Entertainment
The 2000s Most Misunderstood Fantasy Sequel Is Secretly A Great Blockbuster
By Robert Scucci
| Published
When was the last time you watched 2001’s The Mummy Returns? Be honest. It’s probably been about 20 years because you saw it when it first came out and thought the special effects looked like early PlayStation graphics. That was my experience anyway: watch it once, never again. Well, I’m a never say never kind of guy, and decided to revisit what I assumed would be a total punisher of a film. Surprisingly, it holds up shockingly well.
Here’s the thing about CGI-heavy movies from the early aughts: they’re disproportionately ambitious when you consider how limited the technology was back then, and it’s hard to reconcile what the movie intended to look like with what actually made it to the screen. These days, the trick seems to be making everything as dark as humanly possible to obscure filmmakers’ reliance on CGI, and honestly, that looks worse.
Upon revisiting The Mummy Returns, my first thought was that it looks really cool. Not in the sense that it looks great, but in the sense that writer-director Stephen Sommers and Universal Pictures were at least brave enough to show us what we’re looking at, rough edges and all. It’s a PG-13, family-friendly, big-budget fantasy action flick, and it plays out exactly how you’d expect.
It’s not Brendan Fraser’s finest hour, but I’ll gladly sit down with my kids and watch this one because, at the end of the day, it’s a supremely fun, low-stakes movie.
Picks Up 7 Years After The First One
The Mummy Returns picks up seven years after the first film, but first we’re introduced to The Scorpion King (Dwayne Johnson in his film acting debut) in 3067 B.C. His world domination plot fails, and he makes a deal with Anubis so he can continue down the war path, only to get double-crossed the second he conquers Egypt. He and his army of CGI jackals get sucked into the underworld, and that’s all we hear from him for a hot minute.
Back in the present day, which is 1933 in The Mummy Returns lore, we’re reintroduced to an older, wiser, and more cautious Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser). Wanting very much to put his treasure-hunting days behind him, Rick would like to settle down with his wife Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), now that the two of them have a 7-year-old son together, Alex (Freddie Boath). Evelyn, the thrill seeker that she is, wants to continue tracking down ancient ruins and artifacts, namely the Bracelet of Anubis, who, if you remember what I said in the previous paragraph, is the ruler of the underworld who had that run-in with The Scorpion King. Something that spectacularly comes into play later.
They find the bracelet, Alex tries it on, and it sets off a constantly escalating chain of events. Evelyn is kidnapped by a cult connected to the original film’s antagonist, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), who hopes to gain control of Anubis’ army. The leader of the cult, Baltus (Alun Armstrong), brings along his enforcer, Lock-Nah (Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje), as well as Meela Nais (Patricia Velasquez), who just so happens to be the physical reincarnation of Imhotep’s ancient lover, Anck-su-namun.
Joining in on the fun are Evelyn’s brother Jonathan (John Hannah), and Medjai chieftain Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr), who help navigate all of this ancient tomfoolery while providing comic relief. From this point forward, we get blasted with CGI monkey bridge explosions, giant sandstorm faces, Brendan Fraser chewing scenery, and a sensible amount of one-liners while navigating treacherous landscapes.
It’s Not What It’s Lacking, It’s What It’s Trying To Attempt
This is where I talk about how glad I am that I rewatched The Mummy Returns. In the grand scheme of things, the special effects aren’t terrible. The film is clearly dated, and some sequences land better than others. Evelyn’s flashbacks and the visions Alex experiences thanks to the Bracelet of Anubis are genuinely cool to look at, especially when ancient times are superimposed over the 1933 timeline.
However, the third-act sequences involving a reinvigorated and pissed-off Scorpion King stomping through the scenery are beyond rough. I can’t in good conscience say it looks great or even passable, but also, I don’t care, because up to this point we’ve been on the adventure of a lifetime. I didn’t realize until my adult viewing of this film that I kind of like it this way. It’s a movie that requires you to suspend a monolithic amount of disbelief, so moments like this don’t really take away from the storytelling because everything is already so ridiculous in the first place.
