Entertainment

Commentary: With ‘All’s Fair,’ Ryan Murphy gives us the ultimate Trump-era TV show

Published

5 months ago

November 8, 2025

Commentary: With ‘All’s Fair,’ Ryan Murphy gives us the ultimate Trump-era TV show

Sarah Paulson appears to be having a blast in Ryan Murphy’s new Hulu “legal” drama “All’s Fair,” and that’s about the only good thing about the show.

The New York Times recently ran a piece extolling its reimagining of the power suit (down to at least one visible thong) and I suppose that’s one way of avoiding the obvious. Still, I’m going to stick with Paulson’s obvious glee in playing a villain. Her Carrington Lane was left behind to fester in the comic-book sexism of a male-dominated divorce law firm when two of her colleagues stalked away to form an all-female team and Carrington is not one to surrender a grudge.

It’s impossible not to like Paulson and she is clearly enjoying the opportunity to glare and hiss and indulge in the kind of gross but creative profanity Melissa McCarthy likes to unleash when her characters hit the brink.

As for the rest … well, let’s just say with “All’s Fair,” American culture is getting exactly what it deserves: A series that wallows in the shiny, knockoff-ready trappings of new money (immaculate and soulless homes, private jets, diamonds the size of a Rubik’s Cube), defines “sisterhood” as the belief that any personal crisis can be alleviated by vaginal rejuvenation combined with a girls’ trip to a jewelry auction and gauges power by the ability to plot and take revenge. Preferably in the form of huge amounts of money.

“All’s Fair” may or may not be, as some have said, the worst show of the year (or possibly of all time), but with its celebration of the 1%, personal feuds and financial vengeance, it is certainly the first to truly embody the culture of the Trump presidency.

Down to the reality star at its center. “All’s Fair” gives top billing not to any of the fine and seasoned actors that star — Paulson, Niecy Nash, Naomi Watts, Glenn Close — but to Kim Kardashian, who plays Allura Grant, head of the law firm Grant, Ronson and Greene.

Niecy Nash, left, Glenn Close and Kim Kardashian are among the stars of Ryan Murphy’s new Hulu drama “All’s Fair.”

(Ser Baffo / Disney)

That Kardashian (and Kris Jenner, who serves as a producer) were able to summon such forces of the galaxy to showcase her, shall we say, limited thespian abilities could be justifiably viewed as yet another “you go, girl” testament to her seemingly limitless business acumen.

On the other hand, “All’s Fair” makes the dismal final season of “And Just Like That” look like Chekhov.

Murphy, and the forces at Disney, which owns Hulu, the home of “The Kardashians,” understand Kardashian’s cult-like following and are operating under the assumption that viewers will be so entranced by her and the fashions (which include an alarming amount of hats, capes and gloves) that they won’t notice that the main player is relying on her eyelash extensions to do her acting for her.

To be fair to Kardashian, few nonprofessional actors would shine beside scene partners like Close, Watts and Nash, and the writing of the series, which flirts with camp but never fully commits, does no one any favors.

Not since “Charlie’s Angels” has there been a “feminist fantasy” with such a male gaze. (Apologies to “Charlie’s Angels,” which was in many ways a groundbreaking show.)

After suffering on the sidelines of a mostly male law firm, Allura and Liberty Ronson (Watts) decide to branch out on their own. They do so with the blessing of Dina Standish (Close), that firm’s only female partner, and take with them ace investigator Emerald Greene (Nash). When we meet them again, 10 years later, Allura also has an assistant/mentee in Milan (Teyana Taylor), who later provides a predictable plot twist.

The names alone suggest a level of parody, and, in the first episode, a send-up quality flits in and out of the proceedings, but the show chooses cynicism over satire every time.

Instead of sexist jokes, the partners of Grant, Ronson and Greene spend much of their time discussing how awful men are, with the possible exception of Liberty’s beau, Reggie (“The Handmaid’s Tale’s” O-T Fagbenle), and Standish’s ailing husband, Doug (Ed O’Neill).

