At least James Pope was kidnapped by a couple who thought ahead.

While being raised from baby to man inside a survivalist bunker in the Utah desert, James’ intellect and imagination were constantly stimulated by the adventures of “Brigsby Bear,” a big cuddly teddy who taught life lessons and advanced calculus while battling space villains in a cheesy sci-fi TV series that, unbeknownst to James, was never seen by anyone else but him. James’ loving, abducting “dad” produced the show with minimal means at a nearby warehouse.

That’s the setup for the melancholy comic drama also called “Brigsby Bear,” which takes a simultaneously serious and deadpan facetious look at post-hostage trauma and is somehow also a heartwarming delight.

“Saturday Night Live’s” Kyle Mooney strikes a perfect pitch of bemused geekiness as James, who, after being rescued from the happy captivity he’s always known and reunited with his unfamiliar real family (Matt Walsh’s concerned father, Michaela Watkins’ emotional mother, Ryan Simpkins’ teen sister, who’s mortified to suddenly have this awkward adult brother), really only wants to see the next episode of his favorite program.

Of course, that’s also James’ defense mechanism against this big, new outer world full of terrifying strangeness — and the occasional pleasing discovery of friendly party buddies and friendlier girls intrigued by his potentially sexy damage. But he’s also dedicated his life to poring over the internal logic and deep inner meaning of the “Brigsby” episodes, and like a hopeless “Star Trek” or “Doctor Who” addict, he’s not about to give up his religion (it’s instructive that James’ “real dad” is played by Mark Hamill). So when he finally understands the reality behind what he’s watched all his life, James sets about doing what any true believer would feel they had to: Making his own “Brigsby Bear” movie.

The resulting production process is hilarious, and a nourishing mutual bonding experience with those who choose to help this naïve, would-be Gene Roddenberry. Of course, there are genuine obstacles, both societal and mental, to be overcome every step of the way. First-time feature director Dave McCary, an “SNL” colleague of Mooney’s, does an impressive job of keeping us on James’ side while worrying about his stability from start to finish. McCary also knows how to quietly stage devastating encounters; the diner scene is a thing of aching beauty, underplayed with gut-wrenching commitment by Mooney and Kate Lyn Sheil.

“Brigsby Bear” is a cockeyed valentine to creativity, obsession, healing and acceptance. I know that makes it sound terrible, but it’s too raucously funny and subconsciously disturbing to feel as sappy as it probably is. It’s a show that will no doubt reward multiple viewings.

‘Brigsby Bear’

/*/*/*1/2

Rated PG-13: For sex, drug use, language

Starring: Kyle Mooney, Greg Kinnear, Ryan Simpkins, Matt Walsh, Michaela Watkins, Mark Hamill, Claire Danes, Kate Lyn Sheil

Director: Dave McCary

Running time: 1 hr. 37 min.

Playing: Areawide

LAKE FOREST — A man in his early 20s barricaded himself at his parent’s home in the 21800 block of Ute Way Thursday night, and a hostage negotiating team was trying to convince him to come out of the house, authorities said.

Deputies were dispatched to the home at 7:55 p.m. July 27 after the man’s parents called to say they were afraid of their son, Orange County Sheriffs Department Lt. Lloyd Downing said.

The parents were able to get out of the house, and the man is only the person inside, Downing said.

The man’s father said there are no weapons in the home, Downing said.

No further details were given.

COSTA MESA — A vehicle crashed into a power pole knocking down electrical lines and causing a power outage for customers in the area on Thursday night, authorities said.

Police were dispatched to a single-vehicle traffic crash into a power pole at 6:42 p.m. July 27 in the 300 block of South Bristol Street, Costa Mesa Police Department Sgt. David Casarez said.

Upon arrival, officers noticed that power lines were down and contacted Southern California Edison.

The man, who was alone in the car, had minor abrasions and was arrested for suspicion of DUI, Casarez said.

About 22 customers in the area of South Bristol Street and Santa Ana Avenue were affected by the outage according to Edison.

Power was expected to be back up by 2 a.m. for the affected customers according to a spokesperson for Edison.

A BMW crashed into the front doors of a 7-Eleven at 15265 Culver Drive in Irvine Thursday night, July 27, but no one was injured, Irvine police said.

The crash is being investigated as an accident, police said.

The newly renovated store was slated to have a re-opening Friday, July 28.

WASHINGTON — Dealing a serious blow to President Donald Trump’s agenda, the Senate early Friday rejected a measure to repeal parts of former President Barack Obama’s health care law after a night of high suspense in the U.S. Capitol.

Unable to pass even a so-called “skinny repeal,” it was unclear if Senate Republicans could advance any health bill despite seven years of promises to repeal “Obamacare.”

“This is clearly a disappointing moment,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “I regret that our efforts were not enough, this time.”

“It’s time to move on,” he said.

McConnell put the health bill on hold and announced that the Senate would move onto other legislation next week.

A key vote to defeat the measure was cast by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who returned to the Senate this week after receiving a diagnosis of brain cancer. In an impassioned speech the day he returned, McCain had called for bipartisanship on major issues of national concern, and a return to the “regular order” of legislating by committee.

Three Republicans joined with all Democrats to reject the amendment, which would have repealed a mandate that most individuals get health insurance and suspended a requirement that large companies provide coverage to their employees. It would have also delayed a tax on medical devices and denied funding to Planned Parenthood for a year.

The final vote was 49-51. Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joined McCain in voting no.

The amendment was a last resort for Senate Republicans to pass something — anything — to trigger negotiations with the House.

“It’s time to turn the page,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York. “We are not celebrating. We are relieved.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said in a statement the Trump administration would pursue its health care goals through regulation. “This effort will continue,” Price said.

