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After months-long health complications sidelined The Beach Boys and wiped out a significant chunk of their road schedule, the group’s 85-year-old co-founder is back on stage. However, his latest performance has split fans on whether the legendary musician is truly ready to handle the demands of touring.

Mike Love last performed with the Beach Boys in July 2026. According to Rolling Stone, the singer took the stage on October 10 at Cincinnati’s PNC Pavilion.

John Stamos, who regularly tours with the band, said from the stage, ““[Mike] is here tonight. He’s been going through some health issues. He’s had to cancel some shows. But he would not miss tonight.”

The former Full House star continued, “We sort of said, ‘stay home,’ but he was like, ‘No, I’m going to Cincinnati.’ It’s what he loves the most. He loves the audience. He loves the music. He knows how important it is to all of you.”

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Stamos concluded, “We’re all here to support him and give him as much love as we can. So ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Beach Boys.”

Rolling Stone reported that Love appeared frail and that, in a YouTube fan video, he was seen sitting on a stool onstage for the entire evening.

The band began their set with “Do It Again.” Typically, Love sings lead on this song, but instead, Rolling Stone reported that guitarist Brian Eichenberger performed the tune. Additionally, Mike’s son Christian Love sang lead vocals on “Surfin’ Safari.” Fans reported that Love kept to background vocals for the show’s duration.

In the comments section of the YouTube video, fans weighed in on Love’s health and whether or not he should continue touring.

“It breaks my heart to see Mike so sick. I’m glad he’s able to do what he loves most. At least it seems like they’re trying to lift his spirits, which is sweet. Sending Mike all the love and well wishes! I hope he gets better soon!” wrote one follower.

A second fan penned, “You are so loved, Mike, you have been an incredible force of good, spreading joy through this unique music since 1961, retire gracefully and we’ll hold the memories of the shows we’ve seen over the years!”

While the band did not address the reason behind Love’s current health issues publicly, the 85-year-old entertainer did reveal some news to fans about his struggles in June via Instagram.

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Love wrote, “We were thrilled to perform in Chelsea, of London, last evening. It was very uplifting for me personally to connect and reconnect with our British fans, especially at this moment in my life. Losing my sister, Maureen, on the first Anniversary of cousin Brian’s death, combined with my ongoing recovery from what started out as bronchitis, followed by COVID, has taken both an emotional and physical toll on me.”

He added, “I feel stronger every day physically, but I am heartbroken emotionally. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else but with our audience. For me, our audience is the medicine, and the music is the cure. Thank you all for your outpouring of love, well wishes, and healing prayers. I am deeply humbled and grateful.”

The Beach Boys have tour dates scheduled throughout October and November. It is unclear whether Mike Love will join them for the remainder of the shows.

Related: The 1964 Brian Wilson Track That Fans Call the Greatest Teenage Heartbreak Song Ever Made

Both casts of The Rookie and the upcoming spinoff The Rookie: North turned up for a panel at New York Comic-Con on Sunday and revealed the news that both series will premiere on Wednesday, January 6, 2027.

But first, they shared a teaser trailer:

But that isn’t the only news they shared. Showrunner Alexi Hawley shared several pieces of casting news: Troian Bellisario, Dulé Hill and Molly Kunz are joining the cast of The Rookie in Season 9.

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Bellisario will be a recurring guest star in Season 9, playing Stephanie Monroe, a 30-something, single-mother looking to reinvent her life by becoming a police officer, so it looks as if she will be the new rookie now that John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) is a training officer. Bellisario is no stranger to The Rookie as she previously directed Season 8 Episode 13.

Troian Bellisario

Photo courtesy: Patrick J. Adams

And Hill will guest star as Lt. Hughes, a distracted, 30-year veteran of the job trying to navigate his new job as Watch Commander while his personal life is in growing turmoil.

Dulé Hill

Photo credit: Credit: The Riker Brothers

Finally, Kunz will guest star as Quinn, a small town girl determined to become an EMT in Los Angeles. Smart, athletic and eager to impress, Quinn navigates it all with a subversive sense of humor.

The Rookie also stars Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Wade Grey, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Eric Winter as Tim Bradford, Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune, Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers, Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez and Deric Augustine as Miles Penn.

Related: The Rookie Season 9 Could Look Very Different With This Cast Exit

As for The Rookie: North, it will be the story of Alex Holland (Jay Ellis), who believed his midlife wasn’t worthy of a crisis. But after a violent home invasion ignites a dormant purpose, Alex battles a lifetime of failed commitments by joining the Pierce County Police Department as a rookie. Policing from the urban coast to the rural forest where backup isn’t just five minutes away, Alex must prove to his skeptical training officer, his fellow rookies and himself that he’s finally found something worthy of the fight. 

Jay Ellis, Chris Sullivan

Disney/Darko Sikman

The series will also star previously announced Chris Sullivan, Karen Fukuhara, Froy Gutierrez, Janet Montgomery, Mya Lowe and Malik Watson.

And in new casting news, it was revealed that Andy Allo will guest star in the premiere season as Brooke, a warm, smart, attractive, and effortlessly charming first-year ER resident who is still adjusting to the pressures of the job. Brooke handles it all with humor, empathy, and confidence, and she quickly forms a connection with a rookie police officer (Jay Ellis).

The Rookie premieres on Wednesday, Jan. 6 on ABC at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will be immediately followed by the premiere of The Rookie North at 10 p.m. ET/PT.Both stream next day on Hulu.

Next, ABC Expands The Rookie Universe With Huge New Spinoff The Rookie: North

In October 2016 Tom Hanks hosted Saturday Night Live for his ninth time. His third live sketch of the night centered on a couple (played by cast members Kate McKinnon and Beck Bennett) attending a haunted elevator tour. The tour promised to take them through “100 floors of frights,” but most of those floors were dedicated to Hanks’ David S. Pumpkins, a character who isn’t scary so much as confusing.

“Is he from something? Like a local commercial?” asks McKinnon’s character, only for the elevator operator (played by Kenan Thompson) to reply, “The scariest thing to the mind is the unknown.”

David S. Pumpkins, with his campy theme song and his two skeleton minions dancing alongside him, became a surprise viral sensation. The video currently has 27 million views on the SNL YouTube page alone; Pumpkins also received an animated Halloween special the following year, and made a surprise reappearance in the show’s 2022 Halloween episode. Simply put: fans loved David S. Pumpkins, to an extent that Hanks didn’t see coming.

Hanks Initially Passed on David S. Pumpkins

“Tom Hanks hated [the sketch],” recalled cast member Bobby Moynihan, who had both co-written the sketch and played one of the dancing skeletons. Hanks, Moynihan revealed to Entertainment Weekly, had “asked us to give it to somebody else.”

Moynihan and the sketch’s co-writers, Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell, pushed for the sketch anyway and Hanks reluctantly agreed.

Hanks revealed in a 2017 interview that his main concern had been the timing of the elevator doors; if there had been any mishaps with the door props, he argued, it could undermine the whole sketch. Luckily everything worked smoothly, and SNL history was soon made.

“Little did I realize now that four-year-old kids are going to be dressed as David S. Pumpkins for the rest of their lives,” Hanks said.

Hanks voiced his confusion about Pumpkins’ popularity in a red carpet interview the week after his episode, after he found out that Halloween costumes based on his character were selling out nationwide.

“I don’t exactly understand it,” he told Access Hollywood. He joked that when he dies his headstone will read simply, “Here lies David S. Pumpkins.”

Which Sketch Was Bigger: David S. Pumpkins or Black Jeopardy?

The only sketch from Hanks’ 2016 episode to rival Pumpkins was the “Black Jeopardy” sketch right after the monologue. There Hanks played a white Trump supporter on a game show centered exclusively around Black culture, only to reveal himself as a surprisingly strong contestant.

Hanks’ MAGA character didn’t inspire nearly as many Halloween costumes of course, but the sketch was critically acclaimed for its sharp writing and subversive premise. The sketch currently has 88 million views on the SNL YouTube page, making it the second most popular sketch on the whole channel.

It was even memorable enough to be reprised in the show’s 50th Anniversary Special last year, although most fans agree that the first version of the character can’t be beat.

It’s been 45 years since Rush released “Tom Sawyer,” the breakout opening song from the album Moving Pictures. Decades later, the Canadian band’s classic song is still being recognized as a progressive rock standout.

In 2025, Goldmine magazine ranked “Tom Sawyer,” which was recorded in late 1980, as No. 1 on a list of the “Top 20 Progressive Rock Songs Under 5 Minutes.” The list included other classics such as Kansas’ “Point of Know Return,” Yes’ “Long Distance Runaround” and King Crimson’s “Neurotica,” but it was Rush that claimed the top spot—as well as a few others. (“Circumstances,” “Anthem” and “The Spirit of Radio” also made the list.)

“Geddy [Lee], Alex [Lifeson] and Neil [Peart]liked short, action-packed songs a lot, at least from the Fly by Night period through to Grace Under Pressure,” Goldmine explained. “’Tom Sawyer’ is the band’s biggest song ever, and it gets extra marks for being proggy and slow, as well as proggy and heavy, making for a cinematic and heroic composition, exquisitely constructed.”

While it was noted that “surprisingly, five of seven songs from Moving Pictures are under five minutes,” the outlet reasoned, “Why not go with a classic of the genre, and a song blessed with the second most famous air drum part in the world.”

Written by Geddy Lee, Neil Peart, Alex Lifeson, and Canadian poet Pye Dubois and clocking in at 4 minutes and 34 seconds, “Tom Sawyer” became a rock radio favorite in 1981, reaching No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August of that year.

The band began playing the song at their shows in the fall of 1980 before Moving Pictures was released, and at one point they were doubtful it would make it onto the album because they had so much trouble recording it, Lee told Prog magazine in an interview.

While Rush has long been known for producing long songs, “Tom Sawyer” was a notable exception.

In 2008, Rush made their first-ever appearance on a U.S. late-night talk show on The Colbert Report, where host Stephen Colbert noted that they were known for “some sort of long songs.”

“Have you ever written a song so epic that by the end of the song you were actually being influenced by yourself at the beginning of the song because it happened so much earlier in your career?” the late-night host cracked.

When Rush later played “Tom Sawyer” for the audience, Colbert pretended he had to cut to commercial because they’d be “playing for a while.” The Colbert Report host returned from the break and pretended to be asleep at his desk as the song ended.

Despite their place in progressive rock history, Lifeson has said that the Rush bandmates never really considered themselves a prog rock band.

“I don’t know if we ever considered ourselves a prog band, in the sense of King Crimson or early Genesis, although we’ve found those bands very influential,” Lifeson told Rolling Stone in 2016. “We always considered ourselves a hard-rock band. We pushed ourselves to make things difficult so they’ll be hard to play and keep us up to a certain standard, so in the literal sense of the word ‘prog,’ yes, I think we were quite progressive, and we’d like to think us as being such. But in terms of a genre, I don’t know if we ever thought of ourselves as a progressive-rock band.”

Related: 1973 One-Hit Wonder, From Dutch Prog Band, Was Written in Three Minutes and Defied Every Rock Rule

Star Wars and Marvel fans have spent decades debating dream crossovers, and now they’re getting the chance to create one themselves.

The LEGO Group announced at New York Comic Con on Oct. 11 that it is launching a first-of-its-kind LEGO Ideas challenge inviting fans to mash up the Star Wars and Marvel universes in LEGO form.

It marks the first time fans have been able to combine the two franchises in a LEGO Ideas challenge, with builders encouraged to reimagine characters, vehicles and scenes from both worlds together.

But this isn’t just an exercise in imagining what might happen if Darth Vader wandered into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Fan submissions will be put to a vote, and favorite designs will ultimately be selected to become official LEGO products.

