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Celebrate Juneteenth by streaming this must-see Netflix drama with 99% on Rotten Tomatoes

Celebrate Juneteenth by streaming this must-see Netflix drama with 99% on Rotten Tomatoes

Tom's Guide19-06-2025
From "Miss Congeniality" to "Little Miss Sunshine" to "Drop Dead Gorgeous", the competitive world of beauty pageants has been explored numerous times on film, but one of the best is "Miss Juneteenth," a Southern drama that sees a former beauty queen and single mom prepare her rebellious teenage daughter for a local pageant in Texas.
But where other movies have focused on the silliness and superficiality of the pageant circuit, the 2020 title — which was written and directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples ("Queen Sugar") in her feature film directorial debut — is a thought-provoking, character-driven watch that digs into hefty topics, from racism to motherhood to the meaning of freedom, all guided by two great lead performances by Nicole Beharie and Alexis Chikaeze.
"Miss Juneteenth" is available to stream on Netflix, as part of the streaming service's ever-changing selection of movies and TV shows. And here's why you should celebrate Juneteenth with this moving drama.
In "Miss Juneteenth", Nicole Beharie stars as Turquoise Jones, a single mother in a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas. She is the former winner of the local Miss Juneteenth pageant, which offers a full scholarship to a historically black college.
However, her own education was derailed by the birth of her now 15-year-old daughter Kai (Alexis Chikaeze), which forced Turquoise to drop out of college and for a time to work as a stripper.
Seeking a better life for her daughter, Turquoise enters Kai into the same Miss Juneteenth contest, despite the teen girl's lack of enthusiasm for the pageant life and her own personal passions to pursue dance. Mother and daughter simultaneously butt heads but also get closer as they navigate deferred dreams and differing aspirations in this heartfelt multigeneration tale.
Along with offering up one of the most believable mother-daughter relationships on screen in recent years, "Miss Juneteenth" paints a vivid, authentic picture of Black life in Fort Worth, Texas. Writer-director Channing Godfrey Peoples personally drew upon her own hometown, her childhood and her life experiences to create the character of Turquoise.
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The drama currently has a near-perfect 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's critical consensus reading: "Like a pageant winner walking across the stage, 'Miss Juneteenth' follows a familiar path – but does so with charm and grace."
Nicole Beharie received a Gotham Award for Best Actress and David Rooney at The Hollywood Reporter praised the star for the "natural luminosity" and "radiant warmth" she brings to her scenes
Writing for The New York Times, Lovia Gyarkye highlighted film's thoughtful handling of its various themes, "from the significance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, to the legacy of racism in predatory bank lending practices. But what's most impressive is the amount of space Peoples's black female characters inhabit in the narrative."
This Juneteenth, let the film be a powerful reminder of both the struggles and the enduring spirit of freedom.
Watch "Miss Juneteenth" on Netflix now
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All the celebs who make cameos in the 'Happy Gilmore' sequel
All the celebs who make cameos in the 'Happy Gilmore' sequel

