I don't often watch movies within the cinema, let alone horror movies. But a couple of weeks ago I saw “Heretic“, which fascinated me for private and skilled reasons.

I watched loads of Hugh Grant romantic comedies within the late Nineties and early 2000s. Today it’s me a scholar of gender and culture and religion, including Mormonism. And in “Heretic,” two Latter-day Saint missionaries knock on a door only to search out it opened by a personality named Mr. Reed, played by Grant himself.

As I sat within the theater, my mind wandered to the time recently once I watched the complete reality show.The Secret Lives of Mormon Women.”

Although the series differs significantly from the film, each often deal with the lives of ladies who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints often called the Mormon Church. Less horror and more hot mess, the TV show sets up a conflict between a gaggle of mother friends who violate lots of their church's rules.

Nevertheless, each character sets reflect one another long-held tropes about women in art: depicted as virgins, moms or sinners in need of salvation. When characters have a spiritual background, their misdeeds are sometimes portrayed as rebellions against the constraints of their faith – evident in a Secret Lives of Mormon Wives episode titled “The Book of Sinners and Saints.”

In the filmReligion is commonly a path that audiences must grapple with Ideas about gender and social change. This is much more true if the faith is taken into account conservative or liable to stereotyping, each of which apply to Latter-day Saints. Female characters' dilemmas are sometimes portrayed consequently of their faith—but their characterization may say more concerning the remainder of America than the church itself.

“Secrets” and stereotypes

“The Secret Lives of Mormon Women,” that was renewed for a second season on Hulu in October 2024 is a reality show a few group of friends in Salt Lake City, where the Church of Latter-day Saints is headquartered.

Although many Americans know little concerning the church, Strong stereotypes persist: these members are healthyfor instance, and accept a family structure with a father who takes care of him and a superbly coiffed mother who stays at home. The show goals to point out how diverse the “secret lives” of Latter-day Saints may be, at the same time as certain characters within the show reflect stereotypes concerning the Church's expectations of ladies.

The Church teaches that members should avoid extramarital sex, Alcohol and caffeine. Nevertheless, many actors proceed to check all these boundaries or break them completely. Before the show began, for instance, the celebs gained a fan base on TikTok via the hashtag #MomTok – which then experienced a boom a “soft swinging” scandal Involvement of their social environment. During filming, one among the ladies is pregnant and never married to the daddy of her child.

These conflicts appear to pique the fascination of viewers, despite the indisputable fact that few people in a spiritual tradition follow its teachings perfectly. Questions about church regulations and Violation of the foundations occur time and again the subreddits dedicated to the show.

Maybe viewers act like women only have feelings in Utah special patriarchal pressure when it comes to money and appearance – including cosmetic surgery. they could conveniently forgotten that two of the most important Christian denominations within the United States, the Roman Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention, also ban women from holding leadership positions.

At one point early within the series, Whitney tries to determine whether to simply accept a sex toy company's offer to advertise their products and whether it aligns along with her values. She and the opposite women all grudgingly admit that they earn greater than their husbands, especially through such brand-name deals.

These tensions are hardly limited to spiritual communities. Many people outside of conservative beliefs struggle with the concept of ​​a girl being the first breadwinner of her family. Studies suggest this stands out as the case a better likelihood of divorce when wives earn greater than husbands, and that ladies who earn greater than their male partners are more prone to fake orgasms.

Perfect victims

In its own way, “Heretic” can be about power and control in addition to the oppression of ladies with or without religion. But while faith itself isn’t discussed here in “Secret Lives.” it’s the main target.

The film opens with two young women wearing the modest clothing of Latter-day Saint missionaries – a rite of passage for a lot of young people within the Church – and with name tags on their coats. They rode their bikes to see Mr. Reed, a person who expressed an interest of their faith. He invites her into his perfectly decorated house and says that his wife shall be joining them, although the one clue to her are mugs marked “Husband” and “Husband.”

Mr. Reed is enthusiastic about religion, but to not the extent the missionaries had hoped. He begins to lecture her concerning the supposedly false guarantees of faith and urges her to present up the concept her church has a monopoly on the reality. In particular, he insists that the Latter-day Saint tradition is bad for girls and persists in that tradition former practice of polygamy – while he himself begins to terrorize the young women, who realize that they have to discover a method to escape.

