Entertainment
Sexy, Unhinged 70s Sci-Fi Comedy Is An Alien Sting Exploitation
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Have you ever heard of the 1973 alien invasion exploitation mystery sci-fi comedy thriller, The Hidan of Maukbeiangjow? Wow, what a sentence. I’ll bet you haven’t, but you may have heard of it after it was renamed Invasion of the Girl Snatchers when it was released in 1985. I’ll bet those chances are still pretty slim, though. If you want to seek the film out on Tubi, just know that it has the original release date but the updated title. My guess is whoever was in charge of marketing wanted audiences to know they were watching a 70s movie, but also knew nobody would click on it if it had the original title. I know I wouldn’t have.
Heck, at least they got me to click on this one because it’s pretty brutal, but not without its charm. Stylistically, it’s all over the place. There’s a kidnapping sting operation, hapless detectives, and, for some reason, an alien death cult with a plan to replace beautiful women with alien doppelgangers, though for reasons that are never quite made clear.
As for its genre, you can call it sci-fi, but this thing is mostly a comedy of errors. As a feature film, it stinks like a paper mill, but there are enough standalone moments to make it worth watching. Not because of the alien plot, but because of how the detectives handle themselves. It’s supremely stupid all around, which is probably why a movie with a title like The Hidan of Maukbeiangjow now resides in the darkest corners of Tubi.
The Bra That Got Away
Invasion of the Girl Snatchers starts in, and spends most of its time in, a seedy motel room. Detective Sam Trowel (Hugh Smith) is running a sting operation to take down a drug and human trafficking ring with the help of his right-hand man Kaspar (Ele Grigsby), safecracker Frederick (David Roster), and a bruiser of a bodyguard named Noname (Harlo Cayse). They’re staying in a room connected to the alleged kidnappers’ room, and they’re going to send an undercover woman named Ruthie (Carla Rueckert) wearing a tracking device hidden inside her bra.
The plan is simple. Ruthie wears the tracking bra, gets whisked away by the kidnappers, and Sam and his crew track her down to their headquarters in the hopes of finding more abducted women who need to be rescued. Bing, bang, boom. It couldn’t be a simpler operation. There’s just one problem: Ruthie gets abducted while topless, so the whole operation goes to hell.
To make matters worse, we learn that we’re not dealing with an ordinary human trafficking ring, but some sort of death cult led by an evil sorcerer named Aph (Charles Rubin), who is enslaved by and reports directly to an alien named Utaya (McCain Jeeves). In case you’re wondering where the movie got its original title, the evil lair where they run their racket is known as The Hidan of Maukbeiangjow.
As far as I can tell, Ruthie gets killed by Aph after a painfully long ritual involving ratchet straps, black paint, and chanting. She’s not actually dead, however, but instead replaced by an alien that now lives inside her. Dazed and disoriented while trying to operate its new human suit, the alien meets up with another alien using a woman’s body as its host. Together, they plot against Sam, Kaspar, and the rest of the gang, who are just as confused about everything as I was while watching Invasion of the Girl Snatchers.
It’s Really Funny Though
While the storytelling in Invasion of the Girl Snatchers leaves a lot to be desired, I quite enjoyed the motel scenes involving Detective Sam Trowel and his cohorts because it’s basically a stoner comedy. Freddie spends most of the movie smoking joints and messing up the investigation, while Sam, a by-the-books but not particularly bright detective, constantly gets in his own way.
For example, when he plays the tape containing his mission briefing, it says it’s going to self-destruct in three seconds. It doesn’t self-destruct in three seconds, so he shoves it in his back pocket to play it safe. During one of the chase sequences later in the film, the tape finally explodes, and his reaction basically boils down to, “Man, what a day I’m having!”
It’s not high-brow stuff, but there’s always a built-in charm to botched sting operation plots because as much as you want to root for the good guys, it’s infinitely more amusing to watch them fail over and over again on their way to eventually solving the case. These characters play off each other well in that campy B-movie kind of way, but the alien plot is too out there and too underutilized to make the movie feel complete.
