine
Leave it to the bearded mountain man to write the most beautiful, profound song of the year.
"While You Wait for the Others," Grizzly Bear
While you wait on the answers That I'll pretend to find Keeping up with the motions Still occupies our time
The entire album details the disintegration of a relationship, but this stanza especially captures the slow pace of unhappiness.
"If You Need To, Keep Time On Me," Fleet Foxes
How could it all fall in one day? Were we too sure of the sun? If you need to, keep time on me
Written as a response to the state of American politics, this Fleet Foxes offers a lyrical alternative to the phrase, "You can count on me."
"Green Light," Lorde
'Cause honey I'll come get my things, but I can't let go
Simple, yes, but single line captures the pain of moving on from a break-up in a neat image.
"Everything Now" by Arcade Fire
Every inch of sky's got a star Every inch of skin's got a scar I guess that you've got everything now Every inch of space in your head Is filled up with the things that you read I guess you've got everything now And every film that you've ever seen Fills the spaces up in your dreams
In this ridiculously catchy song with a cynical heart, Arcade Fire remarks that while we have everything at the tip of our fingers, we're prone to overlooking the important things.
"Signal," Sylvan Esso
It's a signal in the noise It's a bell in a mine It's a black dog in a junkyard Gonna chase you down in time Chase you down in time
"american dream," LCD Soundsystem
So you kiss and you clutch but you can't fight that feeling That your one true love is just awaiting your big meeting So you never even asked for names You just look right through them as if you already came It's a drug of the heart and you can't stop the shaking 'Cause the body wants what it's terrible at taking, oh And you can't remember the meaning But there's no going back against this California feeling
LCD Soundsystem vs. carnal attempts at intimacy.
"Want You Back" by Haim
Some things are long forgotten Some things were never said We were on one endless road But I had a wandering heart
We'd take them back just by virtue of how amazing this pop song is.
"Sign of the Times" by Harry Styles
"You can't bribe the door on your way to the sky You look pretty good down here But you ain't really good"
We'll forgive him for the falsetto, because the song is pretty great.
"Glow" by Drake
“Watch out for me/I’m about to glow”
It's impossible to narrow down the best lyric off of Drake's 2017 album "More Life," but this one comes pretty close.
"Biking" by Frank Ocean, feat. Tyler, The Creator and Jay-Z
Gave you what you could handle I got the grip like the handle And I'm bikin' I'm bikin' with me and my Daniel Hades got the angels TV's got the angles I'm brakin'
Frank Ocean, Tyler, The Creator, and Jay-Z bring a different twist to the theme of cycles (and bicycling) in this interwoven song.
"I Live Now As a Singer," Julie Byrne
And I have dragged my life across the country And wondered if travel led me anywhere There's a passion in me, just does not long for those things Tell me how'd it feel for you to be in love
The nod beneath the universe you walk with me Said I'd be ever in the air of your honesty
This folky singer-songwriter's recent album Not Even Happiness is spun from poetry.
Courtesy of Ba Da Bing
"Pure Comedy," Father John Misty
The comedy of man starts like this
Our brains are way too big for our mothers' hips
And so Nature, she divines this alternative
We emerged half-formed and hope that whoever greets us on the other end
Is kind enough to fill us in
And, babies, that's pretty much how it's been ever since
FJM’s latest cynical single pokes fun at the theater of mankind, which he distills down to comedy. As always, it’s unclear how much of this is the opinion of Father John Misty the character, or Josh Tillman's, the real identity of the singer.
"That's What's Up,” Alicia Keys
Ladies and Gentleman, allow me my testimony I'm so blessed, I'm so blessed Stow your blessings upon me And it feels so good, it feels so good So good to be free Oh, keep your presence Keep your presence on me
Keys released this song about faith and gratitude, which samples Kanye West’s "Low Lights," on her 35th birthday.
“Moving on and Getting Over,” John Mayer
Tell me I can have the fact you’ve loved me to hold onto Tell me I can keep the door cracked open, to let light through
The singer-songwriter gets vulnerable on this melancholy track from his new EP, The Search for Everything: Wave One.
Photo: Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage.
"Shape Of You," Ed Sheeran
I'm in love with the shape of you We push and pull like a magnet do Although my heart is falling too
This is Sheerhan's tender, poetic way of saying "I like your hot bod."
"High For Hours," J. Cole
Here's a thought for my revolutionary heart Take a deeper look at history, it's there to pick apart See, the people at the top, they get to do just what they want 'Til after a while the people at the bottom finally get smart Then they start to holla "Revolution!"
Cole released his soulful, incisive new song about racial oppression and revolution in America on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Photo: Tom Nicholson/REX/Shutterstock.
"(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano," Sampha
No one knows me like the piano in my mother's home You would show me I have something, some people call a soul And you drop-topped the sky, oh you arrived when I was three years old No one knows me like the piano in my mother's home
The Brit's beautiful meditation on his mother's death and the healing power of music will make you tear up.
"Say Something Loving," The xx
Say something loving I just don't remember the thrill of affection I just don't remember Say something loving I need a reminder, the feeling's escaped m e
The xx returns to peak lyrical form on I See You, like in this bittersweet track about feeling nostalgic for closeness.
"Black Magic," Yung Mavu
My wizards lit, y'all don't even know When I'm with your girl I steal the show Glass on my face, you're a disgrace A Dementor try to suck up my face
The first viral hit of 2017 is creative and ingenious, thanks largely to its perfect Harry Potter references.
Don’t lie. You’ve definitely spent a night in dancing to “Call Me Maybe” while cleaning your room. Or, at least, to Taylor Swift. Nothing has as much power as a feel-good song, which can transform any mundane task into an epic feat worthy of a montage.
Luckily, even if you tire of one song, there is always another that will inevitably lift your spirits. Here are the happiest songs we know that will always put you in a good mood. Blast these while driving down a highway in a convertible. Lip sync to them in your room (with a hair brush). Dance to these while doing the dishes or plug them in when you really need to get shit done. From classic oldies to modern pop songs, these happy tunes are ones you actually want to get stuck in your head. Click through to see the happiest songs, ever — and let us know your favorite feel-good tunes in the comments below.
"Almost Makes Me Wish for Rain" by Lucius
The perfect harmonies of Lucius are back, with many an upbeat melody on Good Grief. The most jam-worthy might just be this breakup anthem, which has a danceable beat and singable chorus.
“Kiss Me” by Sixpence None The Richer
The song that played in our heads during every high school make-out session.
“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk The Moon
An inspiring, end-of-the-night dance tune that speeds up the wistfulness of "Don't Stop Believing" with an equally memorable chorus.
“Young Blood” by The Naked And Famous
Plug in your headphones and take a walk. This song will make everything appear in a whole new light.
"Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side" by The Magnetic Fields
This super happy song contains certain jingle that adds a spring to every step. It sounds like summer, with a little hopeful pep — even if the lyrics are just a tad depressing.
"Make Me Like You" by Gwen Stefani
As a follow up to her breakup song "Used to Love You," Stefani released this poppy gem to fuel the first-date prep sessions of millions of teenagers.
"Back Pocket" by Vulfpeck
If you missed this infectiously funky tune from last year, well, here it is again, just in time to welcome warm weather.
The hook is undeniably contagious, and the song has the kind of beat you won't mind having stuck in your head. Sure, Michaels is singing about her broken heart, but the chorus is so upbeat that you won't be able to help breaking out into a smile.
"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" — Wham!
Put the coffee pot on and get your morning started. It's going to be a great day!
"The Wire" — HAIM
These sisters know how to get down and focus on the future rather than the past. We can all use a little help with that. Just wait for the bridge, and snap those fingers.
"Best Day Of My Life" — American Authors
There's no need for posting inspiring quotes on your mirror for a morning pick-me-up. Just play this track as soon as on you wake up. Done.
"Grace Kelly" — MIKA
Even if you don't know who she is, after three minutes of this catchy track you'll want to be her, too.
Is there ANY other way to live your life? Seriously, think about it, and then brush off your shoulders and keep it moving.
"Elastic Heart" — Sia
Even when the biggest loves knock you down, get back up. You can do it.
"Celebration" — Kool & The Gang
No matter where, when, or why, this classic perfectly compliments any get-together.
"Blame" — Calvin Harris ft. John Newman
The blame game is never fun, but somehow Calvin Harris makes it seem like it is. We'll buy it.
"Your Love (Lifting Me Higher)" by Jackie Wilson
In Wilson's voice, you can practically hear the infectious joy that comes from a generous and uplifting romance. This could very well be the happiest love song of all time.
"Unwritten" — Natasha Bedingfield
Cue Blake Lively running through the sands of Mexico at soccer camp in Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants. Now it's your turn.
"I Got You (I Feel Good)" — James Brown
The godfather of soul. This song will never go out of style.
Photo: Courtesy of Polydoor.
"New Soul" by Yael Naim
Try not to be uplifted by Naim's graceful voice and catchy tune about perceiving the world with child-like joy. Just try!
"Finish Line/Drown" Chance The Rapper
The triumphant final track from Chance's album Coloring Book has a cool, reggae vibe that'll get you bopping in your seat.
"Paradise" by Jeremih
Kim Kardashian selected this simple tune to be the soundtrack for her "year in review" video in January, and there's a reason she chose it — it's pretty damn uplifting.
"What a Wonderful World" by Sam Cooke
For a little hope on dreary days...
"Cold Cold Man" by Saint Motel
A catchy piano riff and a Bond-inspired music video, in one poppy song.
"Feeling Alive" by Earl St. Clair
Just wait until the brass section hits...
"Make Some Room" by The Suffers
Something to play Sunday mornings (or, any morning, really).
"Another Day Of Sun" from theLa La Landsoundtrack
From the arguably best scene in the much-lauded film, this dance number has the ability to make a Los Angeles gridlock enjoyable.
“September” by Earth, Wind & Fire
Songwriter Allee Willis heard the intro to this song and immediately thought, "It was obviously the happiest-sounding song in the world." The lyrics are nonsensical, but the groove never ends.
"Solo Dance" by Martin Jensen
If the title of this track isn't enough to get you on your feet, just hit play and let your dance party commence.
"Cool Girl" by Tove Lo
This may be stuck in your head all day, but at least you'll be so cool singing it.
"1,2,3,4" by Feist
If the song doesn't get you, the joyful music video will.
"White Flag" by Joseph
The trio of sisters kill it with the harmonies, especially as we get to the rousing chorus.
"I Decided" by Solange
If you haven't listened to Solange's truly excellent album this year, go do it. In the meantime, her '60s throwback jam "I Decided" is the modern love song we need.
"Wonderful Life (Mi Oh My)" from the Angry Birds Soundtrack
Surprise! The Angry Birds soundtrack actually has a happy song.
“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
This timeless classic is pretty much an anthem for doing what you want — and having a ball.
"Don't Worry Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin
You cannot listen to this song without singing along in your head, and you're guaranteed to feel just a bit better by the end.
"How Far I'll Go" by Alessia Cara
As an original song for Disney's Moana, it makes sense that Cara's anthem goes from heartbreaking to inspiring to get-everything-done driven. Perfect for any training montage in your head.
