• Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas has been around for a while, but after a massive $690 million property-wide overhaul, it feels brand new.
• Redesigned rooms are sophisticated and luxuriously appointed. With standard rooms starting under $50, it's worth venturing off the Las Vegas Strip to take advantage of such an excellent price.
• I stayed in an upgraded Executive King Suite and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to those who prefer a spacious Las Vegas suite. Closer to $200, it's more expensive but is still a great value considering the level of luxury offered.

I'm a frequent traveler to Las Vegas, for work and play. One of the things I love most about staying in the city is the high bar for accommodations. Since resort-casino properties make the bulk of their money on the casino floor, it's incredibly easy to find a world-class suite for a fraction of what it might cost elsewhere.

An excellent example is the new Palms Casino Resort, which recently completed a massive, property-wide $690 million renovation. 

While the Palms is said to offer some of the most expensive suites in the city, they overhauled those too, including the infamous over-the-top themed suites, such as the Hardwood Suite, with its regulation-sized half basketball court; and the Kingpin Suite, with two full-sized bowling lanes.

The hotel also completely revamped its rooms and suites for regular folk, too. The result is luxurious accommodations at a competitive price.

On a recent visit, I checked out one of the new suites and found it more accessible than in the past, making it an exceptional choice for business travel with a side of fun. 

For review purposes, the hotel comped my Fantasy Tower Executive King Suite, though the starting rate for such suites is $229. It's a terrific bargain given the sumptuous-feeling of the room with a sprawling footprint.

If you plan to spend most of your time on the casino floor, an updated standard room might present the best value. A spot check of standard Fantasy Tower King Rooms showed results on Palms' website around $50, so the barrier to entry is quite low. But take note: the hotel's daily resort fee is still $39 per day.

As for the Palms' long famous party vibe? I didn't register any remarkable evidence of it on this trip, noting instead a range of business travelers and tourists. But, I was visiting midweek and had no ambition to hit the party scene. So, that's evidence you can avoid it too, if you're there to stay focused on work …. or just want to stay out of trouble.

• The first impression
• The room
• On-site amenities
• What's nearby
• What others say
• What you need to know
• The bottom line
• Book Palms Las Vegas starting at $50 per night here

Keep reading to see why I was so impressed by Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas.

SEE ALSO: The newly reopened Sahara Las Vegas boasts renovated rooms and easy access to the Strip and Convention Center — here's what under $50 per night buys you

SEE ALSO: The 11 best luxury hotels on or near the Las Vegas Strip

I arrived at the Palms by rideshare and was greeted by a cute and Instagram-friendly balloon wall right outside the lobby in the porte-cochere. It was a subtle hint to the fun-loving vibe found inside. It was a Sunday afternoon in November, and I found no crowds or congestion out front, which can be a rarity in Vegas.

As I followed the signs to check-in, the lobby and casino floor grabbed my attention right off the bat for its bright, gleaming look. It immediately read like a recently renovated space that was fresh, clean, and modern.

Graffiti-style public art was abundant, and the property features pieces from the likes of Damien Hirst, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Takashi Murakami. I noticed cool angular metallic chandeliers overhead, too.

I approached the airy reception desk backed by the neon message, "Wish You Were Here!," another nod to the fun, whimsical feel.

I was greeted by agents with no delay, and somehow, there was no one in line ahead of me. It might have been the time of day, week, or year — about mid-day on a Sunday in late November before Thanksgiving. It was quite calm and quiet, enough so for me to snap a picture of the wide-open area with nary another soul in it.

The entire process was seamless and fast, and I headed across the casino floor to the elevators en route to my room.

My room was a 10th-floor Fantasy Tower Executive King Suite, with a generous 840 square feet, and included a bedroom and separate living room with not one but two 65-inch TVs. There was one on the wall behind a lounge area with sofa seating, and another in an area appointed with a six-seat conference table, which was a completely unnecessary but decidedly apt fit for the word Executive in the room's title.

In the bedroom was yet another massive TV, which I fell asleep to watching. I woke up feeling rested nine full hours later in the extremely comfortable bed, with no noise disturbance. 

The renovated space felt brand new, done up in sophisticated, neutral tones, with light wood cabinetry and nary a loud patterned carpet or dizzying wallpaper pattern insight. Another Vegas rarity.

My bathroom featured a large walk-in shower outfitted in cool striped marble, plus a deep soaking tub, which I enjoyed thoroughly with overflowing bubbles. During my bath, I accidentally dropped my wedding ring. When I got down on the floor to look for it under the bathroom vanity, I discovered a couple of discarded Doritos missed by housekeeping.

I also love nothing more than luxuriating in a plush hotel bathrobe while I work in my room on business trips; in this case, I was surprised that I didn't find a robe in my room, especially given the fact that I was staying in an upgraded suite.

All the extra space was nice, but if that's not a must, you'll likely fare just as well in a standard Fantasy Tower King room, which is still are quite sizable, at about 460 square feet to start. They start in the two-figure price range and still include many of the features of the suites.

You'll get the same renovated feel with a sophisticated, soothing neutral color palette, and the sleek striped marble bathroom, a 65-inch TV, marble minibar, backlit vanities, and curated art.

These high-end details are standard at the Palms, but might be considered high luxury in other properties elsewhere around the world. 

On the opposite spectrum, Grand, Sky and Theme Suites are also available at a higher price point and start at about 1,000 square feet. The higher the price, the more elaborate, up to the famous penthouses that are not really for mere mortals' consumption.

The Palms has three distinct towers and a formidable mix of dining and drinking, plus live entertainment including the famous Pearl Concert Theater. Downstairs, there's a 95,000-square-foot casino, where I was pleased to find $5 minimum tables, which is something hard to come by on the Strip. No, I still didn't win — but I lost at a more comfortable pace.

For dinner, I ate at chef Bobby Flay's new seafood restaurant, Shark. I sat at the bar solo and enjoyed a very flavorful taco duo in a relaxed, unfussy atmosphere.

For breakfast, I took my laptop down to the buffet; I like access to bottomless coffee while I write. The regular cost of a weekday buffet was just $17, which is approximately the cost of a pot of coffee from a typical Vegas room service menu. I found this to be a notable bargain, and a tasty one, too.

I also spent an afternoon in the brand new Spa at Palms. I enjoyed an indulgent and relaxing 80-minute facial, flanked by time to decompress in the steam, sauna, and hot tub. The spa sprawls over three stories, connected to a fitness center, and is a true sanctuary.

Palms is located just west of the center of the Las Vegas Boulevard Strip. Despite the off-strip location, Trip Advisor gives it a walkability score of 89 out of 100. It's also conveniently located just three miles from the airport, making it a quick 15 minutes drive or so each way. 

The Strip's endless attractions are moments away by rideshare or taxi. For context, the Bellagio and its famous fountain show are only one mile away. And the enormous High Roller ferris wheel is 1.5 miles away at the Linq.

Check flight prices to Las Vegas on Expedia

Palms Casino Resort has nearly 3,700 reviews on Trip Advisor, averaging a "very good" score of 4.0 out of 5.

Reviewers note the impressive renovation with one reviewer that called the property "current tops in Vegas," and noted, "The renovated rooms are fantastic, feel completely new with high-end finishes and nice views of the strip."

Reviews also appreciate that the property has a luxe vibe in line with some of Vegas' higher-rent five-star properties: "At this resort, you get a high-end experience without the price gouging of Wynn/Encore and the Caesars and MGM properties. The lines to get in the clubs are not as obnoxious, the covers are lower, the room prices are lower — but you are getting at least 90 percent of the experience you get at those places."

Be warned, however: several reviewers did feel nickel and dimed, in particular when it came to their requests for late checkout. One wrote, "We had a late flight out on Thursday and called down to ask if we could possibly have a late check out and they offered two hours for an additional $40."

Another echoed a similar sentiment: "We needed a noon check out and he demanded a $50 fee for it."

Read reviews, compare prices, and book Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas on Trip Advisor

Who stays here: Because of the Palms' wide array of on-site amenities, visitors include a huge range of Vegas travelers, from party people to serious gamblers and business travelers. I saw a few kids, but not many, as minors are not permitted to linger on the casino floor.

We like: The Spa at Palms is an incredible way to spend an afternoon. Book a treatment, but make sure to come early or stay late for steam, sauna, and hot tubs spread over three floors.

We love (don't miss this feature!): The newly redone rooms and suites are highly affordable, welcoming, and even calming. The executive suites in particular offer sprawling space for getting comfortable — and staying focused — on a work trip.

We think you should know:The Palms is not located on Las Vegas Boulevard, so you will need a taxi or rideshare if you want to get to the Strip action. It's not walkable.

We'd do this differently next time: I didn't have time to try out the new restaurant Tim Ho Wan, just opened in September 2019. The dim sum restaurant seems worth a visit for foodies, serving Michelin-starred modern Chinese.

Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas underwent a nearly $700 million renovation project, and it shows. The property feels brand new again and the off-Strip address means the prices are incredibly reasonable. Standard rooms are still upscale, but cheap, and easily under $100 per night. Suites feel luxurious for not that much more.

Yes, it's still preferred by Vegas revelers with its concert venues, nightclubs, and sprawling casino. But it's also an excellent choice for business travelers and those who prefer to avoid the party scene.

With rates beginning under $50, it's an excellent value to work, rest, or take advantage of the action always available on-site.

Book a room at the Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas starting around $50 per night

• Monica + Andy makes GOTS certified organic clothes for babies and kids in unique and stylish prints. It sells the clothes individually or bundled together as Birthday Boxes for $150. 
• The Birthday Boxes are full of clothes including dresses, leggings, jeans, sweatshirts, and shirts, depending on the box you choose. They're fun and simple gifts for babies and kids, and they make shopping a lot easier. 
• You can work with a "stork" to customize any box with sizes, styles, and prints, and even add on embroidery, so it's really easy to order the perfect box.

I live about seven hours away from my oldest nephew, so buying birthday and holidays presents for him can be a struggle. Do I just send money? Do I order things online and have them shipped directly to his house? Do I buy presents, wrap them myself, and then pay $30 to have them shipped? Do I hold on to his presents and wait until I see him months after his birthday? None of these sound fun for either of us.

Monica + Andy realized that same struggle because the company came up with the ideal solution: a custom box full of the most adorable and softest children's clothing. It's a practical gift and everything comes in a nicely wrapped box, so it's immediately giftable. All the clothes are Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic and the brand also sells them individually if you don't want a big bundle, as well as toys, travel gear, nursery decor, and even maternity wear and loungewear for moms.

Each Birthday Box costs $150 and comes with four to five pieces of clothing that can be mixed and matched for a variety of different outfits

When I was little, I loved to try on new clothes and put on a fashion show for my parents, so I would have been so excited to get a surprise box like this in the mail.  

Each birthday box costs $150 and comes with four to five separates including jackets, tops, leggings, jeans, dresses, and skirts that can be paired together to create different outfits. You can currently order Birthday Boxes in three colorways: pink, gray, and blue, and the clothes are in sizes 1T to 8.

There are more colors and prints available should you choose to buy the clothing individually, and some of the fun limited edition prints at the time of writing include pizzas, rainbows, sloths, and Christmas lights (aka some of the most darling prints you'll ever see).

Monica + Andy sent a pink box for my daughter Ellie, who is currently 16 months old. The print is called Flower Power, which doesn't seem to be available anymore, but the current Rainbow Skies print is just as adorable. Most of the pieces in Ellie's box were a 2T, so they're a little big on her now but still wearable, and she'll be able to wear them comfortably at least until she is two, if not longer. The "Let's Dance" long-sleeve dress that came in the pink box is the perfect dress for Ellie to twirl around in, and in general, the organic cotton fabric is soft and flows very well. 

While I love the creative limited edition prints, I really like the signature Flower Power print because it reminds me of the rose from "Beauty and the Beast," so I'm sad to see it's not around anymore. I've tried a lot of baby and toddler clothing brands, but one of the things that sets Monica + Andy apart is the unique and cute prints. 

If you don't want a curated box, you can customize your own with specific pieces

Ellie and I loved the pink box, but I did have one question right away: what if you don't like the prints or styles included in the box?

Fortunately, that's not a problem. While the curated Birthday Boxes make it easy to gift practical and fun presents that can be enjoyed for a year (or until your child grows out of them), you can also completely customize a box. You'll work with "a stork" (how cute is that job title?) if you want to change anything about the box, from prints to sizes to styles. I like this option because you can choose pieces in a range of sizes that'll fit your growing child. 

There's no additional charge for this customization service unless you choose to embroider any of the pieces (which would only make these outfits cuter). 

The Birthday Boxes aren't cheap at $150, but they're practical and they make shopping for kids so much easier 

If you're looking to save on a present, this $150 clothing bundle isn't going to be the best option for your wallet. Each item in the Birthday Box can be mixed and matched to create eight outfits, but that still comes out to a little under $20 per outfit. That's not cheap for babies and kids who seem to grow a foot taller overnight, but you're paying for beautifully made organic clothes in tons of unique prints, so if this is within your budget, it's an excellent option. If a Birthday Box isn't the right fit for you, there are many other types of gift boxes, some starting as low as $51. 

I think these boxes are fantastic; they're great gifts for your own child or a nephew who lives hundreds of miles away. When you need to buy a gift for a child who lives far away, it's hard to know what they like to play with or what they already have, so this makes it shopping easier. 

Join the conversation about this story »

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• An electric cooperative in Alaska has purchased a 93 MWh battery from Tesla. 
• The Homer Electric Association announced the deal on December 3, saying the battery will improve "grid stability, electric power reliability, and system efficiency."
• The battery will likely begin operation in the fall of 2021.
• While energy products account for a small percentage of Tesla's business (energy storage and generation made up just 6% of the company's revenue during the third quarter of this year), its energy-storage deployments have grown in recent years.
• Sign up for Business Insider's transportation newsletter, Shifting Gears, to get more stories like this in your inbox.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

An electric cooperative in Alaska has purchased a 93 MWh battery from Tesla. 

