4-year-old Whitaker Weinburger has had a difficult life. Just weeks after his first birthday, Whitaker was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma. The cancer on his adrenal gland would require the young boy to receive a blood transfusion and double stem cell transplant. “It was awful,” Whitaker’s mom Erin recalls, telling The Washington Post in a recent interview “It was terrifying.”

Although treatment showed eventual success, Whitaker’s next few years were full of daily medications and follow-up appointments. Sleepless nights and weeks spent awaiting results became the Weinburger family’s new normal.

Photos from his second birthday show Whitaker between treatments, feeling “crummy” according to his mother, but still managing to celebrate. It wasn’t until shortly after his third birthday that the brave young boy and his family received the news they’d been waiting for all that time. Scans came back showing the treatments had worked, and Whitaker was officially on the mend.

Fast forward to this September. Whitaker’s fourth birthday was approaching, and his parents wanted to find a special way to help him celebrate. A huge fan of “Bumblebee” from the Transformers movies, his mom Erin knew just what to do. A neighbor down the street from the family’s home drives a yellow Camaro, much like the one featured in Transformers. They sometimes pass the vehicle on their way to preschool, Whitaker often asking “Can we go the Bumblebee way?” Erin posted a message on Facebook asking anyone with a yellow car to park on their street on Whitaker’s birthday so that his walk to preschool would be one he’d always remember. Her post spread quickly and was eventually picked up by local news station WJLA.

Number of yellow cars including bugs & Camaros have arrived for a special Bumblebee Transformers birthday. It’s all a big surprise for a little 4-year-old who is fighting stage 4 cancer here in Alexandria Virginia. Drivers have arrived from NY, WVA and all around the DC @ABC7GMW pic.twitter.com/EuZQ9HSAtm

— John Gonzalez (@ABC7John) September 11, 2019

This past Wednesday, over 100 cars, trucks, buses, and cabs — some traveling hours just to be there — lined the sides of the family’s street in Northern Virginia. Police officers shut down traffic, while crossing guards and neighbors sported Bumblebee themed shirts and costumes, all to help a young boy have his best birthday yet. Strangers and family friends alike showed up with gifts and support for the cancer-kicking youngster. Whitaker’s mom Erin was overwhelmed by the support, telling The Post “I hope that all those people that come connect with each other, too, because they’re seeing something great. They’re seeing something great in each other.”

If that wasn’t awesome enough, Jeremy Levy, voice of Bumblebee for the cartoon Transformers: Cyberverse, also reached out to the family with birthday wishes, sharing their exchange on his Twitter account.

The best part of my day. Whitaker got to talk on the phone with Bumblebee. Or should I say, Bee got to talk to Whitaker, and let him know…he's *his* hero pic.twitter.com/4vETWnzBuC

— Jeremy Levy ???? (@mrjeremylevy) September 11, 2019

In addition, Paramount Pictures, the movie studio behind the Transformer movies, sent several boxes of toys to the family’s house, many of which they say will be donated to other kids in need.

Overjoyed with the outpouring of support and love from so many in and around her community, Erin says she and the family now look forward instead of back. “I think the more time that passes, the more we focus on the future instead of what might have happened,” she says, adding “No matter what the future holds, he’s loved.”

Tom Holland is a great Spider-Man, but now we have his first look at playing another beloved character, ‘Uncharted’s Nathan Drake. For those of you now catching up (maybe you’ve come from the MCU, welcome!), Uncharted was an epic video game franchise and one of the best-selling ever. It’s about adventurer slash treasure hunter Nathan Drake, the series is universally acclaimed, was developed by Naughty Dog, and is now going to be a movie.

OK, to be fair, most movie news about Tom Holland these days is about Spider-Man 3 and the possibility of the Spider-verse, but seeing Holland as Drake means a lot to a bunch of people.  Mainly, because it’s the first sign that the project is actually starting to make some progress.

Holland shared the first look on his Twitter of him as Drake in his typical getup (simple plus pistols).

