The Game Awards 2021 has offered fans a new look at The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, with a new teaser trailer hinting at some of the character's struggles. Developer Daedalic Entertainment announced LOTR: Gollum in March 2019, promising a fresh experience in the wide-spanning Middle Earth universe that focuses on one of its most fascinating characters. It'll eschew the action on display in other notable Lord of the Rings games such as the Shadow of Mordor, instead emphasizing stealth mechanics that better befit the character of Gollum.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum last took center stage during this year's Nacon Connect, which aired in July and showcased a closer look at the titular character. Daedalic also treated viewers to glimpses at a few in-game locales, namely the likes of Mirkwood and the Mines of Moria. The familiar faces of Gandalf and Thranduil the Elvenking appeared during the LOTR: Gollum video as well, leaving many a fan eager to see more ahead of the game's highly-anticipated release.
The latest LOTR: Gollum trailer from Daedalic Entertainment offers a look at some of the game's different environments, highlighting the dangers of Middle-Earth. The trailer also teases the struggles between Gollum's two personalities: Sméagol and Gollum. As hinted at in the new clip, the duality of the character is an ever-present problem, one likely to pervade both the game's story and its gameplay. The two sides of Gollum play off each other in a similar way to Peter Jackson's interpretation in The Lord of the Rings movies, with Sméagol trying to reason with Gollum.
Daedalic originally planned to release The Lord of the Rings: Gollum this year, before Gollum was delayed to give the game more time in development and better meet player expectations. While delays can often be viewed negatively, reception to previous trailers and gameplay has been mixed, with fans unsure of the studio's cartoon-like aesthetic for the beloved character. While Daedlic has yet to set a firm due date, the studio seems happy to stick with a 2022 release window, as confirmed in the latest video.
The upcoming Lord of the Ring: Gollum title will be the first Gollum-centered video game, which has many fans excited. Players can expect to traverse locations from across Middle-Earth as the character, who will utilize stealth and parkour moves, something else not really utilized in earlier LOTR-focused games. While Gollum's TGA appearance was previously teased, the latest trailer adds further intrigue to the game and its upcoming launch.
Horror fans will face off against another classic demon in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre which was announced during the pre-show for The Game Awards 2021. Like Friday The 13th, it appears the new horror title will focus on multiplayer gameplay, with players avoiding Leatherface as he hunts a farmstead with a chainsaw. The preview footage showed the first look at Leatherface's design as he leers into the camera, showcasing a terrifying and realistic style similar to Friday The 13th.
While the premier didn't include any active gameplay, the location of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre game appears to be as remote as Friday The 13th, with players likely running around a farm from the original film. Because the title is based on a true story, the horror elements could also include a narrative from the historical source material, adding to the atmosphere of the game. While the realistic graphics of the trailer are atmospheric, it is unknown at this time if the same graphics will be used in actual gameplay.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre premier hasn't confirmed how many players will be active at one time, or what the full map looks like, but it is possible the gameplay will feature over-the-shoulder gameplay similar to Friday The 13th, as well as multiple environments around Leatherface's farm. Currently, there is no information on what the primary story will be, or if there will be an overarching narrative outside of facing off against Leatherface with friends. Currently, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre's official website has limited details outside of the premiere trailer, but will likely add further information in the coming months.
According to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre premier trailer, the game has been confirmed to be based on the real events surrounding the creation of Leatherface and the movies. This seems to imply that the game itself will use historical information as well as inspiration from the original films in its gameplay.
While it is possible The Texas Chainsaw Massacre could release during 2022, there has been no official release date announced during the premier trailer or on the game's website. The game also doesn't have a list of potential platforms it will be available on. However, it is likely it will be released on PC, Xbox X|S, and PlayStation 5. Despite the lack of details, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will likely be an exciting addition to the libraries of horror fans, and will add another way for players to survive classic horror villains in cooperative environments.
The Beatles: Get Back has filled a giant hole in the history of The Beatles. This era in the band's run has long been rumored about, but nobody completely knew the whole story. However, these eight hours of unearthed footage reveal everything from the band's crumbling relationships to their daily eating habits.
Because of the broad range of topics the documentary covers, there are so many more memes than the usual "Yoko broke up The Beatles" affair. Between Ringo just being happy to be there, George constantly sitting on the fence, and the band's love of toast, The Beatles: Get Back has become the most meme-able documentary ever.
The 8+ hour documentary shows The Beatles as the band works on their final album, Let It Be. But while it's their final album, it isn't actually the final album they recorded. The final album they made was Abbey Road, which "Octopus's Garden" features on, and the documentary sees Ringo Starr working on it in its early stages.
What the meme hilariously depicts is the way that Ringo happily tinkers away on a song while the band emotionally breaks down in the background. John and Paul fight over the power they have over the band, and Ringo's just sitting there, making daydreamy songs about octopuses.
There are loads of great documentaries about the music industry, but few have given such great insight into bands' dietary requirements. It seemed as though during this period in time, the band was living exclusively off marmalade and toast. They aren't seen eating anything other than that, and the documentary chronicles their lives over a period of one month.
This meme brilliantly shows just how much of a diplomat Geoge Harrison is. One of the best moments of the documentary sees George playing the band a new song, "I Me Mine." He follows the song by saying that it could work on the new album, but if the band doesn't want to use it, then that's fine too. And that same approach is perfectly applied to his toast request.
As all of the members of the band have so many infamous quotes that are all full of wisdom, there's a lack of memorable life lessons coming from Ringo. But there's one quote from the documentary that sticks out, even more than any meaningful monologue about struggle or creative differences from John or Paul.
Ringo speaks the least in the documentary, and it isn't even close, as he quietly sits there on his stool ready to play the drums on demand. But at one point in the documentary, the drummer announces to the room, "I've farted," using the Queen's English in the way that only a Beatle member would.
As the documentary has been so popular, it has been all any fan can talk about online, which has led one to use the classic Harry Potter meme. And in an insult to Ringo, the drummer has been completely neglected. But Ringo being the worst member of the band has been a running gag for decades. John Lennon even once said that Ringo isn't even the best drummer in The Beatles, which has become a meme itself, as seen on StareCat.com.
This meme brilliantly insinuates that anybody who has had Get Back on a loop since it was released on Disney+ has some deep emotional problems. The joke stems from the fact that the documentary isn't simply about the making of an album, but it's about the falling out of lifelong friends.
A lot of the eight hours are spent with the band arguing, telling each other what to do, and members simply looking depressed. But as the documentary also ends optimistically and there are all of these wonderful songs throughout, the show could also be used as some kind of coping mechanism.
There are so many Beatles documentaries, but none of them have depicted the band in such an honest and raw way that Get Back does. And with no filter, showing the warts-and-all process of four men who are drifting apart yet have to record an album together, it's a surprisingly emotional experience.
