Category: Health & Fitness

On this day in 1946, a little-known young woman named Norma Jeane Dougherty walked into a future she could scarcely have imagined. At just 20 years old, the aspiring model signed her very first motion picture contract with 20th Century Fox, accepting a modest salary of about $150 per week. It was a simple studio agreement by Hollywood standards, yet it marked the first official step in the extraordinary transformation of a woman who would later become known across the globe as Marilyn Monroe.

At the time, Norma Jeane was far from the glamorous screen goddess history would celebrate. Raised in foster homes and orphanages after a difficult childhood, she had married young during World War II while her husband served overseas.

She spent part of the war working in a California aircraft factory, where her life changed after a military photographer spotted her during an assignment documenting women supporting the war effort. Her natural charm in front of the camera soon led to modeling assignments, with her radiant smile and unmistakable presence earning growing attention from photographers and magazine editors.

A Studio Sees Star Potential

Hollywood talent scouts noticed that same magnetic quality. Executives at 20th Century Fox believed the photogenic blonde possessed something difficult to define but impossible to ignore. Before offering substantial acting opportunities, the studio arranged a screen test, allowing producers to evaluate how she appeared and performed before motion picture cameras.

The footage revealed a young woman whose expressive face and warmth translated naturally onto film. Although she had little acting experience, studio executives sensed enormous promise. Around this period, Norma Jeane made another decision that would shape entertainment history forever.

She adopted the professional name Marilyn Monroe. “Marilyn” was inspired by Broadway performer Marilyn Miller, while “Monroe” came from her mother’s maiden name. The elegant stage name proved memorable and perfectly suited the glamorous image the studio hoped to cultivate.

The Birth of a Cultural Icon

The initial contract did not guarantee immediate stardom. Monroe’s early months in Hollywood included acting lessons, voice coaching, dance instruction, and countless hours refining her craft. She also faced setbacks, including losing her first Fox contract before later rebuilding her career with determination.

By the early 1950s, audiences had fallen in love with her unforgettable performances in films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, and The Seven Year Itch. Her blend of vulnerability, wit, and undeniable screen presence elevated her beyond movie stardom into the realm of cultural legend.

Looking back, that 1946 contract appears almost unbelievable in its modest beginnings. For just $150 a week, 20th Century Fox secured the services of a hopeful young model whose new name, Marilyn Monroe, would become one of the most recognizable in cinema history, forever symbolizing the glamour, ambition, and enduring mystique of Hollywood’s golden age.

Robert De Niro’s filmography is truly second to none, but one genre he never fully explored was horror.

According to IMDb, De Niro has been apart of roughly 127 films and television projects throughout his career. Only four of those credits fall into the horror or horror-hybrid genre.

One of those films was 2004’s Godsend, released 22 years ago. Directed by Nick Hamm, it also starred Greg Kinnear, Rebecca Romijn, and Cameron Bright.

The psychological horror film follows a grieving couple who secretly clone their deceased 8-year-old son, only to discover the cloned child has a dark and sinister side.

On paper, the premise is somewhat intriguing, but Godsend struggled both critically and commercially. More than two decades later, it remains De Niro’s lowest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes with a 3% score.

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De Niro has never publicly addressed the struggles surrounding the film or why it did not pan out the way they likely expected when creating it. However, with the number of films he has made throughout his career, not every project is going to become an all-time classic.

Interestingly, 2004 was not the best year for De Niro. He also released The Bridge of San Luis Rey that same year, and alongside Godsend, it ranks as his second-lowest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes with just a 4% critics score.

Some of his other lowest-rated films include The Big Wedding (2013), New Year’s Eve (2011), Little Fockers (2010), and Killing Season (2013).

Related: Robert De Niro’s Forgotten Mafia Movie Is Now Free to Watch

After breaking through with the 1976 sports drama Rocky, Sylvester Stallone established himself as one of the biggest action stars in Hollywood with blockbuster films such as First Blood, where he debuted the iconic Vietnam veteran John Rambo, Cliffhanger and Demolition Man.