"Everlasting Sigh" by Moses Sumney
It takes a while for this song to get there, but wait for the song to start building right around 2:20. You'll find yourself inspired to get moving and get things shakin', especially when the harmonies start coming int.
"Dreamlover" by Mariah Carey
Honestly, you can never go wrong with some old school Mariah.
"24K Magic" by Bruno Mars
Okay so the music video is not original by any means (Mars partying in Vegas), but the song is annoyingly catchy and will probably be played at every wedding for the next year. For an extra boost of happiness, check out this dance video set to Mars' latest hit.
"Fidelity" by Regina Spektor
The singer has proven her talent time and time again, but we will always revisit her classic 2006 single.
“Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen
Fun fact — a random sampling of 2,000 U.K. adults found that this was the most popular "feel-good song. "
“Countdown” by Beyoncé
Another stellar love song from 4, which proves that great songs aren't all about unrequited love.
“Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles
If laid-back chill is more your speed, this Beatles classic is meant for you.
“Shout” by The Isley Brothers
Another dance floor classic that mixes doo wop, gospel, and blues.
"You Can't Hurry Love" By The Supremes
Hands down one of the best karaoke picks out there.
"I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz
This song, released 2008, is pretty much the best song to sing along to as summer slowly fades away.
"When They Fight, They Fight" by the Generationals
It makes sense that G-Eazy sampled this song for "Make-Up Sex" — the chorus is simple, memorable, and oh-so-catchy.
"Closer" ft. Halsey by The Chainsmokers
It's a slow burn, but by the end of the song you're wishing for a fling to dance with.
"Merry Happy" by Kate Nash
A few basic chords, a simple beat, and something you can sing along to while you do the dishes.
"Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede
Forgive the annoying intro and sing along with the chorus.
"Palmar" by Caloncho
If you're in need of the perfect escape song, this is it.
Need a little pick-me-up? Here's your song for the day.
"Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & The Waves
How can you not smile while listening to this song? The lyrics literally say, "I'm walking on sunshine... And don't it feel good!"
"I'm A Believer" by The Monkees
A song to play at every beach-themed party — even in the middle of winter.
"Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes
Let's just ignore the fact that this song is about a man looking to stray and just focus on the chorus that everyone can sing along to.
"Valerie feat. Amy Winehouse" by Mark Ronson
Songstress Amy Winehouse is still in our hearts, which soar at the sound of this upbeat tune.
"The Bare Necessities" from The Jungle Book
This Disney song is up there when it comes to feel-good songs, right next to "Hakuna Matata."
"Roll Up" by Fitz and the Tantrums
Just in time for backyard barbecues, Fitz and the Tantrums comes out with yet another album full of jams. We plan on playing this song at every late-night dance session.
"Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae
The British singer-songwriter is back with a third album, so here's a little throwback to one of her first hits. Sing along to this sunny medley and imagine yourself biking through a meadow.
"Can't Stop The Feeling" by Justin Timberlake
JT's first track since 2013 is the perfect mix of pop, dance, and funky beats. Even better, the video features puppies, Anna Kendrick dancing, and plenty of clapping.
"Stop Desire" by Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara are pros at writing incredibly catchy pop songs with sugary-sweet hooks and lyrics you can sing along to. Their latest summer song is no different.
"Dancing In The Dark" by Bruce Springsteen
If you were a teen in the '80s, there was no doubt that you listened to this song almost all the time.
"Cheerleader" by OMI
This laid-back jam set the stage for summer 2015.
"I Wanna Be Your Lover" by Prince
"Kiss" may be one of the most-played Prince songs on the radio, but this gem of a recording from Capitol Theatre in 1982 is equally infectious.
"Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder
Thirty years after this infectious jingle came out, and we're still humming along to it as we dance walk down the street.
"Sha La La" by Al Green
This isn't exactly a danceable tune by any means, but it is a feel-good one.
“This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)” by The Talking Heads
Just four chords repeated in 5 minutes. Somehow, this is the most happy-go-lucky tune in existence.
“Dance Apocalyptic” by Janelle Monáe
While we wait for new music from Janelle, we’ll have to make do with this upbeat, infectious jam from Electric Lady. Snap along.
"Hey Ya!" by OutKast
This classic OutKast jam made Spotify's happiest songs in the world playlist, which makes perfect sense. Just try not to dance along in your head. Andre 3000, can we have another reunion tour, please?
“Happy” by Pharrell Williams
We swear this song was scientifically engineered to make you feel good.
"ABC" by the Jackson 5
One of the earliest signs of Michael Jackson's talent.
“Heat Wave” by Martha & the Vandellas
Sure, this has been covered many times (by The Supremes, The Jam, Phil Collins, etc) but this original Motown jam is just a little more rock 'n' roll.
“Do You Believe in Magic” by The Lovin’ Spoonful
Also see: Disney’s Aly & AJ cover.
“Dancing in the Street” by David Bowie & Mick Jagger
Two legendary musicians, one epic dance song that might just be the perfect soundtrack to your morning boogie jog.
“Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure
It may be about how dreary every other day of the week is, but this bright-hued song has become the soundtrack to many a rom-com.
“Sunday Candy” by Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
Surf from Chance The Rapper and his crew is full of energetic, sonic explosions. "Sunday Candy" tones it down beautifully with the chorus.
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift
Sure, "Shake It Off " is fun, but singing along to this breakup anthem is by far the best way to end the night.
“Brave” by Sara Bareilles
Go ahead — break out into this stellar dance routine in the middle of the street.
“Love on Top” by Beyoncé
4 is, by far, Queen Bey's happiest album, with anthems that sonically showcase just how in love she is. "Love On Top" is an instant boost of energy, with soaring vocals and a catchy background chorus. The key change half way through gets us every time.
“Roar” by Katy Perry
Okay, but seriously, pretty much EVERY Katy Perry single is happy.
“MMMBop” by Hanson
There is a reason Hanson is still so popular — and it's not because of their beer, MMMHop.
“Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Foundations
Then again, some of them are.
“Twist and Shout” by The Beatles
No real person can listen to this song and not smile (or think of Ferris Bueller).
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye
Best played when dancing with your BFF and swearing off anything that gets between your friendship.
“Dancing Queen” by ABBA
This is by far the most popular karaoke song to sing the wrong lyrics to.
“I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5
Please, also listen to "ABC."
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston
Trying to figure out how to "chase [your] blues away?" Play this song. Get up and dance.
“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys
To be honest, growing up isn't that great. Still a happy song, though.
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We are not robots. We feel things. We can't survive on comedic bromances and CGI-ed action sequences alone. We like our joy, but we need our sadness, too. So bring a box of Kleenex and settle in for some melancholic movie-watching. It's not about wallowing in misery. It's about getting lost in a story that captures the full human experience, with all of its highs and lows.
A good drama hits you right where it hurts, whether it's Blue Valentine 's broken romance or Fruitvale Station 's sense of injustice. If these cinematic tear-jerkers don't have you crying, keening, and curling up into a little ball, we don't know what will.
Mustang(2015)
After their neighbors catch them playing a harmless after-school game with boys, five orphaned Turkish sisters are given an outsized punishment. Their conservative grandmother and uncle decide to lock the sisters in their house, and embark on a mission of making the girls marriageable. One by one, the teenagers are forced to end their childhoods early. But they're not submitting without a fight.
Mr. Nobody(2009)
The premise of Mr. Nobody is simple — a young boy is forced to make an impossible choice between his parents — but the movie's execution is anything but. Mr. Nobody explores the branches his life could've taken, based on whether he chooses to stay with his mother or father. The film relies on sci-fi themes and imaginative, interweaving storylines to get at a nagging sensation we all have: Where else could the course of our lives have taken us? To where did our decisions lead?
Seven Pounds(2008)
Tim (Will Smith) kills seven people in a tragic car accident. As karmic retribution, he plans to donate his organs to seven "good" people after he commits suicide. With such a grim subject matter, tears — or at least deep existential probing — are inevitable.
Little England(2013)
On the Greek island of Andros in the '40s, 20-year-old Orsa falls madly, desperately in love with a fellow islander named Spyros, but her controlling mother, Mina, deems the match unfit. Orsa marries a sea captain, and her love, a lieutenant, goes to war. When he returns, Mina marries Orsa's younger sister, Moscha, to the lieutenant. All living under the same house, Spyros and Orsa's secret love will threaten to break just about everyone's hearts.
Kramer vs. Kramer(1979)
In this harrowing portrait of the emotional toil of divorce, Ted (Dustin Hoffman) and Joanna Kramer (Meryl Streep) fight for custody over their son.
Beatriz at Dinner(2017)
Beatriz (Salma Hayek) is a deeply empathetic, kind Mexican immigrant who's had quite a hard week — her neighbor killed her pet goat! When her car breaks down at her wealthy employers' house, she's reluctantly invited to join their dinner. At the dinner, celebrating Beatriz goes head-to-head with a callous billionaire, and feels steamrolled by forces of capitalism. It's a quiet, disturbing movie that'll make you weep for the underdog.
Crash(2004)
Should it have won the Academy Award for Best Picture over Brokeback Mountain? Probably not. But will this movie about Los Angelinos whose lives collide in the wake of a terrible car crash make you cry? Absolutely.
Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock
West Side Story(1961)
Like all Romeo and Juliet adaptations, you go into this musical knowing what to expect from an ending. And like all the best adaptations, the ending still feels like a massive sucker punch.
Jacob Peterson (Mads MIkkelsen) has dedicated his life to an orphanage in India. When a wealthy Dane, Jorgen (Rolf Lassgard), promises to donate four million dollars to his orphanage if Jacob meets him in person, Jacob complies. Jacob finds there's another stipulation: he must attend Jorgen's daughter's wedding, where Jacob's past will converge with the present in a shocking way. This melodramatic movie will have you guessing and cryin' till the end.
My Best Friend's Wedding(1997)
Just because this movie has Julia Roberts and a wedding doesn't mean it's a romantic comedy. Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts) and her best friend Michael O'Neil (Dermot Mulroney) had a long-standing deal to marry each other if they were still single at 28. On the eve of their 28th birthdays, Michael announces he's marrying a much younger woman. Will Julianne confess her love for him before the big day?
Melancholia(2011)
Lars von Trier would stage a wedding at the end of the world. As Earth heads toward a fatal collision with the planet Melancholia, two sisters handle it differently: Claire (Kirsten Dunst) focuses on her extravagant wedding, and Justine (Charlotte Gainsbourg) buckles under the fear of disaster.
Zentropa/REX/Shutterstock
Pan's Labyrinth(2006)
In 1944 in fascist Spain, a young girl and her ailing mother move to the countryside. While there, Ofelia encounters the faun Pan, who tells her she is a secret princess and can achieve immortality should she complete three tasks. As Ofelia is pulled deeper into a fantasy, the political sphere interferes drastically in their daily lives. Reality, fantasy, and tragedy blur together in this Alice in Wonderland for adults.
Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock
Like Crazy(2011)
Anna and x fall headfirst into a furious, passionate, life-altering kind of love at the end of their senior year of college. The only issue? In an oversight of the heart, Anna (Felicity Jones) overstays her student visa, and is banned from reentering the United States. With Jacob (Anton Yelchin) in Los Angeles and Anna in London, their love is strained under transatlantic pressures.
Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock
Awakenings(1990)
After three decades spent in a catatonic state, victims of the epidemic of encephalitis lethargica are given another chance at life when a doctor finds a miracle cure. Starring Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams, Awakenings is based on the true story of Oliver Sacks, who discovered benefits of the new drug L-Dopa. Think Sleeping Beauty, but more true and way more tear-jerking.
Louis Goldman/Columbia/REX/Shutterstock
Ordinary People
In this bleak movie burdened by grief, an extremely wealthy Chicago family is torn apart by the tragic death of their eldest son. After his brother's death, a guilt-ridden Buck attempts suicide. The movie starts when Buck returns home and attempts to reconnect with his cold, angry mother (Mary Tyler Moore) and his wounded father (Donald Sutherland).
Paramount/REX/Shutterstock
Into the Wild(2007)
A movie that portrays the dark underbelly of youthful adventures, Into the Wild is further proof that if you're going to take an adventure in Alaska, please bring your guidebook along.
River Road/Paramount/REX/Shutterstock
The Pianist(2002)
Based on a true story, The Pianist is about a man who spends the entirety of WWII hiding and in extreme isolation. Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody) is a Polish Jewish pianist who lives in Warsaw, and sees his neighborhood shift at the start of the war. He moves into the Jewish Ghetto with his family, but they're later separated. Wladyslaw drifts around the ruins of Warsaw in this quiet, devastating film.
Guy Ferrandis/Focus Features/Studio Canal/REX/Shutterstock
The Green Mile(1999)
Stephen King doesn't just pen terrifying stories like It and The Shining; he writes devastating ones, too. In The Green Mile, a group of Death Row prison guards are forever changed by a convict who's unlike the rest of the bunch. Paul Edgecombe (Tom Hanks) had never met anyone like John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), thrown in the pen for the supposed murder of two little girls. Along with his gentle and naive spirit, John is also graced with something that's decidedly, well – divine. Could he really be a murderer?
Ralph Jr Nelson/Castle Rock/Warner Bros/REX/Shutterstock
Sunset Boulevard (1950) This 1950 Billy Wilder masterpiece is a noirish, cautionary tale of life after fame. Gloria Swanson's Norma Desmond is believed to be a composite of many of the silent film era starlets who descended into reclusiveness and madness after fading into obscurity.
Pictured: Gloria Swanson
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Bridge to Terabithia(2007)
This book made us cry as kids, and the movie made us cry as adults. This charming fantasy adventure film has an ending that’s all too real.
Kristy Griffen/Walt Disney Pictures/Walden Media/REX/Shutterstock
Still Alice (2014) Julianne Moore’s titular character, Alice, is a professor of at Columbia University. After a few incidents of disorientation, she’s diagnosed with early onset dementia. The film tracks her descent into the sickness and the toll Alzheimer’s takes on family life. Heartbreaking, emotional, and for many families, all too relatable.
Jojo Whilden/Killer Films/Big Indie Pictures/Sony
I, Daniel Blake (2016) Daniel Blake (Dave Johns) just can't catch a break when a heart attack puts him out of work. Named Best British Film at the 2017 BAFTAs, this Ken Loach drama is an indictment on the welfare system and bureaucratic red tape that'll leave you outraged and heartbroken.
Pictured: Dave Johns and Hayley Squires
Photo: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock.
The English Patient (1996) We're such slaves to tragic romances set during wartime, aren't we? This Anthony Minghella-directed epic starring Ralph Fiennes and Queen of Fucking Everything Kristin Scott Thomas reduced romantics to tears and has a pile of Oscars to show for it.
Pictured: Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas
Photo: Phil Bray/Tiger Moth/Miramax/REX/Shutterstock.
White Material (2009) If you're on a Isabelle Huppert kick thanks to Elle, consider this incredibly intense French drama set in an unnamed African country on the brink of civil war. Huppert plays a coffee plantation owner determined to stay afloat at all costs. To say things get bleak is an understatement.
Pictured: Isabelle Huppert
Photo: Canal+/REX/Shutterstock.
The Greatest (2009) A family's struggle to come to terms with the death of their son grows more complicated when it's revealed that his girlfriend is pregnant with his child.
Pictured: Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Carey Mulligan
Photo: Barbarian Films/REX/Shutterstock.
My Sister's Keeper (2009) Based on Jodi Picoult's novel, this tear-jerker focuses on a family with two daughters: one diagnosed with leukemia and the other conceived via IVF as a "savior sister," meaning she's a medical match who can theoretically donate organs. Drama ensues when the younger sister (Abigail Breslin) sues for medical emancipation.
Pictured: Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva
Photo: Mark Johnson Productions/REX/Shutterstock.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Rumor has it that there are people who have watched this without breaking down, but we don't know who they are.
Pictured: E.T.
Photo: Universal/REX/Shutterstock.
Toy Story 3 (2010) We're not crying during a kid's movie. You're crying during a kid's movie.
Pictured: Andy deals Buzz and Woody a harsh blow.
Photo: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock.
Beginners (2010) Directed by Mike Mills of 20th Century Women fame, this heartfelt drama about a man recovering from the loss of his father earned Christopher Plummer an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Pictured: Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor
Photo: Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock.
Requiem for a Dream (2000) Darren Aronofky's supremely depressing drugs drama is one long "Just Say No" PSA.
Pictured: Ellen Burstyn
Photo: John Baer/Artisan Pictures/REX/Shutterstock.
Field of Dreams (1989) You don't have to be a dude with daddy issues, or even a baseball fan, to be moved by this tale about second chances.
Pictured: Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones
Photo: Universal/Gordon/REX/Shutterstock.
The Light Between Oceans (2016) Real-life couple Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender star as a married couple who try to pass off a newborn baby girl they've found as their own child. All goes well until the baby's birth mother resurfaces.
Manchester by the Sea (2016) Catching one of the year's most critically acclaimed films comes with a price: buckets of tears. Grief is at the heart of this story about a man tapped to raise his late brother's teen son.
Pictured: Kyle Chandler and Casey Affleck
Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions/Amazon Studio.
Edge of Seventeen (2016) Hailee Steinfeld's new drama is more emotionally piercing than you might expect from a film aimed at teens. You'll leave feeling grateful that your high school days are behind you.
My Life Without Me (2003) Sarah Polley plays a young woman who keeps her terminal ovarian cancer a secret from her husband and children, choosing instead to embark on new experiences.
Pictured: Sarah Polley and Mark Ruffalo
Photo: Bob Askester/Milestones Productions Inc./Sony/REX/Shutterstock.
Of Mice and Men (1992) Sad book, sad film. This adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel sees Gary Sinise and John Malkovich as ranch-hands George and Lennie, two men with big dreams and no shortage of hardships.
Pictured: John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, and Ray Walston
Photo: MGM/REX/Shutterstock.
Mask (1985) Eric Stolz played Rocky Dennis, whose craniodiaphyseal dysplasia caused cranial enlargements, in this moving biographical film. Cher won a Cannes Film Festival Best Actress award for her performance as Dennis' tough-as-nails mother, who battles depression, drug addiction, and a tumultuous love life.
Pictured: Sam Elliott and Cher
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) No shame if Baby Benjamin made you crumple.
Pictured: Cate Blanchett and Charles Henry Wyson
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
A Tale of Love and Darkness (2015) To call Natalie Portman's directorial feature debut bleak is an understatement. This adaptation of Israeli author Amos Oz's autobiographical novel tackles war, a loveless marriage, and depression against the backdrop of the Arab-Israeli War.
Pictured: Natalie Portman as Fania
Photo: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock.
The Land Before Time (1988) Think of this animated tear-jerker as Bambi for '80s kids. Spoiler: Littlefoot's mom dies and turns into some sort of ghost cloud. Traumatizing.
Pictured: Littlefoot
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Regarding Henry (1991) A pre-stardom J.J. Abrams wrote this poignant screenplay about an unscrupulous lawyer who must piece his life back together after suffering brain damage in a shooting. Harrison Ford and Annette Bening star, but look out for Bill Nunn, who died September 24, 2016, in a pivotal supporting role.
Pictured: Harrison Ford and Bill Nunn
Photo: SNAP/REX/Shutterstock.
The Cider House Rules (1999) Take a film about an orphanage, pile on subplots about incest, rape, heartbreak, war, and accidental overdoses, and you've got one bleak movie night ahead.
Pictured: Tobey Maguire as Homer
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Rabbit Hole (2010) Nicole Kidman earned an Academy Award nomination for her role as a mother mourning the sudden death of her young son. The film doesn't shy away from tackling grief in its many forms. Can a person forgive? Is one life worth more than another? How do you move on?
Pictured: Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Doubt (2008) Stealing the show from Meryl Streep is no small feat, but Viola Davis did just that with her searing portrayal of a mother whose son, Donald, is thought to have been abused by his priest. Donald's story and the cloud over his future really is the emotional center of this powerful morality tale.
Pictured: Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller
Photo: Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock.
I Am Sam (2001) Sean Penn plays a father with a developmental disability who must fight to keep custody of his young daughter in this tearjerker co-starring baby Dakota Fanning.
Pictured: Sean Penn and Dakota Fanning
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
A River Runs Through It (1992) Who knew fly fishing could make us so weepy? This Robert Redford-directed drama about two very different brothers requires hankies.
Pictured: Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Away From Her (2006) Julie Christie earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her role as a Canadian woman whose Alzheimer's disease changes the dynamics of her picture-perfect marriage.
Pictured: Julia Christie and Gordon Pinsent
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
Bright Star(2009) Who doesn't love a heart-crushing romance between a sickly poet and his muse? Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish play John Keats and his true love Fanny Brawne in this stunning drama directed by Jane Campion.
Pictured: Cornish and Whishaw
Photo: Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock.
Cinema Paradiso (1988) There are plenty of joyful moments in this Italian film about a young boy's friendship with the local film projectionist. It's the final scene, featuring a grown-up Toto, that'll kick you in the gut.
Pictured: Philippe Noiret and Salvatore Cascio
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Glory (1989) The film that gave Denzel Washington his first Oscar should be mandatory viewing in classrooms, thanks to its moving portrayal of an African-American regiment fighting for the Union during the Civil War. Morgan Freeman, Matthew Broderick, and Andre Braugher co-star in the war drama.
Pictured: Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Dead Poets Society (1989) Assuming that the gory Saturday Night Live parody didn't ruin it for you, expect major emotions from this drama about a teacher who changes the lives of his students forever thanks to Walt Whitman.
Pictured: Robin Williams stars alongside Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, and Josh Charles
Photo:Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
The Hunt (2012) Hannibal has feelings, y'all. Mads Mikkelsen stars as a man shut out by his friends and community after being falsely accused of molesting a young girl in this Danish drama. The ensuing witch hunt is upsetting and truly hard to watch.
