Scorpio

December 1, 2016, 10:35 am

Get that playlist of slow jams going. December's sensual star map will put you in a down tempo groove — just how a sultry Scorpio likes it. With Mars and Venus making magic in your domestic sector, you could be entertaining a special guest star at Chez Scorpio. Hibernating with bae would not be a bad thing at all. There could even be a key exchange between the 7th and the 19th. Already sharing a love shack? Practical matters must be dealt with this month, as the sun and stoic Saturn align in your second house of finances. Who pays for the cable bill? And which one of you empties the dishwasher a little too often? Get everything spelled out in black and white. Those little things do count.

Mars rushes into your true love zone on the 19th, which could bring an end-of-year romantic renaissance. Kill the Netflix and chill vibes and go deck the halls in your glamorous best. Dress-up dates or fancy parties are your ticket to exhilarating romantic highs. Careful who you flirt with after the 19th, though, because Mercury will be retrograde in your communication sector. Assume nothing and ask the obvious questions, like, "Are you single?"

To get the details on this look and more, click here.

All products by Revlon®, prices vary by retailer. PhotoReady Insta-Fix Makeup™, $14.49; ColorStay™ Brow Pencil, $8.99; ColorStay™ Crème Eye Shadow in Licorice, $7.99; PhotoReady Eye Art™ Lid + Lash + Line in Cobalt Crystal, $8.99; Super Length Mascara™, $8.99; Insta-Blush™ in Candy Kiss, $12.99; Kiss™ Balm in Sweet Cherry, $4.99; ColorStay Gel Envy™ Nail Enamel in Sky’s The Limit, $7.99; ColorStay Gel Envy™ Diamond Top Coat, $7.99.

Photographed by Nick Eucker; Styled by Laura Pritchard; Hair by Peter Matteliano at Kate Ryan; Makeup by Ashleigh Ciucci; Nails by Holly Falcone at Kate Ryan; Set Design by Hans Maharawal; Modeled by Senait for IMG Models. Model wearing Sass & Bide top and Smith + Mara earrings.

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Capricorn

Sagittarius

Pisces

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Gemini

December 1, 2016, 10:35 am

≫ Next: Libra

≪ Previous: Scorpio

This December, pairing is caring. With the sun beaming through Sagittarius and Capricorn — the rulers of your relationship houses — you'll feel ready for a deeper commitment. But for a Gemini to settle down, there has to be a sense of limitless possibility within the relationship. Pass on any ho-hum, predictable types, keeping your dance card wide open for a lifelong playmate who wants to see the world with you. And lucky you! With Jupiter, the planet of good fortune, connecting with Mars on the 1st, and with Venus on the 25th, you could find that very person this month. Already found your special someone? Begin plotting your next adventure together. When Venus and Mars connect in your worldly ninth house from December 7th through the 19th, you could map out plans for a major pilgrimage you'll take in 2017.

Still ruminating over the one that got away? Mercury turns retrograde on the 19th, which may bring a shot at redemption. It wouldn't hurt to send a sweet (or sultry) "Happy holidays!" snap if the spirit moves you. But be careful about re-opening the wrong doors, especially if it took you months to get over that "favorite mistake."

To get the details on this look and more, click here.

All products by Revlon®, prices vary by retailer. ColorStay™Makeup for Combination/Oily Skin, $14.49; ColorStay™ Brow Pencil, $8.99; ColorStay™ Creme Eye Shadow in Praline, $7.99; ColorStay™ Creme Eye Shadow in Black Currant, $7.99; ColorStay™ Crème Eye Shadow in Vanilla, $7.99; ColorStay™ 2-in-1 Angled Kajal in Onyx, $8.99; Dramatic Definition ™ Mascara, $8.99; Insta-Blush in Berry Kiss, $12.99; Ultra HD™ Gel Lipcolor in HD Dawn, $8.99; ColorStay Gel Envy™ Nail Enamel in A Perfect Pair, $7.99; ColorStay Gel Envy™ Diamond Top Coat, $7.99.

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Libra

December 1, 2016, 10:35 am

≫ Next: Your Beauty Forecast

≪ Previous: Gemini

Passion overload! White-hot Mars is stoking the embers of amour this December, cruising through your true love zone until the 19th. And from the 7th on, his dance partner Venus will be on his arm, making you even more in demand. Dress-up dates will make your heart sing. Work the seasonal party circuit, power-couple style. Single Libras, drape on the sequins and hit the fetes! You'll be the most popular person in the room. A cross-cultural connection could heat up near the full moon on the 13th, which is also a stellar day for a romantic vacation.

Are you ready for a next-level leap with your love interest? On the 10th, you could dream up a co-created adventure that brings your relationship to new heights. This could range from throwing a party together to hunting for a cute two-bedroom apartment. The end of the month could bring epic developments in the love department, too. Be fearless, Libra, because your crush or S.O. will need you to spell out your feelings for them. On the 21st, the sun hunkers down in your domestic fourth house awakening your nesting instincts. Spend more time in, enjoying some bliss with the one you adore. Single? Your besties could play matchmaker brilliantly in the last week of the month.

To get the details on this look and more, click here.

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Your Beauty Forecast

December 1, 2016, 10:35 am

≫ Next: Aquarius

≪ Previous: Libra

It’s finally here: the one time of year that you can wear your brightest, boldest, and sparkliest beauty looks. Because, let’s be real, you’ll need a fresh and festive look for every holiday party and romantic rendezvous.

Hot Flush

You’ll be blushing all month long as suitors vie for your attention, so embrace the look with this statement cheek. Yes, statement cheeks are a thing. After applying your foundation, sweep a long-wear cream shadow in a neutral shade over your lids. Next, use a twist-up stick blush to draw a C-shape around your temples and across your cheeks. Use a dense, short-bristled brush to blend and buff the color into a soft, rosy glow. Finish with a nude lip, and forget playing coy.

Party Eyes

Revlon - SOL December

Our holiday-party M.O. is always the same. We spend so much time figuring out what the hell we’re going to wear that our makeup becomes an afterthought. It’s time to put an end to this beauty travesty (i.e. budget in an extra 10 minutes). Watch the video above for a quick and easy party look that’ll make you feel pulled together in a flash.

Vamp Show

Holiday cheer doesn’t always have to be light and bright. To get this vampy look, start by applying your favorite foundation and filling in your brows. Next, softly contour your eyes with a neutral shadow. Brush on a few healthy coats of a volumizing and lengthening mascara to both your top and bottom lashes. Now it’s time for a deep, burgundy-red lip in a matte finish. Swipe on one coat, blot, and apply a second coat for the most payoff. The dark side looks good on you.

Icy Gaze

This month’s heart-to-hearts are going to require some confidence — swagger, if you will. And so does this beauty look: Sparkle and shine are not for the meek. Once your foundation is good to go, define your brows with a pencil. Give them a natural, fluffy texture by brushing hairs up and out with a spoolie brush. Next, dip a shadow brush into a gunmetal-gray cream shadow. Sketch an outline of the shape by imagining you’re creating a cat-eye that takes up your whole eyelid. Once you’re happy with your wings, fill in the lids completely. Use your index finger to tap a bit of blue glitter over your shadow (because, why not?). Apply mascara, and finish with a tinted lip balm.

Video Directed by Liam Le Guillou; Photographed by Nick Eucker; Styled by Laura Pritchard; Hair by Peter Matteliano at Kate Ryan; Makeup by Ashleigh Ciucci; Nails by Holly Falcone at Kate Ryan; Set Design by Hans Maharawal; Modeled by Senait for IMG Models, Diane Chiu for Muse Model Management, and Alyona Subbotina for Trump Model Management.

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Aquarius

December 1, 2016, 10:35 am

≫ Next: Pisces

≪ Previous: Your Beauty Forecast

How lucky are you, Aquarius? This month you'll host cosmic lovebirds Venus and Mars in your sign — a surefire way to kick your romantic life back into the highest possible gear. They’ll be pair-bonding from December 7th through the 19th, making you both fearless and fierce in the game of love. Better still, lucky Jupiter sends both planets a wink on the 1st and on the 25th, bookending the month in golden opportunities. Jupiter loves when you stretch outside of your comfort zone, so open your mind to a totally different type. Or, mix up your date night game with more adventurous experiences.

The full moon on the 13th could bring one of 2016's romantic highs. Coupled Aquarians could experience some toe-curling surprises, like a gorgeous piece of jewelry or a proposal! This is a fertile full moon, so if babies are on your brain, you could have a special announcement to make soon. Ready to exit a bad romance? The Capricorn sun hastens your departure after the 21st. Out with the old, in with the new — just in time for 2017.

To get the details on this look and more, click here.

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Pisces

December 1, 2016, 10:35 am

≫ Next: Sagittarius

≪ Previous: Aquarius

Slow and steady wins the romantic race this December, Pisces. You might have to fight your basic instincts — the ones that make you want to fall head over heels the minute your heart starts fluttering — but rushing into relationships could leave you stuck with the wrong one. Or worse, you could wind up pushing a good person away by applying too much pressure. Good thing your sign has a knack for dancing. Take a couple steps forward, then glide back. With that strategy, you'll have them eating out of the palm of your hand. If you're happily coupled, talks could turn to your shared goals this month. Set a few relationship resolutions together before the 21st.

The best news of the month comes on the 19th. Passionate Mars cruises into Pisces for the first time in two years, activating your love jones in a huge way. You'll be utterly magnetic during this period, but you might prefer to ring in 2017 as a single lady. If you're in a relationship, give yourself a longer leash. Flirting isn't cheating after all, and letting yourself enjoy some witty banter here and there can give you some #fire to bring back home to bae.

To get the details on this look and more, click here.

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Aquarius

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Sagittarius

December 1, 2016, 10:35 am

≫ Next: Capricorn

≪ Previous: Pisces

Move over Dasher and Dancer. You're in full-on Vixen mode this December as the sun soars through Sagittarius until the 21st. Although serious Saturn has calmed your wild side considerably in 2016, you could truly enjoy your single status this month. With Mars and Venus flitting through your friendly, flirtatious third house throughout the month, you could charm anyone from the hot barista to the buttoned-up banker type. Dating apps could turn up a lucky swipe from the 7th through the 19th. Group hangs are magic for your mojo, too. Just make sure your GF hasn't called dibs on the "friend" she invited along to the holiday happy hour.

On the 13th, the full moon in Gemini puts commitment in your crosshairs. Don't let a good one slip away by being fickle. The grass isn't always greener on the other side of Cupid's fence. Settling down becomes more palatable when the sun sinks into Capricorn for a month on the 21st, making you long for stability again. With Mars moving on to your domestic quarters after the 19th, you may be inspired to make more space for bae at your place, or to discuss a co-signed lease for 2017.

To get the details on this look and more, click here.

All products by Revlon®, prices vary by retailer. PhotoReady™ Color Correcting Primer, $13.99; PhotoReady Insta-Fix Makeup™, $14.49; ColorStay™ Brow Pencil, $8.99; ColorStay™ Crème Eye Shadow in Chocolate, $7.99; Ultimate All-In-One Mascara™, $8.99; Insta-Blush in Candy Kiss, $12.99; Super Lustrous Lipstick™ in Chocolicious, $8.49; ColorStay Gel Envy™ Nail Enamel in 2 Of A Kind, $7.99; ColorStay Gel Envy™ Diamond Top Coat, $7.99.

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Capricorn

December 1, 2016, 10:35 am

≫ Next: Kanye West & Kim Kardashian Don't Have Marriage Troubles, Source Says

≪ Previous: Sagittarius

December's fantasy-fueled star map could make the month feel like a fairytale come true. With the sun floating through your dreamy 12th house, you'll proudly sport rose-colored glasses. Try to keep a wing-woman nearby to confirm your instincts — or to talk some sense back into you. You could be swept away this month, perhaps by someone older than your usual type. With ardent Venus in Capricorn until the 7th, you'll be utterly magnetic the first week of December (and probably not too keen on settling down). But after that, you won't mind getting back into the couple bubble. If you're nursing a heartbreak, be ultra-kind to yourself. That's how you'll heal the fastest.

Everything refreshes on the 21st, when the sun zips into your sign, getting Capricorn season underway. Shake off any mistakes you made earlier in the month. They were learning experiences, Cap! With Mercury retrograde in your sign from the 19th on, you'll need to be a little more cautious about who you let into your life. But with proper pacing, your heart will be back in orbit again before the year is through. Attached? Devoting more time to your personal interests will keep your romantic life in balance. Absence does in fact makes the heart grow fonder.

To get the details on this look and more, click here.

All products by Revlon®, prices vary by retailer. PhotoReady™ Perfecting Primer, $12.99; PhotoReady Insta-Fix Makeup™, $14.49; ColorStay™ Brow Pencil, $8.99; ColorStay™ Creme Shadow in Creme Brûlée, $7.99; Ultimate All-In-One Mascara™, $8.99; Insta-Blush in Candy Kiss, $12.99; Ultra HD™ Matte Lipcolor™ in HD Infatuation, $8.99; ColorStay Gel Envy™ Nail Enamel in Black Jack, $7.99; ColorStay Gel Envy™ Diamond Top Coat, $7.99.

