SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " RAM " 15,051 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Sacramento business owner urges action after burglary suspect arrested
A Sacramento man has been arrested in connection with five business burglaries, while a local business owner is calling for better communication and support from city officials.
Sampaguita Pictures actress Jean Lopez dies at 86
Photo from Instagram/@ barbicastelvi Veteran performer worked alongside many of Philippine cinema’s leading stars during the 1960s Veteran Sampaguita Pictures actress Jean Lopez, who appeared alongside some of Philippine cinema’s leading stars during the 1960s, died Sept. 1, her family said. She was 86. Her daughter Barbi Castelvi announced the death on social media, describing it as sudden and unexpected.…
City of Erlanger names Premier Athletics of Northern Kentucky as September Business Spotlight
The City of Erlanger has selected Premier Athletics of Northern Kentucky as the September Business Spotlight. The Business Spotlight Program highlights unique businesses within Erlanger by showcasing…
Yankees' Trent Grisham leaves game with right hamstring discomfort
Center fielder Trent Grisham left the New York Yankees' game Friday night against San Diego because of discomfort in his right hamstring. Grisham drew a walk from Walker Buehler leading off the second inning and was thrown out trying to steal second base. Rookie Spencer Jones, who is from Encinitas in northern San Diego County, moved from right field to center field, and Heliot Ramos entered in Grisham's spot in the order playing right field.
Business calendar
ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING: The Literacy Alliance has opened enrollment for the next cohort of its Integrated Education and Training Entrepreneurship program. The free program is designed for community members who are
Georgia Enters 2026 With Massive Expectations in Athens
Every year, the expectations are enormous in Athens. But heading into the 2026 season, the Georgia Bulldogs have another opportunity to prove they are still one of the premier programs in college football. Kirby Smart has built Georgia into one of the most consistent teams in the country. The Bulldogs have won at least 11…
Business, sport and a cause: WhiteBIT Australia hosts the Huddle Up in Melbourne
Super Bowl XXIX Champion and five-time Pro Bowler Ricky Watters will join an invitation-only group of Australian business leaders on September 10 for an evening supporting a proposed flag football program for children in Lviv.MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, Sept. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WhiteBIT Australia will host an invitation-only business event in Melbourne on September 10 to raise funds for young athletes in Ukraine. Super Bowl XXIX Champion and five-time Pro Bowler Ricky Watters will join the e
Chiefs Abruptly Part Ways With Quarterback After Injury
The Kansas City Chiefs had the day off from practice on Friday, but the front office and coaching staff kept busy. They will return to the practice field Monday and begin ramping up to host the Denver Broncos in the Week 1 season opener. For now, however, the Chiefs are still fine-tuning their roster and […] The post Chiefs Abruptly Part Ways With Quarterback After Injury appeared first on HEAVY.
Vandalia Health CAMC Women and Children's Hospital implements postpartum education program
Vandalia Health CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital now gives new moms bracelets identifying their postpartum status. Its POST-BIRTH program highlights nine warning signs to help providers quickly recognize complications and improve maternal safety.
Durham offers $10K for Fayetteville Street businesses, but owners say corridor needs more investment
Durham's Bounce Back program is providing grants and business support to help small businesses along Fayetteville Street grow and preserve the historic corridor.
Mike Norvell on SMU: ‘I love coaching in these games’
On Labor Day, Florida State and SMU face off for only the second time in the history of their programs. SMU will deploy a vaunted and aggressive passing offense against a Florida State defense that, at times, was not aggressive enough in their pass defense against New Mexico State in week zero.
Tennessee awards first round of rural health grants, but not to hospitals, clinics
Tennessee has received nearly $207 million through a federal grant program funded in the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” but the first grants aren’t going toward hospitals, ambulances, …
2 South Florida men sentenced in $34.8M health care fraud conspiracy, DOJ says
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Kenneth Charles Kessler III, a Miami man, and Michael Andrew Gomez, a Miramar man, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
North Carolina Adds New Restrictions to Vote-by-Mail Program
The changes are almost certain to cause some votes to be tossed. They come at a time when President Trump is promoting false claims of widespread fraud in mail voting.
