The O'Colly, Monday, July 17, 2023.

Monday, July 17, 2023

Cowboys vs. Cancer Celebrity Waiter Night

loved ones that are battling cancer and puts on events that are meant to provide meaningful experiences. All proceeds collected from Celebrity Waiter Night will be benefiting the Eddie Sutton Foundation.

Eskimo Joe’s is hosting special VIP cancer kickin’ kiddos and OSU athletes for a fundraising event night.

Cowboys vs. Cancer Celebrity Waiter Night will be held at Eskimo Joe’s on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. Current and former OSU athletes, as well as VIP kids who are battling cancer will be greeting customers and walking around to visit with the crowd.

On the night of the event, an online auction will be commencing in which people will be able to place bets on a number of items, including apparel representing the Eddie Sutton Foundation. Oklahoma State University Cowboys vs. Cancer operates under the Eddie Sutton Foundation, fundraises for new cancer research, supports families who have

Gardening conference to be hosted this Friday and Saturday

Teachers, administrators and community leaders will learn how to begin a school or community garden at the Oklahoma School and Community Garden Conference.

The conference is partnered with Oklahoma State University Extension horticulture, gardening experts and local gardening enthusiasts.

The conference will be hosted on Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Oklahoma County Extension Conference Center, 2500 NE 63rd St., in Oklahoma City.

The events on Friday will include two class sessions. The morning session will cover how to grow vegetables, herbs and

flowers, while the afternoon session will cover how to establish a garden in schools and communities.

The event on Saturday is an optional self-guided tour of school and community gardens in Oklahoma City.

“For some people in today’s modern society, there is a disconnect between themselves and nature,” said Julia Laughlin, Oklahoma County OSU Extension horticulture educator. “They don’t know where their food comes from other than the grocery store. Having access to a school or community garden is beneficial to all ages. It’s healthy for the human spirit to be connected to nature, and teaching people about gardening helps make that connection.”

See Conference on page 6

This night of events will be falling on the week of Eskimo Joe’s 48th anniversary which brings in thousands of visitors for a week-long party. Front-house manager, Whitney Bruning, explains how this chain of events is typically placed around the same week to bring awareness and support to the cancer kickin’ kiddos.

“Along with other big events that we do, Celebrity Waiter Night is almost always included in the same week as our anniversary,” Bruning said. “It’s usually a packed house and gets a lot of attention.”

For more information on the event, you can visit the OSU Cowboys vs. Cancer Twitter page: https://twitter.com/osucvc. news.ed@ocolly.com

ARLINGTON, Texas – It’s common coach talk: avoid the outside noise, eliminate all distractions and don’t dwell on what the media says.

West Virginia head coach Neal Brown broke all of the coach talk rules Thursday morning, telling the media that he did, in fact, dwell on what they said.

Brown’s Mountaineers were voted 14th in the 2023 Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll, coming in at the last spot in the enlarged conference (and it wasn’t close).

So, he addressed the ranking that he found out about while on a beach via text in his opening statement to the group of people who voted on the poll.

“Upset with the media poll, definitely do not agree with that,” Brown said. “The positive is the media (when predicting the Big 12) has not been very successful in recent years; so, I think that bodes well for us.

“My vacation was over; I went into football mode.”

Other coaches, including but not limited to Steve Sarkisian (Texas), Sonny Dykes (TCU) and Chris Klieman (Kansas State) spoke on the rankings, often downplaying them and denouncing their importance to a team.

But clearly, these rankings do matter. Brown later went on to say he brought up the last-place ranking in a team meeting on Tuesday while using

more “colorful terms.” It’s a source of fuel, and early on, it lets your team lean into the “they doubted us” shtick if met with success during the season. Acting like they don’t matter is dismissive.

So, I took a dive into what Brown said. Has the media not been successful in predicting the Big 12?

Here’s a look at the last three Big 12 Football Media Preseason Polls versus how the season actually played out.

2022:

Yeah, the media missed on this one.