Pictured: Mads Mikkelsen
Photo: Moviestore/Rex/Shutterstock.
Marley & Me (2008) It's like Old Yeller for millennials, right down to the snotty ugly-crying. Who'd have thought an Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston film could make us feel so many feels?
Pictured: Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston
Photo: Moviestore/Rex/Shutterstock.
Mrs. Miniver (1942) We know this Oscar-winning classic set during World War II is all about maintaining that British stiff upper lip, but the series of tragedies always turn us into a wobbly mess.
Pictured: Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon as the Minivers
Photo: Snap/Rex/Shutterstock.
Life as a House (2001) Terminal illness, divorce, and a complex father-son relationship: This drama ticks all the tear-inducing boxes. Both Kevin Kline and Hayden Christensen (yes, Anakin himself) were nominated for acting awards for their moving performances.
Pictured: Kevin Kline, Hayden Christensen, and Kristin Scott Thomas
Photo: Snap Stills/Rex/Shutterstock.
Me Before You (2016) Like, puddles. We won't give away any spoilers, but let's just say that this Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin romantic drama will make your tear ducts feel like they've been set on fire by Daenerys.
Pictured: Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin
Photo: Warner Bros/Moviestore Collection Ltd/REX/Shutterstock.
45 Years (2015) More bleak and quietly disheartening than boo-hoo, this British drama earned Charlotte Rampling a Best Actress Oscar nomination earlier this year. It was well deserved, too, with the legendary actress beautifully conveying emotions like romantic disappointment and jealous irritation.
Pictured: Charlotte Rampling
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
Jack (1996) For the most part, this is a light comedy about a young boy with Werner syndrome, which ages him to the point that he looks like Robin Williams. It's all very bittersweet, though, culminating in a graduation speech that's sure to set off your facial sprinkler system.
Pictured: Diane Lane and Robin Williams
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
Project Nim (2011) This heart-wrenching documentary follows the story of a chimpanzee raised with a human family before becoming the subject of an extensive research project in the 1970s. Long story short: Nim Chimpsky gets let down by pretty much everyone.
Pictured: Nim Chimpsky with a researcher
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002) Kenneth Branagh plays the baddie in this Australian drama about three mixed-race Aboriginal girls who try to make their way home after being ripped from their families and placed in a settlement camp for "half castes." The film is loosely based on a true story.
Pictured: Everlyn Sampi and Tianna Sansbury
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
The Book Thief(2013) Based on Markus Zusak's bestselling book of the same name, this story about a book-loving orphan entrusted to a German family in 1938 strings together a series of heartbreaking plot points. Star Sophie Nélisse is a wonder as the lead character Leisel.
Pictured: Sophie Nélisse
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock.
The Danish Girl (2015) Eddie Redmayne's Einar Wegener struggles to find love and acceptance as he transitions into a woman, while Alicia Vikander, playing Wegener's wife Gerda, beautifully captures a sense of loss. The train station scene is brutal.
Pictured: Eddie Redmayne
Photo: Moviestore/Rex/Shutterstock.
Schindler's List (1993) Unless you're Jerry Seinfeld, this Oscar-winning story about heroism during the Holocaust will have you weeping uncontrollably right down to the end credits.
Pictured: Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson
Photo: Snap/Rex/Shutterstock.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) Just keep reminding yourself that this based-on-a-true-story film has a happy ending as you watch Will Smith constantly struggle to support his son (a pre-Louis Vuitton Jaden Smith) and get a pinky toe on the corporate ladder.
Photo: Snap Stills/Rex/Shutterstock.
Southpaw (2015) Consider this a sucker punch to the heartstrings. A surprise twist elevates this 2015 hit from a mere boxing flick to an emotional drama about love, family, and discipline.
Pictured: Rachel McAdams and Jake Gyllenhaal
Photo: Rex/Shutterstock.
The Constant Gardener (2005) Beyond the intrigue, this political thriller digs deep into heartbreak, questions of fidelity, and devotion.
Pictured: Rachel Weisz
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Frozen River (2008) Melissa Leo and the late Misty Upham star in this bleak drama about two women (one a down-and-out single mom, the other a Mohawk bingo parlor employee separated from her son) going to great lengths to make ends meet.
Pictured: Melissa Leo
Photo: Moviestore Collection/REX/Shutterstock.
Still Life (2013) Eddie Marsan stars as a government employee tasked with sorting out funerals for deceased citizens who have no loved ones. One final case prompts him to investigate the death of a man who died in squalor. Trust us when we tell you that the ending will hit you like a ton of bricks.
Pictured: Eddie Marsan
Photo: Redwave Films/Embargo Films.
Philadelphia (1993) We still can't listen to Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen without welling up, and it's all due to this tearjerker. Tom Hanks won his first Oscar for playing an AIDS-stricken lawyer suing his old firm for discrimination, with Denzel Washington as the "ambulance chaser" leading the charge.
Pictured: Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks
Photo: Moviestore/REX Shutterstock.
Fruitvale Station (2013) If you sobbed when Wallace got shot on The Wire, this other Michael B. Jordan vehicle will no doubt have you in the fetal position for days. Even more heartbreaking is the fact that the events in the Ryan Coogler-directed drama actually happened.
Pictured: Michael B. Jordan
Photo: Snap Stills/REX Shutterstock.
All Is Lost (2013) What this Robert Redford drama lacks in dialogue, it compensates with edge-of-your-seat drama and an overwhelming sense of weariness and frustration. Will Redford save his broken boat? Maybe. Will you ever go sailing again? Probably not.
Pictured: Robert Redford
Photo: Moviestore/REX Shutterstock.
About Time (2013) On its face, this is a rom-com with a time-traveling twist. Perhaps that's why the built-in life lessons and a plot about terminal illness hit us like a ton of bricks.
Pictured: Domhnall Gleeson and Bill Nighy
Photo: Moviestore/REX Shutterstock.
Still Alice (2014) Julianne Moore earned her Best Actress Oscar for playing an active and intelligent 50-year-old woman diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Her struggle is heartbreaking, from having to tell her grown children that the disease is genetic, to making a list of questions she must answer every day to keep her memory sharp.
Pictured: Julianne Moore
Photo: Moviestore/REX Shutterstock.
My Girl (1991) Although the 1991 coming-of-age film is billed as a comedy-drama, director Howard Zieff certainly pulled out all the stops when young Vada Sultenfuss (played by newcomer Anna Chlumsky) had to deal with the tragic loss of her friend (Macaulay Culkin) while growing up in her father's funeral home in the '70s.
Pictured: Macaulay Culkin and Anna Chlumsky
Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
The Elephant Man (1980) David Lynch's 1980 biopic of Victorian freak-show exhibit John Merrick, a man suffering from severe elephantiasis, is a stark indictment of the inhumanity and moral exclusion people routinely inflict on others.
Pictured: John Hurt
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Blue Valentine (2010) Michelle Williams certainly earned her Oscar nomination in this 2010 film documenting the gut-wrenching dissolution of her character's marriage to a violent alcoholic played by Ryan Gosling.
Pictured: Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling
Photo: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company.
Steel Magnolias (1989) Few movies portray the bonds of female friendship quite like this 1989 ensemble dramedy, adapted from the eponymous Robert Harling play. The film — which features a magnificent cast, including Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, and Dolly Parton — tells the story of how a tight-knit group of Southern women support each other through the various peaks and valleys of their lives. Some of the saddest moments are watching Sally Fields' grief as her daughter, a pre- Pretty Woman Julia Roberts, dies of complications from diabetes. Talk about an emotional gut punch.
Pictured: Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Daryl Hannah, and Dolly Parton
Photo: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures.
P.S. I Love You (2007) This movie is explicitly designed to turn on the waterworks. It's the story of a young widow (Hilary Swank) who receives posthumous letters of encouragement from her late husband (Gerard Butler) after he dies of a brain tumor.
Pictured: Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
My Life (1993) This under-appreciated 1993 gem features Michael Keaton as a high-powered PR executive and expectant father who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Fearing that he will not live long enough to see the birth of his son, Keaton records a video documentary of himself so that his child can get to know him.
Pictured: Nicole Kidman and Michael Keaton
Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
Magnolia (1999) Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 drama features an interconnected group of characters in L.A, who are forced to grapple with forgiveness, desperation, and the search for happiness when their lives intersect around the death of a terminally ill quiz-show producer played by Jason Robards. The scene where Tom Cruise's pick-up artist character breaks down by the death bed of his estranged father is one of the great emotionally affecting scenes (and Cruise won his third Golden Globe for the role).
Pictured: A theatrical poster for Magnolia
Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema.
Atonement (2007) The iconic Vanessa Redgrave delivers a somber and arresting performance as a novelist who used fiction to atone for the young lovers whose lives she ruined when she mistakenly accused a man (James McAvoy) of a sex crime at the onset of World War II. Adapted from the 2001 Ian McEwan novel, the film deals with decades' worth of grief as a result of a youthful flight of fancy that contributed to the premature death of her sister (Keira Knightley) and the false imprisonment of her sister's lover.
Pictured: James McAvoy and Keira Knightley.
Photo: Courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Beaches (1988) It is absolutely impossible not to cry during this 1988 drama where the deeply complicated 30-year-friendship between a brash actress (Bette Midler) and a privileged lawyer (Barbara Hershey) is brought to an abrupt end when the latter is diagnosed with a rare heart disease. The opening bars of Midler's performance of "The Wind Beneath My Wings" are usually all it takes to open the floodgates.
Pictured: Barbara Hershey and Bette Midler
Photo: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures.
Million Dollar Baby (2004) Hilary Swank is a bit of a staple in the tearjerker genre. This time around she's a scrappy boxer who eventually develops a bond with her hard-nosed boxing coach, played by Clint Eastwood (who also directed the film). The movie has all the makings of your typical sports drama with a triumphant underdog — until it delivers an emotional sucker punch at the end.
Pictured: Hilary Swank
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
Up (2009) We have to hand it to this 2009 Pixar offering for completely reinventing the formula we've come to know and expect from sad movies. While most tearjerkers save the most gut-wrenching developments for the third act, this beloved animated feature has both kids and adults reaching for the Kleenex within the first 10 minutes.
Pictured: A scene from Up
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The Fault in Our Stars (2014) As this 2014 romantic dramedy proves, the only thing more tragic than a fresh-faced teenager with terminal cancer is a fresh-faced teenager with terminal cancer in love. This film though? Doubles down: It features two terminally ill teens in love, played by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.
Pictured: Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley
Photo: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox.
Life Is Beautiful (1997) The Italian film's director and star Roberto Benigni took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance of a father trying to distract his son from the horrors of life in a Nazi concentration camp.
Pictured: Roberto Benigni with Nicoletta Braschi and Giorgio Cantarini
Photo: Courtesy of Miramax Films.
Boys Don't Cry (1999) Hilary Swank makes yet another appearance on the list in this indie biopic of Brandon Teena, a trans man whose blossoming romance with a karaoke singer (Chloë Sevigny) was cut short after he was brutally murdered in small-town Nebraska. The movie is not only heartbreaking because of it's ill-fated love story, but also because it illustrates the bigotry and threats that many trans people have historically endured and continue to face.