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Kanye West & Kim Kardashian Don't Have Marriage Troubles, Source Says

December 1, 2016, 10:45 am

≫ Next: Gigi Hadid Uses The Same Face Scrub We Do — & It's $4

≪ Previous: Capricorn

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have been through a lot in the past two months. That doesn't mean they'll be going through a divorce, too, at least not according to People 's source close to the couple.

"There are frustrations and problems, like any relationship, but they love each other deeply," the source said.

This week's issue of Us Weekly claims that marital disputes following Kardashian's robbery in Paris were a factor in West's hospitalization. Part of this sounds feasible, in that trauma and stress go hand in hand, and West was likely stirred by the violent incident and disappointed that his wife decided not to accompany him on tour while recovering from it. At the same time, People 's source emphasized that Kardashian has barely left his side since he was taken to the ER last week.

The rapper was released from UCLA Medical Center on Wednesday, and is said to be resting at home with his wife and children. While the rumor is that exhaustion and stress lead to his apparent breakdown, some reports indicated he was suffering from paranoia as well. Whatever the case, hopefully they're getting the down time they need, just in time to commemorate Saint's first birthday on December 5.

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Gigi Hadid Uses The Same Face Scrub We Do — & It's $4

December 1, 2016, 10:45 am

≫ Next: If You Aren't A Morning Person, You Need This

≪ Previous: Kanye West & Kim Kardashian Don't Have Marriage Troubles, Source Says

News flash! Contrary to what you may have read at the nail salon or in the checkout line, celebrities are not just like us. Last time we checked, we didn't have a private chef, driver, or trainer — although we're totally open to all three — nor do we live in a gated community or vacation on yachts. (Again, we wouldn't mind...) But one way celebrities — even the richest, the most famous, the most successful, and the most otherworldly — actually do seem relatable? They love cheapie beauty scores that actually work.

Yes, even Gigi Hadid hits up her local CVS. Even Beyoncé runs out of shampoo. And when you're filming or singing or appearing in some random corner of the world, drugstores are likely your most reliable bet. What's more, celebrities are surrounded by the absolute best hairstylists and makeup artists in the world. You better believe that crew knows its way around a drugstore aisle.

That's why we're rounding up the products the rich and famous rave about and that we can actually afford. (Important note: None of the products that follow are ones the celebrity is paid to endorse. This is the real deal, people.) So check 'em out in the slides ahead. Yet another reason to frequent the drugstore: You never know who you'll meet in aisle 4.

**Amanda Seyfried**
Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images.

Amanda Seyfried recently told us that she prefers a rich, gourmand fragrance to satiate her sweet-tooth. But her biggest must-have scent happens to be way more accessible — and affordable. "I love those Yankee candles [in] Buttercream Frosting or Angel Food Cake. I mean, who doesn’t put a vanilla-scented candle out in their kitchen? [Those scents] relate to the child in me, which will live on forever. That's also probably the pregnancy talking; I’ll blame it on that."
**Yankee Candle** Buttercream Large Jar Candles, $27.99, available at Yankee Candle.

**Gigi Hadid**
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images.

In an interview with *Allure,* Hadid revealed the reason this drugstore scrub has remained a long-standing staple in her beauty routine. "It's been around because it's the best," she said. We love the gentle exfoliator, too — especially because it uses natural powders from the walnut shell, so it's never irritating — but Hadid's stamp of approval definitely serves as a reminder to use it more religiously.
**St Ives** Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub, $3.49, available at Target.

**Kendall Jenner**
Photo: Jason LaVeris/Getty Images.

Yesterday, if you had told us that shiny-haired Kendall Jenner's favorite shampoo is under four dollars, we would have laughed. But it turns out the joke's on us because she recently told *Allure*, "Kim likes Finesse shampoo, and now so do I. I’ve tried all the expensive things, too. It just works for my hair and makes it so silky." BRB — running out to pick up this old-school classic now.
**Finesse** Moisturizing Shampoo, $3.69, available at Target.

**Beyoncé**
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.

Back in 2011, when Beyoncé was rising to her Queen B status, she told *Allure* that this product is a must-have. “I wear it with my lipstick. I did this trick last summer, when I was on vacation: I used it to prime my lashes before curling. It was like a natural mascara. It made the lashes hold the curl and look shiny. I use it for everything!” In that case, point us in the nearest direction to buy this magic in a tin, stat.
**Smith’s** Rosebud Salve, $6, available at Sephora.

**Khloé Kardashian**
Photo: Jason LaVeris/Getty Images.

Khloé is the next Kardashian sister to divulge her affordable picks, including this no-frills dry shampoo. "Old school does it best," she told *Health —* and we know firsthand she's right. Bonus? This travel size is perfect for tucking away in your bag. Amen, KoKo.
**Psssst** ! Travel Size Instant Dry Shampoo Spray, $2.99, available at Ulta Beauty.

**Selena Gomez**
Photo: Denise Truscello/Getty Images.

Gomez saves a few bucks on beauty favorites from time to time, including this standout shaving cream. She told *Into The Gloss* that she uses this formula because "it isn't too thick" — and we agree.
**EOS** Shave Cream in Lavender Jasmine, $3.99, available at Ulta Beauty.

**Kim Kardashian**
Photo: Mike Marsland/WireImage.

Kim’s beauty routine comes with a hefty price tag; happily, we can all afford the facial wipes she stands by. She’s even Snapchatted her morning routine and these double-duty towelettes made an appearance. “But 1st I scrub with these wipes! #obsessed,” she captioned the snap.
**Kiko** Pure Clean Scrub & Peel, $9, available at Kiko.

**Zoe Saldana**
Photo: Mindy Small/FilmMagic/ Getty Images.

This gentle drugstore cleanser is Zoe’s everyday staple. “My skin’s not very sensitive," she told us. "But because I travel so much, it sometimes reacts to the change in environments.”
**Cetaphil** Moisturizing Lotion, $13.99, available at Ulta Beauty.

**Eva Mendes**
Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Image.

“Those are amazing drugstore buys!” Eva told us about the Queen Helene face masks. “You know, when I am shooting in the middle of nowhere you can always find a drugstore...and those are great to get.” With 11 types of masks in the range, these picks are seriously #key.
**Queen Helene** Mint Julep Masque, $3.99, available at Walgreens.

It’s hard to beat King Kylie when it comes to an Insta-worthy aesthetic, but luckily for us she spilled her secrets. When getting her makeup done professionally, she told *The New York Times* that fake lashes are a go-to — specifically Ardell’s Natural Wispies, which are believable, soft, and fluttery.
**Ardell** Demi Wispies Natural Multipack, $9.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
Photo: JB Lacroix/WireImage.

**Lupita Nyong'o**
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.

The award-winning actress told *InStyle* that for her, nothing works better than avocado oil. “This is what I use to wash off my makeup,” she said. “It's gentle and natural, and my skin tends to be pretty dry, so I need the extra oil.”
**Now** Solutions Avocado Oil, $7.69, available at GNC.

**Anna Kendrick**
Photo: Robin Marchant/Getty Images.

One of Anna's top picks is a throwback some of us can appreciate — hello, annoying razor burn — especially if we want silky skin. "If you're not using Intuition razors, you're wasting everybody's time," she told *The New York Times*. "Whenever I hear someone is still using a separate shave gel, it's like hearing they still use dial-up internet.” (For the record, the Intuition has a built-in shaving-cream cartridge.)
**Schick** Intuition Sensitive Care with Natural Aloe Women’s Razor, $9.97, available at Walmart.

**Shay Mitchell**
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.

This badass actress tends to keep her makeup light and fresh. She told *Teen Vogue*: “In the morning, I only use CoverGirl Lash Blast (I purchase 10 at a time in case they discontinue!). It just works really well.”
**CoverGirl** LashBlast Volume Mascara, $8.99, available at Ulta Beauty.

**Mindy Kaling**
Photo: Jerod Harris/WireImage.

"It’s the greatest texture and evens your lip tone, so any lipstick looks perfect over it. I have like 30 shades of brown and pink in my natural lips. It’s maddening. This is super-helpful,” Mindy posted on Li.st. So basically, she's giving us BFF-worthy tips — because if we met in real life, we'd obviously be BFFs.
**CoverGirl** LipLiner in Sublime, $7, available at Drugstore.com.

It seems as though this product has a lot of fans among the celebrity community. Joining Zoe, Mindy told us she loves Cetaphil, too — she even called it her “old faithful” cleanser. Although for her, it's not just a cleanser. “I use it to loosen up my makeup," she said.
**Cetaphil** Cleanser, $14.49, available at Ulta Beauty.

**Emma Watson**
Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage.

“A makeup artist I met recently used a nude pencil around my lips to give them a perfect outline that’s not as obvious as a red liner,” Emma told *Marie Claire* a couple years back.
**L’Oreal** Colour Riche Anti-Feathering Lip Liner & Sharpener Pencil, $8.29, available at Walgreens.

**Olivia Wilde**
Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images.

Olivia swears by this true-blue winner. “I’ve been using the same hippie shit my whole life,” she told Byrdie. “It’s the greatest! You can even use it in your hair when you go camping.”
**Dr. Bronner’s** Pure Castile Soap, $16.29, available at Target.

**Viola Davis**
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.

Viola is a self-proclaimed skin-care and makeup obsessive. And she *swears* by Vaseline. She told *Elle* that she dabs it under her eyes to blur wrinkles and fine lines.
**Vaseline** 100% Pure Petroleum Jelly, $4.17, available at Walmart.

**Lucy Hale**
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.

“At the end of a long day, wiping my makeup off and feeling so clean, it’s the best feeling in the world,” Lucy told Into the Gloss. She praised the wipes' ability to “take everything off without irritating [my skin]."
**Neutrogen** a Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes, $8.99, available at Ulta Beauty.

**Laverne Cox**
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.

It's certainly not an easy task to find an SPF that works for *you*, but Laverne has it on lock. She told *InStyle* that she swears by this non-greasy face and body sunscreen.
**Neutrogena** Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55, $11.99, available at Ulta Beauty.

Easy to use, matte, and hydrating? Sign us up. As she told *InStyle,* Laverne credits her your-lips-but-better look to this chubby balm.
**Revlon** Colorburst Matte Balm in Sultry, $9.49, available at Ulta Beauty.

**Jessica Alba**
Photo: Gary Gershoff/WireImage.

You're not the only one who's been strangely tantalized by As Seen On TV beauty scores. Jessica told Into the Gloss that she lives for the Turbie Twist. "It’s the greatest thing in the world," she raved. "It’s like a towel that you pull your hair up in after the shower."
**The Original Turbie Twist** Super-Absorbent Hair Towel, $9.99, available at Bed Bath & Beyond.

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↧

If You Aren't A Morning Person, You Need This

December 1, 2016, 11:00 am

≫ Next: Get To Know All The Models Walking The VS Fashion Show

≪ Previous: Gigi Hadid Uses The Same Face Scrub We Do — & It's $4

I guess I didn't get the memo that making your bed in the morning is a key part of being a high-functioning adult. I'd much rather put those two minutes — or however long it takes to make a bed — toward getting just a tiny bit more sleep. But apparently, a lot of people care about having a nicely made bed. In fact, a coworker recently told me she'd rather be late to work than not make her bed. I didn't understand that on any level, but luckily, Tina Cayouette and her team did, which is why they created the Smartduvet.

The Smartduvet will transform any bed into a self-making one, and the design is so straightforward, it's hard to believe no one thought of it before now. It's simply a lightweight, inflatable sheet that you place between your regular duvet and its cover. With the touch of a button, you can activate the Smartduvet using an app on your phone or you can schedule when you want your bed to make itself ahead of time, so you never forget. When the Smartduvet is turned on, it sheet fills with air, which pushes your covers back into their proper position.

Because it's so easy to use, it's great for both bed-making enthusiasts and for those who never even thought to perform the chore. If you fall into either of these categories and want the Smartduvet, you can back the product through its Kickstarter campaign. There are still 26 days left to help the team reach its $22,369 goal — and if the goal is met, the expected delivery date is May of next year. The Smartduvet will help you avoid being late to work, or having to peel yourself off the mattress any earlier, and you'll never again have to sacrifice the wonderful feeling (so I hear) of slipping into a well-made bed after a long day.

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Get To Know All The Models Walking The VS Fashion Show

December 1, 2016, 11:00 am

≫ Next: No, Liev Schreiber Does Not Want Your Matchmaking Services

≪ Previous: If You Aren't A Morning Person, You Need This

Now that the Angels have descended upon Paris and strutted on the glittery Victoria's Secret runway, let's review all the faces that you'll be seeing during the December 5 broadcast. There's a total of 51 ( fifty-one!) models this year, so you'll want to study up to cheer them on when the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show airs in a few days.

This story was originally published on November 21, 2016.

It's the time of year when the glitter sparkles brighter, the #fitspo gets (way too) intense, and the wings are dusted off: Yes, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is right around the corner.

This year, the lingerie giant is flying its angels to Paris to film a catwalk spectacular at the end of the month, which will air during primetime on December 5. However, the whole thing has become way more than just a televised runway show. And considering that ratings were way down last year, the event has evolved to encompass a months-long journey where social-media savvy models share every single event (and photo opportunity) that leads up to the actual show — from casting to fitting to run-through and every workout in between.

