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https://nerdist.com/article/glass-onion-twist-explained-knives-out-rian-johnson-murder-mystery/
Rian Johnson, et al, like to call his Benoit Blanc movies whodunnits, and they are, but not the way you’d assume. Knives Out starts as a whodunnit, morphs into a paranoid thriller where we’re rooting for the supposed murderer, only for it to morph back into a whodunnit by the end. Johnson’s follow-up, Glass Onion, on Netflix now, does a similar switcheroo. We think we’re watching one thing, with one victim and an unknown murderer, only to find out it’s something very different. But the biggest twist of Glass Onion is that there really wasn’t a twist at all.
Major spoilers from here on out, folks.
The setup of Glass Onion finds gentleman sleuth Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) joining a murder mystery trip to billionaire tech mogul Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) lavish (ridiculously so) private island. The mystery starts right away. Why has Blanc been invited? Why would Bron’s jilted former partner Andi (Janelle Monae) show her face? And who could possibly be out to kill Bron for real?
The entire first act sets all the pieces into place. We learn about Andi having started the company and Bron promptly snaking his way into getting it all for himself. All of their supposed friends side with Bron, which has given them their own successes. But Andi’s presence puts everyone on edge, especially Bron who assumes she’s out to get him for real. Well, that’s sort of true. Men’s rights Twitch streamer Cody (Dave Bautista) dies suddenly and Bron believes the killer will strike him, only for Andi to end up dead.
Or so it seems. We then cut back to before the trip to learn the true-true. The woman we, and everyone, believes is Andi is actually her twin sister Helen. Andi is already dead, and Helen wants Blanc’s help in uncovering who killed her. This is a fun revelation because it lets the audience know Blanc was in on things from the start. Helen makes herself up to be Andi and arrives on the island with no one the wiser.
So then who killed Cody? And who shot Helen believing it be Andi? Occam’s razor this shit. The big twist, as Blanc tells the room, is not that it was some clever concoction by a genius, but the depraved act of a scared moron. Bron killed Andi, and Bron swapped his drink with pineapple in it with the pineapple-allergic Cody. He learned the truth and planned to expose him. Then during the hubbub, Bron shot Helen believing her to be Andi. It was all incredibly obvious, really, but we, like Blanc initially, expected something far more complex. Nope!
Like Knives Out, the resolution to Glass Onion feels a bit weird when you first see it. That’s not what you expected. But that’s exactly what Rian Johnson does best. We expect a criminal mastermind and instead get a rich doofus who thinks he’s better because he has money. The big twist is not who killed anyone, it’s how the killer will get their comeuppance. Nothing as sweet at the holiday like 1%ers facing consequences. It’s downright Dickensian.
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.
The post GLASS ONION’s Big Whodunnit Twist, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.
Rian Johnson, et al, like to call his Benoit Blanc movies whodunnits, and they are, but not the way you’d assume. Knives Out starts as a whodunnit, morphs into a paranoid thriller where we’re rooting for the supposed murderer, only for it to morph back into a whodunnit by the end. Johnson’s follow-up, Glass Onion, on Netflix now, does a similar switcheroo. We think we’re watching one thing, with one victim and an unknown murderer, only to find out it’s something very different. But the biggest twist of Glass Onion is that there really wasn’t a twist at all.
Major spoilers from here on out, folks.
The setup of Glass Onion finds gentleman sleuth Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) joining a murder mystery trip to billionaire tech mogul Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) lavish (ridiculously so) private island. The mystery starts right away. Why has Blanc been invited? Why would Bron’s jilted former partner Andi (Janelle Monae) show her face? And who could possibly be out to kill Bron for real?
The entire first act sets all the pieces into place. We learn about Andi having started the company and Bron promptly snaking his way into getting it all for himself. All of their supposed friends side with Bron, which has given them their own successes. But Andi’s presence puts everyone on edge, especially Bron who assumes she’s out to get him for real. Well, that’s sort of true. Men’s rights Twitch streamer Cody (Dave Bautista) dies suddenly and Bron believes the killer will strike him, only for Andi to end up dead.
