Tyler Perry’s Greatest Work Arrives on Netflix, and Madea Isn’t in It

It may be hard to believe, but Tyler Perry debuted his first movie in 2005. Since then, the Hollywood juggernaut has written, directed, and/or produced over 35 movies and nearly 20 TV shows, which have been viewed by millions. While he’s had his fair share of projects that have been panned by critics, his fanbase is nothing short of loyal, more often than not propelling his works to do huge numbers at the box office or top the streaming charts. 

With all that being said, the living legend had one body of work that arguably stands above the rest. It shockingly doesn’t feature his well-known Madea character, and it’s not even a comedy. However, it’s a scathing family drama that stars an Oscar winner, a Golden Globe recipient, and Emmy-winning actresses. And now you can revisit this classic on Netflix, as it’s streaming on the platform as of June 1. 

Tyler Perry’s ‘The Family that Preys’ Is on Netflix 

NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 08: Director Tyler Perry attends the “Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys” screening on September 8, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic)

Photo by Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic

Written, directed, and co-produced by Perry, The Family that Preys hit theaters on September 12, 2008. It follows two families from different financial backgrounds that both have plenty of drama within them. We’re talking infidelity, disrespect between mother and child, and a number of intriguing plot twists. The drama is admittedly a little soapy, but in the best possible way. 

Propelling The Family that Preys to becoming arguably Perry’s best work is the dialogue delivered by the incomparable Oscar-and-Emmy-Winning Kathy Bates and Emmy-winning Alfre Woodard. Bates is particularly captivating as the cunning Charlotte Catwright, dishing out witty lines and hilarious clapbacks. The banter back and forth between Charlotte and her son William (Cole Hauser) is like watching a tennis match at the US Open. 

But ‘The Family that Preys’ Only Has a 54% on Rotten Tomatoes

That’s right. The movie only has a 54% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, I’d venture to say this is one of those times the critics may have been overly harsh. It’s not necessarily worth an Oscar, but it really is a solid watch. If you have 106 minutes worth of free time, check out The Family that Preys for yourself or go rewatch it on Netflix today.

Related: Maury Povich the Rapper? Plus, He Made the Perfect Pitch for Drake, Nicki, & Cardi B

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Author: Terrell Smith

Disney World to Refresh Carousel of Progress with New Scenes and Walt Disney Animatronic

For decades, theme park traditionalists and exhausted parents alike have shared a deep appreciation for one specific corner of Tomorrowland. As a welcome rest stop offering comfortable theater seats and crisp air conditioning in the middle of a sweltering Florida afternoon, the attraction holds a sacred status. But more importantly, it stands as one of the ultimate historical artifacts most closely tied to the company’s legendary founder.

Now, major changes are officially coming to the Magic Kingdom’s most enduring theater chronicle.

The Walt Disney Company has announced a substantial refresh for the iconic Carousel of Progress. The historic attraction is scheduled to officially close its doors on July 5, 2026, and will remain dark until its highly anticipated grand reopening sometime in 2027.

Fortunately for purists, the core identity of the show is staying intact. The unforgettable signature theme song, “It’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” will remain the heartbeat of the experience. Furthermore, the audio-animatronic family that audiences have spent the past 51 years checking in on — including John, Sarah, Rover, and the notoriously stubborn Uncle Orville — are all staying on board. Phew.

A Meet-and-Greet With Walt

The brand-new iteration of the ride will feature a massive nod to Disney history right out of the gate. The show will kick off with a brand-new, state-of-the-art animatronic of Walt Disney himself, who will introduce the theater and offer a brief look into its real-world background.

It is a deeply fitting tribute given how incredibly hands-on Walt was with the attraction when it originally debuted at the 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair. After becoming one of the fair’s most-visited pavilions, the show moved to Disneyland in 1967 before permanently relocating to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in 1975.

Out With the Old, In With the New Eras

While the original show traditionally started its multi-generational journey at the turn of the 20th century, the 2027 update is completely shifting the timeline forward to reflect modern history:

  • Act One (The 1960s): The family’s journey now begins in the 1960s. Fresh off their trip to the World’s Fair, the family will marvel at mid-century innovations and witness historical milestones like the moon landing.
  • Act Two (The 1980s): The story jumps 15 years into the 1980s. Disney Imagineers are currently sourcing pop culture items and hidden Easter eggs to decorate the teenage children’s rooms — igniting some intense internal corporate debates over which specific band posters belong on the walls. Meanwhile, Uncle Orville will still be in his bathtub, though this time he has hilariously sunk his entire life savings into a tech startup called Apple. Expect John to deliver his iconic line: “It’ll never work.”
  • Act Three (The 2000s): The third act transports guests to the dawn of the new millennium, where the family is utterly mystified and amazed by the early days of “the Internet.”
  • Act Four (The Distant Future): The final scene replaces the severely outdated 1990s virtual reality video game from the current version. Instead, Imagineers have hinted that the family will be living entirely off-planet in the far-distant future.