However, in 1997, Stallone decided to take a major career risk by taking on a role that required a dramatic pay cut. He also had to put on 40 pounds, thereby effectively shedding his action-hero persona.

Stallone portrayed Freddy Heflin, the sheriff of a suburban New Jersey town, in the crime drama Cop Land, directed by James Mangold. Freddy teams up with Internal Affairs officer Moe Tilden, played by Robert De Niro, to try to uncover a massive cover-up by a group of corrupt cops. This included Gary Figgis, played by Ray Liotta.

The film was generally well received by critics. It was not a commercial flop, but its box-office performance was far below that of Stallone’s more popular action films.

The risk did not pay off for Stallone, who admitted the movie was a major setback in his career.

“Nobody wanted me after Cop Land,” he told AARP in a 2025 interview. “Even my agents. I was fired from CAA. My personal manager at the time let me go. He said, ‘I can’t do anything for you. Nobody really wants you anymore.’ And I go, ‘How’d this happen?’ I was told these studios feel as though you’re not what you were. Time has passed. Your genre is over.

“For almost a decade, I couldn’t find work. My former agent, Ron Meyer, was running Universal Studios. And I would go in and say, ‘Please, I’ll take anything.’ He goes, ‘I’ll try to help you, but it’s not up to me.’ And that was it.”

Stallone eventually returned to the top. He wrote, directed and starred in the sixth installment of the signature franchise that put him on the map. Rocky Balboa grossed $155 million worldwide in 2006, marking Stallone’s successful comeback.

Cop Land Considered One of Sylvester Stallone’s Best Movies

Despite nearly ending Stallone’s decorated career, Cop Land has endured as one of his best works. Rolling Stone ranks the 1997 drama No. 3 in its list of Stallone’s best movies, as voted on by the publication’s readers.

“Stallone’s career hit some serious roadblocks in the mid-1990s,” Rolling Stone wrote. “The Specialist, Judge Dredd, Assassins and Daylight were all debacles, and studios suddenly stopped bankrolling his signature big-budget action movies.

“… Stallone gained weight for the movie, and showed he could do more than flex his biceps and blow about bad guys with a bazooka. His career would fall deeper into oblivion over the next few years, and Cop Land remains one of his great, great movies from the low point of his post-fame career.”

The gamble may have proved costly for Stallone, but it also produced one of the defining points in his legacy.

Related: 1988 Cult Classic Starring Wrestling Legend Features One of the ‘Greatest Fight Scenes Ever’

Throughout Robert De Niro’s career, he starred in a slew of wildly successful movies, which often made it seem like everything he touched turned to gold. Films like The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and The Deer Hunter were all immediate box office and critical hits. However, one strikingly unusual box office flop starring the actor grew to become a cult classic that is now ranked as one of the greatest films ever made.

Robert De Niro’s 1985 Film ‘Brazil’ Flopped at the Box Office Amid a Troubled Release

In 1985, Universal Pictures released the film Brazil, which starred Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin, Ian Richardson, Peter Vaughan, and Kim Greist. Unfortunately for everyone involved in the making of the movie, it was a box office flop. According to IMDb, the film was produced for an estimated $15 million, excluding distribution and marketing expenses, and brought in just $9,953,708 at the worldwide box office.

In May 2023, Brazil’s director Terry Gilliam discussed the film’s troubled release when he appeared on The Hollywood Reporter’s It Happened in Hollywood podcast. During that discussion, he explained that the head of Universal Pictures at the time, Sid Sheinberg, “hated” the movie. As a result, the studio wouldn’t even release it in North America at the time unless major changes were made.

After refusing to transform his own film, Gilliam launched a campaign attempting to force the film’s release. For example, he took out a full-page ad in Variety with a simple message: “Dear Sid Sheinberg: When are you going to release my film, ‘Brazil‘? Terry Gilliam.” He also publicly encouraged members of the media to see the film internationally and push for its domestic release.