Following Baylor and Oklahoma State’s Big 12 Championship in 2021, the Bears were selected as the favorites, and OSU came in at third, with Oklahoma slotted at the No. 2 spot. The 1-2-3 projected teams ended up at 5-6-7. Yikes.

See Poll on page 3

Francisco Ochoa/ O’colly

Eskimo Joe and his partner Buffy.

Davis Cordova

At Big 12 Media Days this year, several coaches have dismissed the preseason poll for being inaccurate in recent years.

Courtesy of OSU (Photo by Shutterstock). During the conference, experts will cover a wide array of areas including gardening basics, gardening as a theme in school curriculum, soil building and raised bed construction, gardening

Emi Norton Staff Reporter

Ashton Slaughter Staff Reporter

Lauren King Staff Reporter

UCF relying on depth, offense in first Big 12 season

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

ARLINGTON, Texas – As UCF makes its transition to the Big 12, it brings a foundation built by depth.

The Knights return 11 players who received either first-team, secondteam or third-team allconference honors on at least one all-league team in 2022. They picked up many players from the transfer portal, some who are expected to have an immediate impact.

“As far as our roster we’ve returned six on both sides of the ball,” UCF coach Guz Malzahn said. “We have our kicker and punter back, and both of those guys were phenomenal last year. We brought in 18 transfers, and most of these guys weren’t just starters on their previous teams but quite a few of them were impact players.”

Within his returners, Malzahn gets another season alongside two contributors to last year’s Knights offense in quarterback John Rhys Plumlee and wide receiver Javon Baker. Both transfers from SEC squads, Baker led UCF in receiving yards last year, and Plumlee threw for 2,586 yards and recorded 14

passing touchdowns and 11 more on the ground.

“(Plumlee) did a very solid job for us,” Malzahn said. “He is in a great spot to take that next step really as our team leader.”

After an all-around successful offensive season, one where they finished with the No. 9 rushing offense and No. 16-ranked total offense in the country, the Knights are bringing back Darin Hinshaw, this time as an offensive coordinator.

Hinshaw, who is making his Big 12 debut with Malzahn, was brought in to add another element to UCF’s fast-paced offense and help Plumlee take a big leap at quarterback.

“I brought in Darin to really open up our offense, push the ball vertically down the field,” Malzahn said. “We were a top-20 offense overall in college football, but our yards per completion were really high.

“And then to develop our quarterback, specifically John Rhys, and he has done an unbelievable job. John Rhys is like night and day to where he was at this time last year.”

Kalani Sitake leads alma mater into new conference with a new quarterback

Sitake not only leads his program into a brand-new conference, but he also brings in a new quarterback to lead the offense. Slovis spent three years with the Trojans of Southern California, where he was Pac 12 Freshman of the Year and firstteam All-Pac 12, then transferred to Pittsburgh for the 2022 season.

fans,” Sitake said.

“I’ve been impressed with that.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

ARLINGTON, Texas -Kalani Sitake had never sat on a Media Day stage. As the head coach of a formerly independent program in BYU, he had never had an opportunity to. But his new quarterback, Kedon Slovis, has.

“I was actually getting some pointers and some tips from Kedon Slovis,” Sitake said. “He’s been through more media days than I have.”

Slovis brings maturity and Power Five experience to a program entering unchartered waters, and Sitake has been impressed so far.

“I think the high level of experience that the quarterback position -- I know a lot goes to what he’s done on the football field, but the things that I’ve been impressed with Kedon is the stuff he does off the field, the connection he has to his teammates, to his coaches, to our

Part of Slovis’ success will be BYU’s ability to protect him. The Cougars’ offensive line has been a strength in recent years, and they return an offensive front with a projected starting lineup consisting of four seniors. Even then, Slovis is able to avoid pressure and has been sacked 15 times or fewer in three of his four collegiate seasons.

“I want to make sure we give him a comfortable pocket, but I know if it’s not too comfortable he can find ways to extend the plays and hopefully find success,” Sitake said.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Davis Cordova

BYU coach Kalani Sitake, who is also a former Cougar football player, leads his alma mater into its first year in a Power Five conference.

