For a long time, women in movies weren't exactly steering the story. They were there, sure, but usually they were just off to the side, reacting to whatever sort of trouble the male lead had gotten himself into. The girlfriend. The wife. The character who inevitably turns to the hero and asks, somewhat helplessly, "What do we do now?" Reese Witherspoon once called this her most hated line in film.

According to Witherspoon, during her speech at the 2015 Glamour Women of the Year Awards, if you go back and watch enough movies, you'll hear it everywhere; like when a woman asks a man what the plan is. It's a small moment, but it says a lot about how female characters were often written, which was less like protagonists and more like narrative accessories.

Thankfully, filmmakers have been pushing back against that idea. One of the most interesting ways they've done it is by taking roles that were originally written for men and giving them to women instead. From alien-fighting heroes to astronauts and secret agents, these actresses stepped into roles that weren't initially written for them—and absolutely made them their own.

And if you want to see how it all plays out, many of these movies are currently streaming on platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+.

Alien (1979) 

Alien begins with what feels like a fairly standard sci-fi premise as the crew of the commercial spaceship Nostromo responds to a mysterious distress signal on a remote planet. They eventually discover an alien organism that begins picking them off one by one. At the center of the story is warrant officer Ellen Ripley, a character originally written without a specific gender before Sigourney Weaver stepped in.

What makes Ripley such an iconic protagonist is that she isn't written as an action hero in the traditional sense. She's simply the one crew member paying attention, asking the right questions, and refusing to ignore the obvious danger. Weaver plays the role with an intelligence that makes every decision feel believable. It's perfect for viewers who enjoy sci-fi horrors like The Thing (1982).

GoldenEye (1995) 

In the James Bond franchise, M is the head of MI6 and is traditionally portrayed as male throughout Ian Fleming's novels and earlier films. That changed in GoldenEye when Judi Dench stepped into the role opposite Pierce Brosnan's Bond, who is working to stop a secret space-based weapon, after it is stolen by the Janus crime syndicate.

The casting of Dench instantly reshaped the relationship between Bond and his superior since her version of M is sharp, direct, and refreshingly unimpressed with Bond's usual antics. She delivers cutting dialogue with a level of authority that immediately makes it feel like the role should have been written this way all along. It's perfect for fans of modern spy thrillers like 2012's Skyfall.

Flightplan (2005)

Flightplan begins with a terrifying premise. The story follows Kyle Pratt, an aircraft engineer who boards a flight with her daughter, only for the child to seemingly vanish mid-trip. Kyle searches the plane, but the crew and passengers eventually question whether the girl was ever on the plane at all. The director originally wrote the role for Sean Penn before casting Jodie Foster instead.

Foster's performance focuses on the emotional desperation of a parent trying to protect their child. So what could have been a standard thriller about doubt and paranoia turns into something far more tense because Foster makes every moment feel personal. Flightplan is a great choice for fans of suspenseful mystery thrillers like 2014's Gone Girl.

Salt (2010)

Salt follows CIA officer Evelyn Salt after a Russian defector accuses her of secretly being a sleeper agent. Suddenly branded a traitor, she goes on the run from her own agency while trying to uncover the truth behind the accusation. The role was originally written as a male character with Tom Cruise attached to it before the script was reworked for Angelina Jolie.

What makes Salt interesting is that it strips the spy genre down to the basics. There are no elaborate gadgets, no drawn-out speeches, just a character improvising her way out of dangerous situations. And the gender swap works in the film's favor, because many of the characters chasing Evelyn underestimate what she's capable of. It's ideal for fans of spy thrillers like The Bourne Identity (2002).

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens introduces the First Order as the far away galaxy's new authoritarian threat. Among its commanders is Captain Phasma, the officer responsible for training stormtroopers.  Phasma was originally written as a male character, with the chrome-armored design initially created as a concept for Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) so that he would look like a "lord of the stormtroopers."

The creative team eventually went with a different design for Ren but decided to use the initial concept for Gwendoline Christie instead, who ultimately stepped into the role of Captain Phasma. The character doesn't have a lot of screen time, but Christie still manages to leave an impression with her calm authority. The Force Awakens is a must for anyone who enjoys sci-fi adventures like 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) 

Everything Everywhere All at Once follows Evelyn Wang (played by Michelle Yeoh), a stressed laundromat owner who suddenly discovers she's connected to countless alternate versions of herself across the multiverse. When a cosmic threat emerges, she's forced to tap into the skills and memories of those other selves to stop it. Jackie Chan was originally considered for the lead role.

But the filmmakers eventually reworked the character for Yeoh. So instead of following a familiar action hero, the film focuses on a woman who feels like she's missed her chance to do something meaningful with her life. Somehow, the movie manages to be completely ridiculous and heartfelt at the same time and is perfect for viewers who enjoy genre-bending movies like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).

Movies and television shows go through a lot before they end up on our screens. There are multiple rounds of editing, continuity checks, reshoots, color grading, and entire teams whose job is to basically make sure every tiny detail lines up from one shot to the next. In theory, nothing should slip through. And yet… things absolutely do.

Sometimes it's something small, like a prop that inexplicably changes between shots. Other times it's a little more obvious, like a modern object showing up in a historical drama. These fails usually last only a second or two, but once you notice them, it's kind of impossible to ignore them. Thanks to platforms like Netflix, HBO Max and Disney+, viewers keep spotting them during rewatches and sharing them online.

Pretty Woman (1990)

Pretty Woman follows Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts), a Hollywood escort worker who forms an unexpected connection with wealthy businessman Edward Lewis (Richard Gere). During a breakfast scene, Vivian is clearly eating a croissant while sitting at the table. When the camera angle changes, the croissant magically becomes a pancake instead, which means someone in the editing room missed that switch.

When the movie hit screens in the ‘90s, most people would have missed that goof since they were probably too taken in by the story's modern fairy-tale-like romance. A lot of the movie's charm comes from the chemistry between its two leads. The tone stays light and funny even when the story moves into more emotional territory. It's ideal for fans of rom-coms like Notting Hill (1999).

Friends (1994)

Friends follows six young adults living in New York City as they manage the general chaos of early adulthood. Most of the story takes place in their apartments or at Central Perk, where the group spends a lot of time talking through whatever problem someone happens to be dealing with. In a few wider shots, especially during the couch scenes, viewers notice stand-ins sitting where the actors should be.

These doubles are normally used during lighting setups, but a couple of those shots slipped into the final edit anyway, which is kind of funny once you notice them. Despite these fails, Friends remains one of the most recognizable sitcoms ever made, and one people still revisit constantly. It's perfect for anyone who enjoys ensemble sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother (2005).

Clueless (1995)

Clueless follows Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone), an insanely rich Beverly Hills teenager who spends most of her time shopping and managing her high school social life. After helping a new student gain confidence, Cher starts reflecting on her own relationships and priorities. During a scene where Cher is struggling to drive, her new car loses its side mirror.

But in the very next shot, the mirror suddenly appears again like nothing ever happened, which is one of those continuity slips you can't unsee. But we'll give it a pass since the film did a pretty decent job of adapting Jane Austen's 1815 novel, Emma, for contemporary audiences. Anyone who enjoys stylish teen comedies like Mean Girls (2004) will probably enjoy this one.

Braveheart (1995)

Braveheart tells the story of William Wallace (Mel Gibson), a Scottish warrior who leads a rebellion against English rule during the 13th century. During one wide battlefield shot, a white car can be seen driving in the distance. It's small and easy to miss at first, but once someone points it out, the medieval illusion kind of falls apart for a second.

Still, the movie's emotional storytelling and massive fight sequences helped define historical epics in the ‘90s. The battles feel muddy, chaotic, and enormous in a way that makes them surprisingly immersive. Even viewers who don't normally watch historical films tend to remember the speeches. It's a must for anyone who loves sweeping historical action films like The Last Samurai (2003)

Gladiator (2000)

Gladiator follows Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) after he is betrayed by the Emperor's ambitious son and forced into slavery. Stripped of his rank and family, he eventually becomes a gladiator fighting for survival in the arena. In one of these scenes, a crew member wearing jeans and a t-shirt can briefly be spotted standing near a chariot.

The shot moves quickly, but once viewers noticed it, the mistake became pretty well known. Gladiator also includes another editing fail. During a chariot scene, a gas canister can be seen under an overturned chariot. But luckily, the movie has such an impressive mix of scale and character drama that we can forgive the mistakes. Viewers who enjoy historical epics like 2005's Kingdom of Heaven will love it.

Game Of Thrones (2011)

Game of Thrones follows rival noble families competing for control of the Iron Throne in the fictional world of Westeros. Alliances constantly shift as characters try to gain power and survive the political chaos around them. The drama in the final season was so intense that during a feast scene, a Starbucks coffee cup appears on the table in front of one of the characters.

Someone clearly forgot to move it before filming because to-go coffee cups were not exactly standard tableware in medieval fantasy. And in another finale scene, a water bottle can be spotted at the feet of one of the characters. Nevertheless, those minor blips did not detract from the show's very successful eight-season run. It's perfect for anyone who enjoys fantasy series like The Witcher (2019).

Bridgerton (2020)

Bridgerton takes place in Regency-era London and follows the romantic lives of several aristocratic families. Each season centers on a different love story of a Bridgerton sibling while the wider social drama continues around them. Despite all that attention to historical detail, viewers noticed a band-aid on the ear of Lady Araminta (Katie Leung) during a scene in season four.

In earlier seasons, fans also spotted modern road markings, which definitely shouldn't exist in Regency London. But Bridgerton has never been about accuracy. The series became really popular thanks to its mix of dreamy romance, scandal, and elaborate production design. So perhaps we shouldn't pick it apart too much. It's ideal for anyone who enjoys romantic period dramas like The Great (2020).

In the same way that people are obsessed with the '90s aesthetic and want a resurgence in rom-coms (or even cottagecore vibes), people have been tuning into shows like Netflix's Virgin River (2019), based on Robyn Carr's books, to get a delightful sense of escapism from the real world. We probably even rewatch shows like Gilmore Girls (2000) in the fall and Hart of Dixie (2011) in the summer. These series might not have complex CGI or wild plot twists that everyone on social media will talk about, and they may seem to be about "nothing" to people who don't watch, but ultimately, it's the simplicity that draws us in.

Pacing is a huge part of a story's appeal, and sometimes, the slower the better. There's a longing for things to be a little more simple and for a TV show to offer a sense of community that feels intimate. There's a deep-seated desire to be away from social media and focus on what's in front of us. Plus, the drama in Virgin River isn't for the weak; you need a special level of tolerance with absurdity to handle it, and no one's relationship with the show is more on edge than mine. Still, we're here, and I tune in every time.

Small-Town Dramas Like ‘Virgin River’ Are Nostalgic

Few generations are as nostalgic as millennials, but who can blame us when we've experienced one life-changing, horrific event after another? The darker the real world gets, the easier it is to cling to depictions of a more simple life in a small town where most people seem to know each other, and AI hasn't taken over. We want the familiarity that comes from people actually talking to each other face to face as opposed to via social media. This is likely the same reason people watch shows like Sweet Magnolias (2020). There's an appeal in the comfort and familiarity that allows the drama to be more contained, as opposed to the scary reality we're probably used to.

At the same time, shows like Virgin River don't feel like they take place in the present times, which is another reason why they scratch the nostalgia itch. There are countless small-town dramas, but the simplicity of Virgin River is oddly evocative. As frustrating as these characters can be, we can't help but root for them and want the best for them. As dire as the drama can be, the realism it's grounded in doesn't feel as daunting. And this is partly what makes it relatable, too, because it's not some utopia, but rather a simpler way of addressing darkness to make it more palatable. 

Romance Always Sells and ‘Virgin River’ Delivers

The preconceived notion that a lot of people who don't dabble in romance often have is that the story ends after the couple gets together. But a show like Virgin River (and romance-centered shows in general) proves that the notion is false and people will tune in for all that comes afterward. We want to see couples fight, we want to see their ordinary days, we want every milestone, and if nothing else, despite all the wild drama, Virgin River delivers in spades when it comes to Martin Henderson's Jack Sheridan and Alexandra Breckenridge's Mel Monroe. 

Because of this, while on the surface the drama and nature of events on Virgin River are ordinary, they're an authentic reflection of the real world and what makes people human. Quiet moments and big, monumental revelations matter in the same way when it comes to developing a character, and this is where the show shines best. We know that when we tune in, we're going to see every bit of the love between the two of them, no matter how small the scene might be. We're going to spend time with them as a couple, and it's what makes the series easy to tune into. And in the midst of spending time with them as a couple, we're going to watch them grow as individuals, making the character journeys that much more enticing. 

So, really, we can't stop watching Virgin River because it's guaranteed to make us feel content for a while. It's guaranteed to give us romance and small-town antics in a way that feels right for the characters, even if we might get frustrated along the way. It's a simple, ordinary escape that puts romance at the center of the narrative and focuses on delivering relatable arcs that honor the characters. It might feel fabricated at times, but there's a realism that seeps out from every episode. So if you love small-town dramas and need something you can just chill with without worrying too much about extravagant plot points, Virgin River might be the perfect escape. 

Reality TV has a funny habit of catching celebrities at very specific moments in their careers. Sometimes it's right before they become huge. Sometimes it's long after their biggest hits. And occasionally it's just completely random. That's part of the charm of Dancing With the Stars. Since the American version of the UK's Strictly Come Dancing launched in 2005, the competition has turned into a global franchise.

There are versions of the show everywhere, and they're all built around the same premise—take a celebrity who probably isn't a professional dancer and make them perform a cha-cha in front of millions of viewers. The list of contestants over the years has become genuinely wild. Here are a few surprisingly famous names who once stepped onto the Dancing With the Stars ballroom floor. Older seasons of the U.S. show can be found on Hulu and Disney+, while international editions appear on services like Netflix.

Chris Hemsworth - Dancing With the Stars Australia (2006)

Long before Thor (2011) turned Chris Hemsworth into Marvel's literal God of Thunder, he was still building his career in Australia. He had a growing fanbase from the soap opera Home and Away, but globally speaking, he was still relatively unknown. Which makes his appearance on Dancing With the Stars Australia Season 5 in 2006 feel like a strange little time capsule.

Hemsworth partnered with professional dancer Abbey Ross and ended up placing fifth in the competition. Not bad for someone who would later spend most of his screen time swinging mythical weapons and punching villains through walls, huh? Hemsworth's run on the Australian version is a perfect example of how these shows often capture celebrities right before their careers take off.

Corey Feldman - Dancing With the Stars (2025)

Corey Feldman showing up on Dancing With the Stars feels like a very nostalgia-driven casting decision. Almost anyone who grew up in the ‘80s will recognize Feldman for starring in movies like The Goonies (1985) and Stand by Me (1986). But seeing him step onto the ballroom floor, decades later, during Season 34 of the U.S. series, felt slightly unexpected.

Paired with professional dancer Jenna Johnson, Feldman threw himself into the competition with the kind of enthusiasm the show thrives on. His debut routine was a tango, followed by a cha-cha. The judges appreciated the effort, but the competition was tough that season, and he ended up leaving during a double elimination week.

Zendaya - Dancing With the Stars (2013)

Zendaya's run on Dancing With the Stars almost feels like a preview of the career she would eventually have. In 2013, she joined Season 16 of the show at just 16 years old, partnered with professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy. At the time, she was best known for starring in the 2010 Disney Channel series Shake It Up. But she wasn't the Emmy-winning actor audiences know today from Euphoria (2019).

From the first few weeks of the competition, it was obvious Zendaya had something special. She earned high scores from the judges consistently and quickly became one of the best performers of the season. Her routines had a kind of effortless confidence, which is rare for younger contestants. She eventually finished in second place, losing the mirrorball trophy but leaving a strong impression.

Billy Dee Williams - Dancing With the Stars (2014)

Billy Dee Williams might be best known for his role as Lando Calrissian in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), but his real acting range was showcased in the critically acclaimed television film Brian's Song (1971), where he played Chicago Bears star football player Gale Sayers. This is exactly why his appearance on Dancing With the Stars Season 18 in 2014 was such an unexpected delight.

Paired with professional dancer Emma Slater, Williams entered the competition as one of its most recognizable names. Unfortunately, his time on the show ended earlier than expected due to a back injury that forced him to withdraw from the competition. Even so, the brief run remains memorable for fans of the series.

Pamela Anderson - Dancing With the Stars (2010)

Pamela Anderson feels like the kind of celebrity who was destined to appear on Dancing With the Stars at some point. By the time she joined Season 10 in 2010, Anderson had already spent decades as a pop-culture icon thanks largely to her role on Baywatch (1989). She brought instant star power and plenty of curiosity about how she'd handle the ballroom.

Partnered with professional dancer Damian Whitewood, Anderson approached the competition with enthusiasm and a sense of humor about the whole experience. Her performances weren't always technically perfect, but they were entertaining, which is often just as important on this show. She made it into the middle stretch of the season before being eliminated.

Trevor Noah - Strictly Come Dancing South Africa (2008)

Comedian Trevor Noah's biggest gig has been hosting The Daily Show from 2015 to 2022. But years before that global success, he briefly stepped onto the dance floor in the South African version of the franchise. In 2008, Noah appeared on Season 4 of Strictly Come Dancing South Africa, the local adaptation of the same format that inspired Dancing With the Stars.

At the time, he was still building his career as a comedian, and international audiences hadn't really discovered him yet, which makes the footage from that season feel similar to Hemsworth's early appearance on the Australian show. But now, streaming has made it easier to dig up these older gems. 

Since its debut, The Pitt (2025) has become one of the most celebrated and acclaimed shows in recent memory, currently sitting at #2 on the streaming charts. While it’s certainly not the first medical drama to exist, and not the first one to feature some pretty dark moments, its focus on tight storytelling, all set within a short period of time, helps it stand apart from the crowd. 

That may be obvious to anyone who watches the series on HBO Max, but another way that The Pitt differs from virtually all other medical shows is how it cuts every melodramatic trope that lovers of hospital dramas devour. Gone is the discreet flirting, the shocking character deaths, and the sexy drama, and in their place are grounded stories of real people and the lives they lead. And that alone may make The Pitt one of the most influential medical dramas of its generation.

‘The Pitt’ Trades In Melodrama for Actual Drama

There’s no denying that tropes exist for a reason. They’re reliable, easy to understand, and audiences will always be entertained when they pop up, and medical dramas in particular love to include a slew of tropes to make each season as dramatic as possible.

Shows like Grey’s Anatomy (2005) and ER (1994) certainly did focus on the daily rigors of trying to save people’s lives in a hospital, but the most interesting aspects of those shows tended to boil down to relationship drama. There’s no shortage of secret romances, bitter break-ups, and debates within fan communities over who the best ships are. Even when medical dramas are focused on doctors healing their patients, sometimes they’re so extravagant that it’s hard to take them seriously. House (2004) is a perfect example of this, since while the show is undeniably a drama, featuring a revolving door of rare and obscure medical cases like bubonic plague and Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome that only those in the field would have any awareness of tend to make the show more fantastical than other medical dramas.

The Pitt trades all of that in for what can essentially be described as a medical slice-of-life. Each season revolves around a tight 24-hour period on a particular day of the year, and seeing what comes through the door. Like most jobs, parts of your shift may be dull with little of note actually happening, while other parts can be hectic with no relief in sight. It may not make The Pitt as glamorous or over-the-top as other medical shows, but it certainly doesn’t make the show any less entertaining than its predecessors. 

Is the Lack of Melodrama Such a Game Changer In ‘The Pitt’?

It’s important to keep in mind that a lack of melodrama doesn’t make a show bad. Melodramatic movies and shows are exaggerated solely because they’re trying to provoke large reactions from their viewers. There are too many melodramatic deaths in shows like Grey’s Anatomy to count (looking at you George), but they stick with viewers for years to come because of the big feelings they evoke in the viewer. So why is the lack of melodrama in The Pitt such a game-changer?

Well, first and foremost, when every show in a genre is doing the same thing, they start to lose their punch. Hospital romances are fun, but not every medical show needs to focus on that. The Pitt exchanges the unrealistic depictions of working in a hospital with grounded and very real situations. The patients that enter the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center aren’t stock characters, but feel like real people with real medical conditions. The treatments they undergo can sometimes be mild, but also intense. Not only that, but the series doesn’t hold back in depicting the unglamorous moments that doctors and social workers who work in hospitals have to go through, like a doctor telling a family that their daughter is dead. 