The Homer Electric Association announced the deal on December 3, saying the battery will improve "grid stability, electric power reliability, and system efficiency." The battery will reduce power outages and the use of greenhouse gases while creating more opportunities to implement renewable energy projects, the cooperative said.

The battery will be able to send 46.5 MWs of power to the grid each hour and will likely begin operation in the fall of 2021.

The Homer Electric Association did not specify which of Tesla's energy-storage products it will use, but Tesla unveiled a utility-scale battery, called the Megapack, in July. Tesla has previously used its industrial-size Powerpack batteries for large-scale projects.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Alaska project.

Utilities in California, Hawaii, Australia, and American Samoa have used Tesla batteries to increase the stability and reliability of their energy grids while reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. The Australia project featured a 129 MWh Powerpack system that Tesla has called the world's largest lithium-ion battery.

While energy products account for a small percentage of Tesla's business (energy storage and generation made up just 6% of the company's revenue during the third quarter of this year), its energy-storage deployments have grown in recent years. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in October that he expects the company's energy business to one day approach the size of its automotive business.

Are you a current or former Tesla employee? Do you have an opinion about what it's like to work there? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com. You can ask for more secure methods of communication, like Signal or ProtonMail, by email or Twitter direct message.

• Read more:
• Tesla is reportedly considering cutting the price of Model 3s built in China by 20% next year
• Even one of Tesla's biggest bears recognizes company has an enormous leg up on competitors when it comes to battery production
• Tesla could build 500,000 vehicles per year at its new factory in Germany. Here's how the company's plants compare to others in the car business
• Some 1,100 car shoppers said they'd rather buy an electric pickup truck from Ford or GM than Tesla's Cybertruck — but there's a silver lining for Tesla in the survey

SEE ALSO: Before and after photos show how dramatically 14 world-famous CEOs changed since they started the job

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• The House of Representatives on Wednesday kicked off a historic hearing that is expected to culminate in the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
• Trump is on course to become the third president in US history to be impeached.
• The hearing began at 9 a.m. ET and will feature several hours of debate as Democrats make the case for impeachment and Republicans defend Trump.
• Scroll down to follow Insider's live coverage of the hearing.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday kicked off a historic hearing that is on course to end in the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

The Democratic-controlled chamber has enough votes to impeach Trump and is expected to do so later in the afternoon. The hearing began with a procedural vote on the terms of debate that the House Rules Committee fleshed out on Tuesday.

The final vote on impeachment is set to take place from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Watch the hearing below:

Click here to refresh this page for the latest updates.

SEE ALSO: 'He gives us no choice': House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gives a historic speech as Congress is on the brink of impeaching Trump

Trump rages about impeachment on Twitter moments after the White House press secretary says he will be 'working all day'

At 12:42 PM, ABC reporter Karen Travers tweeted this statement from White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham: 

Less than five minutes later at 12:44 PM, Trump tweeted out an angry, all-caps message:

Republicans take the stage: 'The president did nothing wrong."

"This is not a solemn occasion. When you go looking for something for three years...you ought to be excited when you found it," Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee said, adding "why do we keep calling this a solemn occasion when you've been wanting to do this?"

Collins falsely claimed that Democrats "trampled" due process in the impeachment inquiry, despite the fact that Trump and his lawyers declined on multiple occasions to participate in the House impeachment inquiry.

He also defended Trump's conduct in his July 25 "the call itself, the two parties say no pressure. nothing was ever done to get the money. In fact, they didn't even know the money was held."

Pentagon official Laura Cooper, however, previously testified under oath before the House Intelligence Committee that Ukrainian officials did know the aid was withheld by the time of the July Trump-Zelensky call.

Pelosi pays tribute to the late congressman Elijah Cummings

Pelosi also quoted the late congressman Elijah Cummings, Democrat from Maryland, who said in February, "When we're dancing with the angels the question will be asked, 'In 2019, what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy? Did we stand on the sidelines and say nothing?'"

Cummings made the remark at a House Oversight hearing in February hearing the testimony of Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal lawyer. 

At 12:10 PM E.T., Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave remarks to open the 6 hours of impeachment.

"As speaker of the House, I solemnly and sadly open up debate on the impeachment of the president of the United States,"Pelosi said, adding, "he gives us no choice."

In her speech, Pelosi stood beside a large poster with the American flag and the line "to the republic for which it stands" from the Pledge of Allegiance. 

A little after 11:45 a.m. ET, the House began 6 hours of debate on the articles of impeachment against Trump.

The House adopted the resolution by a vote of 228-197 to debate each article of impeachment for three hours. 

Protesters are seen demonstrating as the House of Representatives begins debate on the articles of impeachment against Trump.

A recent Fox News poll found that a majority of US voters believe Trump abuse his power and should be impeached.

Source: Fox News

Protesters swarm the streets outside the Capitol as the House debates impeachment.

Hillary Clinton weighs in: 'Impeachment is the only remedy.'

"One of our most precious rights as Americans is the right to determine who our leaders are," the former first lady and secretary of state tweeted.

She continued: "The president abused his powers to cheat in the next election and rob us of that right. Then he obstructed Congress to cover it up. Impeachment is the only remedy. #DefendOurDemocracy"

An overview of Republican defenses presented against impeachment so far (and why they don't hold up).

While speaking out against impeachment, Republican lawmakers tossed out a slew of defenses, majority of which they've argued throughout the inquiry. Here's what they said, and why it doesn't hold up:

• The evidence presented in the inquiry is based on secondhand, thirdhand, and fourth-hand information.
  • This is inaccurate. The whistleblower complaint detailing Trump's actions was based on hearsay but has since been confirmed by several witnesses who directly listened in on the July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that is at the center of the impeachment inquiry.
  • During the call, Trump repeatedly pressured Zelensky to interfere in the 2020 election by investigating former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, over baseless allegations of corruption.
  • He also asked Zelensky to look into a bogus conspiracy theory suggesting Ukraine colluded with the Democrats to meddle in the 2016 race.
  • Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, and Jennifer Williams, a State Department official detailed to Vice President Mike Pence's office, heard the phone call and testified that they found it inappropriate and unusual.
• The transcript of the phone call speaks for itself.
  • The White House has not released a transcript of the conversation. But a summary of the call confirmed the whistleblower's complaint and showed Trump repeatedly urging Zelensky to work with his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to dig up or manufacture dirt on the Bidens.
• There was no quid pro quo.
  • This phrase is defined as: a favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something.
  • Gordon Sondland, the US's ambassador to the European Union, testified that the president engaged in a quid pro quo in which "everything"— meaning military aid and a White House meeting for Zelensky — was dependent on the Ukrainian president making a public announcement of investigations into the Bidens and the conspiracy theory alleging Ukrainian interference.
  • Ukrainian officials also understood throughout the course of Trump's pressure campaign that military assistance and, more broadly, a strong relationship with the president, was based on acceding to his political demands.
• Ukrainian officials, including Zelensky, have said they did not feel pressured to give in to Trump's conditions.
  • It's true that Zelensky said he didn't feel pressured and that there was "no blackmail." But context matters, especially in a geopolitical relationship like this one, where there's a clear imbalance of power. Insider's John Haltiwanger reported last month that Ukraine is still reliant on US military assistance as it fends off Russian aggression. By acknowledging feeling pressured, Zelensky would risk angering Trump.
  • As David Holmes, a senior staffer in the US Embassy in Kyiv testified last month: "Whether the hold, the security assistance hold, continued or not, Ukrainians understood that that's something the president wanted and they still wanted important things from the president. So I think that continues to this day. I think they're being very careful. They still need us now going forward."
• Military aid to Ukraine eventually went through.
  • Timing is everything. After months of Trump and his allies pressuring Zelensky to do a television interview publicly committing to the investigations the president wanted, Zelensky was ready to cave. He scheduled an interview for September 13 with CNN's Fareed Zakaria.
  • But just days before, Congress and the public became aware of a whistleblower complaint detailing Trump's pressure campaign and the July 25 phone call. On September 11, two days before Zelensky's scheduled interview and as more details continued to spill out, Trump released the aid, negating any need for Zelensky to go through with his appearance.

Democrats and Republicans spar over the rules of debate.

After voting to table McCarthy's motion, the House kicked off an hour of debate over the rules and parameters of the final debate on articles of impeachment against Trump.

Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern, the chairman of the House Rules Committee, began by outlining how Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine while soliciting its interference in the 2020 election to "extract a personal political favor."

"The President of the United States endangered our national security," McGovern said. "The president undermined our democracy."

Republican Rep. Tom Cole fired back and skewered Democrats for having "trampled on" the Republican minority's rights throughout the impeachment inquiry.

"Today is a very sad day for all of us," Cole said, and said the final impeachment vote would be a "deeply partisan" one "coming at the end of an unfair and rushed process."

McGovern rebutted Cole's assertions and noted that Trump and his lawyers were given an opportunity to participate in impeachment hearings but declined to do so.

Democrats table McCarthy's motion by a vote of 228-191.

Trump on what would happen if President Barack Obama were impeached in 2014: 'He would be a mess. He would be thinking about nothing but. It would be a horror show for him. It would be an absolute embarrassment. It would go down on his record permanently.'

As lawmakers voted on McCarthy's resolution, CNN's KFILE dug up a clip from 2014 in which Trump opined on what would happen if President Barack Obama were impeached.

Democrats seek to block 2 Republican motions.

The House gaveled in at 9 a.m., and GOP Rep. Andy Biggs, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee, immediately made a motion to adjourn proceedings.

Democrats blocked Biggs' motion in a party-line vote of 226-188.

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy also filed a resolution disapproving of the way House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler conducted the impeachment inquiry and hearings. Overall, McCarthy's resolution said, Schiff's and Nadler's conduct meant the inquiry as a whole is illegitimate.

Democrats filed a motion to table McCarthy's resolution, which the House is currently voting on.

What the House will vote on.

The full House will vote on two articles of impeachment against Trump; the first charges him with abuse of power and the second with obstruction of Congress.

Both articles are related to his dealings in Ukraine.

At the center of the impeachment inquiry are Trump's efforts to have Ukraine interfere in the 2020 election. At the time, the US was withholding military aid and a White House meeting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky desperately sought.

The catalyst for the inquiry was a whistleblower complaint filed by an anonymous US intelligence official in August. The complaint detailed a July 25 phone call during which Trump repeatedly pressured Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, over baseless allegations of corruption related to the latter's employment on the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian natural gas company.

Trump also pushed Zelensky to look into a bogus conspiracy theory suggesting that Ukraine meddled in the 2016 race. There is no evidence to support either of Trump's claims, and a slew of career national security and foreign policy officials testified that the president's efforts in that phone were unusual, inappropriate, and a threat to national security.

Witness testimony also showed that the phone call was just one event in a months-long pressure campaign in Ukraine that was spearheaded by Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, at the president's direction.

• Read more:
• Trump threatens Democrats who he says are 'trivializing' impeachment: 'Someday there will be a Democrat president and there will be a Republican House, and I suspect they're going to remember it'
• Trump tweeted a whopping 123 times during marathon impeachment debate
• Lindsey Graham says Trump's impeachment trial will 'die quickly' in the Senate

• "Harry Potter" actor Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) posted photos on Instagram on Wednesday with costars Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) — eight years after the final film in the franchise was released. 
• The first image showed the actors all smiling and looking at the camera. The other photo, a black-and-white one, was taken while Felton and Lewis were in the middle of a discussion. 
• "Seasons greetings from my school mates. @mattdavelewis & I mid debate x #gryfindorVSslytherin," Felton captioned the post, referencing their characters' Hogwarts houses. 
• You can see the adorable photos below.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

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• Earlier this month, Amazon Web Services launched AWS Outposts, a hybrid-cloud product that allows customers to run their applications on both AWS and their private data centers using AWS hardware.
• AWS took longer to release a hybrid-cloud product than Microsoft and Google Cloud, but Matt Garman, the vice president of AWS compute services, said it wanted to find a "good model" for offering a product that is easy for customers to use.
• Microsoft's product requires a lot of setup, and Google Cloud's doesn't include hardware, Garman said. So AWS wanted to offer a product that addressed those two issues.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

When Amazon Web Services launched its long-awaited product Outposts earlier this month, it stepped into a game Microsoft had long been playing.

Outposts is a hybrid-cloud product, which means it allows customers to run their applications on both their private data centers and AWS using AWS hardware. Many companies, especially financial institutions and banks, choose to store their data on private data centers because of regulations but still want the flexibility of using the cloud for their other needs.

Until this product, AWS was basically promoting going all in on the cloud, meaning it was trying to convince customers to ditch their data centers and just use its cloud services instead. AWS even spent years trashing the idea of hybrid cloud. For example in 2010, Amazon CTO Werner Vogels, called hybrid the "false cloud," saying what IT departments put together can't match the features AWS can offer.

So when it first announced Outposts last year, it was major news for customers. Now it's generally available.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has long promoted hybrid cloud, while Google Cloud launched its own product, Anthos, this year. Industry analysts have said AWS is now reacting more to Microsoft's moves.

It took AWS longer than its competitors to offer such a product because it was trying to figure out the best way to do that, Matt Garman, the vice president of AWS compute services, said. It didn't want to mimic what its competitors were offering or how they were charging for their hybrid services.

"Customers have been asking us for a long time about how we can help them run efficiently in their data centers," Garman told Business Insider. "For a while, we were struggling with a good model. We didn't like a lot of the models that were out there. The things other folks were offering to manage data centers were very different from the cloud."

Garman says Azure's product 'hasn't been very successful with customers today'

Garman said AWS's lack of a hybrid-cloud product before was not because of "some philosophical difference" but "just because we didn't have a product that was great." 

AWS didn't want its own product to work like other popular hybrid-cloud options, like Microsoft's Azure Stack or the open source OpenStack. The problem comes when the cloud updates faster than on-premise data centers that are "lagging behind," he said. 