Trump administration undermines health insurance coverage
What we have seen in this administration is a gutting of prevention and public health programs.
Rams stick to their routine as Australia opener against 49ers draws closer
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.
‘Tailgater of the Game’ returns to K-State football
MANHATTAN (KSNT) – A local non-profit is bringing back its annual “Tailgater of the Game” program for the 2026 K-State football season. The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is giving tailgaters the chance to win prizes and get special recognition. The program will return at the Wildcats home opener against Nicholls State University. Staff with the […]
Science Hill Transition School to Work provides pathway for students with special needs
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Science Hill High School’s Transition School to Work (TSW) program is already showing strong signs of success. The program is designed to provide students with sp…
Suspect in string of Sacramento business burglaries arrested
A suspect was arrested in an investigation into a series of burglaries earlier this week in Midtown Sacramento, police said Friday.
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches
In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.
No decision on Aaron Donald's Week 1 status
Rams DT Aaron Donald is traveling with team but status uncertain for Week 1
Looking for more Dolly? Check out these movie screenings
Regal Cinemas is showing two of Dolly Parton’s hit movies for six days of special screenings — with all proceeds going to the star’s book gifting program.
Should the Miami Heat Have Aggressively Pursued Ben Simmons?
As Sacramento gambles on the former All-Star, the Miami Heat's championship-caliber roster avoids the risk, prioritizing established veterans over a reclamation project with declining production and immense pressure.
Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth weigh in on NFL’s Wednesday experiment
The NFL didn’t choose to open its season on a Wednesday this year so much as it was cornered into it by the law. The Rams and 49ers are playing their Week 1 opener in Melbourne, where a Thursday night kickoff in the United States translates to Friday morning local time, and the Sports Broadcasting…
Rural Health Transformation Program grants Kentucky $213M to improve healthcare
The Rural Health Transformation Program has granted Kentucky $213 million to improve healthcare in rural areas.
Computer Science Tops College Majors by ROI, Study Finds
An Investopedia analysis reveals computer science majors earn nearly $35,000 more annually than typical graduates, achieving the highest ROI at 3,143%. Theology and religion majors have the lowest ROI but lower unemployment. Despite rising graduate unemployment and AI impacts, all majors show positive ROI.
Video card RTX 4090 showed a higher frame rate with DLSS 5 than the RTX 5080
A detailed comparative benchmarking of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 graphics accelerators with 16 GB of memory and GeForce has appeared online. RTX 4090 With...
Morrisey: $2.4M of WV’s Rural Health funds will go to 3 organizations for employer-based health
The state of West Virginia will award $2.4 million of its federal Rural Health Transformation Program funding to three organizations to expand worksite and employer-based health services. It’s the first announced allocation of the state’s funding from the federal money. The five-year program awarded West Virginia nearly $199 million for the first year. It’s meant […]
HP’s latest OmniBooks get RTX Spark, 128 GB LPDDR5X RAM and 3K OLED displays
HP has unveiled the OmniBook Ultra 16 and OmniBook X 14, two RTX Spark-powered laptops that are among the first to offer the lower-tier 18-core N1X configuration with a 5,120-core Blackwell RTX GPU. Both come with up to 128 GB of LPDDR5X-9400 memory and 3K 120 Hz OLED displays.
Atacama Makers connects science, technology, and territory at ALMA
Thirty students from Toconao and San Pedro de Atacama took part in the first sessions of a special edition of the Atacama Makers program, held for the first time this year at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) facilities. Through programming, electronics, and innovation workshops, the young participants are creating technological solutions to the challenges...
LSU fans worried about ramifications of Kiffin's decision to recruit, play former NFL players
The showdown between LSU and Clemson has been overshadowed by controversy
Local business replaces wheelchair ramp after stolen from Woonsocket church
A local business replaced the wheelchair ramp at aWoonsocket church after it was stolen last month.
