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On the Shelf: Dinosaurs, time travel and inventing the world

On the Shelf: Dinosaurs, time travel and inventing the world

Yahoo3 hours ago
It's back-to-school season for the big kids, but there are plenty of new books to keep little ones learning too. Ask for them at your local library or your favorite book store!
'The Pink Pajamas'
by Charlene Chua (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, ages 4 – 8)
Award–winning illustrator Charlene Chua is going to make you cry, but the message of this beautiful book is timeless and in many ways, sacred. There are, as Mister Rogers taught us, many ways to say, 'I love you.' Sometimes love is expressed through the making and giving – and wearing – of soft, pink pajamas. This story is a gentle way to start a conversation with children about the loss of a loved one. It's a must for the family bookshelf.
'Oh No! Dinosaurs in My School'
by Timothy Knapman, illustrated by Sarah Warburton (Sourcebooks, ages 4 to 8)
Get the back-to-school giggles with this sweet tale. Imagination runs wild here – or does it? It's a great first day read for littles.
'Wait 'Til You're Older'
by Maria Marianayagam, illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich (Sourcebooks ages 4 to 8)
Loaded with imagination and fun, this picture book is a unique way for young readers to think about time and heady concepts like time travel and wormholes. This is a truly unique story and so much fun.
'You're So Bright'
by Rose Rossner, illustrated by Emily Emerson (Sourcebooks, age birth to 3)
Words that encourage and build up kids from birth are some of the most important they will ever hear. This bright (yes, really), colorful, pun-laden bunch of wordplay in board book form is one you can read over and over again to little ones.
'The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide To Inventing The World'
by Dylan Thuras and Jennifer Swanson, illustrated by Ruby Fresson (available Aug. 12, Workman Kids, ages 8 – 12)
Get this book immediately for your nonfiction lovers and invention-focused kids. Electricity, clocks, writing, codes, steel, agriculture – this book is packed with details and engaging illustrations that teach kids how and where and why so many critical systems and items were invented. It's a treasure trove of STEM inspiration.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: On the Shelf: Sweet reads for August
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My boyfriend told me that he didn't want to get married again. Dealbreaker?
My boyfriend told me that he didn't want to get married again. Dealbreaker?

Yahoo

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My boyfriend told me that he didn't want to get married again. Dealbreaker?