Davis Cordova

UCF returns 11 All-AAC players from a season ago into its first season in the Big 12.

Braden Bush Sport Editor

Continued from page 1

The 2022 Big 12 Championship included Kansas State and TCU, who were originally projected to finish fifth and seventh, respectively.

To be fair, though, TCU coach Dykes himself said he would’ve ranked the Horned Frogs even lower than No. 7.

“I think we were picked seventh in the preseason poll, and I probably would’ve picked us lower, honestly... just based on what was coming back and the coaching change and all this stuff that transpired.”

When it came to the bottom of the poll, the media did alright, hitting two of the three (Kansas and West Virginia), Texas Tech came in at No. 9 but ended up finishing fourth in the

conference, so, well done, Red Raiders.

Overall: not great, but it was clearly a season full of surprises, as most are in the Big 12 nowadays. Biggest Hit: Kansas and West Virginia in the bottom three Biggest Miss: Um, mainly everything else

2021:

On paper, it’s not great. But it really wasn’t that bad.

So, ripping the Band-Aid off right away, what a whiff on the media when it came to Baylor. The Bears were ranked No. 8 in the preseason poll and ended up hoisting the Big 12 Championship trophy after defeating Oklahoma State.

Yet, Oklahoma State was ranked No. 4 and ended up No. 2, Oklahoma came in at No. 1 but finished at No. 3 (with an 11-2 record), and Texas Tech and Kansas ended up at Nos. 9 and 10, as predicted.

The middle five teams in the final standings were very close: Iowa State went 7-6; Kansas State went 8-5; West Virginia went 6-7; and Texas and TCU

both went 5-7. Because of this, it’s hard to nitpick the preseason poll; the Big 12 that year was top-heavy. All in all, not bad. It looks worse on paper than it really is. Solid job, media.

Biggest Hit: OSU and OU high praise Biggest Miss: Baylor... no wonder the Bears won the conference, that was perfect bulletin board material 2020: In a shortened season with games being canceled left and right due to COVID-19, this one was pretty weird off the field, let alone on the gridiron.

The media got the right top four, just not in the right order. The preseason poll ranked OU and OSU at the top, with Texas close behind and Iowa State closing out the top four.

Oklahoma won the Big 12 Championship that year, defeating Iowa State; Texas finished third, and Oklahoma State finished fourth.

Yet again, the media nailed the Kansas prediction, finishing last yet again (sorry Jayhawks, at least you

were voted ninth this year).

Other than that, the middle of the pack was yet again mixed up, but if we’re being honest, that’s the least important part.

Out of the last three seasons, this was undeniably the media’s best showing. Nice job, media folks.

Biggest Hit: Correct top-four teams

Biggest Miss: The middle of the pack (not really a miss, though)

So, is the Big 12 conference just full of parody? Is the media composed of a bunch of stooges? Maybe it’s one, maybe it’s both. Either way, it’s safe to expect the preseason poll to have some hits and misses in a conference as competitive as the Big 12.

As a media stooge and preseason poll voter, I will probably be wrong, but I will probably be patting myself on the back in December as well. Only time will tell.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Mackenzie Janish

West Virginia coach Neal Brown said he was “upset with the media poll” after his Mountaineers were picked 14th in the preseason Big 12 poll. Poll...

Davis

How Scott Satterfield plans to retool Cincinnati football in Big 12

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Newly hired Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield sees the Big 12 newcomers being ready to compete right away. “I think all four schools are outstanding football programs,” Satterfield said. “I do think all four schools will be competitive.”

But why does Satterfield see it that way?

The equal playing field that exists in the conference.

“I think one of the great things about this conference is the parity from top to bottom,”

Satterfield said. “From the teams that are last year, some of the teams that were at the bottom could beat the teams that are at the top. You’ve just got to show up and play on that particular day.”

Satterfield – who’s entering his first season as the Bearcats’ coach after a three-year stint at Louisville – is determined to not only

be competitive but get Cincinnati back to where it was just two seasons ago.