Aaron Donald is ‘TBD’ for Week 1
Sean McVay confirmed that he expects every player on the Rams roster to travel to Australia for Week 1’s game against the 49ers next Thursday, which does include Aaron Donald. According to Ian Rapoport, Donald is still ‘TBD’ for his Week 1 availability against San Francisco. The Rams can carry Donald on their roster for […]
The Fierce Battle For Kids’ Eyeballs...Plus Two “Devils” Face Off
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) During the week of this report, Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit theaters and went on to become one of the biggest films of all time. So, you know what that means! It’s time for a poll! Recently, Project Hail Mary came to Prime Video and became a top five film for them, but didn’t smash streaming records, a feat I cautiously thought it could accomplish. Can Spider-Man 4 do better? To set the stakes, some of the biggest films of all time do just okay on streaming. Wicked, Top Gun: Maverick, and Barbie come to mind... But unlike those films, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a Sony film which means it’s headed to Netflix, the world’s largest streamer. Now, per friend of the newsletter and my go-to Netflix expert, Kasey Moore of What’s on Netflix, Sony films usually appear on Netflix 120 days after they premiere, which means Spidey 4 would land on Netflix on, checks notes, 28-November, one of the two biggest streaming weekends of the year! But Sony occasionally delays its biggest hits for a bit longer, to give them more time to make money on PVOD, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day might not swing onto Netflix until late December or even February 2027. Loading... Okay, on to this week’s issue. Since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie made its way to Peacock, I’m looking at the true workhorse of streaming viewership: kids films. And the surprising film that bested most Netflix animated movies. All that, plus Hulu has a new show that might be a hit (for them…?), two “Devils” square off on streaming, Zendaya tries to find some streaming magic, Netflix’s I Will Find You continues to do well, House of the Dragon tries to break into the season three top ten, some big NBC sports and summer programs, what friendly neighborhood Spider-Man character actually generates the most viewership on streaming, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 27th to August 2nd, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - As The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Hits Peacock, How Have Kids Films Fared in 2026? Like Mario hopping on a Koopa, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie landed on Peacock on 30-July. (Yeah, I kinda forced that Mario reference.) How did it do? Great, just like the first film. It got 13.0 million hours on its opening, and that’s good enough to take second place among Peacock films on the Nielsen charts all time: As I mention all the time, Peacock just isn’t the world’s biggest streamer—in fact, nowhere close—so its films struggle to put up numbers like Netflix (or even Prime Video and Disney+). So this is a solid debut for that streamer. And as we saw last time, The Super Mario Bros. Movie had a HUGE second life on Netflix when it moved streamers. This chart doesn’t even show how long the first Mario lasted on Netflix: a whopping, KPop-esque 31 weeks. For NBCUniversal, though, the big win was the second Mario movie grossing $429 million in America and over $1 billion globally. But yeah, to add a very strong streaming performance only makes its success even greater. Illumination pretty clearly has another hit franchise on their hands. This is a good time, though, to check in on kids films so far in 2026. We’ve had a few big, big titles, a rare Netflix success, and some disappointments. Let’s start with the top animated films since November of 2025, over their first four weeks on the charts, along with a few of the “best all time” animated films: (As a reminder, if a film doesn’t make the Nielsen top ten lists, I don’t have data for it, so it gets a “zero” in terms of viewership. Now, it had some viewership, but I don’t know what it is, so it gets a zero.) I added a few titles to get an idea of what the best of the best looks like in terms of animation. And you can see, through four weeks, Zootopia 2 can now claim “one of the biggest streaming films of all time” titles. GOAT too did surprisingly well, besting Netflix’s biggest films (Swapped and In Your Dreams) through four weeks. When I’ve talked about how films can have varying performances on streaming compared to their box office, this is what I mean. Goat just managed to gross even $103 million at the box office—so it’s popular, but just barely—but did very well on streaming. Of course, what set Encanto and KPop Demon Hunters apart from the rest was their absolutely insane longevity. Here are the kids film charts through eight weeks to show that: And really KPop Demon Hunters just kept going, and no 2025 or 2026 kids films have had that sort of longevity. I can’t wait to see the