It’s nice to meet you, I’m Nate. #uncharted pic.twitter.com/v79Mvy26iH

— Tom Holland (@TomHolland1996) October 22, 2020

You’d figure a best-selling video game franchise would’ve already had a movie or six, but this is a project that has been in development for a long time. Like, seriously long. Almost a decade. It’s gone through a bunch of scripts, seven different directors, a handful of different target release dates, but now it looks like it’s finally getting into gear.

Holland reportedly is playing a younger version of Drake, so it may be a prequel/origin story for Drake. The original voice actor of Drake in the video games shared some shots from the sets too, so this is really happening!

Like looking into a mirror! Proud to have @TomHolland1996 continuing the Drake legacy! Absolutely smashing it!
Thanks for the set visit!!@unchartedmovie pic.twitter.com/sfiFYUJVyH

— Nolan North (@nolan_north) October 22, 2020

The ‘Uncharted’ movie is supposed to be released in the summer of 2021. Who knows if COVID will change that schedule, as it has so many others, but we’re closer than ever to the end of a project that feels ancient at this point. The movie is also supposed to star Mark Wahlberg and Antonio Banderas, so you know it’s gonna rock whenever it does finally make it to a theater.

As if 2020 weren’t bad enough, now teenagers are outperforming us!

Thankfully, 14-year-old Anika Chebrolu’s work should benefit all of us. Anika was recently named the 2020 winner of 3M’s Young Scientist Challenge, and she did it for a project that couldn’t be more important right now.

With her project, titled “Combating the COVID-19 Pandemic: In-Silico Molecular Docking Study of Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 virus to develop Novel Antiviral drug”, Anika discovered a molecule that can *checks notes* selectively bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. And apparently, that’s good news!

“The last two days, I saw that there is a lot of media hype about my project since it involves the SARS-CoV-2 virus and it reflects our collective hopes to end this pandemic as I, like everyone else, wish that we go back to our normal lives soon,” Anika told CNN

The discovery netted Anika, an Indian American, a victory in the challenge, and $25,000 to go with it. And she won after switching gears midway through. Initially, her project, which she started when she was in 8th grade, had nothing to do with COVID-19.

“After spending so much time researching about pandemics, viruses and drug discovery, it was crazy to think that I was actually living through something like this,” Anika said. “Because of the immense severity of the Covid-19 pandemic and the drastic impact it had made on the world in such a short time, I, with the help of my mentor, changed directions to target the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”

And she’s not done. She plans to continue her work and hopes to collaborate with other scientists to create an actual cure for the virus.

“My effort to find a lead compound to bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus this summer may appear to be a drop in the ocean, but still adds to all these efforts,” she said. “How I develop this molecule further with the help of virologists and drug development specialists will determine the success of these efforts.”

You can learn more about Anika, and watch her entry video which details her project, on the 3M Young Scientist Lab website.

Back in the 1980s, every movie studio was trying to replicate the success of Star Wars, which helped usher in the blockbuster era and made fantasy epics the superhero movies of their era.

So overwhelming was the desire to create the next fantasy saga that even George Lucas himself, the man behind Star Wars, tried to capture lightning in a bottle the second time, this time with the help of Ron Howard and Val Kilmer.

It didn’t go so well. 1988’s Willow, directed by Howard from a story by Lucas, wasn’t exactly a huge success, and never spawned any sequels. But the fantasy tale of a farmer’s unlikely alliance with disgraced soldier Madmartigan in order to protect a baby from an evil queen has endured as a cult favorite.

And now it’s going to be a TV series that takes place years after the events of the film, with Warwick Davis reprising his role as Willow Ufgood and a pilot directed by John Chu, the man who directed Crazy Rich Asians. He has a strong connection to the material.

“Growing up in the ’80s, Willow has had a profound effect on me,” Chu told Deadline. “The story of the bravest heroes in the least likely places allowed me, an Asian-American kid growing up in a Chinese restaurant looking to go to Hollywood, to believe in the power of our own will, determination and of course, inner magic. So the fact that I get to work with my heroes from Kathleen Kennedy to Ron Howard is bigger than a dream come-true. It’s a bucket-list moment for me. Jon Kasdan and Wendy Mericle have added such groundbreaking new characters and delightful surprises to this timeless story that I can’t wait for the world to come along on this epic journey with us.”