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The director even enlisted Robert De Niro to help call for the movie to come out when they arranged to appear on Good Morning America together. Ultimately, the film only hit theaters after the LA Film Critics Association voted Brazil best picture, best screenplay, and Gilliam best director of 1985, which resulted in Sheinberg relenting.

The delay was so bad that Brazil was released on December 18, 1985, in the United States after it came out in France on February 20, 1985. It was also allowed into theaters in several other international countries before American audiences were given their first chance to see it. The film didn’t even come out until 1986 in Canada, Hong Kong, and Japan.

Robert De Niro’s ‘Brazil’ Ranked One of the ‘Best Movies of All Time’

Even though Brazil wasn’t embraced by the studio that produced it or moviegoers at the time of its release, it definitely found its audience. The film developed a dedicated fan following, which Criterion celebrated by listing it among the “cult movies” the company has released remastered copies of. As time progressed, the film garnered more mainstream accolades, including currently being listed on Rotten Tomatoes’ dynamic “Best Movies of All Time” ranking. Additionally, Empire Magazine ranked Brazil at No. 83 on its “Greatest Movies of All Time” list in 2008.

There are many reasons why Brazil has been ranked among the best films of all time by widely respected outlets like those. One obvious factor in its garnering praise is that it is a singular film and visual masterpiece from the mind of Terry Gilliam. Easily one of the most unique mainstream directors ever, the former Monty Python member has helmed other acclaimed but strange movies like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and 12 Monkeys.

The sci-fi comedy presents a captivating dystopian future in which incompetence and bureaucratic indifference make life comically difficult for everyone. Beyond its narrative, the film stands as a highly influential work thanks to retro-futuristic visuals that left a lasting mark on pop culture and society. Another factor that shouldn’t be ignored is that Robert De Niro gave one of the most memorably unusual performances of his career in his small but iconic role. Without giving spoilers, the movie features an ending that is legitimately stunning.

Next: 1995 Robert De Niro Classic Ranked Among ‘Best Movies Of All Time’ Has ‘Best Movie Shootout of All Time’

For decades, treating cavities has almost always meant drills, fillings, and, in severe cases, surgery. But new research suggests many young children could avoid those procedures thanks to a simple liquid that stops tooth decay before it worsens.

A large U.S. clinical trial has found that silver diamine fluoride (SDF), an inexpensive liquid applied directly to decayed teeth, can successfully halt cavity progression without drilling, injections, or anesthesia. The findings, published in JAMA Pediatrics, provide the strongest evidence yet that the treatment is both safe and effective in young children, potentially paving the way for full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Landmark Trial Strengthens Case for Wider Use

The Phase III trial, led by researchers at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, enrolled 830 children younger than six years old from dental offices, pediatric medical practices, and Head Start programs across Michigan, New York, and Iowa. Researchers evaluated whether applying 38% silver diamine fluoride every six months could stop active tooth decay in baby teeth.

The results were encouraging. The treatment successfully arrested decay in more than half of affected baby teeth, offering a noninvasive alternative to traditional cavity treatment, which typically requires removing decayed tooth material before placing a filling.

Lead investigator Margherita Fontana said the treatment is safe even for children as young as one year old. That finding is especially significant because tooth decay remains the most common chronic disease affecting children in the United States, with more than 40% experiencing cavities. Left untreated, those cavities can lead to severe pain, infections, difficulty eating or sleeping, missed school days, and emergency hospital visits.

Expanding Access to Dental Care

Researchers believe SDF could transform care for patients who struggle with conventional dental treatment, including toddlers, older adults, people with developmental or physical disabilities, individuals with severe dental anxiety, and those with limited access to dentists.

The treatment involves painting the liquid onto the cavity using a small sponge applicator, eliminating the need for drilling or sedation. One drawback is that the decayed portion of the tooth permanently turns dark after treatment.

Scientists say the trial provides the rigorous evidence needed to support an FDA application for SDF as a cavity treatment. If approved, experts believe insurers may be more willing to cover the therapy, healthcare providers could adopt it more widely, and more children could receive treatment before cavities become painful or require surgery.