“This challenge is a milestone for LEGO Ideas and our fan community,” Fede Begher, senior vice president and head of product group at the LEGO Group, said in a statement. “For the first time ever, fans can build with both Marvel and Star Wars in a single LEGO Ideas challenge, unlocking entirely new possibilities for creativity and storytelling.”

The challenge was announced during a New York Comic Con panel featuring actor, director and Marvel Comics writer Kevin Smith.

Fans who want to participate can choose from three different categories: vehicles, characters or scenes. From there, they can create their own mash-up using LEGO elements and submit the finished design through the LEGO Ideas platform.

The timing isn’t accidental. The challenge is part of the celebration surrounding the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Star Wars franchise in 2027.

It also ties into Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles, the comic series unveiled over the summer that will launch in January 2027. The project is billed as the first-ever crossover between the Star Wars and Marvel Comics universes.

The LEGO challenge is open beginning Oct. 11. Fans can review the complete rules and submit their creations through the LEGO Ideas website.

Voting on eligible submissions is scheduled to begin Dec. 15, 2026, while the Grand Prize selections will be announced in 2027.

That means a fan’s dream Star Wars-meets-Marvel creation could go from a pile of bricks to an official LEGO product—and make a little crossover history along the way.

Related: Beloved ’90s Cartoon Is Coming Back 35 Years Later; Mark Hamill Will Lead All-Star Cast

Nicolas Cage isn’t afraid to walk away from Hollywood’s biggest studios, especially when AI is involved.

The 62-year-old actor revealed that he may never work with Amazon again after refusing to sign an AI waiver during his time on Spider-Noir, the Prime Video series in which he played the title character.

Speaking at New York Comic Con on Saturday, Oct. 10, Cage made his feelings about the technology very clear.

“Amazon is a very AI-friendly company, to the tune of $50 billion invested in OpenAI,” he said, according to Variety⁠.

“I am not an AI-friendly actor, so it’s like, connect those dots! I’m not a member of their club. I didn’t sign the waiver to let them use AI on Spider-Noir. I’m probably not going to be working with that studio again, but that’s okay.”

The comments come after Spider-Noir was canceled following its first season, despite earning five Emmy Awards.

But Cage isn’t turning his back on acting or television. Instead, he’s particularly interested in working with a younger generation of filmmakers who are creating projects outside the traditional Hollywood system he’s used to.

“I got to get with these young directors who are Gen Z, and they’re going at it their own way, whether it’s through the YouTube culture or whatever it is,” he explained.

“They’re doing it from scratch and by hand. I want to get with that.”

The actor also expressed interest in doing more television and mentioned a potential role in the next season of True Detective.

For Cage, the issue isn’t simply about choosing one studio over another. It’s about protecting the human element of acting at a time when AI is becoming an increasingly prominent part of the entertainment industry.

Every Halloween has winners and losers. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? Winners. Full-size Snickers? Jackpot. Those mysterious pale lumps of candy loosely wrapped in orange and black wax paper? Well, something’s gotta get left in the trick-or-treat bag, right?

If you grew up trick-or-treating in the ’70s, ’80s or ’90s, you probably remember those little candies that seemed to mysteriously show up only on Halloween. They weren’t chocolate, they weren’t particularly inviting, and getting the wrapper off sometimes required more patience than any kid hopped-up on Halloween booty could muster.

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And then there was the texture. Depending on how long they’d been sitting around, chewing one could feel like a test of jaw-muscle endurance.

But, I’ll admit it: As someone who’s always loved just about anything peanut butter-flavored, I was never fully in the hater camp. Sure, they weren’t Peanut Butter Cups, nor were they among the first things I devoured. But those chewy little candies had a charm all their own, and the black and orange wrappers were the very symbol of a Halloween haul.

And since they were usually the last things left in the Halloween bag along with a handful of pennies, I figured things could’ve been worse (it could have been all pennies). Of course, by the time I got around to eating them, they were usually hard enough to qualify as a dental hazard.

Those candies were actually called Peanut Butter Kisses (sometimes called Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses), and for generations, they were as much a part of Halloween as plastic pumpkin buckets and homemade costumes.

But somewhere along the way, those familiar orange and black wrappers seemed to disappear from our Halloween bags. So, what happened to the candy everybody loved to hate? And more importantly, can you still find it?

The Controversial History of Peanut Butter Kisses The Halloween Candy Everyone Loves to Hate

Lynne Mitchell / Getty Images

Believe it or not, those humble little peanut butter candies have a history stretching back more than a century. According to thefoodhistorian.com, the candies are closely connected to Mary Janes, a peanut-butter-and-molasses taffy introduced in 1914 by the Charles N. Miller & Sons Candy Company of Boston.

The company’s roots go back even further to 1884 when Charles H. Miller opened a confectionery shop. His son, Charles N. Miller, developed Mary Janes, reportedly naming the candy after his aunt.

The original Mary Janes were rectangular, wrapped in yellow-and-red paper and made with molasses taffy surrounding a peanut butter center. Peanut Butter Kisses, meanwhile, became recognizable for their rounded, irregular shape and distinctive orange-and-black wrappers.

The precise relationship between the different candies and manufacturers is a little murky. Peanut Butter Kisses were also sold under other brands, and the style of candy may actually predate the Mary Jane name.

What wasn’t complicated was the recipe’s appeal. Molasses taffy was inexpensive to produce, peanut butter was becoming increasingly popular in American kitchens, and the combination offered something sweet, nutty and satisfyingly chewy.

As The Food Historian explains, traditional molasses taffy is made by cooking molasses until thickened, then pulling the partially cooled mixture to incorporate air and create a lighter texture. Mary Janes were cooked to a relatively soft stage, giving them their characteristic chew.

Over the decades, the Mary Jane brand changed hands repeatedly. Miller’s was sold to Stark Candy Company in 1989, and Stark was acquired by the New England Confectionery Company, better known as Necco, in 1990. When Necco collapsed in 2018, Mary Janes temporarily disappeared from production.

But that wasn’t the end of the story. Atkinson Candy Company eventually took over production, bringing Mary Janes back in 2021 with a slightly updated shape and wrapper.

Meanwhile, other manufacturers continued making the familiar Halloween-style Peanut Butter Kisses. So, while the candy’s popularity may have faded, it hasn’t completely disappeared.

Related: I Tried Boarderie’s New Halloween Dessert Board—and There Are 47 Reasons to Love It

Why Did We All Hate (And Secretly Love) the Orange Wrappers? View this post on Instagram

Let’s address the elephant in the Halloween candy bowl: Peanut Butter Kisses have a long standing reputation for being terrible. In an Instagram post from radio station 91.9 WFPK, they were listed as one of the worst Halloween treats to receive, along with Necco Wafers and black licorice.

Kids have rejected Peanut Butter Kisses not necessarily because of their flavor, although the combination of molasses and peanut butter certainly wasn’t for everyone. The bigger issue was often their consistency.

According to The Food Historian, the wax-paper wrappers weren’t particularly effective at keeping the candy fresh. Over time, the taffy could dry out and harden, transforming what was supposed to be a chewy treat into something more akin to concrete.

And considering these were often the candies left untouched until every chocolate bar, gummy and lollipop had been eaten, it’s no wonder so many of us remember them being practically indestructible.

Then there were those wrappers. While the orange-and-black wax paper practically screamed Halloween, it’s unclear whether the colors were originally chosen to market the candy for the holiday or whether the association developed organically. Either way, the packaging became iconic. You didn’t need to see the candy itself to know what you were getting.

Peanut Butter Kisses even became the subject of internet jokes and memes mocking their appearance, flavor and mysterious origins. Yet for all the ridicule, they’ve managed to hold on to something many discontinued candies never achieve: a place in our collective Halloween memories.

And for those of us who didn’t hate them? The fact that nobody else wanted them wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

A Candy So Despised, a City Actually Banned It A City in North Carolina Banned the Notorious Black and Orange Wrapped Candy

albertc111 / Getty Images

Just how unpopular were Peanut Butter Kisses? In 2018, the city of High Point, North Carolina, jokingly banned them from Halloween. According to The News & Observer, city officials took to Facebook to announce that the orange-and-black-wrapped candies were officially unwelcome by order of the city’s self-appointed “Emperor of Acceptable Candy.” The reasoning? “No one likes them, don’t give them out.”

And High Point wasn’t alone in its disdain. That same year, Peanut Butter Kisses landed at No. 5 on CandyStore.com‘s list of the worst Halloween candies. This year, the’ve moved up to third place. When your candy is so unpopular that an entire city publicly disowns it, you’ve officially hit rock bottom in the Halloween candy bowl.

Where Can You Still Buy Retro Mary Janes and Kisses Today? You Can Still Fill Your Pumpkin Bucket With Peanut Butter Kisses Today

pamela_d_mcadams / Getty Images

Here’s the good news for anyone feeling nostalgic: Peanut Butter Kisses aren’t extinct.

Impact Confections still lists Melster Peanut Butter Kisses, complete with their familiar black-and-orange wrappers and peanut butter centers. According to the company’s FAQ, the seasonal candy can be found at Dollar General, though availability varies by store.

Other brands still making the retro treats can be found at Blain’s Farm & Fleet, Instacart and Dollar Tree locations, although again availability varies by store.

And if you’re looking for Mary Janes, Atkinson Candy Company sells an updated version of the classic peanut-butter-and-molasses candy directly through its website.

So, the good news (for some) is that those orange-and-black Halloween candies haven’t vanished into the same nostalgic abyss as plastic Halloween masks with impossibly tiny breathing holes. They’re still out there, waiting for another generation to discover—or rediscover—their peculiar charm.

And maybe that’s the real reason Peanut Butter Kisses have endured. A candy that was once considered the bottom of the Halloween bag has now become a nostalgic favorite. And maybe it’s not the candy we miss so much, but the Halloweens that it came with.

Related: Midwesterners Have Spoken—and This Halloween Candy Rules the Bowl

World Market is one of the best places to shop for beautiful, functional, high-quality furniture. If you’re looking for a new console table, the retailer is selling one of the most gorgeous options right now, especially for elephant lovers.

How charming is World Market’s Craft Priya Hand-Carved Elephant Console Table With Drawers? Handcrafted from mango wood and finished with a whitewash, this beautiful console table makes a stunning statement wherever you place it. It works great as an entryway table, in a hallway, as a desk or even as a sofa table. It’s up to you how you use it.

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Craft Priya Hand-Carved Elephant Console Table With Drawers, $599.99 at World Market

World Market

The three drawers offer plenty of extra storage, but the best part is the hand-carved elephant drawer fronts. The parade of elephants adds a sense of wonder and whimsy to the piece. This console table is a conversation starter and will earn you tons of compliments.

This console table measures 58 inches wide, 16 inches deep and 30 inches high, and weighs 56.7 pounds.

This elephant console table is part of World Market’s Craft line, handcrafted pieces available in limited quantities. Do note that because each item in the Craft collection is one-of-a-kind, slight variations may occur between pieces.

Related: World Market’s Vintage-Style 3-Door Media Stand Is Full of Artisanal Charm

What Shoppers Are Saying About the Elephant Console Table

Shoppers love this three-drawer console table, giving it an average rating of five stars on World Market’s website.

“The most stunning console,” wrote one fan in a five-star review on WorldMarket.com. “Got this as a present from my mother in law and is beautiful to say the least!! Perfect size in the perfect color.”

You can order this artisan hand-carved elephant console table from World Market’s website or find it in select stores. It retails for $599.99.