"Think about anything from OpenStack to Azure Stack," Garman said. "Effectively, what that does is — it's a software package. Customers have to buy their own hardware, install the software, and run the software ... If you add a feature in the cloud, the on-premise doesn't get that functionality. It's always diverging."

For this reason, Garman is quick to find fault with Amazon's major competitor in the area, Microsoft's Azure Stack, even going as far as to say Azure Stack "hasn't been very successful with customers today."

"It's difficult to manage, difficult to patch, and it diverges from the public cloud. That's a model that customers have spoken loudly and clearly to say they don't like it," he said.

Microsoft would likely disagree with that assessment. In October, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella even named Azure Stack a new product "seeing traction"in his quarterly earnings remarks.

But the Wall Street analyst Jason Ader of William Blair more or less agreed with Garman's view in a November 6 research note. He wrote that Stack had been "met with limited success" because it's directed at a limited customer base, such as those that need a lot of computer power at remote locations and those with regulatory needs.

As for Google Cloud's new Anthos product, Garman said there was no hardware component to it and that made it a "much less consistent environment" because each customer would have to run it on their own hardware.

With Outposts, AWS was striving for a product that worked exactly the same for applications running on either Amazon's cloud or in a customer's own data center. When an AWS customer chooses Outposts, AWS will help them install it into their data centers using the same security controls and features as Amazon's cloud, he said.

The work for AWS Outposts began a year and a half ago. And during the past year, AWS had beta customers test it. For example, AWS has worked with Philips Healthcare, Volkswagen, Nasdaq, and Lockheed Martin.

AWS is 'happy to adapt to a changing world'

Before AWS itself was a hybrid-cloud player, AWS prohibited its partners from even mentioning terms like "hybrid cloud" at its events, partners said, but the company has eased up on these rules since then.

While Garman said he didn't see AWS's entrance into this market as "much of a shift" for the company, he is now echoing what Amazon's competitors have been saying for years: Many companies will do hybrid computing and not go all in on the cloud.

"I think customers are going to want to distribute pieces of their applications in ways that make sense," he said.

And though AWS was a bit later to the hybrid-cloud game, Garman said some of Outposts' technology underpinnings had been around for a while. It has its roots in the AWS Nitro System, which is its networking architecture. 

"That's turned out to be an incredibly powerful enabler for Outposts," Garman said.

By listening to customers, Garman said AWS was "happy to adapt to a changing world."

"I view it less as we changed our mind," Garman said. "We do continuously learn from customers. We change our minds a lot. We take away from customers what they think is important."

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SEE ALSO: Amazon's recent body language about its cloud business shows how seriously it's taking Microsoft's 'aggressive front'

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• Alesha Bradford and Jarryd Salem run the adventure travel blog NOMADasaurus.
• They're based in Australia, but they're on the road for a good part of the year, whether leading tours of Kyrgyzstan or spending the winter in Canada.
• Collecting points and miles and signing up for rewards credit cards has changed the way they travel, getting them access to airport lounges and allowing them to enjoy annual statement credits toward travel.
• Trip protection, which you can get on the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card among other rewards cards, has provided them peace of mind as well.
• See Business Insider's list of the best rewards credit cards you can get »

The Instagram account for NOMADasaurus, the travel blog run by Alesha Bradford and Jarryd Salem, looks like the vision board of someone bent on visiting the most beautiful corners of the globe — if that person was also an amazing photographer.

Alesha and Jarryd, both Aussies, launched their blog in 2013 to document their travel from Asia to Africa — a journey they made without flying. These days, though, they're often in the air. "I can't even count how many planes we get on in a single year anymore," Jarryd told me. So yeah, they know a thing or two about how to travel well.

Enter travel rewards

A few years ago, the two began dipping their toes into the world of points and miles, and as Jarryd explained, it's changed their experience on the road.

While the credit card scene is vastly different in Australia, the upside for us in the US is that credit card offers are even more rewarding here. "A lot of our American friends are flying around the world business class on points and bonuses that they get," Jarryd said. "Australia is nowhere near that. To get 120,000 frequent flyer points is unheard of. We still have a long way to go before we catch up to the US." 

Step one for the duo — and for anyone looking to get into rewards credit cards — was to open new travel cards and earn their sign-up bonuses, giving them thousands of points and miles to use toward future travel. But that's just scratching the surface — here are the travel rewards card benefits that have made the biggest difference for the team behind Nomadasaurus, along with the best options for US-based travelers looking to enjoy these perks.

Travel insurance

Jarryd and Alesha travel almost full-time, so having travel insurance to protect them in the event that they encounter any bumps along the way is essential. Their ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures card, which is co-branded with Virgin Australia, offers comprehensive international travel insurance — including flight delay and cancellation coverage, lost and delayed luggage coverage, and travel accident insurance. While this card is only available in Australia, there are plenty of rewards credit cards in the US that offer comparable coverage.

Using one of these cards to pay for your travel — even if it's only the taxes and fees on a ticket booked with miles — can save you money if you encounter delays or your baggage goes missing. If you have a card that offers travel insurance, you should use it to book travel. 

The best US credit cards for travel insurance:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($95 annual fee)— offers up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip in trip cancellation/interruption insurance, up to $500 per ticket in trip delay reimbursement if your trip is delayed by 12 hours or requires and overnight stay, up to $100 a day for five days when your luggage is delayed for more than 6 hours, up to $3,000 per passenger for lost or damaged coverage
• Chase Sapphire Reserve ($450 annual fee) — offers the same protections as the Sapphire Preferred, but the trip delay insurance kicks in earlier — when your trip is delayed by 6 or more hours or requires an overnight stay
• Certain premium American Express cards, including the Platinum Card® from American Express and the Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express, will begin offering trip cancellation and interruption insurance in 2020.

Read more:The top credit cards with primary car rental insurance — and why you need it

Annual statement credits for flights and more

Another great benefit of Jarryd and Alesha's ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures card is a complimentary return (round-trip) domestic flight each year. The couple is taking advantage of this benefit to book flights to Perth over the holidays, and they estimate that this perk alone is saving them $900 each — three times the card's annual fee.

There isn't an apples-to-apples comparison with this benefit among US rewards credit cards, but some US cards do offer companion fare benefits that can help you get a nearly free flight, such as the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card, which offers a companion fare for $121 ($99 plus taxes and fees starting at $22) each year after your account anniversary. 

Alesha and Jarryd also have the Qantas American Express Ultimate card, which has a $450 annual fee but also offers $450 in annual statement credits to use toward Qantas flights.

The best US credit cards with annual statement credits for travel:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve— offers a $300 annual travel credit which automatically applies to any purchase that codes as travel (from airfare to parking tolls to Uber rides)
• Hilton Honors Aspire American Express Card ($450 annual fee) — offers up to $250 in statement credits each year toward purchases at Hilton resorts, plus up to $250 in annual airline fee credits each year
• Citi Prestige® Card ($495 annual fee) — offers up to $250 in travel credit toward eligible travel purchases every calendar year (it works similarly to the Chase Sapphire Reserve's credit)

Airport lounge access

Especially when you travel all the time, lounge access can make a huge difference; you can enjoy a bite and get some work done while escaping some of the pre-flight chaos at the boarding gate.

Alesha and Jarryd get Virgin Australia and Qantas lounge access through their co-branded airline credit cards, but they also use the Priority Pass network, which has more than 1,200 lounges around the globe. 

Luckily, several US credit cards offer Priority Pass Select membership: 

• Amex Platinum card
• The Business Platinum® Card from American Express
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Hilton Honors Aspire Amex card
• Citi Prestige card

Learn more about the best travel rewards credit cards available now »

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• I've watched many family members die without life insurance or enough money in the bank to cover their final expenses.
• I've never wanted to put anyone in that position, so I bought a term life insurance policy in my 20s that I renew every five years.
• It is enough to reasonably cover basic expenses for my kids for at least a year or two, and to help them establish homes of their own if I die. 
• Life insurance can help you protect your family. Get a quote from Policygenius today and get covered »

When my grandmother died 10 years ago, I didn't even need to ask if she had a life insurance policy. I knew she didn't. Just like most other members of my family.

My grandmother had no estate or assets. Since she left no surviving spouse or dependent child, the $255 death benefit that Social Security sometimes pays out wasn't even an option.

She would be laid to rest in a cemetery plot where my grandfather had been buried 30 years before. My grandmother wanted to be buried too, not cremated. But since she died in a different state from where the cemetery was located, the cost to transport her body was way more than anyone could afford. So, despite her wishes otherwise, she was cremated for financial reasons.

Only two of her seven children were employed at the time, so they gathered whatever funds they could scrape together. And that — combined with the available credit they had on their credit cards — was just enough for the cremation and the cemetery's fee to open a hole big enough for us to place her ashes. There were no funeral services, and no memorial event.

The poverty cycle in my family

This situation isn't unusual in my family. Just last year, my aunt died in a similar financial state. It was pretty much the same story when my stepfather died five years ago, uninsured and with nothing in his bank account.

I hail from a family where poverty traces back for generations. Many of my relatives have struggled just trying to afford food and shelter. Something like life insurance would be considered a luxury, and — like anything else not required for basic survival — would be low on the priority list.

Family lore says that at least one of my ancestors was buried in New York City's potter's field, where the poor and unidentified are interred in mass graves. 

I and other family members have had to scramble to help pick up the financial pieces when some of our relatives have died without any insurance. Sometimes there wasn't even enough for an obituary.

Life insurance means your family can cover your final expenses without stress. Get a quote from Policygenius today »

Watching this scenario play out repeatedly over the years taught me a valuable lesson: In death — as in life — your financial resources often determine your fate. I knew from a young age that I didn't want to be the cause of one of these post-death panics that send loved ones into a frantic scramble.

As a result, I've had life insurance since I was in my early 20s because I've never wanted to leave anyone else in that position. 

Why I bought life insurance

I've seen experts and others share the opinion that life insurance isn't necessary if you don't have minor/dependent children to support. But someone will still need to take care of your final arrangements. And I know from firsthand experience that even the most bare-bones, no-frills burial can be more expensive than you might expect.

I'm guessing those experts likely don't hail from families like mine. They are perhaps taking it for granted that every deceased person has money in the bank or plenty of other assets that will cover burial and funeral expenses.

Even if most people do in fact have sufficient assets at the moment to cover those costs, things can change. People may lose their jobs, get hit with major medical expenses, or otherwise face unexpected financial hardships. This is increasingly likely as they get older, particularly if they start having health issues. 

And the harsh reality of life insurance is that if you wait until a point when you think you may actually need it in the near future, it may be too late.

In my recently deceased aunt's case, she did look into getting life insurance a few years ago (partly at the urging of her sister, who'd had to cover some of the expenses after their mother's death). Unfortunately, at that point she'd already had lung cancer and was in her 60s, so insurers weren't exactly eager to cover her, at least not without charging a fortune. A decent life insurance policy she could afford was virtually impossible to find. 

I'll renew my life insurance policy for as long as I possibly can

I have a term life policy that I've had for years, and I protect it like a precious gift. I have children who are still trying to get their own financial footing. I hate to picture them in a panic, trying desperately to come up with enough to bury me if I were to die with no insurance.

I first got this policy when I was in my early 20s. At the time, I didn't know much about insurance (and obviously, there wasn't really anyone in the family I could ask). But I felt like anything was better than having nothing at all, so I took the most affordable option I could find that would at least provide enough to take care of my children for a while if something were to happen to me.

It currently costs me less than $75 a month. The policy renews every five years, and I plan to keep it indefinitely — ideally, for life — because I've now reached an age where it might be more difficult to get a brand new policy from scratch.

It is enough to reasonably cover basic expenses for my kids for at least a year or two, and to help them establish homes of their own.

I'm hoping that in this one significant way, I can try to help shift the family legacy.

Protect your family's financial future with a life insurance policy. Get a quote from Policygenius today »

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• In 2019 Netflix released countless original dramas, comedies, and thrillers to varying critical reception. 
• The political documentary "Knock Down the House" and the animated film "Klaus" earned high praise from critics. 
• Other Netflix originals, like the coming-of-age film "The Last Summer" and the comedy "Sextuplets" failed to merit positive reviews. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Netflix released dozens of original films in 2019, with some getting better critical reception than others.

Here are 12 of the best and 12 of the worst Netflix original movies of the year.

Note: The scores listed throughout the piece were accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change.

The political documentary "Knock Down the House" was called energizing.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

Summary: In the political documentary "Knock Down the House," director Rachel Lears follows the propulsive rise of four women — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Amy Vilela, Cori Bush, and Paula Jean Swearengin — during a contentious election season. 

Critics admired the energetic nature and riveting message of "Knock Down the House," saying that the documentary transcended political lines. 

"Even if your views don't align with the women in the film, there is something to be admired in all of them," wrote Lana Stanczak for Film Inquiry. "The film will make you consider if you could take on your district's most popular politician."

Critics called "Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé" show-stopping.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

Summary: "Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé" goes behind-the-scenes for Beyoncé's memorable 2018 Coachella performance.

A mix of live concert footage and enlightening interviews, "Homecoming" is both a documentary and revealing glimpse into the star performer's life. 

Critics praised it for being an artfully crafted and "revelatory" music documentary. 

"If you don't get why Beyoncé is worshipped as a goddess, this glorious pop spectacle — part concert film, part myth-in-the-making — will fix that," wrote MaryAnn Johanson for Flick Filosopher.  "Enormously entertaining, and absolutely landmark."

Reviewers hailed "American Factory" as eye-opening.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Summary: The Netflix documentary "American Factory" centers around a Chinese billionaire who staffs a new factory in the heart of Ohio with thousands of working-class Americans. A mix of optimism and hope for success gives way to intricate obstacles for the factory. 

Film critics upheld the documentary as a non-biased and fully realized documentary about the nuances of the working-class world. 