The College Football Playoffs.

That level of success typically doesn’t happen in one year, though. It usually has to be built over time.

The former ACC Coach of The Year linked guidance, playerled ownership and leadership as necessary tools to get where the Bearcats want to be.

“We want to recruit outstanding student-athletes and then allow them to do what they’re called to do,” Satterfield said.

“And that’s why I believe in a player-led team you know, we as coaches, (are) kind of guiding the ship, but these guys are running it. We give (players) ownership, and then they take off with (it) and we got some really good leaders on our team that do things the right way.”

Taking over a program that made the CFP semifinals just two seasons ago comes with pressure, but Satterfield doesn’t necessarily feel

rushed nor the need to do things a way he wouldn’t normally do them.

But if that’s what he feels is right, he’ll do it. Especially within the transfer portal.

If it were up to Satterfield, his key players would be homegrown talent, and he’d only use the transfer portal when needed. But in his new situation, Cincinnati lost a ton of key players, meaning Satterfield had to step in and find other ways to bring in talent.

So, he went out and brought in 21 players from the portal, hoping to retool and compete right away.

“We were in a situation this past offseason where we had to get some flyers, and the portal was where we had to go get them,” Satterfield said.

“As we move forward, we’d hope not to get that many in the portal. You know, we’d love to be able to recruit right around our backyard, get a lot of great players and grow them and develop them into great football players.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

ARLINGTON, Texas — Houston coach Dana Holgorsen wants the school, fans, media and all other parties to wait on a celebration.

At Big 12 Media Days on Wednesday, he received questions about what it means for the Cougars to officially be a part of the conference. His opinion? It’s great, but Houston needs to get to work and celebrate later. “I keep coming back to this, you know, let’s not celebrate right now,” Holgorsen said. “I know this past couple of weeks there’s been a lot of celebrating. I chose to go on vacation because I know how much work

is ahead of us. So you celebrate it, but you better roll your sleeves up and embrace it.”

Holgorsen previously served as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach with Texas Tech and OSU, then head coach at West Virginia from 2011-18, bringing plenty of Big 12 experience with his newly added Cougars. He believes that experience with the conference helped Houston make its transition into the Big 12.

“I think with the experience that I’ve had in the Big 12 and doing the transition in the past, I think it’s been helpful over the last 18 months,” Holgorsen said. “A lot of closeddoor meetings with

(our athletic director) and administrators and fundraising and scheduling, staffing, budgets, all that stuff. I think it’s been very beneficial.”

Houston also got a taste of the conference last season after playing Texas Tech and Kansas in back-to-back weeks, two games that resulted in a Cougars loss. With the early look at his new conference opponents, Holgorsen expects a tough contest every week.

“Since January, yeah, I’ve talked about (Big 12 opponents) because that’s the way it’s going to be,” Holgorsen said. “It’s going to be like that every week. But every team is different.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Cordova

Cincinnati lost much of its starting lineup, along with coach Luke Fickell. First-year coach Scott Satterfield picked up

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

Davis Cordova

While there is excitement around Houston’s recent admission into the Big 12, coach Dana Holgorsen said the Cougars need to get to work and celebrate later.

OSU INTERACT hosts international symposium

this area.”

to recruiting professionals from diverse disciplines to its platform.

Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine hosted the Institute for Translational and Emerging Research in Advanced Comparative Therapy’s research symposium July 10-11 at The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts.

INTERACT embraces a One Health and One Medicine approach, aiming to accelerate the implementation of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches used to address chronic diseases in human and veterinary medicine. Since its inception, INTERACT has remained committed

The One Health initiative is focused on the improvement of all lives, human and animal, through the integration of human medicine, veterinary medicine and environmental science.

During the two-day event, over 40 speakers from around the world presented on a variety of topics pertaining to One Health.

“We are grateful to our speakers and attendees for the thought-provoking and insightful conversation across the One Health sector,” said Carlos Risco, dean of OSU CVM. “We are committed to the One Health initiative, and this symposium was a catalyst in furthering advancements in

Nearly 150 participants attended in person, with more virtual attendees online. Twenty-three countries were represented at the symposium.