Related: Brighten Up Your Mantel With World Market’s Pretty Marigold Garland

If you think choosing a dry wine means you’re automatically avoiding added sugar, well, there’s a little more to the story. Wine naturally contains sugar from grapes, which plays an important role in winemaking. During fermentation, yeast converts the grapes’ natural sugars into alcohol. The longer fermentation goes on, the more sugar is consumed, resulting in a drier wine. If some sugar remains after fermentation, the wine is considered off-dry or sweet, depending on how much is left.

But here’s where things get interesting: Some winemakers add sugar during or after fermentation for reasons that go beyond sweetness. Adding sugar before or during fermentation, a practice known as chaptalization, can help boost alcohol levels when grapes haven’t developed enough natural sugar. In some cases, winemakers also add sugar after fermentation to balance acidity or achieve a particular flavor profile. And while regulations vary by region, these practices aren’t always obvious from the bottle’s label.

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If you’re trying to cut back on added sugar, you don’t necessarily have to give up your favorite glass of wine. You just need to know what to look for and trust the source. That’s where wines made without added sugar come in.

Dry Farm Wines came to my attention on social media because it promotes sugar-free, low-alcohol and low-sulfite wines. That’s important to me because, as someone in their forties, I don’t need a wine with the highest ABV (alcohol by volume). I want something delicious and sippable with dinner that won’t give me instant regret after one glass.

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While Dry Farm Wines operates as a membership subscription, you can also order as a “one-time gift,” either a collection of three or six bottles, so you can try some of its varietals before committing.

Related: Meghan Markle’s As Ever Teamed Up With a Luxury Chocolatier on Something Special for the Holidays

Are Dry Farm Wines Good?

Given all of the elements Dry Farm Wines touts not having (sugar-free, sulfite-free, etc.) I was curious how these bottles stack up against some of the tried-and-true labels I tend to pick up at my favorite wine shop. So, in the interest of journalism, I grabbed my nearest and dearest to try a curated collection of six bottles from Dry Farm Wines. We tasted:

• 2023 Cervo Voltazza Rosso Riserva
• 2024 Château Mille Roses Haut-Médoc
• 2023 Domaine Truchetet Bourgogne “Les Chaillots”
• 2023 La Bergerie de Fontenay Chablis
• 2025 Domaine de la Cotelleraie Rosalia Sauvignon Blanc
• 2025 Tasi Pinot Grigio delle Venezia

The Verdict

Each of these wines was delicious in its own right and felt special, almost transporting us to a wine country tasting room. But my gaggle of wine lovers narrowed it down to two favorites.

The 2024 Château Mille Roses Haut-Médoc was hands-down our top pick. It’s a gorgeous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot from France’s Bordeaux region. This one feels so perfect for fall. It’s bold and satisfying without being over-the-top, making it a great choice for anyone who enjoys a classic red wine with plenty of character.

As for the white varietals, we loved the 2025 Domaine de la Cotelleraie Rosalia Sauvignon Blanc, which is currently sold out on the Dry Farm Wines website but worth signing up to be notified when it’s back in stock. We’re a group that leans heavily toward a Sauvy B anyway, so it wasn’t a huge surprise that this was our favorite white. It’s 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc from France with a lovely crispness that makes it drinkable any night of the week (or even Sunday brunch when you aren’t feeling the mimosas but want something other than coffee).

And while each of us drank in moderation (the most important detail in preventing a hangover), I’m happy to say that no one in my group reported a headache or sleepless night the next day. That deserves a cheers.

Related: This New Zero-Proof Espresso Martini Is Giving Mocktails a Grown-Up Twist

You know when your child’s teacher tells you at conferences, “So-and-so is a joy to have in class?” Your response may be something like, “Um, are you looking at the wrong notes?” It’s a common parenting joke and meme, but you absolutely might not be kidding if your child is anything but joyful when the dismissal bell rings (or following after-school activities). Child psychologists refer to this experience as “post-restraint collapse,” and it’s common (and understandable).

“Post-school restraint collapse is the idea that some children hold themselves together throughout the school day by following rules, managing emotions, navigating social situations, paying attention and generally meeting expectations—and then let it all out once they get home,”  Dr. Holly Schiff, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist who treats children, tells Parade.

It can feel a bit unfair. Why is your kid on their best behavior in the classroom, and then you get stuck managing after-school meltdowns? It turns out, it’s a compliment.

“Home is often where they feel safest, so the emotions held in all day can come out as irritability, crying, arguing or a full meltdown,” she says. “It’s not necessarily that the child is ‘behaving worse’ at home. They may simply be out of emotional and mental bandwidth.”

So what should a caregiver do? Child psychologists say the best after-school routine for kids is personalized, but most start with one thing. Below, they reveal their top tip for managing post-classroom meltdowns. Plus, you get a child psychologist’s after-school schedule template.

Related: The Simple Bedtime Tradition Many Families Have Forgotten (And Why It’s Worth Bringing Back), Child Psychologist Explains

The One After-School Rule All 3 Psychologists Agree On

Three child psychologists agree that kids need time to decompress when transitioning from school to home.

According to the psychologists, children hold it together all day and navigate academic, emotional and social pressures. Decompression gives kids a much-needed break, which helps with managing after-school meltdowns.

Why Kids Need a ‘Decompression’ Phase After School

Kids spend all day going from homeroom to math class to gym class to lunch and English, with time for chatter in between. Point blank: “Their nervous system needs time to settle before jumping into the next activity,” emphasizes Caitlin Slavens, BAACS, MC, R Psych, a registered psychologist who’s also the clinic owner and co-founder of Couples to Cradles Counseling.

Dr. Amy Kincaid Todey, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, compares decompression to a “landing strip between school and home.”

“Children have been performing all day,” she states. “Decompression gives them a period when they don’t immediately have to produce something else.”

Otherwise, the child may instead dive into post-school restraint collapse. Dr. Todey says the best way to decompress depends on the child. It might include:

• A snack
• Sitting quietly
• Drawing
• Reading
• Building with LEGOs
• Shooting hoops
• Playing outside
• Listening to music
• Walking the dog
• Doing puzzles
• Baking or cooking dinner
• Talking to a parent “without being interrogated about the day”

“The important piece is that it’s a predictable break from demands,” Dr. Schiff adds. “Kids generally do better when they know, ‘I get to come home, have a snack and have some time to myself before we move on to the next thing.'”

Also important: Dr. Todey notes that decompression doesn’t have to mean isolation.

“Some of the richest after-school moments happen when parents and children are simply doing something together without an agenda,” she notes.

She shares that psychologists use the word “flow” to describe these periods when we become so immersed in an activity that we temporarily lose track of time.

“Parents and children can experience flow-like moments together during enjoyable shared activities,” Dr. Todey says. “These moments matter partly because the relationship gets to exist without anybody being corrected, evaluated or hurried toward the next accomplishment.”

Dr. Todey notes that sometimes the best question to ask a child after school isn’t “What happened today?” Instead, she says it’s simply, “Want to hang out with me for a little while?”

Can—or should—that hang-out include screens? Indeed, screens can seem like a quick fix for managing after-school meltdowns. Slavens says it depends.

“I don’t believe that screens should be completely off-limits, but I also wouldn’t recommend them as the only way to decompress,” she states. “For some kids, a short show or game can help them decompress, whereas for others, introducing screen time can lead to a second meltdown.”

She says that it’s important to notice how the child reacts when the screen gets turned off.

“The transition is easy for the child to navigate; it may be a useful thing,” she explains. “However, if they are more irritable or dysregulated, it may not be the best choice for a decompression activity.”

Related: We Asked 3 Child Psychologists for the Best Question To Ask Kids at the Dinner Table, and They All Said the Same Thing

Homework vs. Play: Which Should Come First?

Caregivers often debate: Homework vs. play after school: Which should come first? While it’s understandable for parents and other caregivers to want kids to “just get the work out of the way,” Slavens says most children benefit from play (or a snack or some sort of break) before digging into homework.

“It’s a lot to go from six or seven hours at school directly into more sitting and more performance requirements, especially when the child is young or has ADHD, anxiety, sensory sensitivities or learning difficulties,” she explains.

However, she says some kids prefer to do homework first. Dr. Todey agrees.

“Other children do better getting a short homework assignment out of the way because knowing that it is hanging over them creates more stress,” she notes. “The principle I would use is: Recovery before unnecessary demands, but enough predictability that the afternoon doesn’t become chaos.”

Dr. Schiff recommends that caregivers have limits around decompression periods, though.

“The length of the break matters,” she shares. “A 20-30 minute reset is very different from an open-ended afternoon of play that makes homework increasingly difficult to start. The right balance will also depend on the child’s age, temperament, workload and what time they get home.”

A Psychologist-Approved After-School Schedule

Sure, you can find tons of after-school schedule template ideas online. To save you the search and scroll, we got Slavens to share her child psychologist-approved after-school routine.

• The first 15 to 20 minutes after getting home: Offer the child a snack and avoid big demands. “Just let them have a drink, something to eat and get settled into the next part of their day,” Slavens recommends.
• The next 20 to 30 minutes: Have an easy decompression activity, such as being outside, drawing, listening to music, building with LEGOs, moving around or lying down.
• The next 20 to 40 minutes: Homework or other work at a table.
• Free time/kid’s choice: Once homework is done, Slavens says it helps to let kids have free time to spend as they please (within family boundaries).
• Later: Dinner, evening activities and the bedtime routine.

Slavens stresses that this after-school schedule template is a framework, not a cookie-cutter.

“There isn’t a perfect after-school routine,” she explains. “Parents need to consider what their child needs. Is it movement, quiet or connection? Knowing this will help foster the best after-school routine for your child.”

Up Next:

Related: We Asked 4 Child Psychologists What Actually Motivates Kids—They All Said the Same Thing

Sources:

• Dr. Holly Schiff, Psy.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist.
• Dr. Amy Kincaid Todey, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist.
• Caitlin Slavens, BAACS, MC, R Psych, is a registered psychologist, as well as the clinic owner and co-founder of Couples to Cradles Counseling.

Sydney Sweeney has returned with a brand new steamy Novig advertisement that takes aim at the unusual things people bet on while promoting the company’s sports-focused platform. 

In the latest Instagram Reel, the Euphoria star appears wearing white underwear bearing the Novig logo before turning toward the camera with her chest covered by her long hair. “There are grown men making spreadsheets to bet on what color underwear I’m wearing,” Sweeney says in the video. 

She then points to prediction markets involving politics and global events before delivering the company’s central message: “Novig is just sports.” 

The commercial ends with Sweeney covering her chest with two footballs, echoing the provocative imagery that made her earlier campaign a talking point. She captioned the Instagram post, “No BS. Just sports,” while tagging Novig and identifying the partnership. 

View this post on Instagram

The new advertisement arrives after Sweeney’s previous campaign for the sports prediction platform drew criticism from female athletes who argued that its revealing imagery sexualized women rather than celebrating their achievements. 

According to Fast Company, the earlier campaign prompted athletes to speak out about how women are represented in sports advertising. Sweeney’s involvement with Novig also extends beyond her role as its advertising star. 

The actress joined the company as a strategic partner and equity holder, giving her a financial stake in the platform. 

The latest video shifts the conversation toward the kinds of markets Novig offers, contrasting sports predictions with wagers involving other real-world events. It also places Sweeney’s response to the backlash at the center of the advertisement, turning the controversy into part of the campaign’s message. 

Whether the new spot will quiet critics remains unclear, but it gives the company another opportunity to generate attention through one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces.

Carl Sandburg, the celebrated American poet, historian, novelist and journalist known as the Poet of the People, purchased a 248-acre estate in Flat Rock, North Carolina, for $45,000 in 1945, which now serves as a public historic site.

The estate, known as Connemara, retains the name given to it by its former owners and preserves the legacy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. It holds a unique place in American heritage for several reasons.