It's certainly no small operation: So far, there are more than 50 models confirmed to board a pink jet to France. There are the Angels, of course (sans Candice Swanepoel and Behati Prinsloo, both of whom seem to be on maternity leave), and other high-profile gets, such as Gigi Hadid, Joan Smalls, and Liu Wen. There are also a bunch of very exciting newcomers, from Gigi's sister, Bella, to industry-favorite Dilone, who'll be joining the gang on the glittery catwalk this year.

These models have more in common than just being part of the Victoria's Secret model lineup. They've all mastered the art of social media, as evidenced by their tear-inducing posts announcing they'd been picked for the pink plane to Paris — and of course several lifetimes' worth of very professional selfies.

There are still a few uncertainties leading up to the show — will Cara Delevingne accept Ed Razek's invitation to come back to the catwalk? And we may not know until the show airs next month. Until then, we rounded up all the models we can expect to see light up our television screens with their megawatt smiles (and bedazzled lingerie) come December 5.

**Dilone**
During Fashion Month, it felt as if there wasn't a catwalk Dilone didn't strut down. So, unsurprisingly, she charmed the folks at Victoria's Secret, too. If you haven't yet fallen hard for Dilone, just read her heartfelt note about the casting: "This ones for the outcasts that get told they can't do something, be someone, go somewhere [because] they're just a little different. I'm so so happy to announce that I will be a part of the 2016 [Victoria's Secret Fashion Show]! Never in a million years did I think this would be happening! So unbelievable, fun and something I've never done before!" (Bonus: She already has her mini-wings.)
Photo: Via @_dilone.

**Alanna Arrington**
When you go from opening the fall '16 Altuzarra show to walking the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in the same year: Yeah, 2016 has treated Alanna Arrington pretty well, we'd say.
Photo: Via @alannaarrington.

**Jourdana Phillips**
From Saint Laurent exclusive to Victoria's Secret Fashion Show newbie, Jourdana Phillips has had quite the season. Clearly, Paris is her city to shine in.
Photo: Via @jourdanaelizabeth.

**Bella Hadid**
She may be a newcomer to the Victoria's Secret catwalk, but she's far from a newbie. Bella Hadid continues her fashion-world domination by joining sister Gigi in Paris for what will probably be the most watched runway she'll ever strut down. "There is no better feeling than being confirmed for the [Victoria's Secret Fashion Show]," she wrote on Instagram. Just wait until showtime, Bella.
Photo: Via @bellahadid.

**Georgia Fowler**
Victoria's Secret has a rep for making models' dreams come true when it announces its newest faces. (It's sort of like the Disney World of fashion in that way.) Georgia Fowler couldn't dim that smile when she confirmed that she will indeed be walking for the lingerie giant, thanking the Victoria's Secret crew for checking off one of her longtime goals.
Photo: Via @georgiafowler.

**Lameka Fox**
This model's agency surprised her with the news of her casting (and got her balloons!). The Washington, D.C., native actually got her start on Instagram, according to *Vogue*, so it's only fitting she'd take to the platform to share this very exciting development. "I can't believe it," she wrote. "I've been dreaming about this since I was a little girl. This is such an incredible feeling. I'm on cloud nine right now."
Photo: Via @lamekafox.

**Luma Grothe**
Watch out, Izabel Goulart — looks like Luma Grothe is already coming after one of your signature moves. The fellow Brazilian gave her best hair-flip to the camera when she announced she'd be flying to Paris with the Angels.
Photo: Via @thelumagrothe.

**Lais Oliveira**
This'll be Brazilian model Lais Oliveira's first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, although she's modeled for the brand for some time now. Nonetheless, she's understandably psyched about the casting, thanking everyone from her management to the show's producers to the flurry of fan pages that have already lent their support.
Photo: Via @laisoliveiraofficial.

**Megan Williams**
"Can't take the smile off my face," Megan Williams wrote on Instagram two weeks ago, when she got the call. "Is this real?!" Her first casting for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show may have been hard to believe at first — but it'll be very real come November 30.
Photo: Via @meganmayw.

**Xiao Wen**
If you enjoy watching Victoria's Secret's emotional casting videos, we definitely recommend Xiao Wen's: The model was understandably overwhelmed by the news, so she walked to the nearest corner and just buried her face in the wall — later asking her management, "Really?" Wen once called the glittery catwalk one of her professional dreams — and now she's checking it off her bucket list.
Photo: Via @jujujuxiaowen.

**Grace Elizabeth**
Grace Elizabeth couldn't even get through the sentence "I'm walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" without tearing up. "When I first went in to my agency before I even signed, they asked me my goal, and I told them... I want to walk for Victoria Secret," she wrote on Instagram. "At the time, I laughed about it; I never knew I would go this far." Fast-forward to 2016. Cue the *aww* s.
Photo: Via @lovegrace_e.

**Zuri Tibby**
Zuri Tibby made history earlier this year when she became the first Black spokesperson for Victoria's Secret Pink in the diffusion line's 14-year history. Now, she's riding that momentum all the way to the City of Lights. Tibby's definitely come a long way from that mall she was discovered in.
Photo: Via @angelzuri.

**Keke Lindgard**
From Hawaii to Paris, Lindgard is certainly going places. She jumped for joy when she got the news that she booked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show — and seemingly hasn't stopped jumping since. (Hey, we wouldn't, either.)
Photo: Via @kekelindgard.

**Maggie Laine**
She has New York Fashion Week under her belt. Next, Maggie Laine will walk the most glittery runway on the planet. This'll be the Georgia native's first-ever show for Victoria's Secret.
Photo: Via @maggievlaine.

**Kelly Gale**
Swedish-Australian model Kelly Gale might have the best idea of the bunch for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: She tagged her official social announcement with #croissants — because she has her priorities in order.
Photo: Via @kellybellyboom.

**Herieth Paul**
Herieth Paul will join fellow Maybelline spokesperson Gigi Hadid on the Paris catwalk this year. The Tanzanian-born, Ottowa-based model has a flurry of high-fashion credits to her name, including Brandon Maxwell, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Jonathan Simkhai this past season — and all before her 21st birthday.
Photo: Via @heriethpaul.

**Gigi Hadid**
Guess who's back, back again: Gigi Hadid is taking her sophomore strut down the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show catwalk — and alongside her younger sister, no less.
Photo: Via @gigihadid.

**Liu Wen**
We couldn't get enough of Liu Wen's shimmy during her cameo in *Vogue's* rendition of "Freedom" — so, let's see what dance moves she brings out on the Victoria's Secret runway when she struts to the tunes of Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, and Bruno Mars.
Photo: Via @liuwenlw.

**Kate Grigorieva**
After a solid spring '17 season (walking shows like Balmain and Cushnie et Ochs), Russian model Kate Grigorieva comes back home to Victoria's Secret.
Photo: Via @_kate_g_.

**Irina Shayk**
She may be an industry veteran compared to many in this year's crop, but even Irina Shayk has room for firsts on her résumé. This marks the first trip down the Victoria's Secret catwalk for the Russian model — and it's probably not the last.
Photo: Via @irinashayk.

**Valery Kaufman**
Valery Kaufman's ready for round two: The Russian model's been gearing up for her sophomore Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, after quite the spring '17 season as a Gucci exclusive, Dior feminist, and Stella McCartney stan.
Photo: Via @valerykaufman.

**Leomie Anderson**
Coming off the launch of her feminist brand, Leomie Anderson returns to the Victoria's Secret crew for the brand's Paris affair.
Photo: Via @leomieanderson.

**Bridget Malcolm**
Australian model Bridget Malcom shows off her side-plank skills in some Victoria's Secret Sport before slipping into her catwalk wings.
Photo: Via @bridgetmalcolm.

**Ming Xi**
Design student turned model Ming Xi began working with Victoria's Secret back in 2013. Now, she's going on year four of walking the show — one of the many catwalks she's trotted down in Paris this year alone.
Photo: Via @mingxi11.

**Joan Smalls**
Joan Smalls may have kept a relatively low profile this Fashion Month, but the model will be bringing her smolder back to the Victoria's Secret extravaganza.
Photo: Via @joansmalls.

**Kendall Jenner**
Kenny's back, baby. Jenner may have deleted her Instagram while most of her fellow Victoria's Secret models posted their show confirmations on social media, but the social superstar was very much present when the crew boarded the pink jet to Paris.
Photo: Via @kendalljenner.

**Barbara Fialho**
Barbara Fialho walked her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show with a sparkling Eiffel Tower on her head as part of the 2013 "Parisian Nights" segment — so, what could be more full circle than traveling with the brand to France's capital this year?
Photo: Via @barbarafialho1.

**Brooke Perry**
This longtime Victoria's Secret Pink model is graduating to the bedazzled catwalk this year. Look out for the Montana native during the diffusion label's segment of the broadcast.
Photo: Via @brookeperry92.

S **anne Vloet**
Sanne Vloet is doing what we always say we're going to do, which is go from the airport straight from the gym to stretch our legs a bit. Maybe all we're missing is a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show booking to really motivate us...
Photo: Via @sannevloet.

**Camille Rowe**
Add Rowe to the list of models to follow on Instagram. She grew up between Paris and New York, and now calls L.A. home — but she's returning to her birthplace for her first-ever turn on the Victoria's Secret runway.
Photo: Via @fingermonkey.

**Sui He**
She just walked a Victoria's Secret runway in her native China — but that was just a warm-up for Sui He. The model returns to the lingerie brand's highly anticipated event this year.
Photo: Via @hesui923.

**Devon Windsor**
She may be a Victoria's Secret regular, but even Devon Windsor still gets emotional when it comes to this particular catwalk. "So four years ago I was walking around Zara in Soho trying to find some scarves for the brutal NYC winter when @imgmodels called me," she recalled on Instagram of the first time she booked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. "I literally screamed out loud in disbelief and had to leave the store to call my mom and tell her the news." This'll be her fourth time walking in the show, and she notes that "the feeling of getting confirmed is exactly the same, if not better."
Photo: Via @devwindsor.

**Maria Borges**
Last year, Maria Borges made a gorgeous statement (and a first for the brand) when she walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion show with an afro. Frankly, we can't wait to see how she wows us in 2016.
Photo: Via @iammariaborges.

**Izabel Goulart**
This will be Izabel Goulart's 12th — 12th! — time walking the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Such an achievement merited a signature of the brand's Angels Walk of Fame.
Photo: Via @iza_goulart.

**Lily Donaldson**
Lily Donaldson's always a favorite on the Victoria's Secret runway, so we're glad to see her join the gang once again in Paris.
Photo: Via @lilydonaldson.

**Daniela Braga**
She samba'd when she was first confirmed to walk two years ago, and now Daniela Braga's coming back for her third Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. This time, there are more crunches.
Photo: Via @bragadany.

**Cindy Bruna**
The first time she got a callback for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Cindy Bruna thought she blew it for one very specific reason. "I had my eyebrows bleached from the Prada Campaign I had just shot," she wrote on Instagram a few weeks ago. "You can just imagine how I look without eyebrows." As the story goes, Bruna did in fact book the show that year. ("When my agency told me I confirmed the show, I kept on asking 'Are you sure they want me? Are you sure I am the one they confirmed?,'" she added.) Well, now she's going back to her hometown to walk the glittery runway once again.
Photo: Via @cindybruna.

**Flávia Lucini**
You may have last spotted Brazilian model Flavia Lucini walking around New York covered in paint in Pete Yorn's music video for "She Was Weird," as *Vogue* reported. Now, you'll see her joining the Victoria's Secret gang once again at the annual fashion show.
Photo: Via @flavialucini.

**Rachel Hilbert**
Rachel Hilbert, the super smiley face of Pink, is gearing up for Paris, as seen through her workout Instagrams.
Photo: Via @rachelhilbert.

**Josephine Skriver**
She's done the glittery lap many a time, but this marks Skriver's first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show as a bona fide Angel. Not only that, but she'll be doing it in bedazzled glory, wearing this year's Swarovski-designed get-up. How festive!
Photo: Via @josephineskriver.

**Alessandra Ambrosio**
It wouldn't be a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show without Alessandra Ambrosio, now would it?
Photo: Via @alessandraambrosio.

**Lais Ribeiro**
Soak in all the downtime now, Lais Ribeiro: The longtime Victoria's Secret model is back at it again for the 2016 show.
Photo: Via @laisribeiro.

**Taylor Hill**
When she's not taking the industry by storm, Taylor Hill comes home to her Victoria's Secret family. This'll be the Denver native's second year walking as an Angel.
Photo: Via @taylor_hill.

**Lily Aldridge**
Behati Prinsloo may not be there for more twinning opportunities, but Lily Aldridge will be back on the Victoria's Secret runway, reprising her title as Angel.
Photo: Via @lilyaldridge.

**Elsa Hosk**
At the end of the rainbow is.... Swedish model (and Angel extraordinaire) Elsa Hosk, taking her talents to the City of Lights for the 2016 spectacle.
Photo: Via @hoskelsa.

**Sara Sampaio**
As an Angel, Sara Sampaio gets dibs on some of the most show-stopping garments that make their way down the Victoria's Secret runway. Off-duty, the Portuguese model takes her costuming just as seriously — just check out her Halloween look. Let's see how the 2016 Parisian duds compete.
Photo: Via @sarasampaio.

