By Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES — Fresh off the resounding success of “Barbie,” Mattel is partnering with Universal Pictures to develop another live-action film based on its top-selling dolls. The El Segundo-based toy company and the studio giant announced Wednesday that they are joining forces for “Monster High,” a big-screen feature inspired by the fashionable, plastic descendants of classic creatures. Related Articles Movies | ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ review: Smith-Lawrence comedic chemistry gives it life Movies | ‘Hit Man’ review: Glen Powell gets it in gear, in a hired ..read more

What South Floridian hasn’t sat in their car at a drawbridge looking at the passengers on a Jungle Queen riverboat with envy as the vessel cruises up and down the Intracoastal? Or maybe while strolling, jogging or biking along the New River, you’ve glanced over at these tourism boats with the throwback paddle wheels and thought, “Why am I sweating instead of showboating?” The Jungle Queen has become synonymous with Fort Lauderdale waterway-watching, serving up old-school sightseeing cruises for tourists and tourist-wannabes since making its debut in 1935. But now, the fleet has hit t ..read more

This may be the battle to end all battles: Who makes the best pizza in South Florida? Any way you slice it, there is no shortage of options here — whether you prefer New York style, Detroit style, Chicago deep dish, or even (gasp) Hawaiian. So we’re on a hunt for South Florida’s favorite pie and need you to submit your picks. We’ll take nominations through Sunday, June 16, then ask you to vote for the top five. Think this will be just another popularity contest? Not exactly. We’re partnering up for a blind taste-test with a panel of judges, including South Florida food writer (and former Sun S ..read more

There is no discernible theme to this weekend now that Miami Swim Week is over — because why torture the Edmontonians like that? But in its randomness, there’s something for (yes) everyone, both locals and visitors from the Great White North. You’ll find VR space travel at the Kravis Center, SpongeBob at the Broward Center, a World Cup cricket watch party (India vs. Pakistan!) at The Wharf, concerts by Megan Thee Stallion and Luis Miguel, comedian Whitney Cummings at Dania Improv, a Taylor Swift tribute band putting an exclamation point on Pride events in Delray Beach, the debut of Santo Dulce ..read more

It’s hard to quit Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The duo first paired for the 1995 Michael Bay-directed action-comedy “Bad Boys” and are a joy from the opening sequence of the franchise’s more-entertaining-than-not fourth entry, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” which speeds into theaters this week. As veteran Miami police detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, respectively, Smith and Lawrence pick right up with their characters’ signature bickering, Marcus insisting to the fast-driving Mike that he’s going to be sick if he doesn’t get some ginger ale. Mike agrees to stop the car, giving Marcus 9 ..read more

Summertime, and the listening is easy, songs are rockin’ and the volume is high. Which is to say, it’s time to talk about songs of summers past. Songs of the summer anchor us in a time and place. You remember who your friends were, what you did, and where you went. There are absolutely people this summer who will always remember their love for Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” or Billie Eilish’s “Lunch,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” or Post Malone and Morgan Wallen‘s “I Had Some Help.” It’s too early to evaluate those, though. Come back in 40 or 50 years when I, or some AI simulation, will tell ..read more

‘Lake County’ by Lori Roy. Thomas & Mercer, 312 pages, $28.99  Echoes of Carson McCullers and a soupcon of Flannery O’Connor filter through Lori Roy’s superb “Lake County,” her sixth novel. The coming-of-age novel looks at fame, celebrity worship and unbridled ambition wrapped in a solid story about Florida during 1955. “Lake County,” by Lori Roy (Thomas & Mercer/Courtesy) Addie Anne Buckley is anxious to escape Hockta, a fictional small town in Lake County that Roy sets somewhere in Central Florida, “about 45 minutes” from Tampa. Addie loves her parents, Inez and Harden, but want ..read more

The Starlight Musicals in downtown Fort Lauderdale began 45 years ago with an idea that should never go out of style: Free city-sponsored concerts in the park on a stage, surrounded by locals on blankets held in place by picnic baskets and coolers filled with fellowship on ice. It is a template you’ll find in place all over South Florida as free summer concert series get going, including the Starlight Musicals’ return on Friday, June 7. Here’s a look at some of the places to find a free concert near you.  FORT LAUDERDALE The city’s Starlight Musicals take place from 7 to 10 p.m. each Frid ..read more

Sixty eateries across Broward and Palm Beach counties went to school and earned A-pluses on their report cards. These “gold-star” restaurants and food trucks made the May 2024 list of perfect inspections because not one violation — minor, intermediate or high-priority — was red-flagged at the time of the surprise visit from Florida safety and sanitation inspectors. Eateries typically are inspected at random every six months to a year. Last month, 31 spots in Broward County and 29 in Palm Beach County earned perfect scores. Related Articles Restaurants, Food and Drink | 111 South Florida rest ..read more

Can a lame haircut turn Glen Powell into a character actor? Here’s two more for you: Is Glen Powell a huge movie star in the making, thanks to “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Anyone But You”? And if he isn’t, is he at least nimble and versatile enough to play one when needed? The answers to those questions are encouraging. I doubt that would’ve been the case four or five years or seven or eight films ago. In the highly engaging “Hit Man,” now in a few theaters and heading to Netflix June 7, Powell reunites with his fellow Texan, director and screenwriter Richard Linklater, for a romantic comedy with ..read more