Pictured: Chloë Sevigny and Hilary Swank
Photo: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) Dear Zachary is a unique entry on this list because it's a documentary. The 2008 film starts off as a video diary to the infant Zachary from friends and family giving testimonials about the murdered father he'll never meet. Events take an unexpected, true-crime turn however, and tragedy further compounds itself by the film's end.
Pictured: Zachary with his grandparents
Photo: Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories.
Dancer in the Dark (2000) Leave it to Lars von Trier to make arguably the most depressing musical ever filmed. Things start out pretty bleak, with Björk starring as an impoverished factory worker who is pinching pennies to pay for an operation that will save her son from the same genetic, degenerative eye disease that is causing her to go blind. If that doesn't sound upsetting enough, things only go downhill from there.
Pictured: Björk
Photo: Courtesy of Fine Line Features.
Sophie's Choice (1982) Thanks to this critically lauded 1982 drama, the term "Sophie's Choice" has entered the lexicon to stand for any scenario where one must make an impossible decision. In this case, Meryl Streep's Sophie was forced to choose which of her two young children would be sent to the gas chamber when the family was imprisoned in Auschwitz. Streep brought home an Oscar for her performance, and the film as a whole pretty much set the gold standard for tearjerkers.
Pictured: Meryl Streep
Photo: Courtesy of Universal Pictures.
12 Years a Slave(2014) One could argue that the saddest movies on the list are the ones depict the inhumanity of people or institutions in power. Steve McQueen's 2014 Best Picture winner is not only heartbreaking because it depicts the plight of one man sold into slavery, but because it depicts the cruelty that was once an accepted as status quo.
Pictured: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Photo: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
Bicycle Thieves (1948) Vittorio De Sica's 1948 Italian neorealist film is widely lauded as one of the best movies ever made. A young father is desperate to feed his impoverished family, so he scrapes together the money to buy the bicycle necessary for his new job hanging advertisements around the city. As luck would have it, his bike gets stolen on his first day on the job. With his young son in tow, the man sets out on a near impossible mission to get it back.
Pictured: Enzo Staiola and Lamberto Maggiorani
Photo: Courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment.
Amour (2012) Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke isn't known for making particularly uplifting films, and 2012's Amour is no exception. This Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Film takes a profoundly sad and somber look at how an elderly Parisian couple fares when one half slips into dementia after a series of strokes.
Pictured: Emmanuelle Riva
Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Terms of Endearment (1983) No list of sad movies is complete without this 1983 dramedy. Shirley MacLaine's performance, particularly the part where she's dealing with the loss of her daughter, is the barometer against which all other sad-movie performances must be measured.
Pictured: Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008) If Sophie's Choice and Life Is Beautiful taught us anything, the surefire formula for a devastating tearjerker combines the Holocaust with child mortality, and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas has both. Nine-year-old Bruno's family relocates near a concentration camp when his father, an SS officer, is given a promotion. Little Bruno sneaks off and befriends a prisoner his age near the edge of the camp, where they play checkers through the barbed wire. Although the two boys become great friends, little Bruno learns some hard truths about what his father does for a living, and why his new friend wears what he mistakenly assumes are pajamas.
Pictured: Jack Scanlon.
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The Road (2009) In this adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, this film's grim, post-apocalyptic vision makes the dystopia of The Hunger Games look downright desirable. The unnamed father and son duo do their best to keep hope alive in a bleak world where roving bands have turned to cannibalism in the bleak hellscape left over from an unspecified disaster.
Pictured: Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee
Photo: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company.
The Day of the Locust(1975) John Schlesinger's 1975 adaptation of the Nathanael West novel of the same name is a grim look at Hollywood in the '30s, particularly at a group of broken has-beens and never-were who failed to make their show business dreams come true.
Pictured: A scene from The Day of the Locust
Photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The Notebook (2004) Sure, we all like to think of 2004's The Notebook as an enduring love story first and foremost, especially given the fantastic circumstances leading up to Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling's sexy, rain-soaked kiss. However, we have to hand it to James Garner and Gena Rowlands for effectively reducing us all to tears at the end.
Pictured: Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling
Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema.
Brokeback Mountain (2005) This heartbreaking love story of the 20-year affair between two ranch hands, played by Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger, was easily the most talked-about movie of 2005. Ledger and Gyllenhaal began an affair on a job site on the movie's titular mountain, before being fired by the summer's end. The pair continue with a shaky and sporadic relationship, despite their attempts to marry women and live lifestyles that society deemed more acceptable in the '60s to the '80s.
Pictured: Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger
Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features.
Stepmom (1998) Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts play the respective ex-wife and fiancée to Ed Harris. The tension between the two is heightened when Sarandon passive aggressively uses her children as pawns in her quiet war with her ex. However, the women are forced to make peace when Sarandon is diagnosed with terminal cancer and they realize the family dynamics really will change forever.
Pictured: Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts
Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
Precious (2009) This is easily one of the hardest movies on the list to watch. The 2009 Lee Daniels film tells the story of Claireece Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), an illiterate, pregnant 16-year-old who regularly escapes into her own fantasy world when faced with emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from her family. Despite being in the eighth grade at 16, Precious is tasked with getting her GED and ultimately changing her life's direction so that she can escape her abusive home and provide for her children.
Pictured: Gabourey Sidibe
Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
The Champ (1979) Franco Zeffirelli's 1979 remake of the 1931 film of the same name features a young Ricky Schroder in his film debut. The movie details the dysfunctional relationship between young T.J (Schroder) and his dad (Jon Voight), a former boxer turned alcoholic horse trainer with a gambling problem. However, things get more complicated as T.J.'s estranged mother (Faye Dunaway) comes back into the picture. Despite being just 9 years old, Schroder gives an incredibly impressive onscreen cry. In turn, it will definitely get your waterworks going.
Pictured: Ricky Schroder and Jon Voight
Photo: Courtesy of United Artists.
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Ballers, the HBO dramedy about the business of football and the players that keep it going, debuted its third season Sunday night after Game of Thrones. It’s definitely a series for sports fans, but also introduces themes of love, addiction, and success in order to draw in a bigger audience. The fact that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays lead character Spencer Strasmore — a retired NFL player that is trying to regain his footing (and wealth) in player management — is enough for me to watch. Yet Sunday night's premiere, which talked about a familiar issue — infertility — from a rarely-seen perspective on television, added another layer of complexity to the already engaging show.
When he learns of Ricky’s (the very attractive son of Denzel Washington, John David Washington) pregnancy scare with a woman he isn’t sure he wants to have a child with, Spencer reminds him of the dangers of unprotected sex. Ricky inquires about whether or not Spencer has gotten anyone pregnant, or at least had a close call, and Spencer is faced with the reality that he has never conceived. He tells Ricky that it’s because his “pull-out game” — the withdrawal method for those of you not familiar with sex slang — is strong, but Ricky urges him to consider that he might have a physical condition. Later, during a doctor’s visit, Spencer accepts a referral to a fertility specialist. Now that the topic has been broached, he’s nervous that he might not be able to have children on his own.
Despite the fact that it takes two people make a baby, women often bear the burden of stressing and dealing with the realities of infertility. It’s often viewed, and portrayed on television, as a women’s issue. It's extremely rare to see a character like Spencer, who embodies all of the traits of hyper-masculinity and macho manliness, forced to confront the issue. The reality of infertility is a little less biased. Men can and do have medical conditions that cause infertility as well. And although there is not as much pressure on men to have kids, there is still stigma and shame that surrounds men “shooting blanks.”
One of the tenets of male privilege is the way men are socialized to have total control over bodies and sexuality. (Must be nice.) They get to dictate the terms and conditions under which they have sex and babies. It’s why the idea of having a strong “pull-out game” is seen as an asset. That men are able to “avoid” getting a woman pregnant is another manifestation of this destiny (though anyone who has taken an eighth grade health class knows the withdrawal method is not the most reliable form of birth control) .
But the fact also remains that a lot of men want to be parents, too. The possibility that they may not be able to do so by the traditional methods prompts feelings that aren’t popularized in media. Spencer’s fear on Ballers is something we definitely need to see more of.
It's Money Diaries Month, and we're publishing a new Money Diary every day of July!
Every Monday, we're doing a deeper dive into our beloved Money Diaries community. A few weeks ago, we rounded up some of our favorite comments. Last week, we asked all of you whom you like (or don't like) to talk to about money. Today, we're sharing lessons that past diarists have learned after tracking their spending.
While we aren't able to publish every Money Diary that gets submitted [ Editor's Note: that means not all of the following What I Learned submissions came from published diaries], we do hope that the exercise of keeping such a journal is helpful. Here's what a handful of diarists and Money Diaries community members have to say about the experience.
Back in March, one of our diarists, a finance VP in New York City, drummed up a lot of conversation after readers learned of her high income and spending habits. Here's what she had to say:
"I had no idea [my diary] was going to cause such a shit storm. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised; most of the comments were very nice.
"I learned a LOT. I am the kind of person who (oddly, [considering] my line of business) wants to avoid really tallying up what I'm doing. I always review my credit card charges and I think I'm pretty responsible for the most part. I [tend to] spend frugally day-to-day, but will save up and be happy to spend on something like a vacation or a new handbag. I care a lot more about the big-ticket items than buying coffee every day. (BTW, I went back and ordered that sofa from ABC Home! It cost just under $2,000, but I expect to keep it for at least five years. I am a trader; I like to invest.)"
"One place where I could definitely be saving is grocery stores! I tend to go every two or three weeks because, honestly I just hate doing it. Then, when I go, I wander around aimlessly and pick out random things. I enjoy cooking, but there's only so many vegetables you can eat as a single person in a week before they go bad and you have to throw them out! I think I will work on either going more often or making a list.
"With regards to the comments on my charity spending, I spend about $3,000 a year on various charities. The form asked for monthly expenses, not yearly ones, so I was just following instructions. I had no idea that's what people would focus on, especially considering I spend quite a bit on causes that matter to me. Also, taxes are nuts! Something like 30% to 40% of my headline income goes to taxes. Especially in Manhattan, you get dinged three time — federal, state, and city. I work on commission, so it's hard to budget. But I'm not complaining, I am in a high-income bracket — so I have very high tax rates.
"I think I have a healthy relationship with debt, which is something I've learned from reading a lot of these Money Diaries. Credit scores are SO important! I was really fortunate to have parents who made me get a credit card when I was in middle school (!!) and pay it down. I've had a credit score for almost 15 years! I have friends who just got a credit card last year.
"There were a few comments about privilege that, honestly, I expected. I went to public school until I went to a top-notch university; it was private and crazy expensive. But my parents grew up very poor and have managed to do some incredible things. This will probably make me sound even more frivolous (I already got nailed for spending $100 on a single candle!), but my parents knew the kind of lifestyle I wanted to live from a young age. They've been very open in telling me, Hey, if you want that $5 million townhouse, you're going to need to make a lot of money. Here are the career paths you can take. They really pushed me into finance because they knew this was the career path I'd need to take to make the kind of money I want.