What a jerk, I thought, after Clark yelled at me again to pull faster on the sailboat's lines to keep pace with the changes of the wind as we headed to open water from Marina del Rey. 'I'm never going on another date with this guy again!' But what do I know about sailing? Although I grew up in the Great Lakes region, I'd never sailed before and didn't realize there are no passengers on a sailboat — only crew. I'd just moved to Los Angeles from Detroit after leaving a first-job stint in Switzerland. Both places were too cold for me, so no wonder L.A. was irresistible. Every January the nationally televised Rose Parade proved that even winters would reliably be 72 degrees and sunny. L.A. was the place where this Motown gal believed her dreams of new beginnings with happy endings could come true. I met Clark on Venice Beach. And, no, he wasn't a weightlifter, chainsaw juggler or a magician like the other familiar fixtures on the Venice boardwalk. When he emerged from the ocean surf with his boogie board under his arm and aimed his 1000-watt smile at me watching him from my towel on the sand, I mused, 'Oh, yeah, these West Coast boys are alright.' Read more: L.A. Affairs: I knew what I wanted to enrich and sweeten my life. I was seeking ethical nonmonogamy Our first date after that meet-cute was an afternoon of sailing the next week. Before the rendezvous with Clark at the boathouse, I'd treated myself to a manicure. Big mistake! I soon learned that it's impossible to tug on the 'ropes' of sails with just the tips of my fingers to vainly try to protect my fresh mani. Clark didn't appreciate the nails; he shouted maneuvering commands that clearly conveyed his priorities were solely pragmatic. After the debacle of our initial outing, Clark reactivated his charm, so I gave him another chance, and we dated again and again. A picnic and concert under the Hollywood Bowl stars. The Pantages Theatre for a Broadway show. Lobster dinner in Puerto Nuevo — a long drive to Mexico, but worth it. Clark continued to captivate me with his wry observations about the world, his inclination to be a jokester and even the goofy gifts intended to show he was a romantic at heart. I'm sorry to say that the six-pack Valentine's gift of engine oil for my hemorrhaging VW didn't quite make the cut. However, roses on my birthday, coinciding with the anniversary of our infamous sailing date and our exchanges of "I love you," did endear him to me. Two years into our monogamous dating, I wondered where we were headed. I'd never been in a steady relationship that lasted more than six months — until now. He'd been married before, for less than two years. And yet I was afraid to bring up the topic of marriage in case the answer precipitated one more casualty in my portfolio of failed romances. Until one Sunday night. After spending another consecutive weekend with Clark at his place, I was dreading my usual return drive home over the Sepulveda Pass and into the Valley. Somehow the burning need to just know what his intentions might be gave me the courage to pop the question: 'Do you think you'll ever get married again?' His reply crushed me. 'You know I was married once, but that didn't work out. It hurt to uncouple our lives from our dreams.' He paused. 'And now you are my special love. I couldn't be happier with our relationship, and everything is wonderful just as it is. But ... no, I don't want to marry again.' Read more: L.A. Affairs: He was kind and rich. His expensive gifts hinted at something darker I felt dizzy from the visceral ringing in my ears as all I heard over and over was 'no.' I don't remember exactly what either of us said after that, but I was clear about what I wanted: I wanted to be married to him, my best friend. 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My boss shrugged and quoted an old saying: 'No need to buy the cow when the milk is free.' Gee, thanks for that. Read more: L.A. Affairs: My dog bit my date. Would I hear from him again? As I was leaving for lunch at home, Dr. Happy Sayings bolted from his office and called out, 'You can't go! Clark is coming over.' Before I could react, Clark was there, beckoning me outside. As he took me in his arms, my tears started anew. He begged me to stop crying and explained that he had never thought about marrying again until I surprised him by asking if he ever would. Clark admitted that if being married was what it would take to spend the rest of his life with me, then yes — someday, yes, we would marry. That promise was enough for me, as another year passed without a wedding. When I was accepted into graduate school at UCLA, I retired as a dental hygienist and moved in with Clark. Heather moved in with an allergy-free Englishman in San Pedro, where she lived happily ever after. My happily ever after started soon enough. My first year as an MBA student was a gold mine of entertainment as I regaled Clark with tales of the hookups between classmates. Later I joked that he couldn't slip an engagement ring onto my finger fast enough. I also teased him that he had waited until he was certain I landed a good job post-graduation before setting the wedding date. We decided to forgo traditional nuptials in favor of a civil ceremony, splurging instead on an extended celebratory trip in Europe. Read more: L.A. Affairs: I boldly gave a fun, mysterious guy my number. Could I refrain from Googling him later? That summer my memories of the frosty winter when I'd worked in Switzerland faded with Clark by my side. Everywhere felt warm with bonhomie as the locals wished us an Ausgezeichnete Hochzeitsreise, or Excellent Honeymoon. From an outdoor terrace in a lakeside Alpine village, we watched catamarans and windsurfers lean into the wind and fly across the water below. Clark held me close and asked if I'd like to go sailing. I just grinned and answered, 'No, I don't think so. ... Everything is wonderful, just as it is.' The author, who lives in Culver City, is still married to the erstwhile sailor, but she now sculls at UCLA's Marina Aquatics Center. She returned to her alma mater as an executive coach for MBA students at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She writes a weekly column for them about the ups and downs of careers and leadership. You can find her on LinkedIn at L.A. Affairs chronicles the search for romantic love in all its glorious expressions in the L.A. area, and we want to hear your true story. We pay $400 for a published essay. Email LAAffairs@ You can find submission guidelines here. You can find past columns here. Sign up for The Wild newsletter to get weekly insider tips on the best of our beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Solve the daily Crossword

Act fast, Fortnum & Mason's Beauty Advent Calendar is here and it's worth £1,149
Act fast, Fortnum & Mason's Beauty Advent Calendar is here and it's worth £1,149