The show starts production next year, and will eventually find its home on Disney+.

In 1988 something truly spectacular happened: We watched Die Hard and met Bruce Willis’ salty, sassy John McClane. The New York detective was the stuff of nightmares for bad guys everywhere…especially Hans Gruber (RIP Alan Rickman). He was a boss’ worst nightmare. He cursed worse than any sailor or trucker we’ve ever met, even as adults. And, you guys, he was so freaking cool. The movie was full of quotable lines, which earned it instant icon status and us a firm talking to or a mouthful of soap if our moms ever heard. That didn’t exactly stop us, though… did it?

John McClane started off old and crotchety and has only gotten better with age. We’re now thirty-something years and five movies into the franchise. He’s like a fine wine because he only gets better with age. Was A Good Day To Die Hard our final chance to hang with John McClane? We hope not. We need to keep watching him age to know how we’re supposed to do it properly. The film also started one of the longest-running debates in film history: is Die Hard a Christmas movie? In fact, according to the latest search data available, there are nearly 2,500 Google searches for that same question a month. A month!

Warning: (Read this in a John McClane voice). Obviously, this isn’t PG-13. Get over it and don’t read it around children.

Iconic Quotes From Die Hard

1. Dwayne T. Robinson: How do you know that?
Sgt. Al Powell: A hunch, things he said. Like being able to spot a phony ID.

Dwayne T. Robinson: Jesus Christ, Powell, he could be a fucking bartender for all we know!

2. John McClane: Glass, who gives a shit about glass?

3. Hans Gruber: Mr. Mystery Guest? Are you still there?

John McClane: Yeah, I’m still here. Unless you wanna open the front door for me.

4. Dwayne T. Robinson: This is Deputy Chief of Police, Dwayne T. Robinson, and I am in charge of this situation.

John McClane: Oh, you’re in charge? Well, I got some bad news for you Dwayne, from up here it doesn’t look like you’re in charge of jack shit.

5. John McClane: Now I know how a TV dinner feels.

6. Hans Gruber: We do NOT alter the plan!

Karl: And, if HE alters it?

7. John McClane: Welcome to the party pal!

8. Hans Gruber: Uh, no, I’m afraid not. But, you have me at a loss. You know my name but who are you? Just another American who saw too many movies as a child? Another orphan of a bankrupt culture who thinks he’s John Wayne? Rambo? Marshal Dillon?

John McClane: Was always kinda partial to Roy Rogers actually. I really like those sequined shirts.

9. Hans Gruber: Now I have a machine gun. Ho-ho-ho.

10. John McClane: [huddled in an air vent, recalls his wife’s invitation] Come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs…

11. Hans Gruber: You asked for miracles, I give you… the FBI.

12. Hans Gruber: [Hans’ radio turns on] I thought I told all of you, I want radio silence until further…

John McClane: Ooooh, I’m very sorry Hans. I didn’t get that message. Maybe you should’ve put it on the bulletin board. I figured since I’ve waxed Tony and Marco and his friend here, I figured you and Karl and Franco might be a little lonely, so I wanted to give you a call.

12. Store clerk: (looking at Twinkies) I thought you guys just ate donuts?

13. Hans Gruber: (On the radio) You are most troublesome for a security guard.

14. Hans Gruber: Who are you, then?

John McClane: Just a fly in the ointment, Hans. A monkey in the wretch. A pain in the ass.

15. John McClane: It’s okay, I’m a cop. Trust me, I’ve been doing this for eleven years.

16. Takagi: You want money? What kind of terrorists are you?

Hans Gruber: Who said we were terrorists?

17. John McClane: I’m a cop from New York.

Hans Gruber: New York?

John McClane: Got invited to the Christmas party by mistake. Who knew? (Hans looks at John’s bare feet) Better than getting caught with your pants down. (Laughs) I’m John McClane.