Having spent most of his life in the Midwest, Sandburg moved to North Carolina with his family in the mid-40s.

The warmer climate and abundant pastureland suited his wife’s champion dairy goats, while the estate’s peaceful surroundings provided an ideal setting for his writing.

American writer, Carl Sandburg. Image dated November 28, 1958.

CBS via Getty Images

As part of their search for a peaceful retreat, Sandburg and his family were drawn to Connemara, whose rugged mountainside woodlands added to its natural beauty and appeal.

The 248-acre farm featured numerous farm buildings and structures, prompting the legendary poet to describe it as a “village,” while his wife described the surrounding landscape as a “million acres of sky.”

Moreover, the property included more than 30 acres of grazing land where his wife, Lilian Sandburg, an accomplished breeder, raised her award-winning dairy goats.

Connemara was more than just a family home for Sandburg. It provided a serene environment where he continued his successful literary career and produced more than one-third of his works.

He spent the final 22 years of his life at the North Carolina estate before dying at age 89 in July 1967.

Following his death, efforts to preserve his legacy led to the establishment of a national historic site in his honor.

Through the coordinated efforts of his family and the U.S. government, the estate became the first unit of the National Park System established to honor an American poet.

In September 1967, then-Congressman Roy Taylor introduced a bill to establish the historic site in Sandburg’s honor.

In October 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the legislation establishing the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site.

The following year, his widow sold the estate to the National Park Service, which preserved the property and its historical collections. The site opened to the public in 1974.

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According to the National Park Service, the historic landscape features “the Sandburg residence, a dairy goat farm that is home to the Connemara Farms goat herd, rolling pastures, mountainside woods, five miles of hiking trails, two small lakes, flower and vegetable gardens, and an apple orchard.”

Today, the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, which now encompasses 267 acres, attracts more than 85,000 visitors annually, offering guests an opportunity to explore the poet’s legacy and the landscape that inspired his work.

Related: In the 1940s, Howard Hughes bought the peak next to the Hollywood Sign to build a house for Ginger Rogers; in 2010 more than 100 acres of it became part of Griffith Park

The weather is getting just slightly chillier and the box office is getting a lot busier, because so many fall 2026 movies are shaping up to be blockbusters.

From late September through December, you’re looking at a slew of horror movies, quirky character studies, dark comedies, romantic dramas and, yes, “Dunesday“—this year’s portmanteau for the simultaneous release date of what are each shaping up to be two of the biggest movies of 2026 (besides mega-hits The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day), Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three.

Below, a sneak peek at the movies coming out this fall that we’re most excited to see and their release dates—with just one note: Though autumn doesn’t technically start until Sept. 22, we’re counting movies released the weekend before (Sept. 18) in our list since, well, they’re close enough. Now, grab your popcorn and a pal and get ready to escape reality for a while. Goodness knows we can all use it right now!

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Fall 2026 Movies and Release Dates Breeder Dot-Marie Jones as Patti and Maddie Phillips as Ainsley in “Breeder”

IFC

Let the horrors of Breeder inspire you to adopt, not shop.

Release date: Oct. 28, 2026

La Bola Negra Guitarricadelafuente as Sebastián and Miguel Bernardeau as Rafael Rodríguez Rapún in “La Bola Negra”

Netflix

Penélope Cruz is garnering Oscar buzz for her performance in La Bola Negra (The Black Ball). The drama, also starring Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas and Glenn Close, follows the loves and losses for three gay men in Spain across eras from the 1930s to today. The film was partially inspired by a story from Federico García Lorca, who was murdered before completing the work.

Release date: Oct. 16, 2026

Once Upon a Time in Harlem Aaron Douglas, Jean Blackwell Hutson, Nathan Huggins, Richard Bruce Nugent, Eubie Blake and Irwin C. Miller in “Once Upon a Time in Harlem”

William Greaves Productions

David Greaves started filming Once Upon a Time in Harlem in 1972, but the film remained unfinished for five decades—until his son William took the reins and finished the project.

The documentary focuses on surviving contributors to the Harlem Renaissance, including visual artists (photographer James Van Der Zee and painter Aaron Douglas), poets (Arna Bontemps and Countee Cullen‘s widow Ida Mae Cullen), writers (like Richard Bruce Nugent) and musicians (Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle).

Release date: Oct. 16, 2026

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York John Turturro as Harry in “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York”

Sony Pictures Classics

John Turturro never disappoints, and as an aging criminal racing against time (and the mob and a detective, played by the ever-flawless Giancarlo Esposito), The Only Living Pickpocket in New York will get adrenaline pumping from the trailer alone.

Release date: Oct. 16, 2026

Sacrifice Chris Evans as Mike Tyler in “Sacrifice”

Netflix

Anya Taylor-Joy plays Joan, a religious terrorist who believes that kidnapping fading movie star Mike Tyler (Chris Evans) is the only way to save the world from Armageddon. With a stacked cast that includes Charli XCX as Mother Nature and the criminally underrated Sam Richardson as Tyler’s agent, this looks absolutely insane in the best possible way.

Release date: Oct. 16, 2026

Related: Jane Austen Turns 250: 10 Fun Facts About the Legendary Author

Sense and Sensibility Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne Dashwood and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood in “Sense and Sensibility”

Focus Features

Daisy Edgar-Jones top-lines Sense and Sensibility as Elinor, with Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne and—get ready to feel absolutely ancient or indignant—Outlander star Caitriona Balfe as their mother. Thankfully, it’s pretty impossible for Jane Austen adaptations to be bad because the source material is so good, so we can forgive that.

Release date: Oct. 16, 2026

Related: Best Video Games of All Time

Street Fighter Cody Rhodes as Guile and Andrew Koji as Ryu in “Street Fighter”

Paramount Pictures

Shoryuken!

Spring 2026 brought us Mortal Kombat II (an underrated great time), and fall 2026 delivers Street Fighter, adapting the beloved fighting game for a new generation. While we’ll always miss Raul Julia‘s M. Bison from 1994, David Dastmalchian delivers a punch in his stead, and the rest of the casting is pretty on point: Jason Momoa as Blanka (seriously, the only other suitable option may have been Jason Mantzoukas), Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, Cody Rhodes as Guile, Callina Liang as the Strongest Woman in the World Chun-Li (my queen), 50 Cent as a truly uncanny Balrog and more.

Will the 2026 Street Fighter movie be good for cinephiles? Honestly, who cares? We’re here for hadoukens and classic Capcom camp, and if the trailer alone is any indication, this film is serving.

Release date: Oct. 16, 2026

Related: 20 Best Video Game Movies and TV Shows of All Time

Whalefall Austin Abrams in “Whalefall”

20th Century Studios

You know how in the Bible Jonah gets swallowed by a whale? Or how Pinocchio gets swallowed by a whale in the classic fairy tale? Whalefall asks: What would it be like if that really happened? The answer is “truly gross and genuinely terrifying.”

Release date: Oct. 16, 2026

Clayface Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen in “Clayface”

Warner Bros.

Fans of DC Comics and the classic Batman: The Animated Series are waiting with bated breath for Clayface, and with good reason: James Watkins directs the heartwrenching origin story of one of the caped crusader’s most sympathetic baddies. This is as much a horror movie as it is a comic book movie, and a tragedy above all else.

Release date: Oct. 23, 2026

Related: Every Batman Movie, Ranked Worst to Best

Wicker Alexander Skarsgård and Olivia Colman in “Wicker”

Black Bear Pictures

Remember how The Shape of Water paired an amazing actress (Sally Hawkins) with, basically, the Creature from the Black Lagoon? Wicker saw Guillermo Del Toro‘s creepy love story and said, “Hold my beer.”

The film sees a lonely Olivia Colman beg a basket weaver (Peter Dinklage) to make her a man, and he makes her a sentient Alexander Skarsgård basket-man. There’s a lot to unpack here, some of which may be best done with your diary or your therapist, but you best believe we’ll be watching anyway.

Release date: Oct. 23, 2026

Klara and the Sun Amy Adams as Chrissie and Jenna Ortega as Klara in “Klara and the Sun”

Columbia Pictures

Taika Waititi directs Jenna Ortega in Klara and the Sun, in which she plays a robot who desperately just wants to find a home—and some humans to love her. The film is based on the novel by Nobel Prize-winning writer Kazuo Ishiguro.

Release date: Oct. 23, 2026

The Best Movies Coming Out in November 2026 Club Kid Jordan Firstman in “Club Kid”

A24

Jordan Firstman plays a washed up promoter forced to contend with his life choices after he discovers a son he never knew he had in Club Kid.

Release date: Nov. 6, 2026

Godzilla Minus Zero The King of the Monsters in “Godzilla Minus Zero”

Godzilla Minus Zero brings the King of the Monsters to both Japan and the United States—and the trailer hints at a classic kaiju villain. (We won’t spoil it for you!)

Release date: Nov. 6, 2026

Wild Horse Nine Sam Rockwell as Lee and John Malkovich as Chris in “Wild Horse Nine”

Searchlight Pictures

Honestly, they had us at Sam Rockwell.

Martin McDonagh follows up Banshees of Inisherin with Wild Horse Nine, a sharp satire starring Rockwell and John Malkovich as CIA agents stationed in Santiago, Chile, just before the coup that usurped Salvador Allende.

Release date: Nov. 6, 2026

I Play Rocky Anthony Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone in “I Play Rocky”

Amazon/MGM

The backstory to the Rocky franchise, I Play Rocky explores how Sylvester Stallone beat the odds to win Hollywood the way his onscreen boxer did in the ring. Here’s hoping there’s an eventual sequel showing how Dolph Lundgren got him hospitalized making Rocky IV.

Release date: Nov. 6, 2026

Related: The Best Boxing Movies of All Time

Paper Tiger Miles Teller as Irwin Pearl, Adam Driver as Gary Pearl, Roman Engel as Benjamin Pearl, Gavin Goudey as Scott Pearl and Scarlett Johansson as Linda Pearl in “Paper Tiger”

Neon

Miles Teller and Adam Driver play brothers embroiled in a scheme with Russian mob in Paper Tiger. The James Gray crime thriller reunites Driver with his Marriage Story co-star Scarlett Johansson and brings even more drama—and much higher (read: potentially deadlier) stakes.

Release date: Nov. 13, 2026

Madden Nicolas Cage as John Madden in “Madden”

Amazon Prime Video

The inimitable, always earnest and ever delightfully weird Nicolas Cage stars as titular NFL icon John Madden in this biopic from David O. Russell. Madden also stars Kathryn Hahn, O. Russell regular Christian Bale, comedians John Mulaney and Shane Gillis and more, most of whom are in bizarrely cheap-looking wigs.

Release date: Nov. 18, 2026

Elsinore Andrew Scott as Ian Charleson in “Elsinore”

Focus Features

Fellow Shakespeare nerds, rejoice! Elsinore follows Scottish actor Ian Charleson (Andrew Scott) and his final performances in Hamlet near the end of his life. It’s as much of a tearjerker as the play (albeit with less actual sword fighting and murder, natch).

Release date: Nov. 20, 2026

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping”

Lionsgate

The latest entry in the Suzanne Collins dystopian franchise, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping gives the backstory of Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada, Woody Harrelson in the original trilogy), who goes on to become Katniss Everdeen’s mentor. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will each reprise their roles of Katniss and Peeta Mellark, making this installment a must-see for fans. (Also a reason for anyone to watch? Elle Fanning chewing the scenery as a young Effie Trinket is absolutely chef’s kiss.)

Release date: Nov. 20, 2026

Josephine Channing Tatum as Damien and Mason Reeves as Josephine in “Josephine”

Sumerian Pictures

After an 8-year-old girl witnesses a harrowing act of violence in Golden Gate Park, she begins acting out violently herself. Mason Reeves is a revelation as the titular Josephine, and Gemma Chan and Channing Tatum each give career-best performances as her parents who struggle to grapple with what happened to her and what she — and they — may have become.