In my opinion, their plight is tied to broader ideas about gender—particularly discomfort with U.S. culture's move away from patriarchal gender roles.

Christine Blythea folklorist and the managing director The Mormon Historical Association argues that sister missionaries were the “ideal victims” for a horror film: characters that the audience associates with innocence and who’re worthy of being protected by men.

But once they leave the security of their homes, they’re persecuted moderately than protected. It is just a while after they enter Reed's house that Elder Kennedy, a person from their church, goes in search of them. Reed's seek for the “one true religion” and his efforts to get the women to desert their very own religion boil right down to his need for pure control over women – which is expressed not only in his violence, but in addition in its manner and the way in which he moves the figures of the 2 missionaries through a dollhouse-sized version of his house.

Audiences might even see the missionaries as scapegoats, as if such dangers only arise when women serve their church—moderately than considering that misogyny is a danger that ladies face no matter their religious affiliation.

Both “Heretic” and “Secret Lives” reflect ideas about Latter-day Saints for a U.S. audience. The audience, in turn, uses it to explore fears concerning the position of ladies in society. While each could also be entertaining in their very own ways, the challenge is to take into consideration why they resonate – and apply those thoughts to our own communities.

Celtics

Hornets forward Grant Williams, who was a teammate of Jayson Tatum on the Celtics for 4 seasons, Tatum equalized with a tough foul on Friday night.

On Saturday, Tatum told reporters He didn't wish to comment on the situation.

“I mean, I don’t really want to talk about it,” Tatum said. “It's just – we prepared for the game today, we came to Charlotte and did what we were supposed to do and we're going to Atlanta to try to get another win before we go home. “

Tatum later mentioned Williams by name when asked how he reacts when teams turn to a more physical style of play.

“They understand that’s their game plan,” Tatum said. “They put Grant on me to defend, they didn’t want me to get the ball, they gave me a face shield.”

“It makes you stronger, it makes you better,” he added. “You find more ways to influence the game. Don't limit yourself to just one way to be effective. I train every game day, so these swear words don’t really bother me.”

Williams said Friday night that the hard foul was unintentional and that he would turn to Tatum. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reported before the sport that the pair had spoken.

Williams apologized, Washburn said, and Tatum accepted the apology, although he was still upset.

I used to be told that Grant Williams and Jayson Tatum spoke after Friday's game. Williams apologized. Tatum was apparently still upset, but accepted. #Celts #Hornets.

– Gary Washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) November 2, 2024

“It’s never about one person for me,” Tatum said. “I understand who I am, who I am in this league. I’m going to come out and play the right way.”

“It’s not about a duel or anything. Just try to come out, dominate and give my team the best chance to win, whether it's scoring, rebounding or shielding other players. The goal is to make sure we give ourselves the best chance to win so it’s not a situation with another person.”

After Williams knocked him to the bottom, Tatum immediately jumped back up and went to the free throw line. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said he liked the way in which Tatum handled the situation.

Both Derrick White and Jaylen Brown said the play was a bit “BS” and that Williams should know higher. Brown said he thought Tatum and Williams were friends, but in hindsight wasn't so sure.

Williams told NBC Sports Boston's Kayla Burton that he had prepared chicken wings in anticipation of a few of his former Celtics teammates coming over for dinner while the teams played back-to-back games in Charlotte.

He acknowledged there was a slim probability they might get past after the foul.

The Celtics won the miniseries with the Hornets. Tatum had an inconsistent shooting night on Saturday, going 1-for-9 from 3-point range and 14-for-17 from the sector.

Tatum turned the ball over five times in each of the 2 games, his highest total of the season.

Celtics

Grant Williams crashed into Jayson Tatum at full speed late within the fourth quarter of the Celtics' win over Charlotte on Friday night.

Williams was ejected from the sport after being cautioned for a Flagrant 2 foul. He told reporters that the act was not premeditated; Celtics Forward Jaylen Brown disagrees.