sequel in theaters. Film - Two Devils and a Drama As I wrote last week, in the past, theatrical-first film flops weren’t eligible for “Miss of the Week” or “Miss of the Year” honors/dishonors, but since so many more films go to theaters first these days, I’ve made them eligible now! But it’s complicated. You see, this is a Streaming Ratings Report, emphasis on streaming, which makes analyzing this week’s two biggest streaming misses—The Drama on HBO Max (A24’s dramedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson) and Prime Video’s The Devil Mouth (a killer shark movie starring young attractive people)—somewhat tricky. The Drama isn’t eligible for Luminate, but The Devil’s Mouth only had 1.5 million hours in its first week: The Devil’s Mouth notched 5.2 million hours according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, The Drama missed the charts entirely. Not great! But Prime Video is a much bigger streamer than HBO Max. That said, HBO Max titles are on Prime Video, but I think Prime Video prioritizes their original/exclusive titles, which helps boost their viewership. Complicating this further, The Drama made $48 million in the US—while A24 sells foreign distribution; the $57 million of overseas grosses helps A24 sell overseas rights for money in the future—off of a $28 million budget (which seems low for Zendaya and Pattinson, so they might have backend). The Devil’s Mouth, though, had zero dollars at the box office. The other stats for The Devil’s Mouth are bleak, and by “bleak”, I mean horrendous: a 4.7 on 15K reviews on IMDb (yikes) and a 46 on Metacritic (double yikes). The Drama, though buzzy online, only has a solid (but far from elite) 7.1 IMDb score on 121K reviews and a 59 on Metacritic (which is far, far lower than I’d have guessed). So which film is the “Miss of the Week”? I’m giving it to The Devil’s Mouth for one simple reason: it’s a horror film. And almost all horror films, even poorly reviewed horror films, should get a shot in theaters to at least try to recoup some of their budgets. The Drama made money at the box office and The Devil’s Mouth didn’t. It’s just like the situation last issue with Obsession and Masters of the Universe. Sure, Obsession didn’t pop on the streaming charts, but at least it already made it money at the box office. And as we’ve been seeing for years now and we’ll see all fall, theatrical films just do better on streaming. After all, the big “devil” winner this week was actually The Devil Wears Prada 2 with 14.8 million hours according to Nielsen. That’s right, The Devil Wears Prada 2—one of the box office success stories of May—came to streaming and parlayed its $220 million box office into 14.8 million Nielsen hours. Disney also put out a datecdote that it had 15.2 million “views” globally in five days, but again we don’t have a lot of great context for what that means. Here’s how it stacks up to other Hulu films, since I’m categorizing this mainly as a Hulu title (though it was also on Disney+): Share Quick Notes on Film We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… Whether Hulu has a new hit show on its hands... The top first and third seasons of all time and which shows are climbing those charts… What version of Spidey is the most popular... What sport and TV show are performing better on NBC than the NBA... All the flops, bombs and misses... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, wow, things stay so busy. One of streaming’s biggest shows of all time, Ted Lasso, returns along with new YA-ish shows from Hulu (The Shards, from Ryan Murphy) and Prime Video (Sterling Point). The Challenge moves to Paramount+, plus My Life with the Walter Boys returns to Netflix and Futurama returns to Hulu. And Netflix has a new horror film, The Last House. Lots to talk about! All month, things stay busy. We’re talking Reacher on Prime Video! Outer Banks and Tires on Netflix! Lanterns on HBO Max! UFC 330 on Paramount+ and the MLB Field of Dreams game on Netflix. And a ton of smaller films come to streaming. Long term, the VMAs are back on 27-Sep! I feel like I haven’t heard much about this show in past years, but I’m seeing more news coverage and buzz for this show than in past years. I’m curious to see how it does.
Texas Senate hopeful Talarico ramps up Black outreach efforts
The Texas Democrat acknowledges criticism that Democrats haven’t been doing enough to court Black voters.
ESPN has a big PR headache after the NBA's LA Clippers ruling
ESPN has caught scrutiny for its framing of the LA Clippers' salary cap scandal, which one PR pro called "very misleading."
El Camino College launches business competition for aspiring entrepreneurs
El Camino College is launching a Launch & Grow Your Business program, offering up to $4,000 in seed money for budding entrepreneurs.
Armor Health and the Stark County Sheriff's Office Partner in Launching PATH Program at Stark County Jail and Celebrate First Graduates
/PRNewswire/ -- Armor Health (ArmorHealthcare.com), a national provider of correctional healthcare, has launched the Prevention, Accountability, Treatment &...