The Modernization of Tomorrowland

Because the Carousel of Progress is one of Disney World’s longest-running shows, any adjustments are bound to draw a bit of healthy skepticism from nostalgic parkgoers. However, the attraction’s script has been visibly showing its age, having last received a major overhaul back in 1994.

The refresh falls in line with Disney’s massive $60 billion expansion and update initiative across its parks and experiences division. Classic attractions across the Magic Kingdom have been steadily getting highly successful, modern face-lifts. The Country Bear Jamboree successfully debuted an all-new, pop-infused setlist in 2024, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad just reopened earlier this month with major track enhancements, and a massive Hollywood Studios rebrand swapped out Aerosmith for the Muppets on the Rock & Roller Coaster.

Change is always tough for Disney fans to swallow, but a trip to the edge of the galaxy might be exactly what this theater needs to ensure a great, big, beautiful tomorrow.

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Author: Rachel Schneider

Pluto TV Launches Major Crimes, the Hit Spin-off of The Closer, for Free Streaming

From 2005-12, The Closer established itself as a groundbreaking police procedural. As the series was drawing to a close, TNT decided to capitalize on its success by announcing a spin-off, Major Crimes.

Major Crimes went onto have its own stellar run, lasting six season and 105 episodes. Beginning today, the entire show is available for free on Pluto TV.

Pluto TV adding two shows, including Major Crimes

Major Crimes is making its Pluto TV debut starting Monday, alongside Everwood, the drama series that ran on the WB from 2002-06.

“The six-season successor to The Closer, starring Mary McDonnell as the head of the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division navigating a justice system where securing convictions depends as much on strategy as traditional police work,” Pluto TV said of Major Crimes in a press release shared with Men’s Journal.

More on Major Crimes

The series begins with Captain Sharon Raydor (McDonnell) taking over the reins of the LAPD Major Crimes unit from Brenda Leigh Johnson, who was the beloved star of The Closer, played by actress Kyra Sedgwick.

Other LAPD characters on the show include:

  • G. W. Bailey as Detective Lieutenant Louie Provenza
  • Tony Denison as Detective Lieutenant Andy Flynn
  • Michael Paul Chan as Detective Lieutenant Michael Tao
  • Raymond Cruz as Detective Julio Sanchez
  • Kearran Giovanni as Detective Amy Sykes

Graham Patrick Martin, Phillip P. Keene, Robert Gossett, Jonathan Del Arco, Nadine Velazquez, Jon Tenney, Daniel Di Tomasso, Jennifer Merez and Leonard Roberts also have major roles, with Tom Berenger, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Ransford Doherty, Ever Carradine and others playing recurring characters.

Major Crimes has a 7.8/10 rating on IMDb, along with a 63 out of 100 (“generally favorable”) on Metacritic. The first season of the show also received an 82% overall rating on Rotten Tomatoes, along with strong reviews from Newsday, the Los Angeles Times, USA TODAY and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

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Author: Matt Hladik

‘Toy Story’s’ Pizza Planet is Finally Coming to Life Courtesy of Beloved Pizza Chain

Some movie restaurants (even those in cartoons or animated movies) just feel like they’re supposed to exist in real life. Between the nostalgia and the cheese pulls, Toy Story’s iconic Pizza Planet undoubtedly tops that list.

For decades, we’ve frantically wondered why on earth (pun intended) Pizza Planet isn’t a real-life restaurant, and no, we’re not talking about the eatery in Dinseyland. That’s not real-life either, guys. Now, finally, Papa Johns has brought some sense to light, promising Pizza Planet pop-ups ahead of the Toy Story 5 premiere on June 19.

What to Know About the Papa John’s Pizza Planet Pop-Ups

So, no, we’re not getting an entire revamped version of Papa John’s rebranded as Pizza Planet permanently, but the baby steps will do … for now.

Instead of a total national rebrand, Papa John’s is launching four highly immersive, retro pizza arcade pop-ups across the globe to bring the legendary pizzeria into the real world. The temporary spaces are designed to fully transport guests into the Toy Story universe, complete with the aesthetic elements synonymous with the 1995 film, including a nod to the iconic arcade claw machine that gave us the iconic green aliens.

