Lauren Graham Just Posted The Sweetest Mini 'Gilmore Girls' Reunion

1. What Women Want (2000)

This film follows a charming but egotistical man, played by Mel Gibson, who gains the ability to hear women's thoughts, only to realize they're not as enamored with him as he thought.

While the premise is intriguing, the film relies on outdated gender stereotypes. Moreover, Mel's character is too easily redeemed, particularly by his daughter, who sees him as an absent father until he makes one grand gesture. As if that erases years of neglect.

2. Bring It On (2000)

Bring It On may be a favorite among teens, but a lot of the film's choices don't hold up in hindsight. It's packed with promiscuous portrayals of teenage cheerleaders (and even flashing), casual use of offensive language, and a central conflict about cultural appropriation that doesn't get the depth it deserves.

The rivalry between the predominantly white and Black cheer squads does touch on an important issue. Still, Bring It On doesn't explore the deeper implications.

3. Sorority Boys (2002)

This plot follows three fraternity brothers who disguise themselves as women and infiltrate a sorority only to (shockingly) realize that treating women like garbage actually hurts them.

Sorority Boys is packed with fat-shaming, misogyny, and crude feminist stereotypes. On top of that, it includes an unsettling subplot where one character unknowingly falls for his own sibling.

4. Love Actually(2003)

Love Actually continues to be a holiday go-to watch for many, but it's riddled with problematic ideas about women and relationships. Emma Thompson's character is heartbreakingly mistreated, and she's still forced to endure her cheating husband.

Then, there's the bizarre fixation on Natalie's weight. And overall, the film reduces most of its female characters to love interests. Love Actually barely scrapes by the Bechdel test, with the only meaningful female-to-female exchange being between Karen and her young daughter.

5. Freaky Friday (2003)

This teen comedy features a mother and daughter who magically switch bodies and are forced to navigate each other's lives. While Freaky Friday felt funny and fresh for its time, one of the more uncomfortable aspects of the film involves covert age gap relationships.

Anna, played by Lindsay Lohan, has a crush on Jake. However, since Anna's mind is trapped in her mother's body, it creates awkward moments where Jake is unknowingly flirting with an adult woman inhabited by a teenager.

6. Waiting... (2005)

This was meant to be a raunchy workplace comedy about the chaos of working in a restaurant, but looking back, much of its humor is cringe-worthy and uncomfortable.

Harassment is treated casually, with multiple scenes featuring male employees hitting on younger female staff members (including an underage hostess). The film also leans on homophobic slurs and misogyny, with many jokes revolving around degrading women.

7. John Tucker Must Die (2006)

With over-the-top high school drama and revenge plots, John Tucker Must Die is the epitome of 2000s teen comedy. But even though the movie tries to position itself as a feminist takedown of a serial womanizer, it actually ends up making John Tucker look more desirable.

Similar to Bring It On, many scenes also feel like they're designed for the male gaze rather than female empowerment.

8. Freedom Writers (2007)

Freedom Writers follows a white teacher who steps in to "save" a group of underprivileged students. It falsely suggests that one determined teacher can single-handedly overcome systemic issues like racism and educational inequality as long as they're willing to sacrifice everything else in their life.

Sure, Erin Gruwell's real-life dedication is admirable, but the movie focuses on a feel-good narrative where personal effort alone is enough to fix deeply rooted social issues.

9. The Blind Side (2009)

This film is one of the most glaring examples of Hollywood's white savior complex. Despite being marketed as an inspiring true story, it reduces Michael Oher to a passive character in his own journey and portrays him as helpless until a wealthy white family takes him in.

The Blind Side focuses far more on Sandra Bullock's character and her supposed heroism than Michael's actual experiences.

10. The Hangover Part II (2011)

Finally, The Hangover Part II is remembered as a wild comedy hit. Still, it has some problems, most notably when Ed Helms' character, Stu, discovers the woman he slept with is actually a trans woman.

The scene is played for laughs as both Ed and Bradley Cooper's characters react with disgust. It's a tough watch today and serves as a reminder of how many 2000s films used outdated or offensive humor for shock value.

Has Gemma been an innie the whole time?

TikTok user @msauroraalice made the connection that Severance season 2 episode 9, "The After Hours," has the same title as a specific Twilight Zone episode in which a mannequin, well, forgets she's a mannequin. And now we're all wondering whether Severance is going to reveal a very similar plotline with Gemma.

"Could Gemma have been manufactured at Lumon and all of her experience with Mark is just a severed version of herself," @msauroraalice says, theorizing that "there is no Gemma."

"I bet this next episode, Gemma or Helly has a horrifying discovery about themselves just like the mannequin realizing she's not even alive," she continues.