“It was an honor to host such an esteemed group of researchers from all over the world,” said Ashish Ranjan, INTERACT director. “This symposium allowed us to showcase the cutting-edge research conducted by our university researchers and initiate collaboration with other internationally renowned investigators.”

Session topics included One Health lessons, vaccines and nanotechnology, emerging and re-emerging diseases, targeted therapeutics, bioinformatics and innovations in big data analysis, One

Health current progress and future perspectives and microbiomes in wellness and disease.

“The topics were informative and innovative,” Ranjan said. “I’m excited to see the collaborative scientific relationships that stem from this symposium.” The symposium hosted the renowned Soulsby Lecture delivered by David Danson, president of comparative medicine and member of the academic board, the Royal Society of Medicine.

The Soulsby Foundation aims to honor Lord Soulsby by fulfilling his wish of identifying candidates for Soulsby Fellowships who will promote and advance the principles of One Health internationally.

Students were also able to share their current research and receive feedback from both U.S. and international scholars. Thirty students presented posters throughout the symposium and five postdoctoral students presented their research on stage.

“The CVM will continue to collaborate with other colleges and departments to strengthen the INTERACT program,” Risco said. “I look forward to hosting more events that provide an avenue for the development of new collaborative research programs in the years to come.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of OSU

The One Health initiative is focused on the improvement of all lives, human and animal, through the integration of human medicine, veterinary medicine and environmental science.

Jake Sellers Staff Reporter

Conference...

Continued from page 1

Not only is it beneficial for children and adults to connect with nature, but gardening is also a fun activity that gets the body and mind active. The end results are great for anyone who gardens because they are nourishing their bodies with healthy foods

that they grew themselves.

During the conference, experts will cover a wide array of areas including gardening basics, gardening as a theme in school curriculum, soil building and raised bed construction, gardening rules and regulations and funding sources.

Many experts will share their knowledge of the tools and techniques needed to establish a successful garden. Those experts include Micah Stover, education director for Oklahoma City Beautiful; Cici Leonard, coordinator of the Oklahoma County Jr. Master Gardener Program; Shelby Mendoza, manager of Stillwater’s Our Daily Bread community garden; LaTasha Timberlake, owner of Lillian

Timber Farms INC; and Shelley Mitchell, OSU Extension youth horticulture specialist.

“People want to know they can find fresh food” Laughlin said. “Since the pandemic, the interest in gardening has increased. School and community gardens are ways to keep that momentum going.”

Registration is $15 and includes lunch and a take-home Smart Pot. To register, call 405-713-1125 by Wednesday.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of OSU (Photo by Shutterstock).

gardening basics, gardening as a theme in school curriculum, soil building and raised bed construction, gardening rules and regulations and

Love and Grief: The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 review

It might contain spoilers.

The 2022 summer hit is back. Amazon Prime released the first three episodes of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season Two, based on Jenny Han’s books, and viewers watched the characters intertwine grief, love, pain and happiness while learning how to co-exist with opposite feelings.

The story follows the life of Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) who spends all of her summers at her mother’s best friend’s beach house, Susannah Fisher, who has two sons, Jeremiah and Conrad Fisher (Gavin Casalegno and Christopher Britney). Belly has been in love with Conrad since she was a kid, but in the summer before her junior year, she realizes there could be something there with Jeremiah. The first season focused on introducing the dynamic between the characters and on the confusion of teenage love. It was fun, light and bright. There were reasons to shed some tears, but they were rare and reserved for the end of the season.

The family dynamic was shaken when both families

found out Susannah has cancer and is in a terminal stage.

Season one ends with Susannah promising the boys and Laurel, Belly’s mom, that she would try an experimental trial even if it was against her will.

A year ago when season one ended, there was hope.

A year ago, in this fictional world, Susannah was alive.

Now she is gone ( no spoilers, it’s in the trailer) and the characters will have to navigate their own grief in order to help the ones they love.