“I don't know what it was about. I think that spoke for itself,” Brown said. “I don’t know if Grant missed JT, I don’t know what that was. This just wasn't a basketball game. Grant knows better.”

Celtics guard Derrick White also said that the 6-foot-1, 220-pound Williams should know higher than to run into people at full speed while dribbling a basketball.

“Like JB just said, he obviously didn’t want the ball,” White said. “He’s just too big to do something like that and he knows that, but JB has always supported us and we know that and we’ve always supported JT.”

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who said earlier this week that he would really like to see the NBA fight again, said he liked the physicality of the sport.

He also said he liked the response from Tatum, who was affected by actions that resulted in flagrant fouls for 2 different Hornets players. LaMelo Ball received a Flagrant 1 for contact he made with Tatum while contesting a 3-point shot attempt.

“I'm glad he's okay. What I liked most is that he jumped up straight away. He wasn't lying around. It didn’t really bother him,” Mazzulla said. “He went straight up, went to the free throw line and did his business. I don't like the fact that he did it. I'm glad he's okay, but I'm even more glad he responded. Just get up, keep going, next game. And the team responded well too, so kudos to them.

“I just liked the way JT handled it. It was great. If you get hit like that, you'll pop right back up. Big deal.”

Brown said there was no place in the sport for Williams' behavior Friday night.

“I thought Grant and JT were friends,” Brown said. “I do not think so.”

Brown agreed with Mazzulla's sentiments that sustained physical challenges can bring teams closer together.

“I think this brings out the side of our team that we need,” Brown said. “I think this adds another dimension to our team and that is what we need if we want to continue winning games at a high level. You need a little edge, a little liveliness, a little fight in you. I welcome that too. I agree with Joe.”

San Jose has secured a major investment from the federal government to support the event of a park within the Spartan Keyes neighborhood, providing green space to a historically industrial and underserved area of ​​town.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has awarded San Jose a $4.5 million grant to assist town design and construct a 1.3-acre park on a site on the corner of Third and Keyes streets which has been working on for a long time as a brickworks production site.

“I had the privilege of taking a quick walk and showing the room to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and discovered that the closest park to these neighborhoods is a 30-minute walk away and is not accessible to children, elderly residents or families,” said Mayor Matt Mahan on Friday. “That’s why this investment is so important.”

Launched in 2014 and administered by the National Park Service, the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant program provides funding to develop latest recreational spaces or revitalize existing parks in underserved or disadvantaged communities of at the very least 30,000 individuals who have little or no access to those facilities .

The grant program can be a part of the larger “America the Beautiful” initiative launched by the Biden administration to “combat the nature and climate crises, improve equitable access to nature, and strengthen the economy.”

Haaland said that while the Trump administration zeroed out this system, the Biden administration has “doubled down on its efforts.”

This 12 months's park grants totaled nearly $255 million for 54 projects in 24 different states, with grant amounts starting from $390,000 to $15 million.

While California received 14 of those grants totaling about $88 million, Spartan Keyes Park is the one Bay Area project to receive funding.

“From Anaheim to Redding, communities across the state will benefit from expanded access to beautiful outdoor spaces and more outdoor recreation opportunities,” Haaland said. “The work taking place here in San Jose and across the state is an incredible example of the type of collaborative partnerships needed to ensure Americans’ access to nature in every part of our country.”

Rita Torres, a longtime Spartan Keyes resident, said she was excited to listen to in regards to the investment, noting that it felt like a lifetime for the reason that city acquired the land greater than eight years ago and that she previously unsure if she would survive See the way it happens.

Although the precise date of completion of the park is unknown because it has yet to be designed, Mahan expects it to be inbuilt a couple of years.

The grants granted amounted to as much as 50% of the whole costs of the respective projects. In the case of Spartan Keyes Park, the $4.5 million grant is estimated to cover 45% of what town must make it occur.

Although San Jose is currently fighting a half-billion-dollar park maintenance backlog, it continues to prioritize investments in urban amenities. Seven parks have opened this 12 months and two more are within the pipeline.