Or so it seems. We then cut back to before the trip to learn the true-true. The woman we, and everyone, believes is Andi is actually her twin sister Helen. Andi is already dead, and Helen wants Blanc’s help in uncovering who killed her. This is a fun revelation because it lets the audience know Blanc was in on things from the start. Helen makes herself up to be Andi and arrives on the island with no one the wiser.
So then who killed Cody? And who shot Helen believing it be Andi? Occam’s razor this shit. The big twist, as Blanc tells the room, is not that it was some clever concoction by a genius, but the depraved act of a scared moron. Bron killed Andi, and Bron swapped his drink with pineapple in it with the pineapple-allergic Cody. He learned the truth and planned to expose him. Then during the hubbub, Bron shot Helen believing her to be Andi. It was all incredibly obvious, really, but we, like Blanc initially, expected something far more complex. Nope!
Like Knives Out, the resolution to Glass Onion feels a bit weird when you first see it. That’s not what you expected. But that’s exactly what Rian Johnson does best. We expect a criminal mastermind and instead get a rich doofus who thinks he’s better because he has money. The big twist is not who killed anyone, it’s how the killer will get their comeuppance. Nothing as sweet at the holiday like 1%ers facing consequences. It’s downright Dickensian.
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.
The post GLASS ONION’s Big Whodunnit Twist, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.
Buzz, buzz, buzz. What’s that sound? Oh yes, it’s the sound of the Yellowjackets hive rising from the ground. We won’t see Yellowjackets season two until 2023, a little later than we’d hoped, it sounds like progress for the next season of the hit series is going well. So well that we have our first exciting bits of Yellowjackets season two casting news. We now know who will play the adult counterparts of some of our favorite characters in the show’s next outing.
Skip to: Elijah Wood on Yellowjackets // Adult Lottie // Adult Van // Other Season Two Cast
Elijah Wood Will Play a Character Named Walter
According to EW, Elijah Wood will join the cast of Yellowjackets season two. He will play a character named Walter, “whose arc will intertwine with Misty (Christina Ricci) in significant ways.” That’s an intriguing prospect given how season one ended. They go on to say he’ll be “a dedicated Citizen Detective who will challenge Misty in ways she won’t see coming.” (As a reminder, network synopsis, “citizen detective” does not need to be capitalized.)
Adult Lottie Will Be Played By Simone Kessell
Bow down to your antler queen. Adult Lottie will be played by Simone Kessell in Yellowjackets season two. When we last saw Lottie in the past timeline, she was assuming her rightful place as the ruler of the forest, otherwise known as the Antler Queen. As things began to turn dark for our survivors, Lottie placed herself in charge, insisting there were magical powers in play in the wilderness.
We didn’t see the adult version of Lottie in the future timeline, but we saw her crew of minions kidnapping Natalie to the dulcet sounds of “Who the fuck is Lottie Matthews?” And now we know we’ll definitely see her in season two.
Simone Kessell most recently appeared on Obi-Wan Kenobi playing Breha Organa. But we can’t wait to see her take on the adult version of our bloodthirsty queen, a much different kind of role. And we can’t wait to see more of Courtney Eaton’s Lottie either. Eaton has been promoted to series regular.
Adult Van Will Be Played By Lauren Ambrose
Meanwhile, Six Feet Under and Servant‘s Lauren Ambrose will play the grown-up version of Van in Yellowjackets season two.
This is really fun news because one of the best parts about Yellowjackets is seeing how the older and the younger versions of the characters exist in the world. And Lauren Ambrose absolutely fits the bill for Yellowjackets‘ adult Van. In fact, Ambrose was a favorite to play Van’s older self here at Nerdist. She’ll make for the perfect addition to our cast of adult survivors, which includes Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis, and Tawney Cypress. Both Vans, the newly-cast Lauren Ambrose and the returning Liv Hewson, will be series regulars in Yellowjackets season two.
Van has a special place in our hearts. Her romance with Taissa was one of the absolute best parts of Yellowjackets. Toward the end of the first season of Yellowjackets, though, Van defected from team “there’s a rational explanation for all of this” to team “magic forces are at work.” And honestly, that’s the better team, but it might put a crack in the pair. When we last saw Van, she was kneeling behind her Antler Queen Lottie, some might say, like a knight.