The first three episodes are a mix of the past and the future. Before and after Susannah’s death.

Conrad and Belly kissed in the last scene of season one after Belly had been hanging out with Jeremiah. Season two picks up from there and shows the development of Belly and Conrad’s relationship.

The two are madly in love like teenagers, but there is something mature in the madness. A feeling that crosses the screen of pure faith that the two should be together. Alongside that, we see Laurel going back and forth to Susannah’s house to help her best friend and the boys during a challenging time.

After Susannah’s death, the viewer sees Belly struggling to function and

basically being a parent to her mom, who can’t even talk about her best friend. The Fisher boys are not talking to Belly and leave everyone wondering what happened in the spring.

When summer finally hits, Belly decides to call Jeremiah, only to find out Conrad is missing.

After some digging, Jeremiah and Belly find out Conrad is at Cousin’s beach and decide to go after her. The duo finds out shortly after their arrival that their summer house is being put up for sale, and Conrad is trying everything he can to not let that happen. The house becomes sort of their sanctuary. The place Susannah felt the happiest at was slipping through their fingers and with that, so was the tradition, the safe space, the memories.

The next episodes will show the group getting together to find a way to stop the sale while understanding each other’s way to grief and helping each other see what the light at the end of the tunnel could look like.

It’s hard to write a review without spoilers, but fans of this show are aware of the movement #TeamJeremiah or #TeamConrad, and for all those who haven’t watched season two but have picked a side in this war all I have to say is:

HIMALAYAN GROCERY STORE

your heart will be broken either way. At least during these three first episodes.

Viewers will see Jeremiah rejecting Belly and later on expressing how deeply she hurt him. And viewers will see Conrad failing at balancing a new relationship and the frustrations with his mom’s cancer treatment. Britney’s acting is thoroughly convincing and his internal battles are almost palpable. It feels personal, and it makes it hard to watch.

The show brings more to the table than just a love triangle, it shows the importance of being there for your family and how messy yet beautiful relationships of all sorts can be.

We see a true friendship between Taylor (Rain Spencer) and Belly where there are moments to joke, moments to listen and moments to show up.

Season two has also done a fantastic job so far showing the relationship between Belly and her brother Steven (Sean Kaufman). It’s clear they know each other better than anyone, which can be a curse and a blessing. The dialogues and silences between the two have truly embodied the nuances of the relationship between siblings.

Season two started kicking all the doors and

ripping everyone’s heart with yet again, another remarkable soundtrack. You can’t think of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” without thinking of Taylor Swift. Season two will have nine of Swift’s songs on the soundtrack among other famous singers and bands such as Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd, One Direction and Fleetwood Mac.

The songs are placed in the right moment, creating the magic it needs or setting the scene for gut-wrenching moments.

I could go on days about this show, but since that’s impossible, here is advice no one asked for: Sometimes watching things that feel “too young” or “too silly” can be a way of remembering what it was like to be that young and have all those overwhelming emotions. You can also add new songs to your playlist and cry while watching the relationship between the adults on the show. Don’t miss the opportunity of going on this summer journey, it’s fun, painful and a reminder of how cool television can be. New episodes will come out every Friday until August 18.

Courtesy of Dana Hawley

Christopher Briney, left, and Lola Tung in “The Summer I Turned Pretty .” (Dana Hawley/Prime Video/TNS)

Luisa Clausen Editor in Chief

‘Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning

Part One’ review: Sometimes less is more

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

By all means, “Mission: Impossible” is a series that should be terrible by now.

With “Dead Reckoning” marked as the seventh film in the series, you’d expect the 30-year-old franchise to start fluctuating in quality. Against all the odds, the series has maintained a steady altitude of being flawed, but still very good since “Mission: Impossible III.” While “Dead Reckoning” doubles down on the flaws of these films, it also perfectly encapsulates everything that makes the series great.