"It is, in essence, a scholarly, almost sociological treatment of the material, in a way that broadly speaks to the plight of these blue-collar workers, with an empathy that's personal but not partisan," wrote Brian Lowry for CNN. 

Critics said Eddie Murphy shined in "Dolemite Is My Name."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Summary: Based on the life of Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) the film "Dolemite Is My Name" traces Moore's career from struggling comedian to larger-than-life character actor as he brings the fictional Dolemite from stage to screen. 

Critics praised the film's take on the blaxploitation era of Hollywood, signaling out Murphy for his career-high performance as Moore. 

"Murphy roars back into the cultural conversation and my heart with his flamboyant, exuberant and spectacularly entertaining performance," praised critic CJ Johnson for Film Mafia. "I could easily take a Netflix series with an episode spent on the production of every one [of Moore's films]."

"See You Yesterday" was praised for its compelling take on grief.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Summary: In the science-fiction drama "See You Yesterday," tech-minded best friends CJ (Eden Duncan-Smith) and Sebastian (Danté Crichlow) believe they're close to mastering time-traveling technology.

But when CJ's older brother Calvin is killed in an altercation with the police, CJ and Sebastian must use their unfinished time-travel tech to save him before it's too late. 

Reviews for "See You Yesterday" praised its poignant messaging and refreshing take on the science-fiction genre. 

"'See You Yesterday' finds a striking-yet-natural balance between genre concept and a harsh reality that is achingly familiar to the people who have to navigate it every day," wrote AV Club critic Shannon Miller. 

"Marriage Story" was called a compassionate masterpiece.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Summary: In the drama "Marriage Story," a stage director (Adam Driver) and his actress wife (Scarlett Johansson) go through a grueling, heartwrenching divorce across coasts.

Reviews for the film praised its impressive script and talented cast. 

"Johansson and Driver are remarkably, heartbreakingly good in every scene; showing their characters' journeys to an unflinching camera, letting the gap between them get wider yet unable, for their son's sake, to completely walk away," wrote Moira MacDonald for Seattle Times.

Critics loved the drama "High Flying Bird" for its smart script.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

Summary: Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the sports drama "High Flying Bird" focuses on agent Ray Burke (André Holland) as he navigates a deal during a pro-basketball lockout. With only three days to pull his deal off, Ray has to stay one step ahead of movers and shakers in the sports industry. 

The drama earned positive reviews for its well-written script and slick editing style. 

"'High Flying Bird; is a heady movie, full of political thought about sport, entertainment, race and power," wrote Jake Coyle for the Associated Press. "Rather than float on production value, it sustains itself on the tension of ideas, exchanged rapid-fire in gleaming office towers."

Critics were floored by the animated film "Klaus."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

Summary: Netflix's first full-length original animated film is all about the origins of Santa. 

The story of friendship and self-discovery was praised for its stunning 2D animation and director Sergio Pablos' impressive storytelling abilities. 

"Destined to be added to the yearly holiday viewing rotation, Klaus is worth writing to Santa about," wrote Courtney Small for Cinema Axis.

Critics said the music documentary "Rolling Thunder Revue" is filled with gems.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Summary: Equal parts a music documentary and a concert film, "Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese" is a look back at America in the 1970s and Bob Dylan's place within it.

Assembled by director Martin Scorsese, the documentary features never-before-seen footage from an iconic year in music history. 

Critics said "Rolling Thunder Revue" is a thrilling and "unmissable" documentary, even outside of the iconic concert footage. 

"Thanks to some truly priceless moments captured behind the scenes and the beautifully restored picture and sound of the concerts, 'Rolling Thunder Revue' is essential viewing," wrote Third Coast Review critic Steven Prokopy. 

The documentary "Fyre" garnered critical attention for its take on the disastrous festival event.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Summary: Both a look back at the deliriously disorganized Fyre music festival as well as a take-down on the missteps of the uber-wealthy, the Netflix documentary "Fyre" seeks to disassemble what led to the failure of Fyre Festival from start to finish. 

Critics called "Fyre" a stirring commentary on the social consequences of fraud and false advertising. 

As Becky Kukla wrote for Digital Fix: "engaging, enraging and utterly absurd — Netflix's "Fyre" festival documentary is an absolute must see." 

"El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" renewed love for the original drama series.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Summary: An epilogue to the "Breaking Bad" television series, "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" takes place in the aftermath of the show.

As Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) tries to create a brighter future for himself, he first has to accept his dark past as a former drug dealer. 

Critics showered "El Camino" with praise for reuniting the talents of writer-director Vince Gilligan and the acting power of Paul. 

"Ultimately serves as a coiled and heartfelt tribute to Jesse's powerful trajectory, and Paul's own chemically active, emotionally reactive brilliance in one of our peak TV era's defining series," wrote Robert Abele for The Wrap. 

"Beats" won over critics with its compelling leads.

Rotten Tomatoes score:89%

Summary: In the drama "Beats," a teenage prodigy (Khalil Everage) forms a bond with a security guard (Anthony Anderson) over their love of hip-hop music. Together, the two try to break into the music scene in the South Side of Chicago. 

Critics praised the coming-of-age film for its captivating acting performances, especially from Anderson and Everage. 

Film critic Jeffrey Lyles said that "Beats" is like "stumbling onto a new album and just being able to go along for the ride without ever needing to reach for the skip track button."

Alternatively, "6 Underground" was ripped apart by critics.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 34%

Summary: The Ryan Reynolds-led action film introduces a group of heroes from around the globe who are brought together to erase their pasts while changing the future. 

"6 Underground" was ripped apart by critics for its incoherent plot and dull action sequences. 

"The film is a pure expression of the id for a filmmaker who thrives on moving at 100 cuts per second; for everyone else, as the expression goes, your mileage may vary," wrote Marshall Shaffer for The Playlist.

"The Silence" was called uninventive and charmless.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 32%

Summary: In the science-fiction drama "The Silence," young Ally (Kiernan Shipka) attempts to find safety with her mother and father (Stanley Tucci) as the world is overrun by creatures that hunt their prey by sound. As they wait out the monster invasion, they soon realize the people they're hiding with seek to exploit their daughter, who is deaf. 

"The Silence" earned little praise from critics who felt that the talents of the cast were wasted on a film that lacked creativity. 

"Whether you're a horror fan who enjoys jump scares, gore, monsters, or a sharp social commentary, Netflix movie 'The Silence' will satisfy none," wrote film critic Deirdre Molumby. 

Critics said "IO" suffered from a weak script and plodding pace.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%

Summary: In the science-fiction drama "IO," Sam (Margaret Qualley) is one of the last people left on Earth following a global crisis.

Desperate to save the dying planet from itself, Sam begins to change her mind following a chance encounter with fellow survivor Micah (Anthony Mackie).

Despite Mackie's and Qualley's best attempts to keep the movie afloat, critics blamed poor reviews on "IO's" lagging pace and limp script. 

"A forced romance, lackluster execution, and a tendency to pander to its audience makes 'IO' come up far shorter than it otherwise could have been," said David Fontana for Film Inquiry. 

Critics likened "Secret Obsession" to a formulaic Lifetime movie.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%

Summary: Waking up from a traumatic accident, Jennifer (Brenda Song) can't recall memories from her former life. Thankfully her husband is there to take her home and care for her, but as the days go by Jennifer becomes convinced that someone sinister is watching her every move. 

Critics panned "Secret Obsession" for being formulaic and predictable, but some acquiesced that the film at least seemed self-aware of its failings. 

"This is a pretty bad movie, but it seems to be bad in the way it's meant to be bad,"Linda Holmes said for NPR. "It's cheerfully trashy, and if that's up your alley, have at it."

The drama "Red Sea Diving Resort" fell flat with critics.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 30%

Summary: Loosely based on an inspiring true story, the Netflix drama "Red Sea Diving Resort" follows the harrowing mission of two agents — Ari Kidron (Chris Evans) and Kabede Bimro (Michael Kenneth Williams) — as they smuggle thousands of refugees from Sudan to Israel. 

Critics praised the messaging of the story but felt that it got muddled amongst poor plotting and stiff characters. 

"The Red Sea Diving Resort is built around a narrative with massive potential, but the movie never quite delivers, reducing it to a film that is merely adequate," wrote Natasha Alvar for Cultured Vultures. 

Critics said the thriller "Rattlesnake" lacked any real thrills.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 29%

Summary: In the suspense thriller "Rattlesnake," Katrina (Carmen Ejogo) drives across the country with her daughter in an effort to strike out on her own and start a new life.

After Katrina's daughter wanders into the desert and is bitten by a venomous rattlesnake, a mysterious woman helps heal the child — but the miracle comes at a steep cost. 

Critics said the film found a slight ounce of redemption through the effort of lead actress Ejogo, but her rousing performance couldn't save the film from being directionless and dull. 

"Ejogo is an undeniably talented actor who has delivered strong turns in genre fare before, but she's adrift here, stuck with a character devoid of specificity and personality," wrote Benjamin Lee for the Guardian. 

Critics felt "Otherhood" wasted the talent of its lead actresses.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

Summary: In the Netflix comedy-drama "Otherhood," three mothers with adult children decide to take Mother's Day into their own hands after they feel forgotten by their family members. Their spontaneity takes them on a road trip to New York City to forge stronger relationships with their kids. 

Critics noted the presence of notable actresses like Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, and Felicity Huffman in "Otherhood" but felt that the film fell short with its script and vision. 

"[W]atching 'Otherhood' leaves audiences feeling secondhand embarrassment, not only for everyone's cringe-worthy behavior on screen but also for these lauded actresses who both starred in and executive produced this subpar film," wrote Kimber Myers for the Los Angeles Times. 

The family film "Rim of the World" failed to inspire critics.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

Summary: Away at a summer camp, four kids find themselves at the forefront of an alien invasion in the action-adventure film "Rim of the World." The friends realize that the safety of the world is in their hands as they band together to stop a global threat. 

Critics noted that the fare was built for younger audiences, but still felt that "Rim of the World" was lazy in its execution from pre-production to post. 

Felix Vasquez Jr. of Cinema Crazed described the film as a "grating, painfully awful movie that seems to work against everything that makes movies of this ilk so entertaining." 

"A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby" disappointed viewers who'd been following the franchise.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

Summary: The third film in this series follows Queen Amber (Rose McIver) and King Richard (Ben Lamb) as they prepare to welcome their first child while dealing with political problems and ancient curses. 

But overall, critics felt that this holiday film lost the charm that its sequels had. 

Alicia Gilstorf wrote for Tell-Tale TV, "Don't expect to be rewarded for making it to the end because the luck and charm that carried the first film to stardom are nowhere to be found by the time the credits roll."

Critics called "Polar" lurid and poorly directed.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Summary: In the thriller "Polar," infamous assassin Duncan Vizla (Mads Mikkelsen) finds himself being pulled back into the life of contract killing as he tries to leave that world behind. After his old firm places a bounty on his head, Vizla goes head-to-head with younger assassins who try to take him out. 

Film reviewers criticized "Polar" for being a chaotic, messy film that is nearly unwatchable. 

"'Polar' is almost two hours of sensory overload that attempts to be a slick and gritty thriller but comes off as a brash, cluttered and crude film," wrote Carolyn Mauricette for Cinema Axis. 

Critics felt "The Last Summer" failed to add anything new to the coming-of-age genre.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

Summary: After graduating from their senior year of high school, a group of teenagers tries to make the most of their last summer before adulthood sets in. As some mend broken hearts, others fall in love for the first time, all while the reality of their futures starts to take hold. 

Overall, critics were unimpressed with the ensemble romantic comedy, citing its lack of charm and originality as its biggest flaws. 

"Netflix's 'The Last Summer' is a hodgepodge of better teen movies, failing to say anything new or poignant about the transitionary period to adulthood," wrote Molly Freeman for Screen Rant. 

The comedy "Sextuplets" lacked laughs.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 14%

Summary: In the Netflix comedy "Sextuplets," Alan (Marlon Wayans) learns that he was born a sextuplet and sets out on a road trip to find his estranged siblings. As Alan learns more about his brothers and sisters, he learns more about himself as well. 

Some critics were at a loss for words over "Sextuplets," with most panning the film for being humorless and mean-spirited. 

"Why did Netflix make this?" asked film critic Grethe Kemp for City Press. "Who, besides Wayans and director Michael Tiddes, thought this was a good idea? I cannot answer this, dear reader. I may never be able to."

Read More:

• 10 of the best and 10 of the worst Netflix originals that have come out this year, so far
• 6 of the best and 6 of the worst movies released this year, so far
• 10 of the best and 10 of the worst comedies of the year, so far
• 15 of the worst movies from the 2000s, according to audiences

• Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, was sentenced on Wednesday, 11 months after pleading guilty in a case connected to the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang. 
• He was arrested in November 2018 on charges that included racketeering, illegal firearms possession, and aiding in an attempted murder. He faced up to life in prison for the charges and pleaded guilty in January.
• Hernandez agreed to cooperate with authorities. In September he testified against members of Nine Trey, his gang.
• Because Hernandez cooperated, prosecutors asked for Hernandez to be sentenced to less than the minimum 37-year sentence he faced. Hernandez's lawyer requested he be sentenced to time served, citing letters from family and friends asking for leniency.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

NEW YORK — Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has been sentenced to two years in prison and five years of supervised release in a Manhattan Federal Court for crimes connected to the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang after he cooperated with authorities and testified against fellow gang members.

Paul Engelmayer, the judge overseeing the case, castigated Tekashi — whose real name is Daniel Hernandez— for his involvement with the violent gang but praised his cooperation.

"Your cooperation was courageous," Engelmayer said. "The danger to you is multiplied by your music career, which I understand you intend to continue. The fact that you are unusually recognizable does not help you."

Both prosecutors and the attorney representing Hernandez asked Engelmayer to give the rapper a reduced sentence. He faced up to life in prison for his crimes and a minimum sentence of 37 years.