If you want to step foot inside the real deal, you’ll need to act fast depending on your location:

  • Los Angeles: Opens June 12, 2026, with reservations having gone live on Friday, May 29.
  • Seoul, South Korea: Runs from June 12 through June 14.
  • London: Takes place over the weekend of June 13 and 14.
  • Madrid, Spain: The longest activation, running from June 16 through June 21.

According to a press release from Papa John’s, the activations are built to evoke pure nostalgia for the original film while celebrating the classic connection between eating pizza and watching movies.

The Nationwide Toy Story 5 Menu

If you don’t live near one of those four global hubs, don’t panic. You can still get a taste of the space-age menu from the comfort of your couch. From May 26 through July 19, Papa John’s is bringing a limited-time, Toy Story 5-themed personal pizza menu to all of its standard locations:

  • Space Ranger Roni: A classic Buzz-approved pie loaded with cheese and double pepperoni.
  • Sheriff’s Roundup: A nod to Woody featuring smoky Southern-style barbecue sauce, grilled chicken, and onions.
  • Reach for the Pie: A savory option topped with Italian sausage and tangy banana peppers.

Eligible pizza purchases will also unlock exclusive, limited-edition Toy Story 5 collectibles featuring Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie. U.S. loyalty members can also jump into the brand’s first-ever in-app mobile game, Operation Pizza, starting June 1 to unlock additional rewards over the course of a month.

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Author: Rachel Schneider

Shameless Leaves Netflix on October 11, 2026 – Don’t Miss Your Chance to Watch!

The first five months of 2026 are in the books. Over the final five months of the year, starting in August, Netflix is set to lose five major series from its library, according to a new report from What’s on Netflix’s Kasey Moore.

One of the shows leaving the platform is Shameless, the award-winning comedy-drama that aired on Showtime from 2011-2021. All 11 seasons are currently on Netflix, but officially have an expiration date.

When will Shameless be removed from Netflix?

Per Moore, the chronicles of Frank Gallagher and his outrageous Chicago-based family will exit Netflix on October 11, 2026.

“The Gallagher family has been wreaking havoc on Netflix US for years, consistently popping up in the Netflix top 10 charts whenever a new season dropped,” Moore wrote. “Even since then, it’s still regularly chunking in a lot of viewership. In fact, between 2023 and 2025, the series has pulled in 2.74B hours watched.”

“With its departure looming in October, you’ve got just enough time to grab a beer at the Alibi Room before the series leaves. Will it head to HBO Max like some of the distributor’s biggest other shows, like Friends, or will others want a piece of Gallagher action? We’ll have to wait and see.”

Currently, the only other place besides Netflix to stream Shameless is Amazon Prime Video, where the entire series can be bought for $100. Individual episodes or seasons are also available for purchase.

Stellar cast defines Shameless‘ success

In edition to William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, the patriarch of a family of schemers and con artists, Shameless also stars Emmy Rossum, Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan, Emma Kenney, Ethan Cutkosky and Christian Isaiah as his six children.

Justin Chatwin, Shanola Hampton, Noel Fisher, Steve Howey, Joan Cusack, Laura Slade Wiggins, Emma Greenwell and others also have major roles. Macy and Cusack each won multiple awards for their work, as did stunt director Eddie Perez.

Shameless has an 82% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as an 8.5/10 mark on IMDb.

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Author: Matt Hladik

Texas BBQ Faces Crisis as Rising Beef Prices Force Restaurants to Close

Barbecue is far more than just a culinary style in Texas, it’s pretty well the heartbeat of the state’s food scene. But the storied pits that have spent decades smoking oak-wood meats are suddenly facing an unprecedented threat that has nothing to do with the quality of their rub. Instead, a perfect storm of economic pressures is threatening to put beloved BBQ joints completely out of business.

A dramatic surge in beef prices has sent shockwaves through the Texas barbecue community, leaving restaurant owners and pitmasters struggling to keep their doors open while spending an astronomical share of their budgets on a single, vital ingredient.

The staple cut of the Texas barbecue crown jewel — brisket — has seen retail prices skyrocket. Driven by a combination of generational ranch land depletion, severe weather, and persistent inflation, the financial reality for local smokehouses has taken a devastating turn.

The Brutal Math of the Brisket Margin

For a classic Texas pit, the economic formula behind smoking a brisket has become completely unsustainable. Pitmasters are facing record-high wholesale costs for beef, but the unique physical nature of preparing low-and-slow barbecue compounds the financial sting.

“If I pay $5.25 a pound and I get a 50% yield, that beef is really costing me $10.50 a pound,” explained Justin Manning, co-owner of C&J Barbecue in the Brazos Valley. That raw cost is calculated long before factoring in the rising price of smoking wood, labor to trim the meat, overnight utility overhead, or Styrofoam takeout containers. To maintain a traditional restaurant profit margin under current market conditions, Manning noted he would need to sell brisket for an impossible $40 per pound.