Clearly, this Twilight Zone episode has a ton of similarities to Severance, with the split identities of it all. And as one Reddit user just made it even more heartbreaking by saying, "She could be an experiment from the very start which is why they went as far as to fake her death and recruit Mark to work for them. That would be heartbreaking. It would mean Mark and Gemma 's relationship was manufactured from the beginning."

"The After Hours" is sure to set us up for a crazy 'Severance' season 2 finale.

After everything Mark has been through, this would truly be a heartbreaking turn of events and I don't know if I could handle it! I'm not alone, either. TikTok users flooded the comments of the post (which has over 900K views).

"If Gemma was never a full person to begin with I'm gonna lose my mind," one user said, while another theorized, "I think Gemma is real but she actually died. Lumon had plans for her to begin with so they revived her body because they effectively own it and now she's stuck in purgatory testing."

But if this Severance theory breaks your heart as much as it breaks mine, there's a silver lining. "The next episode after 'The After Hours' from TWZ is called 'The Mighty Casey' and is about a robot who becomes more human I believe," a third TikTok user says.

But honestly, emotional devastation — and peeling back a character's insecurities, fears, and heartbreak to get to their core — make for really good TV because of how relatable those moments can be. So we'll just have to see what the Severance season 2 finale has in store.

What does "doom scrolling" mean?

"Doom scrolling" is exactly what it sounds like — an incessant amount of staring at social media feeds. From Dr. Lee's perspective, it's "when we continuously and compulsively scroll through negative news or distressing content on social media or news sites." The worst part is that she says "we often continue to do so even when it makes us feel progressively worse over time!" It's almost like we're in a toxic relationship with it 👀.

Also, the news is much more accessible than it used to be. I vividly remember my grandmother being glued to the morning and evening reports growing up, but now we don't have to look far for a breakdown of what's going on. Because of this, Dr. Lee believes "breaking ourselves out of this cycle is especially difficult because much of the news today is presented in a way that keeps us 'hooked.'" How?

Why are more people talking about it?

Based on her observations, Dr. Lee feels "social media algorithms often prioritize content that is engaging and gets reactions (often fear-based)." If you've ever used the word "rage-bait" in a conversation then you're already familiar with what she means. As a result, this "makes it easy to get stuck in a loop of distressing information," according to her. "In fact, with world issues such as climate concerns and political polarization, there seems to be an endless stream of negative news," she adds.

As much as I haven't wanted to talk about them, it's hard to escape concerns and opinions related to topics such as politics, reproductive health, or celebrity PR disasters. They have a way of showing up in conversations because almost everyone I know has access to a smart phone, where news is readily available at our fingertips.

What are negative side effects of being on social media or news sites 24/7?

If you've been feeling on edge or skittish lately, Dr. Lee wants you to know there's a connection between them and doom scrolling. "There are plenty of negative consequences of doom-scrolling. It can increase our feelings of stress and anxiety, lead to feelings of depression and hopelessness, disturb our sleep (if doom-scrolling late at night), and eat up our time during the day when we’re trying to be productive and engage in positive life activities," she says.

However, some good has come out of an increased awareness about doom scrolling. According to Dr. Lee, "we are becoming more aware of the effects of screen time, especially doom scrolling, our our mental health." I didn't know it at the time, but going into my phone settings to create boundaries for myself was the right thing to do!

How can I curb this habit?

If you're ready to stop being so attached to your phone, Dr. Lee has a few tips to help you make this necessary change.

1. Create screen limits: "Set time limits on how much news you consume. I like to keep it around 30 minutes a day of news exposure."
2. Review your notifications: "Remove news notifications from your phone to remove the constant barrage of 'breaking news' so that YOU can decide when to check in."
   
3. Try listening to a podcast: "Subscribe to a news podcast such as The Daily or NPR News Now. Podcasts automatically have a time limit and often discuss the most pressing news of the day. PLUS, you can listen while doing something stress-relieving, such as working out."

How can I tell if I'm doom scrolling or casually looking at social media?

It can be confusing when you're not sure if you're casually scrolling on social media, or succumbing to doom and gloom. But Dr. Lee doesn't want you to stress yourself out even further! Here's how she says you can tell which one you're doing:

1. Stay curious: "Pay attention to your mood during and after scrolling. Are you feeling anxious, drained, or exhausted? Do you keep scrolling bad news and struggle to stop even though it makes you feel progressively worse? These are signs that you are doom-scrolling."
2. Pay attention to content you're consuming: "On the other hand, if you are engaging with a variety of content (not just bad news) that makes you feel informed, entertained, or inspired, you are likely just casually scrolling. Casually scrolling often feels easier to stop than doom-scrolling."