Release date: Nov. 20, 2026

The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth in “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth”

Netflix

Quentin Tarantino penned the script for The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, a spinoff to his hit Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. Brad Pitt returns to his Oscar-winning role as the washed up stuntman Cliff Booth, with David Fincher directing.

Release date: Nov. 25, 2026

Related: We Ranked Every Quentin Tarantino Movie Worst to Best

14th Ava DuVernay and Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in “14th”

Netflix

Ava DuVernay follows 13th with 14th, a deep look into birthright citizenship and the impacts of President Donald Trump‘s administration’s challenges to that constitutional right.

“If 13th asked who gets caged, then 14th asks who gets counted,” DuVernay said in a statement. “This is not a film about the past tense of freedom. I’m not interested in asking you to look back. The film asks what kind of country is being written beneath our feet now … while we’re busy believing the stories we’ve all been told.”

Release date: Nov. 27, 2026

The Best Movies Coming Out in December 2026 Behemoth! Pedro Pascal as Alex Serian in “Behemoth!”

Searchlight Pictures

The Internet’s daddy Pedro Pascal stars as a cellist re-examining his entire life in Behemoth!, written and directed by Tony Gilroy. Olivia Wilde, Will Arnett, Margarita Levieva, Hank Azaria and Eva Victor co-star.

Release date: Dec. 4, 2026

Tender Loving Care Kate O’Flynn as Amy with Paul Jesson and Marion Bailey in “Tender Loving Care”

StudioCanal

If you want to kick off your holiday season with a mixture of tears and giggles, Tender Loving Care is a moving British drama starring Widow’s Bay breakout Kate O’Flynn as Amy, a social worker who moves in with her best friend while coping with aging parents.

Release date: Dec. 4, 2026

Clarissa Sophie Okonedo as Clarissa in “Clarissa”

Neon

Clarissa is a modern-day take on Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway with a stacked cast, including The Bear breakout Ayo Edebiri, David Oyelowo and Sophie Okonedo in the title role.

Release date: Dec. 11, 2026

The Debut Julianne Moore as Mona Friedman in “The Debut”

A24

Suspend your disbelief that Oscar winner Julianne Moore can’t act! She stars as a first-time actress in a musical alongside a gloriously grumpy Paul Giamatti as her director in this comedy, written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg. (Seriously, between this and The Holdovers, Giamatti may be our favorite Christmastime curmudgeon since the Grinch himself.)

Release date: Dec. 11, 2026

Avengers: Doomsday Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom in “Avengers: Doomsday”

Disney

The gang’s getting back together to take on a brand-new Big Bad in Avengers: Doomsday. Avengers new and old, including Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Steve Rogers’ Captain America (Chris Evans), Sam Wilson’s Captain America (Anthony Mackie), Ant Man (Paul Rudd), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), the new Falcon (Danny Ramirez), Black Widow (Florence Pugh), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu in his first team-up ever outside of What If…? and Marvel Zombies—it’s about time!), Sentry (Lewis Pullman), Black Panther (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Namor (Tenoch Huerta) and U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), plus the new Fantastic Four (Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as the Invisible Woman Sue Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben “The Thing” Grimm and Joseph Quinn as The Human Torch Johnny Storm), several X-Men (Channing Tatum as Gambit, Sir Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique and James Marsden as Cyclops) all join forces in an effort to defeat Dr. Doom, played by a returning Robert Downey Jr., with the Russo Brothers returning to direct.

Release date: Dec. 18, 2026

Related: The Best Superhero Movies of All Time, Ranked

Dune: Part Three Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in “Dune: Part Three”

Warner Bros.

Denis Villeneuve‘s third entry in his trilogy, Dune: Part Three promises a conclusion to the space opera that sees the consequences of making Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) Arrakis’ dear leader.

Release date: Dec. 18, 2026

Werwulf Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lily-Rose Depp in “Werwulf”

Focus Features

Another Robert Eggers low-color Gothic horror film released on Christmas, Werwulf, like Nosferatu before it, stars Lily Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The difference? This one is about, predictably, a werewolf — and has all of its dialogue in Middle English. Film snobs will love this (or will at the very least say that they do).

Release date: Dec. 25, 2026

Jumanji: Open World Jack Black as Professor Sheldon “Shelly” Oberon, Dwayne Johnson as Dr. Xander “Smolder” Bravestone, Karen Gillan as Ruby Roundhouse and Kevin Hart as Franklin “Mouse” Finbar in “Jumanji: Open World”

Sony Pictures

Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan are back for another hilarious adventure through the wild in Jumanji: Open World, the third installment of the charming reboot that switches the classic board game for a joystick-era video game. Danny DeVito, Awkwafina, Alex Wolff and Nick Jonas are also set to return in the film, helmed by Jake Kasdan.

Release date: Dec. 25, 2026

Fall Movies You May Have Missed Bad Apples Eddie Waller as Danny and Saoirse Ronan as Maria Spencer in “Bad Apples”

Paramount Pictures

Just in time for the back-to-school season, Bad Apples is a dark comedy that almost feels like a season of Beef between a teacher and an unruly (and at times violent) student. For any educators who’ve had revenge fantasies about the bad apples in their own classrooms, Saoirse Ronan feels your pain here.

Released: Sept. 18, 2026

The Musical Will Brill as Doug Leibowitz and Rob Lowe as Principal Brady in “The Musical”

Variance Films

The Musical is about, well, a musical—that happens to be inspired by pure spite. Everyone who’s every been annoyed as or by a theater kid is likely to enjoy this one, which stars Rob Lowe, Gillian Jacobs and Tony Award winner Will Brill.

Released: Sept. 18, 2026

Resident Evil Austin Abrams as Bryan in “Resident Evil” (2026)

Sony Pictures

After the success of Weapons and Barbarian, Zach Cregger is back with a reboot of the PlayStation classic horror Resident Evil that’s already being hailed as one of the best video game movies—if not the best video game movie—of all time. What makes this adaptation extra scary? It’s not a cop or other survivalist type we’re following, but an everyman who’s just trying to get through the day.

Warning for the squeamish: This one gets very gory!

Released: Sept. 18, 2026

The Weight Ethan Hawke as Samuel Murphy and Austin Amelio as Rankin in “The Weight”

Vertical

Samuel (Ethan Hawke) is incarcerated at a work camp and separated from his young daughter when his warden Clancy (Russell Crowe) makes him an offer he can’t refuse: If Samuel can smuggle gold through the wilderness, Clancy will let him go free and be with his little girl again.

Of course, it’s never that easy, and The Weight examines the heaviness of every decision Samuel has to make on the journey.

Released: Sept. 18, 2026

Without Blood Salma Hayek as Nina in “Without Blood”

Vision Distribution

Angelina Jolie wrote and directed Without Blood, which stars her close friend and Eternals co-star Salma Hayek as Nina, a war survivor trying to cope with trauma through revenge. Jolie’s two oldest sons, Maddox Jolie and Pax Thien Jolie, also appear in the film, based on the book by Alessandro Baricco.

Released: Sept. 18, 2026

The Love Hypothesis Lili Reinhart as Olive Smith and Tom Bateman as Dr. Adam Carlsen in “The Love Hypothesis”

Prime Video

The Love Hypothesis stars Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman as a Ph.D. student and a professor who pretend to be in a relationship for research. So, uh, is the research about ethics?

Released: Sept. 23, 2026

Related: 20 Classic Romantic Comedies That Still Make Us Swoon Today

Long Day’s Journey Into Night Ed Harris as James Tyrone and Jessica Lange as Mary Tyrone in “Long Day’s Journey Into Night”

Quiver Distribution

Jessica Lange and Ed Harris topline Long Day’s Journey Into Night, a film adaptation of the classic emotionally gripping stage drama.

Released: Sept. 25, 2026

Related: 151 Movie Trivia Questions (With Answers)

Charlie Harper Nick Robinson as Charlie and Emilia Jones as Harper in “Charlie Harper”

Roadshow Films

No, not the guy from Two and a Half Men. This Charlie Harper is a romance that is tailor-made for fans of the genre. Bring tissues!

Released: Sept. 25, 2026

Related: Best Romantic Movies of All Time

Family Ruth Wilson as Naomi in “Family”

Vertical Entertainment

Ruth Wilson is truly terrifying in the horror film Family, which sees a daughter’s wish for a happier home life go terribly awry.

Released: Sept. 25, 2026

Related: We Ranked the 156 Best, Scariest Horror Movies of All Time

Forgotten Island “Forgotten Island”

DreamWorks

Forgotten Island looks like it’ll be a true delight for ’90s kids thanks to all its nostalgia and throwbacks—and the Filipina representation is an added bonus.

Released: Sept. 25, 2026

Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! Rinko Kikuchi as Haru in “Ha-Chan Shake Your Booty!”

Sony Pictures Classics

This charming character study stars Rinko Kikuchi as Haru, a competitive ballroom dancer who isolates herself from the art and her loved ones after a tragedy. Film festival darling Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! follows Haru’s journey as her loved ones bring her back out of her shell and back into her dancing shoes.

Released: Sept. 25, 2026

Related: Best ’90s Movies, Ranked

Heart of the Beast Brad Pitt as James and Uber as Odin in “The Heart of the Beast”

Paramount Pictures

Brad Pitt reunites with Fury director David Ayer for Heart of the Beast, in which he stars as a Special Forces officer on a quest for survival with his retired combat dog Odin (played by a very good boy named Uber) after a plane crash.

Worried about whether the dog dies? There’s a spoiler here from the producer about whether or not you should bring tissues and/or prepare to write strongly worded letters. We think you’ll like the answer (unless you’re a literal psychopath).

Released: Sept. 25, 2026

Primetime Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen in “Primetime”

A24

Robert Pattinson is absolutely uncanny as Chris Hansen in Primetime, which chronicles the beginnings—and end—of the indelible To Catch a Predator. Yes, we will take a seat, thanks!

Released: Sept. 25, 2026

UNABOMBER Russell Crowe as Henry Murray and Jacob Tremblay as a young Ted Kaczynski in “Unabomber”

Netflix

Jacob Tremblay stuns as a young Ted Kaczynski in UNABOMBER, which examines the domestic terrorist’s beginnings as a child prodigy turned troubled mathematician, as well as the FBI investigation and manhunt to apprehend him.

Released: Sept. 25, 2026

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother Mahershala Ali as Latif in “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother”

Amazon MGM Studios

Mahershala Ali stars in this action thriller as Latif, a religious Muslim hit man, widower and father who’s on a quest to keep his kids safe after his wife’s death. Blade fans, rejoice: Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother finally shows us Ali working a sword.

Released: Sept. 25, 2026

Atonement Hiam Abbass in “Atonement”

Kino Lorber

Hiam Abbass, Kenneth Branagh and Boyd Holbrook star in Atonement, based on a harrowing New Yorker piece from 2012 in which a Marine tries to make amends with a family his unit attacked in Iraq nine years earlier. Though it takes place in a different forever war than the one on which we’re currently focused (Iran), the examination of the human cost of war is evergreen.

Released: Oct. 2, 2026

Beware Boiúna Kiana Madeira in “Beware Boiúna”

Lionsgate Films

Creature feature fans are in for a delight with Beware Boiúna, which follows humanitarian mission workers in a struggle to survive against a mythical serpent in the Amazon rainforest. (Seriously, this thing makes an anaconda look like a damn earthworm. Especially beware if you have ophidiophobia!)

Released: Oct. 2, 2026

Related: The 104 Best Science Fiction Movies of All Time, Ranked

Digger Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell in “Digger”

Warner Bros.