We all know what we’re here

for, and that is the iconic set pieces and stunts that define the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. From thrilling car chases, to sword fights, to climbing out of a train wreck, “Dead Reckoning” does not disappoint in terms of action. At 61 years old, Tom Cruise is currently driving off cliffs, piloting airplanes, and doing everything in his power to die in a freak stunt accident. Meanwhile here I am at 20, struggling to climb more than four flights of stairs.

Unfortunately, a good chunk of the two hour and 45 minute runtime does not feature these brilliant action scenes. There is a lot of exposition here, and none of it feels earned. The story, this time focusing on an evil AI, is incredible by the numbers. Despite this, more time than ever is dedicated

to running through contrived plot lines and repetitive scenes just to get to another few minutes of action-packed bliss.

Indeed, it’s finally time to retire the complaints about poor VFX in the film industry because a new Hollywood menace has just arrived: extremely bloated runtimes. If “Dead Reckoning” was about 45 minutes shorter, it would surely be the best in the franchise. “John Wick: Chapter 4” had a similar runtime but used the length to its advantage, keeping the pacing brisk and consistently intensifying until an incredible climax in Paris. If only Ethan Hunt took a few pages out of Mr. Wick’s book. This isn’t to say “Dead Reckoning” is bad. The film is still

great fun and easily one of the best in the franchise. It just stings to imagine just how much better it could have been if the runtime wasn’t dedicated to telling us about how threatening the villains are, they should have been showing how threatening they can be. From thrilling peaks to sinking lows, “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning” is an uneven, but enjoyable romp through some of the best action set pieces you can imagine poorly connected together by clumps of exposition and dialogue. Is it still worth your time? Absolutely! Just get ready for a bathroom break or two, and know you won’t be missing too much if you feel a scene is starting to drag.

(Courtesy of Paramount Pictures and Skydance/TNS)

Tom Cruise, right, as Ethan Hunt and Esai Morales as Gabriel in “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.”

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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black

Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (07/17/23). Community connection flowers this year. Bold inquiries and explorations yield fruit with disciplined, steady efforts. Your home overflows with love this autumn, leading to a winter phase of social transitions. Adapt around springtime domestic changes before your career takes off. Strengthen collaborations for common gain.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — Realize domestic visions with upgrades over a two-week New Moon phase. Get creative. Improve the beauty and functionality of your home. Nurture family.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Profit through communications. Possibilities spark in conversation over this two-week New Moon phase. Creative projects flower. Express, share and connect. Write your story.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 9 — Begin a lucrative New Moon phase. Discover fresh markets and rising prosperity. Strengthen financial foundations for growth. Rake in and preserve a healthy harvest.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Pursue personal dreams. Expand talents, capacities and skills over two weeks, with the New Moon in your sign. Grow and develop. Shine your light.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 7 — Insights, breakthroughs and revelations sparkle in tonight’s New Moon. Dreams seem within reach. Enjoy a two-week creative, imaginative and organizational phase. Imagine possibilities.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Connect for shared support for big results. This New Moon phase benefits team efforts. Grow through friendships, social networks and community participation. Have fun together.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — This New Moon illuminates professional opportunities. Develop interesting projects over the next two weeks. Pursue exciting possibilities. Your career, status and influence rise.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Educational opportunities arise after tonight’s New Moon. The next two-week phase favors study, investigation and exploration. Consider new perspectives. Make connections, contributions and discoveries.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Find creative ways to grow your family nest egg. A lucrative two-week phase dawns with tonight’s New Moon. Launch valuable initiatives with your partner.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Collaboration comes naturally, especially over two weeks following tonight’s Cancer New Moon. You’re on the same wavelength. Take your partnership to the next level.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — Energize your physical moves. This New Moon initiates two weeks of growing work, health and strength. Put your heart into your actions. Practice makes perfect.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — Enjoy yourself. Stir up some romance. The New Moon begins a two-week family, fun and passion phase. Get creative. It’s all for love.

ACROSS

1 Goes halfsies with, say

7 Chat at length

10 Yield to gravity

13 Sneak attack

14 Pollution-fighting org.

15 “Aladdin”

Lynn Lempel