It’s painfully accurate, and that’s what makes it impossible to stop watching. By getting rid of all of the extraneous drama and focusing solely on the daily grind of doctors, nurses, medical students, and countless other people who work in hospitals, The Pitt has an air of authenticity that other medical shows simply can’t match. Sure, there are realistic medical shows like ER and Chicago Med (2015), but none can compare to The Pitt and its attention to detail. While it may be fun to watch doctors continually hook up with each other in the closet, the drama of not knowing whether or not a person will live or die is even more compelling.

Does ‘The Pitt’ Deserve the Acclaim It's Earning?

Clearly, there’s a lot of love for The Pitt. It’s won numerous awards at the Emmys and Golden Globes after just one season, and Noah Wyle has earned plenty of wins for portraying Robby, but is it worth the hype?

Short answer, yes. While fans of the genre may be disappointed by the lack of “will they, won’t they” drama that medical dramas have become known for, it doesn’t make the show any less engaging. The cast is all very well written and, thanks to the consultation of numerous medical professionals, they all play their parts well. They’re a cohesive unit, much like the staff at Sacred Heart in Scrubs (2001), and it’s easy to have your own favorite character from the large cast assembled. They all work wonderfully together, which helps make the Pittsburgh Medical Trauma Center feel like a real hospital.

The Pitt is unflinching as a medical drama, and with future seasons all but guaranteed due to the show’s critical acclaim, fans of this gritty medical drama should be satisfied for years to come. And if you’re still sad about the lack of romance and want to watch melodramatic tea be spilled, go watch Bridgerton (2020).

The recent lengthening of movies has sparked discussion among cinema lovers. There’s no hiding that movie times, on average, have been creeping up for the past two decades. The release of Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), which ran 3 hours and 26 minutes, even sparked debate about the potential need to bring back intermissions at movie theaters. The debate and sometimes criticism of movie runtimes is only likely to continue as rumors swirl that Avengers: Doomsday (2026) is planning a nearly 4-hour runtime.

However, Killers of the Flower Moon and Avengers: Doomsday are a walk in the park compared to the longest movies ever made. Multiple experimental films have run for not just hours, but literal days. Use our guide to find out how to watch the five longest movies ever… if you dare. 

5. Untitled #125 (Hickory) (2011) - 120 hours

Untitled #125 (Hickory), directed by artist Josh Azzarella, is the fifth-longest movie ever produced. The experimental film is based on The Wizard of Oz (1939) and essentially stretches out a single scene over days. It takes the 6-minute-and-30-second scene of when Dorothy (Judy Garland) gets caught in the tornado to when she meets Glinda (Billie Burke) and turns it into a 120-hour, or five-day, movie.

Untitled #125 (Hickory) offers a unique experience. Azzarella captures his vision of every second of Dorothy’s journey to Oz, and the result is intriguing. The visuals, music, and Wizard of Oz influence make for quite the mindbending experience. Although there isn’t much in terms of plot, you may like Untitled #125 (Hickory) for its artful and ambitious interpretation of Dorothy’s journey.

4. Beijing 2003 (2004) - 150 hours

Beijing 2003 is an experimental documentary from artist and filmmaker Ai Weiwei. It offers one of the purest looks at urban life, featuring hours of street footage captured around Beijing. The film’s runtime comes in at 150 hours, or about six days and six hours, and features no dialogue or soundtrack. It is simply composed of long, uninterrupted shots of the streets of Beijing, mostly capturing daily traffic and pedestrian commutes.

Much of the footage was captured from a moving car, which traveled 2,400 kilometers. The result is a breathtaking, unfiltered look at the city. It’s an interesting watch that captures the impact of urbanization on Beijing. However, it could also be interesting to anyone who loves travel or wants to feel as if they are really riding through the streets of Beijing, enjoying it all through a strikingly simple, realistic lens.

3. Cinématon (2009) - 156 hours

Cinématon is a French experimental film directed by Gérard Courant. Courant spent a significant amount of time on the film, which he composed from 1978 to 2009, totaling 151 hours, or six days and seven hours. It is a compilation of vignettes, or cinématons, each featuring someone doing whatever they please for 3 minutes and 25 seconds. Courant compiled a total of 3,111 vignettes, featuring people ranging from directors like Jean Luc-Godard to chess grandmasters like Joël Lautier to a seven-month-old baby.

I believe Cinématon is one of the most watchable movies on this list. It may get a bit tedious, but it would be a worthwhile endeavor to work your way through the thousands of vignettes. It’s an interesting study of human nature, each vignette serving as a slice of life that gives insight into what each individual chooses to do in the 3 minutes and 25 seconds allotted. 

2. Modern Times Forever (2011) - 240 hours

Modern Times Forever is a Danish experimental documentary created by the artist group known as Superflex. It tracks the gradual decay of the Stora Enso Building, located in Helsinki, Finland. Given that the building is only 65 years old, Modern Times Forever doesn’t track the building’s actual decay but imagines how it would decay over the next several thousand years, compacting the years into a 240-hour, or 10-day, film.

Modern Times Forever may be a cathartic experience for those familiar with the building. The building, dubbed the “Sugar Cube” for its simple, plain style, stirred controversy upon its construction, with many residents considering it an eyesore for the way it clashes with the surrounding architecture. Perhaps, some viewers will find comfort in watching the building decay. Even if you’re not familiar with the building, you’ll likely find Modern Times Forever a sobering look at decay and urbanization.

1. Logistics (2012) - 857 hours

Logistics, an experimental documentary created by Erika Magnusson and Daniel Andersson, is the longest film ever made. At 857 hours, the film takes 35 days and 17 hours to watch in its entirety. It tracks the life span of a pedometer, traveling backward from the point of sale to the very beginning of the pedometer’s manufacturing. It was filmed in real-time, as the filmmakers traveled from Sweden, where the pedometer was sold, all the way to China, where it was first manufactured, with plenty of stops along the way.

Logistics is a pretty awe-inspiring documentary. It captures the cost, time, and energy that go into producing a single piece of technology, which are often ignored when it’s quickly swept up in consumerism. If you want to know where technology really comes from, or if you are looking for something to do for a month, Logistics is a great watch.

Henry Cavill has two big years ahead of him. He’s set to reprise his role as Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes 3 (2026) and will be the leading man in Guy Ritchie’s newest movie, In the Grey (2026). Meanwhile, in 2027, he will star in the lead role of Connor McLeod for Chad Stahelski’s Highlander (2027) reboot. Cavill will also star in Voltron (2027), a live-action adaptation and reimagining of the '80s TV series of the same name. 

His role in Highlander and Voltron will expand the already impressive number of beloved franchises he has contributed to. From bringing video game characters or superheroes to life, Cavill has had quite a prolific career. Use our guide to catch up on Cavill’s best movies and TV shows available to stream on Netflix, Disney+, and more, and ranked to the best based on performance and film quality, before his upcoming releases.

10. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Deadpool & Wolverine sees Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) enter the multiverse in search of a Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) variant to help him save his universe. Cavill has a cameo in the film as another variant of Wolverine known as the Cavillrine. Although it’s only a seconds-long scene, everything about it is perfect, from Cavill’s grizzled Wolverine to Deadpool’s meta jokes that poke fun at the DCU’s recasting of Superman.

The cameo really captures the tone of Deadpool & Wolverine, which is self-aware and irreverent. It’s just as vulgar and hilarious as Deadpool (2016) and Deadpool 2 (2018), and gives viewers a true dream team through Deadpool and Wolverine’s team-up. It delivers on the laughs and entertainment, but since Cavill only cameos, it doesn’t mark a standout role for him, which is why it ranks last on this list.

9. The Tudors (2007-2010)

The Tudors is a historical drama that explores the Tudor dynasty and the rule of King Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Cavill stars in the series as Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, who is one of King Henry’s only true friends. Brandon is deeply loyal to King Henry and does his bidding regardless of how terrible it is. It’s one of Cavill’s few more antagonistic roles, and he plays it well, making viewers wholly dislike Brandon due to his complicity in numerous deaths.

While Cavill’s performance is strong, his character is one of the show's biggest creative liberties, depicting very little of Brandon’s actual life. The Tudors is bold, sensual, and violent, delving into a deeply intriguing time period and dazzling with its set designs and costumes. Still, its historical inaccuracies and inability to fully capture the period's scope prevent it from ranking higher on this list.

8. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the director’s cut of Justice League (2017), and sees Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) form a team of heroes to combat Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) and Darkseid’s (Ray Porter) plans to take over Earth. Cavill appears in the film as Superman, who inspires the formation of the Justice League and later joins the team upon his resurrection. 

In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Cavill leans more into Superman’s comic-book depiction as a symbol of hope, demonstrating how much the character has grown. Zack Snyder’s Justice League is an exciting crossover event for the DCEU, bringing together all of its biggest heroes for a grand battle. It also does a bit better than the 2017 version due to its depth and character development. However, the film is overly long and struggles to pull off its ambitious crossover.

7. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. centers on FBI agent Napoleon Solo (Cavill), who reluctantly teams up with KGB agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) to prevent the Cold War from erupting into an actual war during the tense arms race between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. Cavill is excellent as the charming, suave, and intelligent Solo, with his posh and stylish mannerisms. The role is highly reminiscent of James Bond and may be the closest we’ll ever get to seeing Cavill in the role, something he has long been fan-cast for.

Meanwhile, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a fun, fast-paced, and tense spy thriller certain to appeal to fans of the Mission: Impossible and James Bond franchises. Although the Cold War premise feels a little unoriginal, Cavill and Hammer’s performances keep the film from feeling too familiar. 

6. The Witcher (2019-present)

The Witcher follows the adventures of monster hunter Geralt of Rivia (Cavill), who finds his fate entwined with that of Princess Ciri (Freya Allen). Cavill portrays the lead role of Geralt for the first three seasons of The Witcher, and it’s a role that seems made for him. He truly brings Geralt to life, embodying his brutality, charisma, stoicism, and noble nature. It’s a role where his passion really shines through.

The Witcher as a whole is a strong adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's work. The show features excellent worldbuilding and really transports you into this dark fantasy realm, brimming with monsters, romance, and underlying political themes. However, The Witcher’s recasting of Geralt in season 4, as well as its departure from the source material, has been frustrating to fans.

5. Enola Holmes (2020)

Enola Holmes follows the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes (Cavill), Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown), who must prove she’s a detective in her own right and solve the case of her missing mother. The film is a new spin on the world of Sherlock Holmes that feels refreshing as an action-packed mystery with thrills and twists that take viewers on a Sherlock Holmes adventure with a feminist twist.

While Brown steals the show as Enola, Cavill is a surprisingly good Sherlock. He differentiates himself from other Sherlock actors with a warmer, sadder, and more sympathetic version of the detective. I think this more human approach to Sherlock is effective and makes for some heartwarming antics between the Holmes family members.

4. Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

Enola Holmes 2 is the sequel to Enola Holmes, which sees the titular heroine (Brown) start her own detective agency, though her first case turns out to be much bigger and twisted than she anticipated. She soon realizes the case connects to a wider conspiracy that her brother, Sherlock Holmes, has been confounded by. Enola Holmes 2 elevates Cavill’s role a bit, allowing for Cavill and Brown’s fun dynamic to shine through more.

Not only are the sibling dynamics fun to watch, but the sequel also demonstrates Sherlock and Enola’s development, as they come to respect each other and work almost as colleagues. Cavill continues to impress, holding his own against the many actors who brought Sherlock to life and putting his own spin on the character. Between his elevated role and the sophistication of Enola Holmes 2’s central case, it’s a rare sequel that exceeds the original.

3. Man of Steel (2013)

Man of Steel tells the story of Clark Kent (Cavill), a Kryptonian living on Earth, who must embrace his identity as Superman to protect humanity from General Zod (Michael Shannon). The film marks Cavill’s most famous and recognizable role as Superman. Much like his take on Sherlock, Cavill makes the role of Superman his own. He looks exactly as comic book readers imagined the hero would, but he also offers a refreshing take on his personality, adding an intensity and brooding nature that humanizes him a bit.

Man of Steel is a solid superhero origin story. For the time period, the visuals are particularly breathtaking, and the scope of the project really gets your adrenaline pumping. Given Cavill’s iconic performance, Man of Steel ranks quite high on this list, though the fact that it struggles to go deeper than an origin story prevents it from ranking as Cavill’s best movie.

2. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare follows Gus March-Phillipps (Cavill) and his motley crew of rogue and skilled soldiers on a covert mission to disrupt the Germans’ U-boat supply during World War II. Loosely based on the true story of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), the film is an action-packed, vibrant, and fun interpretation of March-Phillips’ most daring mission. Cavill offers a particularly strong performance, especially as he seems to really do something different with the character. He’s known for his more serious, brooding roles, but as March-Phillipps, he leans more into the character’s impulsive, wild, and irreverent side.

It’s quite fun to see Cavill in a slightly unhinged role, embracing his wild side. You can almost see through the performance how much fun he’s having. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare as a whole is a wildly fun experience, proving the appeal of action and entertainment when it’s delivered in such style.

1. Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

Mission: Impossible - Fallout is the sixth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise. It sees Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) race against time to prevent a terrorist attack. Cavill stars in the film as August Walker, a CIA agent assigned to help Hunt, but who soon raises suspicions over his true motivations. August is another role for Cavill that feels distinct and refreshing as he embraces a more antagonistic one.

Cavill brings a manic energy to August, charming one moment and violent the next. His performance helps elevate Mission: Impossible - Fallout to one of the franchise's top movies, as it features a genuinely intriguing villain and a fast-paced, thrilling adventure. Stylish, with impeccable action and choreography, and featuring a fantastic performance from Cavill, Mission: Impossible - Fallout takes first place as Cavill’s best movie.

The masks worn by serial killers in horror movies have always been about manufacturing an identity instead of hiding one. As people, we are wired to read expressions, to look for empathy, for warning signs, or for any kind of recognition. A mask shuts all of that down immediately, offering no clues about the person (or persons) wearing it. They're also the fastest way to turn a character into a silhouette you can recognize from across a room.

Many of the most famous masks in horror were never meant to be famous. They were borrowed, altered, found in costume shops, or repurposed from sports equipment. Accidents, basically. But once they hit the screen, they became mythological. This list offers a mini history lesson on some of the most iconic masks in horror, which you can revisit (or stare at through your fingers), on streaming platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, and more.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre follows Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) and her friends, who travel through rural Texas and run into a family of cannibals. The most terrifying member is Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), who wields a chainsaw and wears masks made from human skin. What follows is a horrific fight for survival in suffocating heat. It's essential viewing for fans of raw, grindhouse-style horror like Hostel (2005).

Leatherface's masks were crafted to look disturbingly real, reinforcing the idea that he creates identities from his victims. In the film's internal logic, he has different "faces" for different social roles, like the so-called "pretty woman" mask. Behind the scenes, the masks were made from latex but treated to look like human skin. Hansen said wearing them in the Texas heat was physically miserable, which honestly adds to the sweaty, frantic realism you feel on screen.

Halloween (1978)

Halloween begins 15 years after Michael Myers (Nick Castle/Tony Moran) murders his sister. He eventually escapes from Smith's Grove Sanitarium and returns to Haddonfield, Illinois. On Halloween night, he stalks and terrorizes babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). The story is best described as a relentless slasher that sneaks under your skin, proving that tension and suggestion can be a lot scarier than blood and gore. It's perfect for fans of creeping horror like It Follows (2014).

The Michael Myers mask began as a Captain Kirk mask of William Shatner that the production designer bought for just a few dollars. The design team widened the eye holes, removed the eyebrows and sideburns, and spray-painted it chalk white to create something disturbingly blank. That emptiness is the genius of it. It's just a hollowed-out face that lets lighting and shadow do all the work, which somehow makes Michael feel more like an entity than a person.

Friday the 13th (1980)

Friday the 13th begins as Camp Crystal Lake prepares to reopen. But things go sideways when the camp's counselors, including Alice Hardy (Adrienne King), are stalked and killed. The mystery surrounding the camp's tragic past eventually leads to Jason Voorhees (played by multiple actors, including Richard Brooker), who stalks and kills his victims over several movies. It's a great pick for fans of classic slashers like A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).

Interestingly, Jason's hockey mask doesn't appear until 1982's Friday the 13th Part III, when a Detroit Red Wings-style goalie mask was chosen almost on a whim. Before that, Jason wore a sack over his head, which feels much more backwoods slasher. As the franchise continued, the production team added scratches, cracks, and axe marks, allowing the damage to become a form of storytelling, marking the passage of time and turning Jason into a horror legend.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The Silence of the Lambs follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who visits incarcerated serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in the hope that he will help her catch another murderer, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). Their conversations blur the line between manipulation and mentorship. The movie is ideal for viewers who prefer intelligent, slow-building thrillers like 1995's Se7en. During a prison transfer, Lecter is fitted with a rigid muzzle mask to prevent him from biting anyone.

The mask was designed to look functional first and terrifying second. Somehow it ended up feeling medieval. The production team experimented with various versions of the mask before deciding on the cage-like design that exposes Hopkins' eyes, thereby preserving his performance without losing the feeling of containment. It's chilling because it frames Lecter as something authorities fear physically, even though his real weapon has always been psychological mind games.

Scream (1996)

Scream follows high school student Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who, along with her friends, becomes the target of a masked killer known as Ghostface. The murders follow classic horror-movie rules, with reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and police officer Dewey Riley (David Arquette) getting pulled into the murdery madness, which culminates during a house party. The movie is ideal for self-aware horror fans who loved 2011's The Cabin in the Woods.

The Ghostface mask was discovered in a California costume shop by a location scout during pre-production. "The Peanut-Eyed Ghost" was created by Brigitte Sleiertin (based on a design by makeup artist Loren Gitthens) for a company called Fun World in 1991. The studio tried to make a few changes to the mask to avoid any legal problems. But director Wes Craven preferred the original. So he decided to secure the original Fun World design. The killer's outfit was completed with a black shroud.

The Strangers (2008)

The Strangers follows Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) and James Hoyt (Scott Speedman), who arrive at James' childhood summer home after Kristen rejects his marriage proposal at a friend's wedding. After a failed attempt to reconcile, James calls his friend to pick him up in the morning. But things take a horrible turn when a young woman asking for someone named Tamara knocks at the door. They are eventually terrorized by three masked intruders known as Dollface, Pin-Up Girl, and the Man in the Mask.

The masks in The Strangers were intentionally designed to feel ordinary. Director Bryan Bertino previously said the film was loosely inspired by real-life break-ins, so he wanted to create simple masks that looked like anyone could have picked up at their local store. The blank, emotionless masks make the violence feel random, which might be the most disturbing thing of all. The movie is perfect for viewers who appreciate minimalist home-invasion horror like Funny Games (1997).

Nepotism is one of the hottest debated topics in Hollywood. In recent years, many have begun to rethink ideas about the American dream and privilege, and there are few places where these ideas play out more obviously than in Hollywood. While everyone loves a rags-to-riches story and the idea of meritocracy, the reality is that many celebrities in Hollywood were born into the industry, hailing from famous directors, actors, and writers who gave them a leg up in pursuing closely related careers.

Where the debate comes in is whether being a nepo baby is inherently bad. Although nepo babies do indeed have the advantage of connections and wealth that break down barriers to entry in Hollywood, there’s no denying that some of these people genuinely have talent. Some actors have proven they deserve a place in the industry regardless of their parents. Here are the best actors and actresses who proved their talent, and that being a nepo baby isn’t always a bad thing.

Sunny Sandler

Sunny Sandler is the daughter of Jackie and Adam Sandler. Not only is she the daughter of one of the most recognizable comedy actors in Hollywood, but she has also appeared in several movies from Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison, including Grown Ups (2010) and Happy Gilmore 2 (2025). While she may have received these roles because she is Adam Sandler’s daughter, that doesn’t erase the fact that Sandler can act.

Sandler blew me away with her lead role in what I consider Adam Sander’s best movie, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023). The film reminds me a lot of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023) in just how well it captures the coming-of-age experience for girls. Meanwhile, Sandler carries the movie as Stacey, the girl with big plans for her bat mitzvah. She’s funny, relatable, and sometimes eyebrow-raisingly impulsive, proving she’s a true leading girl in her own right.

Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke is Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman’s daughter. Like the rest of the names on this list, she has real talent as an actress. She especially shines in Stranger Things (2016), where she fits in seamlessly with the cast and won over fans with her eccentric, kindhearted, and energetic mannerisms. Hawke was also fantastic in Inside Out 2 (2024), voicing the emotion Anxiety and nailing the character’s anxious, frantic personality.