18. Sergeant Al Powell: Hey Roy, how you feeling?

John McClane: Pretty fuckin’ unappreciated, Al.

19. Hans Gruber: I spent a weekend at a combat ranch. You know that game with the guns that shoot red paint? Probably seems kind of stupid to you.

20. Holly Gennero McClane: You’ll have to forgive Ellis. He gets very depressed this time of year. He thought he was God’s greatest gift. You know?

21. John McClane: I think he’s got his eye on you.

Holly Gennero McClane: That’s okay. I have my eye on his private bathroom.

22. John McClane: No. [hands him the gun] Time for the real thing, Bill. All you gotta do is pull the trigger.

23. Marco: No more table! Where are you going to go now? Let me give you some advice: Next time you have the chance to kill someone, don’t hesitate!

John McClane: (Kills him) Thanks for the advice.

24. John McClane: Why don’t you take THIS under consideration, motherfucker?

25. John McClane: You throw quite a party. I didn’t realize they celebrated Christmas in Japan.

Joseph Takagi: Hey, we’re flexible. Pearl Harbor didn’t work out so we got you with tape decks.

26. John McClane: “Nine million terrorists in the world and I gotta kill one with feet smaller than my sister.”

27. John McClane: No fucking shit lady, does it sound like I’m ordering a pizza?

28. Ellis: Hey babe, I negotiate million-dollar deals for breakfast. I think I can handle this Eurotrash.

29. John McClane: You’re pretty tricky with that accent. You oughtta be on fuckin’ TV with that accent.

30. Hans Gruber: You Americans are all alike. Well, this time John Wayne does not walk off into the sunset with Grace Kelly.

John McClane: That’s Gary Cooper, asshole.

31. Holly Gennero McClane: Only John can make somebody that crazy.

32. Hans Gruber: Do you really think you have a chance against us Mr. cowboy?

John McClane: Yippie Ki Yay Motherfucker!

33. Hans Gruber: I am going to count to three. There will not be a four.

34. Tony: You won’t hurt me.

John McClane: Oh, yeah? Why not?

Tony: Because you’re a policeman. There are rules for policemen.

John McClane: Yeah. That’s what my captain keeps telling me.

35. Dwayne T. Robinson: We’re gonna need some more FBI guys, I guess.

36. Hans Gruber: I wanted this to be professional, efficient, adult, cooperative. Not a lot to ask.

37. Hans: The following people are to be released from their captors: In Northern Ireland, the seven members of the New Provo Front. In Canada, the five imprisoned leaders of Liberte de Quebec. In Sri Lanka, the nine members of the Asian Dawn movement…

John McClane: (listening on the radio) What the fuck?

Karl: (mouthing silently) Asian Dawn?

Hans: (covers the radio) I read about them in Time magazine.

38. Hans Gruber: Alas, your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way… so he won’t be joining us for the rest of his life.

39. Hans Gruber: We can go any way you want it. You can walk out of here or be carried out. But have no illusions. We are in charge.

40. Dwayne T. Robinson: Oh god I hope that’s not a hostage.

41. Hans Gruber: That’s a nice suit. It’d be a shame to ruin it

42. John McClane: Happy trails, Hans.

43. John McClane: Is the building destroyed?

Sgt. Al Powell: No, but it’s gonna need a new paint job and a shit-load of screen doors.

Quotes From Die Hard 2: Die Harder

44. Capt. Grant: Too bad, McClane. I kinda liked you.

John McClane: I’ve got enough friends!

45. John McClane: How can the same shit happen to the same guy twice.

46. Marvin: You like it, huh? How ’bout you give me twenty bucks for it.

John McClane: How ’bout I let you live?

Marvin: Man knows how to barter.

47. Capt. Grant: You are just in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

John McClane: Story of my life.

48. John McClane: Just once, I’d like a regular, normal Christmas. Eggnog, a fuckin’ Christmas tree, a little turkey. But, no! I gotta crawl around in this motherfuckin’ tin can!

49. Flight Attendant: (to Holly) What did you do?

Holly: Knocked out two of his teeth.

Flight Attendant: Would you like some champagne?