Because middle-class families cannot absorb those types of prices in the current economy, restaurants are being heavily squeezed. Shawn Jones, the pitmaster behind Kirby’s BBQ in New Caney, Texas, was forced to permanently shutter his destination restaurant due to “absolutely insane” beef costs that entirely erased his bottom line. Jones revealed that rising costs had driven his final brisket prices to around $36 a pound, pushing a single family meal up toward $100.

Kirby’s BBQ isn’t alone; other regional staples like Brett’s BBQ Shop and Sabar BBQ have also recently gone under. Even award-winning, high-profile destinations like Burnt Bean Co. have reported entering pure “survival mode,” contemplating limiting their brisket service to just once a week despite having lines wrapped out the door.

A Decades-Long Shortage With No Quick Fix

According to industry experts, this isn’t a temporary inflation blip that will self-correct by next season. The Texas Restaurant Association reports that the U.S. is locked in a deeper, 30-year cattle shortage that has been compounding for decades.

Data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveals that the domestic cattle herd has shrunk to its smallest size since 1951. Decades of ongoing droughts, spiking fuel and fertilizer costs, and high interest rates have discouraged ranchers from expanding their herds. Furthermore, Texas is losing close to 1,000 acres of rural land a day to commercial development, permanently erasing the physical resources required to raise cattle domestically.

To make matters worse, this historic dip in supply is crashing directly into an all-time high consumer demand for protein. Last year, domestic meat sales hit a record $112 billion, leaving restaurants trapped between a severe product shortage and an unyielding customer appetite.

Engineering Survival in the Smokehouse

Faced with an existential crisis, surviving Texas pitmasters are forced to completely re-engineer their kitchens to eliminate every ounce of waste.

At C&J Barbecue, Manning has shifted to utilizing 100% of his raw product to scrape together a profit margin. Brisket trimmings are being rendered down into liquid beef tallow for resale, pork scraps are tossed straight into the side beans, and extra brisket edges are ground down into hamburger meat, chili, and sloppy Joes. Other smokehouses across Houston and Austin are leaning heavily into pushing filling side dishes like “dirty rice” — a Louisiana staple that allows chefs to bulk up plates using leftover trimmings rather than relying solely on whole-muscle cuts.

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Author: Rachel Schneider

Eagles’ Debut Album Turns 54: Discover Its Impact and Hit Singles

Over the years, there have been plenty of iconic rock and roll debut albums, including one that turns 54 years old on Monday.

On June 1, 1972, Asylum Records released Eagles, the first studio album by the California-based band of the same name. The album, which reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200, produced three of the group’s signature songs and kicked off a decades-long run as one of the most popular American rock and roll acts.

Eagles was a success right from the start

One month before the album’s release, the Eagles–consisting of founding members Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner– unveiled their debut single, “Take It Easy.” The song was an immediate hit, climbing as high as No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 22, 1972.

“Witchy Woman,” the album’s second single, performed even better. Released on August 1, the song cracked the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, peaking at No. 9.

Lastly, Eagles‘ third single, “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” reached No. 22 on the charts following its Dec. 1 reveal.

Subsequent albums, like 1975’s One of These Nights and 1976’s Hotel California, would have more chart and commercial success, but Eagles was the project that kicked it all off.

More than 50 years later, the album’s legacy is secure

In 2023, Rolling Stone released its updated ranking of The 500 Best Albums of All Time. Checking in No. 207 was Eagles, one of multiple entries on the list for the band.

“This debut created a new template for laid-back L.A. country-rock style,” Rolling Stone wrote. “Behind the band’s mellow message — “Take It Easy,” “Peaceful Easy Feeling” — was a relentless drive.”

“Beyond the album’s three hit singles, songs like the somber waltz “Most of Us Are Sad,” the pickin’ and grinnin’ “Earlybird,” and the down-home rocker “Nightingale” showed a band that had perfected a sound right out of the gate,” Rolling Stone added.

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Author: Matt Hladik

The Most Legendary Voice in Hollywood Turns 89 Today

Some actors belong to certain generations of fans. Morgan Freeman belongs to every generation of fans. Today, Freeman turns 89 years old. Even though he’s looked old for most of his life, Freeman is actually starting to get up there in years. His star has hardly faded with time, only shining brighter as a Hollywood legend.

With decades on the big screen going back to the 1970s, Freeman has been a remarkable part of cinema’s history and played a variety of roles that have shown his talent and the ability to go from a supporting actor to the biggest star and sometimes something in between.