However, it’s not just her acting that sets her apart from other nepo babies, but also the way she acknowledges her privilege. She addresses her privilege head-on, admitting to the London Times that some of her opportunities have been for “nepotistic reasons.” Still, she also pointed out that not pursuing acting and making the most of what she’s been so fortunate to have “wouldn’t help anyone.” Hawke is a talented actress and knows how to keep it real when addressing her nepotism.

Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher’s mother was actress Debbie Reynolds, while her father was singer and TV show host Eddie Fisher. However, Fisher is so undeniably talented that it’s easy to forget she was ever a nepo baby. She’s a fantastic actress, becoming one of the most beloved figures in the Star Wars universe through her role as Princess Leia, which she snagged at age 19, beating out numerous other talented actresses.

From When Harry Met Sally… (1989) to Star Wars (1977), Fisher was a force in the acting industry. Proof that she’s self-made, though, is the fact that she didn’t stick to acting. She also tried her hand at writing, earning a BAFTA nomination for the screenplay Postcards from the Edge (1990) and Grammy and Hugo nominations for her autobiographical and memoir works. Fisher is a multi-faceted artist whose talents have propelled her far beyond what nepotism could have given her.

Colin Hanks

Colin Hanks may be the son of Tom Hanks and Samantha Lewes, but he didn’t start his career at the top. His very first role came as an extra in That Thing You Do! (1996), where he was only credited as “Male Page.” Hanks worked his way up to teen dramas, landing a starring role in the first two seasons of the sci-fi show Roswell (1999).

However, he really found his niche in Fargo (2014), where he garnered critical acclaim for his performance as Gus Grimly. Hanks makes quite an impression as Grimly, a relatable, realistic, unlikely hero who strives to overcome his own ineptitude to uphold his strong moral convictions. The role earned Hanks a Golden Globe, Emmy, and Critics’ Choice nomination. He may have received certain roles for his connection to Tom Hanks, but the critical acclaim he garnered was the result of his own talent.

Sean Astin

Sean Astin is the son of Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy-winning actress Patty Duke and actor John Astin. Like Maya Hawke, Astin is both talented and realistic about his advantages as Duke’s son. His famous parents likely helped him land several leading roles as a child actor, including his breakthrough role as Mikey in The Goonies (1985). However, even as a child, he displayed undeniable talent, quickly making a name for himself in Hollywood and going on to star in The Lord of the Rings trilogy as Samwise Gamgee.

He has embraced the term nepo baby. During a panel at Los Angeles Comic Con (via CNN), he admitted that he was “given a lot” by growing up in a Hollywood family, but also pointed out that it comes with a lot of responsibility that one can “embrace or not.” Astin embraced the responsibilities and opportunities provided to him and has done quite well with them.

Michael Douglas

Michael Douglas is the son of actors Kirk Douglas and Diana Dill. He certainly benefited from his talented family tree, including his start in acting at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, which his stepfather, Bill Darrid, founded. His second on-screen role in Hail, Hero! (1969) was largely due to director David Miller’s history with Douglas’ father. Still, he proved he deserved the role, which earned him the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year.

Similarly, while his father helped him tap the rights to produce One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), it was Douglas’ own producing that won him the Oscar for Best Picture. Douglas went on to win another Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Wall Street (1987). Again, there’s no denying that his father helped him get his foot in the door, but nepotism can’t explain away the two Oscars, four Golden Globes, an Emmy, and a BAFTA that Douglas won.

Whether you watch classic films or not, you know the name Audrey Hepburn and are aware of her legacy as an actress and activist. Hepburn's work in Hollywood is not only inimitable, but every film she's been in is exceptional, too, which is ultimately a rarity for any actor.

With a new biopic centered on the making of Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) coming out, starring Lily Collins, there's a lot of conversation about the star at the moment, so looking back at her films feels necessary to understand the body of work that contributed to her excellence.

Again, and ultimately, everything Hepburn touched had a sense of magic in it that's impossible to replicate, but here are her most essential movies ranked, as well as where you can stream them on platforms such as Prime Video and more. 

7. How To Steal a Million (1966)

If you loved To Catch a Thief (1955) but have somehow been sleeping on How to Steal a Million, then now's the time to fix that. But the only reason this is even ranked lower is solely because if I had watched it before To Catch a Thief, I would undoubtedly love it even more. Still, it's an absolute blast and one of Hepburn's more lighthearted movies to dive into.

For a movie that could've been heavier, it's the levity that makes it stick out and find its footing. It's the small moments of laughter in between that make it one of the more fun movies to watch, and it feels especially necessary for anyone who appreciates any sort of romance that involves two characters starting off on the wrong foot before falling in love.

6. Sabrina (1954)

In fairness, I was a Harrison Ford fan before I was an Audrey Hepburn fan, so I have a personal soft spot for Sabrina (1995). (Plus, the thirty-year age gap isn't exactly something that aged well either in the original.) Still, the version of Sabrina, starring Hepburn alongside Humphrey Bogart and William Holden, is an essential film in the star's brilliant career for a reason. 

Hepburn held her own exceptionally throughout, ensuring that her character is easily remembered and revered. It's because of her work that the film shines as the classic it does, and it's perhaps why so many romance fans love the idea of grand gestures at the end of a film. It's beautifully shot and gorgeously acted, so it's a must-watch for anyone who loves the love triangle trope and wants a version where it's mostly well done.

5. Funny Face (1957)

The Parisian fashion world, Audrey Hepburn, a musical, and Fred Astaire? Need I say more? Funny Face is gorgeous, hilarious, and genuinely so thrilling that if Hepburn weren't so good in all her other roles, this would've been a top three. It’s perfect for anyone who loves Singin' in the Rain (1952), and sometimes it feels like the movies should exist in the same multiverse.

While parts of the screenplay aren't exactly as strong when we look back, it's still a tremendous movie that showcases just how much range Hepburn is capable of. Her star quality is present throughout most of her movies, but as her first musical feature, it does plenty to introduce us to a different side of her.

4. My Fair Lady (1964)

Like Funny Face, My Fair Lady is a near-perfect musical that not only shows off her skills, but it also does a significant job of revealing how she hones her work with every passing role. Romantic, full of humor, and surprisingly warm, there's a magic in My Fair Lady that's almost hard to describe. 

And while it is a known fact that Hepburn didn't actually sing then, Marni Nixon did for her while she was dubbed, these details don't change the fact that the film is still wonderful for all that she conveys in her performance. Here, the production quality is also exceptional, making the overall film a lovely escape for anyone wanting a compelling musical.

3. Charade (1963)

Two of my favorite things in fiction are romance and a heist—opposite types of characters paired together in what turns out to be a joyous, stylistically delightful romp from start to finish. Charade might just be one of the most underrated movies in Hepburn's filmography, but there's no denying that in it, she also delivered some of her finest performances.

In addition, combining the sharp screenplay with astute directing while pairing Hepburn with Cary Grant together makes the movie an absolute thrill ride. Few things have come close to it in the last few years, but The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015) slightly scratches a similar itch. In every way, Charade is incredible and fully essential for Hepburn fans.

2. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Despite controversial decisions made at the time by casting white actors to play Asian characters and odd decisions in the screenplay, for many of us, Breakfast at Tiffany's was likely our introduction to Hepburn, and because of this, it makes the movie special. It adds that extra layer of magic, wherein the characterization of New York also shines in the directing.

A large part of the appeal in Breakfast at Tiffany's is the romanticization amid heartbreak and uncertainties. It's the magic of taking something ordinary and trying to ensure that there's joy in it. Hepburn's performance and overall appearance in the film became a cultural blueprint for fashion and characterizations, giving it a sense of timelessness in a way that's rare nowadays. It's a must-watch for all that she conveys. 

1. Roman Holiday (1953)

I can write thousands of words trying to convey the brilliance of Roman Holiday, and yet, no word will ever be enough. It isn't just Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck's best movie, but it's personally, my favorite movie of all time—the number one in my book, in every genre, in every way. 

Perfect from start to finish with a breathtaking screenplay and even more breathtaking performances, there's a warmth in Roman Holiday that serves as a blueprint for how to write compelling character interactions that not only stick the landing but are utterly profound in the brief time they spend together. It's a masterclass in every way to showcase longing, heartbreak, and individual character growth amid the romance, while also allowing the setting of Rome to be its own character, too.

For someone who once seemed physically incapable of standing still, Jim Carrey has become really quiet. And then, the man who bent his body into impossible shapes in The Mask (1994), who sprinted across rooms like he was being chased by a cartoon train in Ace Ventura (1994), and who let the world see a much softer side of him in The Truman Show (1998), took several steps back from Hollywood.

In recent years, Carrey has spoken openly about feeling disillusioned with fame and the machinery behind it. Instead, he's painted. He's philosophized. He's even hinted at retirement. After Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022), he suggested he was done, or at least had done enough. It felt less like a publicity stunt and more like a man who decided that acting was no longer a priority.

Which is why, when he resurfaced at the 2026 César Awards in Paris, it almost broke the internet. Fans studied photos of the actor, searching for his familiar light. And then came the more extreme whispers. Had Jim Carrey been replaced? Could he have been cloned? The rumor was fueled further when Alexis Stone, a performance artist known for dressing up as various celebs, said they had posed as Carrey.

Hollywood, Masks, And The Man Who Saw Behind Them

It's easy to dismiss these claims as complete nonsense—because they are. But there is a certain logic to why the rumors exist at all. For instance, the cloning theory oddly mirrors Carrey's own complicated relationship with the entertainment industry. Long before the cloning silliness, Carrey had openly criticized the artificiality of celebrity culture, along with the emptiness and dangers of fame.

In the 2017 documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, he revealed how deeply he dissolved into Andy Kaufman during the filming of 1999's Man on the Moon. It wasn't just method acting. It was possession, ego death, confrontation. Watching it, you get the sense that Carrey wasn't merely playing Kaufman; he was interrogating the nature of actual human identity.

That's where the conspiracy theory finds its strange footing. If a man can disappear so fully into another persona, what is "real" Jim Carrey anyway? The Hollywood version? The painter? The man, who in a 2005 interview said, "I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer."

He was also the subject of the 2021 documentary Jim Carrey, America Unmasked, which suggests that the actor's over-the-top performances were a form of "transgressive art that broke down the perfect mask of American culture," and that his '90s characters "highlighted the infantile, consumerist and moronic side of American society."

The César Awards And The Clone That Wasn't

Carrey has also talked about the "avatars" we wear. The roles we play. The illusion of the self. When you zoom out, the cloning theory feels less like a sci-fi rumor and more like a metaphor that got out of hand. Add in the Alexis Stone wrinkle, and suddenly the Internet had its narrative. A body double. A stand-in. A Hollywood puppet to keep appearances intact.

It makes sense in the way conspiracies always do, by stitching together half-truths and emotional logic. Carrey distanced himself from Hollywood. Carrey criticized the system. Carrey reappears looking older, different, quieter. Therefore… he's been replaced. Except that's where the story starts to unravel. César Awards delegate, Gregory Caulier, confirmed that Carrey was present at the awards show.

"Jim Carrey's visit has been planned since this summer," Caulier told Variety. "From the outset, he was extremely touched by the Academy's invitation. He worked on his speech in French for months, asking me about the exact pronunciation of certain words." Addressing the clone rumors, he said, "For me, it's a non-issue. I just remember his generosity, his kindness, his benevolence, his elegance."

And then there's the obvious reality: human cloning at the level conspiracy theorists suggest simply doesn't exist. Not in a way that could produce a fully grown, articulate, award-accepting Hollywood star. What actually happened is that during his time away from the spotlight, Carrey just got older. And when he returned, the contrast was jarring for people who still picture him as the comic of the '90s.

February 28, 2026, marked Ali Larter’s 50th birthday. The milestone birthday is the perfect time to look back at her illustrious career, including her iconic roles in Legally Blonde (2001) and Final Destination (2001). Most recently, she gained recognition for her performance as the fierce and volatile Angela Norris on Landman (2024). However, one of her most unique roles is one you may not have heard of.

In the 1990s, shortly before Larter broke into the film industry, a young actress rose as Hollywood’s new “It” girl. She earned a cover feature in Esquire and comparisons to Marilyn Monroe while becoming the apparent muse of influential directors like Quentin Tarantino. Talent managers and film studios couldn’t wait to get in contact with Hollywood’s next big thing. The only problem was that Coleman didn’t actually exist, though she would mark Larter’s strangest role.

Who Was Allegra Coleman?

The story of Allegra Coleman began with an Esquire profile published by Martha Sherrill in November 1996. The feature was titled “Dream Girl” and documented Sherrill’s experience meeting and interviewing Coleman over the course of a few days. She described Coleman as this larger-than-life individual, so mysterious, brilliant, and eccentric that she seemed almost mystical.

Fame is just around the corner, as Tarantino and Woody Allen sing her praises and, according to Sherrill, rearrange the casts of their latest movies to star Coleman. She’s romantically involved with David Schwimmer and was once married to Bill Mumy’s younger brother, Mike Mumy. All the while, she quietly rose to stardom with roles in shows like Melrose Place (1992). 

As you read, you’ll be excited that you get this intimate, inside look into a young woman before she makes it big. However, things get stranger as the article continues. Sherrill includes nonsensical journal entries from Coleman, including one that reads, “I am a bug. I am a bug. I am a bug.” You also learn that she’s apparently on the run from her love interest, Schwimmer, as well as a studio contract and her fawning talent agents. While you might dismiss these as typical eccentricities and drama of Hollywood, once you get to the part where her father disappeared into the “New York drag-queen scene” and her mother ran off to become a “Tibetan Buddhist nun,” you may start to wonder, “What are the odds?”

It’s not just Coleman’s story that gets weirder, but also Sherrill’s attitude toward her as she launches into uncomfortable musing about her looks and switches between awestruck wonder of Coleman and the realization that she’s quite dull. The article ends with Coleman and Sherrill crashing Coleman’s Porsche, after which Coleman disappears until Sherrill tracks her down and hears her whisper, “Hey. Let them pay for emptiness, man.”

How Are Ali Larter And Allegra Coleman Connected?

Esquire’s “Dream Girl” article is easily debunked by basic fact-checking. Coleman wasn’t in Melrose Place, Cliffhanger (1993), or any of the roles the profile credited her with. The roles she was allegedly slated for, including Tarantino’s Sphinxa and Bernardo Bertolucci’s remake of L’Avventura (1960), are fictional productions. Also, Mike Mumy doesn’t exist, nor does Coleman’s actress-turned-buddhist-nun mother, Kay Garland.

In short, Allegra Coleman and her strange, wonderful life never existed. However, there was one aspect of her that was real. Sherrill included photos of the alleged Coleman in her profile, including a cover photo of a young woman in a crop top, smiling mischievously at the camera, her hands behind her back. A few other photos even show her with Schwimmer, Tarantino, and Pauly Shore. Although the photos with fellow Hollywood stars were photoshopped, the woman in all the photos is real. However, she’s not Coleman, but Ali Larter.

Larter was a model at the time and received an invitation from Troy House to pose for the parody. There may not have been a Coleman for eager studios to offer contracts to, but Larter was very much real, and her odd role as Coleman got her foot in the door of Hollywood and paved the way for her acting career.

What Allegra Coleman Says About Hollywood And The Press

Not everyone was so quick to recognize that Coleman was a hoax. Some talent agents and media scouts took the bait, reaching out to Esquire, looking to sign a non-existent actress. These people seemed to miss the point of Sherrill’s article. It wasn’t simply a deceptive hoax, but a satirical take on the relationship between celebrities and the press. The article pokes fun at the way every big magazine wants to do a feature on every new talent, and the result is little more than fluff with big words, flowery language, and sometimes wholly nonsensical attempts to mythicize ordinary people.

It really makes you question the nature of fame during a time when magazines were much bigger and better at selling fame. What really sets individuals apart? Was it innate talent, or was it truly just based on how well a writer could spin a tale of eccentricity, romance, and struggle to pair with a new face? The fact that Coleman never existed but that Larter found her way into Hollywood through the stunt demonstrates that perhaps it’s what a person does that sets them apart, rather than how well a major magazine can sell them.

After a 13-year hiatus, the Scary Movie franchise is back and (possibly) better than ever with 2026's Scary Movie 6. Along with the Wayans brothers reuniting to write the script, the movie sees the return of fan-favorite cast members like Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Cheri Oteri, Dave Sheridan, Chris Elliott, and others. For those who fell in love with the franchise back in 2000 with Scary Movie, then get ready for an extra dose of nostalgia. In a fun nod to horror's latest obsession with sequels and requels, Scary Movie 6 brings back the Ghostface-esque killer from the first movie. 

However, the Scream franchise is far from the only property Scary Movie 6 has turned its campy, parody sights on. That said, Scary Movie 6 will require a little homework, or, for most of us horror fans, a little rewatching if you want to get the most laughs when the film's June 12, 2026, release date rolls around. Here's every horror movie you need to see before Scary Movie 6. Watch them on Hulu, HBO Max, and more right now. 

Scream (1996) & Scream (2022)

If you know anything about the Scary Movie franchise, which I'm assuming you do since you're reading this list, then you already know how integral the Scream franchise is to the series. The first film, 2000's Scary Movie, primarily spoofed Scream (1996) and homaged the Wes Craven film's original title. This time around, it looks like Scary Movie plans to continue the trend, with the Scary Movie 6 trailer referencing the subway scene from Scream VI (2023).

Given the franchises' interconnectivity, Scream and Scream VI will be instrumental in understanding Scary Movie 6's jokes, especially since Scary Movie 6's Ghostface killer will be an important part of the plot. The return of Doofy (Dave Sheridan) and Gail Hailstorm (Cheri Oteri) also implies Scary Movie 6 plans to heavily lean into Scream and its own franchise nostalgia. Truthfully, you should probably watch all the Scream movies if you want to get the most out of Scary Movie 6, but if you only have time for one or two, make it 1996's Scream and Scream VI. 

Halloween (1978) & Halloween (2018)

It's unclear at the time of writing how much the Halloween franchise will come into play in Scary Movie 6, but if the trailer is anything to go by, then we can expect a decent amount. Our first introduction to Anna Faris' Cindy occurs in a spoof of Halloween (2018), with Cindy donning similar long and wild gray locks to Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode. Like Laurie, it seems Cindy has also gone full survival mode by kitting out her house with surveillance and bobby traps should Scary Movie's many horrors come back for another round. 

Of course, you can't really appreciate 2018's Halloween without watching the OG first. John Carpenter's Halloween is one of the most notable horror movies ever made. It changed the slasher genre as we know it and proved that suspense is just as important as scares when crafting a good horror movie. If you're a fan of the horror genre, then you absolutely need to watch Halloween at least once.   

Other Classic & Modern Slashers To Watch Before 'Scary Movie 6'

While these slashers didn't get quite as much attention in the Scary Movie 6 trailer, they're still worth watching to catch all the Easter eggs and jokes. A big bulk of them occur in Scary Movie 6's subway scene, where we get multiple shots of recognizable masked commuters that reference everyone from classic slashers like Jason Voorhees and Leatherface to more modern favorites like M3GAN and the Heart Eyes Killer. Later, we also get a fun moment of Brenda (Regina Hall) dressed an awful lot like Octavia Spencer's Sue Ann from Ma.

Although most of these movies won't play major roles in Scary Movie 6's storyline, it's still wise to check them out. If you already love slashers, you've likely seen a good chunk of the classics here, like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. However, don't sleep on newer titles like Heart Eyes and M3GAN. Both of these are well-loved genre staples that prove horror is back and as relevant as ever.  

• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

• Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

• Ma (2019)

• M3GAN (2022)

• Heart Eyes (2025)

Sinners (2025)

Sinners might have just come out, but that doesn't spare it from the Scary Movie treatment. Ryan Coogler's critically acclaimed vampire movie receives a few nods in the Scary Movie 6 trailer. From a trio of well-dressed party-crashers meant to spoof Jack O'Connell's Remmick and his vampiric accomplices to a replica of Sinners' barn scene, expect the full movie to give us even more cheeky nods and homages. 

If you haven't seen Sinners yet, here's your excuse. After receiving an unprecedented 16 Oscar nominations, it's truly one of the best (and most decorated) horror movies of the past decade. If you like the vampire drama in films like Near Dark (1987), you'll get all that but with a gorgeous, period-drenched backdrop. 

Terrifier 3 (2024)

Upon its 2018 release, Damien Leone's Terrifier became a cult favorite that even mainstream audiences recognize, thanks to Art the Clown's terrifying look. The sheer brutality of the movie (and its sequels) ensures it's not for everybody, but for those who can stomach splatter favorites like Wrong Turn (2003) and the Evil Dead franchise will love this one. 