**Jasmine Tookes**
All eyes will be on Jasmine Tookes this year: The Angel will have the distinct honor of wearing this year's Fantasy Bra — which, in Victoria's Secret World, is the biggest of deals. The 2016 garment is called the Bright Night Fantasy Bra, and it's valued at $3 million. Toto, we're not in Beautiful by Victoria's Secret territory anymore.
Photo: Via @jastookes.

**Romee Strijd**
Get that glow, Romee Strijd! The Dutch Angel will once again be breaking out her wings.
Photo: Via @romeestrijd.

**Adriana Lima**
At this point, we don't need more proof of Adriana Lima's badass-ery, but here she is doing the Mannequin Challenge while holding a punch on set.
Photo: Via @adrianalima.

**Martha Hunt**
Martha Hunt will also be reporting for duty on the Victoria's Secret catwalk. With so many members of The Squad decamping to Paris for the event, will Taylor Swift make an appearance?
Photo: Via @marthahunt.

**Stella Maxwell**
Watch out, Paris: The Angels are coming to town.
Photo: Via @stellamaxwell.

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No, Liev Schreiber Does Not Want Your Matchmaking Services

December 1, 2016, 11:15 am

≫ Next: 15 Times Bo & Sunny Obama Stole Our Hearts

≪ Previous: Get To Know All The Models Walking The VS Fashion Show

Everyone's least-favorite post-breakup activity? Having to tell friends "No, really, I'm okay" when they offer to set you up with literally anyone mere weeks after your split. When you're famous and your breakup is broadcast around the world, well, things get even trickier. Liev Schreiber awkwardly dodged Gayle King's matchmaking services during an interview on CBS This Morning Thursday, and you'll want to cringe for him.

The Ray Donovan star split from his partner of 11 years, Naomi Watts, back in September, so some might consider that wound a little fresh. King, however, decides to ask the actor about his recent breakup, which, though amicable, doesn't seem like the topic that gets Schreiber super excited. When she asks about whether the change is difficult or scary, Schreiber replies with a very diplomatic answer:

“Yeah. Of course it is," says the Spotlight actor. "We’re parents together, so we’ll be together for the rest of our lives no matter what, and we’re very close. Hopefully that never changes, and I don’t think it will.”

Considering Schreiber didn't seem so gung-ho about discussing the breakup, you would think the issue might be dropped. Instead, King offers up her matchmaking services:

"Would you like me to set you up with someone, or are you okay?" asks Oprah's BFF of Schreiber's singledom.

"I'm busy with a 15-year-old [son]," replied the clearly not-thrilled actor of the offer.

While I'm sure King intended for the comment to come off as lighthearted, it's probably not a great idea to bring up what was likely a painful split, on television, when you could be talking about one of the actor's several projects. It's not that celebrity breakups are totally off the table in interviews —King probably should have just read her subject a bit better. Schreiber's clearly going through some family stuff right now, so maybe we can stick to chatting about his Showtime series instead?

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15 Times Bo & Sunny Obama Stole Our Hearts

December 1, 2016, 11:15 am

≫ Next: The 15 Most Popular Bakeries Of 2016, According To Instagram

≪ Previous: No, Liev Schreiber Does Not Want Your Matchmaking Services

"If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog," is a piece of advice often misattributed to one former U.S. president.

The Obamas agreed so much, they got two: Bo and Sunny, both Portuguese water dogs. Bo, the one with the white belly, is 8 years old and became part of the family following the first inauguration of President Barack Obama. He was a gift from the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, a friend of the family, and fulfilled Obama's pledge to his daughters to get them a pet once they moved into the White House. Sunny, the 4-year-old, all-black critter, joined the first family in the spring of 2013.

The fluffy pair has captured the hearts of many Americans because, who wouldn't love those playful grins? They're incredibly popular, to the point where they have a schedule of appearances that Michelle Obama has to approve, and a North Dakota man allegedly plotted to kidnap them earlier this year.

Luckily, that nefarious scheme failed. But we're kind of losing the first dogs anyway, when the Obamas leave the White House next year. And unless they hire a photographer to be on their tail (pun intended) 24/7, it's unlikely that photos of Bo and Sunny will lighten our days once they become private (four-legged) citizens.

So, to celebrate their furry lives, we rounded up 15 times the pups stole our hearts. (This slideshow might induce hardcore squealing. Don't say we didn't warn you.)

Early in President Obama's first term, we saw him running with Bo in the hallways and we knew that this friendship was going to melt our hearts.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

And then the Obamas brought a *second* dog to the White House. On her first day living there, Sunny got all the belly rubs from the president. AND SHE SEEMED SO HAPPY.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

Just so you know, Bo has an official White House portrait. No biggie.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

This picture of the first lady with the duo is *everything…* and you can't convince us otherwise!!!
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

Bo apparently *loves* the snow. Same Bo, same.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

We just want to hug Sunny and Bo. FOREVER.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

Can you imagine Bo asking, "What you doiiing?" outside of the Oval Office? We can.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

These two look so carefree and so adorable, we just can't…
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

You can just imagine what Michelle Obama is saying: "Barack, stop playing with Sunny, we're late already!" But secretly thinking, "I wanna play with her, too."
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

Can you imagine Bo interrupting the president while he is in the Oval Office? "Err, yes, Joe, I was absolutely listening. No, that's not Bo, I just didn't have lunch yet and I'm hungry."
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

Main takeaway from this picture of the president and former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel showering Sunny with attention: She's a sucker for belly rubs.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

A great nostalgic Halloween idea for 2017: Dress your dogs as "Bo and Sunny, state dinner version." You're welcome.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

Just a casual picture of *the most powerful man in the world* having to walk his dog.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

In between his busy schedule, Bo finds time to chill in the West Garden. Work hard, lounge hard.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

Bo and Sunny look incredibly presidential in this one. We will miss all of them so much.
Photo: Pete Souza/The White House.

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The 15 Most Popular Bakeries Of 2016, According To Instagram

December 1, 2016, 11:20 am

≫ Next: 30 Gifts For Your Introvert Friend Who Just Wants To Be Alone

≪ Previous: 15 Times Bo & Sunny Obama Stole Our Hearts

What's almost as good as eating a real pastry? Scrolling through food porn photos of pastries on Instagram. The shots might make our stomachs grumble as a result, but our searches often lead to new culinary hotspots to try.

After all, other than cute animal pics, our favorite thing to Instagram is dessert. And we're definitely not the only ones. Today, Instagram shared its annual list of the year's top 'grammed bakeries in the country. The list of 15 sweet shops features some iconic classics as well as a few newcomers. Some were on last year's list, while changing trends bumped a few of 2015's big names off the list entirely.

Click through to see how many of the nation's most-socialed bakeries you've visited. Maybe you've even instagrammed them yourself!

15. Randy's Donuts, Inglewood, CA
Photo: via @maizarsadias.

14. Five Daughters Bakery (12 South), Nashville, TN
Photo: via @five_daughters_bakery.

13. Tartine Bakery, San Francisco, CA
Photo: via @thereshecooks.

12. Leonard’s Bakery, Honolulu, HI
Photo: Via @The96815.

11. Extraordinary Desserts, San Diego, CA
Photo: via @extraordinary_desserts.

10. Jo's Hot Coffee Good Food (aka Jo's), Austin, TX
Photo: via @joscoffee.

9. Spot Dessert Bar, NYC
Photo: via @spotdessertbar.

8. Donut Bar, San Diego, CA
Photo: via @donutbar.

7. Balthazar Bakery, NYC
Photo: via @feedyoursoull.

6. Carlo's Bakery, Hoboken, NJ
Photo: via @carlosbakery.

5. Levain Bakery, NYC
Photo: Via @Foodiesday.

4. Georgetown Cupcake, Washington, D.C.
Photo: via @laselmastyle.

3. California Donuts, Los Angeles, CA
Photo: via @ihsagram.

2. Voodoo Doughnut, Austin, TX
Photo: via @b_morgan18.

1. Café du Monde, New Orleans, LA
Photo: via @parkjudypark.

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30 Gifts For Your Introvert Friend Who Just Wants To Be Alone

December 1, 2016, 11:20 am

≫ Next: Amazon Cancels Good Girls Revolt In Clinton-esque Snub

≪ Previous: The 15 Most Popular Bakeries Of 2016, According To Instagram

By definition, an introvert is someone who tends to turn their attention inwards to their own thoughts, and who tends to prefer their own company or the company of a small group of friends, as opposed to interacting with large groups of people.

Contrary to popular belief, not all of us introverts are shy. Many of us can be, though shyness and introversion aren't interchangeable terms. Nor do all of us hate talking to people, though many of us might hate small talk. In fact, a lot of us love interacting with people — we just also may need to take a break from said interactions. Whereas extroverts gain energy from being around other people, we introverts often need time alone to recharge from social situations.

For the most part, though, we often just like to spend a lot of time in our own heads — which is great for us, but sometimes (understandably) baffling and frustrating for the people around us. If you've got an introverted friend who you're struggling to find the perfect gift for (because they haven't responded to your texts for five days and you can't read minds), allow us to help.

Ahead, we've compiled a gift guide full of everything an introvert might want, whether it's for some uninterrupted time alone, or for (begrudgingly) getting through social interactions.

In case your friend wants to wear his heart on his sleeve.
**CultureFlockClothing**, $10.00, available at EtsyPhoto: Courtesy of Etsy.

Or, y'know, she might prefer to wear something a little more instructional.
**In God We Trust**, $40.00, available at In God We TrustPhoto: Courtesy of In God We Trust.

Perhaps not as ubiquitous as the iconic Diptyque candles, but your friend will love this unique take on your average "here's a candle" gift.
**Ladurée**, $68.00, available at Lucky ScentPhoto: Courtesy of Laduree.

A cuddling pillow for the introvert who loves to snuggle — alone.
**Leahco**, $49.99, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

One free "coupon " that allows your friend to flake out on a social event.
Photo: Courtesy of Amazon.

This literary subscription box comes with a book, snacks, tea, and a candle, because nothing says "I love you, introvert" better than the perfect kit for a night of self-care-and-chill.
**Novel Tea**, $35.99, available at Crate JoyPhoto: Courtesy of Novel Tea Club.

Do people still use the word "fangirl"? Because we fangirl so hard over Issa Rae, and after reading this book, so will your friend.
**The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl**, $12.45, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Atria.

What better way to recharge than with a charged-up electric warming blanket?
**Sunbeam**, $70.67, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

And of course, a reading lamp to go with those books. This one comes with five color modes according to time of day, so that the introvert in your life can stay in bed *all* day with a book.
**TaoTronics**, $39.99, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

Noise-canceling headphones, because there will come a point when your friend has to spend time in the company of others, whether they like them or not, and may need these for sanity.
**Sony**, $29.97, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

This projector will turn any home into an introvert's movie-watching haven.
**Crenova**, $99.99, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

Record players are perfect for the introvert who wants to host a listening party *and* needs the downtime afterwards to listen to whatever the hell she wants.
**Jensen**, $43.99, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

A yoga starter kit for the friend who wants to get fit without having to deal with other people at the gym.
**Sivan**, $39.99, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

A fondue-maker just for one (though it comes in a set of two if your friend feels inclined to invite you over).
**Kovot**, $14.99, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

This slow-cooker makes cooking for one way less of a pain.
**Black + Decker**, $, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

Help your friend avoid dropping a brand new iPhone 6s into the bathtub during a long, solitary soak.
**Bath Dreams**, $24.99, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

If your favorite introvert wants to spend all their time inside and away from people, they'll need a pretty lamp.
**WBM**, $27.99, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Amazon.

The best part of spending time alone is wearing whatever the hell you want, such as chic monogrammed pajamas.
**J.Crew**, $95.00, available at J.CrewPhoto: Courtesy of J. Crew.

These cashmere sweatpants are comfy enough to sleep in, but luxe enough to wear on a Sunday errand run.
**Everlane**, $140.00, available at EverlanePhoto: Courtesy of Everlane.

Nothing goes better with cozy sweats or PJs like a pair of fuzzy socks.
**Gap**, $7.95, available at GapPhoto: Courtesy of Gap.

If he doesn't already have Netflix, you'll be his hero. You may never see him again, but at least he'll love you forever, even when he's too busy marathoning *Black Mirror* to respond to your texts.
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Should your friend want a break from the screen, this therapeutic coloring book will give them a moment of peace and quiet.
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Meditation is one of our favorite ways to decompress and reenergize, and the Headspace app is a great way to get started.
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Amazon Cancels Good Girls Revolt In Clinton-esque Snub

December 2, 2016, 10:00 am

≫ Next: Movie Review Roundup: What You Should See This Weekend

≪ Previous: 30 Gifts For Your Introvert Friend Who Just Wants To Be Alone

Amazon has decided to cancel its female-led show Good Girls Revolt after only one season on the digital streaming platform, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The cancellation comes as a bit of a surprise, given that show was met with positive reviews and more viewers than any other Amazon Original after its debut in October.

Good Girls Revolt follows the lives of three young women attempting to advance their careers in the sexist publishing industry of 1969. The show is based on the book by Amy Povich of the same title, which documents the landmark sexual harassment lawsuit brought against Newsweek by female employees in the '60s. The show came as a nod to second-wave feminist struggles and a struck a chord with viewers. So why the snub?