I’m all for low-budget alien movies, but the budget here is virtually nonexistent. The most expensive prop was probably the cassette player. The scenes involving reanimated women possessed by aliens aren’t without humor, but I think everything would have landed stronger if the women were simply brainwashed by a cult and the movie leaned harder into being a straight-up hard-boiled detective comedy.
INVASION OF THE GIRL SNATCHERS SCORE
If you’re into the idea of watching something that’s not entirely great but certainly has its moments, you can stream Invasion of the Girl Snatchers for free on Tubi as of this writing.
Entertainment
Stargate Stars and Fans Over 100,000 Strong In Petition To Save Reboot
By Jennifer Asencio
| Updated
For one brief moment, it looked like fans were going to get a beloved show rebooted into something new, but it was not meant to be. Amazon Studios cancelled their planned revival of Stargate, which devastated the cast, crew, and fans in equal measure. It was going to be helmed by veteran Stargate writer Martin Gero. The other executive producers included those who had a direct hand in the creation of the original movie, Stargate SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis. Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin co-wrote the movie, and Emmerich directed it.
Brad Wright and Joe Mallozzi, who have long been associated with the Stargate franchise, were also brought on board, along with Joey Harold and Tory Tunnell. This revival with this creative team behind it had the power to bring Stargate back to the present time. And that is where the show ran into the snag that ultimately led to it being cancelled by Amazon Studios.
Gero and others involved, including actors like SG-1 star Michael Shanks and sci-fi staple Robert Patrick, urged fans to push back against this decision by Amazon Studios. Creators and actors were so invested in the quality of their content that they were willing to speak out so publicly. Fans rallied behind the actors, and soon #SaveStargate gained momentum on social media. There was a Change.org petition that gained over 113,000 signatures as of this writing. Fans created websites dedicated to saving Stargate. That is how deeply fans feel about the Stargate franchise.
A Flawed Reboot Logic
The reason that Amazon Studios gave for canceling the reboot is that they felt the show would appeal only to the original fans and not to a broader “modern audience.” We really need to just move beyond that descriptor. The modern audience doesn’t watch science fiction; they just demand that everyone else hold their worldview and have diversity and messaging that so deeply twists the story it wouldn’t be what fans wanted anyway.
Many other revivals that were cancelled or died after the first season often saw the cast and crew blaming fans for not tuning in to their show. We’ve since watched Sabrina and a rebooted Charmed come and go with characters that remind us nothing of what we used to love about the original series. We are given lectures on what the message should be. You can no longer really watch any sort of programming without the “modern agenda” being forced into it, bludgeoned with such force that it resembles nothing about the original, but checks corporate boxes on gratuitously inclusive metrics. That is all the studios seem to care about, even if it costs them billions of dollars.
That is the thing that Amazon did not fully understand or want to understand. Maybe the revival didn’t check enough of their corporate boxes for them to avoid backlash from a vocal minority that demands these companies bend the knee.
Here it is, though: if the quality of the show and the storytelling is good, you will bring in fans. With Gero and the others at the helm, the original fans would’ve flocked to Stargate. Word of mouth of how great it was would spread. Those fans would want to share it with their friends and family. That brings in more viewers and more of those metrics a company looks at. SG-1 ran for a decade. Atlantis lasted five seasons, and Universe lasted only two before it was cancelled with many plots unresolved. They later released a comic book to help tie up some of those loose ends.
When done properly, Stargate has staying power with fans who wanted to watch programs that had great storytelling and emotional weight. It was axed because it did not appeal to the modern audience. That is not to say that Amazon Studios is done with Stargate; they are just not moving forward with the production helmed by Gero and the others. We will see if this bold strategy pays off for them, or if their future revival fails to generate traction with the modern audience, as we’ve seen many times already.
Entertainment
National French Fries Day 2026 deals: Score free fries from McDonalds, Five Guys, Sheetz, Chick-Fil-A, and more
If you’re not eating free fries this week, you’re doing life wrong. Just kidding (kind of).