Terrifier is gory, gratuitous, and darkly campy, something that Scary Movie 6 captures perfectly with its segment featuring a gift-giving Art the Clown. Given Art's Santa outfit, the Christmas-coated Terrifier 3 seems to be the direct reference. However, watching any of the Terrifier movies will get you well acquainted with Art and his demented personality. 

Other Modern Horror Movies Referenced By 'Scary Movie 6'

Although it's certainly possible that more horror movies will get the parody treatment in Scary Movie 6, these five movies and one show all feature in the trailer. While movies like The Substance and Weapons get big, noticeable spotlights, others, like Smile and Get Out, appear only in flashes.

Longlegs also gets a fun reference, with Chris Elliot's Hanson playing a more comical version of the titular killer made twistedly memorable by Nic Cage. As such, all the movies below are recommended material if you want to catch those sneakier jokes in Scary Movie 6. 

• Get Out (2017)

• Smile (2022)

• Wednesday (2022)

• Longlegs (2024)

• The Substance (2024)

• Weapons (2025)

For years, Rotten Tomatoes has been a bastion of quality in the film world. Movies will advertise the fact that they’re “Certified Fresh” or have a score that hovers in the 90s, or even the rare 100%. While there has, and always will be, a divide between audience and critic scores, most people can generally agree that the closer a film is to 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, the higher the chance you’ll like it. 

But then there’s the other side of the scale. While it’s rare for a movie to achieve a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s even rarer for a movie to earn a 0%. While it’s not uncommon for a movie to escape the dreaded 0% Rotten Tomatoes score after they release onto streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video and claw a percentage point or two from a fresh rerelease, there’s no escaping the brand once they’ve been marked. This past week, Psycho Killer (2026) was one such movie that debuted to universally negative reviews, so let’s go through it and several of the most infamous films that either once had, or currently have, a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Psycho Killer (2026)

The horror genre is one of the most eclectic and wildly inconsistent genres in film. Some horror films can be deeply introspective, and some can be violent shlock fests. And then you have horror movies like Psycho Killer, which are just dull.

While it currently has a lofty 10% on Rotten Tomatoes, Psycho Killer debuted with a 0%, and it’s not hard to see why. While the film has aspirations to be Se7en (1995), which the same writer even wrote, it forgot what made that film so striking and dark. The eponymous psycho killer is dull and a hodgepodge of other, more memorable slasher villains, and while Georgina Campbell tries her best to bring some life to her character, the script gives her nothing to work with. It may be 91 minutes long, but it’s a struggle to stay awake as the movie plods from beat to beat. There is some merit in watching a dark horror film that puts a woman in the leading role, but if that’s what you’re looking for, stick to The Silence of the Lambs (1991) or Longlegs (2024).

War of the Worlds (2025)

War of the Worlds is one of the most seminal science fiction stories of all time, and it has been adapted to film plenty of times. Calling the new War of the Worlds a ‘disaster of unprecedented proportions’ may sound like a stretch, but you only need to watch it for a few minutes to know it’s hilariously awful.

Taking several cues from screen-life movies like Searching (2018), War of the Worlds tries to depict an alien invasion in a digital age, which is a fine idea in theory. However, when most of the action is shown off-screen, it loses its impact, and when it is shown, it’s with laughably bad CGI. To add icing on the cake, casting Ice Cube as the lead was the best and worst decision the film made, since his cartoonish reactions are so woefully mismatched to what’s taking place that it elevates this film to so-bad-it’s-good territory. People will have a blast laughing at the aggressive Amazon product placement, and because of how ludicrous it is, it’s a great movie to watch with a bunch of friends.

365 Days (2020)

Success doesn’t always indicate quality. A film could go on to make hundreds of millions of dollars or dominate the streaming charts, and yet it can review horribly among critics, and no recent film has been as strong an example of that as 365 Days.

While 365 Days debuted at number one on Netflix and reached as high as number five on the streaming charts, the film itself was the worst kind of romance. It was problematic at best, depicting a toxic romance that fans of 50 Shades of Grey (2015) will instantly find familiar, but without any of the charm. BDSM is one thing, but a film predicated on sexual assault is an entirely different beast. It’s also a deeply unsexy movie, with scenes meant to be scintillating and steamy but that fail to convey that whatsoever. It does reach an almost so-bad-it’s-good level like War of the Worlds, but only from how awkward its characters act opposite one another. There is a market for dark romances, but it’s mystifying how a film that earned a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes spawned a trilogy of films.

The Ridiculous 6 (2015)

Adam Sandler’s unique brand of over-the-top and loud humor has its fans, and at times can even be quite enjoyable, like in Happy Gilmore (1996). However, even fans of Sandler’s routine found it pretty hard to like The Ridiculous 6. 

If you’ve seen parodies of Westerns before, like in Blazing Saddles (1974) or A Million Ways To Die In The West (2014), then nothing The Ridiculous 6 does will be original in the slightest. The humor is for the low brow in every definition of the word, with racist and sexist jokes that were in poor taste even back in 2015. What makes The Ridiculous 6 stand out even more from the average Adam Sandler fare is how little he seems to care about it. There’s no energy or excitement to his performance, and it screams of a paycheck role, even though he wrote and produced the film. It’s such an unambitious comedy that its two-hour runtime becomes agony when you realize that the jokes aren’t funny after the first five minutes.

United Passions (2014)

Football is beloved around the world, and with the World Cup set to take place in the United States, many people are eagerly waiting for it. But did you know that FIFA actually made a movie about the history of the World Cup, called United Passions? Well, if you consider yourself a fan of the sport, stay far, far, far away from it.

The film documents the beginnings of the FIFA organization, as well as the origins of the World Cup, in a way that can only be described as blatant propaganda. It’s a rosy and perfect recollection of FIFA’s history told only from the perspectives of the executives who created it and not from the players or the fans. It’s a nearly two-hour slog that’s equal parts vain and self-congratulatory. It’s the worst kind of historical drama, the kind that your history teacher puts on when they don’t want to teach, and you find yourself struggling to stay awake because of how boring it is. People who watched football movies like Bend It Like Beckham (2002), and history fans are better served by watching sports movies like Moneyball (2011) instead of this pompous experience.

Saving Christmas (2014)

Faith-based movies are niche, but they tend to do well within their communities. Faith is a powerful force, and even if you aren’t spiritual, you can at least appreciate a faith-based film that is very authentic and honest with its messaging, which makes Saving Christmas all the more notable for how inauthentic it is. 

While it may no longer have a 0%, it only did so thanks to fierce advocacy from its star, Kirk Cameron, about how unfairly his film was being treated. The film is mostly a lecture from Kirk Cameron about what he thinks Christmas is all about, but even if you’re a devout Christian, you’ll probably be left tilting your head at his claims. It’s simultaneously simplistic and conspiratorial, but you have to at least appreciate the commitment to the lengths he’ll go to prove himself right. The low budget is also pretty evident, thanks to terrible ADR and how the film just devolves into a random dance sequence at the end, making Saving Christmas one of the strangest Christmas movies ever made. There’s a market for faith-based Christmas films like The Star (2017), but Saving Christmas isn’t one of them.

Epic Movie (2007)

Comedies, especially parodies, are hard to do right. If handled poorly, they can become dated almost instantly, having no longevity beyond the small window they were released in. Then you have parodies like Epic Movie, which was dated almost immediately upon release. 

Primarily aimed at teenagers, Epic Movie trotted out gag and referential humor with abandon, hoping that references would be enough to keep people entertained for its 85-minute runtime. However, the humor was cheap, with little thought put into it other than simply making references because they can. It wasn’t as tightly focused as Scary Movie (2000), which spent all its time lampooning horror movie tropes and only horror movies. Epic Movie parodies superhero movies, fantasy movies, adventure movies, and spy movies in an “everything and the kitchen sink approach.” Audiences hated it, and unless this was the first time you ever saw a parody film before, you probably would too.

Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002)

Say what you will about Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, but its title is simultaneously awful and brilliant. Just by that title alone, you shouldn’t be surprised in the slightest that it earned a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes and has kept that dishonorable distinction for decades.

It’s not hard to see that Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever tries, and fails, to be an action movie cut from the same cloth as The Matrix (1999). Sci-fi elements are randomly inserted into the film, characters are dressed like edgy teenagers, and the sleek and dark aesthetics all scream ‘try-hard.’ While the film, for the time, was somewhat praised for using practical special effects, the plot surrounding said special effects was borderline nonsensical and made a big deal out of Ecks fighting Sever, even though we, as an audience, don’t care about either of them. ‘Mindless’ would be the best way to describe Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, and while some might find its edgy early 2000s action endearing, most will just find it bafflingly inept. 

Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)

Highlander (1986) is considered to be a cult-classic, and for good reason. It’s a high-concept fantasy epic spanning centuries full of ‘80s cheese and excess, yet many fans of the film will quickly call its sequel, Highlander II: The Quickening, one of the biggest cinematic betrayals of all time. 

While you would think Highlander II: The Quickening would continue the first film’s fantasy action, it completely disregards everything the first film did, spits on it, and kicks it down a flight of stairs. The film shifts to a post-apocalyptic sci-fi epic that tries desperately to be Blade Runner (1982) but without any of the interesting theming or commentary on humanity that made that film so iconic. No, instead we have retcons that undercut the emotional struggle of the first film’s protagonist, Connor MacLeod, and bizarre new additions to the lore that are somehow worse than the midichlorians of Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999). Not only does it have a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it’s considered one of the worst films and worst sequels ever made. 

Jaws: The Revenge (1987)

Given how Rotten Tomatoes started in 1998, whenever a movie from before then manages to earn a 0%, it has to be especially awful. People tend to only retroactively review good movies instead of cinematic duds, so hearing that Jaws: The Revenge has a 0% should make you very, very afraid.

Anyone could tell you that the premise of Jaws: The Revenge is completely illogical and nonsensical. The shark from Jaws (1975) apparently had a son, and now it’s out for revenge against the Brody family. That’s… moronic in every conceivable way, and audiences agreed. By this point, the franchise no longer had the budget and special effects that made the original a hit, and instead had effects that made the shark from Jaws 3-D (1983) look passable. At points, it borders on B-movie territory and does have the same entertainment value as Sharknado (2013), but it’s a tragedy seeing how one of the most prolific horror movies of all time spawned this cinematic travesty. 

As an art form, film can be a powerful and emotional means of expressing and exploring the hardest parts of life. While there are plenty of fun films that use spectacle and comedy to tell wondrous tales, some of the ones that really leave an impression on audiences are the ones that tear out their hearts. A great example of that is If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025), which is enjoying an international focus following its Oscar nomination for star Rose Byrne. 

Some movies are undeniably compelling, even if their subject matter and tragic tone make it hard to necessarily recommend for an easy night of entertainment. Some of the movies on this list are grounded portrayals of crumbling families, harrowing tales of man’s evils, or even fantastical tales that push the limits of reality with a surreal touch. All of them are well-made, and each of them deserves to be seen on Netflix, Prime Video, and more—just be warned, you likely won’t be revisiting any of them again any time soon.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025)

A terrific and tense anti-comedy, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is the kind of intense personal spiral that will leave audiences gasping for air. Rose Byrne turns in one of the best performances of her career as a mother on the edge of a breakdown, especially as her family, colleagues, and the world around her refuse to meet her halfway. The result is a tense movie that embraces the kind of white-knuckled intensity found in thrillers like Uncut Gems (2019). 

While the movie is definitely funny at times, especially whenever it lets Conan O’Brien play against his normal type as a self-serious fellow therapist to Byrne’s Linda, there’s a constant state of anxiety around every decision and every interaction that makes the film hard to watch at times. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is a phenomenal film and a great pick for any fans of the Safdie Brothers, but it's exactly the type of movie that’s hard to revisit precisely because of what makes it so good.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Studio Ghibli has delivered some heartbreaking turns over the years, but nothing quite hits like the wartime tragedy of Grave of the Fireflies. Set against the backdrop of the final days of World War II in Japan, the film follows a pair of siblings as they struggle to survive the collapse of Imperial Japan. Beautifully animated and heartwrenchingly brought to life by filmmakers like director Isao Takahata, Grave of the Fireflies is a somber reflection on the innocents lost amid the chaos of war. 

Grave of the Fireflies is one of cinema's most potent tearjerkers, especially as the narrative progresses and it becomes obvious that there's little chance for the two orphans to survive, let alone thrive. A phenomenal piece of filmmaking that retains the craft of other films from the studio like Spirited Away (2001), there's a heartbreaking core to Grave of the Fireflies that makes it far less rewatchable than the other entries from the studio—but no less impactful or memorable.

Requiem For a Dream (2000)

Darren Aronofsky’s most emotionally devastating film, Requiem for a Dream’s meditation on the impact of addiction is the definition of harrowing. The film, which focuses on several people as their lives are destroyed due to the result of substance abuse, features a lot of very dark turns that increasingly paints a grim portrait of modern society. It’s a tough movie to digest, with a dark tone and grim tenor that befits the filmmaker’s other movies. 

Aronofsky has other movies on this list, but Requiem for a Dream stands out as an especially harsh portrayal of the modern world that can be particularly haunting, with purposefully unlikable characters and emotionally devastating arcs that are designed to deliver an experience that’s far from enjoyable or entertaining, but regardless, remains a deeply engaging and painful drama. If you love a good gritty story, this is a great—if haunting—pick.

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

A painfully awkward experience, audiences who can’t stand cringey social situations will find Beau is Afraid to be a more horrifying film than anything Jason Voorhees has starred in. Ari Aster has proven to be a uniquely gifted filmmaker, whose movies like Hereditary (2018), Midsommar (2019), and Eddington (2025) use genre conventions to engage with the difficult realities of life.

One of the filmmaker's most ambitious and strange films, Beau is Afraid is rooted in social and personal anxiety, with a surreal bent that makes it an interesting parallel to movies like Adaptation (2001) or Being John Malkovich (1999). It's a great cinematic experiment, but one that can be difficult to reengage with, especially if even the cringeworthy comedy of The Office (2005) or Friendship (2025) can feel too unsettling.

The Fountain (2006)

A tragic romantic epic for the ages, the underlying grief at the heart of The Fountain makes it a hard film to return to. Starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, The Fountain follows a pair of lovers through three distinct time periods—but rather than focusing on the power of love, the story is far more focused on a reflection of grief across time and space. 

Similar to other genre experiments rooted in dealing with grief, like Solaris (2002) and A Ghost Story (2017), The Fountain highlights the heartbreaking pain of grief and how easily it can linger across lifetimes, despite the enduring power of love. Heartwrenching and beautifully constructed, The Fountain is a hard movie to revisit after seeing it once.

Marriage Story (2019)

As with plenty of other films about divorce and failed romances, Marriage Story is a painfully human and emotionally raw movie that’s hard to revisit after you see it for the first time. Starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver as a couple whose relationship is collapsing around them, Marriage Story paints a devastating portrait of a man and woman who genuinely care about each other but have grown distant and even disdainful of each other. Similar to movies like Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and The Squid and the Whale (2005), there’s an emotional rawness to Marriage Story that makes it hard to look away from the collapse of the central relationship, making it equally tough to come back as a return viewer once you know how poorly things will play out.

Mother! (2017)

One of Darren Aronofsky’s most experimental approaches to filmmaking, Mother! is a purposefully strange, surreal, and confrontational movie. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as Mother in a heady biblical allegory that generated just as many boos as cheers from critics when it debuted. 

Outrageous and singularly bizarre in the same style that David Lynch films are so memorable, the film is difficult to return to due to its stranger touches, and it's the definition of a movie that's purposefully hard to watch. There’s something quietly poetic about Lawrence’s performance, however, that makes it hard to look away from. The strange and singular qualities of Mother! make it a definite must-watch for anyone who enjoys experimental filmmaking like Mulholland Drive (2000) or Andrzej Zulawski's Possession (1981).

Sophie’s Choice (1982)

One of cinema’s most infamous tearjerkers and a great example of dramatic filmmaking, Sophie’s Choice is a must-watch for any cinephile, and it is also incredibly hard to revisit after you see it for the first time. One of Meryl Streep’s most haunting performances, Sophie’s Choice focuses on the aftermath of World War II and highlights the impossible choices people had to make to survive. 

With one of film’s most heartwrenching final scenes, Sophie’s Choice is the epitome of a movie that has to be commended on every technical level, but is near impossible to watch on a purely entertainment level. Similar to the likes of Schindler’s List (1993), Sophie’s Choice is devastating, effective, and an amazing film that, nevertheless, audiences will likely only be able to make it through once. 

Before they were lunchboxes and Halloween costumes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were a scrappy black-and-white comic book experiment by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. What started as a parody of darker superhero comics in the 1980s somehow became one of the most recognizable pop culture brands on the planet. Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael weren't just pizza-loving heroes. They were the perfect mix of kid-friendly silliness and really earnest action-filled storytelling.

The franchise exploded into animated series, multiple feature films, video games, action figures, and enough catchphrases to fill an arcade cabinet. Their first live-action leap came with 1990's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which was darker (and honestly moodier) than people remember. That was followed by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze in 1991, which was a lot brighter, goofier, and more toy-shelf-ready.

But here's where it gets weird. In the UK, nunchucks were effectively banned, and because Michelangelo's weapon of choice was nunchaku, the franchise ran into censorship trouble. This meant that the shopping mall scene (at the beginning of the movie), where the Turtles foil a bank robbery, was cut from UK versions. Even though Michelangelo substitutes his signature nunchucks for sausages, the British Board of Film Classification said the food could be mistaken for the weapon.

Ooze, Go Ninja Go, And The Sausage Controversy

TMNT II follows the awesome foursome as they discover the mutagenic substance that created them still exists and has fallen into the wrong hands. The villainous Shredder gets hold of the ooze and uses it to create two new mutant enforcers, Tokka and Rahzar, escalating the threat against our sewer-dwelling heroes. As the brothers adjust to a new home, they must once again work to stop Shredder's latest plan before things spiral fully out of control.

What a lot of people don't know is that TMNT II was intentionally designed to be less violent than its predecessor. So the Turtles barely use their weapons, which makes the movie feel more like a Saturday morning cartoon. The decision was a direct response to backlash and censorship debates. And as a result, the fight scenes give off a playful vibe. It also lacks some of the emotion of the first film, but it compensates with pure, unfiltered Turtle energy and a willingness to be gloriously silly.

The UK's discomfort with nunchucks in the early '90s didn't come out of nowhere. Martial arts weapons had been restricted under British law for years, and there was a genuine moral panic about kids copying what they saw on screen. That anxiety is why the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were temporarily rebranded as the "Hero Turtles" in the UK, scrubbing the word "ninja" from merchandise, theme songs, and even some of the dialogue.

The irony, of course, is that Michelangelo's entire personality is built around being the least threatening ninja (or Turtle) imaginable. He's always cracking jokes and almost always eating pizza. And in TMNT II, he's twirling sausages in the kitchen of a fast-food outlet like he's auditioning for a cooking show spinoff. And yet, those sausage-swinging moments were snipped out for the UK. The edits were eventually waived for the 2002 DVD release, which feels like a collective shrug from history.

The Strange Logic Of Censorship

This wasn't an isolated case. Studios have long tweaked films to suit different cultural markets, sometimes in subtle ways and sometimes in ways that make you blink twice. When The Exorcist (1973) arrived in the UK, it became a full-blown moral event. There were even reports of fainting, vomiting, and religious outrage after screenings. By the time Britain's "video nasties" panic hit in the 1980s, the film was basically collateral damage. In 1984, it was denied a home video certificate, effectively vanishing from legal UK shelves for 14 years. 

It wasn't technically banned in cinemas. But for an entire generation, it existed more as legend than rental. This time, the anxiety was about psychological harm, blasphemy, and whether possession horror crossed a line polite society didn't want crossed. It was finally approved for video release in 1999. Then in 2018, Bohemian Rhapsody, the Freddie Mercury biopic, was trimmed for release in China. References to Mercury's sexuality, same-sex relationships, and even brief moments of intimacy were removed.

Not Quite Censorship, Still Carefully Repackaged

Another odd one is 2001's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which matches J. K. Rowling's original novel in the UK. But in the US, it's called "Sorcerer's Stone" because publisher Scholastic thought the word "philosopher" sounded too old-fashioned and not magical enough. Scenes were even shot with actors saying both versions of certain lines to accommodate the title difference.

