'Freakier Friday' reviews are in: What the critics are saying 

Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are officially back for Freakier Friday.

The A-listers return to the iconic dual roles of mother (Tess) and daughter (Anna) from the 2003 Disney smash Freaky Friday in the highly anticipated sequel, which opens in theaters on August 8.

©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection

In the 2025 installment, the mother-daughter duo has déjà vu when the body-swap experience plagues them yet again. This time, Anna's daughter and soon-to-be stepdaughter get involved in a four-way switch.

With the two Hollywood stars reunited and a new twist on the premise, what do the critics think of Freakier Friday? Deadline's Pete Hammond admits that although the plot laid out by screenwriter Jordan Weiss may be confusing, the flick is a good time for all.

"I do have to confess that with all of this body switching and the various subplots Weiss has introduced, it isn't always easy to keep track of it all, but in the end it pays off, a feel-good comedy ripe for the times as evidenced by the loud laughter at the screening I attended of this nostalgic Disney film that is about as Disney as it gets," he wrote.

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The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw heaped praise on Curtis for her comedic chops and the script for not being melodramatic. "Another version of this movie might have wanted to dip its toe into the issues of body image and identity: Freakier Friday keeps it light, partly as a result of Curtis's jokey grandma, in whose knockabout generational presence there is no question of anything tricky. Curtis gets the laughs with her puppyishly uninhibited performance and there are some great gags, including one at the expense of oldsters who use a certain social media platform," he wrote.

As for Lohan, the critic claims she does a "reasonable job, although her own body-swapped status as the legendary wild-child of old who is now playing a stressed middle-aged person has to remain unemphasized, simply because Lohan doesn't really have the comedy chops."

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According to Variety's Owen Gleiberman, the sequel misses the opportunity to expand the rebranding of the switch-up situation. "The stage is set for an even wilder comedy than Freaky Friday. Yet somehow it doesn't quite happen that way. What we're longing to see is that inside-out performative magic, the irrepressible primal comedy of an actor playing a character who's literally channeling someone else. We want to feel that body-swap tension. But in Freakier Friday this plays out in a weirdly limited way and for a confluence of reasons," he wrote.

The Washington Post's Ty Burr gave it two and a half stars, calling it an "unnecessary" yet "inoffensive" sequel. "More frantic than funny but sweet in its plastic Disney way, Freakier Friday will be a welcome and effective date movie for mothers, daughters, grandmothers and anyone else who had the 2003 Freaky Friday on heavy DVD rotation with Mean Girls in the first years of the new millennium. All other audiences are warned away," he wrote.

Francis Ford Coppola shares health update from Rome hospital

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Francis Ford Coppola took to Instagram to reassure fans that he is ok after being hospitalized in Rome for heart-related issues.

"Da Dada (what my kids call me) is fine, taking an opportunity while in Rome to do the update of my 30-year-old afib procedure with its inventor, a great Italian doctor – Dr. Andrea Natale! I am well," Coppola told fans.

Both friends and fans rushed to share their love for the filmmaker in the comments section.

"We love you, honey," Sharon Stone, who starred in Coppola's The Rainmaker, wrote.

"This is wonderful news that all went well…Rest and recover! "🙏🏼Btw, The Godfather Part II has been playing a lot lately," Lynn Sellers wrote. "I'm always happy to see it, especially to see my late husband, Bruno Kirby. I still have his Young Clemenza shoes and hat from it."

Along with Stone and Sellers, The Godfather actor Andy Garcia and Goodfellas alum Frank Sivero also shared their support via social media.

"Francis, I will say a prayer for you. I want you to take care of yourself. You just finished a big tour. God bless, friend," Sivero wrote.

According to TheWrap, local outlets in Italy first reported that Coppola was hospitalized for a mild heart arrhythmia shortly after ending his U.S. tour for his movie Megalopolis. Italian outlets reported that the director already had an appointment scheduled with Dr. Natale, but while preparing for a procedure, physicians noticed an arrhythmia. Coppola's medical team reportedly decided it was best to keep him under observation.