"I failed these people. They believed in Daniel Hernandez. I was too busy making the negative image in my 69 persona,"Hernandez said at his sentencing. "I know God has a bigger plan for me. I want to inspire the youth that it never too late to change."

The 13 months Hernandez has already spent in jail will count towards his sentence, so he must spend an additional 11 months in prison. Engelmayer also imposed 300 hours of community service and a $35,000 fine to Hernandez's sentence.

Hernandez gave 'extremely useful' testimony to prosecutors

Hernandez was arrested in November 2018 on charges including racketeering, illegal firearms possession, and aiding in attempted murder. He pleaded guilty in January.

In the months that followed, Hernandez provided officials with information about the inner workings of Nine Trey — an East Cost offshoot of the Bloods — and he testified against Anthony "Harv" Ellison and Aljermiah "Nuke" Mack, who prosecutors have described as high-ranking members of the organization.

In his testimony, Hernandez named several famous people he believed to be part of the Nine Trey gang, including Jim Jones, his former manager Kifano "Shotti" Jordan, and rapper Mel Matrix. He also detailed his beefs with rappers Casanova, Trippie Redd, and Chief Keef — as well as started another with Cardi B.

Along with the gang-related charges, Hernandez has faced legal trouble in separate cases on earlier occasions: He has also admitted to abusing an ex-girlfriend, and he once filmed a 13-year-old performing a sex act on his friend and posted it online.

Ahead of Wednesday's sentencing, prosecutors filed a memo asking that Hernandez be given a reduced sentence.

They said Hernandez had been "both incredibly significant and extremely useful," and said that he "provided an insider's view of Nine Trey and a first-hand account of many acts of violence that [prosecutors] otherwise did not have."

They said other members of the rap community had criticized Hernandez over his testimony, questioning if he will be safe in public or in jail.

"There is no question that the defendant's life will never be the same because of his cooperation in this case," prosecutors said in their memo.

Victims of Hernandez's crimes asked that he remain in jail

One day before the sentencing prosecutors filed two victim letters from people who were robbed by Hernandez and his cohorts in April 2018. 

Publicist Skyy L. Daniels and her assistant, whose name was withheld in his letter, said they were robbed by Hernandez at gunpoint in Midtown Manhattan, in an event that has caused longtime stress. Both asked that Hernandez remain in prison. 

Daniels wrote: "As a result of this entire ordeal, I have suffered greatly from mental anguish and emotional distress. So traumatized by this aftermath, that over a year later, I have had a difficult time getting past the incident suffering from what we believe is post-traumatic stress disorder. To add insult to injury, he released the video of me escaping from the clutches of his thugs on social media and it went viral accumulating millions of views as the public laughed. I am a mother and grandmother first and it is so hard to describe what it feels like to survive that occurrence."

Her assistant said he could not sleep alone anymore, and had to move out of his New York apartment, which he learned was blocks from Hernandez's. 

"For a long time I practiced putting the terrible memories away in my mind. Thinking about it is still really painful. Sometimes I just go into staring spells when I am caught thinking about what happened and not paying any attention to my surroundings. Everyday of my life I live in constant fear that someone (his goons/supporters/constituents) will be sent to finish the job. It hurts me so much," he said. 

Prosecutors said a victim of a July shooting plans to speak at Hernandez's sentencing. 

Hernandez personally asked the judge for a short sentence

Hernandez's lawyer had asked for time served in the case. In court documents filed by his lawyers, Hernandez's mother, Natividad Perez-Hernandez; brother, Oscar Hernandez; girlfriend, Rachel "Jade" Wattley; and several other associates asked the judge for leniency.

In his own letter, Hernandez told the judge that he had disassociated himself from the gang, which came "with a price."

"I'm truly sorry for the harm that I've caused,"Hernandez wrote. "If given a second chance, I will not let this Court down and I will dedicate a portion of my life to helping others not make the same mistakes that I've made."

He said he had been kidnapped and robbed by gang members in an "inside job" and expressed remorse for his actions.

"I now know that I am remorseful for what happened because I was blessed with the gift of an opportunity that most people dream of but I squandered it by getting involved with the wrong people and misrepresenting myself when I should have been true to myself and my fans," he wrote.

"I'm sorry to the victims who were affected by my actions, to my fans who look up to me and were misled, to my family who depends on me and to this courtroom for this mess that I contributed to," he continued.

Other letters submitted on behalf of Hernandez included one from a school principal, who wrote of Hernandez helping a student with brain cancer, and a family whose charity he had supported.

This story is being updated.

• Read more:
• 'I still consider myself a role model for millions of people': Tekashi 6ix9ine asked a judge for a short prison sentence after 'snitching' on his gang
• People are comparing Trump's EU ambassador to Tekashi 6ix9ine for 'snitching' on everyone in the impeachment inquiry
• 'They can protect anybody': Tekashi 6ix9ine can still enter witness protection despite the giant '69' tattoo on his face
• Tekashi 6ix9ine testified that Cardi B was part of the Nine Trey gang in court, and — as expected — Cardi clowned him for it
• Here's everything you need to know about Tekashi 6ix9ine, the controversial 22-year-old rapper who could go to prison for life

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 things about the NFL that football fans may not know

• Gabrielle Union launched a size-inclusive collection with New York & Company's Fashion To Figure, which offers garments for women who wear sizes 12 to 24.
• At a panel for the launch in New York on Monday, Union discussed inclusivity in fashion.
• Union argued that it's not enough for companies to simply say they're "offering extending sizing," pointing to the importance of creating garments that plus-size women look and feel good in.
• In addition, Union alluded to her recent exit from "America's Got Talent," saying you should advocate for those more marginalized than you even if "there's a solid chance you may lose your job" because of it.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. 

Gabrielle Union just launched an inclusive fashion collection with Fashion To Figure, a store under the New York & Company umbrella that offers clothes specifically for women who wear sizes 12 to 24.

At a launch event for the collection in New York City on Monday, Union spoke on a panel called the "Power of Inclusivity and the Women Leading the Charge."

During the panel, which Insider attended, Union discussed inclusivity in the fashion community.

Union argued that the fashion industry doesn't do enough for plus-size women

Speaking about her new collection, Union pointed out that simply making an item bigger isn't always going to make a garment fit a plus-size woman the way it should.

"It's not enough to just say, 'Oh, we're offering extended sizing,'" Union said. "If it doesn't fit right, it ain't right." 

A garment designed for a size two won't necessarily fit a size 16 well, as the proportions are different. Union kept this in mind as she made the new collection, looking towards members of the plus-size community for guidance on what they would want from an outfit.

"This is where you lead humbly," she said. "Let me shut up and ask, 'What do people want? What isn't working?'"

"It's easy to lead with your numbers and your success," she continued. "The better business move is to center where you're weakest. Center your blind spots. But if you don't have the right people on your team, you're not going to ever know what those blind spots are."

Union pointed out that 67% of American women are plus-sized 

Studies published in 2012 and 2016 found that 67% of American women wear a size 14 or higher, making her "plus-size," according to Refinery29.

Union drew on this data during the panel discussion to highlight the problem with brands that don't keep this large population in mind as they design clothes.

"So if you are hanging your hat on diversity and inclusion but you're omitting 67% of the population, you're failing miserably," she said of the majority that is often ignored in mainstream fashion.

"I don't want to fail miserably at anything, so I have to get it right," Union continued.

She also reiterated the importance of letting those who are part of a community for which you're trying to advocate speak.

"That's what it all came down to," she said. "You have to shut up when you're not doing it right." 

Union also shared the importance of being your "authentic self"

When the group began discussing social media and how harmful it can be to get negative comments, Union said, "I had to let it go because it's that poison that can literally erode your soul. I would find a comment to be debilitating."

"Over time, being OK with whoever I am in the moment and whatever that looks like to me and my family, you know, that's the only way I can be," she said. "Because at the end of the day, the world isn't ending if I don't use a filter."

"Don't be afraid of your most authentic self, whatever that looks like," she advised. "It's going to be the thing that allows you to connect. It's going to be the bridge, your most authentic self."

"People are actually interested in you, and not the weird representative that you send, or that you think is the appropriate version," she added.

Union also alluded to her controversial firing from 'America's Got Talent' when discussing the importance of advocating for minorities in the workplace

Diversity and inclusion were themes throughout the panel, and Union talked about her journey to becoming an advocate for those she calls "the most marginalized of us" as the conversation went on.

"Don't allow them to call you angry when somebody else saying the same thing is called passionate. Reject that in its spot as you go. It is scary, it is terrifying. There's a solid chance you may lose your job. Perhaps I speak from experience," she said, alluding to her alleged firing in November from NBC's "America's Got Talent."

Union was fired from the show for reportedly speaking out about racism on set. Since she was fired, Union has met with NBC executives who are reportedly investigating why she was let go.

"Don't be the happy negro that does the bidding of the status quo because you're afraid," she said on the panel.

"I'm fully aware that job loss is on the table when you are that person," she continued. "But if you're not doing it, nobody is."

You can find out more about Union's collaboration with New York & Company here.

• Read more:
• Dwyane Wade defends wife Gabrielle Union for 'standing up' against reported racism at 'America's Got Talent' after she was 'fired' from the show
• Ariana Grande, Ellen Pompeo, and more celebrities rally behind Gabrielle Union after she was reportedly fired from 'America's Got Talent'
• Gabrielle Union gives job advice to women after controversial 'AGT' firing: 'Don't allow them to call you angry'
• Gabrielle Union had a 5-hour meeting with NBC over her 'America's Got Talent' exit, and the network is investigating

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This plus-size influencer wants to change the way people feel about their bodies

• Neiman Marcus unveiled its 2019 Christmas Book, a curated collection of 800 holiday gift ideas, including eight ultra-luxe "Fantasy Gifts" with price tags that hit upwards of $700,000. 
• This year marks the 60th anniversary of Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts, which include hands-on excursions like customizing your own pair of Christian Louboutins in Paris and sitting front row at New York Fashion Week. 
• We took a look at the Fantasy Gifts and some of the most expensive items from the Christmas Book below. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you're a Neiman Marcus customer, holiday gifts are like a briefcase full of gold chocolate bars— you never know what you're going to get. 

The luxury department store just unveiled the 60th edition of its Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts, part of its annual Christmas Book that essentially serves as a guide to holiday shopping for the one percent. If you've got just shy of a million dollars squirreled away for the perfect present, then Neiman Marcus has got you covered, whether you're looking for a limited-edition Aston Martin car designed by Daniel Craig, a $70,000 multi-story "pet paradise," or a vending machine full of Moët champagne.

Read more: Here are the most absurdly expensive gifts on Neiman Marcus' guide for the ultra wealthy

Neiman Marcus has published its Christmas Book since 1926, in what was then a 16-page booklet designed as a Christmas card for the department store's top customers. In recent years, it has become known for its opulent, ostentatious gifts.

We took a look at this year's Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts, as well as some of the most expensive items from the Christmas Book, below. 

SEE ALSO: This Seattle-area luxury mall caters to tech moguls and ultra-rich tourists. Here's what it's like to shop there.

007 Aston Martin designed by Daniel Craig

Price: $700,007

James Bond actor Daniel Craig himself designed this limited-edition Aston Martin DBS Superleggera — and there are only seven available. (We see what you did there, Mr. 007.) The package also includes a luxury Omega watch with a hand-engraved case and two tickets to the world premiere of "No Time To Die." 

Custom dog house designed by Rockstar Puppy and Denise Richards

Price: $70,000+

Designer Jessica Clark of Rockstar Puppy will travel directly to your home to custom design a "pet paradise" dog house, with help from actress and dog enthusiast Denise Richards. 

A stay at Boucheron's Place Vendôme apartment and your very own Perle au Trésor

Price: $695,000

This gift will take you to Paris for a stay at Boucheron's Place Vendôme apartment, where you'll meet with Boucheron creative director Claire Choisne and receive a tour of the Boucheron workshops. 

The gilded cherry on top? You'll take home a Perle au Trésor, a "precious objet d'art that opens to reveal a necklace, a bracelet, and two brooches."

Design your own shoes at the Christian Louboutin atelier in Paris

Price: $125,000

At the Christian Louboutin atelier in Paris, you'll work with a group of artisans to create a custom shoe before dining at the Michelin-starred Divellec and catching a cabaret show at the Crazy Horse.

You'll also get to take home an additional five pairs of kicks for the road, of course. 

Shop with Jeff Staple in Tokyo and snag limited-edition sneakers

Price: $110,000

A hypebeast's fantasy, this gift involves one-on-one access with streetwear expert and shoe designer Jeff Staple on a four-day trip to Tokyo. Visitors will check out Staple's favorite haunts and also snag at least eight limited-edition Staple shoes coming in 2020. 

Learn how to make pasta at Chef Massimo Bottura's country house in Modena, Italy

Price: $200,000

Chef Massimo Bottura will host guests at his country house in Modena, where he will teach a cooking class alongside third-generation pasta maker Giuseppe Di Martino. Participants will also be given an exclusive table at Bottura's three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Osteria Francescana, and spend a day driving luxury cars in "Italy's Motor Valley." 

Star in a video on celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic's Instagram

Price: $400,000

Famous celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic will host a personalized one-hour makeup session broadcast on his personal Instagram, during which you'll "see for yourself why celebrities book him a year in advance," according to Neiman Marcus.

Guests will also receive tickets to Dedivanovic's "The Masterclass" and a package of high-end products used during the tutorial. 

Attend fashion week like an insider

Price: $250,000

This trip to New York Fashion Week in February 2020 will pull out all the stops, including front-row seats to four fashion shows of your choice, a designer outfit to keep from each show, and personal hair, makeup, and styling services.

Moët & Chandon Champagne Vending Machine

Price: $35,000

This specialty Moët & Chandon vending machine comes in black, white, or gold for all your champagne dispensing needs. However, this price tag does not include alcohol.