Yahoo

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  • Yahoo

Act fast, Fortnum & Mason's Beauty Advent Calendar is here and it's worth £1,149

Inside you'll find luxury products from Jo Malone, Bamford, Fortnum's and more. We know it's only August, but you need to get in the festive spirit ASAP if you want to get your hands on a beauty advent calendar this year as they are already on sale and flying off shelves (yes, really). Harrods has already opened pre-orders for its 2025 options (with one having already sold out), Boots has also dropped a range of more affordable calendars, including Liz Earle, Ted Baker and Soap & Glory. Next up to launch its 2025 iteration is Fortnum & Mason who have just dropped its Fortnum's Beauty Advent Calendar 2025, which has been newly reimagined with a beautiful (and fully recyclable) design. This year's calendar is packed with pampering delights worth over £1,149 - featuring 23 full-sized and 3 travel-sized products from luxury brands such as Bamford, Fortnum's, Bramley, Jo Malone London and more. The calendar retails for £265, the same price as last year. But this year's offers even better value, as the 2024 calendar included £1,080 worth of products, whereas this year's is packed with £1,149 - that's a whopping £884 saving. What really solidifies this beauty advent calendar as a top contender for being one of the best value this year is the number of full-sized products. Fortnum's includes a whopping 23 full-size items. For comparison, the Harrods Beauty Advent Calendar has slightly more products overall (32 in total) but only 14 of them are full size and it retails for £250. This calendar at a glance Number of items inside: 26, worth a total of £1,149 Full-size vs. travel-size: 23 full-sized items, 3 travel-sized Brands included: Jo Malone, Aromatherapy Associates, Cult51, Bamford, Fortnum's and more There's also a great variety of products to ensure you use every single one. The 26 products inside include skincare, fragrance, bath, body and wellness treats nestled within its drawers. With pampering goodies from luxury brands including Sol de Janeiro, Bamford, Clive Christian, Fortnum's 1707, Jo Malone London, Delilah, Shleep, Baobab and Charlotte Posner. £265 £1,149 at Fortnum & Mason As for the products we'd be most excited to try, the full-sized Cult51 Rejuvenating Night Cream retails for a whopping £135, making it a luxurious addition to any skincare routine. This award-winning and multi-functional night cream is clinically proven to visibly improve signs of ageing. Inside, you'll also find the Cult51 Neck and Décolleté Firming Cream (30ml), which retails for £110. This transformative, lightweight cream is specially developed to deeply hydrate and tighten the often-neglected, delicate skin around the neck and décolletage. What's inside Fortnum's Beauty Advent Calendar 2025 ✅ Full-size products inside (23 out of 26): Bramley Wellness Pillow Spray Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream Gallivant Buenos Aires Eau De Parfum Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil Delilah Lip Saviour Colour Enhancing Oil Ortigia Fico d'India Bath Salts Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia Hand Cream Shleep Merino Wool Jersey Spa Headband Coral Peony Bamford B Balanced Body Gel Olverum Pure Radiance Facial Oil Kure Bazaar Cherie Nail Polish Delilah Liquid Blush Peony Wildsmith Active Eye Serum Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Oil Cult51 Rejuvenating Night Cream Bramley Clementine Antioxidant Cleansing Balm Cult51 Neck and Décolleté Firming Cream Charlotte Posner Glam Squad Wash Bag Baobab ROMA Scented Candle Fortnum's Four Seasons Votive Candle Clementine Bamford Lip Balm Ortigia Ambra Nera Soap in a tin Ortigia Florio Soap in a Tin ☑️ Deluxe/travel-sized products inside (3 items): Christian Town & Country Perfume 1707 Topaze Eau de Parfum with Gold Atomiser 1707 Lilas Eau de Parfum Adding to the high-end skincare lineup is the Wildsmith Active Eye Serum, which may only come in a 15ml bottle, but it retails for a huge £100. What makes it so special? It uses elderberry flower extract, rich in polyphenols and flavonoids, to help reduce stress, inflammation, and oxidation around the eye area - all of which can contribute to dark circles. Other self-care treats that are bound to help give you some moments of joy during the busy festive period include the Fortnum's Four Seasons Votive Candle Clementine (£28), which has scents of clementine, blood orange, pink peppercorn, cardamon and ginger. Plus, the Bramley Wellness Pillow Spray, Bamford B Balanced Body Gel, Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia Hand Cream, Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Oil and Ortigia Fico d'India Bath Salts. Secure yours now If you want to take the advent calendar value even further, there are even some luxurious products you could wrap up as gifts for a loved one this Christmas, including the Charlotte Posner Glam Squad Wash Bag and Clive Christian Town & Country Perfume. This annual favourite always sells out fast, so if the Fortnum's Beauty Advent Calendar takes your fancy, we'd recommend checking out ASAP. Year after year, it sells out — and for good reason. You'll be hard-pressed to find another beauty advent calendar with as many full-sized products as this one. Shop now: Fortnum's Beauty Advent Calendar 2025 | £265 (Worth £1,149) from Fortnum's Other beauty advent calendars you can buy now

