Entertainment

Movie Review: Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon collide in comedy ‘You’re Cordially Invited’

Jan. 29, 2025

Are you with the bride or the groom? Hold on, scratch that. Are you with Reese Witherspoon or Will Ferrell? “You’re Cordially Invited,” a new comedy directed by Nicholas Stoller, brings together two stars whose movie worlds are nearly as divided as wedding guests on separate sides of the aisle. Ferrell is most closely associated with broad comedies and Witherspoon the more romantic variety. And while both have expanded beyond their wheelhouses, they are each A-list refugees from movie genres — laugh-out-loud comedies, rom-coms — that have largely faded from theaters in recent years. “You’re Cordially Invited,” which debuts Thursday on Prime Video, unites these two once-ubiquitous box-office forces in a streaming-only wedding comedy that cross-pollinates “Father of the Bride” with “Wedding Crashers.” The combination works well enough, though it’d be fairer to deem “You’re Cordially Invited” a funnier-than-average wedding movie than it would be a top-grade Ferrell comedy.

Entertainment

Movie Review: Bloody and witty, ‘Companion’ explores what humanity means in an AI-powered world

Jan. 29, 2025

“Iris, wake up!” Early in “Companion,” lovely Iris and her nerdy-nice boyfriend Josh are driving to a secluded lake house for a stay with friends. Iris wakes from a nap and lovingly tells Josh she was dreaming about him. They reminisce about how they first met at the supermarket. All those oranges tumbling onto the floor! Ha ha. In 20 minutes, absolutely everything about this sweet scene will be turned on its head in a terrifying and sinister manner. You will be surprised and shocked. Unless you saw the trailer, which reveals the whole thing. And so we begin with a dilemma, dear moviegoer. “Companion,” an exceedingly clever and entertaining sci-fi-horror-thriller-comedy by Drew Hancock in his feature debut, has more twists and turns than a corkscrew. But it’s utterly impossible to write about the film without revealing the first of those twists.

Sports

18-year-old prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli passes driving test weeks before Formula One debut

Jan. 29, 2025

The rule was introduced in 2016, after Max Verstappen made his F1 debut for Toro Rosso at the Australian Grand Prix the previous year aged 17 years and 166 days. Verstappen was involved in a number of collisions early in his career, including a high-speed crash with Lotus driver Romain Grosjean at the Monaco Grand Prix in the Dutchman’s rookie season. His previous incidents haven’t hampered the Red Bull man at all though, as he has gone on to win the world drivers’ championship four consecutive years. However, the regulations were altered last year amid efforts from Mercedes to allow Antonelli to participate in F1 practice sessions ahead of his 18th birthday on August 25, 2024.

Entertainment

Kate Middleton once pretended to be Prince William’s girlfriend to stop another girl from hitting on him: pal

Jan. 29, 2025

Kate Middleton rescued her prince from an awkward situation. The future Princess of Wales attended the University of St Andrews from 2001 to 2005, where she met Prince William. But before the pair fell in love, they became fast friends, and Kate didn’t think twice about looking after him. "I remember someone was chatting Will up… [It was] this girl at a birthday party," Kate’s former dormmate, Laura Warshauer, recalled to Fox News Digital.

Science & Tech

Conditions that fueled L.A. fires were 35% more likely because of climate change, scientists find

Jan. 29, 2025

Climate change increased the likelihood of the extreme conditions that allowed the recent fires to roar across the Los Angeles area, an international group of scientists said Tuesday. The hot, dry and windy conditions that preceded the fires were about 35% more likely because of human-caused global warming, according to a new report from the World Weather Attribution group, which analyzes the influence of global warming on extreme events.

International News

Israel says Hamas has agreed to release three Israeli hostages

Jan. 29, 2025

Hamas plans to release three Israeli hostages Thursday — two women and an 80-year-old man — as well as five Thai nationals abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The Hostages Families Forum said it had received news that Hamas will release the eight abductees. The forum is a volunteer-based group the families of the abductees formed after the attack. Among those the militant group plans to release is Arbel Yehoud, 29, whom Israeli officials had expected to be freed last weekend in the first phase of the ceasefire deal, in which a total of 33 hostages are expected to be released.

Science & Tech

AI, wars and climate change mean it's later than ever on the 'Doomsday Clock'

Jan. 29, 2025

Earth is moving closer to destruction, a science-oriented advocacy group said Tuesday as it advanced its famous “Doomsday Clock” to 89 seconds till midnight, the closest it has ever been. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists made the annual announcement — which rates how close humanity is to ending — citing threats that include climate change, proliferation of nuclear weapons, instability in the Middle East, the threat of pandemics and incorporation of artificial intelligence in military operations.

Travel

Osaka bans public smoking ahead of Expo 2025

Jan. 29, 2025

One of Japan’s biggest cities is “beautifying” itself ahead of hosting the World Expo — not by planting flowers, but by banning cigarettes. Osaka will soon host Expo 2025, which runs from April to October, with representatives from 158 countries and regions participating in talks, demonstrations and exhibitions. The ban on public smoking, which took effect on January 27, includes roads, parks, plazas and other public places and applies not only to cigarettes, but also to vapes. Violators will be fined 1,000 yen (about $6).

Science & Tech

China's two new stealth fighters should send shockwaves through Pentagon

Jan. 29, 2025

Wake up, America. China just flew not one but two new stealth fighter planes. All while America’s next fighter is on hold. "They could beat us to the punch," admitted outgoing Air Force procurement official Andrew Hunter. "It is my sincere hope this got America’s attention," Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin told Breaking Defense on Jan. 17. China released videos of the two new planes in flight on Dec. 26, which so happens to be the birthdate of revolutionary Communist leader Mao Zedong.

Science & Tech

Elon Musk says SpaceX will rescue two ‘stranded’ astronauts. Here’s why that is confusing

Jan. 29, 2025

In a post on the social media platform X, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claimed Tuesday that the Biden Administration left two astronauts “stranded” and said President Donald Trump has asked SpaceX to step in to rescue them. But NASA already put such a plan in place months ago when it asked SpaceX to return astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station as part of its Crew-9 mission. A delay in that plan was then announced in December because mission teams said they needed more time to prepare a new SpaceX vehicle.