TUMI Aluminum Extended Trip Luggage

Price: $1,395

Why travel with regular luggage when you can do so in style with a gold-plated suitcase?

Shinola Third Man Record Edition Gift Set

Price:$3,995

Play those old records on this sleek Shinola record player, which comes with a vinyl collection gift set. 

"The Impossible Collection of Cigars"

Price:$2,150

"The Impossible Collection of Cigars" comes with a humidor and book stand.

Christolfe Pharrell Fashion Mood Flatware Set

Price:$2,900

This 24-piece flatware set was designed by legendary chef Jean Imbert and Pharrell Williams. 

Versace Barocco Boxing Gloves

Price:$3,275

Get your blood flowing with a pair of designer boxing gloves. 

• Your feet wait all day long for their chance to slide into slippers and relax.
• Reward them for their patience with the comfort, support, and longevity of the L.L.Bean Wicked Good Moccasins, our top pick for women's slippers.
• If you're looking for men's styles, check out our guide to the best men's slippers.

Whether you have perpetually cold feet in need of some coziness, you follow a no-outdoor-shoes-inside-the-house rule and need something for indoor wear, or you just feel your soles deserve a touch of comfort, the right slippers make all the difference.

So whether you are buying the slippers for yourself, or to give as a gift to a lucky family member or friend, you'll find a pair that treats your feet right. Our top pick are the tried and true L.L.Bean Wicked Good Moccasins, a mainstay of cozy comfort from a brand that has had a steadfast reputation for decades.

Here are the best women's slippers you can buy in 2019:

• Best women's slippers overall: L.L.Bean Wicked Good Moccasins
• Best slip-on slippers: Minnetonka Chesney Slippers
• Best full-coverage slippers: L.L.Bean Wicked Good Slippers
• Best vegan slippers: TOMS Sweater Knit Ivy Slippers
• Best ergonomic slippers: Vionic Women's Relax Slippers

Updated on 12/18/2019 by Jen Gushue: Updated picks, pricing, and formatting.

The best women's slippers overall

For many people, "slipper" is synonymous with fleece-lined, suede moccasins like the Wicked Good Moccasins from L.L.Bean.

L.L.Bean's Wicked Good Moccasins are the classic moccasin-style slipper. They are fully lined with real shearling – no faux sheepskin here – have warm suede uppers that gently gather around the top of the foot, and include a suede cord that ties in a bow. These slippers also have a sturdy rubber outsole, so you can wear them for quick trips outdoors as well as cozying up inside.

On L.L.Bean's own site, the Wicked Good Moccasins have nearly 4,000 reviews and an average of 4.6 stars. Buyers overwhelmingly comment on the softness of the fleece and the overall comfort of the slippers. Some do mention, however, that the slippers run a bit small, and others feel the fleece wears out sooner than they would expect.

Wirecutter loves these slippers too, praising them for their breathable, fluffy shearling, comfort, and warmth. The testers do warn that these slippers might be too much if your feet get hot easily, however.

Pros: Real shearling, very soft, super warm

Cons: Might overheat your feet, some customers feel they wear out too quickly

The best slip-on slippers

Minnetonka's Chesney slippers are soft, warm, comfy, and affordable.

Minnetonka started as a roadside gift shop in 1946. Since then, the company has been making high-quality leather and suede slippers, moccasins, boots, and more. We tried several different pairs of Minnetonka slippers and enjoyed them all, but the Chesney slippers for women really stood out to us.

These real suede slippers are cozy, comfy, and attractive. The slippers are easy to slip on and off and they have a sturdy, hard sole so you can wear them outside to run a quick errand if need be.

But best of all, these slippers are warm. My feet always feel like ice cubes as soon as temperatures drop below 65 degrees, but I really hate wearing socks, so it's slippers or nothing. I've been a fan of Minnetonka's moccasins for years, so I was excited to try the Chesney slippers, and they lived up to my expectations.

They are plush, warm, and solid enough to support my feet even if I wear them outside or downstairs to the laundry room in my apartment building. I wiggle my toes into these toasty warm slippers every night after work. — Malarie Gokey

Pros: Warm, comfy, affordable, good solid sole, real suede, cute design

Cons: Not for long excursions outside

Read our full Minnetonka Slippers review

The best full-coverage slippers

The L.L. Bean Wicked Good Slippers come up to your ankle to keep your whole foot warm and secure in cold weather.

These slippers are a variation on our top pick that provide a bit more coverage to make sure you stay warm. While the moccasins stop below your ankle, exposing the gap between your slippers and your pants to cold air, the Wicked Good Slippers come all the way up over your ankle bone.

My partner has had a pair of these slippers for years, and I've stolen them plenty of times over the course of our relationship. They're genuine shearling-lined and incredibly soft, so they're perfect for our apartment where the heating is a bit spotty in the winter months. Even though they come up so high on the foot, they're so soft that there's no pinching or digging, even when you've got your feet curled up under you on the couch.

The shearling is moisture-wicking, so even though your feet may get a bit sweaty due to the limited breathability of the suede, your feet will still stay relatively dry. The shearling does get matted over years of wear, losing some of its initial fluffiness, but the integrity of the overall slipper has lasted very well.

You can't slip them on — they require at least one hand to assist you in pulling them over your heel — but they're not going to fall off your feet as you rush around the house either.

Unlike the Wicked Good Moccasins, the Wicked Good Slippers don't have a rubber outsole, so they are indoor only. The leather sole isn't textured, and though I've never found them to be slippery, you may want to be careful on tile surfaces. If you're making occasional trips to the mailbox, the moccasins may be a better choice for you. 

Pros: Full coverage, long-lasting, genuine sheepskin and shearling

Cons: Indoor only, shearling can become matted from wear

The best vegan slippers

The TOMS Sweater Knit Ivy Slippers are constructed from textile, faux-shearling, and rubber, making them an entirely vegan way to keep your feet warm and protected around the house.

The slipper market is largely dominated by suede and shearling, so it can be difficult to find a good pair of vegan slippers. TOMS, a brand that has prioritized social responsibility since its launch in 2006, has several vegan selections across its brand. Our favorites are the Sweater Knit Ivy Slippers.

They slip on easily thanks to their open-back construction, allowing you to get them on and off quickly even if you have the paper and your morning coffee in each hand. The faux-shearling is comparable to the real thing in texture, so you'll be able to stay warm in the winter months.

The Ivy Slippers are constructed with a texturized rubber outsole, so you can step outside in these if you need to. The rubber grip also means you won't be slipping and sliding on your hardwood floors either. The textile upper is vulnerable to getting wet and soaking through to your feet, however, so you shouldn't go outside in these in the rain or snow.

Pros: Completely vegan, socially responsible brand

Cons: Textile upper can tear or stain easily

The best ergonomic slippers

If you suffer from bunions, arthritis, or plantar fasciitis, you'll appreciate the support, adjustability, and soft comfort of the Vionic Women's Relax Slippers.

Vionic specializes in shoes for problem feet, and with the Relax Slippers, the company brings its sole-soothing design into the bedroom (or wherever else you wear these cozy slippers). The easy slip-on, slip-off style means no struggling with sore toes, while the adjustable top straps let you fit the slippers perfectly, even if one foot is swollen and the other is not.

The Relax Slippers have Vionic's biomechanical footbed to provide excellent support, while the EVA midsole absorbs shock and reduces stress on your feet and legs. Soft polyester terrycloth is easy on your feet and holds up well without irritating tender skin.

One downside is that these slippers are not full-coverage, so you may find your toes getting a bit cold in the winter, but thanks to their open design, you can easily pair these with socks for a bit of extra warmth and protection.

Pros: Ergonomic design is excellent for swollen or sore feet, adjustable strap, good support, and rubber outsole

Cons: May run a little large, not full coverage

Many companies use the term artificial intelligence, or AI, as a way to generate excitement for their products and to present themselves as on the cutting edge of tech development.

But what exactly is artificial intelligence? What does it involve? And how will it help the development of future generations?

Find out the answers to these questions and more in AI 101, a brand new FREE report fromBusiness Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, that describes how AI works and looks at its present and potential future applications.

To get your copy of the FREE slide deck, simply click here.

Join the conversation about this story »

• Ryan Reynolds is a film actor mainly known for his work in comedies, action movies, and superhero films. 
• "Mississippi Grind" (2015) and "Adventureland" (2009) currently stand as his highest-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes, per critics. 
• On the other hand, his films like "R.I.P.D." (2013) and "Self/less" (2015) generally weren't well-received by critics. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Best known for portraying the smart-talking vigilante Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds has taken on a wide range of roles throughout his career, starring in everything from dramas to video-game adaptations.

But despite his popularity as an actor, not all of his movies have been a hit with film critics. 

Here is every movie Ryan Reynolds has ever been in, ranked by critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Note: Films without critical ratings were not included. All scores were current on the date of publication and are subject to change.

Reynolds' lowest-ranked film is the action-comedy "R.I.P.D." (2013).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Synopsis: In the action-comedy "R.I.P.D." the detectives in the Rest in Peace Department are sanctioned with protecting living souls against monstrous entities.

Young cop Nick Walker (Reynolds) is paired up with veteran detective Roy Pulsifer (Jeff Bridges) as they grapple with otherworldly enemies. 

The actor played young Damian in "Self/less" (2015).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 19%

Synopsis: In the sci-fi thriller "Self/less," a wealthy man named Damien (Ben Kingsley) transports his consciousness into a healthier, younger body (Reynolds) in order to survive his cancer diagnosis. But the mystery surrounding the donor's death sends Damien on a dark quest for answers. 

Reynolds was Van Wilder in "National Lampoon's Van Wilder" (2002).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 19%

Synopsis: The raunchy college comedy "National Lampoon's Van Wilder" stars Reynolds as the titular character.

Cut off from his family's vast wealth, Van Wilder takes advantage of younger college students with money-making schemes that catch the attention of student reporter Gwen (Tara Reid). 

He played Michael Taylor in "Fireflies in the Garden" (2008).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

Synopsis: The drama "Fireflies in the Garden" centers around the Taylor family and the painful secrets that patriarch Charles (Willem Dafoe) has swept under the rug for too long.

Returning home for the first time in years, Michael (Reynolds) comes to terms with the loss of his mother in his turbulent childhood home. 

Reynolds played George Lutz in "The Amityville Horror" (2005).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 23%

Synopsis: "The Amityville Horror" follows the Lutz family as they move into a new house in Amityville, New York.

After haunting things begin happening, George (Reynolds) and his wife Kathy (Melissa George) discover that their home was once the site of multiple horrific murders. 

He played Mitch Planko in the comedy "The Change-Up" (2011).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

Synopsis: Old friends Mitch (Reynolds) and Dave (Jason Bateman) envy each other's lives, but get more than they can handle when an errant wish causes them to switch bodies in "The Change-Up." Soon Mitch and Dave realize the grass isn't always greener on the other side. 

In "Blade: Trinity" (2004), Reynolds was Hannibal King.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

Synopsis: In the third installment of the "Blade" trilogy, Reynolds appears as Hannibal King, a vampire slayer and member of the Nightstalkers.

Hannibal works alongside Blade (Wesley Snipes), Abigail (Jessica Biel), and Sommerfield (Natasha Lyonne) to stop Dracula and his army of malevolent vampires. 

The actor played superhero Hal Jordan in "Green Lantern" (2011).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

Synopsis: In the adaptation of the comic book of the same name, Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, a test pilot who is chosen by universal protectors to wield a ring of infinite power.

The cocky pilot must step up to be worthy enough to become a Green Lantern and defeat the evil Parallax. 

Read More: 18 celebrities who famously trashed their own movies

Reynolds was Henry in the comedy "Coming Soon" (1999).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 29%

Synopsis: In "Coming Soon," three high-school girls Nell (Tricia Vessey), Jenny (Gaby Hoffmann), and Stream (Bonnie Root) set off on an adventure for sexual fulfillment. In the comedy, Reynolds plays Henry, a nerdy high schooler who catches Stream's eye. 

Reynolds played Matthew in the thriller "The Captive" (2014).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 30%

Synopsis: In "The Captive," Matthew (Reynolds) leaves his young daughter Cassandra outside of a diner for only a few moments, but it's long enough for her to be abducted. 

Years later, when evidence emerges that Cassandra may still be alive, Matthew does everything he can to bring his daughter home. 

He was Richard Messner in "Smokin' Aces" (2007).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 30%

Synopsis: The action-comedy "Smokin' Aces" is about a low-level scammer named Buddy "Aces" Israel (Jeremy Piven) who finds himself in over his head when he uncovers evidence that can put a big game mobster in jail.

Reynolds plays Richard Messner, an FBI agent who has to keep Aces alive after the mobster puts a bounty on his head. 

Reynolds played Bill Pope in the action-drama "Criminal" (2016).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 30%

Synopsis: When CIA agent Bill Pope (Reynolds) dies unexpectedly before completing a mission, the government implants his memories into the brain of a dangerous criminal named Jericho Stewart (Kevin Costner).

Now filled with memories of a life he never led, Jericho sets off to bring Bill's death to justice. 

He starred as Monty in the comedy "Waiting..." (2005).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%

Synopsis: Monty (Reynolds) and Dean (Justin Long) work at a dead-end job waiting tables in a diner. While Dean dreams of higher ambitions, Monty just wants to party and have a good time.

The comedy depicts a day in the life at Shenanigan's diner and the chaos that ensues over a single shift.

Reynolds was Frank Allen in the comedic drama "Chaos Theory" (2008).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31% 

Synopsis: The comedic drama "Chaos Theory" centers around Frank Allen (Reynolds), a motivational speaker who leads a life of strict organization that leaves little room for fun.

When his dedication to rigorous schedule-making causes a rift in his marriage, Frank starts to rethink how he's been living.

He played Captain Excellent in "Paper Man" (2010).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 32%

Synopsis: In "Paper Man," shy novelist Richard (Jeff Daniels) hires Long Island teenager Abby (Emma Stone) as a babysitter, even though he doesn't have children. 