“Everyone deserves to have access to these public green spaces and amenities close to home,” said Gloria Sandoval, assistant secretary for access on the California Natural Resources Agency. “This builds healthier communities as spending time in nature promotes our physical, mental and social well-being and creates many memories with their families.”

SAN DIEGO – All eyes will probably be on the Giants’ young players this September as they struggle to carve out their roles for next season.

And if you happen to ask Grant McCray, it's thing that folks are watching.

McCray, 23, began the season in Double-A and didn't make it to Triple-A until mid-June, but within the 19 games since being called as much as the main leagues, his combination of power and athleticism has made a robust case for him becoming a mainstay in the main league outfield, or at the very least having an edge in big-league competition next spring.

“You can't help but think of it differently,” Melvin said of the Giants' 2025 outfield plans after McCray hit two home runs and scored five runs of their 6-3 win over the Padres on Saturday night. “There's still some time and we want to see as much of him as possible, but you can't help but imagine what it might look like for us in the outfield next year with Jung Hoo (Lee) coming back as well.”

McCray's first home run against Padres starter and perennial Cy Young candidate Dylan Cease — with two men on base — was an instantaneous response to San Diego's two-run inning and gave the Giants the lead for good. His second — a two-run shot — prolonged their lead within the ninth inning against left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui.

Both were sure favorites for right field, traveling a complete of 265 yards, a day after he hit two singles in the other way.

“I mean, one was a breaking ball, one was a heater,” Melvin said. “He's hit left-handed a lot in the minor leagues. It's all about getting the bat on the ball and finding a good pitch to hit. When he does that, you see him go to left field – the opposite direction – there's a lot of power in that.”

McCray, who found himself surrounded by reporters at his locker afterward, was probably the smallest person within the huddle. His height is generously listed at 6'2″ and 190 pounds, but as starter Logan Webb noted, “He hits balls lots farther than his frame would suggest.”

When he asked the question directly – how does he manage to generate so much power with such a petite stature – McCray was as baffled as everyone else.

“I don't know, you tell me, bro,” he laughed. “I don't know, man. I used to be never really an influence hitter until a pair years ago. It's all within the hips, man. All within the hips, I assume. I don't know. The ball just bounces off (my bat).”

Since his Aug. 14 call-up, McCray has hit five home runs in 19 games, along with a triple and three doubles – a .569 slugging percentage that would be higher than any number he's hit in four and a half minor league seasons. In 162 games, that would put him on pace for 42 home runs, a number no Giant has come close to since Barry Bonds. As a minor leaguer, McCray peaked at 23 in 2022, when he also stole 43 bases.

With his brilliant start to his Major League career, he is already in exclusive company: Alongside Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda and Jarrett Parker, he is the only player in the Giants' San Francisco era to have hit so many home runs in his first 19 games.

“I don't think he'll hit 40 before the tip of the yr, but he's got that power,” Melvin said. “I wouldn't put that number on him. It's just concerning the quality of his pitching, because he obviously has plenty of power. It's just as impressive when he goes the opposite way and hits a few singles the opposite way.”

While Melvin said he “never thought” McCray would make the major leagues this season, the same cannot be said for Webb, who rebounded from a two-run first inning to finish his 19th good start of the season with three runs in six innings in unseasonably hot and humid weather.

Last winter, McCray joined Webb and Kyle Harrison at the Giants' Papago Park complex and their private training sessions at nearby Push Performance in Arizona.

“I believe I probably asked him day-after-day in the course of the offseason if he got the invitation to major league training camp,” Webb said. “He finally got it and I used to be super excited. He didn't play much within the spring, but having the main league training camp experience and the people around him, I definitely thought it was possible.”

It was harder for Webb to imagine next year's outfield without Mike Yastrzemski or Michael Conforto, who would have to clear the way for McCray to join Heliot Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee, although Melvin has certainly thought of it before.

On defense, McCray plays with the same tenacity that caused his father, Rodney, to run through a wall trying to catch a ball during his brief major league career. McCray is a natural center fielder with the speed and instincts to master the position. He has already made a handful of pike catches and showed off his arm strength on a couple of occasions Saturday night.