"I think this is a message that gets lost on a lot of people. If you want to go be a humanitarian or work for a nonprofit, that's great — but it comes with a different financial picture. For me, this was more important. I am fully aware that my job is loathed by some, but it's the choice I made to live the kind of lifestyle I want. I've also been lucky to have parents who understood how much they could help. I'll confess that I originally wanted to be a doctor! This would have also, eventually, yielded the kind of income I'd need to live the life I want, but my parents sat me down and said, 'Look: We can't pay for medical school. How long and how much debt do you want to be in?' It's all about payoffs.
"I am really glad I wrote this because I've never actually itemized the things I've done. And I am happy, overall, with the responses I've gotten. I hope that women — or people — reading this got something out of it as well."
Another diarist, a 28-year-old marketing manager in Vancouver, BC, Canada, makes $58,500. She expressed confidence in her ability to enjoy life in the short-term, but also voiced some longer-term concerns after tracking her expenses.
"I can afford to live quite comfortably in what's known as the city with the highest cost of living here in Canada. That said, [because of] a comfortable lifestyle and frequent travels, I haven't been able to put as much money away for a house, or a wedding, or a rainy day. I want to be able to shed light on the common issue that's facing a lot of the working class here in Vancouver, and that is the balance and struggle of enjoying your life while building your future.
"Filling out the Money Diary was a huge eye opener because you don't realize that even the simplest items are a luxury. It was also a pretty heavy spending week for me; I usually don't spend that much on make-up or clothes. This week showed me that it's not only the larger shopping totals that are a detriment to your savings, but it's also the paying for everyone's movie and not getting paid back. It's the unnecessary dessert after dinner. It's the coffee for two every morning. This was a very helpful exercise to shed light on the changes I need to make for the future."
One diarist, a 29-year-old executive assistant in New York City making $112,000 used her Money Diary to find places to cut back.
"I wanted to keep my own [Money Diary] because I know I spend WAY too much on food and drink, and 'treat' myself on clothing more often than not. Both have led to tremendous amounts of credit card debt. In the past year, I was laid off before landing a new [job] with a major raise. With that [money], I am paying off said cards while trying to save as much as possible. I also realize that I don't donate to charity (time or money) nearly as much as I would like to, so I plan to increase that as well."
One diarist, a 29-year-old school counselor in Richmond, Virginia, said that she learned to be less afraid of money.
"I realized that I hate spending money and I'm constantly trying to stay on a budget that doesn't exist in reality. I need to stop being afraid to spend money on myself. That's not exactly the moral I thought I'd get out of this week, but self-actualization is good, too."
Another diarist, a 27-year-old office manager in Bellingham, Washington, wrote about learning what to prioritize as she and her husband begin raising children. This diarist works in the field of biotechnology and makes $44,000; her husband's salary is $55,000. Here's what she had to say:
"After submitting my Money Diary and looking back at all my notes, I noticed that I have been spending a lot more [money] than normal now that my husband and I are preparing for kids to enter our home. Some of it was in preparation — whether it be toys, furniture, or equipment — but we also spent a lot of afternoons and evenings out. Unexpected purchases are bound to happen when you expand your family, especially in our case, with regard to adoption. Not only are there agency fees, but we will also have lawyer fees in the future.
"Moving forward, especially when we are settled with kids, it will be important to remember that saving is so important. Something I'm still trying to learn is that you may not always need the most extravagant items. I want to make sure we have healthy savings while still providing a fun and exciting life for our little family. I think the key to all of this is to find the right balance for you and those you share your life with."
"I've been tracking my spending for about six months, [a period in which] I realized I needed to consolidate my $16,500 credit card debt. Through a lack of financial oversight and acumen, serious illness, and high/compounding interest rates, I racked up a severe amount of debt in a short period of time (about 4 years). I realized I have to be much more prudent about credit and pay my balance in full each month — if I ever use credit again. For now, and the foreseeable future, I've been credit-free.
"The main thing I learned while tracking my expenses is that despite increased budgeting and awareness, I still am an impulse-spender, especially when it comes to things like groceries, gifts, and non-essential personal items like records. I think I need to be more aware of that and employ more self-discipline to stay on track, while also allowing for a fun purchase here and there."
Another diarist, a 27-year-old office manager in Garden City, Kansas, wrote about how it feels to make $12,000 per year.
"While doing my Money Diary, I felt really awkward about how little I made; my poverty and art degree provide plenty of fodder for internet trolls. I know it's my fault for getting a useless degree, so thanks. It is hard to write a diary about what I spend when I don't have much money to spend — and definitely not on anything exciting.
There are many circumstances that led to me returning home and taking a part-time job. I had to constantly remind myself that this is a temporary pit stop in my life. I often feel guilty spending money on anything that isn't gas, bills, or food, and that's something I want to work on. Nobody should beat themselves up over spending $4 on a water bottle.
"I already have nearly a year's worth of my earning in savings, so I know I can't save much more without making more. On the bright side, the diary kept me motivated. I am working on my résumé for a full-time position where I can live with my boyfriend and not have to commute."
This diarist, a 28-year-old higher-education coordinator in the Metro Detroit Area making $45,000 per year wrote about how her schedule impacts her finances. She realized that operating within time crunches results in her spending more than she and her husband would like to.
"My husband and I have known that we spend a lot on food, but we both love cooking and eating out. This was a week where my schedule allowed me to be home every evening, so I tried to cook at home more, and didn't go to Starbucks as often as I typically would for breakfast.
"Tracking made me recognize how little of our income is going towards saving and investing, so we will be setting up IRAs ASAP. We are also not doing a good job of managing our mornings. Neither of us likes to wake up earlier than we have to. However, hanging onto our old habits while managing our son in the morning presents time management issues that lead us to overspend out of convenience."
"I learned that I don't spend as much on food as I thought I did, [but] I found I was spending way too much on coffee and transportation. I'm okay with paying over 50% of my income toward my living expenses, but I could definitely buy coffee out less and use [fewer] car shares (which I've come to rely on)."
One diarist, a 30-year-old public health advisor in Washington, D.C. making $77,490 per year said she learned to pull back her spending on other people.
"I learned that I spend a lot of money in service of other people (buying coffee/tea, hosting parties, donating to fundraisers, buying from friend's small businesses), and that I rationalize some of the beauty and clothing spending that I do, saying that I 'need' everything."
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A nine-year-old child born with HIV has become the third global reported case in which a child born with HIV was able to have their condition controlled without the use of drugs, BBC reports.
According to BBC, the child lives in South Africa, though their identity is being protected. The child contracted HIV from their mother at birth in 2007, and was given a burst of treatment shortly after being born. The child was part of a study of a group of 143 infants who received antiretroviral therapy early on. As Time reports, the child was given 40 weeks of treatment, after which researchers stopped the therapy and monitored their condition.
Since then, they have gone eight-and-a-half years without any symptoms or signs of active virus, according to findings presented at the 9th IAS Conference on HIV Science in Paris.
Of course, this is an extremely rare case and, as BBC notes, while there is no active virus in the child's body, the virus has still been detected in their immune cells, and they may still need drug treatment later on.
"Further study is needed to learn how to induce long-term HIV remission in infected babies," Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said during the conference. "However, this new case strengthens our hope that by treating HIV-infected children for a brief period beginning in infancy, we may be able to spare them the burden of lifelong therapy and the health consequences of long-term immune activation typically associated with HIV disease."
The study's authors also believe that factors other than early treatment could have contributed to the child's remission, and plan to keep studying their immune system.
This post will discuss spoilers from Game of Thrones episode 2, "Stormborn."
Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan) and Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma) were our favorite surprise couple in "Stormborn." The two powerful women, each dead set on exacting merciless attacks on Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), are two of the most candid characters on the series. They play by their own rules, and follow their own moral compasses. (For Ellaria, those moral guidelines, or lack thereof, became clear after she gave the kiss of death to Myrcella Lannister (Nell Tiger Free) in season 5.) And for one brief moment, the passionate women were brought together right before our eyes, until the mad Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk) showed up to kill (or kidnap) the ship's crew.
While on the ship, pre-Euron cosplaying as Jack Sparrow, Yara explains to Ellaria that her brother, Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), will stay by her side as her protector once they claim King's Landing (that didn't pan out). Seeing an opportunity to mess with the damaged and raw Theon, the mother of the Sand Snakes approaches Yara, touches her legs, and slides next to her, daring Theon to make her stop her foreign intrusion (*wink, wink*). He stares on as Ellaria leans in to kiss Yara until their intimate moment is interrupted by Euron's deadly arrival.
Everyone on Twitter was heartbroken over the brief union between the two (although they both appear to be alive and in Euron's possession so maybe they will reunite soon), but what they don't know is that the scene almost never happened. In fact, it was completely improvised by the two actresses. “It wasn’t directed that we would kiss,” Whelan told Entertainment Weekly. “It just seemed like something we should do. We led it, very much so. It was meant to be a suggestion [of flirting] and then it became more sexual than we expected because it seemed right. There was only a skeleton crew working because the rig could only take so much weight, so we were left very much on our own. And who wouldn’t want to kiss Indira? I mean, come on!”
Hilariously, Varma didn't only kiss Whelan after improving the moment — she also had to replicate the kiss on Whelan's stunt double. "Gemma had hurt her back so there were some stunts she couldn’t do,” Varma says. "So I had to start kissing this poor stunt double and she was so terrified! That was quite funny, bless her. I don’t think she’d ever been put in that situation before. She’s used to falling over and being attacked and all the stunts, but to be kissed by an actress was a bit beyond her."
Vietnam has been on our roster of bucket-list trips forever and ever. But while you can find cheap deals on hotels and food (that delicious street food...our mouths water just thinking about it...) once you're inside the country, actually getting there and back can cost you in the quadruple digits.
So if you've always wanted to explore everything Vietnamese culture has to offer, you will want to take advantage of this deal. Scott Keyes, founder of Scott's Cheap Flights, says it'll probably be gone in two days, tops — so carpe diem before it's too late.
Keyes says that three airlines — Cathay Pacific, All Nippon Airways (ANA), and Asiana — now have roundtrip flights that start at just $484 between nine U.S. airports and Ho Chi Minh City.
Condé Nast Travelerreports that the deals are valid for select dates between September and December 2017, which include Thanksgiving weekend but not Christmas. Some of the routes include daylong layovers in Hong Kong, Tokyo, or Seoul; a great excuse to explore those cities as well.
The roundtrip prices include: $484 from Los Angeles (LAX); $485 from San Jose, CA (SJC); $486 from San Francisco (SFO); $498 from Seattle (SEA); $519 from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD); $528 from Honolulu, HI (HNL); $547 from New York City (JFK); $556 from Newark, NJ (EWR); and $595 from Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD).
You can find the best dates using this sample search on Google Flights. Then, according to Scott's Cheap Flights, you can use Momondo (here's a sample search) to see if you can find better prices for those dates.