THR says that Roy Price, head of Amazon Studios, simply “wasn’t a fan,” (I can’t help but wonder why) and didn’t think that the series would be competitive in awards season. When the second season was pitched to him, he passed. The rebuff feels like a micro version of last month’s presidential election, when feminist visions were crushed right in front of those who believed in them most. And I wasn’t the only one to take notice.

Series creator Dana Salvo made a reference to the election and controversy over the popular vote when she responded to the decision on Twitter.

Amazon passing on S2 of Good Girls Revolt. 💔 But so grateful we got to tell the story. We won the popular vote. Thank u
— dana (@DanaSCalvo) December 2, 2016

A cast member credited the show's supporters for helping her cope with the November 8 election.

Amazon decided to cancel GGR. Your roars of support elevated me from the darkest election in history & I'll never stop fighting back for us.
— Genevieve Angelson (@GenevieveAngel) December 2, 2016

But all is not lost. Sony Pictures Television is fighting for a ~~recount~~ reacquisition of rights to Good Girls Revolt, so it can shop the show around to other networks.

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Movie Review Roundup: What You Should See This Weekend

December 2, 2016, 10:05 am

≫ Next: This Is The Only Running Playlist You Need This Week

≪ Previous: Amazon Cancels Good Girls Revolt In Clinton-esque Snub

Few things bring cinephiles joy quite like spending the weekend holed up in a movie theater, devouring the latest silver screen debuts. Though the biggest question is always, How exactly does one choose what to see? Well, that's where we come in.

Obviously, there will be certain movies throughout the year that feel like must-sees just because everyone is talking about them — can a film named White Girl actually give a compelling look at race and privilege in America? However, if you want to be a more discerning moviegoer, you can visit this cheat sheet. Here we'll give you the lowdown on new releases — and the critics' verdicts on them. Then, you'll be able to determine which one is right for you.

This post will be continually updated, so don't forget to check back each week!

Jackie

Starring: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard,Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, John Hurt

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 89%

Synopsis: Chronicles Jackie Kennedy's transition from first lady to national widow.

What’s The Word: Another attempt to understand the enigmatic political figure — except this one works. A New York Time s critic's pick, Manola Dhargis calls Jackie "Intensely affecting and insistently protean." Note: no one thinks this film is cheery. Scott Tobias of NPR praises Portman's performance, saying that it "suggests Jackie as a ghostly figure who's haunting the wreckage of her own life." The Nerdist says, bluntly, "Jackie is not a feel-good movie." It's not a date night movie, but it's definitely worth a watch.

Released December 2

Man Down

Starring: Shia LaBoeuf, Gary Oldman, Kata Mara, Jai Courtney

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 13%

Synopsis: After returning home from war, a soldier (Shia LaBeouf) searches for his son and wife (Kate Mara).

What’s The Word: This movie is receiving the type of scathing reviews that are probably more entertaining than the movie itself. The film's nonlinear storyline has been declared confusing and unreliable to the point of exasperation. The New York Times called it "a sadistic and ghoulish spectacle," so there's that. The real reason to see this movie is Shia LaBoeuf, looking sullen, shaven, and really in love with Kate Mara.

Released December 2

Miss Sloane

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, John Lithgow, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jake Lacy, Sam Waterston

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 69%

Synopsis: Jessica Chastain is Miss Sloane, a femme fatale in the guise of a Washington lobbyist.

What’s The Word: Miss Sloane can't be blamed for its flaws. Meant to be a high-stakes political thriller, the film premiered on the heels of the 2016 election, and the story misses its mark. To be fair, the mark has been blown to pieces and scattered across the country. Lindsey Bahr, a writer for The Associated Press, says the film "already feels woefully out of date." Miss Sloane takes no prisoners, and adheres to no moral compass. All of this would be permissable if it weren't for the out-of-whack moral compass in the country.

Sheila O'Malley of Rogerebert.com calls the film "old-fashioned." According to O'Malley, Miss Sloane comes from " a more innocent time (say, three weeks ago) when politics as usual actually had some meaning." The country has had all the political entertainment it could possibly want — why would we need to watch a movie?

Chastain, a critical darling, remains above reproach, but with the movie's faulty time, an Oscar nod is doubtful.

Released November 24

Allied

Starring: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 62%

Synopsis: Max (Brad Pitt), a Canadian wing fighter in World War II, is tasked with assassinating his wife, Marianne (Marion Cotillard), when she is suspected to be a German spy.

What’s The Word: It's a steamy spy movie starring Brad Pitt — and that may be where the story ends. Writing in the New York Times, A.O. Scott calls Allied a "deft and diverting" film that "offers the comfort of elegant escapism." The same accolades have not been awarded to Pitt's performance, which Scott compares Pitt's performance to that of a wooden canoe — ouch.

Anthony Lane of The New Yorker shares the sentiment. He declares, "Rarely have I seen a movie star look tenser or more unhappy than Brad Pitt does in Allied." Nevertheless, critics have praised Cotillard's performance as the enigmatic Marianne, equal parts femme fatale and engénue.

The movie explores familiar territory — many have complained that it stinks of Casablanca — but it still manages to deliver. It's sleek, efficient, and sexy, like a brand new car. You'll enjoy the vehicle, but it's just a machine.

Released November 22

Lion

Starring: Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman,

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer: 76%

Synopsis: Based on a true story, this epic follows the adopted Saroo (Dev Patel) as he uses Google Earth to track down his birth family.

What’s The Word: It's a tear-jerker, but that compliment is decidedly not backhanded. A.O. Scott says it best in The New York Times: " If you have ever been a child, raised a child, lost a child or met a child — or a mother — this movie will wreck you." Young Saroo, played by Sunny Panwar, is separated from his family by way of a train that takes him all the way across India. Deposited in the streets of Calcutta, he survives long enough to find a pair of Australian expats, who end up adopting him. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone praised Nicole Kidman for her "unglam" portrayal of Saroo's adopted mother. Saroo's search for his parents begins in his late twenties, when he's busy romancing Lucy (Rooney Mara). From there, the mawkish journey begins. (Mawkish here, is not an insult.)

The movie is generating Oscar buzz for Dev Patel, of Slumdog Millionaire fame. The BAFTA-nominated actor is maturing out of his youthful cheer (I refer you to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), and Lion puts his "serious actor" drama chops on display.

Released November 22

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterston

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer: 74%

Synopsis: This Harry Potter spin-off focuses on Newt Scamander and his time working on the Hogwarts textbook.

What’s The Word: We definitely don’t need four more Fantastic Beasts movies, but this one manages to pull off a magic adventure. At Us Weekly, Mara Reinstein wrote that the movie “has layered a sophisticated and surprisingly dark origin story that will appeal more to grownups than the younger set.” Eddie Redmayne is also good, Cath Clarke wrote for Time Out: “I'm not sure which is more adorable, Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, or the creatures he smuggles into the U.S. in his battered leather briefcase.” Empire’s Helen O’Hara wasn’t too impressed, but said the movie lays an important foundation for future good work: “With this heavy lifting done, there's every reason to hope for an even more magical adventure next time,” she wrote.

Released November 18

Divines

Starring: Oulaya Amamra, Déborah Lukumuena

Rated: NR

Tomatometer:80%

Synopsis: After meeting a dreamy dancer, two teen girls experience life outside of their Paris ghetto.

What’s The Word: Netflix snatched this debut feature after it got a standing ovation at Cannes. At Variety, Catherine Bray wrote that “Houda Benyamina bursts onto the scene with a punchy, pacy directorial debut, playing as gangster thriller and female buddy movie.” At Screen International, Lee Marshall wrote that it “crackles with attitude, anger, and lust for life.” The Guardian ’s Peter Bradshaw was also impressed: “The overwhelming impression is that Dounia has ambition and vision, a conviction that she might still be able shape her own future. It's an exhilarating film.”

Released November 18

The Edge Of Seventeen

Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 89%

Synopsis: A coming-of-age movie about Nadine, whose life falls apart when her best friend starts dating Nadine's cool-kid older brother.

What’s The Word: It’s true to the drama and tragedy of being a teenage girl. “This hilarious teen comedy is directed by Kelly Fremon Craig and stars Hailee Steinfeld as Nadine, a charming, yet neurotic teenager on the edge of adulthood,” Valerie Complex wrote for Black Girl Nerds. At The Film Stage, Dan Schindel advised viewers to ignore the John Hughes comparisons — “it’s much more honest than that.” NPR’s Ella Taylor wrote that director Kelly Fremon Craig "writes fresh, sharp dialogue, knows what she's doing around actors and is unafraid to get out on a ledge."

Released November 18

Manchester By The Sea

Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges

Rated: R

Tomatometer:99%

Synopsis: After his brother dies, Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) has to move home and care for his teenage nephew. He's marred by an unknown grief, which makes his transition to life in his old hometown difficult.

What’s The Word: It’s wounding and imperfect, but brutal in the most endearing ways. Casey Affleck is also spectacular. BuzzFeed’s Alison Willmore called it “the finest possible incarnation of the sort of starry, delicate drama that is a festival standard.” At The Playlist, Noel Murray wrote that “by the time the film ends, we know so much about these people and their town that they don't even need to articulate their feelings for us to understand them.” Writing for Film Journal, Tomris Laffly called it a “quietly devastating film, which affirms Casey Affleck as one of the finest actors working today.”

Released November 18

Bleed For This

Starring: Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart, Ciarán Hinds

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 64%

Synopsis: The true story of Vinny "The Pazmanian Devil" Pazienza, a boxer who fought to come back into the ring after a near-fatal car wreck.

What’s The Word: At The Wrap, Claudia Puig wrote that the movie reduces Pazienza’s story, leaving Bleed for This feeling “overly simplified and lacking in heft.” At the Boston Globe, Ty Burr praised the lead performance: “Teller is cornering a market on recklessness in the roles he chooses — the energy from that demonic drum solo at the end of Whiplash seems to carry over into the ferocity with which Vinny pounds at life.”

Released November 18

Nocturnal Animals

Starring: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 72%

Synopsis: When Susan Morrow sits down to read the manuscript of her ex-husband’s book, the plot — which follows a grieving man’s fight to bring his family’s murderer to justice — forces her to see what went wrong in their failed marriage.

What’s The Word: Tom Ford's latest film is stylish (sometimes to a fault), but some parts are too hollow to feel remotely real. “In the end, Nocturnal Animals barely feels like a film made by a human being. You could just dub it a 'stylish exercise' and call it a day. But I just can't shake the fact that Ford somehow wants it to be more,” wrote Time ’s Stephanie Zacharek. At Hot Press, Roe McDermott found it all a part of the director’s allure: “Ford's heightened approach to storytelling may alienate some viewers. But his style isn't just for show: It embodies how the characters in his films are concealing truths, wearing masks, reciting social scripts,” she wrote. It has an appeal that is very different from A Single Man, though: “It’s as gratuitously cruel as A Single Man was tender,” wrote Manuela Lazic for Little White Lies.

Released November 18

Arrival

Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer:96%

Synopsis: A lauded linguist is recruited to investigate the language used by an alien life form that has just touched down on earth.

What’s the Word: It’s thrilling and smartly written. “For fans of dark, cerebral, Christopher Nolan type sci-fi or even time-related sci-fi this will be right up your alley,” wrote Lauren Warren for Black Girl Nerds. At International Business Times, Amy West said the movie “pushes the boundaries on what a sci-fi film really can be.” Arrival is complicated, but still deft: “It's a monolith, a megalith, but like the gigantic alien craft that comes to rest somewhere above Montana at the start of the film, despite its immensity it hovers elegantly overhead. The film defies gravity,” wrote Jessica King for The Playlist.

Released November 11

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Vin Diesel, Garrett Hedlund, Steve Martin

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 46%

Synopsis: After fighting in Iraq, a 19-year-old army private adjusts to life at home.

What’s the Word: Reviews are mixed on Ang Lee’s latest offering. At Consequence of Sound, Nina Corcoran called it “a war story that should be felt, but instead tells you how to feel.” Us Weekly ’s Mara Reinstein suggested that “every person who puts on the special glasses will be able to see that expensive effects can't cover for clunky dialogue and a story more tired than a college student with mono.” Variety ’s Owen Gleiberman saw something in it, though: “The film isn't simply a technological experiment; it's also a highly original, heartfelt, and engrossing story. And part of the power of it lies in the way that those two things are connected,” he wrote.

Released November 11

Almost Christmas

Starring: Gabrielle Union, Omar Epps, Kimberly Elise, Mo’Nique

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer:41%

Synopsis: Family drama comes to a head during the holidays.

What’s the Word: It's fine. "In all, it's a pleasant enough way to spend two quiet hours with the extended family, but Almost Christmas probably won't be your next holiday tradition," wrote Devan Coggan for Entertainment Weekly. At Village Voice, Melissa Anderson said it "follows formula for the overcrowded and overplotted Noel-season movie, ladling out too-generous portions of churchiness, multigenerational dance-off, and Mars vs. Venus sermonizing." At IndieWire, Aramide A Tinubu called it satisfying: "It embraces every opportunity for the warm, inviting feelings conjured up by the memories of that perfect slice of sweet potato pie — and anyone who knows what that tastes like won’t be disappointed."

Released November 11

Loving

Starring: Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer: 91%

Synopsis: An intimate biopic about the Lovings, whose interracial marriage changed American politics forever.