'War of the Worlds' adaptation starring Ice Cube scores impressive 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes: What went wrong

Ice Cube's War of the Worlds reboot is facing harsh criticism.

After the newest version of the sci-fi classic — starring the rapper and Eva Longoria — hit Amazon Prime Video in July, the film received a zero percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score, with more than a thousand reviews, stands at a low 14 percent.

Courtesy of Prime Video

In the flick — which is based on H. G. Wells' original novel — Ice stars as a surveillance expert for the Department of Homeland Security who deals with aliens taking over through his computer.

While the 2005 adaptation starring Tom Cruise and directed by Steven Spielberg was beloved, the updated installment seems to be getting ripped apart by people on social media.

"War of the Worlds (2025) is the worst adaptation of the source material to date," one X user lamented. "It had no ideas beyond the found footage approach and even then the film is struggling to find ways to present coherent scenes. Ice Cube is so lost. Maybe one of the worst movies I've ever seen."

"That new War of the Worlds movie was hilariously awful," a second person penned in an update.

Courtesy of Prime Video

"This new War of the Worlds movie might be the worst movie I have seen in years," a third added.

Variety film critic Peter Debruge wished he could get his time and money back that he spent on the movie. "It's really only worth watching to see Ice Cube jump out of his chair and shout, 'Take your intergalactic a**** back home!' When it comes to customer satisfaction, does Amazon's refund policy apply to stuff like this?" he penned.

The watch only received one star from Empire's Ian Freer, who called it "prime nonsense" and a "witless affair that fumbles the one or two good ideas it has."

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"If Steven Spielberg's 2005 War Of The Worlds tapped deeply into post-9/11 anxieties, this latest update feeds into all the fears of today — the invasion of privacy, the dangers of data farming, the duplicity of governments, where Amazon will dump your package — but doesn't have any idea about how to make them feel real or pertinent," the writer noted.

Raven-Symoné details ex's shocking behavior surrounding baby conceived from affair

Raven-Symoné spilled the tea about her former boyfriend.

While sitting down with Jeff Lewis for SiriusXM's Jeff Lewis Live, the radio host pressed the Disney Channel alum about her past long-term relationship where the man cheated on her, got another woman pregnant and then asked Symoné to be the godmother.

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During the chat, Lewis pressed the That's So Raven star — who is now married to wife Miranda Maday — about the tumultuous romance. "I wanted to ask you about your past relationships because you had said, I believe, that you were in a relationship for seven years, Raven?" the Flipping Out cast member asked.

"I was," Symoné confirmed, while also making clear it was with a man.

"And he stepped outside of the relationship, is that correct?" Lewis questioned.

"That's a nice way to put it, yes," the Cheetah Girls actress said.

"And he got another woman pregnant?" the Bravo star inquired before Symoné replied, "Yes."

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When Lewis asked if the anonymous person was someone who was also in the spotlight, the former child star explained, "Um, in our community, he's pretty well known. Like in the community that he works in, yeah. He's pretty okay. Wow. I wasn't expecting that."

"He didn't have a car. We were together for a really long time and he got another girl pregnant," she said. "And the best part of it was he asked me to be the godmother of the kid. And we're still in communication now. He's been through a lot. So, there's nothing but love and respect for all that he's gone through in his family. But he still talks about it all the time. D******."

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Symoné tied the knot with her current spouse in 2020. In June, the couple celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary. "What time has given us is only measured by the love and growth we share," the funny lady penned in an Instagram tribute to Maday. "Hugs to sides-eyes, to kisses and snuggles, to space we have tackled, monsters and celebrated the wins."

6 movies and TV shows coming to Prime Video in August

Prime Video is ready for all of your streaming needs this summer.

From hilarious comedy series to new original movies with A-list actors, the platform is serving up something for everybody in August.

