Extreme Entertainment

One of the world’s most hardcore competitions launches at North Texas lake

What goes through divers’ minds when they jump off a 28-meter platform in front of thousands of onlookers? Are their ears full of the wind whipping around, or do they hear the crowd below?

Maybe they hear their heart pounding, but one thing’s for sure: Spectators will be holding their breath as 14 men and eight women demonstrate their diving prowess when they leap from iconic Hell’s Gate at Possum Kingdom Lake on their first stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2016.

For anyone who’s gotten the itch to jump from the top of Hell’s Gate at Possum Kingdom Lake, about 150 miles west of Dallas, now’s your chance to see how the pros do it. Texas native and world champion Rachelle Simpson will be among the divers to participate in the competition, which starts in North Texas on June 4 and continues on to eight other utterly stunning locales across the globe, including Copenhagen, the Azores, and Dubai.

But San Antonio-born Simpson isn’t the only diver guaranteed to make a splash in June. Gary Hunt, who hails from the U.K., will be making an appearance once again this year. Hunt is the only diver who has competed in all 50 World Series stops, winning half of them. Together, the pair of champs and their competitors are sure to put on a fantastic show.

Considered the oldest extreme sport in the world, cliff diving dates back to Hawaii in the 18th century, and its popularity speaks to its universal appeal. It’s pretty hardcore, and most divers agree that they have to break the water, or else the water will break them.

Diving from 28 meters up is like diving from the top of an eight-story building. Hitting water from that height — if done improperly — is similar to hitting concrete. All that danger and the incredible skill of the athletes combines for an exciting, fun-filled day.

This year, Red Bull celebrates 50 stops over the past seven years, and each year, the stakes are higher. With incredible dives that include series like five forward somersaults with a half twist pike, or a flying reverse somersault with pike, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is a must-see. And we get to enjoy it right in our backyard — no passport required.

The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2016 kicks off June 4 at 11 am at Hell’s Gate and is scheduled until 4:15 pm.

Divers complete breathtaking combos before cutting into the water below.

Photo courtesy of Dean Tremi/Red Bull Content Pool

Divers complete breathtaking combos before cutting into the water below.

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Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer is an unappreciated mom in Oh. What. Fun.

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun.

Of all the formulaic movie genres, Christmas/holiday movies are among the most predictable. No matter what the problem is that arises between family members, friends, or potential romantic partners, the stories in holiday movies are designed to give viewers a feel-good ending even if the majority of the movie makes you feel pretty bad.

That’s certainly the case in Oh. What. Fun., in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays Claire, an underappreciated mom living in Houston with her inattentive husband, Nick (Denis Leary). As the film begins, her three children are arriving back home for Christmas: The high-strung Channing (Felicity Jones) is married to the milquetoast Doug (Jason Schwartzman); the aloof Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz) brings home yet another new girlfriend; and the perpetual child Sammy (Dominic Sessa) has just broken up with his girlfriend.

Each of the family members seems to be oblivious to everything Claire does for them, especially when it comes to what she really wants: For them to nominate her to win a trip to see a talk show in L.A. hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). When she accidentally gets left behind on a planned outing to see a show, Claire reaches her breaking point and — in a kind of Home Alone in reverse — she decides to drive across the country to get to the show herself.

Written and directed by Michael Showalter (The Idea of You), and co-written by Chandler Baker (who wrote the short story on which the film is based), the movie never establishes any kind of enjoyable rhythm. Each of the characters, including competitive neighbor Jeanne (Joan Chen), is assigned a character trait that becomes their entire personality, with none of them allowed to evolve into something deeper.

The filmmakers lean hard into the idea that Claire is a person who always puts her family first and receives very little in return, but the evidence presented in the story is sketchy at best. Every situation shown in the film is so superficial that tension barely exists, and the (over)reactions by Claire give her family members few opportunities to make up for their failings.

The most interesting part of the movie comes when Claire actually makes it to the Zazzy Sims show. Even though what happens there is just as unbelievable as anything else presented in the story, Showalter and Baker concoct a scene that allows Claire and others to fully express the central theme of the film, and for a few minutes the movie actually lives up to its title.

Pfeiffer, given her first leading role since 2020’s French Exit, is a somewhat manic presence, and her thick Texas accent and unnecessary voiceover don’t do her any favors. It seems weird to have such a strong supporting cast with almost nothing of substance to do, but almost all of them are wasted, including Danielle Brooks in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo. The lone exception is Longoria, who is a blast in the few scenes she gets.

Oh. What. Fun. is far from the first movie to try and fail at becoming a new holiday classic, but the pedigree of Showalter and the cast make this dismal viewing experience extra disappointing. Ironically, overworked and underappreciated moms deserve a much better story than the one this movie delivers.

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Oh. What. Fun. is now streaming on Prime Video.

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