The humor of the meme mostly stems from the fact that George is one of the least emotional fictional characters that exist, and even when his fiancee died in Seinfeld, he showed no remorse whatsoever. But when he sees the four members of The Beatles, who are considered some of the greatest musicians who ever lived, he can't help but get teary-eyed.
Of all the thousands of facts that have been unearthed about the band since their break-up, there were a surprising amount of new facts fans learned from watching The Beatles:Get Back. However, one thing every Beatles fan knew from this era is that George left the recording studio and briefly quit the band.
But as the meme points out, that didn't stop those very fans from being shocked when it happens. It's surprising what happens at the end of the first episode because of the way George says, "I think I'll be leaving the band now," in such a cavalier way. And it's so upsetting too.
After George leaves the band, the remaining members are in disarray, but they end up messing around like kids on a playground. In one ridiculous moment, Paul McCartney even starts swinging on a bit of scaffolding in the first studio.
Though the meme is funny, it's a fascinating moment in the documentary, as it leaves viewers to assume the roles of psychologists and attempt to understand what's going on in their heads. They're clearly trying to show that they aren't affected by the loss of George, but at the end of the day, the recording process comes to a crashing halt.
There are some classic uses of Beatles' music in movies, but when listening to them, most people wouldn't know that there's probably more than just the fab four who have worked on it. In the second episode, keyboardist Billy Preston arrives at the studio to simply catch up with his old friends, but he's quickly inducted into the Beatles by John Lennon.
The meme perfectly points out how informal and random the whole agreement was. Preston didn't just contribute to a song, but he played on every track of the album, and he even performed with them on the rooftop.
The Beatles had two behind-closed-doors meetings after George left the band, and as in-depth as the documentary is, nobody knows what was said at those meetings. But regardless, whatever Paul, John, and Ringo said to George, they managed to convince him to return to the band.
However, this meme revises history in the best way, by showing George being dragged back to the studio against his will by Paul. The documentary depicts Paul McCartney as the "frontman" of the band, or as close to that as possible. And part of the reason George was unhappy was because of the dictatorship-like way Paul was running the sessions.
The Rose Incense is a highly desirable item to be held by a Pokémon in battle and breeding in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Incense are held items that were originally introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire, and, at the time only the Sea Incense and Lax Incense were part of the series. These Incense boosted Water-type moves and reduced opponents' accuracy, respectively, making them perfect additions to the Hoenn region with its many Water-type Pokémon.
The original Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl introduced seven new Incenses, the Full, Luck, Odd, Pure, Rock, Rose, and Wave. Like the Incenses that came before them, these seven were designed to help with breeding in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl in addition to their various battle effects. The Rose Incense is for Grass-type moves and for use when breeding the Pokémon Roselia and Roserade.
The Rose Incense in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl boosts the damage of Grass-type moves by 20%, for any user. This means that, for example, an Empoleon that knows the move Grass Knot could benefit from holding the Rose Incense in battle. Additionally, if a Grass-type Pokémon is holding the Rose Incense and uses a Grass-type move, the Pokémon's attack would be boosted by 80% thanks to the addition of the STAB bonus. The Rose Incense provides the same battle bonus for Grass-type moves as the Miracle Seed in Pokémon BDSP, which can really strengthen the offensive power of a Grass-type Pokémon team.
Players can find the Rose Incense in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl outside the Trophy Garden property. This area requires the move Surf to access, however, which means players will also have to defeat the Hearthome City Gym Leader after acquiring the HM in Celestic Town. After gaining the ability to use Surf, players should head south from Hearthome City towards the Trophy Garden. There is a patch of flowers with an item laying in it near a small body of water. Players can Surf and pick up the item to receive the Rose Incense.
Breeding any Pokémon with a female Roselia or Roserade while one parent is holding the Rose Incense will result in Budew hatching from the egg. Budew is one of the baby Pokémon in BDSP, and, while baby Pokémon normally have unique egg moves that make them desirable to hatch, Budew actually has the same egg moves as Roselia. Furthermore, Roselia can actually learn more egg moves than Budew. Since Budew can be caught in the wild or in the Grand Underground, the Rose Incense has little real utility for breeding in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Halo has always been a franchise that has focused on keeping its vehicles just as satisfying to use as its weapons, but Halo Infinite turns that iconic vehicular combat up a notch. Halo Infinite's multiplayer has over 10 vehicles, a player increase in big team battle mode, and a new vehicle delivery system, making vehicle combat more chaotic than ever before. All the new changes, in addition to the regular chaos of big team battles, can make getting quality time with Halo Infinite's best vehicles a bit more difficult. Of all of the vehicles available, both new and returning, one seems to soar far above the rest: the AV-49 Wasp.
Returning from its first outing in Halo 5: Guardians, the Wasp is one of two aerial vehicles in HaloInfinite's sandbox. The vehicle is exclusively in big team battle game modes, as well as certain maps in the fiesta playlist during the game's recurring Fracture: Tenrai event. Players will want to get familiar with how the vehicle works and where it spawns, as the Wasp tends to be hard to get during big team battles. In addition, there is one known weekly challenge that is tied to destroying enemy Wasps, and knowing the vehicle's weak points as well as where they spawn can easily speed up battle pass progression.
The most reliable way to find and fly a Wasp in Halo Infinite is by loading into a big team battle game, specifically on the map Highpower. At either team spawn base, a helipad can be found to the far right, next to what will be either a Stalker rifle or Shock rifle weapon on the wall. A few minutes after the game has begun, a Wasp will spawn on both helipads. The Wasp is not just exclusive to the Highpower map; it also has a chance to spawn on any other BTB map. The game's announcer will say a Wasp is being dropped into the battlefield. In addition, during the Fracture: Tenrai event, the Wasp can be found as a random spawn in the fiesta playlist, on the maps Behemoth and Launch Site.
The Halo Infinite Multiplayer AV-49 Wasp moves quickly and is very lethal but can be hard to fly without proper knowledge. Halo Infinite players on controller will want to use the right bumper to gain altitude with the Wasp and the left bumper to descend. The vehicle hovers by itself if the player isn't moving it up or down. The vehicle has no boost or dodge, which makes it hard to get out of tight situations, so players will have to be careful when positioning the Wasp before combat. It's best to keep the Wasp high in the air so players can take advantage of the vehicle's chain gun and missiles. The Wasp's chain turret is extremely accurate and capable of killing spartans quickly from long range. Pressing Y on the controller will switch to the vehicle's missiles, which are capable of killing spartans in one hit and tracking vehicles. Combing these two weapons during each attack is the most effective way to get kills. As a general strategy, players should start attacks by using missiles and finish targets off using the chain gun.
The Wasp is easily the most powerful aerial vehicle in Halo Infinite multiplayer when in the right hands, but can also be easily countered by some new weapons, like the lock-on missile launcher, the Hydra. The Wasp also has weak points on its wings, and players should try to aim for them when trying to complete their weekly challenges. However, it is far more fun to grapple onto an enemy Wasp and take it for a spin while the enemy plummets back to the ground.