Friday, July 10, is National French Fry Day, which means a bunch of your favorite fast food chains are giving away free fries. While some require a minimum purchase of some kind or a (free) rewards membership, others require nothing but your will to face the crowds at a local establishment. Regardless, this is a made up holiday I, for one, can get behind.
If you’re curious which fast food chains are participating in the free fry celebration, we have a running list below. Just be sure to check the details before rushing out to the restaurant of your choice.
Arby’s
Arby’s Rewards members can get a free fry of any size on July 10 with the purchase of a Cheesesteak online or in app.
Checkers & Rally’s
Celebrate National French Fry Day at Checkers & Rally’s from July 10 through 12 with BOGO free Famous Seasoned Fries of any size and $1 sauce trios.
Chick-Fil-A
From July 7 through 13, Chick-Fil-A is giving out free medium-size Waffle Fries as a reward in the restaurant’s app. Just play the in-app “Spot the Cow” game to get the deal. It’s limited to one fry reward per person.
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Del Taco
July 10 through 13, you can score a free regular fry at Del Taco with with a $3 minimum purchase.
Five Guys
From July 8 through 10, customers who buy a burger, hot dog, or sandwich through the Five Guys app or Five Guys.com will get one free Little Fry. Sign in or create a Five Guys account and enter promo code FRYDAY26 at checkout to get the freebie.
Jack in the Box
Sign up to be a Jack Pack Rewards member if you’re not already and you’ll be able to grab a free fry of any size on July 10 with a minimum purchase of $1.
McDonald’s
On July 10th, National French Fry Day proper, McDonald’s is giving out free medium-sized French Fries to Rewards members. Just make a purchase of at least $1 through the McDonald’s app to get the deal.
Sheetz
From July 10 through 16, Sheetz is giving away one free bag of fries with any purchase of $10 or more through the Sheetz app (under the OFFERZ tab). The freebie is limited to one per My Sheetz Rewardz member.
Wendy’s
Are you a Wendy’s Rewards member? Head to the app and make a purchase of at least $5 and you’ll get a free fry in any size on National French Fry Day, July 10.
Whataburger
Whataburger rewards members can score a free medium fry with no purchase required on July 10. The offer is valid online or in the app.
White Castle
Head to White Castle on July 10 and pick up free Cheese Fries by using the promo code CHEESY when you place an online or in-app order.
Entertainment
How to watch Japan vs. Ireland in the 2026 Nations Championship online for free
TL;DR: Watch Japan vs. Ireland in the 2026 Nations Championship for free on ITVX. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
It’s week two of the 2026 Nations Championship, and we’re getting another stack of northern vs. southern hemisphere fixtures.
Both Japan and Ireland scored wins last week and will enter this weekend’s contest with some momentum. Japan scored the bigger win last week, beating Italy 27-10, but arguably had easier competition. Ireland finished with a two-point lead over the formidable Australia. But which team will keep the momentum going?
If you’re interested in watching the 2026 Nations Championship from anywhere in the world, we’ve got all the information you need.
When is Japan vs. Ireland?
Japan vs. Ireland in the 2026 Nations Championship kicks off at 11:10 a.m. BST on July 11. This fixture takes place at the McDonald Jones Stadium, Australia.
How to watch Japan vs. Ireland for free
Japan vs. Ireland in the 2026 Nations Championship is available to live stream for free on ITVX.
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ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can livestream the 2026 Nations Championship for free from anywhere in the world.
Livestream Japan vs. Ireland in the 2026 Nations Championship for free by following these simple steps:
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Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice
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Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
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Visit ITVX
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Watch Japan vs. Ireland for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 only at ExpressVPN
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Nations Championship without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream multiple weekends before recovering your investment.
ExpressVPN’s regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate until that offer comes back into play. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.
What is the best VPN for ITVX?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
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Fast connection speeds free from throttling
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Up to 10 simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee (after FIFA World Cup)
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.
Live stream the 2026 Nations Championship for free with ExpressVPN.
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