That is, after all, the raison d’etre of the firm: Grant, Ronson and Greene are intent on protecting rich women from the perils of the prenup and generally making the bastards pay, sometimes through their “superior” knowledge of the law (in one storyline, this involves explaining that gifts are the sole property of the recipient, which even I knew), but more often blackmail (if you have chosen to live your life without ever seeing a butt plug the size of a traffic cone, keep your eyes shut when Emerald starts her slideshow).

A brief, and seemingly contractually required, mention of the firm raising money to help the underprivileged is laughable — “All’s Fair” is 100% après-moi television, in which extreme wealth is presented as too normal to even be aspirational, and any work not done by Emerald consists of sashaying in super slick shades from one successful throwdown to the next. With brief interludes in sumptuous cars and, as previously mentioned, overbidding on hideous brooches at a high-end jewelry auction (held by a firm client, which honestly seems potentially unethical, but whatevs).

If the dialogue were sharp, funny or even self-aware, Murphy and his team might get away with it, but it’s not — “It’s a shame your mother didn’t swallow,” Dina tells Carrington in what passes as proof that women can be as tough as men. Or that older women can talk trash. Or that Close will do her best to give a decent reading of any line. Or something.

There are brief nods to the women’s personal lives — as a divorce lawyer, Liberty is reluctant to marry Reggie, Dina is struggling with Doug’s decline, Emerald is a super-single mom — but it all feels very box-ticky. Including Allura’s disintegrating marriage, which becomes a major plot point as the gals gather round to make that bastard pay as well, and her realization that if she wants to become a mother, she’s running out of time.

Matthew Noszka tries to hold back Sarah Paulson, who lunges at Niecy Nash and Kim Kardashian from across a conference table.

In many ways, “All’s Fair” is an American version of the excellent British series “The Split,” which follows a matriarchal family of female divorce lawyers. Early on, one of the daughters (played by Nicola Walker) leaves the family firm and, in her own way, attempts to right the wrongs often done to women facing divorce from rich and powerful men while dealing with her own marital breakdown and a family with actual children.

But “American version” doesn’t really cut it. This is Trump’s-America version, in which ethics, morals and virtually all human feeling are secondary to winning, and winning is defined by who ends up making their opponent pay.

Between Kardashian’s conspicuous nonacting and dialogue that often seems lifted from the all-caps regions of X, “All’s Fair” has, not surprisingly, received a critical drubbing. Which seems almost intentional.

Critics, after all, have long been routinely, and often viciously, disparaged (after the reviews were in, Close felt moved to post a sketch of the cast gathered around a “Fatal Attraction”-like “critic bunny stew”). More important, reviews, bad or good, do not (nor should they) predict audience reaction (see early theater reviews of “Wicked”). As Trump has proved again and again, bad press is still press and the worse it is, the more easily it can be cast as proof that the cultural elites (i.e. critics) are out to get … somebody.

So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that, despite a 5% score on Rotten Tomatoes, “All’s Fair” was Hulu’s most successful scripted series premiere in three years.

Reading the zeitgeist, the creators of “All’s Fair” were clearly not looking for raves or awards, just viewers. In this American moment, bad is good and shrewd operators know that if you throw in enough high-profile ingredients — Kardashian, Murphy, a bevy of fine actors — you needn’t take the trouble to ensure the mix will rise to the occasion.

As the president builds a ballroom while food banks are overrun, why wouldn’t TV audiences want to feast on fallen cake?

Movie Reviews

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie First Reviews: Flashy, Fun, and Made For Fans

Published

7 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Press Room

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie First Reviews: Flashy, Fun, and Made For Fans

Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Bowser, and more Nintendo favorites are back in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which opens in theaters this week. The first reviews of the animated video game adaptation are now online and mixed. Some say it’s even better than the previous feature, 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, while others say it’s so much worse. Of course, either way, the fans will still eat it up, and it’s made specifically for them.

Here’s what critics are saying about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie:

Does it live up to expectations?

If the first film got you on the train, just know this sequel isn’t losing any passengers anytime soon; it’s simply picking up speed.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

I was surprised, like anyone, to enjoy The Super Mario Galaxy Movie…The sequel levels up.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

It never stops feeling like the product of someone mashing lifeless action figures together.
— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire

It’s more a loud, overstuffed reel of loosely connected comedy and action beats presented in mind-boggling onslaughts of color and detail.
— Eli Friedberg, Slant Magazine

How does it compare to the first movie?