NBC News

time39 minutes ago

  • NBC News

All the celebs who make cameos in the 'Happy Gilmore' sequel

Happy Gilmore has returned to the golf course, and he's brought a lot of famous friends with him. ' Happy Gilmore 2,' which began streaming on Netflix on June 25, packs a U.S. Open gallery's worth of cameos in the sequel to the 1996 classic about a hockey player turned unorthodox golfer. Professional golfers, Hollywood stars, prominent athletes, old favorites from previous Adam Sandler movies, members of Sandler's family — the list of credits is longer than one of Happy's drives off the tee. Here are all the familiar faces who pop up in the movie and their roles. Music Stars Bad Bunny: The Puerto Rican superstar plays Happy's new caddie. Post Malone: The singer pops up as DJ Omar Gosh. Eminem: The rapper portrays the son of the heckler played by the late Joe Flaherty in the original. Just like his dad, Donald Jr. calls Happy a jackass on the course. Cam'ron: The rapper makes an appearance as himself. Kid Cudi: The rapper plays an FBI agent. Professional Golfers Of course, a golf movie has to feature some golfers, and there's enough current and former stars to fill a clubhouse. They all appear as themselves, including golf legend Lee Trevino, 85, who famously shook his head at Happy's antics in the original film. Nelly Korda and Nancy Lopez: The current women's golf star and the retired women's golf legend appear as doctors. Other Sports Figures Travis Kelce: No, the Kansas City Chiefs star tight end didn't end up appearing as Happy's son. He shows up as an angry waiter. Dan Patrick: The longtime sports radio host plays the character Pat Daniels. Stephen A. Smith: The ESPN personality appears as himself. Chris Berman: The former longtime ESPN host appears as himself. Jim Gray: Another veteran sportscaster, Gray appears as himself. Reggie Bush: The Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL running back appears as the character 8 Ball. Verne Lundquist: The legendary sportscaster, 85, is back after appearing as a golf commentator in the original 'Happy Gilmore.' Paige Spiranac: The golf social media personality plays a woman working for Dick's Sporting Goods. Sean Avery and Chris Chelios: The retired NHL stars play a pair of henchmen. Kelsey Plum: The WNBA star from the Los Angeles Sparks plays a golf course worker. Rebecca Quin and Nikki Bella: The WWE wrestlers play characters named Flex and Medusa. John Daly, Keegan Bradley, Fred Couples, Bryson DeChambeau, Nick Faldo, Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Charles Howell III, Brooks Koepka, Hunter Mahan, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Jack Nicklaus, Corey Pavin, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Lee Trevino, Bubba Watson, Will Zalatoris. Fernando Marrero: The pro wrestler plays a character named Screech. Boban Marjanovic: The former NBA cult favorite and 'John Wick' actor, who is 7-foot-4, plays Drago Larson, the son of the character played by the late Richard Kiel as a zealous Happy Gilmore fan in the original film. Adam Sandler's Family Members Jackie Sandler: Adam Sandler's wife plays a dance instructor named Monica. Sunny Sandler: Adam's other daughter plays Happy's daughter, Vienna, in the sequel. Judy Sandler: Adam's real-life mother plays the mother of Boban Marjanovic's Drago Larson character. Jana Sandler: Adam's cousin, Jana plays a 'Jeopardy!' contestant. Christopher Titone: Adam's brother-in-law plays a repo man. Lila Titone: Adam's mother-in-law plays a character named Lila. Assorted Celebrities Haley Joel Osment: The actor plays rival golfer Billy Jenkins. Martin Herlihy: The 'Saturday Night Live' star and son of Sandler's co-writer on the sequel, Tim Herlihy, Martin also plays in the group with Qualley and André. Tim Herlihy shows up as Dr. Hertz. 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10 best Netflix original movies to watch this summer
10 best Netflix original movies to watch this summer

Digital Trends

timean hour ago

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10 best Netflix original movies to watch this summer

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Da 5 Bloods (2020) One of the best Spike Lee movies of the past decade, Da 5 Bloods tells the story of a group of Black Vietnam veterans who reunite in the present day to get the treasure that they buried in the jungle decades ago. As they move toward the treasure, their disagreements about politics and the world come to the surface, as does all the trauma they experienced during the war. Da 5 Bloods is one part action movie and one part meditation on how Black men have been abused by this country. Plus, it features a career-defining lead performance from Delroy Lindo. You can watch Da 5 Bloods on Netflix. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) This sequel, Knives Out, had a lot to live up to after Netflix gave Rian Johnson hundreds of millions of dollars to make it. Thankfully, Glass Onion didn't disappoint, even as it followed a very different murder mystery that is just as intriguing. 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Adam Sandler gifted 'Shooter McGavin' a gold jacket on 'Happy Gilmore 2' set
Adam Sandler gifted 'Shooter McGavin' a gold jacket on 'Happy Gilmore 2' set

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

Adam Sandler gifted 'Shooter McGavin' a gold jacket on 'Happy Gilmore 2' set

After nearly 30 years, controversial golfer Shooter McGavin finally got his gold jacket. Well, Happy Gilmore 2 co-star Christopher McDonald, that is. The veteran actor reprises his role of the slimy pro golfer and fan favorite McGavin in the new Happy Gilmore film, which is now playing on Netflix. REVIEW: Happy Gilmore 2 is absolutely wonderful During an incredibly sweet behind-the-scenes clip, Adam Sandler gifts McDonald the gold jacket his character coveted (and lost) during the first Happy Gilmore film. It's a really sweet gesture from Sandler to McDonald to gift him something special for participating in the movie after McDonald was so vocal about doing a sequel for so long. If anyone deserves credit for a Happy Gilmore sequel happening outside of Sandler, it's McDonald. His campaign to bring the characters back to the green finally paid off, and now he's got a gold jacket to show for it. Just don't tell all the angry golf spectators who chased him down in the first movie.

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