What’s The Word: Ruth Negga is spectacular, but sometimes there’s the sense that there’s not a lot to Loving 's narrative. Read our interview with producer Nancy Buirski. “ Loving is modest, quiet, and deep. Like all [Jeff] Nichols' work with his long-time cinematographer, Adam Stone, the film highlights the lush beauty of the rural American South,” wrote Ella Taylor for NPR. “It's a patient film, and it requires some patience from its audience. But its rewards are gentle and winning, and for once, a cinematic history lesson that doesn't feel artificial and processed in every pore,” wrote Tasha Robinson for The Verge. “It doesn't trumpet its importance obnoxiously, and it's packed with performances of quiet power, with Negga as the breakout,” wrote Alison Willmore for BuzzFeed.

Released November 4

Doctor Strange

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelsen, Michael Stuhlbarg

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer:91%

Synopsis: Stephen Strange, a former surgeon, becomes a sorcerer.

What’s The Word: It's the Inception -est Marvel movie yet, in a good way. Marvel didn’t make good on their promise for equity for minority actors: “For a film that has promised diversity and wanting to move from harmful Asian stereotypes, this movie fails to bring in people of color in a meaningful way,” wrote Joelle Smith for Black Girl Nerds. At the Los Angeles Times, Justin Chang called it “playful and distinctive enough to throw a wrench into the grinding gears of the Marvel assembly line.” At The New York Times, Manohla Dargis called it “so visually transfixing, so beautiful and nimble that you may even briefly forget the brand.”

Released November 4

Peter And The Farm

Starring: Peter Dunning

Rated: NR

Tomatometer: 100%

Synopsis: This doc looks into the life of a crotchety farmer who is plagued by regret and alcoholism.

What’s The Word: It’s not sentimental, but still moving. “Documentary portraits live or die on the subject at hand — and in his debut documentary Peter and the Farm, filmmaker Tony Stone has a hell of a character to keep you engaged,” wrote Nigel M. Smith for The Guardian. “The film evokes the natural world with a grand poetic awareness of the primal connectedness of things. From the rapturous to the gross, you can't have one without the other,” wrote Stephen Holden for The New York Times. At IndieWire, Noel Murray found Peter Dunning to be a compelling (but sometimes irascible) subject: “He went 'back to the land' presuming that if he respected nature, the Earth would provide. Instead, nothing’s come easy. If he doesn’t keep detailed notes on his sheep, he can’t keep them alive. If he doesn’t drink rum in the middle of the night, he gets the shakes. If he doesn’t tell his family he loves them, they leave,” Murray wrote.

Released November 4

Hacksaw Ridge

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Vince Vaughn

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 87%

Synopsis: The true story of Desmond Doss, a World War II soldier who saved 75 men without carrying a gun.

What’s The Word: Once you get past the inevitable controversy of a movie directed by a figure as polarizing as Mel Gibson, reviews are mixed. “Once you get to the actual war, the movie becomes respectable, serious, even thoughtful,” wrote Eric D. Snider for his own site. At Baltimore Magazine, Max Weiss was unimpressed: “Man, I thought most of this film was a load of hooey — right down to Garfield's tremulous, moist-eyed performance and that sing-songy cornpoke accent of his.” At the very least, it might be entertaining, even if it is one-dimensional: “ Hacksaw Ridge winds up being a rousing piece of entertainment that also happens to be an affecting portrait of spiritual faith and simple human decency,” wrote Matt Zoller Seitz for RogerEbert.com.

Released November 4

By Sidney Lumet

Starring: Sidney Lumet

Rated: NR

Tomatometer: 67%

Synopsis: An expansive interview with the director of iconic movies like Dog Day Afternoon, 12 Angry Men, Serpico, and Network.

What’s The Word: This could've easily turn into a melodramatic deep dive for those annoying film bros you avoided in college. But Nancy Buirski’s perspective invites new and familiar fans, and Lumet seems knowledgable and warm under her lens. “Mr. Lumet comes across as a mensch, but he was also a complex artist whose often literally dark films were filled with shadows, rage and spit, not just nobility,” wrote Manohla Dargis for The New York Times. “The movie is simply Lumet and his films,” wrote Owen Gleiberman for Variety, “which turns out to be an astonishingly satisfying experience, because he's an incredible talker, with the same earthy electric push that powers his work.” At Metro, Matt Priggee suggested this was Lumet at his most open: “Coming away from By Sidney Lumet, you see a master filmmaker as he'd likely have presented himself: a man as complex as his movies and the worlds they explored.”

Released October 28

Before The Flood

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Barack Obama, John Kerry, Bill Clinton

Rated: PG

Tomatometer:67%

Synopsis: It’s like Around The World in 80 Days, only starring Leonardo DiCaprio and his cargo shorts. (Just kidding! This is a very serious movie about climate change.)

What’s The Word: It’s not boring. “ Flood 's filmmakers are intelligent in their use of the biggest asset they have: Not only do they keep their movie star onscreen, they work hard to tie viewers' concern for the environment up with his biography,” wrote John DeFore for The Hollywood Reporter. At The Village Voice, Amy Brady called it “frustrating but frequently compelling.” Variety ’s Andrew Barker appreciated its sense of purpose: “ Before the Flood may not tackle too much new ground, but given the sincerity of its message, its ability to assemble such a watchable and comprehensive account gives it an undeniable urgency.”

Released October 30

Inferno

Starring: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Ben Foster, Omar Sy

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer:20%

Synopsis: Tom Hanks reprises his role as the Dan Brown protagonist. This time the mystery is wrapped up in Dante’s Divine Comedy.

What’s The Word: Are they serious? “The story may not make any sense, but they're going to throw so much at you — so many jumpy moves, so many tangled threads — that you might not notice (or care),” wrote Manohla Dargis for The New York Times. At Tribune News Service, Katie Walsh was less forgiving: “Will make you, too, feel like you’re experiencing head trauma.” At The Boston Globe, Ty Burr likened it to a cheap airport thriller: “ Inferno is the exact cinematic equivalent of an airport paperback, which is what's fine and forgettable about it.”

Released October 28

Moonlight

Starring: Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monae, Naomie Harris, Andre Holland

Rated: R

Tomatometer:99%

Synopsis: A young, queer Black man moves through life in a drug-addicted community while being raised by an abusive mother.

What’s The Word: See this movie. Not only because it’s spectacular — which it is — but also because truly no one can ever get enough of Mahershala Ali. “Leaves you feeling both stripped bare and restored, slightly better prepared to step out and face the world of people around you, with all the confounding challenges they present. There's not much more you can ask from a movie,” offered Time ’s Stephanie Zacharek. At The New Yorker, Hilton Als positioned the film within a larger conversation about Black masculinity: “As we watch, another movie plays in our minds, real-life footage of the many forms of damage done to Black men, which can sometimes lead them to turn that hateful madness on their own kind, passing on the poison that was their inheritance.” Speaking to The Ringer, the two Black men behind Moonlight — director Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney, who wrote the play that served as the movie's source material — perfectly summarized its central question: “We know, thanks to popular media, that Black men can be sexual,” McCraney said. “Can they be intimate? Can they care for each other? Can they be vulnerable? That is a story less told.”

Released October 21

The Handmaiden

Starring: Ha Jung-woo, So-ri Moon, Min-hee Kim, Tae-ri Kim

Rated: NR

Tomatometer:94%

Synopsis: A Korean woman working as a handmaiden is involved in a conman’s plot to steal her employer’s inheritance. With surrealist Park Chan-wook at the helm, things will get interesting.

What’s The Word: “ The Handmaiden is sexy and twisty and so compelling...lodging itself in the points of view of two women who are constantly underestimated by the men around them, and who learn to take advantage of how they're misjudged,”wrote BuzzFeed’s Alison Willmore. “By replacing the class system of Victorian England with the dynamic of the occupier and occupied, Park has tapped into something uniquely complex about a chapter of history that is rarely explored,” wrote Emily Yoshida for The Verge. “ The Handmaiden is part romance, part gothic fairy tale and part psychosexual chamber piece, an initially beguiling film whose heavy-handed love scenes work to undermine its dramatic power,” wrote Nikki Baughan for The List.

Released October 21

American Pastoral

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly, Dakota Fanning, Uzo Aduba, David Strathairn

Rated: R

Tomatometer:16%

Synopsis: The film based on Philip Roth's book about a seemingly perfect Jewish family whose life is tested when their daughter becomes a rebel protesting the Vietnam war.

What’s The Word: Ewan McGregor’s directorial debut is a miss. “The filmmaking is prosaic when it should crackle with tension and disruptive undercurrents,” suggested Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter. “Even McGregor's palpable sincerity cannot obscure the film's smug misogyny,” wrote Nell Minow for Beliefnet. “ American Pastoral the novel is a primal scream,” wrote Laura Clifford for Reeling Reviews. “ American Pastoral the movie is a whimper.”

Released October 21

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Starring: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Aldis Hodge

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer: 38%

Synopsis: Jack Reacher is still on the run; this time he comes into contact with his unknown child.

What’s The Word: Skip it. “ Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is the second movie that Tom Cruise has starred in as this title character. Let's hope it's the last,” wrote Manohla Dargis for The New York Times. At GQ U.K., Helen O’Hara called it predictable: “There's a point in every Reacher book...where the case seems unsolvable. This film never finds that point — and worse, you'll be screaming the answer at Reacher through a key third-act scene while he thinks furiously.” Perhaps Kimberley Jones from the Austin Chronicle said it best: “ Never Go Back is boilerplate action-thriller, filmed with an anonymous style and scripted so that characters talk in catchphrases. It clears the bar of competency, but what kind of recommendation is that?”

Released October 21

The Accountant

Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Tamboor

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 50%

Synopsis: A math savant is a freelance accountant for some criminals.

What’s the Word: This movie looks like it will be a mash up of The Town and Good Will Hunting. Alas — Ben Affleck needs a win. “This is a real thing starring real people and made with real money,” Indiewire’s David Erlich pointed out. “A frequently frustrating but surprisingly entertaining genre mishmash that's at least upfront about its central conceit: Ben Affleck is definitely, 100% going for it as Hollywood's first autistic assassin,” wrote Jen Yamato for The Daily Beast. "There are parts of The Accountant that are so deeply ridiculous and melodramatically overwrought that people laughed out loud during the screening," wrote R29's Elizabeth Kiefer. "One of those people was me, and for a while, I honestly wondered if maybe the director was just pulling our chain."

Released October 14

Christine

Starring: Rebecca Hall, Michael C. Hall, Tracy Letts, Timothy C. Simons

Rated: R

Tomatometer:83%

Synopsis: Based on the true story of Christine Chubbuck, a news anchor in Sarasota, Florida who committed suicide live on air.

What’s the Word: Rebecca Hall is remarkable. “Hall, in one of her best performances, embodies Christine with searing intensity,” wrote Jordan Raup for The Film Stage. At Buzzfeed, Alison Willmore wasn't convinced, calling it “excruciating, by design and in its very concept.” At The New York Times, Manohla Dargis thought the movie talked around Christine's suicide, instead of through it: "Even as Ms. Hall’s performance makes you believe that something profound is at stake, the movie noncommittally nibbles at the edge of larger meaning, nodding at current events," Dargis wrote. "[These references] embroider the picture, as does Christine’s mental health and girlish bedroom, but none of this gets at why she pulls the trigger."

Released October 14

Certain Women

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, Laura Dern

Rated: R

Tomatometer:95%

Synopsis: Three women achieve independence in small-town America.

What’s the Word: Kelly Reichardt doesn’t make slow movies, she makes deliberate ones. If the pacing bothers you, take a breath: She’s a master at work. “Reichardt likes stories that unfold slowly and simply,” wrote Stephen Whitty for the New York Daily News. “Sometimes she'll just let the camera run, making us watch the awkwardness of people who can't connect.” The movie is a “kind, loving, and deeply moving portrait of big-hearted small-town people,” suggested April Wolfe in The Village Voice. “There are no verbose emotional arias or chest-beating screaming matches,” wrote Jason Bailey for Flavorwire. “It's a collection of the tiniest moments, which accumulate into a kind of devastation.”

Released October 14

The Girl on the Train

Starring: Emily Blunt, Justin Theroux, Haley Bennett, Allison Janney

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 46%

Synopsis: Rachel is an alcoholic who rides the train between New York City and a suburb, fantasizing about a woman who lives in her old neighborhood. When the woman turns up dead, Rachel becomes the prime suspect.

What’s the Word: It’s like one of those old Lifetime movies, but more lame. Fans of the book might be disappointed. “ The Girl on the Train is an absorbing, page-turning (or page-swiping) whodunit,” wrote Rebecca Murray for Showbiz Junkie, “but it doesn't have quite the same impact as a feature film.”

At Globe and Mail, Kate Taylor agreed: “Whatever the locomotive power of the novel, this film adaptation only limps into the station.” At least Emily Blunt is talented: “About the only good call in The Girl on the Train was the casting, which gives us two hours of Emily Blunt shredding her soul, soaking it in vodka, and then setting it on fire. The rest is a mawkish, retrograde misfire,” wrote Vox’s Alissa Wilkinson.

Released October 7

The Birth of a Nation

Starring: Nate Parker, Jackie Earle Haley, Armie Hammer, Gabrielle Union

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 77%

Synopsis: The story of Nat Turner and his slave uprising.