Though the film is essentially only being marketed as it being about Tom Cruise being weirder than he is in real life, Digger is actually a dark comedy about an oil tycoon who’s determined to save the world from a disaster of his own making. If it sounds a lot like a few billionaires who have pretended to be altruistic, well, that’s by Oscar-winning director and co-writer Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s design.

Released: Oct. 2, 2026

Rolling Loud: The Movie Travis Scott and Owen Wilson in “Rolling Loud: The Movie”

Ketchup Films

Based on a true story, Rolling Loud: The Movie follows an overprotective dad (Owen Wilson) who tries to bond with his son (Matt Rife) by sneaking him into the iconic Miami hip-hop festival. Parents, don’t try this one at home!

Released: Oct. 2, 2026

Verity Josh Hartnett as Jeremy and Dakota Johnson as Lowen filming “Verity”

Photo by MEGA on Getty Images

The latest Colleen Hoover screen adaptation stars Anne Hathaway as the titular Verity Crawford, Josh Hartnett as her husband Jeremy Crawford and Dakota Johnson as struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh. The film and the story on which its based are both erotic thrillers, and the Verity trailer alone shows Hathaway is having so much fun that you’re bound to enjoy this, too.

Released: Oct. 2, 2026

Love of Your Life Margaret Qualley as Maya in “Love of Your Life”

Amazon MGM Studios

Margaret Qualley navigates love and loss in Love of Your Life. We wouldn’t blame you for deciding that Aaron Pierre is the love of your life once you watch this romantic drama.

Released: Oct. 7, 2026

Related: The 50 Best Movie Posters of All Time

Animals

Ben Affleck directs and stars in the thriller Animals alongside Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, Gillian Anderson and Ray Fisher—who we’re genuinely so, so happy to see back onscreen following the mess Joss Whedon made of Justice League. Big ups to Affleck for assembling this cast.

Released: Oct. 9, 2026

The Beast Samuel L. Jackson as President of the United States in “The Beast”

Aura Entertainment

Samuel L. Jackson playing the president of the United States in an action movie directed by the guy who gave us Die Hard 2? With a ton of his classic MF bombs? Yes. We. Are. Seated.

Released: Oct. 9, 2026

California Schemin’ James McAvoy as Anthony Reid, Seamus McLean Ross as Gavin Bain and Samuel Bottomley as Billy Boyd in “California Schemin'”

Patriot Films

James McAvoy makes his directorial debut with California Schemin’, which tells the true story of the Scottish rap duo Silibil N’ Brains (Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd), who—you guessed it!—posed as being from and repping the West Coast in an effort to make it big in hip-hop.

Released: Oct. 9, 2026

Fjord Sebastian Stan as Mihai Gheorghiu in “Fjord”

Mobra Films

Sebastian Stan shaved his beautiful Winter Soldier bob for Fjord, a family drama based on true events in Norway.

Released: Oct. 9, 2026

Matchbox: The Movie Arturo Castro, Jessica Biel as Aimee, John Cena as Sean, Teyonah Parris and Sam Richardson as Crosby in “Matchbox: The Movie”

Apple

John Cena stars as a rogue CIA agent alongside Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris, Jessica Biel and Arturo Castro in Matchbox: The Movie. We expect that they’ll explain in the movie why the cars are big enough to house a former pro wrestler.

Released: Oct. 9, 2026

Misty Green Rosalind Eleazar as Misty Green in “Misty Green”

A24

Chris Rock directs Misty Green, a dramedy that sees an actress whose star is fading (Rosalind Eleazar) make amends with figures from her past as she attempts a career comeback. Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya and nominees Anna Kendrick and Adam Driver are among Eleazar’s co-stars in the A24 film.

Released: Oct. 9, 2026

Other Mommy Jessica Chastain as Ursula/Other Mommy in “Other Mommy”

Universal Pictures

Jessica Chastain stars in (and as) Other Mommy, which looks creepy and campy as hell.

Released: Oct. 9, 2026

The Social Reckoning Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg in “The Social Reckoning”

Sony Pictures

Succession star Jeremy Strong is damn near perfect as the soulless, human adjacent Mark Zuckerberg in David Fincher‘s The Social Network sequel The Social Reckoning. The film, which follows the impacts of Facebook’s (now Meta’s) data collection, sale and proliferation of misinformation, co-stars Emmy and Golden Globe winner Jeremy Allen White as Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz and Oscar winner Mikey Madison as a whistleblower.

Released: Oct. 9, 2026

Tenzing Tom Hiddleston as Sir Edmund Hillary and Genden Phutsok as Tenzing Norgay in “Tenzing”

Apple

Genden Phutsok stars as the titular Tenzing Norgay in Tenzing, which follows his quest to become one of the first people to ever ascend Mount Everest. Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe and Caitriona Balfe co-star.

Released: Oct. 9, 2026

Waking up in the middle of the night with the sudden urge to pee can completely disrupt your sleep cycle, leaving you tossing, turning and feeling utterly exhausted by the time your alarm rings the next morning.

It’s an annoying routine that far too many people tolerate as a normal part of aging or daily life. However, while rolling out of bed once during the night to relieve yourself isn’t typically cause for concern, having to trek down the hallway two, three or more times every single evening is a signal that your body is reacting to something specific. When late-night bathroom runs become a consistent, pattern-disrupting reality, medical professionals classify the frequent nighttime awakening to urinate as nocturia.

Related: If One Flight of Stairs Leaves You Winded, Doctors Say These Clues Can Tell You Whether It’s Your Fitness—or Something Else

When you sit down with a medical professional to evaluate why your sleep is being constantly broken up, doctors typically approach the investigation by dividing potential causes into distinct categories.

On one hand, there are structural urologic issues—such as an enlarged prostate, pelvic floor weakness or overactive bladder conditions—that physically affect the urinary system. On the other hand, there are numerous non-urologic lifestyle factors, medical conditions, and daily dietary habits that silently trigger your kidneys and bladder to act up long after you’ve turned off the lights.

While many people immediately blame their evening water glass or late-night tea habits for these awakenings, the true culprit behind your restless nights might actually be sitting directly on your dinner plate.

🩺SIGN UP for Parade’s health newsletter with expert-approved tips, healthy eats, exercises, news & more to help you stay healthy & feel your best self💊

Understanding What Drives Nighttime Bathroom Trips

“Most people would consider getting up once during the night normal. But having to get up two or more times [to urinate] may be considered excessive,” Dr. Christopher Chermansky, MD, a urologist with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, previously told Parade.

Related: A Cardiologist With ‘Perfect Cholesterol Numbers’ Eats This Trendy Breakfast

When the underlying cause isn’t linked to a structural urologic condition, daily routines and diet choices are frequently to blame. Non-urologic nocturia stems from factors outside the urinary tract itself. For example, Dr. Maheetha Bharadwaj, MD, an urology resident at the University of Washington Medicine and MD candidate at Harvard Medical School, previously told Parade that non-urologic causes include conditions like diabetes or simply consuming excessive liquids right before bed.

However, your liquid intake isn’t the only dietary habit that can wake you up at 2 a.m.

The Surprising Meal Choice Irritating Your Bladder

If you’re waking up frequently despite cutting back on late-night beverages, your dinner menu might be the culprit. Dr. Bharadwaj said one common non-urologic cause of nighttime peeing is spicy food, which can irritate the bladder.

Spicy ingredients can inflame or irritate your bladder lining, triggering feelings of urgency even when your bladder isn’t full, she explained. When eaten close to bedtime, these spicy choices can lead to repeated disruptions throughout your rest.

Related: I’m an Anesthesiologist—This Is What I Wish People Would Stop Doing Before Surgery

How to Keep Your Bladder Calm Before Bed

Because pinpointing the exact root of nighttime urination can be tricky, medical experts suggest starting with simple, non-invasive lifestyle adjustments.

To help prevent frequent midnight trips to the bathroom, Dr. Bharadwaj recommended “nixing spicy foods since they can irritate the bladder,” while also limiting fluid intake in the three hours leading up to bedtime—particularly alcohol. She also advises making a point to use the bathroom right before heading to sleep.

If you’ve cut out late-night spicy meals and restricted evening fluids but still find yourself waking up constantly, both Dr. Chermansky and Dr. Bharadwaj recommended scheduling an appointment with a urologist to rule out underlying medical conditions and help you get a restful night’s sleep.

Adapted from Parade’s Is It Normal To Wake Up to Pee in the Middle of the Night? by Emily Laurence Sardinha.

Up Next:

Sources

• Dr. Christopher Chermansky, MD, urologist with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
• Dr. Maheetha Bharadwaj, MD, urology resident at the University of Washington Medicine and an MD candidate at Harvard Medical School

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This summer, everyone leaned into Italian coastal, Sardinian-inspired energy — think al fresco dinners on terracotta planter-adorned patios, ceramic bowls of lemons scattered down the picnic table, and chilled spritzes served in stunning glassware. The vibe is less about matching sets and more about layered textures, sun-washed colors, and small, whimsical details like the humble sardine.

If you’re looking to bring that warm, coastal aesthetic to your home this winter, the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 3-Compartment Bamboo Melamine Sardine Serve Tray is a fabulous choice. At just $7, it is an easy add for serving olives, fruit, bread, or small bites, instantly upgrading the simplest of spreads. Whether you’re hosting friends, setting out apps for a backyard dinner, or just upgrading a weeknight wine-and-cheese moment, it’ll add plenty of charm.

Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 3-Compartment Bamboo Melamine Sardine Serve Tray, $7 at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at Walmart

This serving tray turns an entertaining staple into something a little more fun and unexpected. Made from durable bamboo melamine, it’s shaped to look like three fishes swimming side-by-side, making it a natural fit for coastal-inspired tablescapes. The elongated design is divided into three compartments, keeping everything neatly organized whether you’re serving chips and salsa, olives, nuts, fruit, candies, or charcuterie. A glossy, ceramic-like finish gives it a more elevated look, while the molded scale and face detailing inside the fish silhouette add texture and personality.

Lightweight and easy to carry, it moves seamlessly from kitchen to patio, making it just as useful for indoor entertaining as it is for outdoor gatherings. The BPA-free bamboo melamine construction is designed for durability, so it can handle everyday use without worry, as it is resistant to cracking or shattering if accidentally dropped. Dishwasher-safe construction also makes cleanup simple once guests head home, which is a plus for frequent hosts. 

Shoppers gushed over this “adorable” and “charming” find, calling it a “cute serving tray for summer.” One shopper said that “the three compartments are perfect for dips or snacks, and the sleek design adds a beautiful touch to any table setting.”

Many also praised the “high-quality” design, with another shopper sharing that “the bamboo melamine material feels sturdy and durable while still being lightweight.”

Related: Martha Stewart’s Sage Green Floral Quilt Set Is a Fresh Take on French Countryside Style

The Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 3-Compartment Bamboo Melamine Sardine Serve Tray is the catch of the summer table — and it’s just $7. Hook this hosting essential at Walmart before it swims away!

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If you’ve seen “ICL” in a text, TikTok comment or social media caption, you may have stopped and wondered what those three letters are supposed to mean. The abbreviation can appear at the beginning or end of a sentence, often when someone is sharing an opinion, reaction or admission.

Like many newer forms of internet slang, ICL is easy to miss if you’re not familiar with the shorthand. It can also look like a string of random letters when it appears without any context.

So, what does “ICL” mean, and why are people using it in online conversations? The answer has to do with honesty.

Related: ‘NTM’ Meaning in Slang: What It Really Stands for and How To Use It

What does ICL mean in texting?

mixetto / Getty Images

ICL means “I can’t lie.” In texting and on social media, it’s used to introduce or emphasize an honest opinion, admission or reaction. It is similar to other expressions such as “to be honest” or “not gonna lie,” but ICL has become its own piece of internet shorthand.