Preview & Prediction: Boston College Football vs Cincinnati
We’re back! The long and boring offseason is finally over. After the Boston College football team finished 2-10 last season, we’ve seen a lot of turnover and changes come to the program. They hired a GM, hit the transfer portal like never before, and have brand new staff under Bill O’Brien to bring the Eagles […]
Mamdani to modernize NYC emergency planning, designate Sept. 11 day of service
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Friday that his administration plans to modernize New York City's nearly two-decade-old framework for keeping government
Grading Colorado football's dramatic Week 1 win over Georgia Tech
Grading every position group after Colorado's comeback win against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in their 2026 season opener.
Georgina Rodriguez Means Business in Dramatic Gucci Pumps in Venice
Georgina Rodriguez went formal at a photo-op outside the Hotel Excelsior during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on Friday in Venice, Italy.
3,200-year-old inscription may point to a long-lost ancient Egyptian city from the time of Ramesses II
An inscription written in the time of Ramesses II may indicate the location of a lost ancient Egyptian city.
Congressman Langworthy Announces $76.2 Million Investment to Strengthen Rural Health Care
Southern Tier and Finger Lakes healthcare to benefit from “Rural Health Transformation Program” From the office of Congressman Langworthy, Congressman Nick Langworthy today announced a $76.2 million investment through New […]
Get to know business professor, ‘Accomplished Under 40’ winner Goede
Leah Goede, adjunct professor in the Boise State Professional MBA program and Director of National...
Scientists capture how bacteria build their protective antibiotic-resistant barriers
Gram-negative bacteria are responsible for causing several infections that are hard to treat, owing to their high resistance to antibiotics.
NASA PICASSO Awards
NASA has made 10 new awards through the Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) program.
Rams' Defender Named Surprising X-Factor for 2026 Season
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Nate Landman has been pegged as the team's "X-factor" for the 2026 season.
2024 MatISSE Program Selections
The MatISSE 2024 projects will expand NASA’s portfolio of instrument technology available for the development of missions exploring a wide range of
Country star John Rich weighs in on Jelly Roll’s political commentary on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’
Country star John Rich reacted to the political commentary made by Jelly Roll, during the Grammy winner’s recent stint guest hosting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live.’
2026 Healthcare Leadership Awards: OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY OUTREACH HONOREE
USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USC-VHH) has demonstrated an enduring commitment to community engagement through its Healthcare Day of Discovery program, an
Community brain health programs successfully improve attention in older adults
As aging populations drive rising global healthcare demands, finding scalable ways to prevent cognitive decline has become a vital public health priority.
Sherrill signs law expanding employee ownership programs for New Jersey businesses
TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed legislation Friday expanding state assistance for small businesses seeking to transition to employee ownership models. The legislation, S4218/A5016, authorizes the New Jersey Economic …
Kings Win Simmons Sweepstakes, Agree To One-Year Deal
Sacramento bolsters its defensive versatility and playmaking by signing the former All-Star to a low-risk veteran deal, betting on his health to anchor their second unit.
Lansing nonprofit launches grant program for Black-owned businesses
A Lansing nonprofit is putting $22,000 back into the local economy to support Black-owned businesses.
Apple Cup Preparation for Washington, Prediction
For the second straight year, Jedd Fisch and Washington have to prepare for a reshuffled Washington State program with a coaching staff and personnel overhaul. Former Oregon State defensive coordinator and head coach Trent Bray now calls the Cougar defense. Washington State head coach Kirby Moore’s offense stems from his stint as the offensive coordinator …
Jadon Sancho encouraged to complete dramatic move to unlikely club
1Former Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho’s plans have not unfolded as expected since leaving Old Trafford this summer. The Red Devils opted against offering the Englishman a new deal, and he p...
16th Annual Men’s Health Event
The Michigan Men’s Health Foundation is hosting the 16th annual Men’s Health Event on Saturday, September 26, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit.Men 18 years and older, with or without health insurance, are encouraged to take advantage of this free event focused on preventative healthcare. | WWJ Newsradio 950
Miley Cyrus releases new single, 'Bass Persuades,' and music video
Miley Cyrus performs onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Humanists’ Sunday Science to discuss wolves Sept. 6
“The Truth About Wolves” is the title of the Central Colorado Humanists Sunday Science program, which will start at 10 a.m. Sept. 6 at A Church, 419 D St.