New movies to watch this weekend: See 'Weapons' in theaters, rent 'Jurassic World Rebirth', stream 'The Pickup' on Prime Video
New movies to watch this weekend: See 'Weapons' in theaters, rent 'Jurassic World Rebirth', stream 'The Pickup' on Prime Video

Yahoo

time8 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

New movies to watch this weekend: See 'Weapons' in theaters, rent 'Jurassic World Rebirth', stream 'The Pickup' on Prime Video

Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are back to body swapping in "Freakier Friday," this time with a new wrinkle. Hello, Yahoo readers! My name is Brett Arnold, film critic and longtime Yahoo editor, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. The best horror movie in ages and one of the best movies of the year, period, is here: Zach Cregger's Weapons hits theaters nationwide, including IMAX screens. It has company at the box office: The 22-year-later Disney legacy sequel Freakier Friday also opens wide, as does Sketch, an indie gem worth seeking out that kids and adults will both enjoy. At home, the blockbuster Jurassic World Rebirth is newly available, as is The Pickup, a new action-comedy with Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson, which is streaming on Prime Video. The Stephen King adaptation The Monkey comes to Hulu, as well as a few more new options on streaming services you might already be paying for. Read on, because there's something here for everyone! What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have 🎥 What to watch in theaters My recommendation: Weapons Why you should watch it: Zach Cregger's highly anticipated follow-up to his sleeper hit debut, Barbarian, sparked such a bidding war that Deadline reported Jordan Peele fired his managers after Universal and Peele's Monkeypaw Productions failed to secure the film. The script ultimately sold to New Line for a whopping $38 million. Cut to years later, the finished product is here. Its creepy trailer went viral upon debut, and its aggressive marketing campaign turned it into the horror movie of the moment. Does it live up to the hype? It does and then some; the film exceeded my already lofty expectations. It's a stunningly confident sophomore effort from Cregger, the latest in a line of comedians-turned-horror-maestros. The premise is chilling: When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, 2:17 a.m., a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance. The movie opens with the kids already missing. A child narrator prefaces the story, immediately setting the tone of a creepy campfire tale. The rest of the movie unfolds from the perspective of several different characters, each getting their own chapter. The movie had been described as a "horror epic" in the vein of Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia, and that billing sets the stage well for what it is in terms of its form, without giving too much away. Its structure allows for Cregger to show off his skills as a director, constantly building up suspense and ratcheting up tension only to pull the rug out and reset, just as the audience is catching their breath. It's masterful and assured work; he's got us in the palm of his hands. Every jump scare in this movie made me leap out of my seat, a rare feat for a seasoned genre vet, but the biggest surprise is how funny it is too, with all the laughs stemming naturally out of the horrors. To say this film has a crowd-pleasing final act is an understatement — the audience I saw it with was hooting and hollering, myself included. In addition to delivering as a purely satisfying and entertaining horror movie, it's also got a lot of subtext to parse. The haunting imagery, the missing children and the focus on a community's varying responses to the tragedy can't help but evoke school shootings, and there's a single dreamlike image in the film that makes it clear that these parallels are intentional. Maybe it's because I'm a recent father of an almost 2-year-old, but I found it surprisingly affecting and thought-provoking by the end, when it becomes a different kind of tragic and haunting story. It feels like a movie that's channeling modern anxieties through horror the old-fashioned way and eschewing the more modern mode of letting the subtext become the text. Barbarian's commentary on the #MeToo movement felt hard to miss, for example, but someone could watch Weapons, solely focus on the horror elements, and maybe never even pick up on the real-life terror it mirrors. I haven't stopped thinking about Weapons since the credits rolled, and I can't wait to catch it again. Zach Cregger just made an instant horror classic. What other critics are saying: It's got a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, as of this writing. Variety's Peter Debruge nails it, writing, "Cregger has achieved something remarkable here, crafting a cruel and twisted bedtime story of the sort the Brothers Grimm might have spun." Mark Kennedy at the Associated