It's not censorship in the same way as weapon bans. But it still reminds us that even the most popular movies and television shows are carefully adjusted for specific locations. And the sausage story is simply a snapshot of a moment in time when pop culture, anxiety from parents, and government regulation collided in the most oddly specific way. Thirty-five years later, TMNT II turning into a censorship case study feels almost surreal. 

With anniversary screenings of TMNT II bringing the movie back to theaters in 2026, it's easier to see it as a time capsule of early '90s franchise fever, when even a pizza-loving turtle with deli meat could cause international concern. In a weird way, that just makes revisiting Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael even more fun. And if you can't make it to a screening, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze can be found on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Robert Aramayo had a big night at the 2026 BAFTAs. As a relatively new talent in Hollywood, he scooped up the EE Rising Star Award. However, he also impressively won one of the biggest awards of the night, taking home the BAFTA for Best Actor for his performance as John Davidson in I Swear (2025). 

Aramayo was up against several A-list actors for the award, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet, the latter of whom was heavily favored to win. Still, Aramayo’s dazzling performance in I Swear, in which he beautifully captured the realities of living with Tourette’s, propelled him to Best Actor. If you’re interested in more of his work, use our guide to find 10 of Robert Aramayo’s best TV shows and movies to watch next on Prime Video, HBO Max, and more.

Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

One of Aramayo’s earliest roles was in Game of Thrones. In Seasons 6 and 7, he has a recurring role as young Ned Stark. It’s no easy feat to portray the younger version of a character played by Sean Bean, but Aramayo holds his own in the role. Not only does he look the part, but he also embodies Ned well, capturing his nobility and moral convictions.

Aramayo’s role in Game of Thrones is reminiscent of his performance in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022), with his convincing battle scenes and ability to embody heroism. However, Game of Thrones is grittier than The Rings of Power and features even more complex, expansive character development and worldbuilding. It’s an excellent watch for anyone seeking a complex, sophisticated fantasy series.

Harley and the Davidsons (2016)

Harley and the Davidsons is a miniseries that tracks the origins of the motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson. Aramayo stars in the series as William “Bill” Harley, the childhood friend of the Davidson brothers. The show tracks how he went from an engineering student to the founder of one of the world’s top motorcycle brands. As Harley, he captures the ambitions, determination, and dreams of a young student, and his chemistry with the Davidsons is palpable.

Harley and the Davidsons is an interesting watch for motorcycle enthusiasts. It may not be entirely accurate, but it works well as a lighthearted, simplified version of Harley-Davidson’s history. On the whole, it’s a fun, entertaining, and inspiring story certain to appeal to viewers with a passion for motorcycles.

Mindhunter (2017-2019)

Mindhunter is a psychological crime series that follows two FBI agents who begin interviewing imprisoned criminals to try to understand how the mind of a serial killer works. Aramayo has a guest appearance in Season 2 as notorious serial killer Elmer Wayne Henley. It’s a complex role as he’s apathetic to what he has done, but is also a victim in some ways, given he was driven to murder out of desperation for approval by the real mastermind killer, Dean Corll.

Mindhunter is a thoughtful and complex crime series that examines true crime cases in a way that is both chilling and intriguing, yet not redundant. It strikes just the right balance between acknowledging the nuance and complexity of a criminal’s mind and not excusing their actions. Mindhunter is tense, compelling, and certain to appeal to fans of grounded crime dramas like The Killing (2011) and The Fall (2013).

The Empty Man (2020)

The Empty Man is a horror movie that centers on former detective James Lasombra (James Badge Dale), who accidentally uncovers a cult while investigating the disappearance of a young girl. Aramayo appears in the film as Garrett, a cult member whom James kidnaps for information. Although it’s a small role, Aramayo packs some layers into it, capturing the terror and confusion of a young man enmeshed in a cult.

As more of a slow-burn horror/mystery, The Empty Man isn’t for everyone. However, it will appeal to you if you’re a fan of unconventional horror. The Empty Man shies away from jump scares and other horror tropes, delivering a complex story with unexpected twists and an underlying eeriness. Like Weapons (2025) and Antlers (2021), the horror movie offers a strange and paranoia-inducing premise for a unique experience.

Behind Her Eyes (2021)

Behind Her Eyes is a miniseries that follows Louise Barnsley (Simona Brown), a woman who becomes tangled in a web of lies and manipulation after beginning an affair with her boss, Dr. David Ferguson (Tom Bateman). Aramayo stars in the series as Rob Hoyle, a friend of Ferguson’s wife, Adele (Eve Hewson). For much of the series, he’s an enigma, playing the role to perfection as he evokes an unsettling sense of mystery regarding his identity and importance.

The miniseries is an excellent psychological thriller with unpredictable twists and turns. Behind Her Eyes will appeal to viewers who enjoy tense thrillers with elements of eroticism and stories that center around infidelity. Although the eroticism means it won’t appeal to all viewers, it will attract audiences who enjoy similar works, such as The Housemaid (2025).

The King’s Man (2021)

The King’s Man is a prequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), and tracks the origin of the Kingsman organization through the perspective of founding member Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes). Aramayo has a minor but impactful role in the film as Sergeant Major Atkins, a fellow soldier who sees through Conrad Oxford’s (Harris Dickinson) disguise as a Scottish soldier. His small role has major consequences for Conrad and also demonstrates the tension and paranoia of spies that soldiers dealt with during World War I.

The King’s Man is a solid prequel to the Kingsman movies. It offers a compelling spy narrative and action-packed adventure, bolstered by Fiennes fantastic performance. Although the comedy and action don’t feel as effortless as in the Kingsman movies, The King’s Man is still a compelling story for those interested in the franchise’s lore.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022-Present)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power marks one of Aramayo’s most significant roles. The series takes place long before The Lord of the Rings trilogy, tracking the forging of the rings and Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) rise. Aramayo stars in the series as a young Elrond, an ambitious young politician trying to find his place in the world. Like Elrond’s original actor, Hugo Weaving, he does a phenomenal job portraying the half-elven’s wisdom and kindness.

The Rings of Power is a great addition to the Lord of the Rings franchise. The show’s visuals are breathtaking, and its vision is ambitious as it tackles the history of the Second Age of Middle-earth. Although it’s not a strict adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s work, it’s an intriguing interpretation of Middle-earth nonetheless.

Dance First (2023)

Dance First is a biographical film that traces the life of the Irish playwright Samuel Beckett (Gabriel Byrne) from his time fighting for the French Resistance to his rise as an influential writer. Aramayo appears in the movie as writer Alfred Péron, a close friend of Beckett’s who helped him master French. While Byrne steals the spotlight, fully transforming into Beckett with stunning believability, Aramayo complements his performance well and really nails Péron’s elegance and intellect.

Like most biopics, Dance First sometimes struggles to capture the sheer scale of its protagonist. However, it’s still a good movie, certain to appeal to fans of literary biopics. It provides a small but moving and emotional snapshot of Beckett’s personal and professional life, with performances that make it seem as if you’re truly watching the real Beckett and Péron on screen. 

Palestine 36 (2025)

Palestine 36 is a historical drama that explores the Palestinian Arab uprising against British colonial rule. It marks a rare antagonistic role for Aramayo, who portrays British army officer Orde Wingate, a sadistic and extreme Zionist. The film doesn’t sugarcoat history, and Aramayo gives his all in portraying the eccentric, controversial Wingate, and capturing the darker aspects of his persona that have led many to consider him a war criminal.

While I Swear seems to have overshadowed Aramayo’s role in Palestine 36, the latter is equally worth watching. Not only does Aramayo lean into a sadistic, uncomfortable role, but Palestine 36 tells an emotionally impactful history. It’s a story of colonialism, resistance, and brutality that resonates all too well with modern audiences as it gets to the root of conflict.

I Swear (2025)

I Swear is a biographical drama that tells the story of John Davidson (Aramayo), following his struggles for acceptance and understanding while living with Tourette’s syndrome. Aramayo delivers a standout performance, capturing the anguish, resilience, and strength of Davidson, who lives during a time when Tourette’s is underrecognized and highly stigmatized. He makes viewers feel a wide range of emotions, capturing both the lighter, more humorous moments of living with Tourette’s and the reality of bullying and discrimination.

I Swear raises awareness of Tourette’s through a heartfelt story. While it can sometimes be difficult to watch because of its realism, it is ultimately an inspiring movie that celebrates Davidson’s resilience and life. If you enjoy heartfelt, beautiful biopics similar to Out of My Mind (2024) and Wonder (2017), I Swear is a must-see.

Everyone has a movie that emotionally destroys them. And Audrey Nuna, who provides Mira's singing voice in the 2025 Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters, is no different. Speaking to JustWatch about her guilty pleasure movies, the actress didn't shy away from sharing the effect the 1998 Pixar movie A Bug's Life has on her.

WATCH: KPop Demon Hunters' Audrey Nuna Reveals Her Favorite Guilty Pleasure Watches!

"I think that A Bug's Life is one of the most emotional films of all time," Nuna admitted, which is a bold statement for a brightly colored animated movie about ants, but she doubled down on the sentiment. "I cry every time I watch A Bug's Life. I don't know why." And then came the explanation that suddenly makes everything click.

"I just feel like it's so deep," Nuna continued. "When he keeps messing up, and his whole colony thinks he's useless, and he just wants to help. I think that whole concept gets me." That's the secret of the film. You remember the jokes and the animation as a kid, but as an adult, you start recognizing something else entirely, which is a story about trying, failing, and still wanting to belong.

'A Bug's Life' Carries An Unexpectedly Deep Message

It's not the usual tragedy tropes that make A Bug's Life feel like it sucker-punched you in the feels. And Flick, the lovable, clumsy inventor ant, isn't a very traditional hero either. He's anxious and constantly getting things wrong. Even when he's genuinely trying to help, his inventions fail, and his plans go sideways. Every mistake reinforces the colony's belief that he's a problem instead of an asset.

That dynamic feels super familiar because it holds a mirror up to reality. People are quick to support your efforts, but most of the time, that support is conditional on success. The second good intentions result in failure, the encouragement from friends and even family quickly becomes frustration or dismissal. And suddenly, the person trying the hardest becomes an easy target for blame.

A Bug's Life examines this very concept. Flik isn't rejected because he lacks care. He's rejected because his ideas are a little chaotic and disrupt what feels safe. That's likely why Nuna has such a strong reaction to the movie. Because watching someone try to do good things while being misunderstood taps into a universal fear that says effort alone might not be enough to earn acceptance.

But the movie's deeper message isn't only about rejection. A Bug's Life argues that failure shouldn't define who you are. Everyone deserves room to experiment and try again. If we permanently wrote people off after their worst moments, we'd eventually have no one left to believe in. Progress, both personal and collective, depends on second chances.

Maybe that's why the movie makes adults cry. Because you realize how often people (including yourself, dear reader) have been judged mid-try instead of at the finish line. Flik eventually gets a happy ending. But it isn't because he suddenly becomes perfect. He just refuses to stop believing that his contributions are not valuable, even when nobody else does. And that message is basically a blueprint for surviving life.

Why To Watch 'A Bug's Life' (And What To Watch After)

Released during Pixar's early creative era, A Bug's Life follows Flik (Dave Foley), an inventor ant who tries to improve food collection but accidentally destroys an offering meant to appease an evil grasshopper named Hopper (Kevin Spacey). He is sent away to find warrior insects to defend the colony. But Flik accidentally recruits a group of circus performers who are misunderstood in their own ways.

If A Bug's Life leaves you wanting more animated stories about purpose, 2007's Bee Movie is worth checking out. The story follows Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld), a bee who questions hive society after finding out that humans have been exploiting bees for honey. So he launches a legal battle against humanity. Beneath the silliness is a story about refusing predetermined roles and asking bigger questions.

There's also 2007's Ratatouille, which follows Remy (Patton Oswalt), a rat with refined culinary talent, who teams up with awkward kitchen worker Linguini (Lou Romano) to chase an impossible dream inside a Paris restaurant. Like Flik, Remy succeeds not because others believe in him, but because he keeps going long enough to prove he belongs.

For the past few years, Smiling Friends (2020) has been one of the beacons of Adult Swim and a huge hit on HBO Max. Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel’s bizarre workplace comedy endeared itself to fans around the world, mostly thanks to its understated but freestyling sense of humor and its inventive use of different types of animation in each episode. That makes it all the more stunning that, even though the show was renewed for a fourth and fifth season and has garnered critical acclaim, the two of them just announced they were ending the show with the third season. 

To many, including myself, this was crushing. Smiling Friends was absolutely hilarious, but the two of them put it best in their announcement video as to why they were ending it. They said, ”We wouldn’t want to do any more seasons half-hearted, burnt out or not feeling it. It’s not fair to us and it’s not fair to our audience to give f**king slop. That sucks.” It’s shocking, but not entirely unprecedented. A handful of shows have decided to end on a high note instead of dragging on for endless seasons. Walking away from everything at its peak is ballsy, but it helps make a series all the more iconic. Much like Smiling Friends, these are five shows that ended well before their time, but for all the right reasons; catch them now on Disney+, Prime Video, and more!  

Watchmen (2019)

Watchmen was going to be a tricky beast to produce. How do you make a sequel to one of the most famous comics of all time, one that had an incredibly open ending with no clear continuation? DC Comics and Damon Lindelof’s answer, at least in the world of television, was to keep the ending intact and expand on the logical underpinnings of it.

Watchmen, like the source material, is very politically charged. Topics like white nationalism and the ramifications of living in a police state are mixed in with comic book iconography, but with a much darker and more down-to-earth perspective. The new characters are far more mentally unstable, given the world they were forced to grow up in, while the returning characters from the graphic novel are more jaded, given the ramifications of what they’ve done in Alan Moore’s graphic novel. It’s a TV show that elevates something kid-friendly into a genuine drama, not unlike Andor (2022). The first season was critically acclaimed and won 11 Emmys, but Lindelof declined to continue the show, saying he told the story he wanted to tell and had nothing else to add about Watchmen. The nine episodes he directed were all immaculately done, and if you’re looking for a short, multi-faceted story to binge in a weekend, Watchmen is a top-tier choice.

Gravity Falls (2012)

Animation is never easy, and in a world where most Western animated shows are seen as merchandise cash cows by studios, creators like Alex Hirsch and the series, Gravity Falls, stand out all the more for how self-contained and short they are. 

When Gravity Falls was pitched, Hirsch had a clear trajectory for the series and already knew what its ending would be. When it became a hit, Hirsch was adamant that the second season would be the show’s final season, mostly in part because of how exhausting it was to make the show, but also because he didn’t want anyone to interfere with its ending. Thanks to that, the spooky vibes of Gravity Falls became an instant cult classic, channeling the brevity of summer vacation and spooky Halloween vibes that would later influence The Owl House (2020). The series combined serialized storytelling with weekly adventures in a way that felt invigorating for the time, and it all came to an end in an apocalyptic ending that felt not only definitive but thematically fulfilling. Hirsch was right to call it when he did.

Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)

Twin Peaks (1990) has always been a weird show to discuss. While it may not fit in neatly with the concept of a show choosing to pick quality over quantity, Lynch’s direct involvement in the production allowed him to reclaim his vision from the studio heads at ABC.

Given how studio executives pressured Lynch to quicken the show’s pace in season 2, Lynch had distanced himself from the show midseason, only to return for the finale, given how most of the second season strayed from his original vision. He rewrote the ending, presented it in his typical Lynchian, dreamlike style, then walked away from the show for 25 years. When he did return with Twin Peaks: The Return, Lynch was given carte blanche to create the ending of his dreams, and what an ending it was. Avant-garde cinematography, campy humor, tragic farewells to longtime characters, and whatever the hell “Part 8” was made it a striking series that blends surreality in a similar way to The Leftovers (2014). Lynch returned to the series to create the ending he wanted, and it resulted in a cerebral show that will make even lofty academics break into a sweat while deconstructing Twin Peaks: The Return’s various allegories and symbolism.

The Good Place (2016)

Sometimes, a show can end because its creators want to leave before they are forced to turn a series they love into just another product for consumption. In the case of The Good Place, although the show’s creator, Michael Schur, didn’t want the series to go on forever, the ending serves as a coda to its themes.

The Good Place is a sharply written and smart comedy, but one of the reasons why it ended after four seasons was that the show is about endings. Each of its characters is trying to find a way to reach “the good place” and receive their happy ending. Prolonging their suffering and creating more drama for the sake of content would dilute the show’s message, so the series finale was always meant to be attainable. The characters all confront their demons, grow from them, and each new season puts them one step closer to ‘the good place.’ It makes the show quirky, and fans of Pushing Daisies (2007) will definitely appreciate how logically planned out the universe of The Good Place is, but its early ending was thematically justified and only serves to help drive home the idea that the destination and the journey are both equally valid. 

Samurai Jack (2001)

While Genndy Tartakovsky was actively involved in the creation of the first four seasons of Samurai Jack, he ended the series on a cliffhanger at the time, citing burnout. It was always his intention to return to the series and finish it, and Cartoon Network respected that decision. When Tartakovsky was ready, Season 5 was produced, and it was glorious.

Much like how Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) presented a much darker conclusion to what was initially a kids' series, the same happened to Samurai Jack. While the final season still had all of the stylistic flourishes and Kurosawa-esque presentation of the earlier seasons, the last season delved into a much darker and disturbing state of mind for Jack. He had frequent bouts of paranoid hallucinations, more violent impulses, and the world, while already bleak, had become even more horrible under Aku’s control. Gone was the humor of the first four seasons, but audiences were okay with that, given how it had been 13 years between seasons, and they were ready for a more mature take on the series. Samurai Jack is an animation powerhouse, and those looking for a true samurai epic will find the last season sensational.

From The X-Files (1993) to Bones (2005) and now, High Potential (2024), few things on TV are as gripping as a deliciously-penned slow burn, procedural romance. Longtime viewers of Law and Order: SVU (1999) are still holding out hope that one day, Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler will get together, too. It's why we tune in week after week, wanting an ordinary workday to turn into something bigger as two partners realize that what they feel for each other isn't just platonic. There are a few of them who make our shows all the more exciting, but as I keep saying, no one is doing it like Kaitlin Olson's Morgan Gillory and Daniel Sunjata's Adam Karadec. 

It always starts as a will they/won't they, until the shift in their dynamic starts to gradually gleam in moments that are ordinary, yet simultaneously swoon-worthy. If slow burns are your bread and butter, High Potential, which is now streaming on Hulu, is worth watching for countless reasons.

High Potential's Morgan and Karadec Are the Quintessential Grump and Sunshine

Few tropes are as incredible in the romance genre as the grumpy-sunshine dynamic, and from the start, Morgan and Karadec are effortlessly enticing. He likes things the way they are—structured, specific, in order—but she revels in all the small details. His outfits are made up of basics and mostly dark colors, but she's mismatched and bright. Her way of operating is the polar opposite of his, but slowly, he starts to welcome it all, embracing her sunlight in ways that help him soften throughout the course of the two seasons so far.

Despite being completely different, the two of them start to work well together, showcasing that no one else could be more fit to be a better partner. Season 1 is all about establishing trust in each other, but in Season 2, we start to dive into the more vulnerable revelations. They're more open with each other and fully comfortable. She can sit in a car and openly ask him about his relationship with his ex-fiancée. He knows when she's upset, and can remind her of her value. And when she has a panic attack for the first time and the light fully leaves her for a beat, he's the one who jumps to pull her out of the waves.

Typically, this trope often does an exceptional job of keeping people on their toes because we're never quite sure what we're going to get. Like Bones and Castle (2009), the partnership functions as a tight thread that fuses the best and worst of both characters into a stunning marriage that basically leaps off the screen. One person annoying the other is a whole lot of fun, because once they do something nice, like bringing over a sandwich or giving a simple pat on the back, the gravitas of the gesture speaks even louder. So if you're a fan of the grump-and-sunshine trope, but are still sleeping on Morgadec, I can promise you'll adore these two.

The Slow Burn Continues to Make Every Episode of ‘High Potential’ Enthralling 

The best part of High Potential right now is that it's a slow, slow burn. The writers and actors could tease all they want, but the hints of this partnership becoming something more in the future is etched into the show's floor plan. And the most exciting part of a slow burn is that so much can happen until then. Karadec is currently back with his former fiancée, guest starring Susan Kelechi Watson, and understandably, when the show finds Morgan's previous partner and eldest daughter's father, Roman, his inclusion in the show could also throw a wrench in their potential relationship.