Nuclear medicine physician-scientist Dr. Amir Iravani joins UCLA Health to lead Theranostics Program
Dr. Amir Iravani will serve as director of the Theranostics Program and vice chair of clinical research in the department of nuclear medicine and theranostics.
Critical Public Health: Fiscal Reform Under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and It’s Public Health Implications
The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ is framed by its proponents as the largest middle-class tax cut in U.S. history and a catalyst for economic growth. Yet, beneath the marketing of ‘jobs, tax cuts, and American prosperity’, the legislation conceals sweeping rollbacks of Medicaid, food assistance, education, reproductive care, and expanded immigration enforcement, alongside tax windfalls for venture capital and immigration enforcement.
Dodgers Still Searching for Answers to Tucker’s Collapse
A $240 million investment faces a baffling crisis as Kyle Tucker’s struggles at home defy logic, leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers scrambling to fix their star.
Healthcare Partnership Expands Nursing Capacity by 77.5%
More students are enrolling in nursing programs at Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) and UNCW, thanks to a community partnership funded by The Endowment. Nursing enrollment capacity has increased by 77.5% since 2023, according to the New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership (HCP), representing a significant step toward addressing healthcare workforce shortages in New Hanover County and southeastern North Carolina.
Apple Planning to Update MacBook Neo in Three Ways
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today reported that Apple plans to release a second-generation MacBook Neo in 2027 with three updates: an A19 Pro chip, 12GB of RAM, and new color options. Released in March 2026, the current MacBook Neo has an A18 Pro chip with 8GB of RAM, and it is available in Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo. In the U.S., the laptop initially started at $599, but Apple raised the price to $699 in June.
Loves Park celebrates new adaptive baseball season
Loves Park celebrates the first season of adaptive baseball programs at the new Home Base Sports Fields facility.
Microsoft Announces Project Zenith, A Clutter-Free Windows Experience Meant To Entice Developers
But you'll need a powerful system with 64GB of RAM to use it.
10 life sciences startups selected for accelerator program
Seven of the 10 companies participating in the fall cohorts of MassBio and SCbio’s Drive program are based in the United States, including four in Massachusetts.
Alabama STEM Council Launches Improved Math and Science Proficiency Data Dashboard
The Alabama STEM Council of the Alabama Department of Workforce has launched a new and improved Alabama Math and Science Proficiency Data Dashboard, providing parents, educators and workforce partners with a clearer view of how Alabama students are performing in key STEM subject areas. The dashboard presents the most recent Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) […]
Cencora Launches Cell and Gene Therapy Enablement for Health Systems
COR launches CGT Enablement to help health systems build and scale cell and gene therapy programs with financial, operational and access support.
NH inmates can now earn a business degree from UNH
The program allows incarcerated students to put their associate degree credits toward a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Cramer Says the Snack Business Is Bad. Mondelez and Smucker Did Not Get the Message.
Jim Cramer called Campbell's snack quarter a nightmare and warned the whole category is broken, but two other packaged food giants reported something very different this week and raised their dividends to prove it.
CT to spend $10 million to continue health care subsidies for paraeducators
Connecticut is spending $10 million this academic year to continue a health care subsidy program for public school paraeducators.
New Science Ph.D. Program Saves Time and Money
A new program offers an alternative to the standard academic Ph.D. in science, and this competition will prove beneficial.
Caltech and KAIST Establish Program to Co-Mentor Tomorrow's Chemists and Drive Future Discoveries
Chemists from the two institutions will work together to identify projects and then mentor postdocs and host graduate students, enabling researchers to experience multiple environments while seeding additional collaboration
California's healthcare affordability office claims power to punish overspending hospitals
The state's new penalty framework could fine hospitals and insurers up to 125% of overspending, with enforcement starting as early as 2028.
Jihad Ward drops hint about potential New York Giants return
Veteran Jihad Ward implied on Instagram that he's headed back to the New York Giants.