50. Lorenzo: Yeah, yeah. I know who you are. You’re the asshole that’s just broke seven FAA and five District of Columbia regulations, running around my airport with a gun, shooting at people. What do you call that shit?

McClane: Self-defense.

51. McClane: Powell, put down that Twinkie and talk to me!

Powell: John! How the hell you been?

52. Holly McClane: Listen Dick. That is your name? Dick. If you’re gonna continue to get this close do you think you might consider switching aftershaves?

Thornberg: Anything else?

Holly McClane: Stronger mouthwash would be nice.

“This is my dad, Jeff, on one of the many vacations my parents were sure to take me and my brother on as youth.

At 21, I now find myself thinking everyday about the incredible impact and example he has set for me throughout my life. He has shown me a loving marriage with my mom, how to be a good friend and person, how to work hard, to not be afraid to show emotion, to be accountable, and above all, how to deal with adversity.

When I was 13, our town was devastated by flooding, my childhood home included. We were forced out of our home for well over a month, with nearly all of our belongings being destroyed. Throughout this whole ordeal, facing emotional and financial stresses I couldn’t imagine, my dad made sure my brother and I were never worried.

He shouldered the weight of the clean up, finding a new home, and setting us up again, all while making sure we still had our summer. He showed me that tough times don’t last but tough people do. I feel comfortable talking to him about any issue or feelings I might have to this day, as I know he will help me down the right path.

If I can be half the man and father my dad is, I will be happy.”

– Adam Pahl

Want to share a story about fatherhood? Email [email protected]

We’ve got our first new look at Disney’s latest animated offering, as the trailer for ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ has been released and it looks incredible. The movie, starring (the voice of) Kelly Marie Tran of Star Wars fame, will hit movie theaters in the spring of 2021.

Like many other movies, this too was affected by the COVID, moving it out of its original winter 2020 opening. But fear not, because this looks worth the wait. And it’s a nice showcase for Tran, who rose to fame in Star Wars ‘The Last Jedi’, only to see her role sidelined a bit in the final film of the trilogy (although she’s back for the Lego Holiday special!). Raya is about an ancient world of magic, adventure, creatures, and the like, and you can certainly see why it was so hyped.

Here’s the official synopsis for the film:

Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well.

It’s a big moment for Tran, who becomes the first Southeast Asian actress to lead a Disney animated film. And in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she talked about why this role is different (and so badass).

“What’s really cool about this project, about this character specifically, is that everyone’s trying to flip the narrative on what it means to be a princess,” Tran said to EW. “Raya is totally a warrior. When she was a kid, she was excited to get her sword. And she grows up to be a really badass, gritty warrior and can really take care of herself.”

Sounds cool, looks pretty cool, and definitely hope we’re in a place where we can watch this in an actual movie theater, as we used to in olden times. Slated for a March 2021 release, it could certainly get moved again, as COVID is still a big wildcard for the entire industry. That being said, Disney has had some success with digital releases, so this could be another one you stream straight from your couch.

Jared Leto’s Joker is back, as he’s slated to make an appearance in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League.” Leto will be reprising the role he debuted in 2016’s Suicide Squad, although hamstrung by a middling script, the reviews of his brief screen time were ambivalent. DC fans are hoping Leto gets more of a chance to leave his mark during the reshoots for Justice League.

The Snyder cut is shaping up to be an interesting, and incredibly unique, viewing experience. You rarely get to see a director pick up a project he had to leave midway through, let alone one on a huge budget. HBO sunk a TON of money into the project, as the budget for reshoots and editing is near $30 million. The entire main cast is expected to take part in reshoots during this month. The final project will be a massive, four-episode event on HBO Max.

After ‘Suicide Squad’, no one expected to see Leto back in the role as the Crown Prince of Crime. Especially after Joaquin Phoenix’s masterful take on the role in the latest to interpret the tortured criminal.