Of course, Van’s casting as an adult is technically a spoiler that Van survived the team’s time in the wilderness. But it doesn’t tell us anything about what she’s up to. Our bet? She’s currently involved with Lottie’s cult of white-clothed henchmen who bear the sign of the Antler Queen. Maybe she’s even second in command. We honestly would root for a Lottie and Van adult romance.
Yellowjackets Season Two Casting News
We can’t wait to hear more Yellowjackets season two casting news soon. According to The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Ashley Lyle shared, “In terms of other survivors, we plant the flag that Lottie is lurking in the shadows and meeting her in the near future. Ideally, we will probably meet at least one other.” Additionally, adult Ali will also be a part of the season.
Most recently, Yellowjackets season two has revealed that Nuha Jes Izman has joined the cast of the show. Izman “will play Crystal, a member of the JV squad and a hardcore theater enthusiast, who makes the dubious decision to bond with Misty.” We really hope Crystal knows what she’s doing.
Variety also reports that Jason Ritter, Melanie Lynskey’s husband, will guest star on an episode of the show. Hopefully, Shauna doesn’t end up stabbing him.
Additionally, Kevin Alves who plays Travis Martinez on the show, will be a season two regular.
Season two of Yellowjackets premieres on March 24, 2023. Happily, the show has already been renewed for season three.
Originally published on August 11, 2022.
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It’s an early Christmas for lovers of Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza. (And we know there are many of you out there.) Because Taco Bell is officially testing two new versions of its Mexican Pizza. That’s right, new variations on the beloved dish could soon make it onto Taco Bell menus. But only if lucky taste testers sign off on these new visions of what Mexican Pizza could mean. On the table? Jalapeno Mexican Pizza and Triple Crunch Mexican Pizza. Sounds promising to us.
Food & Wine Magazine shed a bit more light on what these new Mexican Pizza titles. Here’s what they mean for our mouths. Jalapeno Mexican Pizza, a.k.a Spicy Mexican Pizza, will offer a flavor feast. The publication shares that Jalapeno Mexican Pizza will have a nacho cheese sauce topping and, you guessed it, sliced jalapenos. Meanwhile, the new Triple Crunch Mexican Pizza has not two, as is traditional, but three layers of beef-and-bean filling. Hence the triple. Nothing like some clever wordplay with Mexican Pizzas.
I know what you’re asking. How do we taste these two new versions of Mexican Pizza? That’s a great question. And for some, it has a great answer. Taco Bell stores in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, will be testing the Jalapeno Mexican Pizza with customers. Meanwhile, Taco Bells in Omaha, Nebraska, will receive the gift of Triple Crunch Mexican Pizza. Both new Mexican Pizzas will arrive in their respective locations on December 22 and remain on sale for a “limited time.”
Personally, I feel more excited about the Jalapeno Mexican Pizza. So I guess I better start changing my travel plans, stat. Oklahoma, here I come. For the rest of us, the timeline for alternate Mexican Pizza versions remains unknown. We guess we’ll have to console ourselves somehow.
Perhaps with a delicious OG Mexican Pizza and a nice side of Baja Blast.
The post Taco Bell Testing Two New Versions of Mexican Pizza appeared first on Nerdist.
The Black beauty and hair industry is experiencing an exciting renaissance. Now more than ever, Black women are stepping up and taking roles as CEOs for global beauty brands that center Black women while providing color palettes and hair products that work for women of all shades and hair types, from super z formation kinky curls to bone straight tresses. Black women are creating beauty brands that center products without harmful toxins and that focus on skin and hair health.
The holidays are the perfect time to upgrade your beauty products, and Black Girl Nerds has got your back. Here are five of our favorite makeup and hair companies owned by Black women.
Mented Cosmetics are, in a word, fantastic. My favorite item, the foundation stick, has a lovely light consistency, offers full coverage, and is vegan and cruelty-free. Mented Cosmetics’ website and app have a 60-second quiz for the foundation match that is spot on. I love the bronzer, which, when applied with a large brush, gives a lovely golden finish that makes the natural highlights of your skin just glow. The lipstick has a moisturizing quality that feels amazing and makes the lips look simply luscious. The eye shadow palettes have colors that work for everything from work to going out clubbing. This makeup line is high quality and affordable.