UCF Cruises To Lopsided Win Over Bethune-Cookman
The Knights dismantled the Wildcats in a record-breaking season opener, fueled by Duke Watson’s explosive runs and a relentless offense that matched a program-high 73 points.
1K views · 24 reactions | Fish make up just a tiny fraction of...
Fish make up just a tiny fraction of Europe's economy. But they play a big role in its politics. Most recently, the fishing industry dominated the referendum on whether Iceland should restart talks...
PCHC announces layoffs, Bangor office closure amid financial struggles
Penobscot Community Health Care is in the middle of what officials describe as "ongoing financial challenges."
49ers’ Key Defensive Lineman Ruled Out Before Week 1 Matchup
The San Francisco 49ers announced on Friday that they ruled out defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu ahead of their Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.“DL Sam Okuayinonu (foot) has been downgraded to OUT for the Week 1 game against the Rams, the 49ers announced,” Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reported. DL Sam […] The post 49ers’ Key Defensive Lineman Ruled Out Before Week 1 Matchup appeared first on HEAVY.
Trump health admin promotes insurance program aimed at lowering costs for employers
Employer health insurance costs are expected to spike next year. Federal officials are pointing to an Indiana business offering alternative health insurance to keep costs down.
iPhone Ultra Production Hitting Just 'a Few Hundred' a Day, Says Nikkei
Apple last month only managed to produce "a few hundred units a day" of its upcoming foldable iPhone because of the company's extremely high quality control standards, according to Nikkei Asia ($), citing supply chain sources. From today's report: "Production is ramping up slowly, with output currently at only a few hundred units a day in late August.
Nithya Raman is the comeback kid of L.A. politics
The Dodgers should sit Raman in their dugout come playoff time, because her knack for scoring while behind is almost preternatural.
Has Chelsea's transfer strategy finally started to pay off?
Chelsea have had a few remarkable transfer summers since their forced sale from Roman Abramovich's control in May 2022. Once again they were big spenders, outlaying £349m on 11 signings such as Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix and Emiliano Martinez. Chelsea actually made a trading profit after selling 17 players.
Ursinus to Launch First Graduate Program in College’s History
Ursinus College will launch its first graduate program, an online M.S. in Exercise and Sport Science, beginning May 2027.
Ursinus to Launch First Graduate Program in College’s History
Ursinus College will launch its first graduate program, an online M.S. in Exercise and Sport Science, beginning May 2027.
Ursinus to Launch First Graduate Program in College’s History
Ursinus College, Department of Health Sciences, Gundolf Graml, Holly Hubbs, Collegeville, Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Science
Hangarfest returns to Hagerstown with breast cancer fundraiser
Hangarfest returns Sept. 26 at Rider Jet Center with live music, food trucks and fundraising for breast cancer support programs.
49ers News: Swoop on those Rams like an angry magpie
Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Friday, September 4th, 2026
Cumberland County school board moves to end minority business program
Cumberland County Schools plans to repeal minority- and women-owned business contracting policies after changes included in North Carolina's budget.
College sports are awash in more money than ever, yet a growing number of schools are losing money on intercollegiate athletics
The number of top schools that are losing money on intercollegiate athletics has nearly doubled over the past decade. Many others are profitable only because schools are subsdizing the programs or …
Southcoast Health antibiotic stewardship program earns recognition
Southcoast Health earns a national designation for its efforts to ensure safe and effective antibiotic use.
Sports quiz of the week: transfer deadline day, the US Open and rugby drama
Have you been following the big stories in football, cricket, tennis, boxing, Formula One and cycling?
2,000-year-old Roman concrete may offer clues on how Pyramid of Giza was built
Insights into how the ancient concrete grows denser could help create a low-carbon modern version and explain how the Great Pyramid endured.
San Francisco 49ers arrive in Melbourne for historic NFL game against the LA Rams
The San Francisco 49ers have arrived in Melbourne for their season-opening NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sept. 11. It is expected to be the first of many regular-season NFL games in front of its growing Australian fan base. The team’s 200-member traveling party touched down on Friday morning after a 15-hour chartered Qantas flight and will spend a week acclimatizing before facing the Rams in front of an expected sold-out crowd at the MCG.