What’s the Word: It’s mostly campy with a lot of lecturing. R29’s own Arianna Davis breaks it down: “Frankly, it's not a very good film at all. So much so that after seeing the movie, I walked out of the screening room relieved, a weight lifted off my chest that I no longer had to figure out how, as a Black woman (and alumnus of the same college as Parker), I was going to separate this Black artist from this Black art. Because, in my opinion, The Birth of a Nation was not art.”

As a cinematic telling of Turner’s story, Slate’s Dana Stevens wrote that Parker’s rendering of him isn’t compelling: “There's a deliberate myth-making quality to Parker's reconstruction of the real-life Nat Turner, who was a much more morally complex figure than the righteous avenger Parker writes, directs, and plays him as.”

Released October 7

American Honey

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Sasha Lane, Riley Keough, McCaul Lombardi

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 82%

Synopsis: Star, a free-spirited girl from a troubled home in Oklahoma, meets Jake in a supermarket. The next day, she joins his crew of magazine salespeople, teens who lives on America’s fringes and crisscross the country, living an American outlaw fantasy.

What’s the Word: It’s excellent. And the music — E-40, Rihanna, Juicy J — is pretty good, too. When I saw it, I noticed a beautiful religious undertone to the way it was filmed.

“Yes, it depicts teenagers doing things the grown-ups would rather not admit they actually do,” wrote Ty Burr for The Boston Globe, “but it does so with a poetic curiosity and a sense of what it's like to be young, poor, and rootless — both futureless and free.” Also, Shia LeBeouf is pretty hot.

Released September 30

Goat

Starring: Nick Jonas, James Franco, Ben Schnetzer, Gus Halper

Rated: R

Tomatometer:75%

Synopsis: After a harrowing assault, a college guy is hazed during fraternity pledging. Drunkenness reveals the frat’s toxic masculinity.

What’s The Word: It’s good — chillingly so. “This isn't an easy film to watch,” wrote Stephanie Merry for The Washington Post. “But it's even harder to forget.” Schnetzer is especially great, suggested Katie Walsh in the Tribune News Service: “ Goat wouldn't be as strong as it is without the strength of Schnetzer's lead performance, which provides the emotional anchor around which the rest of the film orbits.” It’s compelling, wrote Jordan Raup for The Film Stage, but “its themes are a bit muddled, and certainly not unique.”

Released September 23

The Lovers and the Despot

Starring: Shin Sang-ok, Choi Eun-hee

Rated: NR

Tomatometer:75%

Synopsis: A documentary following a stranger-than-fiction true story: A Korean actress fell in love with a famous director, and was kidnapped by Kim Jong-il. The director was later kidnapped as well, but the couple was reunited by Kim, a movie buff, and forced to be his “personal filmmakers.”

What’s The Word: First of all, can you imagine? Filmmakers Ross Adam and Robert Cannan give this wacky (and, at times, heartbreaking) tale a deep resonance. “Juxtaposing archival footage with a tension-building collection of interviews, Cannan and Adam approach the outlandish crime as a puzzlement, all but wondering aloud how two celebrities could be turned into a dictator's puppets,” wrote Dave White for The Wrap. At the Village Voice, Alan Scherstuhl wrote that the film makes the most of the talking-head style: “Cannan and Adam's interviewees — Choi, intelligence agents, film critics — tell the story with more suspense than talking heads usually muster. The film is brisk and fascinating, ultimately moving, but also less rich than it might have been.” Writing for The Film State, Dan Schindel called the story compelling, but said the movie can feel skin-deep: “The most frustrating aspect of The Lovers and the Despot is its refusal to do more than simply recite its tale, ignoring the interesting concepts lurking within it,” Schindel wrote.

Released September 23

The Dressmaker

Starring: Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 53%

Synopsis: A dressmaker working in Paris returns to the Australian backwoods where she grew up, and causes a ruckus.

What’s The Word: Is it avant-garde? Experimental? Tired? Trash? Everyone is divided. At Four Three Film, Isobel Yeap wrote that it is “a fascinating feminist film. It prioritizes Tilly’s relationship with her mother over her romantic relationship.” The plotting is strong, wrote Elise Nakhnikian for Slant, but “the frequent contemptuousness the film displays toward its characters keeps the audience at arm's length, making all the angst and intrigue on display in Dungatar read as strenuous playacting.” Regardless of the movie's other qualities, the best performance comes from Judy Davis — it’s worth seeing for her alone. Davis’ performance “provides a much-needed anchor in the middle of a whirlpool of discordant, clanging nonsense,” wrote Rebecca Pahle for Film Journal International.

Released September 23

My Blind Brother

Starring: Jenny Slate, Adam Scott, Nick Kroll, Zoe Kazan

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 79%

Synopsis: A funny lady dates a blind sports star and his seeing brother.

What’s The Word: Slate, Scott, and Kroll make a winning team. At Variety, Andrew Barker called it a “winningly featherweight romantic comedy.” It’s also a part of a new-ish genre of comedies: “The studio-produced romantic comedy may be flatlining, but who cares, so long as snappy indies like this one step up to fill the void?” asked Kimberly Jones in the Austin Chronicle. At the Arizona Republic, Barbara VanDenburgh found its humor very respectful: “It's a slight film, but one that hits all the tricky emotional and comedic notes without a hint of cruelty,” she wrote.

Released September 23

Bridget Jones's Baby

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 78%

Synopsis: Bridge is back — this time with a bundle of joy and a pair of men who could both be the father.

What's the Word: Bridget Jones would be charming if she were reading a phone book — this movie does right by her and by women who have grown up with the trilogy. "The movie's mores can feel cluelessly retro as the ever-dithering Bridget lurches between one man and another," wrote Dana Stevens for Slate. At Consequence of Sound, Allison Shoemaker wrote that it definitely makes good "on the smooshy stuff, to be sure, but it's the stuff in between that really delivers." At NPR, Ella Taylor got at the heart of what really matters: "Zellweger has precision comic timing, her British accent is close to flawless, and she's having a great time."

Released September 16

Blair Witch

Starring: James Allen McCune, Valorie Curry

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 42%

Synopsis: A group of college kids face a horrifying ghost in the Black Hills Forest in Maryland.

What’s the Word: A fine reboot that is true to a well-known franchise. “If you must reboot a classic, this is how you do it,” wrote Rosie Fletcher for Digital Spy. At Variety, though, Guy Lodge wasn’t as impressed: “A significantly more accomplished and entertaining sequel than 2000's woeful cash-in Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, [this] nonetheless reps something of a missed opportunity.” The Hollywood Reporter ’s Leslie Felperin wrote that the movie was too bound by its source material to ever become something unique and interesting: “By sticking so slavishly to the original Blair Witch film's template, the result is a dull retread rather than a full-on reinvention, enlarging the cast numbers this time but sticking to the same basic beats.”

Released September 16

Miss Stevens

Starring: Lily Rabe, Oscar Nunez, Lili Reinhart, Timothee Chalamet

Rated: NR

Tomatometer: 86%

Synopsis: A teacher chaperones three students on a weekend trip, and finds herself growing up in the process.

What’s the Word: Just because the teacher befriends one of her male students, don’t expect it to devolve into some tawdry illicit romance. “While her bond with the troubled, inquisitive Billy becomes the script’s emotional core, coaxing forth insights and revelations that neither character is fully prepared to deal with, the story mercifully avoids the predictable route of nudging them into an inappropriate relationship,” wrote Variety’s Justin Chang, “instead raising honest, hard-to-answer questions about what happens when the mentor unexpectedly becomes the mentee.” At The New Yorker, Richard Brody saw little beyond the story’s loose outline: “Rachel is a lonely woman in mourning for her mother, with a fragile veneer of quiet yearning and awkward energy; when that veneer cracks, the effect is powerful despite its air of calculation.” Lily Rabe is great in it, according to Consequence of Sound’s Randall Colburn. “Rabe’s performance here is nothing short of stunning,” Colburn wrote. “The sharp, lived-in tics and details of her character work are instantly endearing, an open window into her vulnerabilities and passions.”

Released September 16

Other People

Starring: Jesse Plemons, Molly Shannon, Bradley Whitford

Rated: NR

Tomatometer: 84%

Synopsis: A young gay man navigates being out to his family while caring for his cancer-stricken mother.

What’s the Word: This is your annual excuse to watch Molly Shannon in anything, because she’s always so charming. “Inherently melodramatic,” wrote Daniel M. Gold for the New York Times, “the film belongs to Ms. Shannon, who vividly etches Joanne in a full end-of-life range: funny, loving, angry, regretful, exhausted, resigned.” At the A.V. Club, A.A. Dowd saw the movie’s heart in spite of its moments of melodrama: “It's a little easy, a little obvious, but there's still an undeniable specificity to it — the sense that it comes from someplace genuine.” The Guardian ’s Nigel Smith highlighted Shannon’s deft performance: “Shannon shows new shades in her deft handling of a tragedy she's tasked with bearing. Further proof that when it comes to drama, comedy actors are often the experts.”

Released September 9

White Girl

Starring: Morgan Saylor, Brian Marc, Chris Noth, Justin Bartha

Rated: NR

Tomatometer: 68%

Synopsis: A wild, optimistic blonde from Oklahoma moves to New York. She does a lot of drugs, has a lot of sex, and tries to get her Puerto Rican lover out of jail. (It's similar to another movie about NYC youth, Kids)

What’s the Word: Here’s an important bit of context, taken from director Elizabeth Wood’s interview with R29: A frequent critique of her script was that her protagonist ought to have had a depressing or abusive childhood to somehow legitimize her drug use or wantonness.

“[I told people] ‘Actually, I think so often a young person that’s white and privileged and acting out is not the result of a bad background,” Wood said. “It’s the result of a really good background where everything has been so protected that they’re willing to take insane risks just to feel alive.’”

Morgan Saylor — you might remember her from Homeland — gives an astonishing performance: “Saylor plays the kind of wild child who acts out because she came from a good background — it takes a certain fearlessness to portray a character who’s never had to be afraid of anything, and the actress steps into the part like she’s running into traffic,” wrote David Ehrlich of Indiewire. “As someone who graduated from a New York liberal arts college known for its wealthy, white student body, who lived a block south of Ridgewood off the M train, and who has been well-acquainted with Leah-types,” wrote Erin Whitney for Screencrush, “I can attest to how honestly and bluntly White Girl captures that culture.”

Released September 2

Southside With You

Starring: Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyer

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer: 92%

Synopsis: The story of the president and first lady’s first date.

What’s The Word: “Michelle Obama is [who she is today],” actress and producer Tika Sumpter told Refinery29. “But Michelle Robinson is the girl from South Side. She’s the girl figuring it out still, she’s a second-year associate at a law firm. She went to Princeton and Harvard and is successful in her own right.” The movie showing Mrs. Obama’s first date with the president is a little like Before Sunrise, suggested Detroit News ’ Adam Graham, “if those two characters had a really epic epilogue.” Southside With You is largely unconcerned with who its leads grow up to be, wrote Leah Greenblatt for Entertainment Weekly: “It delivers something more modest: a tender, unrushed love story.” At The Wrap, Sam Adams wrote that the movie shows a deficiency: Hollywood’s lack of love stories that star Black people. “Its near-total lack of precursors suggest that if it weren't about one of the most famous Black couples, it would likely not have been made at all.”

Released August 26

The Intervention

Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Clea DuVall, Cobie Smulders, Vincent Piazza, Natasha Lyonne, Alia Shawkat, Jason Ritter

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 78%

Synopsis: Four couples take a weekend away to stage an intervention of one couples’ marriage.

What’s The Word: Clea DuVall, who has been acting in Hollywood for some time, produced and directed a script that’s been on her mind for a while. “I thought, What if there was a story about someone who is so convinced that they knew what was right for everybody else? And they actually tried to put one of their plans in action?" DuVall told Refinery29. "That idea would be so ridiculous, because you don’t really ever know what is going on in someone else’s life.” At The Village Voice, April Wolfe called it an “honest, intimate portrayal of three couples who endure a weekend of emotional maintenance while trying to convince a fourth couple to get a divorce.” At The Guardian, Nigel M. Smith said that it’s a miss because it struggles to balance humor and seriousness: “The problem for The Intervention lies in its misjudgment of tone. It's played for feel-good laughs (the cornball ending feels especially unearned), when DuVall should have instead dug deeper to exploit her characters for the messed-up people that they are.”

Released August 26

The Hollars

Starring: John Krasinski, Anna Kendrick, Richard Jenkins

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer:50%

Synopsis: John Krasinski is a disenchanted NYC professional whose mother’s illness brings him back home to his small town.

What’s The Word: The plot’s convention — about a boring man needing a trip home to put his life in perspective — has been done many times before, and in more interesting ways. It’s “just good enough to make you wish that it were better,” wrote Matt Zoeller Seitz for RogerEbert.com. “One minute Richard Jenkins is emphatically crying over his wife's illness which is apparently a running gag,” wrote Matt Prigge for Metro. ”The next Wilco is playing over earnest montages of people staring into space.” The movie’s highlight is Margo Martindale, who “proves again that she is one of the best actors on the planet,” according to Rolling Stone ’s Peter Travers.

Released August 26

War Dogs

Starring: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Bradley Cooper, Kevin Pollack

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 59%

Synopsis: Bros sell guns to war lords, basically.