It’s a far superior sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

The operative word for this sequel to 2023’s smash hit The Super Mario Bros. Movie is “more,” as in more action, more characters, more Easter eggs, more everything.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie offers a similar mind-numbing experience.
— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire

The first movie… was one of the best animated films in years. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is one of the worst.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety

(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)

Is it mostly for the fans?

The sequel hits the sweet spot in terms of what its target audience wants.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

It may feel like more of the same to some, but anything that takes me back to a CRT TV and SNES is a feeling I’ll take 100 out of 100 times.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

While the film leans into “newer” character tendencies to attract younger viewers, it honors the original enough to embrace both the old and the new with enjoyable results.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

Will anyone else enjoy it?

Adult non-aficionados will find little of interest other than the starry vocal cast.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

This isn’t a film that’s going to win over its skeptics.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

How is the animation and world-building?

This may be one of the studio’s best-looking efforts yet, with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie feeling even more visually alive than its already stunning predecessor.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

Featuring some of the most beautiful and dazzling animation you will ever see, it is, at times, truly jaw-dropping.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

There’s no sense of discovery when it comes to these planets, meticulously created to resemble the games without nary a wrinkle of surprise to be found.
— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire

Image from The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) — (Photo by ©Universal Pictures)

Are there plenty of Easter eggs?

Even though the Star Fox character is nothing more than a way to introduce a sequel, the other supporting characters and easter eggs throughout are richly rewarding.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

It’s as if it exists only for us to pick out the game-referencing background details in panoramic action shots… and to threaten us with us with a Super Smash Bros. cinematic universe, given the multiversal cameos by non-Super Mario Nintendo characters.
— Eli Friedberg, Slant Magazine

The film keeps throwing things at you. It’s an orgy of video-game Easter eggs.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Is the action worthy of the source material?

The action is exciting and inventive.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

The film’s surplus of action and chase scenes follows the same rigid formula of swooping camera movements and game power-up deus ex machinas that no sequence ever proves particularly exciting.
— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire

Does the movie’s pace seem to have gotten a mushroom boost?

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie doesn’t leave you time to catch your breath.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

Most of the time, the film exists to speed-shuttle audiences to the next visually overwhelming set piece.
— Eli Friedberg, Slant Magazine

If anything, the film only loses energy as it goes on, with the final confrontation proving particularly anemic and rushed, as if the film is hurrying along to avoid having to delve into its storylines with more than a surface skim.
— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire

How is the script?

Matthew Fogel’s screenplay, which mostly pays lavish fan service to its inspiration, also weaves in a few emotional elements.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

It isn’t aiming to be a grand, life-affirming story, but pure escapism. That approach doesn’t always land, but when it does, it delivers a charming, whimsical ride.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

The sequel’s plot is unusually heartfelt, with the villains being three-dimensional, which is welcome.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie doesn’t have a story to tell or themes to express so much as stick to a mandate of audience boxes to check.
— Eli Friedberg, Slant Magazine

Does it do a good job adapting the game?

It has a story that embraces the simplicity of the original game.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

While [it’s] all clearly designed to appeal to young gamers, I don’t mean that the film replicates the experience of playing one of the Super Mario Bros. games. The first movie actually did.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Somehow on screen, it all registers as flat, imagination packaged into the most cleanly corporate and focus-group approved form possible.
— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire

Is it funny?

Most of the jokes land, ranging from cute to amusing to downright funny.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

There’s a funny visual gag revolving around Mario’s inability to draw. And there are some amusing lines that seem designed to make us feel like we’re in on the jokes.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

One of the most successful gags in the movie is essentially a reskin of the famous Sloth DMV bit in Zootopia.
— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire

How’s the voice cast?

The voice cast delivers across the board.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

It’s an embarrassment of vocal riches… Many of the stars’ contributions here, especially those of Black and Glover, are outstanding.
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

Is Yoshi a great addition?

Donald Glover taps into a Groot-like tone for Yoshi, and it works surprisingly well.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

Don’t expect him to get that much to do, though: he’s here because he’s an iconic character rather than as a part of the story.
— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire

Are the villains still the best characters?