Buoyed by a signal from House Speaker Paul Ryan, McConnell had introduced a pared-down health care bill late Thursday that he hoped would keep alive Republican ambitions to repeal “Obamacare.”

McConnell had called his measure the Health Care Freedom Act. It was not intended to become law, but to open a path for a House-Senate conference committee to try to work out comprehensive legislation Congress could pass and send to Trump.

The measure would have repealed the unpopular Affordable Care Act requiring most people to have health insurance or risk a fine from the IRS. A similar requirement on larger employers would be suspended for eight years.

Also, it would have denied funding to Planned Parenthood for a year, and suspended for three years a tax on medical device manufacturers. States could seek waivers from consumer protections in the Obama-era law, and individuals could increase the amount they contribute to tax-sheltered health savings accounts for medical expenses.

Ryan, R-Wis., seemingly opened a path for McConnell earlier Thursday evening by signaling a willingness to negotiate a more comprehensive bill with the Senate. Some Republican senators had been concerned that the House would simply pass the “skinny bill” and send it to Trump. That would have sent a shock wave through health insurance markets, spiking premiums.

Ryan sent senators a statement saying that if “moving forward” requires talks with the Senate, the House would be “willing” to do so. But shortly afterward, his words received varied responses from three GOP senators who’d insisted on a clear commitment from Ryan.

“Not sufficient,” said McCain, who returned to the Capitol Tuesday. The 80-year-old McCain had been home in Arizona trying to decide on treatment options for brain cancer.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., initially said “not yet” when asked if he was ready to vote for the scaled-back Senate bill. But later, he told reporters that Ryan had assured him and others in a phone conversation that the House would hold talks with the Senate.

“I feel comfortable personally. I know Paul; he’s a man of his word,” said Graham.

The convoluted developments played out as a divided Senate debated legislation to repeal and replace the Obama-era law. With Democrats unanimously opposed, the slender 52-48 GOP majority was divided among itself over what it could agree to.

After a comprehensive bill failed on the Senate floor, and a straight-up repeal failed too, McConnell and his top lieutenants turned toward the “skinny repeal.”

It would have been the ticket to negotiations with the House, which passed its own legislation in May.

But that strategy caused consternation among GOP senators after rumors began to surface that the House might just pass the “skinny bill,” call it a day and move on to other issues like tax reform after frittering away the first six months of Trump’s presidency on unsuccessful efforts over health care.

Ryan responded not long after with a far from definitive statement that blamed the Senate for being unable to pass anything, but said, “if moving forward requires a conference committee, that is something the House is willing to do.”

“The reality, however, is that repealing and replacing Obamacare still ultimately requires the Senate to produce 51 votes for an actual plan,” he said.

The insurance company lobby group, America’s Health Insurance Plans, wrote to Senate leaders Thursday saying that ending Obama’s requirement that people buy insurance without strengthening insurance markets would produce “higher premiums, fewer choices for consumers and fewer people covered next year.”

And a bipartisan group of governors including John Kasich of Ohio and Brian Sandoval of Nevada also announced against it.

On their own, the changes in the skinny bill could roil insurance markets. Yet the scenario at hand, with senators trying to pass something while hoping it does not clear the House or become law, was highly unusual.

“We’re in the twilight zone of legislating,” said Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri.

Associated Press writers Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Stephen Ohlemacher and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

SAVE THE TIGERS: Rag & Bone is doing its part to help save tigers from extinction. The company threw a party Wednesday night at their Mercer Street store to raise awareness of the fact that there are fewer than 4,000 tigers left in the wild due to habitat loss and illegal poaching.
Discovery Communications has assembled a group of consumer partners, including Rag & Bone, and celebrities, to help bring the tigers back by conserving nearly a million acres of protected land on the border of India and Bhutan in support of World Wildlife Fund. The new tiger-conservation content and partnerships represent the next chapter of Discovery’s Project C.A.T. (Conserving Acres for Tigers), a groundbreaking partnership with World Wildlife Fund to help double the wild tiger population by 2022.
The party, which was thrown by Marcus Wainwright, chief executive officer of Rag & Bone, and Desiree Gruber, “Project Runway” executive producer and ceo of Full Picture, included such guests as Daniella Vitale, ceo of Barneys New York; Patti Harris, ceo of Bloomberg Philanthropy, and Charlie Walk, president, Republic Records.

Daniella Vitale at the Rag & Bone event. 
Yvonne Tnt/BFA.com

Wainwright designed a T-shirt that was given out at the party. When he was young, he

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With the launch of its first capsule collection, comprising 30 accessories, ready-to-wear and fine jewelry items from 11 designers worldwide, ethical e-commerce platform Fashionkind is moving toward expanding its offerings in the sustainable luxury space. Founded two years ago by former investment banker Nina Farran, Fashionkind curates sustainable luxury products from companies that give back to underserved societies and the environment.
The capsule collection includes exclusive pieces such as hand-painted jeans from Rialto Jean Project, sunglasses from Michael Nelson, bags from Khokho, as well as dinner-to-drinks apparel from Indego Africa and Colette Sol. Also included for the first time are five fine jewelry brands — Sandy Leong, Lola Fenhirst, Dana Bronfman, Tejen and Kimberlin Brown — which will be a part of the site’s fine jewelry “vault” launching in September. Prices range from $425 to $18,000 for a pair of grey and white diamond and recycled 18-karat gold drop earrings.
“I wanted to do something beyond one-offs that would go toward developing the collection and the brand,” said Farran. “After talking to brands such as Edun and Maiyet, we decided to make some changes to the site to better tell these stories. Traditional retailers may not be the ideal partners because these stories

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For $9,950 per person, passengers break free from gravity alongside television’s Captain Kirk.

It’s never too early to plan your holiday itinerary.