Snyder supposedly will present his original vision for the film, which has a darker tone overall than Joss Whedon’s sanitized version. And, with it being a four-episode event, we’ll get a lot more than we would from a theatrical version. That means more of some of the other heroes that have since been fleshed out in other movies. More Wonder Woman, and plenty more of Jason Momoa’s Aquaman. We’ll also get a glimpse of the real villain pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Supposedly, Snyder is using none of the footage shot by Whedon, which is why so many reshoots are being done.

Leto’s inclusion opens up a ton of possibilities for the project though, as he was not included in the original film, and now fans are wondering just how much new content will be part of the finally finished project.

The Snyder Cut will hit HBO Max in 2021.

Family is forever. But the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise is not, as reports came out that we only have a few ‘Fast’ movies left. The franchise, which has become a global phenomenon and has raked in more than $5 billion at the box office, is wrapping up for good after two more films.

The upcoming ‘Fast’ movie, which is now set to be released in 2021, where Dom is a dad, brings the crew to a whole new realm; outer space. At least according to most rumors, ‘F9’ will be the first in the franchise to truly go out of this world. But we only have a few more movies to enjoy what’s become a legendary franchise, one that made Vin Diesel and Paul Walker stars.

Director Justin Lin, who is helming the upcoming ‘F9’, will also direct the final two films for the franchise, which will finish up at 11 total movies (not counting spin-offs, we see you ‘Shaw and Hobbs’) spanning over two-plus decades. That is a LOT of years for anyone who lives their life a quarter-mile at a time.

At least for its star, the end has always been in sight, as Diesel said earlier this year he’s already been planning the next movie and his hopes that the ‘Fast’ universe could live in with other characters in the driver’s seat.

“The universe is so robust and so rich with talent and rich with story that, on one level, it’s totally feasible to have spinoffs, and I think that’s something that is inevitable,” Diesel said. “For the fans, should ‘Fast 10’ parts one and two be the conclusion, it would be nice for this world to continue for generations to come.”

Given he recently released a song, maybe Vin is quitting his day job?

As humans, we have a tendency to – how do I put this lightly – ruin good things beyond repair. Not big things necessarily, but things like classic movies and TV shows frequently fall victim to our tendency to mess with things we love. A recent addition to the list of Things We Have Ruined is something that was never actually great, but we managed to turn gender reveal parties from hacky or relatively neutral to colorful atrocities. Heck, even the woman who decided to make gender reveal parties a “thing” has openly expressed regret about the monster she created.

Listen. I’m all for embracing your inner weirdo, but do it without burning down thousands of acres of forest like that expectant couple in LA who spent so much time reading What to Expect When You’re Expecting that they forgot to think about what to expect when you set off a pyrotechnic device in a forest full of dead grass (which is an increasingly necessary sequel).

To clarify, just because your gender reveal party isn’t dangerous doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Every day there seems to be a new example of this, parents using their unborn children as a means to achieve internet fame. One thing the vast majority of them have in common is that when they do go viral, it’s not exactly for the intended reason.

A Twitter user named TrishXCIII_ recently shared an alarming gender reveal that was posted on TikTok, a gender reveal I wouldn’t wish upon the spawn of my worst enemy. Here’s the gist: two giant inflatable babies beat the crap out of each other until the giant inflatable girl baby is knocked to the ground. John Cena’s entrance theme “The Time is Now” plays in the background. Actually, that’s pretty much it.

This is the craziest gender reveal I’ve seen 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/XZLHI0FhEN

— #portauprincess (@TrishXCIII_) October 13, 2020

The video was originally shared by TikTok user @bigrudie, and across all platforms, it has accumulated millions of views and thousands of comments. The Twitter community came to the consensus of, “what?” as users were baffled by both the premise itself and the fact that people would go to such lengths for something most deemed wildly unnecessary.

Ayyo what??? 😭 pic.twitter.com/qK3fCCGcdw

— 🦋 (@Simply_lay_) October 14, 2020

What in the absolute hell??

— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) October 13, 2020

When we found out our baby was a girl, we just told everyone.

— Michelle Pearce (@PSBFAN1991) October 13, 2020

Extremely questionable taste, but great execution. And hey, at least they didn’t burn down any forests.