John Cho and Annie Murphy are set to star inPraise Petey, an upcoming animated comedy series from Freeform. The show will follow Petey, voiced bySchitt’s Creekstar Annie Murphy, a New York City “it” girl who’s tasked with updating her father’s failing small-town cult.Praise Peteymarks the Disney-owned network’s first stab at animation since rebranding to Freeform in 2016.
Freeform has orderedPraise Petey—a working title—from creator Anna Drezen, who serves as a head writer on Saturday Night Live. Drezen will executive produce alongside Monica Padrick (Central Park), Greg Daniels (Parks and Recreation), and Mike Judge (Silicon Valley). The series is produced by Disney Television Studios’ 20th Television Animation, with animation by ShadowMachine.
In addition to Murphy,Praise PeteyfeaturesCowboy Bebopstar John Cho as Bandit, a potential love interest for Petey and a member of the cult since childhood. Amy Hill voices his mother Mae Mae, one of the cult’s high-ranking members. Voicing Petey’s parents are Christine Baranski, a magazine editor and member of Manhattan’s haughty upper crust, and Stephen Root, a charming, homespun cult leader. Also joining isThe Flash’s Kiersey Clemons as a local bartender.
The official synopsis reads, “Praise Petey follows Petey, a New York City “it” girl who has it all until her life comes crashing down around her. As luck would have it, a mysterious gift from her father gives her a new lease on life: she’s going to “lean into” modernizing his small-town cult. Once the girl who had everything, now she has to use her city smarts to revamp her father’s failing cult and be a better leader than he was, a much more laidback one — a nice one — a girl boss!”
Though Martin Scorsese's filmography is filled with many diverse movies, the legendary filmmaker is likely best known for his gangster movies. While Goodfellas and Casino earned him plenty of praise, The Departed was the movie that finally earned Scorsese his Oscar.
The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a mole inside the mob and Matt Damon as a mole inside the police force each trying to uncover the other before their own cover is blown. Along with the all-star cast and Scorsese's expert direction, the movie is wonderfully written with some incredible dialogue that makes it a thoroughly enjoyable crime film.
Updated on December 8th, 2021 by Colin McCormick: In the 15 years since The Departed won Best Picture at the Oscars, Scorsese has made a number of acclaimed movies, from Silence to The Wolf of Wall Street to The Irishman. However, The Departed remains one of his most rewatchable movies, largely thanks to the endlessly quotable dialogue. From the funny one-liners to the tough-guy expressions, there are so many quotes from this movie that remain so much fun to revisit.
This line is spoken to young Colin Sullivan near the beginning of the movie by Frank Costello. It is an example of Costello grooming the young boy and setting him on the path to becoming his inside man within the police department.
However, the line is also a perfect comment on how Colin and Billy mirror each other in the movie. Each of them plays both sides of the cop and criminal worlds. In the end, both men face a loaded gun so which of them made the right choice?
At the beginning of the movie, Billy Costigan has hopes of being a normal cop, but his superior officer, Queenan, sees there is something else to this young man. He questions whether Billy really wants to be a cop or just pretend to be a cop.
In Queenan's eyes, Billy is a very intelligent young man who has more potential than what he is setting himself up for. He feels Billy is lying to himself about what he can do which sets him on the mission to infiltrate Costello's crew.
One of the many memorable characters in the movie is Costello's right-hand man, Mr. French. He is a typical tough and no-nonsense gangster which Billy finds out when French stops him from beating up a fellow gangster in a bar.
French explains to the fiery young man who he's the one who says who can and cannot be hit. His hilarious explanation of the "rules" of the criminal world is a lot of fun, especially as, after he sets Billy straight, French proceeds to beat up the man himself.
Jack Nicholson's performance as Frank Costello is appropriately unsettling. But while he has flashes of anger and violent outbursts, Costello can be scariest when he has a calm and collected approach to murder.
After Queenan is shockingly murdered by Costello's men, Colin confronts him about how reckless it was. Costello doesn't seem bothered at all by it as he simply takes a "me or him" view of the entire thing which cements how dangerous this man is.
Despite the violence throughout the movie, The Departed also has some big laughs. The funniest character is the blunt and constantly annoyed Sergeant Dignam, played by Mark Wahlberg. Dignam is the perfect epitome of the "bad cop" routine as he has a sassy comeback to anyone he interacts with.
Despite the fact that he doesn't seem to like Billy very much, he does all he can to keep his undercover identity a secret. When one of his colleagues asks if there is currently someone inside Costello's organization, Dignam responds in a hilarious cryptic, and hostile way.
Along with all the violence and intrigue of the story, the movie takes the time to show a more grounded look at organized crime. Frank Costello might live like a king as the mob boss, but his underlings seem like regular blue-collar guys who just follow his lead.
In one small scene, two of his men are standing outside discussing how to spot a cop and theorize that anyone who doesn't pay attention to them is actually a cop. When a good-looking woman walks past and ignores them, they decide she's definitely undercover.
Matt Damon gives a great performance as Colin Sullivan. Though he is good at his job and is an expert liar, it's clear that living this life of deceit is beginning to tear Colin apart.
As it becomes obvious that the police have a spy in Costello's organization, the mob boss grows impatient with Colin's investigation. Colin tries to ensure Costello that he has it under control but he is now lying to both sides and putting on a false face just to save his own skin.
As terrifying as Costello can be, Nicholson also brings his devilish charm to the role which is thoroughly entertaining. It also makes for some great lines that are filled with dark humor.
In one scene, Costello stops and greets an associate at his bar and asks how his sick mother is doing. The man sadly responds that she's "on her way out." With a smile, Costello remarks, "We all are. Act accordingly." This lack of concern about death seems to be his entire approach to life.
Though Costello has managed to rise up and become the most powerful gangster in Boston, the movie makes it clear that he's starting to lose touch with reality and is becoming more and more unhinged.
Near the beginning of the movie, we see Costello executing two people on the beach. After shooting a female victim, he remarks to French that she fell funny, and then laughs. French simply looks at Costello and suggests that he might need some professional help.
Wahlberg's scene-stealing performance as Dignam might have sent him on his path of later comedy roles like Ted and The Other Guys. Quite surprisingly, Wahlberg has some of the funniest lines in the movie, especially when he is degrading Billy.
During Billy's interview with Dignam and Queenan, Dignam takes any opportunity to berate and insult Billy. After Billy quotes Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dignam shows how impressed he is by making a fart noise and asking for some Shakespeare next.
The Departed marked the third collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio while continuing DiCaprio's transition into more adult roles. He plays Billy with simmering intensity, a man surrounded by violence, who is terrified he will be found out and killed at any moment.
When meeting with Dignam and Queenan after being undercover for over a year, his anxiety is taking over and he begins to fall apart. He feels alone and abandoned like he is being offered up as a sacrifice to these violent criminals.
It is clear that Dignam has no regard for the chain of authority or for showing respect to those who might be in higher positions of power than he is. He is willing to call out anyone he doesn't like — which is most people.