Researchers also note that repeated applications may preserve baby teeth until they naturally fall out, while adults could use the treatment as either long term cavity management or temporary protection before restorative dental work becomes possible.

Saturday marks the 66th anniversary of a decade-defining song debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

Elvis Presley single-handedly placed rock and roll on the global music map in the ’50s. In the ’60s, rock bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Who, Jefferson Airplane and The Doors burst onto the scene and became top-selling groups.

In the early ’60s, before most of those legendary rock bands became household names, solo singers like Elvis, Ray Charles, Brenda Lee, Sam Cooke, Roy Orbison, Connie Francis and Chubby Checker were dominating the charts.

On Aug. 1, 1960, the defining song of Chubby Checker’s career debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 49. The song was a cover of the hit by Hank Ballard and The Midnighters, released one year earlier.

Checker was only 18 when he recorded the song at Cameo-Parkway Records in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in June 1960. Before he knew it, Checker would soon become a can’t-miss music sensation.

In their Aug. 2013 list of ‘The All-Time 100 Biggest Songs‘, Billboard ranked Checker’s version of “The Twist” No. 1. In their 2021 list for ‘Greatest of All Time Hot 100‘, Billboard placed it second behind only “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd.

‘The Twist’ Spent Three Weeks Atop the ‘Billboard’ Hot 100

Checker’s cover of “The Twist” first peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of Sept. 19, 1960. Incredibly, the song would return to the top of the chart again for the weeks of Jan. 13 and Jan. 20, 1962.

“The Twist” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” are the only two songs to top the Billboard Hot 100 on separate runs.

It was on this day, 62 years ago, that a band widely regarded as the greatest of all time scored another No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Beach Boys’ classic song, “I Get Around”, spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 before getting dethroned by The Four Seasons’ hit track, “Rag Doll”. The song spent two weeks at No. 1 in the United States before a hit from another legendary rock band took the top spot.

On Aug. 1, 1964, “A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles replaced “Rag Doll” as the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Incredibly, “A Hard Day’s Night” was the fifth of six Beatles songs to top the Billboard in 1964.

The song was released through A Hard Day’s Night, The Beatles’ third studio album. The track was recorded on April 16, 1964, at the EMI Studios (now Abbey Studios) in London, England.

“A Hard Day’s Night” spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 before Dean Martin’s “Everybody Loves Somebody” took the No. 1 spot for the week of Aug. 15.

The Beatles Dominated the ‘Billboard’ Hot 100 in 1964

John Lennon and The Beatles needed little time to cement themselves as the ultimate can’t-miss music act in the early ’60s. In 1964 alone, six of their songs went No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Their dominance of the Billboard began with “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, which spent seven straight weeks at the top of the chart. Fittingly, it was “She Loves You” by The Beatles that dethroned “I Want to Hold Your Hand” for No. 1.

The Beatles’ other three songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964 were “Love Me Do,” “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “I Feel Fine.”

In 2019, the black comedy film Parasite broke through language barriers to elevate the global footprint of South Korean cinema. The film amassed unprecedented viewership, grossing over $263 million worldwide. It made history by becoming the first foreign-language film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture.

However, South Korea has been producing elite quality film even before Parasite‘s groundbreaking success. In 2016, director Kim Jee-Woon created a spy thriller that is now considered one of the best in its genre.

The Age of Shadows is set in 1920’s Korea during the Japanese occupation. The plot follows Lee Jung-chool (played by Song Kang-ho), a Korean-born Japanese police officer. He is tasked to hunt down the leader of the Korean resistance fighters, Kim Woo-jin (played by Gong Yoo), as they smuggle explosives to help their cause.

Lee and Kim engage in an intense game of cat-and-mouse, which climaxes in a ruthless battle during a train ride to Seoul.

The Age of Shadows Named the ‘Best Spy Movie’ by Rotten Tomatoes

The Age of Shadows reigns supreme in Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the best spy movies ever made. It is ranked No. 1, topping the likes of 007: Goldfinger and Mission: Impossible– Fallout, which are second and third, respectively.