The best part about The Mummy Returns, though, is Brendan Fraser, who never misses, even when he does. He has the whole reluctant hero thing down pat here, and most of the laugh-out-loud moments come from that kind of characterization. For my money, there’s nothing better than watching somebody who’s intimidatingly good at what they do, mowing down legions of undead CGI monkey things, but is only showcasing those skills because he wants to go home and relax. I identify with that more than you could possibly imagine.
As of this writing, you can stream The Mummy Returns on Peacock and Max. It’s also available through other streamers like Hulu, The Roku Channel, and Amazon Prime Video, though some require add-ons or bundles, or additional on-demand purchases.
Entertainment
The Best New Show Of The Year Is A Supernatural Comedy Horror On AppleTV
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
The 2026 television season has been a little lackluster so far when it comes to original, new series. The Boroughs was a fun binge on Netflix, Margo’s Got Money Troubles was a good comedy, but nothing can compare to the surprising success of Widow’s Bay on AppleTV. It’s a horror comedy, which might be the hardest combination of genres to pull off, that plays out like Twin Peaks meets Parks and Recreation. No show will leave you laughing so hard in one episode, before traumatizing you in the next.
Widow’s Bay Is The Most Original Show In Years
That odd mix of shows makes sense since Widow’s Bay was created by Katie Dippold, a writer for Parks and Recreation. The series takes place in the island town of Widow’s Bay in New England when Mayor Tom (Matthew Rhys) decides to boost tourism to the small community. The catch is that the community, primarily Wyck (Stephen Root) believes the island is cursed.
It’s not a spoiler to say that yes, yes it is cursed, and yes, there are real horrors at work on the island. That’s not surprising. What is surprising is the dry humor and Matthew Rhys’ perfect facial expressions, as the town’s residents will deliver the most absurd lines with a perfectly straight face. If you vibed with the humor of Parks and Recreation, you know what you’re getting into with the odd residents of Widow’s Bay, especially Kate O’Flynn as Tom’s assistant, Patricia. There’s a sequence with her involving a shotgun that is destined to be a social media hit for years to come, and one of those moments that you’ll think, “I’d do the same thing.”
Slapstick Comedy, Horror, And Amazing Sight Gags
Before starting your binge of the first season, avoid as many spoilers as you can. Widow’s Bay sets up mysteries early on with the chained church bell, the strange basement room, a rolling fogbank, and, while it’s not a supernatural mystery, how many Diet Cokes can Town Hall employee Dale consume? His desk is filled to the brim with cans. That can’t be healthy.
Keep your eyes peeled while watching Widow’s Bay as the production team was heavily influenced by The Simpsons usage of sight gags. Some are called out with blatant shots, others exist in the background of a conversation, but put together, they make the town of Widow’s Bay an absurdist version of Twin Peaks.
No one had supernatural slapstick down on their 2026 Bingo card, but here we are. While Netflix pulled the plug on The Boroughs, Widow’s Bay has already been confirmed for a second season, which is good considering the stakes-raising season finale ends by revealing a whole new layer to the mystery of the island. We have a long wait until Season 2 premieres, giving you plenty of time to watch the show of the Summer, and you can still convince your friends you were a fan of Widow’s Bay before it was cool. ]
Widow’s Bay Season 1 is now streaming on AppleTV.
Entertainment
Don’t pay $199 for Windows 11 Pro when it’s currently just $13
TL;DR: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is down to just $12.97, giving users an easy OS upgrade with advanced security, productivity tools, gaming features, and Copilot AI.
Some upgrades just feel right. This is one of them.
If your PC has been running a little sluggish or you’ve been meaning to bring your system up to speed, Windows 11 Pro is just $12.97 (reg. $199) — a rare, time-sensitive offer that rewards quick, savvy decisions.
Mashable Deals
This isn’t about chasing trends; it’s more about giving your computer the modern foundation it deserves. Windows 11 Pro brings a sleeker UI, better multitasking, and enhanced security — all in a one-time lifetime license.
Think of it as the difference between driving a reliable car and suddenly upgrading to one with a smarter dashboard, smoother handling, and built-in security features.