When his department is liaising with the FBI on their case against Costello, Dignam shows that he has even less respect for the feds than he does for anyone else. He is not only willing to give them no information but he is happy to do so in an insulting manner.
Following the death of Costello, the true identities of the moles come to light which leads to a face-off between Billy and Colin. Though he has no one to back him up, Billy confronts Colin and arrests him.
Colin goes through a range of emotions throughout this confrontation. He tries to bribe Billy, then threatens him, then tries to convince him that he's wrong about everything. While all of his smooth-talking has saved him before, he finally realizes it's not going to this time and begs for Billy to kill him. Billy calmly responds, "I am killing you."
From the opening moments of the Scorsese film, Nicholson's Frank Costello is made out to be a compelling and intimidating character. Through narration, Costello introduces himself with this brilliant and ice-cold line that perfectly tells us who this man is.
He is a criminal who is in it more for power and fear than for money. He is not interested in operating in the safest and smartest way, but rather he expects the world to operate around him and his desires. It is the kind of line that immediately sends a chill up the spine.
Wahlberg's Dignam is such an entertaining character, there could be an entire movie just featuring him insulting various people. He is so merciless in his takedowns the audience almost wants to cheer whenever he starts screaming at somebody.
In one particular scene, the police force has set up surveillance to catch Costello in his latest illegal dealings. However, the surveillance is poorly set up, leading Dignam to insult the tech people. When one of them questions who he is, he yells "I'm the guy doing my job. You must be the other guy."
Epic Games has announced that Fortnite's development has shifted to Unreal Engine 5, the latest version of the companies wildly popular game engine, beginning with the start of the title's brand-new 3rd chapter. Fortnite's newest chapter recently set sail with new additions and innovative mechanics that completely change how the free-to-play battle royale is played. Epic Games has introduced first-person mode to Fortnite for the very first time, allowing the utilization of its camera while aiming down with one of Chapter 3's newest weapons, which could possibly be improved in the future. In addition, mobility maneuvers that allow players to slide to ramp up speed and evade enemy fire and the ability to traverse throughout the title's newest map with Spider-Man’s web-shooters were added.
Essentially created by Epic Games founder, Tim Sweeney in 1995 for the first-person shooter Unreal, the Unreal Engine is a powerful real-time 3D creation tool primarily designed to be used to create high-profile game titles. Since its release in 1998, its been used in a variety of genres and has even seen adoption by other industries, most notably the film and television industry to create virtual sets. The latest version of the Unreal Engine was revealed last year for ninth-generation consoles as part of The Game Awards and gave players a first look at its next-gen technology with a PS5 tech demo. The engine is set to release publically in 2022 and will allow developers to import highly-detailed photographic source material into games as well as newer toolsets to create more immersive and larger worlds for players.
In a post shared on the official Unreal Engine Twitter account, (via PC Gamer) Epic Games has revealed that the studio has shifted Fortnite's development over to the newest version of the engine, making it the very first game to utilize Unreal Engine 5. With the newest confirmation from the studio, the implementation of new mechanics and features added to the battle royale title with its latest massive update seems more plausible. Epic Games showed off new weather and environmental effects during the overview trailer of Chapter 3, with the addition of lightning and tornadoes that can pull players into them. However, only log-destruction seems to have made it into the chapter, with the others likely to show up in future seasons now that the popular title is running on Unreal Engine 5.
Following its reveal last summer, Tim Sweeney stated that Fortnite would begin using the Unreal Engine 5 in mid-2021 to do things that weren't possible in the past. Although a little late than originally promised, the engine will help the next era of the ever-popular battle royale experience shine. Players are already using the game's new log-destruction mechanic made possible by the new engine to easily traverse across lakes with logs.
The use of Unreal Engine 5 has only recently been put to use in Fortnite and more significant changes to the game's graphical and gameplay performance are expected beyond Chapter 3. Despite not being the most graphically impressive battle royale game, the new engine could push the title beyond its limits and turn it into one of the most immersive and detailed experiences on the market.
A new patch has been released for Stardew Valley, adding bug fixes and changes that support the modding community, with the patch notes teasing another upcoming patch that will add long-requested features to the game. Since its release in 2016, the game has amassed a large moddingcommunity, with creators adding everything from quality of life changes to entirely new areas and NPCs to the Stardew Valley universe. The game's creator, Eric Barone - who operates under the pseudonym ConcernedApe - has remained committed to improving and updating the game since it came out, frequently releasing patches based on player feedback.
Barone developed Stardew Valley almost entirely by himself, and since releasing the game has always made a point of listening to the game's fans, fixing bugs players point out, and adding highly-requested features to the game. He's also been a vocal supporter of the modding community surrounding Stardew Valley, designing the back-end of the game with them in mind. The relaxing farming sim experienced a renewed popularity following the massive Stardew Valley 1.5 update, which added a large amount of new content to the game. This excitement spread to the modding community as well, giving them even more content to adapt and add to.
A new 1.5.5 patch was released on November 30th, and while the update mostly adds small quality of life changes, PCGamesN reports that the patch notes tease an upcoming 1.5.6 patch that will include "long requested ‘holy grail’ changes which should make some aspects of modding much easier.” Barone won't be working alone on this next patch - he'll be working alongside accomplished modder PathosChild. The 1.5.5 update also includes a major improvement for modders: a change to the game's framework that will allow mods to utilize more than 4 gigabytes of RAM, which will allow for more complex mods to be added to the game. The patch also includes some quality of life changes - players can now craft or purchase in stacks of 25, buyback items they've sold accidentally, easily transfer their customized settings to a new save file, and more. Bug fixes address instances where players would get stuck in a wall or in their cellar and fixes the inability to change the difficulty level of the mines.
This update was a surprise for many fans of the game, as it seemed the 1.5 update may be the last for Stardew Valley. While it's unknown exactly what the 1.5.6 update will add to the game, Barone's recent focus on improving modding capabilities opens the door for lots of new custom content to be created for the game. The 1.5.6 update will likely add even more mod support - Barone's collaboration with PathosChild, creator of the very popular Stardew Modding API, will allow for the patch to be developed with a modder's perspective.
With so many talented modders creating content for Stardew Valley, improving how they're able to mod the game will be a big boon for players. Modding Stardew Valley allows players to explore the creative possibilities of the game, even more, expanding gameplay options and inspiring gamers to play the game longer than they would without custom content options. A large part of the appeal of Stardew Valley stems from its open-ended, sandbox-style of gameplay, and this upcoming update will allow for even more imaginative opportunities for fans.
Winter Everett gave viewers whiplash on The Family Chantelwhen her rapid engagement to her long-term boyfriend Jah turned into a breakup, and a lot of the show's fans hope that the two reality stars don't reconcile. Many viewers are rooting for the younger sister of series star Chantel Jimeno, née Everett, and want her to make her breakup permanent. Though Winter and Jah have broken up and gotten back together on numerous occasions, warning signs from the latest episode of the 90 Day Fiancé spin-off show made it clear that Winter needs to end things with Jah for good.