How or what will finally thrust the two of them together doesn't matter because the appeal of a slow burn comes from drawing things out. It comes from every little moment where they don't realize that their feelings are bigger than they're capable of processing at the moment. There's excitement in the brief beats of longing that they'll have to combat because of the case or the current situation. There's something to look forward to in how Karadec always carries an extra pair of gloves for her or the fact that he knows her food orders by heart. There's excitement in knowing that if she's ever holding his phone, she'll change his ringtone to something ridiculous. There's a lot to appreciate about the fact that on the job, these two are first and foremost looking out for each other.

The groundwork is all there for Morgadec as partners who are best equipped to be together on and off the field. The differences they share don't clash, and they provide exactly what the other needs. Their similarities in all the right areas make their interactions that much more exciting. More importantly, the performances and chemistry matter significantly. We have to believe in what the pair is trying to deliver, and Olson and Sunjata's performances make that effortless. Their chemistry as partners on the field makes the dynamic wildly fun, but at the same time, the romantic chemistry is all there, tucked inside in all the small ways the characters show each other just how important they are to one another. 

For many, Neve Campbell is synonymous with the Scream franchise. While her breakthrough role occurred a few years earlier in nParty of Five, 1996's Scream truly put her on the map. Appearing in every one of the Scream movies besides Scream VI (2022), enduring final girl Sidney Prescott is undoubtedly her defining role—and for good reason. She's never the helpless victim. Instead, she remains resilient, caring, and compassionate, despite her all-too-frequent run-ins with various Ghostface killers. Campbell captures it all perfectly. However, the Scream movies are far from the only things listed on her filmography. 

If you're craving more from the actress after Scream 7 (2026) but want to see what she's done outside of the slasher franchise, here are the best Neve Campbell movies and TV shows to watch now. Find them on streamers like Prime Video, Netflix, and more. 

Party of Five (1994-2000)

While Neve Campbell is Sidney Prescott for so many, for others, she was (and is) Julia from Party of Five. As one of the teen dramas of the '90s, the six-season series follows the lives of five siblings who are forced to bring themselves up after their parents die in a tragic car accident. Although there are similar beats to Full House (1987) and Freaks and Geeks (1999) in there, Party Five lingers longer on more complex topics like grief and children growing up more quickly than they should. 

Campbell's role as Julia isn't quite so instantly likable as her role as Sidney Prescott. However, that perception might change, depending on your insight into the character. Campbell plays the messy, often whiny teenager trope to perfection. Sure, it's aggravating at times, but beneath all Julia's flaws, she's got a good heart. Check out Party of Five if you want to see Campbell's breakthrough role. 

The Craft (1996)

Coming out six months before Scream hit theaters in December of 1996, The Craft hinted at Neve Campbell's talent for horror. Her character, Bonnie, is very different from Sidney. She is much more timid and awkward, acting as the teenage coven of witches' more sympathetic character… until she's not. While The Craft is very much Fairuza Balk's movie (and yeah, I suppose Robin Tunney's, too), Campbell plays an important supporting role alongside Rachel True. 

Ask any millennial what they know Neve Campbell from besides Scream, and they'll surely tell you this movie. The Craft drips with '90s nostalgia while telling a compelling story about the dark world of teenage girls. If you like witchy coming-of-age stories like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018) or the dark comedy and high school setting of Jennifer's Body (2009), then you'll love The Craft. That's a promise! 

Wild Things (1998)

Listen, a lot of people like Wild Things, and a lot of people rank it as one of Neve Campbell's best movies. Both of these things are true, as long as you keep your expectations in check. Wild Things involves a twisty (and, let's be real, convoluted) plot about two female students who accuse their guidance counselor of rape. It sounds dark, and it is dark. However, Wild Things also retains a campy, almost sleazy, erotic thriller vibe. 

Really, it's the first time audiences got to see Neve Campbell in a more mature role that challenged her "girl next door" reputation. If you dig the dark, pulpy thrillers of the '90s and early '00s like Sliver (1993) and Cruel Intentions (1999), then Wild Things is the perfect choice for when you want something fun and maybe even a little trashy. 

Panic (2000)

If crime dramas are more your speed, then check out Panic. Here, William H. Macy plays an anxious hitman, whose midlife crisis sends him into the arms of a therapist (John Ritter) and a younger woman (Campbell). The cast is stacked, with Tracey Ullman and Donald Sutherland also playing important roles. While Panic is billed as a straightforward crime drama, it's much more humorous and quirky than its packaging might hint. 

Campbell holds her own among an experienced cast, playing a memorable, melancholic artist who is reluctant to get involved with a married man. With a unique, character-driven narrative, Panic is the sweet spot between intense movies like American Psycho (2000) and more comedic romantic dramas like High Fidelity (2000). 

The Company (2003)

Those who only know Neve Campbell for horror or her darker thriller roles meet The Company, which sees her step into the role of a professional ballerina who must navigate the rigorous demands set by The Joffrey Ballet. Campbell also serves as a producer and co-writer of the film, proving her talent isn't just in front of the camera but behind it, too. 

While technically a drama, The Company retains a realistic tone due to its documentary-style filming. And, if you're a dancer, you'll appreciate the movie's depiction of the unglamorous, brutal, and downright challenging aspects of the art. In that regard, it's similar to Center Stage (2000) or even The Last Showgirl (2024), which strive to strip away the bright pink tutus and sparkly rhinestones to tell the human struggles behind the scenes. 

The Lincoln Lawyer (2022-Present) 

If classic procedurals and legal dramas like Law & Order: SVU (1999) and Matlock (1986) still have you in a choke hold, then you'll love The Lincoln Lawyer, which follows a LA-based defense attorney (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) who operates out of his Lincoln Town Car—hence the show's title. Campbell also plays a meaty role in the series as the said defence attorney's ex-wife and criminal prosecutor. 

The Lincoln Lawyer might be modern television, but it retains that old-school legal drama charm popularized by things like Perry Mason (1957) and the aforementioned Matlock. It's not always high-octane action, but The Lincoln Lawyer ensures his quieter moments also stay interesting, thanks to strong character-driven storytelling, interesting cases, and a little humor. If you want Neve Campbell in one of her more recent roles outside of Scream 7, you can't go wrong with this one.  

Adam Sandler has always been one of those actors people think they've figured out until they actually sit down and watch him properly. For decades, he's been labeled everything from goofy comedy guy to nostalgia merchant to unexpected dramatic powerhouse, depending on which phase of his career you walked in on. But the truth, which Jennifer Aniston knows, is that he's so much more than that.

WATCH: Jennifer Aniston SHOCKS Billy Crudup With Her Guilty Pleasure Watch

Sandler creates movies and television specials that people want to rewatch. The kind you put on when you don't want to think too hard but still want to feel something. That's why Aniston telling JustWatch that she's a massive fan of Sandler's 2018 Netflix stand-up comedy special, Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh, doesn't feel surprising at all. Even if it caught her The Morning Show co-star Billy Crudup off guard.

"You know what I watched many, many, many, many times over and over again—100% Fresh," Aniston said without hesitation. "It was Sandler's first show that he did for Netflix, where he wrote all of these songs. He performs… He does… It's brilliant. You will laugh. You will cry. And it is incredible." Crudup may have been surprised, but viewers who've spent any time with Sandler's work probably weren't.

Adam Sandler Still Works (And Always Has)

Before the dramatic acclaim and Netflix deals, Sandler built his career on something deceptively difficult: making audiences feel comfortable. From his Saturday Night Live (1975) days to blockbuster comedies, his humor was never just about punchlines. It was about awkward sweetness, loyalty, and characters who felt oddly real beneath the slapstick chaos.

The Wedding Singer (1998) remains one of the clearest examples. On paper, it's a ridiculous '80s-set romantic comedy. But in practice, it's one of the most sincere rom-coms ever made, which is largely because of Sandler's performance. His airplane rendition of "Grow Old With You" somehow turns a goofy premise into a genuinely romantic movie moment that still works decades later.

That very specific emotional undercurrent carried through films like Big Daddy (1999), Mr. Deeds (2002), and 50 First Dates (2004). All these movies start as broad comedies but sneakily deliver some serious emotional messages when you least expect them. Then came the reminder that Sandler could go so much further than playing the loveable goofball.

His performances in projects like 2019's Uncut Gems showed a completely different intensity, proving that the vulnerability audiences sensed all along wasn't accidental. And with newer dramatic work alongside George Clooney in 2025's Jay Kelly, Sandler continues to shift expectations while still returning to the comedy style that made audiences love him in the first place.

Why To Watch 'Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh' (And What To Watch After)

Released as Sandler's first Netflix comedy special, Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh feels less like traditional stand-up and more like spending an evening inside his creative brain. The special features live performances from different venues with original comedic songs that range from absurd observations to unexpectedly heartfelt reflections on family, aging, and friendship.

One second you're laughing at an intentionally silly lyric, and the next, you're totally caught off guard by a meaningful anecdote (which is the emotional swing that Aniston was talking about). It's what makes the special stand out among Netflix's comedy lineup. It's ideal for anyone who enjoys musical comedy or storytelling stand-up.

If 100% Fresh leaves you wanting more Sandler (and it probably will), the obvious next step is revisiting his collaborations with Aniston, starting with the 2011 comedy, Just Go With It. The story follows plastic surgeon Dr. Danny Maccabee (Sandler), who gets his assistant Katherine Murphy (Aniston) to pretend to be his ex-wife during a trip to Hawaii, so that he can win over Palmer Dodge (Brooklyn Decker).

Murder Mystery (2019) is also a must. The story begins when a married couple, Nick (Sandler) and Audrey (Aniston) Spitz, go on a European vacation. But their carefully planned downtime turns into a murder investigation when they're framed for a billionaire's death aboard a luxury yacht. It's a fun movie where the actors' chemistry does most of the heavy lifting.

In preparation for Season 2, JustWatch caught up with some of the Fallout (2024) cast and crew, including star Kyle MacLachlan, director Jonathan Nolan, and co-showrunner/co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. When asked about the guilty pleasure movie or show they'd smuggle into their vaults to watch on loop, they each had very different answers, although MacLachlan's choice remains somewhat of an outlier. 

WATCH: Fallout's Kyle MacLachlan Has The ULTIMATE Comfort Watch!

Displeased that he wasn't able to bring his Nintendo Switch, Nolan gave, perhaps, the most appropriate answer by naming his own TV show. "You didn't offer video games, so Fallout would be the obvious answer." That elicited chuckles from the rest of the cast. Robertson-Dworet, however, gave what can only be described as a smart answer. "I'd bring Star Trek because there are so many episodes." Although she didn't specify whether she meant Star Trek: The Original Series (1966) or the greater Star Trek franchise as a whole, she can't really go wrong either way. The Original Series boasts an impressive 79 episodes, while the franchise has nearly 1000 episodes total. 

Then comes Kyle MacLachlan, who trades his colleague's sci-fi answers for something more family-friendly and festive. "As an ode to Macaulay Culkin, I would bring Home Alone," MacLachlan said. "So, we'd watch Home Alone again and again just because of Macaulay. I really like him." 

Honestly, these are solid answers all around, but if this were a competition (which it's not), I'd give Robertson-Dworet the gold medal. Star Trek makes the ultimate vault pick, even if it isn't technically a guilty pleasure, at least according to me and a whole army of nerds. 

'Star Trek' Has The Most Rewatch Values

If we're considering a true bunker situation here, then Star Trek is the perfect choice. As Robertson-Dworet said, "I feel like Star Trek is a great blend of quality and quantity," and she's absolutely right. Whether you're watching early installments like Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) or newer series like Star Trek: Discovery (2017), you'll get an absurd amount of episodes to binge, with a good chunk of them being really solid TV. 

Another plus about shows like TNG and Star Trek: Voyager (1995) is the "alien of the week" format, which allows you to jump in and out of episodes without worrying about missing vital plot points. Again, though, Star Trek truly has everything, so if you want more serialized storytelling, look to Star Trek: Picard (2020) and the aforementioned Discovery. 

That's not to say that Fallout or Home Alone don't have a place in the vaults, but I think we can all agree that they're lacking variety. Fallout only has two seasons thus far, and Home Alone is a singular 103-minute movie. If you want variety and expansive worldbuilding, Star Trek is the best choice. 

Why To Watch 'Home Alone' And 'Fallout'

That said, Home Alone and Fallout certainly are strong picks. Fallout has truly set a new precedent for video-game-to-screen adaptations, ranking alongside shows like The Last of Us (2023) and Arcane (2021) as bona fide hits attracting gamers and non-gamers alike. With a stellar cast, dark humor, and its signature retro-futuristic '50s style, Fallout will appeal to anyone who likes good, character-driven storytelling, especially in an apocalyptic setting. Think of things like The Walking Dead (2010), but trade zombies for Vault-Tec baddies and antagonistic wasteland raiders. 

However, if that isn't really your vibe, then Home Alone makes an excellent contender. It's one of the most beloved Christmas movies for a reason. With the perfect balance of slapstick shenanigans, emotional heart, and a hefty dose of nostalgia, Home Alone is the ultimate family movie night pick. And, yes, MacLachlan is right, Macaulay Culkin is great in it. If you love Christmas comedies like A Christmas Story (1983) or just want to see what is arguably Macaulay Culkin's most famous role, Home Alone is your answer. 

With its sharp screenplay, riveting characters, and an action-packed premise, The Night Agent (2023) grew in popularity during its debut season and immediately surprised fans. But with a huge change in casting at the end of Season 2, the series's third season isn't what most people signed up for. Spy dramas aren't rare in Hollywood, and there's certainly space for them in a wide variety of angles, but The Night Agent stood out because of how it took on a romantic relationship. In the same way that people appreciated a movie like Black Bag (2025), a good chunk of viewers hopped aboard the Netflix series after learning there's a romance included.

According to Deadline, the show's viewership dropped by 40%, bringing down the weekly number to 8.4 million views. We can perhaps make an argument about how there's a lot on air right now, including other popular shows like Bridgerton (2020), but the result speaks for itself—people are rightfully upset by the decision to leave out Luciane Buchanan's Rose Larkin this season.

'The Night Agent' Stood Out Because Of Its Romantic Arc Between Peter And Rose

The series begins when Rose Larkin makes a phone call to Night Action, and Gabriel Basso's Peter Sutherland answers. As the first season follows the two of them in an attempt to get away from assassins and government conspiracies, their organic road to falling for one another is what stands out. In a genre where romance is more rare, the first season's promise drew in viewers who would've otherwise skipped out on the series.

And while fandom isn't the summit of a show's popularity, they're a significant part of the audience. The general public might be in it for a quick and easy action series, but it's the show's fandom that's keeping conversations about it alive when it's off-air. It's the online buzz with fan videos and interviews going viral on social media that then sparks curiosity and brings in more viewers. For The Night Agent, there's no denying that it was the relationship between Rose and Peter that drew in more viewers, so the decision to remove her character in Season 3 ultimately alienated a large number of viewers.

When it's her compelling character that made the series unique alongside the romance, taking her out of the equation doesn't leave much room for intrigue. And while, yes, it's perhaps easy to understand that she isn't in the picture because Peter wants to protect her out of love, the fact that viewers don't even see her isn't a good sign to guarantee their return. 

For countless people, she's their favorite character, and the reason fans eagerly binged the series and then rewatched it, too. To remove her entirely alters the course of the show that people originally signed up for. The Night Agent is Peter and Rose. If it was always meant to be an anthology of sorts, with alternating characters, then the couple should've ended things in Season 1.

Romance Always Sells – And There's A Reason For It

Every genre is worth its salt, and every genre has something viewers can look forward to, but executives often underestimate just how much romance is capable of marketing. It's currently the highest-selling genre in literature, and before Bridgerton came to Netflix, few things were topping Stranger Things (2016) in viewership. Romantic relationships are a realistic part of our everyday lives, so the inclusion of them in the fiction we consume matters, too.

It draws in viewers who want to see real human emotions, vulnerabilities, and character growth that can often only happen in the quiet moments when a series slows down and draws back the curtain. For The Night Agent, we often got to know Peter through Rose, and it allowed viewers to connect with him on a deeper level. Now that she's gone, there's a detachment from him, too. 

Numbers talk, and there's a reason that a sneak peek of a first kiss or some sort of romantic moment will often get more views. The success of a show like Heated Rivalry (2025) continues to authenticate that viewers want to connect with the characters on their screens, and while we often can't do that with their jobs, we can see their humanity and growth through their relationships because it's a language we all understand. It's human, plain and simple.

Not all of us are agents or hockey players or regency era debutantes, but people understand what it's like to connect with another human being, and once a series starts with that only to remove it, it isn't surprising that its following season would suffer. Rose Larkin became the heart of the show, and to say that she isn't here because Peter can't protect her also dismisses her strength and all that she's had to overcome from the trauma she's endured. If she hadn't returned in Season 2, this could've been a different story. Lastly, the romance grounded the show, allowing it to be more layered, but removing it takes away enough vulnerability that while Season 3 is intriguing, it's unremarkable by the end.

Boomer comedies are a very specific brand of funny. They're often built around suburban dissatisfaction, sexual politics, rebellion that feels half-serious and half-accidental, and protagonists who are either deeply confused or wildly overconfident (sometimes both). The humor in these films is shaped by a generation coming of age during cultural upheaval. So the laughs come from discomfort, from excess, and from poking at institutions that felt untouchable at the time.

And yes, some of these films haven't aged very well. There are outdated gender roles, questionable jokes, and themes that would absolutely be handled differently today. But when you view them within the context of their era (and with a little critical distance), they're still influential and genuinely funny. A lot of them cycle through platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, and more, which makes revisiting (or discovering) them surprisingly easy.

The Graduate (1967)

The Graduate follows Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), who comes home from college with no real plan and a growing sense that adulthood might be a trap. He begins an affair with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), the wife of his father's friend, mostly out of boredom and confusion. Everything becomes infinitely more complicated when he falls for her daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross), turning an awkward fling into emotional fallout.

The Graduate is the blueprint for existential romantic comedy, and it still feels weirdly modern in its anxiety. Dustin Hoffman plays Benjamin with such specific, uncomfortable energy that you can almost feel the secondhand embarrassment radiating off the screen. The age-gap dynamic and manipulation are undeniably messy, but the satire of suburban expectations is so sharp that it earns its place in the canon. It's perfect for fans of chaotic romances like 1995's Before Sunrise.

The Jerk (1979)

The Jerk follows Navin Johnson (Steve Martin), who grows up blissfully unaware of how unprepared he is for the real world and decides to leave his home in Mississippi to make it in Los Angeles. His efforts include taking some very bizarre jobs and accidentally inventing a few things. Navin also experiences a few romantic missteps that spiral in increasingly absurd directions. Against all odds, he experiences both meteoric success and spectacular collapse.

Martin commits so fully to Navin's oblivious optimism that it becomes comedic genius instead of parody. The opening race-related joke (Navin is the white adopted son of a Black family) is intentionally satirical but understandably uncomfortable now, and it's important to acknowledge that before diving in. Still, the film's escalating ridiculousness and fearless commitment to absurdity make it one of the boldest comedies of its era. It's ideal for fans of completely unhinged movies like Airplane! (1980)

Caddyshack (1980)

Set at the elite Bushwood Country Club, Caddyshack follows Danny Noonan (Michael O'Keefe), who takes a job as a caddie to cover his college tuition. What he didn't bank on was having to manage the antics of the club's eccentric members, like Ty Webb (Chevy Chase), the son of one of the club's founders. At the same time, a groundskeeper (Bill Murray) declares all-out war on a destructive gopher. The story barely holds itself together, but that's honestly part of the charm.

Caddyshack essentially runs on goofiness, energy, and vibes, yet somehow that's enough. But the standout is Murray, who delivers a performance that feels like he wandered in from another film entirely and decided to just do his own thing. Some of the humor is crude and very of its time, but if you surrender to the madness, it's still ridiculously fun. It's perfect for viewers who love big, personality-driven comedies like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004).

Tootsie (1982)

Tootsie follows struggling actor Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman), who finds himself unemployable due to his reputation for being difficult to work with. In desperation, he disguises himself as a woman named Dorothy Michaels to land a role on a popular soap opera. The deception spirals as Dorothy becomes a star and Michael develops real feelings for his co-star, Julie Nichols (Jessica Lange), who is completely clueless about his secret.