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For transgender and non-binary people, periods bring even more complications. Cass Clemmer, creator of the much-loved, gender inclusive coloring book The Adventures of Toni the Tampon, recently shared a poem on Instagram about the difficulties of menstruating as a trans person.
A post shared by Toni the Tampon (@tonithetampon) on
Clemmer, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, paired the poem with a photo of themselves bleeding to reiterate that people of all genders can get periods, a reality that is wildly under-acknowledged. Clemmer's poem addresses the ways their period affects their identity and how they view their body.
As they told HuffPo, “I remember sharing for the first time with a friend of mine that I wasn’t able to wear my binder that day because I was on my period and my boobs had swelled up so much that it made it hard to breathe."
For someone like Clemmer, not being able to wear the clothes that affirm their identity can lead to being misgendered, as well as gender dysphoria, the distress experienced when a person's assigned gender does not match their actual gender.
As Clemmer's work has long pointed out, talking about periods is important, and that includes addressing the fact that periods are not just for women, and not all women have periods. Whether or not you get your period is not determined by the gender you were assigned at birth or by the gender with which you identify — and getting a period does not, in any way, confirm that someone is or is not a certain gender.
With menstrual health products such as tampons, pads, and diva cups being marketed in gendered floral and pink packaging, the assumption that menstruation is a joy only women get to experience runs deep. Changing the gender stigma around periods can begin as easily as designing period apps to be more inclusive and less feminized, for example.
Of the response to their post, Clemmer tells Refinery29 that "there definitely is a lot of support, but there are a lot of cisgender gay men who have been attacking the post as an 'embarrassment to the LGBT community.' What they forget is that queer activism has [been], and always will be, about pushing the boundaries and reminding us to question what powers are policing what bodies and why."
"I had no idea that this post would go viral and I'm excited for the eye-opening conversations that I see being had in the comment boxes (among the threats of violence and transphobia of course)," Clemmer continued in their comment. "I originally didn't have plans for a larger, formal campaign but now I think that is where I am headed — hopefully with the help of some more influential voices in the trans and queer community."
We'll be looking forward to it. Until then, if you're interested in following Toni the Tampon's adventures, learning more about Clemmer's mission, or getting yourself a coloring book, check out their website, Instagram, and Twitter.
What is it about a margarita that is so delicious? After all, in a nearly endless world of cocktail options, few drinks garner the kind of love and devotion that the simple mix of tequila and citrus gets. Sour and sweet, with just a hint of savory, it's also endlessly customizable. Fruit? Frozen? On the rocks? Salt or sugar rim? There's no wrong answer.
So we don't exactly need an excuse to sip on a margarita, but it doesn't hurt to find one, either. In honor of National Tequila Day, we've rounded up the best spots to drink margaritas in NYC. In a city of millions (and perhaps even more margaritas) how could we narrow it down? Our friends at Yelp took a look at the highest-ranked restaurants that mention the drink in their reviews. From there, they looked at overall ranking and number of reviews to give us an idea of the most popular spots to sip margaritas around the city. Chips and dip are totally optional, but highly encouraged. Cheers!
10. Javelina Started by homesick Texans missing tex-mex classics like queso, Javelina has proven popular with non-Lonestar natives as well. The ten margarita options, including frozen and on the rocks, range from the expected (classic and strawberry) to the truly unique (avocado and cilantro, anyone?).
Javelina, 119 E. 18th Street (between Park Avenue and Irving Place); 212-539-0202.
9. Ho'Brah Bay Ridge is far from a lot of NYC, including most of Brooklyn. But if you don't visit, you'll be missing out on a chance to visit Ho'Brah, a taco spot inspired by beachside surf shacks. Aside from fresh and inventive tacos, you can also order the margarita flight, four servings of mini margs perfect for the indecisive.
8. Tolache Yes, there are the famous grasshopper tacos, but Tolache has more to offer. Named for a Mexican flower used in love potions, we can't promise similar results if you bring your next Tinder match here, but we can promise you'll find an extensive list of margaritas and tequila drinks, including a rotating cocktail of the week that often takes a further spin on one of our favorite drinks.
Tolache, 251 W. 50th Street (betweeb Broadway and 8th Avenue); 212-581-1818.
7. Casa Enrique This charming L.I.C. neighborhood spot also happens to have a Michelin star — three years and counting. Even its basic margaritas turn the cocktail on its head: the house version is made with brown sugar simple syrup, giving it an amber glow.
Casa Enrique, 5-48 49th Avenue (at Vernon Boulevard); 347-448-6040.
6. Don Chingon The top-rated spot for margs in the borough of Brooklyn, Don Chingon is beloved for its tacos and burritos, as well as classic and specialty margaritas. The Dulce Y Caliente lives up to its name of being a little bit sweet and a little bit salty, complete with cayenne-salted rim.
Don Chingon, 216 Flatbush Ave (between Dean and Bergen Streets); 718-576-3521.
5. The Black Ant You can get a classic margarita at The Black Ant, or you can get a little fancy — the smokey jalapeño margarita is, yes, smokey and spicy, but perhaps most memorably, it also comes with black ant salt. Yes, made from actual black ants.
The Black Ant, 60 2nd Avenue (between 1st Avenue & 4th Street); 212-598-0300.
4. Casa Agave A small spot near Times Square, Casa Agave is nevertheless a crowd-friendly place for people looking for margaritas, freshly-made (like right-before-your-eyes fresh) guac, and tasty Mexican food. Drop in at Happy Hour and snag a classic margarita for just $5.
Casa Agave, 693 9th Ave (between 47th and 48th Streets); 212-265-2229.
3. Hell's Kitchen You'll never forget where Hell's Kitchen is — or be at a loss for where to eat before a show (or when your family from out of town drags you to Times Square). Handily named for its neighborhood, Hell's Kitchen has been serving up margaritas and tacos (try the Brussels sprouts ones!) for over 17 years.
2. Favela Cubana Drinking with a crowd? At Favela Cubana, you can order margaritas by the glass or liter. It will take a thirsty group to down two liters of their signature marg, but it will save you some serious money, too.
Favela Cubana, 543 LaGuardia Place (between W. 3rd and Bleecker Streets): 212-777-6500.
1. La Contenta There's usually a crowd at this LES spot, known both for its elevated Mexican food and craft cocktail-style drinks made from tequila and its smokier sibling, mezcal. The devoted diners willing to crowd around a table or bar for a drink have made their love known, making it the most popular spot for margaritas in NYC.
La Contenta, 102 Norfolk Street (between Rivington and Delancey Streets); 212-432-4180.
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A teenage boy made waves on Twitter recently after spending a whole month (and risking personal injury) to make his girlfriend a scrapbook documenting their relationship.
If you were wondering what love looks like, this is it.
The teen, Justin Evans, posted several photos of himself making the scrapbook and one of his girlfriend, Jamie Chaffer, reading it to Twitter on July 6. He captioned the images, "3 glue gun burns, 7 marker stains, 4 paper cuts, and still not enough pages to show how much I love you."
And the hearts of the internet collectively melted. The tweet has more than 12,000 retweets and 38,000 likes as of writing.
3 glue gun burns, 7 marker stains, 4 paper cuts, and still not enough pages to show how much i love you💚 pic.twitter.com/y0EuLxIeHe
Evans and Chaffer have known each other for years, he told BuzzFeed, so they have a lot of photos together. And his reason for wanting to make the scrapbook is probably the most romantic thing you've ever heard.
Image courtesy of Justin Evans.
Looking through old photos of his parents one night sparked the idea, Evans tells Refinery29. He realized that his parents were about his age — he and Chaffer are both 17 — when they met, and he wants his future kids to have the same experience of flipping through physical copies of photos as he does, rather than scrolling through them on a screen.
"So why not make a book?" he says.
Why not make a book, indeed? We could all benefit from being as logical as Evans when it comes to love.
What makes the story even better, though, is that Evans could barely keep it a secret. He and Chaffer see each other every day, so Evans had to craft late at night. He kept it a secret from everyone except his brothers, in case someone let the secret slip.
"I had to keep all of my excitement inside," he says.
The book was clearly a labor of love, and he got the injuries to prove it. After being burned by his glue gun three times in one night, Evans told BuzzFeed that he was feeling frustrated.
"I’m done. I’m hurt. I just left everything on the floor and went to sleep,” he told BuzzFeed.
It paid off, though, because Chaffer loves the book. Ever the romantic, Evans planned on giving it to her during a picnic, but his plans were changed by the rain. Instead, he pulled out the book while Chaffer was sitting on his bed.
She immediately started crying when he gave it to her, and has looked at it every day since.
Anal sex can be one of three things: terrifying, terrible, or terrific. Maybe you’ve heard horror stories (thanks, Tucker Max) and you’re not even remotely interested in letting something, let alone someone, go up there. Perhaps you’re tempted, but you don’t know where to begin. There are reassuring, pleasurable ways to go about anal sex, though, and it can be glorious if you know what you’re doing — and so preparation is key.
"It's not as easy as it looks in porn," sex psychologist David Ley, PhD tells Refinery29. "If you try to do it the way most porn does, it will be like learning to shoot from watching Steven Seagal movies: Somebody will get hurt."
Step away from the porn, and set aside your worries and fears about the back door. All you need is this step-by-step guide to having comfortable, communicative, and mutually satisfying anal sex, which we'll be updating regularly. Click through, then go forth without fear — and have fun!
The gap between what we learned in sex ed and what we're learning through sexual experience is big — way too big. So we're helping to connect those dots by talking about the realities of sex, from how it's done to how to make sure it's consensual, safe, healthy, and pleasurable all at once. Check out more here.
One of the best ways to prepare for partnered penetrative anal sex is to first explore anal play by yourself. Tantric sex coach Devi Ward suggests starting out by inserting one finger into your anus using plenty of lube. When you've become comfortable with a small finger, move on to toys. "Anal beads can be a nice size for beginners," Ward says. "You get a nice stimulation when you pull them out one at a time."
Rimming refers to performing oral sex on your partner's butthole. You might have also heard it referred to as salad-tossing or analingus. While rimming is delightful on its own, it's also an excellent form of foreplay to warm up for penetrative anal sex. If you're looking for a rimming technique, Jessica O'Reilly, PhD, a Toronto-based sexologist told Refinery29 about a move called "tongue twister," in which you spread apart your partner's butt cheeks using your hands and twirl your tongue in circles around their anus.
As with any form of anal play, since the rectum harbors bacteria from the GI tract, just make sure that the receiver washes up with water before rimming.
Sex expert Kenneth Play says that an optimal position for first-timers is spooning. "Spooning allows intimacy, visibility, and keeps your hands free," he says.
Traditionally, the person doing the penetrating is in the big spoon position, but they can also be up on their knees while the little spoon stays down (that way, you can maintain eye contact).
"It can be helpful to have the little spoon spread their butt cheeks so you can get better lighting on the anus to get the correct angle of penetration," Play says. "A lot of anal penetration is about alignment, so getting the right angle from the get-go can make a huge difference in your experience."
One anal "sex hack" Play recommends is for the little spoon to open up their sphincter (by pushing with the same muscles they use to poop) once the strap on or penis is right outside the opening.