What’s the Word: Measure your expectations: This is an installment into the bro canon, but a seemingly fun one. “People are overthinking War Dogs — essentially it's the second best movie in the Hangover franchise,” tweeted Toronto-based critic Jason Gorber. At NPR, Mark Jenkins commented that sticking closer to the true story would have been better, “but they manage to slip a fair amount of interesting commentary between the blunders, bong hits and wartime near-misses.” The movie tries to mimic the style and skill of an iconic talent, and the strain shows: “Everything in this film, from the voiceover narration, to the familiar rock 'n' roll and Sinatra musical cues, to the freeze frames, to the tale of reckless and ambitious young men behaving badly, seems lifted directly from the Scorsese playbook,” wrote Max Weiss for The Baltimore Sun.

Released August 19

Morris From America

Starring: Craig Robinson, Markees Christmas, Carla Juri

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 92%

Synopsis: When a Black father and son move to Germany, the son adapts to life abroad, with white German friends who expect him to have a stereotypical Black identity.

What’s the Word: “In the end, this is Morris’ story,” wrote Tomris Laffly for Film Journal International. “And he is perhaps the most disarmingly lovable young teen to come of age in American independent cinema (which has no shortage of such fare) in recent years.” At The Ringer, K. Austin Collins wasn’t really feeling it, but was into one aspect of Morris’ character, that the kid raps about a lifestyle of drugs and jail time that he really knows nothing about. “But the fantasy [Morris’ lyrics] lay bare is valuable,” Collins wrote. “They’re the movie’s greatest insight into who Morris thinks he is, who he wants to be, and what’s at stake for him in hip-hop. For a middle-class expat going through puberty, it’s a fantasy of manhood that feels and sounds distinctly African American.” More than a coming-of-age story, it’s a touching look at the relationship between Black fathers and Black sons, suggested The New Yorker ’s Anthony Lane: “The highlight is not Morris’s worst scrape, when he gets stranded out of town without cash or a phone, but the speech that [his dad] gives after he comes to the rescue. Robinson delivers it in long takes and with tremendous style. ‘We’re the only two brothers in Heidelberg,’ he says. ‘We gotta stick together.’”

Released August 19

Ben-Hur

Starring: Jack Huston, Toby Kebbell, Morgan Freeman, Nazanin Boniadi

Rated: PG-13

Tomatometer:30%

Synopsis: It’s the same plot as the old version, only worse.

What’s the Word: Nah. Ben-Hur has been adapted before, and this new version isn’t an improvement, wrote Philadelphia Inquirer Tirdad Derakhshani: “Dominated by CGI effects, it's a soap opera better fit for basic cable.” The lack of real plot points and star turned Ben-Hur into a dollar store version of the bigger, gutsier movies of its kind. “It needed a star like the Russell Crowe of Gladiator to provide dramatic heft. What is Ben-Hur without a platform of moral grandeur? Not much,” wrote Stephen Holden for the New York Times. At Christianity Today, critic Alissa Wilkinson had a particularly moving take: It’s not a good movie, but it tells a meaningful story. “Give me [this] Ben-Hur — with its pulsating battles and chariot races, its proclamation that mercy and sacrifice are more revolutionary than anything you can cook up with swords or chariots — over any of this summer's exhausting superhero movies,” she wrote.

Released August 19

Spa Night

Starring: Joe Seo

Rated: NR

Tomatometer: 91%

Synopsis: A shy 18-year-old explores his sexuality in the spas and karaoke bars in Los Angeles’ Koreatown.

What’s the Word: It’s a delicate and difficult movie about the tug of war between parental expectations and self-love. “[The film's directors] approach moments of sensuality subtly, as the camera languidly wades into the steamy saunas and the monochromatic showers where David’s interest in the unknown begins to percolate. He’s simultaneously frightened and enlivened by the possibilities of touching a man,” wrote Sam Fragoso for The Wrap. For writer Noel Murray at the A.V. Club, it’s a little too indirect. He said, “ Spa Night does a fine job of articulating the existential ennui of someone who loves his parents but knows he can never be what they were expecting.” At The Guardian, Nigel M. Smith felt that the the movie belonged more to the protagonist’s parents than his own inner crisis. “[Andrew] Ahn is more successful at relaying the emotional complexity of David’s parents’ plight as Korean immigrants fighting for a better life for their son. It’s their story that resonates in the end.”

Released August 19

Pete’s Dragon

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley, Karl Urban

Rated: PG

Tomatometer:85%

Synopsis: A boy and his dragon best friend go on the adventure of a lifetime.

What’s The Word: The childhood classic gets the modern-day revisitation it deserves. “As with its equally charming The Jungle Book back in April, the Mouse House has skillfully rummaged through its mothballed back catalog and given a 21st-century makeover to one of its lesser, goofier titles, with magical results,” wrote EW ’s Chris Nashawaty. At Brooklyn Magazine, Jesse Hassenger likened it to a “kiddie [Terrence] Malick” film. Pete’s Dragon ’s labor for love was too visible, wrote Will Leitch at The New Republic: “It works and works to move us because there’s an empty story at its core.”

Released August 12

Little Men

Starring: Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Ehle, Alfred Molina, Theo Taplitz

Rated: PG

Tomatometer: 95%

Synopsis: A young boy’s new friendship is in jeopardy when his parents raise the rent of his new pal’s mother’s store.

What’s the Word: It’ll sneak up on you with its sincerity. “[Director Ira] Sachs, a clear-eyed humanist, honors all his characters' pained perspectives,” wrote Alan Scherstuhl for Village Voice.

At Christianity Today, Alissa Wilkinson praised the film's depiction of the quiet awkwardness of growing up: “ Little Men captures that Brooklyn perfectly while quietly meditating on some universal experiences: the anxiety of discovering who you are as you grow up; the trouble of preserving friendships when the things that kept you together fall apart; the fraught parent-child relationship where nobody is really to blame.”

The Film Stage’s Dan Schindel suggested that L i ttle Men 's power comes from the contrast of adult and child friendships: “The contrast between the straightforwardness of these kids and the roiling, mixed emotions of the adults is simple, even archetypal, and it works.”

Released August 5

The Land

Starring: Moises Arias, Jorge Lendeborg Jr, Erykah Badu, Rafi Gavron, Machine Gun Kelly

Rated: NR

Tomatometer:64%

Synopsis: A group of teens accidentally become involved with a drug queenpin, risking their lives and friendships.

What’s the Word: It’s a big summer for Cleveland, and The Land taps into the city’s unique vibe. Steven Caple Jr. is the latest contemporary of Creed director Ryan Coogler to deserve a big studio’s support. “Caple emphasizes the desperation that breeds street crime, and he never tries to puff his kids up into heroes. They're just kids who feel insulted by the few prospects that seem available to them,” wrote Alan Scherstuhl for Village Voice. At Guff.com, Fred Toppel compared the movie to Goodfellas, and I hope he’s not still sore from that reach. He got something right: “ The Land is a crime film that is also a love letter to Cleveland culture.” One standout to watch: star and rapper Ezzy, whose voice shines on the track “Goodbye ” — a good end of summer song reminiscent of "old Kanye West."

Released July 29

Don’t Think Twice

Starring: Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Mike Birbiglia

Rated: R

Tomatometer:100%

Synopsis: A member of an improv group gets a big break on an SNL -like show, and others in the troupe begin to worry that they’ll be left behind.

What’s The Word: You don't have to be an alum of a college comedy troupe to feel the movie’s deeper messages about success and jealousy in close friendships. “ Don’t Think Twice is a candid film about the division between enthusiasm and talent, the unbridled passion for an art form versus one’s actual ability,” wrote Sam Fragoso for The Wrap. The writing is smart on friendships, but Mike Birbiglia’s directing shouldn’t go unnoticed. “During the improv scenes, his camera freely roams among the performers while they conjure bits from nowhere,” wrote Andrew Lapin for NPR. “It's alternately hysterical and heartbreaking, comedy by way of John Cassavetes, who gets an appropriate shout-out.” This is a movie about the comedy industry that’s removed enough to not feel like it’s licking its own wounds, according to BuzzFeed’s Alison Willmore. “It’s tender and believable while maintaining enough distance on its material to give it form, telling a story rather than a series of anecdotes,” Willmore wrote.

Released July 22

Captain Fantastic

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella

Rated: R

Tomatometer: 75%

Synopsis: A couple raises their children in an intellectually stimulating wilderness home, a setup that’s threatened when the family has to engage with the real world after the mother’s suicide.

What’s The Word: The movie has a “wonderful wryness,” according to R29’s own Elizabeth Kiefer. Some of it is charming, wrote The Hollywood Reporter ’s Leslie Felperin, but most of it is overdone movie magic: “This is really a movie for upper-middle class hipsters who once fancied themselves firebrands and status quo-challengers in college, but now consider only buying organic food at Whole Foods and not vaccinating their kids to be radical acts.” Viggo Mortensen is the flick’s undisputed star. “He’s totally believable as a man who’s set his own moral code and lived by it for years,” wrote Ed Frankl at Little White Lies. “As he realizes that he stands to lose his children to the outside world, Mortensen’s performance shifts up a gear, becoming more sensitive and moving.”

Released July 8

The Innocents

Starring: Lou de Laage, Agata Buzek

Rated: NR

Tomatometer: 85%

Synopsis: At the end of the Holocaust, a young doctor arrives at a convent to find several nuns pregnant and in the throes of a religious crisis.

What’s the Word: It’s a movie that treats rape and religiosity with graceful nuance. “Those women are painted as full, complex characters in a few deft strokes — women who are struggling after rape to know whether they believe in something anymore, to understand their vows of chastity, to live in the problem of theodicy every day,” wrote Christianity Today ’s Alissa Wilkinson. These serious topics are treated with an insightful degree of delicacy: “Laced with intensely emotional situations, it refuses to force the issue by pushing too hard,” wrote the Los Angeles Times ’ Kenneth Turan. “And it proves, yet again, that though moral and spiritual questions may not sound spellbinding, they often provide the most absorbing movie experiences.” At Variety, Justin Chang was struck by the give and take of each sister's piousness: “In the process, the sisters — despite wearing identical habits and seeming to radiate the same stiff severity — emerge as individuals with their own unique feelings, convictions, personal histories, and varying degrees of faith.”

Released July 1

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This Is The Only Running Playlist You Need This Week

December 2, 2016, 10:05 am

≫ Next: Keira Knightley On Her Stalker: "I Am Scared Every Time I Go Outside"

≪ Previous: Movie Review Roundup: What You Should See This Weekend

If you ask us, no workout is complete without a killer playlist — and running is no exception.

Whether you prefer the trails or the treadmill, the right songs can make the difference between a good run and great run. (No, that isn't just your addiction to pop talking.)

Plus, music has actually been found to improve people's performance during cardio workouts. A 2009 study, for example, suggested that music helps us power through fatigue more easily. See, even science wants you to run for your life with Yeezy at full volume.

We asked R29 staffers to share their favorite running songs, and they did not disappoint. This week, we've added five new tracks from Childish Gambino, Nicki Minaj, and more.

Below, we've rounded up some of the most motivational, energizing tracks out there all in one amazing playlist.

Check back in the following weeks for more of your favorite tracks — and don't forget to check out our regular workout playlist, too.

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↧

Keira Knightley On Her Stalker: "I Am Scared Every Time I Go Outside"

December 2, 2016, 10:10 am

≫ Next: Your Mind Will Be Completely Blown By This Japanese Gift-Wrapping Method

≪ Previous: This Is The Only Running Playlist You Need This Week

Revelations on just how deeply actress Keira Knightley has been rattled by her stalker have been revealed in court this week. Last month, musician Mark Revill pled guilty to stalking the actress at her house in north London for three months beginning in August, according to The Telegraph. This week, Knightley's lawyer read aloud her troubling victim impact statement in court. The perp has not only threatened the security of Knightley, but that of her husband James Righton — who chased him off their doorstep one time — and their one-and-a-half year-old daughter Edie.

"[Revill's] actions have had a severe impact on my life and the lives of my family," Knightley's statement read, per The Telegraph. "This man has caused me a lot of stress and panic. I am scared every time I go outside. When I return home I have to look behind me concerned, I don't know who might be on the shadows."

Knightley explained in the statement that although she and her family love their London neighborhood and hoped to raise their family there, they are now planning to move elsewhere as a direct result of the 49-year-old stalker's bizarre actions. According to The Telegraph, the man not only repeatedly waited outside Knightley's home, but drew an arrow pointing to her front door using chalk, meowed through her letterbox, and bombarded her with mail — including photos of cats, handwritten notes, and a USB containing images of cats and cat-themed music he recorded.

"I have had fan mail through the door in the past but never has it been God strange or concerning," the statement continues. "The thought of him being in he [ sic] other side of the door has left me quite shaken. If I was to see this man again I wouldn't know what to do. If I was with my child we wouldn't be able to run away easily. The thought of my daughter being at risk is my worst nightmare."

Revill has been handed an eight-week sentence, suspended for one year, as well as a court order to participate in a six-month mental health rehabilitation program. As for Knightley and her family, they shouldn't have to worry for the time-being. Revill has been slapped with an indefinite restraining order that bans him from going near or contacting Knightley or her family members.

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