Neither Dictionary.com nor Merriam-Webster has a dedicated entry for ICL, but both dictionaries recognize the closely related slang abbreviation NGL, meaning “not gonna lie.” Dictionary.com defines NGL as an abbreviation “used especially in internet communications when making an admission or confession.”

That same sense of honesty carries over to ICL, which is often used to introduce a candid opinion or admission. For example:

“ICL, that movie was actually really good.”

The person is signaling that they’re giving their genuine opinion, perhaps despite having expected to dislike the movie.

ICL can also come at the end of a sentence:

“That was a pretty good concert, ICL.”

The placement changes the rhythm slightly, but the basic idea remains the same: The speaker is emphasizing that they’re being honest.

Related: Wait, What Does ‘FAFO’ Mean?

How do you use ICL?

ICL is generally used in casual conversations, particularly in texts, comments, direct messages and social media posts. It can introduce an opinion that might be surprising, blunt or simply worth emphasizing.

For example:

“ICL, I don’t think I like this restaurant.”

Or:

“That new song is actually good ICL.”

It can also be used for straightforward admissions:

“ICL, I was nervous before the interview.”

In each case, ICL tells the reader that the statement is meant sincerely.

What does ICL mean on TikTok?

MoMo Productions / Getty Images

On TikTok and other social platforms, ICL again means “I can’t lie.” It is commonly used as a quick way to introduce an honest reaction. It can appear in captions, comments or replies to another person’s post.

For example:

“ICL this might be my favorite trend right now.”

Or:

“ICL, I wasn’t expecting that ending.”

The abbreviation became part of a broader wave of short internet expressions used to convey honesty and emphasis. It is often seen alongside slang such as NGL, which stands for “not gonna lie.”

Related: What Does ‘6-7’ Mean? Find Out How This TikTok Slang Term Is Actually Used

What is ICL in Gen Z?

ICL means “I can’t lie.” It is frequently used by Gen Z to convey honesty and sincerity when offering an opinion or admitting to something.

Is ICL the same as NGL?

ICL and NGL are closely related, but they aren’t exact abbreviations of the same phrase. ICL means “I can’t lie,” while NGL means “not gonna lie.” Both can introduce an honest opinion or admission.

For example:

“ICL, I really liked that movie.”

And:

“NGL, I really liked that movie.”

Both sentences communicate that the speaker is being candid. The difference is mainly in the wording of the phrase being abbreviated.

Is ICL a bad word?

No. ICL is not profanity. It is informal internet shorthand for “I can’t lie.”

That said, it is best suited to casual communication. A text to a friend, social media comment or group chat is a natural place to use ICL, while a formal email or professional document would generally call for the full phrase or a more conventional expression.

Related: Huh? Here’s Exactly What ‘TFW’ Means on Social Media

What are some examples of ICL?

Because ICL is used to introduce honest reactions, it can fit into many everyday conversations.

• Sharing an opinion: “ICL, this is my favorite restaurant in town.”
• Admitting something: “ICL, I was pretty nervous about going.”
• Giving a blunt reaction: “ICL, I don’t think that outfit works.”
• Agreeing with someone: “ICL, you’re right about that.”
• Talking about entertainment: “ICL, I liked the second season better.”

In each example, the abbreviation signals that the speaker is being candid about whatever follows.

Can ICL mean something else?

In texting and social media slang, “I can’t lie” is the primary meaning of ICL. Context can occasionally produce other interpretations, however, particularly outside internet slang.

For example, ICL can refer to organizations, medical terminology and other subjects unrelated to texting. When it appears in a casual message or social media post, though, “I can’t lie” is generally the intended meaning.

As with other abbreviations, the surrounding conversation is the best clue when the meaning isn’t immediately clear.

When did ICL become a thing?

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when ICL entered internet slang, but the abbreviation has been around for several years. Wiktionary documents an example from December 2019 on Twitter using “icl” as shorthand for “I can’t lie,” showing that the abbreviation was already in use online by then.

ICL became more visible on TikTok and other social platforms in the 2020s. By 2024 and 2025, it was appearing frequently in discussions of viral internet slang.

Google Trends shows a rise in popularity for the search term “ICL meaning” in 2022, with the query peaking in early 2025. That might indicate when ICL was becoming more widespread as a slang term.

There isn’t enough evidence to say exactly when or where ICL originated. The documented 2019 example does establish that its use predates its more recent visibility on TikTok.

What does ICL stand for?

As internet slang, ICL stands for “I can’t lie.”

Related: 55 Gen Alpha Slang Words You Need To Know To Keep from Being ‘Beta’

This article was drafted with the assistance of AI and thoroughly reviewed, edited and fact-checked by Parade editors. See our complete AI Policy.

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Three trips can mean three sets of flights, three hotel bookings and three chances for delays, baggage problems or medical emergencies. It can also mean shopping for travel insurance on three different occasions.

For frequent travelers, an annual travel insurance policy offers another option: purchase a single plan that covers multiple trips over a 12-month period, rather than starting over before each vacation. It might even save you some money.

TravelInsurance.com says annual, or multi-trip, plans may be more economical for people who travel frequently, while those taking only one or two trips will often find single-trip insurance more affordable.

So, does planning three or more trips make annual insurance worth considering? It can—but the answer depends on what those trips look like.

Planning multiple getaways in the next 12 months? Compare annual policy quotes on TravelInsurance.com to see how much time and money you could save on your upcoming trips.

Is Annual Travel Insurance Worth It for Three or More Trips?

Taking three or more trips is a reasonable point to start comparing annual coverage, but it is not a guaranteed break-even point.

TravelInsurance.com notes that frequent travelers can potentially save both time and money with a multi-trip policy and says annual coverage can even make financial sense for some people taking two trips.

The calculation is straightforward. Estimate what individual policies would cost for the trips you realistically expect to take during the next 12 months. Then compare that combined amount with an annual quote offering the benefits you need.

Your Travel Pattern

Coverage Worth Comparing

One major vacation

Single-trip policy

Two trips

Compare both options

Three or more trips

Annual coverage becomes increasingly worth examining

Frequent last-minute travel

Annual coverage may offer added convenience

One especially expensive trip

Single-trip coverage may still be preferable

Price isn’t the only consideration. An annual plan that costs less but provides weaker protection for your most expensive trip may not actually be the better value.

How Much Does Annual Travel Insurance Cost?

There is no fixed price for annual coverage.

TravelInsurance.com says a multi-trip policy can cost a couple hundred dollars per traveler, with rates varying based on factors such as age, residence, destinations and the amount of coverage selected.

Annual plans usually cost more upfront than insuring one trip because you’re buying protection for multiple journeys during the year. The potential savings appear later. If you would otherwise purchase three, four or five individual policies, the combined premiums could eventually exceed the cost of one annual plan.

What Does Annual Travel Insurance Cover?

Annual policies can include several benefits that frequent travelers may use throughout the year. Depending on the plan, TravelInsurance.com says coverage can include benefits for emergency medical care, medical evacuation, trip interruption, travel delays, baggage and accidental death and dismemberment.

The exact benefits and dollar limits vary by plan. That makes annual travel insurance particularly attractive to travelers who are less concerned about protecting the full price of every trip and more interested in having ongoing medical, evacuation, baggage and delay protection whenever they leave home.

Related: When Should You Buy Travel Insurance? Timing Matters More Than You Think

How Long Can Each Trip Be With Annual Travel Insurance?

Annual does not necessarily mean unlimited travel. Multi-trip policies commonly impose a maximum length on each individual trip.

TravelInsurance.com says available policies may allow maximum trip durations such as 30, 45 or 60 days, depending on the plan selected. Some policies may also require travelers to return home before beginning another covered trip.

That distinction matters for retirees, remote workers or anyone planning an extended stay abroad. A traveler taking six week-long vacations could fit comfortably within an annual policy’s rules, while someone planning a four-month overseas trip may need a different type of coverage.

TravelInsurance.com makes it possible to compare annual-plan pricing with the types of benefits you would otherwise purchase separately for individual trips.

Does Annual Travel Insurance Cover Trip Cancellation?

Sometimes, but this is one of the biggest limitations to check.

Many annual travel insurance plans do not include traditional trip cancellation coverage. Those that do may provide a fixed cancellation maximum instead of insuring the full prepaid, nonrefundable cost of every trip.

TravelInsurance.com specifically identifies trip cancellation as a benefit that may be excluded or limited under annual plans. That can make a major difference if one of your trips is substantially more expensive than the others.

Someone taking three $1,000 domestic trips has a different cancellation exposure than someone taking two short getaways plus a $15,000 cruise. For expensive prepaid travel, compare the annual policy’s cancellation maximum against what a dedicated single-trip policy would protect.

Do Annual Travel Insurance Benefits Reset After Each Trip?

Not always. This is one of the easiest annual-plan details to overlook.

TravelInsurance.com warns that certain maximum benefits may apply across the entire policy year rather than resetting after each journey. If a claim uses a large portion of an annual benefit early in the year, less coverage may remain for later trips.

Before buying, check whether important limits apply:

• Per trip
• Per traveler
• Per claim
• Across the full policy year

The difference can determine how useful the plan remains after the first significant claim.

Who Gets the Most Value From Annual Travel Insurance?

Frequent leisure travelers are obvious candidates, but they aren’t the only ones. Business travelers who take short trips throughout the year can benefit from not having to purchase insurance every time they travel.

Annual coverage can also be useful for people who make spontaneous or last-minute trips. TravelInsurance.com notes that having a policy already in effect removes the need to shop for new insurance whenever an unexpected trip arises.

Travelers primarily concerned with emergency medical care, evacuation and travel disruptions may also find annual coverage more appealing than those whose biggest concern is protecting a large prepaid vacation.

Related: Cheap Travel Insurance vs. Comprehensive Coverage: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

When Is a Single-Trip Policy Still the Better Choice?

Annual insurance isn’t automatically better just because you travel frequently. Single-trip coverage may be preferable when one vacation is unusually expensive or requires benefits that annual plans often lack.

For example, TravelInsurance.com notes that many multi-trip plans do not offer Cancel For Any Reason coverage or rental-car protection. Single-trip policies are also generally more customizable.

A frequent traveler could therefore use an annual policy for most journeys while separately evaluating whether an unusually costly or specialized trip needs different protection.

So, Is Annual Travel Insurance Worth It?

If you’re taking three or more trips this year, annual travel insurance is at least worth pricing. The potential savings grow when you would otherwise buy multiple individual policies, and having year-round coverage can remove one task from every future travel checklist.

But compare benefits, not just premiums.

Check the maximum length allowed for each trip, whether cancellation coverage is included, whether benefit limits reset and what optional protections are unavailable.

Unsure whether multi-trip coverage is right for your upcoming travel schedule? Head to TravelInsurance.com to compare annual plans against single-trip policies and find the best fit for your budget.

Some or all of this content may have been generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, AI can occasionally produce incorrect information. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Custard and pudding have a lot in common. Both can be creamy, sweet and flavored with vanilla, chocolate or other familiar dessert ingredients. Served in a bowl with a dollop of whipped cream, they might even look almost identical. So what separates the two?

The biggest difference comes down to how each dessert thickens. Traditional custard relies on eggs to create its texture, while American-style pudding typically uses starch, such as cornstarch, as its primary thickener. That distinction affects how the desserts are cooked, how they feel on the spoon and how they behave in different recipes.

There’s also a little confusion surrounding the word “pudding,” particularly outside the United States. Understanding the difference between the two desserts starts with what’s in the bowl—and how the ingredients get there.