The Age of Shadows is the only film on the list that earned a perfect 100% Tomatometer score on the renowned movie review wesbite.

“The Age of Shadows justifies its imposing length with a richly detailed period drama whose sprawling size is matched by strong acting, impressive craft, and narrative depth,” the Critics’ Consensus read.

Related: 2009 War Epic Named One of the Most ‘Perfectly Directed’ Action Films

One of the greatest crime movies of all time changed how Hollywood operated forever.

The idea for 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde began in the early 1960s when two Esquire writers, Robert Benton and David Newman, came across a book called “The Dillinger Days” by John Toland. After completing their draft of the script, Benton and Newman tried unsuccessfully to land legendary French director Francois Truffaut, who turned down the film due to prior commitments.

He sent the script to Jean-Luc Godard, who also turned down the film before Truffaut was later attached to direct. Turner Classic Movies claimed “no Hollywood studio was interested in funding an American gangster film directed by a Frenchman who could barely speak English.”

Eventually, Warren Beaty got his hands on the script and produced and starred in the film while taking just a $200,000 salary – but a 40% cut of the film’s box office. Following the surprise success of the film, Hollywood production companies tightened the reigns on contracts.

‘Bonnie and Clyde’ Ranked Among Greatest Crime Movies of All Time

Collider ranked Bonnie and Clyde as the No. 10 crime movie of all time.

“The American film industry started to get more radical in the 1960s (an undeniably great decade for cinema, it has to be said), with the movement away from the Hays Code and towards auteur filmmaking ultimately giving birth to the New Hollywood movement in the 1970s. And one film that’s always mentioned as being instrumental in ushering in that era is 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde,” Collider wrote.

“Bonnie and Clyde is a stylish depiction of its titular duo’s exploits during the Great Depression, with the two falling in love and pursuing a restless life of crime, mainly through various bank robberies. For its time, Bonnie and Clyde was a shockingly violent and jarringly edited movie, but it helped redefine what the American film industry was capable of producing, and helped audiences get acclimated to a higher level of violence and more morally complex characters.”

Bonnie and Clyde also ranked No. 42 on the American Films Institutes list of the 100 greatest films of all time. It owns a strong 91% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes while audiences give the film an 88%.

The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won for Best Supporting Actress (Estelle Parsons) and Best Cinematography (Burnett Guffey).

Related: 1972 Robert Redford Classic, Turned Down by Clint Eastwood, Named One of the Greatest Westerns of All Time

Just days after the hit sitcom generated excitement with a rare cast reunion, Home Improvement is quietly leaving Netflix on Aug. 1 as the series’ streaming run on the platform came to an end.

The departure comes shortly after Patricia Richardson, who played Jill Taylor throughout the show’s eight-season run, shared a photo on Instagram alongside Thomas and Taran Noah Smith, who portrayed sons Randy and Mark Taylor on the hit ABC sitcom.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas Makes Rare Public Appearance

The reunion drew particular attention because Thomas, now 44, has largely stayed out of the public eye since stepping away from Hollywood in the early 2000s.

Richardson captioned the reunion photo simply, “My other boys,” alongside a heart emoji.

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Thomas became one of television’s biggest teen stars while appearing in 179 episodes of Home Improvement. During the show’s run, he also voiced Young Simba in Disney’s The Lion King and starred in family favorites including Man of the House and Tom and Huck.

A Fan Favorite Decades Later

Premiering in 1991, Home Improvement became one of television’s defining sitcoms of the 1990s, helping launch Tim Allen into stardom.

The series continues to resonate with audiences, earning an 80% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and remaining one of Allen’s most beloved television roles.

Centered around television host Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor and his family, the sitcom blended family comedy with Allen’s signature humor across eight successful seasons.

Unfortunately for fans inspired by this week’s reunion, Home Improvement officially left Netflix on Aug. 1, ending the show’s run on the streaming service.