Here are the top six titles hitting Amazon Prime Video this month…

MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news and photo galleries

6. Death Becomes Her (August 1)

The 1992 comedy romp Death Becomes Her stars Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. The plot centers around a writer, Helen Sharp (Hawn), whose husband (Willis) falls into the arms of Hollywood actress and former friend Madeline Ashton (Streep). Years later, Sharp confronts the now-married pair after taking a mysterious drug that grants eternal life to the person who drinks it.

5. Built in Birmingham: Brady and the Blues (August 1)

The five-part docuseries Built in Birmingham: Brady and the Blues follows former NFL star Tom Brady as he begins his journey as part-owner of an English soccer club. No stranger to leading a team to victory, the program follows Brady and the athletes as they attempt to build a championship team.

4. Pulp Fiction (August 1)

The 1994 thriller Pulp Fiction — which was directed by Quentin Tarantino and stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis and Uma Thurman — centers around four different intertwining stories of crime and violence in Los Angeles. The flick was nominated for seven Oscars and took home Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.

3. 30 Rock (August 1)

The hilarious NBC comedy series 30 Rock — which ran from 2006 until 2013 — is a surrealist sitcom created by Tina Fey. The plot follows the trials and tribulations of the cast and crew of a Saturday Night Live-like program. The show racked up 16 Emmy Awards during its run.

2. The Map That Leads to You (August 20)

The Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa-led romantic drama The Map That Leads to You will have you reaching for the tissue box. Adapted from the novel of the same name by J.P. Monninger, the Prime Video original sees Heather (Cline) embark on a European adventure when she meets Jack (Apa) and the two go on a journey they never saw coming.

1. The Pickup (August 6)

 Eddie MurphyKeke Palmer and Pete Davidson join forces in the Prime Video original The Pickup. The action comedy centers around two unlikely armored truck drivers, Russell (Murphy) and Travis (Davidson) as they are followed by criminals led by a mastermind, Zoe (Palmer).

Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson's 'The Pickup' reviewed: What the critics are saying

Photo by Courtesy of Prime Video – © Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video's new film The Pickup features an A-list cast comprised of Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, Keke Palmer and Eva Longoria, but critics aren't impressed. Murphy and Davidson may be two of the biggest names in comedy, but according to reviews, their Tim Story-directed team-up just isn't funny.

"A routine cash pickup turns into a deadly pursuit when two mismatched armored truck drivers are ambushed by ruthless criminals with plans beyond the cash," the film's official logline reads.

"As an action-comedy starring Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson and Keke Palmer, it all reeks of overbearing cheapness to where we're left to wonder why anyone would bother," Matt Goldberg wrote in his review for TheWrap. "It plays like the Temu version of better buddy-comedy action films where no human hands touched it during production, and then [it] falls apart the moment you look at it funny."

"But neither the script nor Story's direction really gives anyone much of a chance to shine," Goldberg continued. "So much of the movie is confined to the interiors of the armored truck, and Story's camera is always just trying to keep up with the speaker rather than provide any space for a comic beat to land."

The Hollywood Reporter noted that the cast is talented, but their star power couldn't compensate for the flaws within the storytelling.

"The film boasts a strong comic cast with Murphy, Davidson and Palmer at the lead. Their chemistry is naturally compelling, which helps us buy into their increasingly ridiculous situation," Lovia Gyarkye wrote for The Hollywood Reporter.

"But the adventure often seems random in its humor and low in its stakes," she continued. "There seems to be an effort to outsmart viewers familiar with the beats of this kind of plot, and while that's initially somewhat charming, the antics start to wear on you."

Gyarke noted that the "jokes start to become repetitive and the character dynamics more one-dimensional."

While The Pickup weaves together comedy and action, Deadline depicted the project as flat.

"There are a few twists and turns — literally — in this action flick, and the action part of it is perfectly serviceable even if the expected hilarity from two former [Saturday Night Live] stars in a dream pairing (young and old comic genius combined) fails to materialize and is mostly left to Davidson to do the heavy lifting," Pete Hammond wrote for Deadline.