What Is Custard? Vanilla Custard With Cinnamon

Cris Cantón / Getty Images

Custard is a mixture typically made with milk or cream, eggs and sugar. As the mixture heats, proteins in the eggs coagulate and form a structure that thickens the liquid. The result can range from a pourable sauce to a firm, sliceable dessert, depending on the recipe and cooking method.

Some familiar examples include crème brûlée, flan and baked egg custard. Pastry cream, which is used to fill éclairs and cream puffs, is another close relative. It combines eggs with starch to create a thicker, more stable filling.

Custard can be prepared on the stovetop or baked in the oven. Stirred custards, such as crème anglaise, are cooked gently while being stirred until they thicken. Baked custards, meanwhile, are often cooked in individual ramekins or a larger dish, sometimes set in a water bath to encourage even cooking.

Because eggs do the thickening in a traditional custard, temperature control is essential. Too much heat can cause the proteins to tighten excessively, leaving the mixture grainy or curdled rather than smooth.

Related: Meet Pastel de Nata, the Beloved Portuguese Custard Tart

What Is Pudding? Chocolate Pudding

Cris Cantón / Getty Images

In the United States, pudding usually refers to a sweet, creamy dessert made with milk, sugar, flavorings and a starch-based thickener, most commonly cornstarch. Chocolate pudding and vanilla pudding are classic examples.

Unlike traditional custard, American-style pudding typically thickens as starch granules absorb liquid, swell and form a thicker mixture when heated. Many cooked pudding recipes call for bringing the mixture to a boil briefly to activate the starch fully.

The result is generally smooth, glossy and spoonable, with a consistency that holds its shape but remains soft. Pudding is often cooked on the stovetop, poured into serving dishes and chilled before eating.

Eggs aren’t necessarily absent from pudding recipes, but they aren’t required to provide the primary thickening action. Some recipes use eggs alongside starch for extra richness and structure.

Pudding also comes in instant varieties. These rely on modified starches and other ingredients that thicken when mixed with cold milk, so they don’t require the same cooking process as traditional stovetop pudding.

Related: 20 Christmas Pudding Recipes That Go Way Beyond Figgy

Custard vs. Pudding: What’s the Difference?

The main distinction is the thickening agent, but that difference influences several other characteristics.

Feature

Custard

American-Style Pudding

Primary thickener

Eggs

Starch, usually cornstarch

Typical ingredients

Milk or cream, eggs, sugar

Milk, sugar, starch and flavorings

Cooking method

Baked or gently cooked on the stovetop

Usually cooked on the stovetop

Texture

Silky, delicate or firmly set

Smooth, creamy and spoonable

Common examples

Crème brûlée, flan, egg custard

Chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding

These distinctions aren’t absolute. Some custards contain starch, and some puddings contain eggs. The most reliable way to distinguish the two is to look at which ingredient primarily thickens the mixture.

Does Custard Taste Different From Pudding?

Yes, although the flavor depends on the ingredients and recipe.

Custard often has a richer, more pronounced egg flavor, especially when made with egg yolks and cream. Its texture can feel particularly silky, and baked versions develop a firmer consistency as they set.

Pudding tends to emphasize its added flavorings, such as chocolate, vanilla or butterscotch. Starch provides thickness without necessarily contributing the same egg-rich character, making pudding a versatile base for a wide range of flavors.

Neither dessert is inherently sweeter than the other. That depends on the amount of sugar used. Similarly, a custard made with whole milk may taste lighter than a pudding made with heavy cream, so the recipes matter as much as the category.

Can You Substitute Custard for Pudding?

Sometimes, but the results won’t always be the same.

If you’re making a simple dessert to serve in individual cups, you may be able to use either as the base, depending on the desired flavor and texture. A custard will generally bring more egg richness, while a starch-thickened pudding will offer a different consistency.

Substitutions become trickier in recipes that depend on a specific structure. A custard intended to set firmly in a tart or pie won’t necessarily behave like a spoonable pudding. Likewise, replacing a pudding filling with a delicate custard may change how well it holds its shape.

Pastry cream is a useful example of how the two approaches overlap. Because it combines egg proteins and starch, it offers richness along with a sturdy consistency suitable for filling pastries. The distinction between custard and pudding, therefore, isn’t always a strict either-or choice.

Why Does ‘Pudding’ Mean Something Different in Britain? Traditional British Figgy Pudding

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In the United States, pudding generally means a creamy dessert served by the spoonful. In British English, however, the word has a much broader meaning.

“Pudding” can refer to dessert in general, regardless of its ingredients or preparation. It can also describe specific dishes, including steamed sponge puddings and traditional baked desserts. British menus may use the word for sweets that Americans wouldn’t typically call pudding.

Custard, meanwhile, commonly refers in Britain to a creamy sauce served warm or cold alongside desserts such as fruit crumble or sponge cake. That sauce is often poured over a separate dessert rather than served as a standalone pudding.

This difference in terminology explains why recipes from different countries sometimes seem to contradict one another. The American distinction generally focuses on the thickening method, while British usage also reflects a broader tradition of naming desserts.

When you’re following a recipe, pay attention to the ingredients and instructions rather than relying on the name alone. They offer the clearest indication of the texture you’re meant to achieve.

What Is Bread Pudding?

Bread pudding is different from both traditional custard and American-style pudding. It’s made by soaking pieces of bread in a mixture of milk or cream, eggs, sugar and flavorings, then baking until the bread absorbs the liquid and the dessert sets. The eggs help bind the ingredients, while the bread gives the dish its distinctive soft, hearty texture.

Although bread pudding contains a custard-like mixture, it’s considered a separate dessert rather than a type of smooth custard or pudding. Recipes often include cinnamon, vanilla, raisins or chocolate, and the finished dish may be served warm with a sauce or whipped cream. It’s also a practical way to use up stale bread.

Related: 18 Comforting Bread Pudding Recipes

Which Dessert Should You Choose?

Choose custard when you want a dessert with egg-rich flavor and a silky texture, whether you’re making crème brûlée, flan or a baked custard. Choose American-style pudding when you’re after a creamy, spoonable dessert such as chocolate or vanilla pudding.

Both have a place in the dessert repertoire, and their similarities make the confusion understandable. But once you know what thickens each one, the distinction becomes much easier to spot.

The simplest rule: custard gets its characteristic structure from eggs, while American-style pudding usually gets its thickness from starch. Everything else—from texture to cooking technique—follows from that starting point.

Related: Bake ‘Extra Joy’ Into Fall Desserts With Drew Barrymore’s $10 Stoneware Pie Plate

This article was drafted with the assistance of AI and thoroughly reviewed, edited and fact-checked by Parade editors. See our complete AI Policy.

Meghan Markle is putting a meaningful message behind her latest collaboration, teaming up with a nonprofit to support mothers and families in need.

The Duchess of Sussex, 45, partnered with Moms Offering More and Archewell Philanthropies to create a limited-edition cream-colored crewneck sweatshirt embroidered with the words “It’s the Little Things.” The $100 sweatshirt launched October 11 in honor of International Day of the Girl, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Moms Offering More and the Alliance for Children’s Rights in Los Angeles.

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According to PEOPLE, Meghan was personally involved in the design process, including helping select the sweatshirt’s neutral color palette.

“Meghan was involved from the start and helped us select the beautiful neutral colors which feel true to her aesthetic,” Moms Offering More founder Kasondra Herrendorf Cohen told the publication.

The sweatshirt’s message has a personal meaning for Herrendorf Cohen, who founded the organization to help mothers and families facing challenges.

In May 2014, she took a walk through Vancouver’s Stanley Park with her father, Hershel Herrendorf. As they watched a man feeding ducks, he shared a piece of advice that would stay with her long after his sudden death the following day.

“It’s the little things in life that bring people happiness. You never truly know somebody’s story,” he told her.

More than a decade later, those words have become the inspiration behind the sweatshirt and the organization’s mission to help families through small but meaningful acts of support.

Moms Offering More provides assistance to mothers and historically underserved families across the United States and Canada, including direct grants, grocery and clothing gift cards, food, transportation assistance and other essentials.

The collaboration also supports the Alliance for Children’s Rights, a Los Angeles nonprofit that helps children and young parents affected by the foster care system build safe, stable families. Through its Healthy Teen Families program, the organization provides resources such as prenatal care, parenting education, childcare, baby essentials, housing and employment support.

In a statement about the partnership, Meghan said the organizations share a common goal of helping create a safe and loving future for children.

“We share one intention as parents,” Meghan told PEOPLE, “a safe and loving future for our children — that’s why at Archewell Philanthropies, we partnered with Moms Offering More on this meaningful campaign, in support of the Alliance of Moms. We can all appreciate that ‘the little things’ ladder up to big outcomes, especially when it comes to the future of our children, and we are proud to work together on this initiative as we honor International Day of the Girl.”

The limited-edition “It’s the Little Things” sweatshirt is available for $100 at Moms Offering More’s website, with all proceeds supporting the two organizations and their work with mothers, children, and families.

For some travelers, a vacation is all about relaxing by the pool or exploring a new city. For others, the perfect getaway now includes running 26.2 miles before kicking back and enjoying the destination.

Known as a “racecation,” the growing travel trend combines a destination race or fitness competition with a vacation, giving runners a chance to explore somewhere new while training for a big event. With marathoners in mind, Marriott Bonvoy and Luxury Group by Marriott International are finding creative ways to make the experience more enjoyable, with offerings designed to help guests prepare for race day, recover afterward, and make the most of their time away.

From pasta dinners and race-course views to recovery massages and hydrotherapy, the offerings give runners and their travel companions more reasons to turn race weekend into a longer getaway.

Here’s where travelers can find racecation experiences in 2026 and 2027.

New York City Marathon: New York, New York

November 1, 2026

At The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, runners can book 75-minute pre-race massages or 90-minute post-race recovery treatments through a partnership with Natura Bissé. Meanwhile, JW Marriott Essex House New York offers rooms overlooking the marathon’s Central Park South finish line, pasta specials the night before the race, and a complimentary drink for runners who show their medal on race day or Medal Monday.

Miami Marathon and HYROX Miami Beach: Miami, Florida

January 31 and March 26-28, 2027

The Miami Beach EDITION offers mapped running routes, Saturday morning group beach runs, and access to a 24-hour fitness center. After the competition, guests can book spa treatments, including a CBD Healing Waves massage designed to ease muscle tension.

Houston Marathon: Houston, Texas

January 17, 2027

Marriott Marquis Houston is offering race-weekend perks for the Chevron Houston Marathon, including early check-in, late checkout, a pre-race pasta buffet, and grab-and-go breakfast options. After the race, runners can book recovery massages at Pure Spa Houston or relax on the pool deck, which features a Texas-shaped lazy river.

Boston Marathon: Boston, Massachusetts

April 19, 2027

Boston Marriott Copley Place is located one block from the marathon’s Boylston Street finish line and connected to the Hynes Convention Center, home of the race expo. The hotel offers a Back Bay Stay with Breakfast package, while an indoor pool, and spacious guest rooms give runners a place to unwind after the race.

Big Sur International Marathon: Monterey, California

April 25, 2027

The waterfront Monterey Marriott, an official host hotel for the Big Sur International Marathon, offers an on-site pasta dinner, complimentary coffee, water and bananas, and convenient shuttle pickup for the early-morning race start. Guests can also relax in the pool and jacuzzi after the race, while a partnership with nearby running store Fleet Feet helps with last-minute supplies.

Vancouver Marathon: Vancouver, British Columbia

May 2, 2027

JW Marriott Parq Vancouver offers post-race recovery at Spa by JW, where runners can book TheraBody Jet Boots compression treatments or massages designed to help tired muscles. The rooftop Aqua Lounge terrace, complete with a hydrotherapy tub, provides another place to unwind after the BMO Vancouver Marathon.