Jah and Winter started dating when Winter, now 27, was only a teenager. The older man made an impression on Winter and had her help him raise his daughter, Liani. Chantel and the Everett family matriarch Karen Everett remained skeptical of Jah, which led to Chantel hiring a private investigator and uncovering that Jah also had a son. Winter forgave Jah for concealing his son from her and even followed him into his Nazarene faith and its restrictions, despite not completely understanding his beliefs. After Jah's second proposal, Winter finally said yes. However, a tearful Winter then arrived at her family’s house with news of a breakup.
The Family Chantel audiences consider Winter to be a sympathetic cast member, and fans were cheering her on as she announced her split. The 27-year-old explained that Jah had gotten angry and kicked her out of his home after he brought up polygamy. She said she didn’t want a polygamous relationship. This behavior concerned audiences, as fans of Winter fear that older man Jah is controlling and manipulative. Many viewers felt as though he was trying to urge Winter into a “sister wives” position. Meanwhile, his anger (and his decision to kick Winter out) did not sit well with alarmed viewers.
Though Jah tried to make amends with Winter, she told her family that she deserves better than Jah because he mistreats her. To further demonstrate his character, Jah banned Winter from seeing young Liani, even though Winter said the girl calls her mom. It is clear to audiences that Jah is trying to use his daughter to manipulate Winter, which is not healthy behavior. Even Winter was able to recognize on The Family Chantel that she didn’t love herself to the fullest when she was with Jah, but she is starting to do so apart from him. Furthermore, viewers were concerned that Jah wanted Winter to follow his strict religion, even though she didn’t fully understand the beliefs he embraced. Overall, their union appeared to give Jah all of the power at the expense of Winter's self-empowerment.
Winter has opened up to the cameras and her family about how she lost herself in her relationship with Jah. Many viewers celebrate Winter’s journey of health and self-love that she has been sharing on social media. She is looking very fit and she is glowing. Fans of Winter want to see her continue to grow and enjoy her independence. She doesn't seem to do this when Jah is in the picture. Therefore, many The Family Chantel viewers are hoping that Winter and Jah remain separated. One thing is for certain, which is the fact that Chantel will do everything in her power to keep her sister away from Jah. However, some viewers aren't sure Jah and Winter are over for good.
Disney and Marvel's Hawkeye introduced a major Avengers theory in its trailers, but the series surprisingly just debunked it. After Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) wears Hawkeye's old Ronin outfit while fighting off criminals at a black market auction, Clint Barton's (Jeremy Renner) holiday plans with his kids get ruined. So now, instead of enjoying movie marathon nights, Barton needs to help get his old enemies off Bishop's trail and team up with her to take on the Tracksuit Mafia; its commander, Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox); and another mysterious figure running the organization. If he can do that, he just might make it home for Christmas.
Though Hawkeye has seemed like a more grounded Marvel Cinematic Universe story, its trailers hinted at a more significant threat. In Hawkeye's trailers, Vera Farmiga's Eleanor Bishop teased that the series would have an "Avengers-level" threat, and Kate would have to help Hawkeye stop it. The speculation online about this potential threat ran wild, with many fans wondering if Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin would somehow be involved and make his MCU debut. Episode 3 further hinted at Kingpin, with a mysterious character called "Uncle" showing up in the series, but the "Avengers-level" threat was still a mystery.
Hawkeye episode 4 surprisingly debunked theories that the series would have a bigger impact on the MCU. In the episode, Hawkeye and Kate explain to Eleanor and her fiancé, Jack Duquesne (Tony Dalton), that they've been working together. Eleanor then delivers the much-anticipated line from Disney+'s Hawkeye trailers. "So Kate is helping you with an Avengers-level threat?" Eleanor asks Hawkeye. "Well, not exactly," Hawkeye responds. And with that, the Marvel series kills the theories about a more prominent threat hiding in Hawkeye.
The scene confirms Hawkeye is a more street-level Avengers story. Marvel often hides its true stories in its marketing, releasing doctored footage in trailers to conceal characters and plot points. Though the Hawkeye trailers promoted the "Avengers-level" threat line, the MCU deceived fans once again. Hawkeye genuinely seems to be a more intimate story about Clint Barton (or "CB-One," as Kate calls him) dealing with his past and trying to get home for the holidays. While some fans may feel tricked by Marvel's trailers, it makes sense for Marvel to keep the series more grounded, as Hawkeye is one of the only Avengers who's not a superpowered being in some way.
Regardless of the story being more grounded, there is still the possibility of a more significant threat coming. Though an "Avengers-level" threat could be out of the question at this point, the series continues to tease someone in the Tracksuit Mafia who's in a higher position than even Maya. And as another tease that it's Kingpin, Hawkeye discovers that Jack Duquesne is secretly laundering money for "the big guy." This mysterious "big guy" apparently likes working in the shadows, but Hawkeye could soon bring their actions to light.
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Young Sheldon season 5.
Sheldon's saddest story from The Big Bang Theory has become even more tragic because of Young Sheldon. In the original sitcom, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) came equipped with numerous oddities and quirks that he frequently insisted upon, forcing his friends and family to make concessions. This includes the character having to knock exactly three times every time he enters a room. It was a nuisance at first, but apparently, Sheldon's knocking habit was due to a traumatic incident from his childhood.
In The Big Bang Theory season 10 episode "The Hot Tub Contamination," Sheldon told Penny (Kaley Cuoco) the real reason behind his need to knock three times. He adopted the habit after he accidentally caught his dad having sexual relations with another woman while they were still living together in Texas. One day when he was 13 years old, he unexpectedly came home early from college and barged in on George (Lance Barber) and an unnamed female being intimate. Since then, he decided that knocking three times offered people enough time to make themselves respectable, preventing another similarly awkward incident.
Timeline-wise, Young Sheldon is set up to tackle George’s infidelity and eventual death. But while viewers wait for this to be depicted on the show, the prequel spin-off has already made this experience so much more tragic. In Young Sheldon season 5, episode 8, "The Grand Chancellor and a Den of Sin," Sheldon struggles with the idea that everyone lies. Talking with Mary (Zoe Perry), the Cooper matriarch tells her son that she likes that he's always truthful and that she hopes he never changes. Touched by his mother's encouragement, Sheldon promises never to lie to her, making her happy.
However, the socially-inept genius was never able to keep this oath as he deliberately hid his father's affair from Mary. Based on his story in The Big Bang Theory, after he caught George in a compromising position, they never talked about it. Since Mary never mentioned George’s affair in all of the time she visited her son in Pasadena, it's more than likely that she wasn't aware of this.
While Sheldon liked saying that he has an eidetic memory in the original show, Young Sheldon proves that he isn't exactly a reliable narrator. For starters, Sheldon's description of George in The Big Bang Theory is quite different from the character's depiction in the prequel series. Despite this, his story about George's infidelity is arguably the most anticipated plotline in Young Sheldon. The fact that he never fully discussed it with anyone else until he shared it with Penny could mean that there were lapses in Sheldon’s recollection of the incident.