Murphy is a lauded comedic talent, but even he couldn't save the lackluster action-comedy flick.

"It's a shame, because Murphy is still one of the funniest personalities in Hollywood. He always feels like he's trying, even if some of his movies aren't great. In The Pickup, not only is the movie bland and lifeless, but Murphy is also clearly uninterested in the events unfolding on the screen," Nate Richard wrote for Collider.

Musk donated millions to Trump after fallout

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Elon Musk and Donald Trump had a public falling out earlier this year, but the tech tycoon still gave a reported $15 million to the president's Super PAC MAGA Inc. in the wake of their friendship breakup. The Federal Election Commission shared that aside from contributing to MAGA Inc., Musk also gave to the Congressional Leadership Fund and the Senate Leadership Fund.

During the 2024 election, Musk reportedly donated $300 million to Trump and Republicans. He was later brought on to manage Trump's new DOGE department. Once his time in the role came to an end, he publicly criticized Trump's One Big, Beautiful Bill and accused the former reality star of being mentioned in the Jeffrey Epstein files. He made the additional $15 million in donations on June 27 — weeks after dropping the Epstein bomb.

Musk and Trump were close during the election and early in the president's second term, but things have greatly shifted.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination," Musk told followers on X. "Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it."

"This spending bill contains the largest increase in the debt ceiling in US history! It is the Debt Slavery Bill," he also wrote.

Trump responded by publicly calling Musk a "big-time drug addict."

NASA boss announces plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon

Donald Trump's administration plans to get a nuclear reactor on the moon.

According to a leaked internal memo, Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy has announced the plans to place an electricity-generating reactor up in space.

Chris Kleponis – CNP / MEGA

"To properly advance this critical technology to be able to support a future lunar economy, high power energy generation on Mars and to strengthen our national security in space, it is imperative the agency move quickly," he wrote.

According to one NASA source, Duffy's ambitious plans — which could come to fruition by 2030 — are "about winning the second space race."

Chris Kleponis – CNP / MEGA

Per Duffy's memo, if Russia or China were to cross this milestone before the United States, they could "declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit" America's progress.

NASA is set to appoint someone to lead the reactor project. The agency will also have to get private industry feedback within 60 days. 

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The current goal for NASA to get the reactor on the moon is slated for 2030, the same year China reportedly intends to land on the lunar space.

Trump rages at radio host over MAGA commentary

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Donald Trump publicly attacked Charlamagne tha God after the radio personality criticized the president while on Lara Trump's My View with Lara Trump show.

"I wouldn't give it a good rating simply because the least of us are still being impacted the worst," Charlamagne told Lara after she asked him to share his thoughts on the second Trump administration.

"Anything that takes away Medicaid from people and will put people in a worse financial situation than they were previously in, I'm not for," he added, referencing budget cuts in the president's One Big, Beautiful Bill.

Lara's father-in-law took to Truth Social to react to Charlamagne's comments

"The very wonderful and talented Lara Trump, whose show is a big ratings success, put racist sleazebag Charlamagne 'The God' (Why is he allowed to use the word 'GOD' when describing himself? Can anyone imagine the uproar there would be if I used that nickname?). He's a low-IQ individual, has no idea what words are coming out of his mouth, and knows nothing about me or what I have done, like just ending 5 Wars, including a 31-year bloodbath between Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, where Seven Million people have died, and there was no end in sight," Trump wrote.

"He didn't know that, or India and Pakistan or, wiping out Iran's nuclear capabilities, or closing the horrendous open Border, or creating the greatest economy, where prices and Inflation have come way down, and where STUPID and CORRUPT JOE BIDEN set the record for doing the Worst Job as President, EVER," the former reality star continued. "But this dope, Charlamagne, would vote for Sleepy Joe or Kamala? Remember, one year ago our Country was DEAD, now it's the 'HOTTEST' Country anywhere in the World. MAGA!!!"