Tootsie could have been a one-note gimmick. But it turns into a surprisingly thoughtful comedy about empathy and workplace sexism. Hoffman balances farce and sincerity in a way that makes you laugh and then reflect a second later. Some of the gender politics feel dated, but the film's core message about being taken seriously still hits. It's a great pick for fans of identity-switch comedies like Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) that mix humor with social commentary.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels follows Freddy Benson (Steve Martin) and Lawrence Jamieson (Michael Caine), two rival con artists operating on the French Riviera who discover they can't coexist peacefully in the same territory. To settle their feud, they make a bet to see who can swindle a wealthy heiress out of $50,000 first. The competition escalates into increasingly elaborate schemes and psychological warfare because the loser will be forced to leave town.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a boomer comedy polished to a champagne-sipping shine. Martin and Caine bounce off each other with such precise timing that every insult feels choreographed. Some jokes rely on stereotypes and manipulation in ways that feel a little gross now. But the confidence of the performances keeps it deliciously entertaining. It's a great pick for fans of slick con-artist comedies like Ocean's Eleven (2001) that thrive on charm, deception, and clever reversals.

Movies about the end of the world have been around for ages, with generations of moviegoers terrified by the dangerous potential of zombie outbreaks, ecological disasters, or devastating war. All of the best examples of this sub-genre have their eye just as firmly on the human condition as the sense of terrible spectacle, with the best apocalyptic movies and shows blending their surrounding cultural touchstones into the storytelling.

This is never clearer than in the best apocalypse stories set in the UK, with films like the newly released 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) showcasing all the ways that British filmmakers have been able to use the chaos of their apocalypse stories to depict different corners of humanity. The best are scary, funny, and haunting in equal measure. These are the best apocalyptic movies set in the United Kingdom, including how to watch them on Netflix, HBO Max, and more.

28 Days Later (2002)

As the ultimate exploration of a post-apocalyptic United Kingdom in terms of raw humanity and horrifying sights, the series spawned by 28 Days Later remains a benchmark of the sub-genre and some of the most emotionally compelling of the broad blockbuster-style horror films. Set in a UK where a highly infectious disease known as Rage has turned most of the population into ravenous new states, the films are undoubtedly horrifying but also quietly focused on the emotional and moral core of the characters above all else.

The more action-packed sequel 28 Weeks Later (2007)  goes big but loses some of that energy, while the more recent 28 Years Later (2025) and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple take things to an epic scale while zeroing in on the remnants of humanity. Closer to the more thoughtful stories of George A. Romero, like Dawn of the Dead (1978), the 28 Days Later franchise doesn’t just depict an apocalypse, but the world that springs back to life afterwards.

Doomsday (2008)

A headbanging punk riff of a movie, Doomsday is purposefully intense, chaotic, and thrilling. It ventures into a post-apocalyptic Scotland that has been transformed by the Reaper Virus into a brutal battlefield full of marauders and feudal lords who have taken over the countryside. Helmed by The Descent (2005) director Neil Marshall, there’s a mix of excessive action and ambitious scope that the filmmaker would hone to better effect in some of the most iconic episodes of Game of Thrones (2011), like the Battle of the Blackwater or the assault on the Wall.

Doomsday is a brutal film with some very wild action, so its mix of gore and bombast might not be for everyone. If you love the chaos of films like Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), though, you’ll get a kick out of this gruesome good time.

Children of Men (2006)

One of the best sci-fi films of the 21st century, Children of Men takes a harrowing premise and depicts how the loss of hope for the future can turn a realistic world into a grim future—and how to break through the fog even for a moment. Clive Owen’s bleakly determined Theo is surviving in a world where everyone has become sterile, only to find himself drawn into a mission to rescue the first pregnant woman anyone has seen in years.

A surprisingly charming and deeply tragic central cast draws the audience into a slow-burning apocalypse that can suddenly become brutal, building to one of the best longtakes in modern cinema when a firefight goes silent. Similar in tone to films like The Road (2009) and The Rover (2014), Children of Men’s emotional depth and powerful visuals elevate it among its peers.

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

A bittersweet goofball movie that takes equal cues from Spaced (1999) as it does from Night of the Living Dead (1968), Shaun of the Dead is one of the greatest comedies in modern movies and a pitch-perfect UK-set zombie apocalypse story. Trying to survive a zombie uprising throughout the streets of England, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s Shaun and Ed are compelling comedy leads, but also compelling central characters for an end-of-the-world scenario in general.

The rest of the Cornetto Trilogy, which includes Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World’s End (2013), tries to match Shaun of the Dead in terms of inspiration and comedy, but there’s a certain unspoken reluctance to grow up and face the challenge that gives this film a surprisingly grounded and emotional arc between friends. Hilarious and occasionally horrifying, Shaun of the Dead is the funniest apocalypse movie you’ll ever see.

Dead Set (2008)

A terrific precursor to his work on Black Mirror (2011), Dead Set is one of Charlie Brooker’s best direct riffs on modern pop culture. The show focuses on the latest cast of Big Brother (2000) and the production crew during the chaos of a zombie outbreak. The show does a great job of alternating between the outside challenges faced by Riz Ahmed’s Riq and the chaos of the Big Brother house as they slowly realize something is going on.

Hilarious and horrifying at the same time, Brooker’s scripts are top-notch takedowns of the iconic reality show, offering some of the sly social satire that the director would use to define his approach to the sci-fi genre in later work. Dead Set feels in line with Shaun of the Dead and Anna and the Apocalypse (2018), but as a bleak comedy that knows how to use the horror tropes for scares and laughs when it needs to.

V for Vendetta (2006)

Based on the Alan Moore and David Lloyd comic story of the same name, V for Vendetta is a ham-fisted but entertaining depiction of a totalitarian apocalypse that is elevated by some really fun action beats and the strength of the source material. Set in a police state version of England, an anarchist known only as V terrorizes the government while also quietly mentoring a young woman named Evey.

Natalie Portman gets a great showcase in the film opposite a perpetually masked Hugo Weaving, with the pair finding some really strong chemistry in their tragic, complex, and unsettling bond. The Wachowskis take advantage of the action experience they got on The Matrix (1999), turning V into a slick and efficient fighter. While the original graphic novel remains a far superior piece of work, fans of broad blockbuster action set pieces and political satire will find plenty to love about this film. 

Threads (1986) 

One of the most haunting anti-war films of all time, the painfully British Threads remains horrifying decades later. A grounded and relatively realistic depiction of what a nuclear war would do to the world, the film centers on the average couple of Ruth and Jimmy as society collapses around them in the aftermath of a nuclear war.

Without any of the typical heroics or horror tropes to take the story into a place of fantasy, Threads is a grim film that lands with harrowing effect. Similar to its American counterpart, The Day After (1983), and other realistic ends of the world in fiction, such as the one in Paradise (2025), there’s a bluntness to the horror that showcases how quickly humanity can go out the window when the end comes. Arguably the most tragic of the apocalypse stories on this list, Threads is scary because of just how real it feels.

The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)

Set in a world where most of humanity has been transformed into a mindless and ravenous state by an infectious disease spread through spores in the air, soldiers and doctors try to create a cure in the harrowing The Girl with All the Gifts. A precursor to shows like The Last of Us (2023) and depicted with a blunt edge that still leaves room for emotional turns, The Girl with All the Gifts subverts the typical narrative structure of a "special child" story in these settings, taking a dark turn in the latter half that adds real depth to the film.

The strong script by Mike Carey is bolstered by a terrific cast, who never lose sight of the humanity of their characters while still exploring typical archetypes of the genre. Benefiting from some really good horror turns and some genuinely thorny questions about morality in an apocalyptic scenario, The Girl with All the Gifts is a terrific horror film that knows when to play the story for pure drama.

You, Me, and the Apocalypse (2015-2022)

Wacky, weird, and surprisingly spiritual, You, Me, and the Apocalypse is a global story of faith and humanity in the face of the unknown. The show is split between multiple narratives, following various casts as they converge into a bunker in Slough as a comet approaches the Earth.

As the show progresses, the unique blend of spiritual mission, unavoidable dread, and bleak comedy makes it a thoughtful counterpart to Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) or Don’t Look Up (2021), albeit with a bit of the fantastical edge that makes shows like Good Omens (2019) so much fun. A twisty-turny narrative and fun characters all come together to elevate the show, making it one of the most entertaining UK apocalypse stories out there.

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette (2026) is the biggest surprise of the year as a series that highlights a time in history everyone and their mothers are still obsessed with. Upon its announcement, it was easy to be frustrated with yet another biopic of sorts that'd essentially be a cash grab for people who've experienced far more grief and horrors than any human should. Yet, the FX series is shockingly taking on pieces of history with the grace and empathy necessary to underscore how the biggest problem in their story was always the paparazzi and the public. 

The show's success is also in large part due to its illustrious cast, who are embodying the figures we know so well that they're sure to entice new viewers to come aboard. If you're now obsessed with and want to watch these actors in other properties, here are the Love Story cast's most famous roles, as well as where you can watch them on Prime Video, Netflix, and more.

Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr.

There's nothing worse than discovering a new actor who feels like he stepped out of a time machine from an old Hollywood film, only to realize that he doesn't have a filmography you can look back on. That's right—the role of JFK Jr. is Paul Kelly's first acting gig, and it's wild to think that he has been auditioning for 12 years without any callbacks, as he mentioned on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

But Kelly is so exceptional in his performance as JFK Jr. that fans are now rooting for him to play Bruce Wayne in James Gunn's DCEU. In addition, he's now a popular fan cast for any adaptations getting announced because his work on Love Story proves that Hollywood has been sleeping on the kind of exceptional talent viewers want more of.

One to watch: It's simple, if Christian Bale in The Dark Knight franchise is your Batman, then watch Love Story to see what Paul Kelly is capable of. 

Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette Kennedy

As much as Love Story centers around romance, it's Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's story that stands out. She's the one we're in awe of and wholly enamored with. In her casting, Sarah Piegeon not only had enormous shoes to fill, but an almost indescribable essence, too, and she does so brilliantly. How she commands a scene and imbues Carolyn with such heart and grace is accolade-worthy. It's awe-inspiring, really.

Before she stole every scene and all our hearts, however, a dark-haired Sarah Pidgeon starred in a pivotal role in I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025). But countless fans might also recognize her work in The Wilds (2020) or Tiny Beautiful Things (2023), where she ultimately showcased just how much she's capable of and the range she can bring to our screens. 

One to watch: If you love shows with strong women leading the cast like Yellowjackets (2021), try The Wilds for a number of similar beats.

Naomi Watts as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

In truth, Naomi Watts is somewhat miscast as Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis, but to embody the late president's wife is a tremendous risk for any actress. Still, Watts adds a warmth and understanding to her that certainly works and rectifies some of the issues in her accent. So, because of that, there will be limited complaints from me. The heart is there, and that much feels right.

Watts is also an incredible actress who's maybe one of the most recognizable faces on this list, from iconic movies like Mulholland Drive (2001), to horrors like The Ring (2002), and heartbreaking movies like The Impossible (2012). Watts is versatile enough to take on any role while adding her own unique spin on them, which is precisely what makes her so great here in the limited time we get.

One to watch: If you're a fan of Twin Peaks (1990), then Mulholland Drive is a must-watch to get more of David Lynch's iconic vision as a director.

Grace Gummer as Caroline Kennedy

While many people recognize Grace Gummer as one of Meryl Streep's daughters, she's consistently made a name for herself as an impeccable actress with excellent range. Gummer could not be more perfect as Caroline Kennedy, and how she's able to convey her poise and gentleness in a natural union is absolutely stunning.

Gummer is also fantastic at carefully adding layers to all the characters she plays in order to give us a sense of familiarity with their essence, even if we don't spend too much time with them. That said, her performance in The Newsroom (2012) is among the most astounding performances to give us a journalist who's full of complexities in a manner that makes the series twice as intriguing.

One to watch: If you love shows like The Morning Show (2019), check out The Newsroom as another take on news-based journalism and plenty of drama.

Erich Bergen as Anthony Radziwiłł

Few things delight me more than seeing theatre actors on my screen, cast in roles they're absolutely perfect for. As a longtime fan of Erich Bergen, I was excited to see him in the Love Story cast list and knew he'd nail the role perfectly, adding layers and depth in a way that'd make Anthony Radziwiłł's story hit even harder for those who aren't familiar with it.

From Jersey Boys (2014) to Madam Secretary (2014), Bergen is particularly great at making smaller roles wildly memorable while bringing a levity to his characters in a way that makes them stand out. His work in Madam Secretary is something that's outright phenomenal, and how he's consistently held his own beside Téa Leoni is one of the best details in the show. 

One to watch: If you love watching political shows centered around women like Veep (2012), check out Madam Secretary for its incredible focus on politics, too.

Ben Shenkman as Edwin Schlossberg

Ben Shenkman is an actor who's been around for quite some time now, and there are likely countless properties viewers have seen him in that they may not even realize. While his role in Love Story’s first four episodes is somewhat quieter, Shenkman is still infusing plenty into the scenes he's in, quietly listening and allowing us to understand most of what's necessary. 

Interestingly, this isn't the first time Shenkman has acted alongside the Streep/Gummer family, but one of his best roles is in Angels in America (2003), alongside his on-screen wife's mother, the iconic Meryl Streep. Shenkman's performance in the limited series is one of the standouts, making it an absolute must-watch as a thoughtful series that addresses AIDS, politics, identity, and more.

One to watch: If you loved Queer as Folk (2000), check out Angels in America for great LGBTQ+ representation.

Leila George as Kelly Klein

Leila George's performance as Kelly Klein is incredible, and every time she shares a scene with Pidgeon's Carolyn, the spark between the two women is stunning. George is especially skilled in bringing to life complex women in TV shows like Disclaimer (2024) and Animal Kingdom (2016).

There's a lived-in, grounded element to how George brings life to characters that almost makes it feel like she was born to play the role, with attributes that are both familiar and unique. It's often challenging to portray a character another actor has or is currently bringing to life (as she's done with Animal Kingdom), so the fact that George can do it is a skill in and of itself, and it makes Kelly even more gripping in Love Story.

One to watch: If you love high-stakes shows like Sons of Anarchy (2008), check out Animal Kingdom for similar family dynamics.

Alessandro Nivola as Calvin Klein

Alessandro Nivola feels so much like Calvin Klein, it's almost wild. And the actor has been around for a while now, so you've likely seen him in movies like The Brutalist (2024) or shows like Royal Pains (2009). But it's his role as Dickie Moltisanti in The Many Saints of Newark (2021) that might feature his best performance to date.

How Nivola embodies Dickie's complex persona is also largely why he's such a great actor to portray the fashion designer today. Klein's elusiveness in the series that's paired with his drive to be successful is brought to life with a riveting portrayal that makes Nivola especially fascinating to watch alongside every other actor in the series.

One to watch: If you loved The Sopranos (1999), The Many Saints of Newark is worth watching for the performances. 

Sydney Lemmon as Lauren Bessette 

Sydney Lemmon as Lauren Bessette might not be seen as much as we'd like in Love Story’s first four episodes currently available at the time of writing this article, but she's important to Carolyn, and everything that we've seen from Lemmon thus far proves that she understands the tremendous shoes she'll be filling.

Fans may recognize Lemmon from various roles like Whitney in Tár (2022) and Isabelle in Fear the Walking Dead (2015). Despite smaller roles, Lemmon is fantastic at ensuring that we remember her characters, making the casting of Lauren excellent. She's also confirmed to be in A24's The Drama (2026) this year, so there's something to look forward to after this series ends.

One to watch: If you love zombie shows like Black Summer (2019), try Fear the Walking Dead.

The Game of Thrones universe is not exactly the right place to be if you want to get attached to a character and hope they get a happy ending. Happy endings are not exactly the Game of Thrones brand. But even with that warning, it’s fair to say that some had a worse ending than others. In fact, Game of Thrones was one of the shows that directly contributed to our trust issues with TV.

We’re not saying it’s wholly responsible for our belief that “no one’s truly safe” on TV, but we’re also not saying it didn’t play a big role. Because the franchise, including House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, has given us devastating death after devastating death. And they’re not anywhere near done.

Before House of the Dragon returns to kill more of our favorites, let’s count down which Game of Thrones deaths have hurt us the most so far. This is not an exhaustive list of all the characters that have died, of course, but these ones just cut deeper.

10. Daenerys Targaryen - Game of Thrones

Seeing Daenerys die was pretty traumatic. She was one of our protagonists! We were rooting for her before she even had dragons. And to die at the hands of Jon, whom she loved? Tragic. What was even more tragic? The fact that, at that point, the show had made so many bad choices with her storyline that we couldn’t even mourn her properly. Instead, we were just angry.

It’s not even the ending. If Game of Thrones had actually set up Daenerys as a “Mad Queen,” perhaps her decision to burn down King’s Landing would have made sense. Instead, the show tried to turn her into a villain, like you flip a coin, and it didn’t even work. So, yes, it was sad. But not as sad as it would have been if the show had actually done a good job of writing it.

9. Rickon Stark - Game of Thrones

This is one of those deaths that hurts more on principle than in reality. We saw Rickon as a kid, and we were pretty invested in the Starks reuniting. Unfortunately, by the time Rickon reappeared, only to basically get killed right away, we couldn’t even recognize him and had a hard time following his story up to that point. The only reason we really cared was because Jon and Sansa cared.

Killing a Stark should have been devastating, but just like Daenerys, this was another case where the show wanted us to care more than we really did. While Rickon hurts more than some other deaths, it’s still not as bad as it could have been.

8. Shireen Baratheon - Game of Thrones

Shireen Baratheon hurt more because of how unnecessary her death was than anything else. Shireen wasn’t a character with a big role on Game of Thrones, and other than existing as Stannis’ daughter and her close relationship with Davos Seaworth, it’s not like we saw all that much of her. Still, when you see a child burned because her father thinks he needs a royal sacrifice to appease the Lord of Light, you’re going to feel something.

The actual scene is horrible to watch, too. Burned alive and all. There’s no cut to black on this one. We actually get to hear her cries. It was the beginning of the end for Stannis, and after what he did, no one really felt bad.

7. Aemma Arryn - House of the Dragon

The thing about Aemma Arryn is that we were aware the queen had to die—and so did her unborn child—if Rhaenyra was going to become the heir to the throne. But Aemma was so likeable and her death was so horrible that it kind of set the tone for House of the Dragon going forward, making it so that we would never really like Viserys all that much.

Look, if your wife is dying during childbirth and you choose to cut her open (and kill her) to save the child, and then the child dies anyway, you don’t get to call yourself a victim, Viserys. Or a good king.

6. Oberyn Martell - Game of Thrones

This one hurt because Oberyn had already won. He was home clear, and then he wasn’t. And when we thought he’d won, it felt like justice had won. Because Tyrion didn’t deserve to die, and the Mountain really did. But Oberyn’s overconfidence and his desire to hear Gregor Clegane admit what he’d done to his sister got the better of him.

Almost as bad as seeing Clegane crush Oberyn’s skull was the fallout of his death. It was another win for Cersei, and it left us feeling like there was no justice in Westeros. Devastating all the way around.

5. Rhaenys Targaryen - House of the Dragon

Rhaenys died on her own terms, so perhaps that makes it a bit better. But “The Queen Who Never Was” certainly deserved better than to die at the hands of Vhagar in a battle that would end up giving Aemond Targaryen even more power, especially because Rhaenys had basically won against Aegon Targaryen and his dragon, Sunfyre. But she couldn’t take two dragons by herself, and she especially couldn’t take a ruthless Aemond, who was willing to sacrifice his brother to win the battle.

Her death left Rhaenrya without one of her most important allies, but it threw the Greens in disarray as Aegon was severely wounded. Although Aemond being in charge isn’t exactly better.

4. Baelor Targaryen - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Very few of these deaths have hurt because the character we’re losing is a good person, but the death of Baelor Targaryen in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is one such case. While we didn’t know Baelor that well, from what we saw and the decisions he made, it feels like he would have been a really good king. If he’d lived, we probably wouldn’t have had a “Mad King” Aerys.

But he didn’t live. After he decided to join Ser Duncan the Tall and his knights during his Trial of the Seven, his brother, Maekar, accidentally delivered the killing blow while trying to hit Ser Duncan. Still, it was an accident that would change the history of the Seven Kingdoms for good.

3. Lucerys Velaryon - House of the Dragon

Rhaenyra’s second son is the first big casualty of the war that will later be known as the Dance of the Dragons. It was also the thing that finally convinced Rhaenyra that there could be no peace with the Greens. And it all happened by chance. Lucerys and Aemond were both sent on the same mission to Storm’s End, the seat of House Baratheon. That, of course, led them to a fight. However, there was never a possibility of winning for Lucerys.