Perhaps there was a massive misunderstanding and that George wasn't exactly having an affair. The problem is, as long as CBS doesn't offer a definitive version of what happened, fans will always have questions about it. And based on what happened in Young Sheldon season 5, it may have been more traumatizing to him than initially perceived. Considering how frank and truthful he can be, it must've been difficult for Sheldon to keep his worst The Big Bang Theory secret from his mother.
The Spirit of Christmas ends on a quite ambiguous note — here is what transpired towards the film’s finale. Directed by David Jackson, The Spirit of Christmas tries to evade the conventions of a holiday romantic comedy. While the Lifetime holiday film still possesses the clichéd tropes of its genre, it presents an ingenious angle: one involving murder mysteries, ghost sightings, and interdimensional attachment.
Set in the fictional Hollygrove Inn, The Spirit of Christmas chronicles the complicated development between Daniel Forsythe (Thomas Beaudoin) and Kate Jordan (Jen Lilley). Daniel, an Edwardian Era ghost murdered within the inn’s property line, clashes with an ambitious lawyer in Kate, who has been sent on an urgent task. As the news of Daniel’s appearances will derail her mission—and subsequently, her promotion—Kate seeks to resolve his cause of death.
Similar to the original Christmas movies on Lifetime and other viewing platforms, The Spirit of Christmas ends happily, maintaining the warmth and lightheartedness of the season. Fans of the film have praised The Spirit of Christmas'scast of characters, as well as its intriguing concept, putting a rather unique spin on a holiday romance.
Walter and Molly host a Christmas Eve party at the Hollygrove Inn. In spite of Kate’s apologies for not solving his murder, Daniel thanks her for the experiences he has had while living temporarily. When their slow-dancing gets interrupted by Sheriff Bell, Daniel has an inexplicable recollection of what happened to him on the night of his death. Suddenly, he is holding Lilly’s hand, and amidst the present-day party, he witnesses the 1920 events. Daniel then sees a first-hand account of that night, including his murderer's identity: cousin Harry.
After confronting Harry, Daniel forgives him, allowing him to be free. He then talks to Kate about their relationship, and she promised to wait for him every year if needed. Strangely, Kate passes out after their kiss, and while she is sleeping, Lilly pushes Daniel to make a choice: cross over the Hollygrove Inn property line and finally be liberated or stay with Kate. The following morning, Kate receives a call that Walter and Molly bought the inn, and outside, she sees Daniel hurrying towards her. The two share a passionate kiss.
Daniel John Forsythe has become a rural tale because of him allegedly haunting the place. Every year for almost a century, Daniel returns to his corporeal form and stays in the Hollygrove Inn during the 12 days before Christmas. He then disappears by midnight of December 25, only to return the following year. At the start of The Spirit of Christmas, he has no memory of what happened to him or how he could be free of the curse. However, as Kate theorizes early on in the film, the identity of Daniel’s murderer is the last piece of the puzzle, which would then allow him to cross over.
During the modern-day Christmas Eve party, Daniel suddenly sees what transpired during the night of his death. He hears how Charles berates Lilly for still waiting for her fiancée’s return, which forces him to consider possible suspects for the murder. Daniel has just arrived at the conclusion that perhaps Conrad, his former boss, has sent one of his men to kill him when he saw his cousin Harry holding a bloodstained rock.
As it turns out, Harry has also been haunting the inn for decades, and although neither of them knows who cursed them, he knows that he needs Daniel’s forgiveness to get out. It is later implied that Lilly, despite being a ghost, somehow has the ability to keep Daniel within the inn’s vicinity until he discovers the truth, and resurrects him every year. While there is no clear ruling on how Daniel still physically exists on Christmas Day, The Spirit of Christmas' viewers can infer that his love for Kate is enough to create a miracle.
Throughout The Spirit of Christmas, Kate questions the “curse” placed upon Daniel—specifically the number of days he has every year. She points out that the rules are far too specific to be random. During the 1920s party, the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” plays in the background while Charles and Lilly engage in a heated discussion outside. Lilly firmly believes that Daniel will return from making a living as a rum runner in Montrea on Christmas Eve—12 days after leaving.
In Christian tradition and theology, twelve days span the period between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi. However, the carol itself is not based on any religious belief, as it enumerates the various gifts a lover might give to prove his true intentions. Perhaps, Lilly has chosen to bring Daniel back for twelve days to compensate for the time he lost while working for his family.
Towards The Spirit of Christmas’ ending, both Daniel and Kate make remarkable decisions about their lives. For the first time, Kate learns to prioritize herself and her personal life above her work, similar to Nina Dobrev’s character in Love Hard. Additionally, she discovers the ability to love deeply—in fact, she even considers dedicating herself to and waiting for Daniel just to prove her love for him.
That in and of itself is already a miracle, considering how self-centered and damaged Kate is made out to be at the start of the film. Furthermore, Daniel decides to instantly forgive Harry and help him cross over the line. He also abandons his shot at leaving the mortal world and settling into the afterlife by picking Kate. In the process, both Daniel and Kate exercise agency in breaking the status quo, deliberately choosing to love and be loved — which is truly the most humanizing part of The Spirit of Christmas' ending.
Michelle Young's Men Tell-All episode of The Bachelorette aired Monday, and as usual, there was plenty of conflict and reconciliation. Although the Tell-Alls tend to follow the same exact script each season, this one felt particularly eventful and controversial at times.
As viewers prepare to see who Michelle will choose, between Brandon, Nayte and Joe, they were able to check back in with some of their favorite contestants, including recently eliminated Rick and Rodney. This season was one in which none of the instigators of drama were able to advance deep into the season. While Jamie got the first one-on-one, Michelle snuffed out his lies early enough to send him packing. Michelle didn't give over-preparer Ryan another shot, and she didn't have romantic connections with adversaries Peter and Will, nor did she seem to hit it off with Chris S.
Overall, this was a very likable cast, and because of that, the Men Tell-All was a more enjoyable watch than in years past, where much of the drama was overblown. When Michelle showed up, she was both respectful and honest, and did not let contestants who had disrespected her off the hook. Here are the top three takeaways from Monday night.
During the Men Tell-All, Tayshia announced that she and Zac Clark, who she got engaged to on her season around this time last year, had broken up. This split was extremely recent at the time Men Tell-All filmed, and this was clear because talking about it made Tayshia extremely emotional. It put Tayshia in an uncomfortable spot, since she was hosting the show alongside Kaitlyn Bristowe, and suddenly Kaitlyn was putting Tayshia on the hot seat. Kaitlyn had to deliver the uncomfortable line of shifting from Tayshia's heartbreak to Rodney's, but when Rodney sat down next to them, Tayshia was still visibly shaken from having to talk about her ex.