Mented also has lovely lovely individual blush, eyeliner, and mascara that all are light and enhance the features naturally. And best of all, Mented Cosmetics products wash off cleanly without residue. If you’re ordering online from Mentedcosmetics.com, there are free returns if you order anything that doesn’t work out.
Mented Cosmetics was founded in 2017 by K.J. Miller and Amanda Johnson. Miller and Johnson met at Harvard Business School, clicked, and decided if they ever came up with a great retail idea, they’d work on it together. Miller and Johnson talked about how the beauty industry left out Black women, which inspired them to create Mented Cosmetics to provide a makeup line with products for all skin shades and tones. I’m happy and grateful they did because Mented Cosmetics is now my favorite makeup brand.Â
Known by Black people with natural hair in the Houston area for years, Uncle Funky’s Daughter was created in 2009 by Tonya Goff.
According to an interview on NaturallyCurly.com, Uncle Funky’s Daughter was acquired in 2014 by Renee Rhoten Morris. Interesting story, she had been thinking of a career change, stopped by Uncle Funky’s Daughter’s retail store to buy some butter to twist her hair, and ended up chatting to one of the co-owners, Tonya Goff’s husband. The couple was divorcing and thinking of just closing the business, but Rhoten Morris bought the brand. She brought back the original recipes of some of the brand’s most popular products, like the Original Curly Magic Curl Stimulator, and added additional products to the line.Â
I discovered Uncle Funky’s Daughter when I ran out of hair products in Colorado. My hair was super dry, and when I went to a Walgreens in Denver, there was one travel size Ultimate Curly Girls Kit, which had travel sizes of Midnight Train leave-in conditioner, Curly Magic Curl stimulator, Thirsty Curls Leave in Curl revitalizer, Supercurl Miracle Moisture creme, and extra butter Brilliant shine creme. It was the only travel size of Black hair products in the drugstore, so I bought it. I was not disappointed. Every single product smells divine, and my parched hair just drank the conditioners and butters in and felt satisfied, leaving my hair feeling soft and supple.
You can find Uncle Funky’s Daughter on Amazon and in various drug stores nationally, but I love buying online directly from Unclefunkysdaughter.com. Prices are a little bit lower on the website; you can get special discounts and several travel-sized gift packs of various products from each line. Uncle Funky’s Daughter has products that work for all hair textures.
Black Opal cosmetics has been bought by Desiree Rogers and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack and has been rebranded BLK/OPL. Rogers and McKissack are co-owners of the iconic brand.
First, let’s talk about BLK/OPL. I love that after 25 years of non-Black ownership, Black Opal was acquired by two Black female CEOs. The rebrand is fire. Not only does BLK/OPL have a full makeup line that is cruelty-free and dermatologist-approved, and it also has a skincare line. The blemish control cleansing bar, pore-refining toners, gels, and even skin-plumping products are all available for under $15. BLK/OPL’s makeup line is affordable and has a diverse palette of colors that work for the spectrum of skin types. This line is perfect for anyone who wants quality makeup and skincare for an affordable price.
Rogers and Mayberry McKissack are brilliant co-owners with decades of combined experience in the Black beauty industry. When they bought Fashion Fair, they were compelled to bring together a team to meet the needs of consumers in the 21st century. Fashion Fair is now completely vegan and cruelty-free. Fashion Fair’s price point is slightly higher than BLK/OPL, and all of the iconic colors our mothers and grandmothers wore are back. Fashion Fair makeup has been upgraded and feels majestic, even better than the original brand, and worth the price if your budget allows it.
Nourish & Shine and Curls to Go
Nourish & Shine is the haircare line formerly known as Jane Carter Solution. This brand is worth looking for. No drying parabens and sulfate- and cruelty-free, Nourish & Shine is a natural hair and skincare line that will make your tresses look and feel amazing.
The Curls to Go line works well with tightly coiled curls. Just a tiny amount will moisturize your entire scalp. Favorite products include Restorative butter, which smells like hair heaven, and the super-rich curl cocktail styling cream. A little bit goes a long way with these products, leaving your hair feeling silky, light, and nourished.
This holiday season treat yourself to the gift of beauty while supporting these fab five Black female owned businesses.