If you have a vagina, adding clitoral stimulation can help you relax and reach orgasm during anal sex. You can incorporate this into foreplay or during penetrative anal sex, and either you or your partner can take the lead on this one (ain't no shame in taking matters into your own hands).
Not sure how to stimulate your clit for maximum pleasure? Try the DJ method, in which you flatten a few fingers and rub your clit in circular motions, or try moving your hands in a more diagonal motion if that feels better. (And don't forget to check out our handy guide on clitoral stimulation if you're still unsure about how to go about it.)
If you're someone who lives in a legal state and enjoys using cannabis, consider adding it to your anal sex routine. Studies suggest that cannabis can increase physical sensation, which could heighten the pleasure butt play already provides. If you're uninterested in getting high but curious about the benefits of combining cannabis with anal sex, you can try a cannabis-based anal suppository like Foria Explore. The makers of Foria Explore claim that it promotes relaxation and increases blood flow without getting you stoned.
Since the receiver has good control over depth and speed of penetration when on top, sex and relationship coach Charlie Glickman, PhD, author of The Ultimate Guide to Prostate Pleasure, says that position is a good way to get started. Don’t be afraid to try other positions, though. “Missionary works well if you put a small pillow under the receiver’s hips to lift them up a bit,” he says. “Or have them at the edge of the bed and the giver can stand on the floor.”
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
Just as with other kinds of sex, make anal sex an experience that addresses the whole body, not just the anus. Don’t forget about other erogenous zones, including nipples, clitoris, testicles, and so on — in fact, many people with clits find that anal-clit stimulation combination explosively orgasmic. Anal play as just one part of lovemaking.
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
Regardless of what you’ve heard about or seen in porn, anal is not about forcing. The receiver, rather than the giver, sets the pace. If anyone is experiencing discomfort, slow it down! You also don’t need to insert the whole length of the penis or dildo. It could be that half is the perfect amount.
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
According to Kyla Black, a sex therapist and clinical social worker, there's really no right amount of lube: “It very much depends on the person who will have lube on or in their body,” he says. Err on the side of excess, since the anus doesn’t self-lubricate, and choose the right lube. Avoid lubes that contain parabens, phthalates, or propylene glycol, and keep in mind that silicone-based lubes generally last longer than water-based lube: “The anus is a mucosal membrane, which means that it absorbs water rapidly and will dry out water-based lubes,” Bogdonoff says.
However, if you’re using toys, make sure to only use water-based lube with silicone toys and be careful with oil-based lubes, which can cause condoms to rip or deteriorate. Bogdonoff recommends Pjur Backdoor, a silicone-based lube that contains jojoba to increase the skin’s flexibility and softness.
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
There are a ton of ways to prepare for anal penetration, including using vibrators, rimming plugs, anal beads, and even dildos. These will not only open the anus but also arouse you before penetration. Sex and relationship coach Charlie Glickman, PhD, author of The Ultimate Guide to Prostate Pleasure recommends using a vibrator to learn to relax the anus; be sure to use one made with a body-safe, non-porous material and a smooth, flared base to prevent it from going too far into the anus. Glickman suggests b-Vibe’s Rimming Plug, which takes the technology of the famous rabbit vibrator and adapts it for an anal toy.
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
Anal has long been tainted with stigma and fears — that it’ll hurt, that something will go wrong, that you'll poop in the middle of it. But the shame surrounding anal sex "assumes that anal sex is unhealthy and should be rare," Ley says. "That’s a morally-based assumption, not a scientific or medical one." The best way to bring up the idea of anal sex to your partner is when neither you nor your partner is aroused. This way, you can talk about it without feeling pressure to do things too soon or in a way that feels rushed.
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
With new sexual territory, boundaries are key. "It can be helpful for both partners to be aware of each other's’ 'dos and don'ts' and anything in between," says Black.
Ley suggests broaching the subject by discussing anal play as part of your sex life. "Discuss including anal stimulation in a variety of ways, with fingers, toys and tongues," he says. "This is how a couple can introduce the anus as an area of pleasure and sensation, without jumping too quickly to the theoretical finish line of penis-in-anus sex."
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
In order to keep things comfortable, you’ve got to continue the conversation. Ley says that couples should be aware of each other’s fears around any new sexual behavior, especially one that’s often associated with pain. He suggests broadening the conversation so you and your partner can avoid anything that could hinder the pleasure of anal.
"When [people] believe their first experience with sexual intercourse will be painful, it often is. When they don’t believe that, it isn’t," Ley says. "The difference is the expectation, and the psychophysiological connections with that expectation. If you think anal sex is going to hurt, you prepare for that, tighten up in fear, and it does. If you prepare to enjoy it, negotiate it, prepare your body for it, and discuss ways to manage the experience, then discomfort is absent or greatly lessened."
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
Whether anal sex is new for you or not, every partner will be aroused differently and will have different levels of experience. "This may be an easier conversation than you expect, but a lot depends upon sexual characteristics of the couple," Ley says. "If you’re a couple that has limited sexual experience and only ever has sex in missionary position with the lights off, then it’s going to be a much more challenging conversation."
Bogdonoff says that anal, like all sex, is part psychological and part physical. "The anus will naturally relax, making insertion easier, when you're relaxed and aroused," he says. Talking to your partner about how you want to warm things up for both of you will help you both relax.
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
Make sure you both are aware that the person on the receiving end of anal sex might have a bowel movement, or that fecal matter might otherwise make some sort of cameo in your sex. There aren’t exactly numbers out there on how many people experience a bowel movement during anal, but it does happen — and the best thing is to agree that you’ll move on from it if it does. Pooping is normal, and no one can control what comes out of the anus, says Bogdonoff. "The worst thing that can happen to someone during sex is that they're shamed for have a normally-functioning body," he says.
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
Some research has suggested that giving unprotected anal intercourse with a penis can increase the risk of a prostate infection from bacteria getting into the urethra, Glickman says. And of course, unprotected anal intercourse is much riskier for STIs because of how delicate the rectum is. The FDA states that condoms are more likely to break during anal intercourse than vaginal “because of the greater amount of friction” — all the more reason to relax and prepare with foreplay and lube.
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
If your bowel movements are generally solid, you should be fine. If you have loose stools or are really concerned about fecal matter, consider avoiding lots of fiber before anal in order firm up your stool. Otherwise, just use the bathroom beforehand and gently scrub around the anal area to ensure you don’t have to deal with any errant flecks of fecal matter (no enema required!).
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
“When you hold your breath, as lots of people do during sex, the anus tightens up,” says Glickman. Mindful breathing will not only help calm you down mentally, it’ll relax the anus, making it much easier to start any insertion or even anal play. Tensing up the entire body, including squeezing the anus, is directly linked to stress, so Glickman suggests trying breath work to quell anxiety. Partners should try to breathe together, which will not only make things easier but more pleasurable, too.
Illustrated by: Natalia Spotts
Remember the cardinal rule of anal sex hygiene: Never ever go from anal to vaginal intercourse without washing up first. “Transferring the bacteria that naturally occur in the GI system into the vagina can cause serious problems,” Glickman says. “And just changing condoms isn’t enough, since condoms often don’t cover all the way down the shaft.” Wash the penis or toy with soap and water after anal play to remove any lube or body fluids before switching to vaginal sex. “Or even better, save anal for last,” Glickman says.
Anal sex in porn is often depicted as hardcore banging from behind, but it can actually be slow, sweet, and filled with love. If rough anal is making you anxious, know that it only has to be as fast or slow as you want — you set the pace. Especially in positions that allow for eye contact, such as missionary, when done properly, anal sex can be a very romantic sex position.
Yes, you can come from anal. The anus happens to hold the second highest concentration of nerve endings in your body. Vagina-possessing receivers also have a perennial sponge, which sits between the anus and the vaginal opening, and is part of the "internal network of erectile tissue" that contributes to your sexual pleasure, Ward says. All of this means that anal penetration stimulates your G-spot from new, highly sensitive angles, making an orgasm much more plausible than you might think.
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Update: Miller has sent a series of tweets in a seeming attempt to clarify his remarks to New York magazine.
In response to a tweet about Splinter News' writeup on the New York article, the comedian wrote that he is "getting used as click bait." Miller also sent several tweets explaining that he does believe "women are funny," but that "society" gets in the way.
To be real, I'm getting used as click bait a lot. It's becoming frustrating that if I confuse interviewers they trash me. I DO NOT LIKE IT. https://t.co/qaQSbRY02P
This story was originally published at 11:20 a.m. EDT.
Another day, another bizarre interview with T.J. Miller.
The Emoji Movie star sat down with New York magazine senior editor David Marchese for this week's issue, and the actor's statements are just as puzzling as you'd expect. Miller talked about his recent move to New York, the comedians he admires, and, yes, his recent departure from HBO's Silicon Valley. But as with most Miller interviews, there are plenty of strange statements about unrelated topics, too. For instance, Miller apparently doesn't believe that women are as funny as men.
"They're taught to suppress their sense of humor during their formative years," Miller told Marchese of women.
It's not clear whether Miller was joking with that statement. He's known to be sarcastic in interviews — he probably doesn't actually believe Yogi Bear 3D was the "best thing" he's done in his career. But in some ways, his statement also echoes what Iliza Shlesinger told Deadline last month.
"Women want to be treated as equals, and we want feminism to be a thing, but it's really difficult when every woman makes the same point about her vagina, over and over," Shlesinger said of female comics in the much-criticized interview. "I think shock value works well for women, but beyond that, there's no substance. I want to see what else there is with such complex, smart creatures."
In most ways, Shlesinger couldn't be more different from Miller, but their statements seem to come from the same place (at least, in our interpretation). Both of their quotes suggest that some female comedians rely on so-called vulgar humor to overcome that "ladylike," or as Miller might say, "suppressive," stereotype about women. But without more context, it's not clear if that really is what Miller meant, or if he actually thinks female comics just aren't as good as male comics.
Still, Miller has no problem throwing shade at male comedians (and openly dissing them, too). In a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Miller called Louis C.K. "overrated." And in his now-infamous interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Miller praised Silicon Valley lead Thomas Middleditch, while also shading him for "want[ing] to be the star of the show." So it's possible Miller was joking with his comment to New York.
That's not to say we should let all of his recent comments slide, though. In various interviews about Silicon Valley, Miller has suggested that the loss of his character, Erlich Bachman, will keep the show from becoming stale. "It's only gonna become better with me not on it," Miller recently told Jimmy Kimmel of the show.
That's not giving much credit to the Silicon Valley writers, who have engineered plenty of surprising "pivots" (as Jared would say) throughout the show's first four seasons, without Erlich leaving the main ensemble.
But whatever you think of Miller, he seems to be loving the attention to all of his interviews.
"People need a villain, and I'm occupying that space," the comedian told Marchese in the New York interview. "If I'd just said it was an honor to work on Silicon Valley and was thankful to [producer] Alec Berg, I would have disappeared. Instead, by being just a little authentic, I infected the news cycle."
Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled Iliza Shlesinger's last name. Refinery29 regrets the error.