Lonely and in need of company, Richard and Abby bond as he reveals he has an imaginary friend named Paper Man (Reynolds). 

Reynolds played Marc Tobias in "The In-Laws" (2003).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%

Synopsis: Father-in-laws to be Steve Tobias (Michael Douglas) and Jerry Peyser (Albert Brooks) butt heads in the week leading up to their son and daughter's upcoming wedding, as Jerry starts to suspect that Steve is a government operative.

In the film, Reynolds played Marc Tobias, Steve's son. 

He was the lead hero in "6 Underground" (2019).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 34%

Summary: In the action flick "6 Underground," heroes from around the world are brought together in one group to help delete their pasts while changing the future.

Reynolds kicked off his time as Wade Wilson in "X-Men Origins - Wolverine" (2009).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 37%

Synopsis: Before Reynolds portrayed Wade Wilson in the "Deadpool" movies, he initially appeared as a version of the character in "X-Men Origins - Wolverine" opposite Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.

In the film, the two mutants face off against each other in an intense battle as Wolverine sets out on his quest for revenge. 

The actor played Chris Brander in the comedy "Just Friends" (2005).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 42%

Synopsis: In the comedy "Just Friends," Chris Brander (Reynolds) realizes he never truly got over his childhood crush Jamie (Amy Smart).

Years after she rejected him, Chris returns to their hometown with a new look and a womanizing attitude, intent on finally winning her over. 

Reynolds was Michael Bryce in "The Hitman's Bodyguard" (2017).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 43%

Synopsis: In the action-adventure flick "The Hitman's Bodyguard," one of the world's best bodyguards Michael Bryce (Reynolds) is assigned to protect the very assassin (Samuel L. Jackson) he once trained to take down.

Over the course of an intense 24 hours, Bryce does whatever it takes to keep his client safe. 

He was Andrew Paxton in "The Proposal" (2009) opposite Sandra Bullock.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 43%

Synopsis: "The Proposal" is a romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock as Margaret Tate, a workaholic who faces deportation back to Canada if she isn't able to secure a visa.

Margaret has her assistant Andrew Paxton (Reynolds) pretend he's engaged to her so that she can stay in New York City, but her request stirs up unexpected feelings between the two. 

Read More: All of Netflix's original romantic films, ranked by critics

Reynolds played Matt Weston in the thriller "Safe House" (2012).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 52%

Synopsis: In the action thriller "Safe House," Reynolds and Denzel Washington co-star as a pair of CIA agents who are almost killed when their South African safe house is attacked.

Now on the run, the two men dodge bullets while tracking down who wants them dead. 

The actor made a PG-13 version of "Deadpool" with "Once Upon a Deadpool" (2018).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 53%

Synopsis: After the original release of "Deadpool" (2016), director David Leitch re-released the film with the R-rated material removed in order to target younger audiences.

Reynolds played Deadpool in added scenes alongside Fred Savage, who played a satirical version of himself. 

In "Life During Wartime" (1997), Reynolds played Howard Ancona.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%

Synopsis: "Life During Wartime" is a comedic drama in which a salesman breaks into unsuspecting homes in order to drum up business for burglar-proof alarm systems.

Reynolds had a role in the film as Howard Ancona, the teenage son of one of their clients. 

Reynolds was Randy Schoenberg in the drama "Woman in Gold" (2015).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 57%

Synopsis: Based on a true story, "Woman in Gold" is a drama that follows Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren) as she attempts to retrieve the possessions stolen from her family by Nazis decades earlier.

Reynolds appeared as Randy Schoenberg, an up-and-coming lawyer who helps Altmann bring her case to court. 

He was Quigley in the suspense film "Finder's Fee" (2001).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%

Synopsis: In the suspense-filled drama "Finder's Fee," a street artist named Tepper (Erik Palladino) finds a wallet with a winning lottery ticket inside and discovers it belongs to a man named Avery Phillips (James Earl Jones).

Tepper invites Avery to a game of poker, using Avery's own ticket against him as the men place bets.

Reynolds appeared in the film as Quigley, a divorced man who sits in on their game. 

Reynolds played Gary, Gavin, and Gabriel in "The Nines" (2007).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 65%

Synopsis: The independent film "The Nines" unfolds in three separate stories revolving around an actor who is under house arrest, a reality-television star, and a video-game designer.

In the mind-bending drama Reynolds portrayed all three leads: Gary, Gavin, and Gabriel. 

Reynolds voiced the titular snail in the animated film "Turbo" (2013).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

Synopsis: In the animated kids' film "Turbo," a simple garden snail named Turbo (Reynolds) dreams of one day being the fastest snail in the world.

After a strange accident gives him super speed, Turbo begins to realize his dream may become a reality.  

He was astronaut Rory Adams in "Life" (2017).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

Synopsis: In "Life," a six-member crew on the International Space Station gather evidence for extraterrestrial life on Mars with unintended results.

Reynolds appeared in the film as astronaut Roy Adams alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Hiroyuki Sanada. 

Reynolds voiced the titular character in "Detective Pikachu" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

Synopsis: Based on the beloved "Pokémon" franchise, "Detective Pikachu" stars Justice Smith as Tim Goodman, a young man in search for the truth after his father's sudden disappearance.

Reynolds voiced Detective Pikachu, a fast-talking Pokémon who is obsessed with coffee and intent on helping Tim find his father. 

He was the voice actor for Guy in the animated movie "The Croods" (2013).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

Synopsis: In the animated film "The Croods," a family of cavemen and cavewomen set out to look for a new home after their cave is destroyed.

Reynolds voiced Guy, a nomad who offers to help the Croods along the way. 

Reynolds had a small role as Chip in "Dick" (1999).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

Synopsis: "Dick" is a comedic reimagining of a turbulent time in political history.

Michelle Williams and Kirsten Dunst play high schoolers in the 1970s who wander off on a field trip and become President Richard Nixon's dog walkers, putting them front and center for the Watergate scandal.

Reynolds had a small role in the film as a hapless boy named Chip. 

He starred as Will Hayes in the romantic comedy "Definitely, Maybe" (2008).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

Synopsis: In the romantic comedy "Definitely, Maybe," Reynolds starred as Will Hayes, a dad who recently got divorced from his wife.

Will's daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) prompts him to tell her what his life was like before marriage. Will tells Maya about the three most important women in his life, changing the names of the women so that she can guess which one ended up being her mom. 

Reynolds was a nurse in "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" (2004).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%

Synopsis: In "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," investment banker Harold (John Cho) and his friend Kumar (Kal Penn) hit the road for a life-changing adventure when they go to great lengths to get White Castle hamburgers.

Reynolds had a small cameo in the film as a nurse. 

In "The Voices" (2015), he played a serial killer named Jerry.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

Synopsis: In the dark comedy "The Voices," Reynolds starred as Jerry, a seemingly mild-mannered man who begins to unravel when his dog and cat start talking back to him.

Jerry swiftly goes from a normal guy to a serial killer in the making, all while nursing a crush on Lisa (Anna Kendrick). 

Reynolds narrated the documentary "The Whale" (2011).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%

Synopsis: "The Whale" is a documentary that tells the story of a young orca named Luna who becomes separated from his family and connects with the humans trying to help him.

Reynolds narrated the emotionally charged documentary. 

Reynolds starred as Wade Wilson in "Deadpool" (2016).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Synopsis: In the genre-subverting superhero movie "Deadpool," Reynolds starred as Wade Wilson, a man who enlists in a last-ditch government experiment after he's saddled with a cancer diagnosis.

When an accident at the lab nearly kills him, Wade realizes that he's developed super powers and he vows to seek revenge on the people who tortured him. 

He returned as Wade Wilson in "Deadpool 2" (2018).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Synopsis: In the sequel to "Deadpool," Reynolds returned as smart-talking vigilante Wade Wilson, who joins forces with other mutants to protect a young boy from dying at the hands of a time-traveling soldier named Cable.

Together, Deadpool and this ragtag team of mutants take the villain head-on. 

He was Paul Conroy in the terrifying thriller "Buried" (2010).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

Synopsis: The thrilling drama "Buried" stars Reynolds as Paul Conroy, an American contractor working in Iraq who is captured and buried alive by insurgents.

After waking up in his own coffin, Paul does everything he can to get out of his grave as he races against time. 

Reynolds played Mike Connell in the comedy "Adventureland" (2009).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

Synopsis: Jesse Eisenberg stars in "Adventureland" as a college graduate who takes a low-level job at a local amusement park and strikes up a relationship with his co-worker Em (Kristen Stewart).

Reynolds played amusement-park employee Mike Connell alongside Martin Starr, Bill Hader, and Kristen Wiig. 

Reynolds was Curtis in "Mississippi Grind" (2015), his best-rated film.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Synopsis: The drama "Mississippi Grind" stars Ben Mendelsohn as Gerry, a poker player who struggles with a gambling addiction.

When he meets Curtis (Reynolds), Gerry convinces him to accompany him on the road as they travel to New Orleans and form a genuine friendship that changes both of them for the better.  

Read More:

• 10 things you probably didn't know about Ryan Reynolds
• Every single Zac Efron movie, ranked
• Every single Paul Rudd movie, ranked
• Every single 'Spider-Man' movie, ranked by critics

• "Cats" director Tom Hooper talked to Business Insider about making a big-screen adaptation of the musical.
• Hooper explained why he feels the movie is about the "perils of tribalism" and how it also reflects today's fractured world.
• Hooper addressed the complaints about how the characters looked in the first trailer of the movie and how he went about tweaking it.
• The Oscar winner also talked about the challenges of finishing an effects-heavy movie in the era of racing to meet studio-set release dates.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tom Hooper looks pretty good for a guy who hasn't slept in days.

The Oscar-winning director has just completed a multi-day marathon edit to finish his latest movie, "Cats" (in theaters Friday), that began in London and finished across the pond in New York City where he had the world premiere of the movie at Lincoln Center Monday night. Now he's sitting in a hotel conference room on the Upper East Side awaiting questions from the press.

Hooper is no stranger to having to explain his work — especially when it comes to musicals. His 2012 big-screen adaptation of "Les Misérables" was criticized by some for being a through-sung work, in which there is little dialogue between songs. However, Hopper got the last laugh, as it scored three Oscars, including a best supporting actress win for Anne Hathaway.

The director now returns to the genre to adapt another beloved musical.

With "Cats," Hooper dives head-first into the legendary songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber. As with "Les Mis," the movie is through-sung as we spend a night with the Jellicle cats (that include Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, James Corden, Judi Dench, and Idris Elba in the cast). And thanks to CGI, all the characters are a cross between human and feline as they sing, prance, and dance the whole movie. The look of the characters led to a negative outcry when the first trailer came out, causing some tweaks to their look.

Hooper addressed these issues and more when he spoke to Business Insider the day after the movie's world premiere.

Jason Guerrasio: I have to admit, I was thrown for a loop when you closed your intro last night by saying that for you "Cats" is about the "perils of tribalism." Please expand on that if you could.

Tom Hooper: I'm sorry if I threw you by saying that. 

Guerrasio: No, it was fascinating. Because it was the usual pomp and circumstance of the introductions that happens at a premiere, and then your mic drop was "by the way, this I what I think 'Cats' is about"—

Hooper: [Laughs.]

Guerrasio:"Everyone enjoy it!"

Hooper: You know, what I was talking about was this tribe of cats called the Jellicle in a sense its weakness is it is tribal. It's pushed to its margins. The fallen, the forgotten, the disgraced. Grizabella (played by Jennifer Hudson) has been pushed outside of the tribe and is not welcomed in it and it takes a newcomer, Victoria (Francesca Hayward), to question that status quo. It takes her act of kindness and compassion to bring her back into the fold and say, "No, this cat should be considered." And I think the film at a thematic level is perhaps suggesting that we as a community are stronger when rather than dividing we reintegrate into our community the fallen, the forgotten, the disgraced. So central to the movie is a message about the importance of forgiveness. 

My phrase, the perils of tribalism, is a reflection on today's political scene, where both in the UK and the US the tribalism of cultural discourse and politics is making it harder and harder for acts of kindness across the divide.

Guerrasio: Wow. Did you ever give Andrew Lloyd Webber that take?

Hooper: We talked about it when we were writing it.

Guerrasio: A big takeaway is that the movie is non-stop songs. Very little dialogue in between. Was that your intention from the start of making this?

Hooper: I had confidence in the idea of a through-sung because of "Le Mis." When I made "Le Mis" there was a lot of talk about the perceived boldness of it. I think it was only the second of third through-sung musical ever made in terms of traditional Hollywood studio movies. And I think because that has succeeded I didn't have a fear about us needing, say, 50% dialogue. So I used dialogue only when I needed to bring out the story and to clarify things. I think I learned this from "Le Mis" and Andrew that you sever those connections between numbers at your peril. There was a beautiful musical logic so it's good to respect the architecture of a score like that because it's extremely well put together in terms of the way it repeats motifs. It's part of its hidden path that you can unlock if you respect it structurally. I think part of the challenge as a filmmaker is you're trying to make a narrative about a collection of diverse characters and introducing them while also keeping the story going. And in that I was lucky in having Francesca as Victoria, who becomes your eyes and ears. 

Guerrasio: Then there's the visuals of the characters. The producers of the movie recently spoke out that there were changes to the look of the cat characters since the trailer was released. Personally, I didn't really see any change. What did you change?

Hooper: What the trailer reminded me was my original intention, which was to preserve as much of the face as possible. I think, possibly, in some characters in the trailer the original face had gotten a little bit lost under the fur. So I think the biggest difference, which is subtle but it's important, was to pare it back and sculpt it more lovingly around the actor's actual face so I lost none of it. So I think why you wouldn't necessarily spot, it is what the actor looked like without [the CG]. It's hard to see it compared to where I'm sitting. But what you saw, take Victoria for instance, it's incredibly loyal to what she did on a day of shooting. Her performance is all there, basically. 