Freeman’s most unique attribute has to be his velvety voice. He’s been asked to narrate numerous documentary films throughout his career, with the most famous being March of the Penguins, Life on Our Planet, and The Story of God with Morgan Freeman. That last one is fitting since Freeman actually did voice a higher power in Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty.

Freeman’s tone and reassurance just seem to be what we imagine a deity sounding like, and it must feel like the ultimate compliment for the superstar actor. He says that despite his association with religious figures, he’s actually agnostic in real life.

Freeman still works today as he approaches 90 years old. His latest film, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, just came out at the end of 2025. Other stars in that one were Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson.

He won an Academy Award for the 2004 boxing drama Million Dollar Baby. This is one of five Oscar-nominated roles he’s played in. His other nominated films were Invictus, The Shawshank Redemption, Driving Miss Daisy, and Street Smart. Freeman’s role in The Shawshank Redemption is perhaps the defining one in his career, as that film is often called one of, if not the best, films of all time.

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Author: Shawn Laib

HBO Confirms the End of Hit Series After 3 Seasons

Heading into Sunday night’s season 3 finale of the HBO hit series Euphoria, it was not clear whether or not there would be another season. However, shortly after the final episode of season 3 premiered, the network confirmed that there will not be a season four.

Following Sunday night’s episode, HBO has confirmed that Euphoria – one of the network’s most popular shows of all time – has officially come to an end.

Euphoria Has Been a Hit

Euphoria is an HBO drama following Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a teenage recovering addict navigating addiction, identity, and fractured relationships alongside a group of high school friends. Created by Sam Levinson and based on an Israeli miniseries, the show is known for its raw, stylized storytelling and immersive score.

The series has become one of HBO’s biggest hits, finishing second all-time in network viewership behind only Game of Thrones.

The show has been a hit with critics, as well, as the series collected nine Primetime Emmy wins, including two Lead Actress awards for Zendaya, who became the youngest actress to win that category twice. Season 3’s premiere drew 12.3 million viewers — up 44 percent from Season 2.

Officially the End

Though Zendaya had indicated in interviews that she believed the season would come to an end after season 3, Levinson would not commit one way or the other, telling the New York Times that he did not know whether or not there would be a fourth season and that he writes “every season like it’s the last.”

“I don’t know,” Levinson said. “As of right now, all I want to do is hang out with my wife and kids and read some Elmore Leonard and watch ‘Mrs. Miniver’ again.”

Even before the final episode of season 3 premiered, there was still no official confirmation as to whether or not it would be the series finale. However, shortly after the conclusion of Sunday’s episode, Levinson confirmed on Popcast, New York Times’ music podcast, that the series had indeed come to an end and there would not be a fourth season.

With that, Euphoria is not officially over after seven years and 26 episodes stretched across three seasons.

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Author: Kevin Harrish

Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ Reaches No. 9 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums 35 Years After Release

Few rock acts have been as enduring as Nirvana. The three-piece grunge outfit was only on the scene for seven years, but they left an indelible imprint on the DNA of rock music. Their second studio album, Nevermind, was wildly successful on both the commercial and critical fronts, launching them into the stratosphere. Released on Sept. 24, 1991, the sophomore effort is an amalgam of complex emotions wrapped in a more mainstream rock package (with a grunge edge, of course).

Nevermind skyrocketed to the top spot on the US Billboard 200, dethroning Michael Jackson‘s eighth studio album, Dangerous. It also peaked at No. 1 on 13 other weekly global charts. It achieved Platinum certification in 20 countries, including 13x Platinum in the US, and Diamond in two.

The Nirvana album has appeared on and off on the Billboard charts over the decades. And now, 35 years later, Nevermind is climbing to the top once again. This time, it sits at No. 9 on the Top Rock Albums chart for the week of May 30, 2026. In 2024, it became the ninth record to spend 700 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. However, it’s actually the fourth album, if, per Consequence.net, you take all the greatest-hits compilation albums out of the equation.

By 2025, the album achieved another milestone. It reached a whopping 750 weeks on the Billboard 200, joining the likes of Eminem, Metallica, Pink Floyd, and Bob Marley for accomplishing the same feat.

Nevermind‘s cultural impact is everlasting. It’s on multiple best-of lists and rankings. Rolling Stone ranked the album at No. 1 on its “50 Greatest Grunge Albums” list, and it slotted the record in at No. 10 on its list of the “40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time.” The Loudwire staff also voted Nevermind as the best hard rock album of 1991.

It’s no surprise that Nirvana’s magnum opus continues to ascend the Billboard charts. Here’s hoping it’s influencing the next generation of rockers.

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Author: Melody McCune