Press says, "It will, at the very least, make you feel a little dread when the clock hits 2:17 a.m." How to watch: Weapons is now playing in theaters nationwide. Get tickets Bonus recommendation: Sketch Why you should watch it: This live-action fantasy adventure movie for kids is a breath of fresh air as far as family-friendly flicks are concerned. It's an original idea, though it sports a premise that's essentially "what if Harold and the Purple Crayon was Jumanji?" When a young girl's sketchbook falls into a strange pond, her drawings come to life — chaotic, real and on the loose. As the town descends into chaos, her family must reunite and stop the monsters they never meant to unleash. Staples of comedy television D'Arcy Carden and Tony Hale star as the adults, but the kids steal the show. Young lead Bianca Berry is terrific in a tough role, and the other young actors surrounding her are hilarious. The movie is at its best when the kids are just being kids. It's honest about how children would behave around one another, and there are tons of great gags mined from that. Sketch gets the little details just as right as it does its high-concept sci-fi "drawings come to life" stuff. The emotional beats work too, as the "dead mom" storyline that normally serves as background fodder in a Pixar movie is actually woven deftly into the concept and narrative. Sketch harkens back to an era of children's movies that actually starred kids instead of animated blobs — think The Goonies — and the kids being so charming and laugh-out-loud funny takes it far. It's a real gem the whole family can enjoy. What other critics are saying: It's beloved! Kristy Puchko at Mashable calls it "terrific" and writes that it's a "fantastically fun and heartwarming movie with a slathering of weird that makes it a real treat." The Daily Beast's Nick Schager calls it the family film of the summer and says "it's a full-bodied triumph bursting with humor, tenderness, and imagination." How to watch: Sketch is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 But that's not all! If you are in any way nostalgic for 2003's Freaky Friday starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, you will find a lot to love about Freakier Friday, the legacy sequel that reunites that duo and throws even more body swaps into the mix. While the movie is definitely messier and clunkier than the original — when it gets bogged down by plot details, it feels endless — it's much funnier than its predecessor. Jamie Lee Curtis more than lives up to her terrific performance from the first film. Vanessa Bayer of Saturday Night Live fame absolutely steals the show any time she's onscreen, earning big laughs with every line. It's also nice to see Lohan in a real movie again that's not debuting on a streaming service. Millennial superfans should keep an eye out for Mean Girls and The Parent Trap references. Get tickets. 💸 Movies newly available to rent or buy My recommendation: Jurassic World Rebirth Why you should watch it: The latest entry in the long-running franchise was another box-office smash, and it's now available to watch without leaving the comfort of your couch (that's hopefully equipped with some killer surround sound). Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali replace previous Jurassic World stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, playing a group of mercenaries hired by a pharmaceutical company to infiltrate an island full of dinosaurs and obtain DNA that could lead to medical breakthroughs. If that all sounds very familiar, that's because it is, and the movie makes no bones (pun intended) about the fact that there's a formula being followed here. Filmmaker Gareth Edwards knows he's making a dinosaur set piece delivery vehicle and colors within those lines expertly. Edwards is a great fit for the material since he's a visual effects maestro, and the CGI dinos look better here than they ever have, even if that practical animatronic touch is largely missed. You can also see and feel inspiration from a bunch of other non-Jurassic films, from Spielberg classics like Jaws and Indiana Jones to other genre staples like King Kong. Jurassic World Rebirth doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't have to. If you're looking for a fresh helping of dinosaur-based mayhem, it hits the spot. What other critics are saying: It's an even split! Kennedy from the AP praises it as "superb," writing that the filmmakers, like the film's mercenaries, have the same mission: "Going back to the source code to recapture the magic of Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster original. They've thrillingly succeeded." Amy Nicholson at the Los Angeles Times, however, was not a fan, writing, "The series itself has gotten so bored with the beasties that it continues to invent new ugly mutants." How to watch: Jurassic World Rebirth is now available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV and other VOD platforms. Rent or buy 'Jurrasic World Rebirth' But that's not all! This debut feature from Eva Victor was beloved at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and is now available to all. In it, something bad happened to Agnes. But life goes on … for everyone around her, at least. It's a very personal and emotional film, using comedy to make a tough subject go down easier. What could be more honest than that? It's a heartfelt and surprisingly funny watch that announces the arrival of Victor as a new voice. Rent or buy. 