I found myself relating to the bratty Bowser Jr. way more than the lead heroes.
— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire

The real standout is Jack Black and Bennie Safdie as Bowser and Bowser Jr.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

Somehow, two Bowsers add up to less of a wowser than one.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Does it have any other major problems?

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie doesn’t necessarily fix the frustrations that held the first film back. The story still leans thin, certain characters feel underutilized, and those looking for something deeper won’t suddenly find it here.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel

Charlie Day offers nothing to the Luigi character other than, to put it politely, a distinct voice that brings a beloved character down, which is grating.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

Will it leave us wanting more?

There’s a distinct romantic vibe between Mario and Princess Peach (which I can’t wait to be explored in the next installment).
— Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a fun placeholder while we wait for a Super Mario Bros. film worthy of the titular characters that fans deserve.
— M.N. Miller, InSession Film

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie opens in theaters on April 1, 2026.

Thumbnail image by ©Amazon MGM Studios
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Entertainment

Ambrosia’s Christopher North, keyboardist with soft-rock hitmakers, dies at 75

Published

9 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Press Room

Ambrosia’s Christopher North, keyboardist with soft-rock hitmakers, dies at 75

Christopher North, who played keyboards as a founding member of the soft-rock group Ambrosia, died Monday in a hospice in Los Angeles. He was 75.

His death was confirmed by Ambrosia’s Joe Puerta, who said the cause was throat cancer. According to Puerta, North was seriously injured late last year when he was hit by a car as he walked into Fromin’s deli in Santa Monica.

In a post on Ambrosia’s Facebook account, the band described North as “the Hammond B3 King” after his preferred instrument and said his “sonic architecture defined a generation of progressive and soft rock.” North “was a keyboard wizard,” the group added, “who brought an unmatched intensity and emotional depth to every performance” and whose work “created ‘aural landscapes’ that balanced virtuosity with soulful, radio-friendly hooks.”

Purveyors of the breezy, lightly soulful sound that also brought success in the mid-1970s to acts like America and Seals & Crofts (whose Dash Crofts died last week), Ambrosia scored a string of top 40 hits in the second half of that decade, including two that went to No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100: “How Much I Feel” and “Biggest Part of Me,” the latter of which was nominated for a Grammy Award for pop performance by a duo or group with vocals.

Today both songs are regarded as key examples of the style that became known retroactively as yacht rock; on Spotify, each has more than 120 million streams.

North was born Jan. 26, 1951, and grew up in San Pedro. He formed Ambrosia in 1970 with Puerta on bass, singer and guitarist David Pack and drummer Burleigh Drummond. The group’s self-titled debut album came out in 1975; at the time, the band had a more ornate sound à la Genesis. Yet it had smoothed out by 1978’s “Life Beyond L.A.,” its first LP for the Warner Bros. label.

“What we didn’t like about progressive rock was that it was too flamboyant without substance,” Pack told The Times in 1999. “Those bands dated themselves by making the arrangements more of the central focus than the quality of songwriting. I think that we were different in that respect.”

The album “One Eighty” came out in 1980 and yielded a second hit after “Biggest Part of Me” in “You’re the Only Woman (You & I),” which peaked at No. 13 on the Hot 100. The next year, Ambrosia’s song “Poor Rich Boy” appeared on the soundtrack of the movie “Arthur” alongside Christopher Cross’ chart-topping “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do).”

Ambrosia broke up in 1982 but reunited in 1989; Pack later left, though the band’s other three founders continued to perform. North’s survivors include a brother and two children.

Movie Reviews

Movie reviews drop for Project Hail Mary, They Will Kill You as critics weigh in – Art Threat

Published

19 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Press Room

Show summary

Movie Reviews are now pouring in for two wildly different films competing at the box office. Project Hail Mary is soaring with critical acclaim, while They Will Kill You faces a significantly rougher critical reception in the same weekend. Here’s what critics are saying about both.