Guerrasio: Which I would think is what you want. You want the facial features to be prevalent.

Hooper: Exactly. So the trailer was a good reminder to stay true to my original plan. 

Guerrasio: So it was a nice test balloon, the trailer. 

Hooper: But it was an intense focus group of millions of people. [Laughs.]

Guerrasio: I'm sure there were a few conference calls that happened on your end after the trailer came out. At what point did you just scrap the idea to do it all with prosthetics?

Hooper: I tested it first for 6 months. In my naïveté I thought it would be cheaper. And the difficulty was with full prosthetics you end up losing so much emotion that it's too great a loss. And also, even if you do that, the ears still can't move so you've gone through all of that trouble but you still need to make CG ears. And the tail. Plus, getting body suits that look like real fur it would be really hard. We went to Legacy Effects, which is Stan Winston's old company in LA. They are the best in the world. But then it was thinking of putting prosthetics on that many dancers every day, they would be in the chair for three or four hours every day. 

Guerrasio: You wouldn't get anything done. 

Hooper: Yeah, it became impractical. 

Guerrasio: Are you the type of filmmaker who can sit back and enjoy a world premiere screening or are you white knuckling it the whole time?

Hooper: It's both. Last night when Rebel Wilson came out and the scene where she yawns and puts her tail in her mouth and the entire room laughed, that was a huge thing. You knew then the audience was in it. If you're not in the film you're not comfortable to laugh. I never fail to enjoy when humor plays. It was nice that pretty much every joke we have in there played well. But I'm also clutching my wife's hand. I did just finish the film yesterday. So no one has seen it before in this version. It really was a true premiere.

Guerrasio: When Jennifer Hudson really belts out the song at the end it gives you chills. 

Hooper: It's one of those films where it's as simple as that. If that works, you get chills, you cry, then the film works. That's why I had to get Jennifer Hudson to do it. 

Guerrasio: You are in a business where studios lock a release date before a movie even gets off the blocks, or just about to. Did you ever feel through making this that the release date was unrealistic? Would you have liked more time?

Hooper: The interesting things about visual effects movies is in a sense where do you draw the line? Because you should keep going. So the answer is, yes, you could keep tweaking it, but watching it I felt we're in the right place. But you're right, the calendar in a kind of Disney world is very mapped out. 

Guerrasio: You have to get your spot early or someone is going to take it. 

Hooper: But I think in this case, I felt there's no right place. Of course, there are always things I want to do, but I felt it was representative of my vision.

Guerrasio: You have pushed the bar in the musical genre for two movies now, what's next?

Hooper: I do something simple. I promise you. Like us right now. In a room, two cameras. I'm going to go small. 

SEE ALSO: "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is so busy making unnecessry references to the franchise it forgets to tell a good story

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns explains why country music is universal

• If you spend a lot on dining out and at US supermarkets, the American Express® Gold Card has the perfect bonus categories for you.
• It offers 4x points at restaurants worldwide, plus 4x points on the first $25,000 you spend each year at US supermarkets (then 1x).
• When you combine the credit card's welcome bonus, rewards program, statement credits, and other benefits, it can offer a lot of value, even considering the $250 annual fee.
• Here's what you need to know to decide if the Amex Gold should be your next rewards credit card.
• See Business Insider's list of the best rewards credit cards you can get »

While its big brother, the Platinum Card® from American Express, often gets all the hype for premium travel rewards, and the recently updated American Express® Green Card has a lower annual fee, the American Express Gold card comes with some great rewards and potentially useful statement credits that make it worth considering.

The American Express Gold card comes in a sleek metallic finish — while the limited-edition rose-gold version is no longer available, the standard gold option is still very eye-catching. It offers up to 4 points per dollar on popular categories, a decent welcome bonus, and an annual airline fee credit of up to $100. The card does charge a $250 annual fee, but depending on your spending and shopping habits, it could be well worth the cost.

Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It's important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back. 

American Express Gold Card details

Annual fee: $250

Welcome bonus: 35,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months

Points earning: 4x points at restaurants worldwide, 4x points on the first $25,000 spent each year at US supermarkets (then 1x), 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or at amextravel.com, 1 point per dollar on everything else

Foreign transaction fee: None

American Express Gold rewards

The American Express Gold card offers a great rewards program. Depending on your spending habits, it may even be more valuable to you than the ultra-premium American Express Platinum.

The card offers 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants, 4x points at US supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per year; then 1x), and 3x points on flights booked directly at airlines or Amex Travel. If food and dining is a major portion of your budget, which is common because everyone has to eat, you can get massive bonus rewards for each burrito lunch, sushi dinner, or cooked at home dinner.

Read more:The best cards for dining out, no matter how much you spend

New cardholders also earn 35,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months after opening a new account. That bonus alone is worth enough for a domestic round-trip flight.

Membership Rewards is one of the top two travel rewards programs for credit card holders, only competing with Chase's Ultimate Rewards for the top slot. If you want free travel but don't want to pay the big $550 annual fee for Amex Platinum, this card is an excellent alternative.

American Express Gold benefits

This card's value doesn't stop at the Membership Rewards points you earn, which are often worth around 2 cents each. The card, like other premium Amex cards, is loaded with benefits useful for travel and shopping. Some even put a few dollars back in your pocket depending on where you spend.

Statement credits

The Amex Gold comes with two credit opportunities for dining and travel. Get up to $10 per month back in statement credits, worth $120 per year, when dining with GrubHub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and participating Shake Shack locations.

You also get $100 in statement credits for airline fees and incidentals like baggage fees and in-flight purchases. If you take full advantage of both the $10 monthly dining credit and $100 annual travel fee credit, your annual fee goes down to an effective $30 per year. That's a bargain for what you get in return if you take full advantage.

Travel and shopping protections and benefits

The card also includes baggage insurance, rental car insurance, a global assistance hotline, and perks at certain hotels when booked through American Express. Starting in 2020, the Amex Gold card will also offer trip delay insurance of up to $500 per trip when your trip booked with the card is delayed by six hours or more.

When you're shopping, this card offers purchase protection, return protection, and an automatic extended warranty. This is better than what the average card offers and makes big purchases a lot less stressful. You can skip the expensive added protections offered by some retailers when you make the purchase with the Gold card.

Cardholders also get a complimentary membership to ShopRunner. This service gives you free two-day shipping at a wide range of online retailers. It works like Amazon Prime in a lot of ways, but for purchases made outside of Amazon.

There are some additional benefits for shopping, travel, and entertainment common to Amex cards. They are not as popular or exciting as some other benefits, but ticket presales and reserved seating for Amex cardholders at some events comes in handy to some sports fans or cardholders on the way to see a favorite band live.

American Express Gold costs and fees

Now for the less-fun part: fees. This card isn't free. It charges a $250 annual fee. But as we already established, between benefits and rewards, it is easy to earn that back and more in value if you use the card regularly.

The card charges up to $39 per occurrence for late and returned payments. Just pay on time and make sure you have enough cash in the bank when paying to avoid these costs.

There is no foreign transaction fee, so you can use the card anywhere in the world that Amex is accepted without paying the typical 3% extra most cards charge. Keep in mind that American Express is not as widely accepted

Since the Amex Gold is a charge card, which you have to pay off in full each month, you'll have to opt in to the Pay Over Time program if you want to carry a balance — and there's a 29.99% penalty APR if you miss a payment. Rates can change at any time with market interest rates. Pay in full by the due date each month to avoid interest charges.

The bottom line: Should you get the American Express Gold card?

The American Express Gold card is pretty exciting for millennials and empty nesters who enjoy dining out at restaurants or anyone who regularly dines out or spends big on groceries at US supermarkets. When you combine the welcome bonus, rewards program, statement credits, and other benefits, this card is a clear winner.

If you want even more premium travel benefits, you may prefer the American Express Platinum. If the $250 annual fee is too much for you to handle, consider the $95-a-year Chase Sapphire Preferred as a good alternative.

Click here to learn more about the American Express Gold card »

• More credit card coverage
• What's the best airline credit card?
• The best cash-back credit cards
• Southwest credit card review
• Best rewards credit cards

Join the conversation about this story »

• If you know that you want to start a family in the future, it's better to get life insurance sooner rather than later. 
• Getting life insurance now could help you save money on your monthly payment, have one less thing on your to-do list once the baby arrives, and help keep your coverage if you decide to be a stay-at-home parent.
• Plus, having life insurance could help your spouse financially, keep your debts from affecting others, and help keep a small business afloat if something happens to you.
• Life insurance is simple to shop and sign up for, and it's a step in the right direction if you're considering starting a family. 
• Policygenius can help you compare coverage to find the right life insurance policy for you, at the right price »

If you know you want to start a family in the future, it's better to get life insurance sooner rather than later.

Experts generally recommend life insurance for anyone with dependents, like children or aging parents they support. Term policies (as opposed to whole-life policies) are fixed-rate policies that tend to be more affordable, and cover the policyholder for a set period of time — say, 30 years — before they expire.

There's no reason to wait to get coverage. Here's why you might want to consider doing it now rather than later, no matter how far down the road starting a family may seem. 

1. Life insurance is cheaper when you're younger

You're not getting any younger, and that means life insurance isn't getting any cheaper.

The difference between what you could pay each month for coverage as you age is staggering. Eric Rosenberg writes for Business Insider that life insurance is three times cheaper at age 30 than at age 50, according to data from Quotacy. "A $100,000 term life insurance policy for a healthy 30-year-old male is just $12 per month, on average. At age 40, it goes up to $20 per month. At age 50, it's $36 per month," he writes. 

When you get your policy when you're younger, you lock in that rate, making it cheaper to get life insurance now than to wait. 

2. Life insurance can come in handy before you have a family

Your new family isn't the only reason to get life insurance. It's can also be important to have if you have debt, or if you own your own business. 

Debt doesn't go away if something happens to you — often, it will fall to your family. If you have a cosigner on your loan, it becomes their responsibility. Life insurance could help them cover that debt. And, for business owners, life insurance could help pay your employees and keep your business afloat if something happens to you. 

3. It could help your spouse, even if you don't have children

Life insurance is a must-have for people with dependents, but it's a nice-to-have for anyone who shares their household with another family member like a spouse. 

Policygenius can help you compare coverage to find the right life insurance policy for you, at the right price »

If your spouse loses you, they lose your income as well. And that could mean they'd need to cover all the expenses your income used to cover on their own. Life insurance could help them maintain their standard of living, and help cover expenses like a mortgage. 

4. If you're planning to be a stay-at-home parent, you could lose any life insurance you have through your employer

Many policies offered through employers aren't portable, and you'll lose them if you decide to leave your job to stay at home or switch jobs.

If you or your partner are considering becoming a stay-at-home parent, or think that you'll switch jobs in the near future, you might as well sign up now so you don't have to worry about losing coverage. 

5. It's one less thing to juggle when you have your hands full with a newborn

The last thing you'll want to do after bringing home your new baby is shop for life insurance. It's easy to get it out of the way now, and can help start your coverage (and peace of mind) sooner rather than later.

Spend an hour today gathering quotes, and take care of any necessary medical exams while you have the time. Then, you'll have coverage when the time comes, and you can focus on spending time where it matters. 

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• Warner Bros. has finally gifted us with the first trailer for director Christopher Nolan's ("The Dark Knight,""Inception") next movie, "Tenet," online. 
• A trailer for the film was originally only playing in theaters earlier this summer in front of select movies. 
• The film teases John David Washington in the afterlife as he tries to prevent World War III. It looks trippy as some scenes play simultaneously forward and backward.
• Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Caine, and Dimple Kapadia also star.
• "Tenet" will be in theaters on Friday, July 17, 2020. You can watch the first trailer below.

Here's the official poster for the film below, which is giving us major "Inception" vibes.

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NOW WATCH: Are you superstitious on days like Friday the 13th? These are the origins of 7 common superstitions, like why we knock on wood.

• 47 years ago in 1972, Apollo 17 became NASA's last manned moon landing.
• A crew of three astronauts spent three days on the moon, taking lunar samples and walking on the surface. They landed back on earth on December 19, 1972.
• The flight occurred three years after the first human visit to the moon on Apollo 11 in 1969.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 

Humans haven't set foot on the moon in nearly half a century, but photos from the small number of trips remain source of fascination.

People first landed on the moon in 1969 as part of the Apollo 11 mission, one of only six total manned lunar missions. Apollo 17 was the last, three years after the first, and it landed safely back on earth 47 years ago today.

Now, President Trump says he plans to send astronauts back to the moon as soon as 2024, but concerns over money and NASA's culture might make that timeline overly ambitious, according to some astronauts.

These photos show the last time humans were on the moon.

SEE ALSO: A decommissioned nuclear missile complex in Arizona that was abandoned for decades just sold for $420,000

Ronald Evans, pictured here with his wife Jan Pollom, was Command Module Pilot for the Apollo 17 Lunar Landing Mission, which took off from Cape Kennedy in Florida on December 7.

Source: AP, NASA

Dr. Schmitt was the lunar module pilot.

Harrison Schmitt, Ronald Evans, and Eugene Cernan prepared to go into space.

The command module orbited the moon.

Once on the moon, astronauts collected lunar samples...

...like this 3.5 billion year old rock, sometimes called "The Goodwill Sample." Samples from it were gifted to every country on earth.

The Evans family watched two of the astronauts explore the moon on TV, while Ronald Evans orbited the moon in the command module.

Cernan drove the Lunar Roving Vehicle around the landing site.

The astronauts took a photo of earth from the spacecraft.

According to NASA, astronauts spent 75 hours on the moon's surface during the mission.

The Evans family and others waited for news of a safe landing.

The command module landed back on earth in the Pacific Ocean on December 19, 1972.

The family and supporters cheered as they watched the landing on TV.

On December 21, Evans was reunited with his wife and two children in Houston.

Learn more about Apollo 11 here.