Tayshia, unable to stay composed, walked off the set and Kaitlyn interviewed Rodney by herself. Production should be ashamed of the position it put its co-host in, expecting her to perform her role immediately after talking about a break-up that had just happened. The entire scene was hard to watch and was one of the worst decisions production has made in the show's history. It shouldn't have aired.
Michelle had a chance to address the men at the end of the episode, and her conversation with Chris was short. She did not grill him as much as she did with Jamie, and seemed to smile and accept his apology pretty easily. This makes it clear that Chris was put on the show to stir up drama late in the season once Michelle had gotten rid of all the problematic guys she wasn't into early on. His decision to step in and interrupt Michelle at the cocktail party was probably influenced by producers, and Chris had to own that move before apologizing to Michelle on the Men Tell-All. There are certain deals the lead has to make in order to let an entertaining season play out, and Chris was likely a character that was inserted to make the conflict last as long as possible.
Jamie proved himself to be the worst guy on the season when he refused to apologize until the last minute on the Men Tell-All. There were a few other villains. Peter rubbed some people the wrong way, but he redeemed himself by the end of the Tell-All by sharing his pizza with everyone on set. Martin owned up to his mistakes, but Jamie continued to try to be manipulative until Michelle showed him she wasn't having it.
Amid news of Tristan Thompson having a child with a third baby mama, Keeping Up With the Kardashians fans are debating about why Kourtney Kardashian seems to receive more sympathy than Khloe Kardashian during cheating scandals. Khloe is the topic of discussion once again due to Tristan's cheating. Despite them being broken up since June, new reports reveal that Tristan cheated on Khloe during their short-lived reconciliation and possibly conceived a child. It was on his 30th birthday, the same day Khloe threw a party for him and shared a heartfelt post confirming their reconciliation when Tristan decided to go back to his hotel and hook up with someone else. Now nine months later and the NBA player is being sued for fathering the woman's child. But instead of feeling sorry for Khloe, many fans are bashing her for seemingly going easy on Tristan.
Long before Khloe and Tristan filled media headlines with the Sacramento Kings player's random sexcapades, Kourtney and Scott Disick stole the spotlight. The former couple parted ways in 2015 after nearly a decade of on-and-off relationship status. It was Scott's constant cheating and substance abuse issues that ultimately led to their split. Fans can remember one of the final straws when Scott got caught with Bella Banos during a family vacation to Costa Rica. Kim Kardashian confronted Scott and told him about himself and the rest is history.
Now that Khloe and Tristan are back in the headlines over Tristan's latest cheating scandal, fans are comparing the amount of sympathy Khloe and Kourtney have received during their heartbreaks. Reddit user u/Looploop33 started a thread asking fans why they seemingly "have zero sympathy for Khloe but it’s always poor Kourtney she tried so hard with Scott!" But other Redditors were quick to explain why Kourtney has easily received more support than Khloe due to the nature of Tristan's cheating as it compares to Scott. One person explained all of the "redeeming qualities" that Scott possesses including his fatherhood skills, and how close he is to the Kardashian family. Scott also shows a certain level of protection over Kourtney's sisters as if they are his own. He's also very involved with the KarJenners and has been for nearly two decades.
But when it comes to "tRuE's dAD", the Redditor quipped, Tristan "treats her like absolute garbage," they said. He's been known to sleep around and cheat on Khloe during many instances over the course of their time together. Tristan even cheated on Khloe while she was pregnant with their daughter True Thompson and was caught kissing Kylie Jenner's former BFF Jordyn Woods. The Redditor also noted that time Tristan "blocked her sister when she tells him he only apologized because he got caught." It appears Tristan's treatment of Khloe and his relationship with the KarJenner family is what makes fans look at him differently. Another noted that Scott has publicly battled with mental health issues that many people can identify with. When he has cleaned up his act, he has done so for the sake of his kids.
Scott's charming qualities have won him over with fans and led to Kourtney receiving more sympathy than Khloe during their cheating scandals. Now that Kourtney moved on with Travis Barker, no one is worried about her getting cheated on. But Khloe has a history of taking Tristan back despite how shady his cheating can be. She also appears to be showing patience with him despite him cheating on her on his birthday. With Khloe ignoring all the pleas to leave him alone, it makes people lose sympathy for her over time instead of feeling more sorry for her. If Khloe was to leave Tristan alone for good, Keeping Up With the Kardashians fans would fully support her decision. But as long as she shows solidarity with Tristan, she will continue getting bashed for it.
YouTube Music may have yet to recreate the same popularity as Google Play Music, but it is slowly gaining many of its features, including the ability to save a music queue as a playlist. The Google Play Music app stopped working last year, with the ability to purchase, download, or upload music having been removed even earlier. While the shift from Google Play Music to YouTube Music as the default music player on Android was expected, the transition took a major step when the tech giant began instructing smartphone companies to preload YouTube Music on all Android 9 Pie and newer devices.
Google now requires every Android device with Google Mobile Services (GMS) to come pre-installed with YouTube Music. Like most other music streaming services, it offers a variety of automatically curated playlists —Mix(es)— based on the user's music consumption, and also allows for the creation of custom playlists. In addition, YouTube Music includes the ability to play music endlessly by automatically adding similar songs to the queue. This music queue can be accessed on the same screen as the music playback controls under the header, "Up Next." In this section, users can rearrange the music in the queue or play any song in the list by simply tapping on it. While the feature can be compared with the radio on Apple Music or Spotify, it truly mimics auto-play on YouTube.
Although the ability to automatically assemble tracks in a queue is not unique, YouTube Music allows this queue to be saved as a separate playlist. As demonstrated on Reddit, the option can be found at the top of the queue when on the Up Next page. Simply tapping on the "Save" button will present the user with the option of either saving the queue to an existing playlist in the library or creating a new one. Like any other new playlist, it can be saved as a Public, Unlisted, or Private playlist. For those not seeing the Save button, it is worth making sure the YouTube Music app has been updated to the most recent version.
The flexibility to save tracks in Up Next adds another option for users to create custom playlists and is something that puts YouTube Music ahead of the competition. It has notably been carried over from Google Play Music, making it particularly beneficial to those who previously used the feature on the now-deprecated music player. While minor, the option to save a queue as a playlist, along with some of the other features, helps YouTube Music stay relevant among the more feature-diverse and deep-seated music streaming services available on Android. However, whether it actually helps to attract others from competing services, remains to be seen, and especially with the likes of Apple Music, Tidal, and Spotify aiming to offer higher, studio-like, and even lossless audio quality.
Of course, YouTube Music does benefit from YouTube's infinitely large music video catalog that comfortably eclipses the music libraries offered by many others. In addition, the company has added a range of features lately, including redesigned YouTube Music widgets for Android 12 and mood filters such as "Energize" for better sorting. It has even received its own Spotify Wrapped-style "2021 Recap." With all of these efforts, YouTube is trying hard to make sure its music player is worthy of being the default music player on Android.