📺 Movies newly available on streaming services you may have My sort-of recommendation: The Pickup Why you should watch it: The Pickup is an action-comedy that's way more focused on the action than mining as many laughs as possible out of its trio of comic leads, which is a real shame considering how funny we know these performers can be. In the film, a routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when mismatched armored truck drivers Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson) are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by savvy mastermind Zoe (Keke Palmer). In this straight-to-streaming heist, the main takeaway is that it should be illegal to put Murphy in your movie and force him to be the straight man. It's a better-than-average action flick as far as streaming-era fare goes — you can tell they actually did real stunts with real people vs. doing it digitally, which can go a long way — but when you factor in that it pretty much wastes a terrific cast, it's hard to muster much excitement for it. Somebody must spring Murphy from his streaming-era prison, and they could break out Adam Sandler too if they're already doing the crime. Comedies deserve to be seen in theaters with others, laughing in a room full of strangers, not alone on your couch! But they should also strive to be better than this. What other critics are saying: Sadly, most agree it's a dud. Andrew Lawrence, writing for the Guardian, eviscerated it, writing that it's "worse than Norbit." Though Lovia Gyarkye at the Hollywood Reporter liked it well enough, arguing that the chemistry between Murphy and Davidson works. How to watch: The Pickup is now streaming on Prime Video. Stream 'The Pickup' Bonus recommendation: The Monkey Why you should watch it: If Final Destination: Bloodlines left you craving more disgusting bodily destruction that hits in a horrific yet silly manner, The Monkey also scratches that very specific itch. It's based on a Stephen King short story and written and directed by Osgood Perkins, the man behind Longlegs and son of horror legend Anthony Perkins of Psycho fame. When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree, forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy. When I recommended it previously, I wrote that despite its comic tone, The Monkey is poignant. The filmmaker's own history of personal tragedies, including that his mother died in the 9/11 attacks, makes him the ideal candidate for a movie about how one deals with the randomness of death. It's equal parts a send-up of the 'this horror movie is actually about grief' trend and an earnest take on one. What is there left to do in the face of death but laugh? What other critics are saying: Reviews are mostly positive, like William Bibbiani's take from TheWrap, which calls it "a sick and twisted work of comic genius where the punchlines punch so hard you'll explode." Frank Scheck at the Hollywood Reporter, however, called it "aggravating," writing that "the problem is that the deaths are so cartoonish that they become neither horrific nor funny." How to watch: The Monkey is now streaming on Hulu. Stream 'The Monkey' But that's not all! : This endearing crowd-pleaser is about the unexpectedly moving relationship between characters played by John Leguizamo and Euphoria star Barbie Ferreira. It's a true story about a young woman with a father who neglects her. She connects with a stranger on Facebook who just so happens to have the same name, first and last, as her dad. As I wrote when it hit VOD, there's plenty of sadness here, but it's a tearjerker more in an inspiring way rather than a tragic one. Also, there's a reveal in the credits likely to make you well up all over again. Now streaming on Hulu. This movie depicts four interconnected stories taking place at real locations and during real historical events in Oakland, Calif., in 1987. It plays like an inside joke that maybe you'll be privy to, but I personally was not. It sports an impressive cast, including Pedro Pascal. Freaky Tales is now streaming on HBO Max. This beautifully shot folk horror film starring Caleb Landry Jones is set in Scotland during the Middle Ages. In a time of economic turmoil, local villagers scapegoat three strangers. It functions as a parable for the modern world, as this genre is wont to do. Harvest is now streaming on Mubi. That's all for this week — we'll see you next week at the movies!

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