However, the Giants have invested $113 million in a player they signed last winter as their future center fielder.

“I've told plenty of people who if Jung Hoo and I play in the identical outfield, it's going to be a nasty day for everybody else who involves our stadium,” McCray said. “To be honest, I'm a midfielder. I've been a midfielder since I used to be a child. That's where I feel most comfortable. But if I even have to play within the corners, I even have to play within the corners.”

The brief glimpse the organization got of Lee before he opted out of the season due to injury gave them enough confidence that he could fill the position long-term, and Melvin was able to dream of an outfield lineup with Ramos – who was celebrating his 25th birthday – on left, Lee in center and McCray on right.

“It's exciting — and athletic,” Melvin said before the game. “I believe in our stadium, that's really going to work. I believe that's something we’d like to have a look at somewhat bit more, is how the games are played in our stadium. Maybe we’d like somewhat bit more athleticism in alternative ways to attain points, on defense. I believe that's exciting to observe.”

Remarkable

In the second inning, the Giants announced that that they had swapped IF/OF Cavan Biggio to the Atlanta Braves for money. Biggio, 29, has played in 12 games for Triple-A Sacramento since signing as a minor league free agent on Aug. 23.

Next

Harrison would have been as a result of start in the ultimate game of the Giants' series against the Padres, but because he’s on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation, manager Bob Melvin has not named a starter for the sport against San Diego RHP. Joe Musgrove (5-4, 4.09). The first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m.

Originally published: September 7, 2024 at 20:06

Sports update within the morning

Grant Hill on Jaylen Brown not being chosen for Team USA: On Wednesday, USA Basketball announced that Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is not going to play within the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, despite his original selection to the squad.

The US team announced that Derrick White had been chosen by the Celtics as Leonard's successor.

But despite the fact that three Celtics are on the Olympic roster, the discussion quickly turned to a Boston player who was not chosen. Jaylen Brown, the Celtics' MVP within the NBA Finals, was not considered within the initial roster selection, nor was he considered within the spot that became available after Leonard's withdrawal.

When asked concerning the embarrassment on Wednesday before the U.S.'s pre-Olympic warm-up game against Canada, USA Basketball CEO Grant Hill stressed the importance of balance.

“It’s about putting together a team,” Hill founded. “All in all, there's incredible interest here in the United States from a wealth of talent. I talked about it a little bit when we were putting this roster together. You have 12 spots; you have to build a team. One of the hardest things is cutting guys off the roster that I'm a fan of and enjoy watching throughout the season and the playoffs.”

“Guys who were Finals MVPs,” Hill added. “Guys who were part of the program. Guys who won gold medals. Guys that I respect, admire and enjoy watching. But my responsibility is to put together a team that complements each other, a team that fits together, a team that gives us the best chance to succeed. Whatever theories are out there, they are just that.”

Brown, particularly, had a theory. The 27-year-old appeared to suggest that Nike can have played a job:

Brown has a documented history not being a Nike fan. Hill responded to questions on Brown's Nike stance with a joke.

“Well, I've worn Fila for most of my career,” Hill said seriously, later adding, “I'm kidding.”

“We are obviously proud of our partners,” said Hill. “This is about putting a team together.”

Results and fixtures:

The Red Sox lost 5-2 to the Athletics on Wednesday, with Nick Pivetta allowing 4 runs in 6.2 innings despite ten strikeouts.

The two teams will play again tonight at 7:10 p.m. at Fenway Park.

More from Boston.com:

Jayson Tatum plays for Team USA: The Celtics champion marked his return to international business with some beautiful sequences and scored a complete of eight points in 17 minutes within the Olympic preparation win against Canada on Wednesday.

Teammate Jrue Holiday began and finished the sport with 11 points, five rebounds and 4 assists.

On today: In 1969, the Red Sox won a doubleheader against the Orioles and won the primary game 7-4 and the second game 12-3Carl Yastrzemski hit a house run in each game, and Reggie Smith went 7-for-9 and hit a house run within the two wins over Baltimore.

Daily highlight: Just a couple of highlights from Team USA, culminating with a layup by Jrue Holiday.