For professionals, creators, and power users, this upgrade also unlocks features like Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, BitLocker encryption, and seamless Azure AD integration — tools that make a real difference when you’re working across projects or managing sensitive data.
And yes, Windows 11 comes with Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant that can summarize pages, change settings, or even help you generate code on the fly. It’s like having a co-pilot (literally) inside your OS.
Mashable Deals
But you don’t need convincing — you already know a smart upgrade when you see one. Get Windows 11 Pro for just $12.97 (reg. $199).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Gene Roddenberry Secretly Fixed Star Trek’s Earliest Plot Hole
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Star Trek is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Part of why that is so impressive is that this franchise has managed to maintain the same continuity for so many years. Sure, the Kelvinverse rebooted everything for a few movies, and we occasionally get glimpses of alternate universes with their own twisted history. But the main Trek timeline, from The Original Series through Starfleet Academy, has remained the same, which is an amazing creative achievement. But it also leads to something as annoying as it is inevitable: plot holes!
There are many seeming plot holes throughout the franchise. Heck, Starfleet Academy introduced more than its fair share in only one season. However, the earliest plothole goes back to William Shatner’s very first episode, “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” This episode features a mock grave for James Tiberius Kirk that reads “James R. Kirk.” This weird screwup inspired decades of attempts by fans and creators to explain what happened. However, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had a simple explanation from the very beginning. That is, the godlike character who created the tombstone was still fallible, meaning that this would be an in-universe screwup rather than a production error.
A Ghoulish Plot Hole
“Where No Man Has Gone Before” was actually the second pilot episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. It’s the episode that sold NBC on this new show, which isn’t surprising, because this is a great hour of television. Strange energy from the galactic barrier gives one of Captain Kirk’s best friends, Gary Mitchell, godlike powers. Those powers are getting stronger by the minute, so Kirk eventually has to make the difficult decision to kill his buddy in the name of keeping the entire ship (and quite possibly the entire galaxy) safe.
At one point, Mitchell uses his powers to summon a tombstone that reads “James R. Kirk.” It makes for a great threat, but there’s just one problem: the character’s name is James Tiberius Kirk. Incidentally, Gene Roddenberry seemingly knew Kirk’s middle name early on, even though it wasn’t officially revealed (outside of The Animated Series) until The Undiscovered Country. In the introduction to Star Trek: The Classic Episodes 1, Original Series writer D.C. Fontana claimed that once Roddenberry noticed the mistake, he came up with a quick and easy explanation. “Gary Mitchell had godlike powers, but at base he was human. He made a mistake.”
Powers Like A God, Mind Like A Human
Unfortunately, Roddenberry kept this plot hole explanation to himself. I say “unfortunately” because this mistake sent fans into a tizzy trying to explain the discrepancy. On top of that, various Star Trek writers tried their hands at providing explanations. One such explanation came from Michael Jan Friedman’s non-canonical My Brother’s Keeper series. In these books, when the future captain meets Gary Mitchell, he claims his middle name is “Racquetball.” Later, when Kirk steamrolls through a discussion, Mitchell says the man’s middle name should be “Rhinoceros.” Therefore, Friedman explained that the “James R. Kirk” on the tombstone is just an in-joke between former friends.
Additionally, the late, great Star Trek writer Peter David tried his hand at an explanation. In his novel Q-Squared, the events of “Where No Man Has Gone Before” take place in a parallel reality in which Kirk’s middle initial really is “R.” In this non-canonical book, we also find out that Mitchell’s powers came from briefly being possessed by Q, who had to pull himself together across all of time and space. Quick side note: while Marvel has really played out the concept of multiverses, Q-Squared is an amazing novel, and every Trek fan should read it at least once.
These writers did their best to explain where “James R. Kirk” came from. On top of this, fans have constantly debated this issue, all trying to one-up each other in coming up with a suitable explanation for this plothole. As it turns out, though, none of this debating and speculating was necessary because Gene Roddenberry had the perfect explanation ready. Namely, that having the power of a god isn’t the same as having the unlimited knowledge of a god. It’s short, it’s simple, and it’s effective. Most of all, it does what Star Trek has always done best: keep the sci-fi storytelling centered around humanity.
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