Body-swap movies can be romantic or terrifying, but mostly they are played for laughs. Strictly speaking, a body-swap movie is one where there is an exchange between two people. However, the term is also applied to movies where characters become a different (usually older or younger) version of themselves. They provide actors with the opportunity to play completely against type - and, often, against age or gender.
While there's usually plenty of wackiness and hi-jinks in body-swap comedies, there are also frequently moments of real tenderness and emotion. The process is, after all, a transformative experience. By inhabiting someone else's body, the characters, inevitably learn important truths about themselves.
10 The Hot Chick (2002)
Rent On Apple TV
Jessica (Rachel McAdams) in The Hot Chick drew the short straw when it comes to body-swap situations. Usually, characters exchange bodies with someone they know, but Jessica does so with a stranger called Clive, a petty thief played by Rob Schneider.
Jessica struggles to cope living in Clive's body. Having coasted through life on her beauty and popularity, she has to deal with the harsh reality of no longer being a 'hot chick.' It is heart-warming to see how supportive Jessica's friends are about the situation. Even girls who Jessica has been mean to rally around to help her out. This is a film about female solidarity, even if one of the girls looks like a thirty-something man.
9 Here Comes The Bride (2010)
Rent On Amazon
In this Filipino body-swap comedy, there aren't just two people swapping bodies, there are five of them. Bride-to-be Stefanie, cut-throat lawyer Percy, timid nanny Madelyn, wealthy Grandpa Bien, and camp beautician Toffee are all shunted into one another's bodies the night before Stefanie's wedding.
They can't return to their bodies until the next eclipse in two years' time, so they move into Grandpa Bien's house to take care of one another and the bodies they're borrowing. It is heartwarming to watch the five characters bond during their two-year wait. While waiting, they watch movies together including The Hot Chick, Big, and Freaky Friday, making it possibly the only body-swap comedy to acknowledge the existence of other body-swap comedies.
8 The Change-Up (2011)
Stream On Peacock & Starz
In The Change-Up, friends Dave (Jason Bateman) and Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) have to navigate life in one another's bodies when they are switched after urinating in a magic fountain. Dave is a family man with an important job while Mitch is a bachelor who doesn't take life seriously.
The experience gives Dave and Mitch a new appreciation of their own and each other's lives. By the end of the movie, Mitch is now ready to take on a serious relationship, and Dave has learned to relax a bit more. The loveliest moment of the film is when Dave, finally back in his own body, is reunited with his children. The character's love for his son and daughters is evident and heartwarming.
7 It's A Boy Girl Thing (2006)
Stream On Hoopla, IMDb, Vudu & Tubi TV
Neighbors Woody (Kevin Zegers) and Nell (Samaire Armstrong) have nothing in common. Nell is shy and bookish, while Woody only cares about sports and having a good time. They dislike each other immensely and are horrified when an argument in front of a statue of an Aztec god leads to them swapping bodies.
The pair start off trying to sabotage one another's lives but realize that they will only get their bodies back if they help each other out. The relationship between Woody and Nell evolves from animosity to grudging acceptance to friendship to love. It's heartwarming for the audience to watch how the pair learn to truly appreciate one another for who they are.
6 17 Again (2009)
Stream On Peacock
Mike O'Donnell (Matthew Perry) is middle-aged and fed up. His wife has left, and his kids don't want anything to do with him. So when he is magically transformed back to his 17-year-old self (Zac Efron), he figures he has the opportunity to do it over and get it right this time.
Initially, he just wants to be the popular jock he used to be in High School. However, when he discovers his son is being bullied and his daughter is in a controlling relationship, he finds a way to help. Along the way, Mike discovers that what really matters is his family. 17 Again provides a lot of laughs, but, at its core, it has a truly heartwarming message.
5 Freaky Friday (2003)
Stream On Disney+
Being a teenager is hard and being the mother of a teenager is even harder. When 15-year-old Anna (Lindsay Lohan) and her mom Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) switch bodies, they discover this for themselves. Although, to begin with, both are convinced that the other has an easy life and they could do it better.
After walking a mile in one another's shoes, Tess and Anna have a newfound respect and admiration for each other. Anna (in her mom's body) makes a speech at Tess's rehearsal dinner in which she lays bare her feelings and welcomes her mom's fiancé into the family. It's a wonderfully heartwarming moment in a movie that is all about accepting people as they are.
4 All Of Me (1984)
Stream On Roku, IMDb TV, Hoopla, & Tubi TV
Edwina (Lily Tomlin) is dying, and she has arranged to have her soul transferred into another body before she goes. Amazingly, the guru she hired knows what he's doing, and her spirit is successfully freed. There's one snag. Due to a mix-up, she ends up in the body of lawyer Roger (Steve Martin) - while he's still in there.
This is both a hilariously funny movie and a heartwarming one. Roger and Edwina already hated one another and are horrified at having to share a body. But the pair have to work together, and as they get to know each other, a close friendship develops. By the end of the movie, it has blossomed into love.
3 13 Going On 30 (2004)
Stream On HBO Max, Hoopla, & Max Go
2004's 13 Going On 30 is a movie about being careful what you wish for. Thirteen-year-old Jenna wishes to be "Thirty, flirty and thriving." She wakes up the following day as an adult (Jennifer Garner) in a swanky apartment with all of her teenage dreams come true.
Although she has a cool job and designer handbags, there's one thing that adult Jenna hasn't got. And that's her childhood best friend Matt (Mark Ruffalo), who, in this reality, she lost touch with seventeen years ago. Watching adult Jenna and adult Matt rekindle their childhood friendship is the most heartwarming aspect of this movie. It's a wonderfully executed reminder not to let the things that are important to us fall away.
2 Your Name (2016)
Rent On Vudu
Two teenagers - a boy called Taki and a girl called Mitsuha - intermittently swap bodies with one another in this film. While this is not really a comedy (although it has some funny moments), it's undeniably a heartwarming body-swap movie.
This is a story of love, memory, and loss. Taki and Mitsuha grow close to one another due to their shared experiences even though they are separated by more than just geographical distance. There are plenty of heartwarming - and heartbreaking - moments here, particularly when Taki learns the truth about Mitsuha's village and tries to do the right thing. At the end of the movie, the scene when both characters simultaneously say the words "Your Name" is a beautiful, emotional moment that audiences will find hard to forget.
1 Big (1988)
Stream On Starz
When 12-year-old Josh gets magically changed into an adult version of himself (Tom Hanks), he has to navigate a whole new world of adult responsibilities. Luckily he has the help of his best friend, Billy. There are many great moments, like the boys celebrating Josh's first payday with candy and silly string and Josh's dream apartment complete with a soda machine and trampoline.
And although the relationship between Josh and his adult girlfriend Susan (Elizabeth Perkins) is troubling to modern audiences, their goodbye scene on the deserted pier is a real tearjerker. Big is not only the most heartwarming body-swap comedy; it's possibly the most heartwarming movie of all time.