🔥 Quick Facts

Project Hail Mary Rating: 95% on Rotten Tomatoes with 8.4/10 on IMDB
They Will Kill You Rating: 63% on Rotten Tomatoes with 6.5/10 on IMDB
Release Spread: Project Hail Mary debuted March 20, They Will Kill You March 27, 2026
Box Office Gap: Hail Mary earning $164.3 million domestically, Kill You debuted with only $5 million

Ryan Gosling’s Sci-Fi Adventure Dominates Critical Praise

Project Hail Mary, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, has become the undisputed critical darling of late March. The 97%-rated film on major review aggregators showcases Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller in a space adventure that critics describe as heartfelt and visually stunning. According to reports, the film demonstrates how science fiction works best with emotional depth and character development at its core. Reviewers consistently praise its balance of action, humor, and genuine pathos.

The movie’s success extends beyond critical praise into audience reception. IMDB’s user score of 8.4/10 demonstrates strong viewer enthusiasm, while Metacritic’s 77 score signals broadly positive critical consensus. Rotten Tomatoes gives it 95% from critics, making it a rare achievement in blockbuster filmmaking for 2026. The film’s box office trajectory confirms this momentum, with earnings approaching $165 million domestically.

Zazie Beetz Leads Gore-Filled Horror That Misses With Critics

They Will Kill You, directed by Kirill Sokolov, takes a vastly different critical path. The horror-action-comedy film stars Zazie Beetz in a role critics acknowledge showcases her talent for intense performances, yet the film itself struggles with narrative and thematic depth. The movie features Patricia Arquette and Myha’la in supporting roles within a story about a woman working as a housekeeper in a New York high-rise filled with cult members.

Critics note that while the film excels in visual style and unbridled gore, it lacks substantive storytelling and character stakes. Rotten Tomatoes rates it 63%, signaling a mixed critical reception, while IMDB’s 6.5/10 score reflects audience disappointment. The film released March 27 to a disappointing $5 million opening weekend from Warner Bros., suggesting audiences may share critical hesitations about its derivative plot and tonal inconsistencies.

Critical Comparison and Reception Details

Movie Detail	Project Hail Mary	They Will Kill You
Rotten Tomatoes	95% Critics	63% Critics
IMDB Rating	8.4/10	6.5/10
Release Date	March 20, 2026	March 27, 2026
Director	Phil Lord, Christopher Miller	Kirill Sokolov
Lead Actor	Ryan Gosling	Zazie Beetz

“Project Hail Mary is a smart, moving, and very satisfying sci-fi adventure with real heart. A film that reminds you that science fiction works best not when it prioritizes spectacle over substance.”

— IMDB User Reviews, Consensus

Why Critics Embrace Heart Over Gore in 2026 Releases

The striking contrast between these two films reveals what critics value in contemporary cinema. Project Hail Mary succeeds by balancing ambitious science fiction concepts with genuine emotional storytelling and character development. The film trusts its audience to care about Ryan Gosling’s journey and the stakes involved in his space mission. Critics praise the cinematography, sound design, and the chemistry between leads as elevating the material beyond standard blockbuster fare.

Conversely, They Will Kill You emphasizes style, gore, and shock value without equal investment in narrative coherence or character motivation. While Zazie Beetz delivers an energetic performance, critics note the script fails to give her material worthy of her talent. The film’s Tarantino-influenced aesthetic and cartoonish violence entertain intermittently but don’t sustain engagement across its runtime. This disconnect explains why audiences stayed away in the opening weekend.

What Do These Reviews Mean for Future Box Office and Awards Season?

For Project Hail Mary, critical success likely signals continued audience interest and potential awards circuit momentum. The combination of 95% critical approval, strong audience reception, and proven box office legs suggests this film could maintain theater presence through April and beyond. Industry analysts expect it to continue collecting records previously held by other 2026 releases. Conversely, They Will Kill You faces an uphill battle with its modest opening and mixed reviews potentially limiting word-of-mouth expansion. The film may struggle to expand beyond its core horror audience during subsequent weekends.

These diverging critical receptions illustrate how modern audiences and critics increasingly reward substance over spectacle. Movie Reviews for both titles emphasize character, emotional investment, and thematic depth as determining factors in critical success. Whether audiences will sustain interest in both films throughout their theatrical runs remains to be seen, but early indicators suggest that the gap between them will only widen as release weekends progress forward.