His dragon, Arrax, was young, and he was going against Aemond and Vhagar, the oldest and largest dragon involved in the war. Even though in the show, Aemond didn’t really mean to kill Lucerys, he did. And thus… war.

2. Rob & Catelyn Stark - Game of Thrones

Most fans of the franchise, and indeed fans of TV, know where they were when the Red Wedding happened. It’s one of the biggest and most devastating moments in TV history. Rob Stark, Ned Stark’s heir and the oldest of the family, and his mother Catelyn, enter House Frey, thinking guest right protected them. But the Freys aligned with some of their own people to betray them, with Roose Bolton delivering the killing blow.

“The Lannisters send their regards,” Bolton said, setting up so much of what happened later. Arya Stark would go on to take revenge on House Frey, and the only Lannister to survive by the end of the show was the one who turned against his family, Tyrion. Can we really say the Starks won when their family was irrevocably broken?

1. Ned Stark - Game of Thrones

Some deaths were crueler, some perhaps had bigger ramifications, but no death on Game of Thrones, or perhaps on TV, has ever been as surprising as the death of Ned Stark near the end of Season 1. Before Joffrey Baratheon ordered Ned killed, we believed in the old rules of TV that promised a protagonist would survive, no matter what. Ned was clearly the protagonist of the show. And then, we had to reevaluate everything we understood about TV and Game of Thrones.

Now, in hindsight, it’s easy to see how Ned got there. His nobility and fairness could not truly win against people who didn’t respect the rules. But at the time, we were horrified. And we were also hooked. All bets were off, and we wanted to be part of that story—even if it hurt us.

The X-Files (1993) is coming back in a different package. Ryan Coogler's long-teased reboot finally has some concrete details, including a confirmed Hulu pilot and an official lead in Danielle Deadwyler, who you might know from projects like Till (2022) and Station 11 (2021). However, Deadwyler is only one half of a pair. Following in the footsteps of the original series, Coogler's The X-Files reboot will feature "two highly decorated but vastly different FBI agents" who, presumably, pick up where Scully and Mulder left off in the basement office. 

This is where casting will play a pivotal role in the success of The X-Files reboot. While viewers tuned in weekly for the aliens, monsters, and supernatural oddities the show offered, it was ultimately Scully, Mulder, and their intense relationship that kept them glued to the screen. Replicating the chemistry between actors Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny will be no easy feat, and if Coogler fumbles with casting, his reboot might flop. 

'The X-Files' Worked Because Of Scully And Mulder

When The X-Files debuted in 1993, there wasn't anything on TV quite like it at the time. It dared to delve into conspiracies and corruption within the US government like no other show would, and when everyone's favorite FBI agents weren't staring down shadowy syndicate figures, they were investigating supernatural phenomena in the spirit of Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974) and The Twilight Zone (1959). However, Scully and Mulder lent the series its heart. 

Despite their skeptic/believer dynamic, the two hit it off immediately and never failed to show each other the utmost respect. Their opposing views didn't turn them into enemies. Instead, it helped balance them. Perhaps, more importantly, their relationship subverted gender roles in a way that wasn't common in the '90s. Scully got to be a grounded, capable woman who relied on science and logic, while Mulder embraced his more impulsive, big-feeling nature. 

They're easy characters to fall in love with, and truthfully, The X-Files only lasted as long as it did because of them. Duchovny's departure for (most of) Season 8 and 9 hurt the show. Fans still loved the world Chris Carter created, but it became clear the series' real draw was Scully and Mulder together. They are undoubtedly two of the most important (and iconic) characters in pop culture history. So much of that boils down to Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny's performances and chemistry, which means the reboot's success boils down to the casting. 

'The X-Files' Reboot Needs To Consider Chemistry 

Many have described Anderson and Duchovny's chemistry as "lightning in a bottle," something near impossible to replicate. And personally, I agree. As someone who watches a lot of TV, I've never seen two actors look at each other the way Anderson and Duchovny do. If you disagree, I implore you to go watch the "Pilot" right now with fresh eyes, because it's that unexplainable magic between them that adds another layer of nuance to Scully and Mulder. 

At the time of writing, it's unknown who will play opposite Deadwyler in The X-Files reboot, or how closely these new FBI agents will skew to Scully and Mulder's skeptic/believer archetypes. However, it's likely longtime fans of the series, like myself, will compare this new pairing to the original. And truthfully, how could you not? If I were Coogler, I'd be more worried about how well Deadwyler and her future co-star vibe more than anything else. 

Anyone carrying on The X-Files mantle will hopefully demonstrate a similar complimentary nature and respect for each. Yet, there's also a chance that sticking too close to Mulder and Scully's dynamic could create its own issues. 

Is It A Mistake For The Reboot To Follow Scully And Mulder's Dynamic Too Closely?

Keep things the same, or change it up? This is the tricky balancing act that any reboot has to consider, and it's usually a lose-lose scenario. Some people expect a reboot to capture the same spirit of the original, while others crave something different and see following in the original's footsteps too closely as unoriginality. Coogler's The X-Files project has a lot to consider in that regard. 

Will watching another skeptic/believer dynamic feel like too much of a Mulder/Scully retread? Will these new characters follow a similar slow-burn, friends-to-lovers relationship, or will Coogler decide to ditch romance entirely? Will trust be the number one thing that binds them together, or will Coogler find a new catalyst for their bond? Hey, there's even a chance these characters start more in animosity territory, although I think that would be a mistake. 

Without more information, your guesses to these questions are as good as mine. With Coogler's unprecedented 16 Oscar nominations for Sinners (2026), he currently ranks as one of the most decorated Black directors in history. There's no doubt the man knows how to make great cinema. Here's hoping he can apply that same prowess and detail to TV and revive one of pop culture's greatest series ever made.

Lady Whistledown is indeed a prominent character in Julia Quinn's books, but once her identity is revealed in the fourth novel, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington retires her quill. The decision made in the book makes plenty of sense because once she becomes a Bridgerton, and her identity is no longer anonymous, the column is unnecessary.

While it's utterly iconic that Julie Andrews narrates for the Netflix series, the overly dramatic plot lines that are added because of the gossip post take away from the romance. In addition, now that there's a new person, it also takes away from Penelope's agency since she chose to retire to focus on her own novel.

Fully retiring Whistledown and giving Penelope her freedom as an author who's writing her own story would make Bridgerton (2020) more impactful and allow the romantic arcs to shine as they were supposed to. We breakdown why the latest plot twist at the end of Season 4 frustrates viewers more than it delights them.

Penelope Featherington Is a Stronger Character Outside of Lady Whistledown 

In the books, when Penelope starts the column, it's because she's consistently on the outside looking in, and it's her biggest outlet to also escape from her life at home. It's her freedom, and her safe space. Her entries in each chapter are delightful and fun, but in the series, Bridgerton pushed the drama too far. People aren't watching this show for the drama, but for the romance. We're here for the couples. And we don't just want to see the current season's leads, but we want those who came before them, too. We want the showcase of ordinary days and quiet moments. Colin and Penelope get a few beats in Season 4, Kate and Anthony briefly return with their son, Edmund, too, but frankly, it's never enough. 

As a character, Penelope is an incredibly well-written, complex woman, and she's consistently brought to life through incredible performances from Nicola Coughlan. But Whistledown feels like the show's guinea pig now. It's insulting that there's a new one, without her approval, and it's frustrating that this will likely lead to more contrived drama with Queen Charlotte trying to uncover her identity. Those plot-specific narrative points will take away from character-driven moments that'll allow us to get to know our favorites, instead of sitting with the Ton's drama longer than we need to.

‘Bridgerton’ Should Let Go Of Lady Whistledown Fully For More Romance

A large part of the appeal of each season is the fact that we explore a different couple and trope every time. From fake dating to opposites attract, there's something for everyone. In the first three seasons, it made sense that the Ton was heavily involved, but Benedict and Sophie's arc proves that we can step away from societal expectations and dive deeper into more intimate stories. Both Eloise and Francesca, who'll be the leads of the next two seasons, take a step away from London society, and their stories take place elsewhere. One is in the countryside, while the other could be in Scotland, as it is in the books.

Most romance fans aren't here for the drama, but we're here for the love stories. The massive popularity of couples like Kate and Anthony, as well as Colin and Penelope, proves that viewers want to see what comes after the love declarations, too. Heck, I wish we could've seen more from Simon and Daphne, too. We don't just need all the angst leading up to their happy ending, but we want all the quiet moments in between. 

Bridgerton Seasons 2 and 3 both suffered from unnecessary subplots that favored drama instead of contained and quieter character moments. As the identity of Whistledown continues to be a conversation and the hunt for juicy gossip takes a front seat, the romantic arcs won't get the attention they deserve. Like in the second and third seasons, they'll be left on the back burner. 

Ultimately, Bridgerton Season 4 detaching Lady Whistledown from Penelope and therefore making "her" a character on her own is a disservice to the detail that the show is an anthology romance. It tells its audience that plot is more relevant than romantic relationships. People care about Penelope for all that Coughlan does to layer the character, but Whistledown today simply isn't as compelling on her own. She's used as an unnecessary narrative device, whereas Penelope started the column with a bigger purpose that she's now fulfilled. 

The latest trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) confirms that Star Wars’ baby craze is here to stay. It’s going on seven years since Star Wars first introduced the world to Grogu, better known as Baby Yoda in the fandom, in The Mandalorian (2019). Grogu melted hearts around the world with his adorable design, babyish mannerisms, and special bond with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal). He and Djarin were so successful that Lucasfilm decided to bring them to the big screen in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

In the new film, Grogu may have some competition in cuteness after the latest “babyfied” character reveal: Baby Greedo. Baby Greedo’s reveal tells us the Star Wars baby craze isn’t over yet, which inspires us to take a look back on how long the franchise has capitalized on the trend.

Who Is Baby Greedo In ‘The Mandalorian And Grogu’?

The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer teases a brand new adventure for Djarin and Grogu. As the pair aid the New Republic in its fight against the rise of imperial warlords, they face the Hutts and other alien creatures. The trailer shows that the movie is relatively light on live-action actors, featuring mostly creatures and aliens from across the galaxy. While some of the aliens are quite scary, one little guy caught our eye.

At the 1:41 mark in the trailer, during a monster attack, the camera pans toward a futuristic, space stroller holding a baby Rodian. The media and fans wasted no time in dubbing the new character “Baby Greedo.” Greedo (Paul Blake) has a minor role in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) and Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008). He’s a Rodian bounty hunter who did work for Jabba the Hutt and made the mistake of trying to take out Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

The baby Rodian in The Mandalorian and Grogu isn’t actually Greedo, as the timelines simply don’t add up. Greedo is already deceased by the time of The Mandalorian and Grogu. However, since he’s the most famous Rodian in Star Wars, it just feels natural to call the baby Baby Greedo. It’s the same phenomenon with Grogu, who isn’t actually Yoda, but is most recognizable to viewers as “Baby Yoda.” Although Baby Greedo doesn’t appear to have a big role in The Mandalorian and Grogu, the fact that the nickname caught on so quickly demonstrates how deep Star Wars is into the baby craze.

Star Wars’ Baby History

While Grogu is the most famous “babyfied” Star Wars character, the franchise has a long history of introducing baby characters. The baby trend dates back to Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983), which introduced the baby Ewok, Nippet. Adult Ewoks are already pretty cute, so Nippet is absolutely adorable. She looks just like a little teddy bear. However, viewers were less receptive to “cute” Star Wars characters back then. The Ewoks’ cute, bear-like appearance, which contrasts sharply with their taste for human flesh, sparked some criticism in the fandom from those who felt they stood out too much in the gritty, sci-fi franchise or were just too ridiculous.

As a result, Nippet has only received love from the franchise in retrospect. The franchise would only tentatively tap back into the trend in the prequel trilogy. A deleted scene in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) features the real Baby Greedo. In the scene, a young Greedo accuses young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) of cheating in the pod race, and the two children fight. The filmmakers likely cut it because it was a little too comedic and unnecessary. However, Revenge of the Sith (2005) offered a brief appearance by baby Luke and Leia (Aidan Barton), and fans responded more positively to the bittersweet, hopeful moment.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars marked a more substantial return to the baby trend, featuring “Baby Jabba,” who is actually Jabba’s baby son, Rotta. The pudgy little guy with the nickname “Stinky” won over fans’ hearts. The series also introduced a Baby Gungan and a Nautolan, and seemed to mark the turning point when the franchise began capitalizing on cute alien creatures. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) continued the trend by introducing baby Porgs, known as Porglets, which fans found both terrifying and oddly adorable, paving the way for Baby Yoda.

How Long Will The Star Wars Baby Craze Last?

The reception to Star Wars’ baby characters has slowly grown more positive over the years, culminating in the Baby Yoda craze. The franchise has reached a point where viewers are more willing to embrace its less serious side and indulge in adorable creatures. Still, it’s unclear how long it can ride the trend. While some are already hyping up “Baby Greedo,” some commenters are questioning when the baby alien fad will end.

Whether the craze lasts or not will largely depend on how The Mandalorian and Grogu fares. The concern with the baby craze is that the franchise will put cuteness and fan service over storytelling. So, The Mandalorian and Grogu needs to prove it’s a story worth telling and that baby characters serve a purpose beyond looks. 

Even if babies aren’t the best place for live-action Star Wars movies and shows, they may still have a place in the franchise. After all, multiple franchises have tapped into the baby craze, too. From Baby Looney Tunes (2002) to Marvel’s X-Babies comics, the baby craze can be found all over media. Perhaps, an animated short-form Baby Star Wars cartoon could be in the future if Grogu and Baby Greedo work their magic in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

The chronology of the Game of Thrones universe is a little complicated if you’ve only watched the shows. No, wait, it’s a little complicated even if you’ve read every word George R.R. Martin has ever written. And that’s a lot of words. But since Game of Thrones was the first of Martin’s books set in Westeros, that must be our starting point.

After came House of the Dragon, a prequel. And then came A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, technically another Game of Thrones prequel, but also a House of the Dragon sequel. (More or less?) The specifics of the timeline are not as important as understanding that, since Game of Thrones was released first, it contains certain mentions to events that are crucial for its two prequels, House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

So yes, you could say Game of Thrones actually spoils A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (and yes, even House of the Dragon) in some big ways. Here’s where to find those mentions. 

Maester Aemon Is Related To Egg

The first spoiler comes pretty early in the Game of Thrones run. In Season 1, Episode 9, “Baelor,” Jon has a conversation with Maester Aemon at the wall, one that ends with the maester revealing to Jon that he is Aemon Targaryen, the son of Maekar and indeed the brother of Aegon V Targaryen, who fans of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms have come to know as Egg.

Not just that, but Maester Aemon reveals that his father becomes king, and his brother succeeds him after Aemon refuses the throne to remain a maester. Considering Egg has not one older brother, but three, that’s a pretty big spoiler about the fate of Daeron and Aerion, who we’ve already met in this new Game of Thrones prequel. Can’t say we’re too sad about that, though.

One little thing worth pointing out? In the show, Maester Aemon says Egg’s son is Aerys, who they call the Mad King, but that’s actually a mistake made by the show. Oops. The Mad King Aerys is actually Egg’s grandson.

We get yet another mention of Egg by Maester Aemond in the scene where he dies. In his final moments, a delirious Aemon recalls his younger brother, murmuring, “Egg? Egg, I dreamed that I was old.” See, some members of the Targaryen family did love each other!

The White Book Has Four Pages Dedicated To Ser Duncan The Tall

Another big spoiler comes courtesy of Joffrey, who in Season 4, Episode 1 “Two Swords,” examines the White Book. Yes, the one that records the deeds of every member of the Kingsguard, which, spoiler, means Ser Duncan the Tall will one day be a member of the Kingsguard. Considering the big spoiler above about Egg becoming King Aegon V, that part shouldn’t be all that surprising.

“Four pages for Ser Duncan, must have been quite the man,” Joffrey says, mostly to mock Ser Jaime Lannister, aka his father. Family trees are a complicated thing in Westeros, what can we say? But this does establish that Ser Duncan will not just one day become part of the Kingsguard, but also one of the most renowned knights in the realm. Just like he dreamed of.

There’s yet another mention of Ser Duncan the Tall in Game of Thrones. After Jaime Lannister throws Bran Stark off that wall and the boy recovers at Winterfell, Old Nan asks if he would like to hear one of his favorite stories about Ser Duncan the Tall.

The Fate Of Aerion Targaryen

Maester Aemon already spoiled that Aerion Targaryen doesn’t make it to king, but how exactly does he die? Joffrey Baratheon, again, tells us his exact fate as he’s trying to impress Margaery Tyrell in Season3, Episode 4 “And Now His Watch Is Ended.”

In the episode, Joffrey points to a tomb and tells the story of Aerion, known as Aerion Brightflame, who drank wildfire believing it would transform him into a dragon. You can imagine how that went. We’ve already met Aerion in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and, honestly, this tracks.

Lyonel Baratheon, Black Of Hair

Finally, we get a quick Lyonel Baratheon mention, for those who can’t get enough of this particular Baratheon. It comes in Game of Thrones Season 1, Episode 6 “A Golden Crown,” as Ned Stark reviews the Baratheon family tree, trying to figure out if Cersei’s kids are bastards (they are). He fixates on the Baratheon family history of having black hair and uses that to determine that Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen are not Robert Baratheon’s kids.

Somewhat faulty logic, all things considered, but he was right. So I guess we can give him that one, or not, considering it all led to his death? Maybe it would have been better for him and the Seven Kingdoms to stay out of this particular mess.

At this point, Netflix's Bridgerton is widely known for diverting from Julia Quinn's novels and switching things up to consistently keep fans on the edge of their seats. Although we once thought that Benedict and Sophie's Cinderella story would take place in Season 3, they were instead swapped for Colin and Penelope's story from Romancing Mister Bridgerton. Characters that aren't in the books, like Golda Rosheuvel's Queen Charlotte, have a significantly larger role in the show, and the series is even gender-swapping, wanting to ensure more LGBTQ+ representation, which the books lack. 

Still, the Bridgerton Season 5 leads are yet to be confirmed, but either way, it'll be a surprise to the audience for various reasons. Whether the spunky feminist ahead-of-her-time Eloise is next, or gentle-hearted Francesca gets a second chance at love after loss, the next two seasons are going to be excellent regardless.

Eloise Bridgerton Finding Love In Season 5 Would Surprise Countless Viewers

A considerable part of the reason why Eloise's story works so organically in the books is that the loneliness she experiences is deeply human. A woman wanting to be independent and also wanting companionship isn't mutually exclusive, and while she's ahead of her time as a feminist, it isn't dismissive of her earlier character journey. In the book, To Sir Phillip With Love, Eloise begins corresponding with the titular character after she realizes that most of her siblings, as well as her best friend, are in love and doing their own thing. 

It's also worth noting that while it's one thing to be the black sheep in her family, it's another when your best friend "leaves you too." Once Penelope and Colin fall in love, Eloise's emotions about being left behind while life happens all around her are completely natural, especially at the age of 28, which is how old she is when it all happens. Age might just be a number in the 21st century, but it was a far bigger concern in the Regency era. Eloise's awareness shifting her narrative is a natural, albeit jarring progression, and it'll be especially shocking in the show.

For the longest time, fans speculated that Eloise would be the one in a sapphic relationship before we got casting for Masali Baduza as Michaela Sterling. And because Sir Phillip is already in the show, played by Chris Fulton, it's likely that Eloise's story will follow as it occurs in the books. However, just because book fans might catch onto the hints, fans of Netflix's Bridgerton might be shocked that she's willing to settle down. How it happens can even be surprising to book fans because while we'd only heard of Marina, we actually know her and have spent time with her in Season 1.

In addition, it's how Eloise will settle down that can be a welcome change from the books because part of what makes her story so unique is that, like Benedict, she doesn't want to conform to the demands of society. She doesn't want a traditional experience with courting, balls, formal engagements and whatnot. And if Season 5 does give her the space to explore her own desires, it'll be interesting to see the shift in how she and show-Phillip fall in love.

Francesca Needs Time To Grieve, But A Time Jump Could Also Benefit Eloise's Story In 'Bridgerton' Season 6

If the series decides to go with Franceca and Michaela's story next, we need a substantial time jump to, at the very least, ensure that both parties are in a better place. Losing John impacts both his wife and cousin profoundly, and it changes them entirely. At the end of Bridgerton Season 4, Michaela leaves, despite promising that she won't, and where she goes, we aren't exactly sure. In the book, Michael goes to India for a while, but considering that's a story that the show dove into with Kate and Anthony, there's a chance they won't repeat it again.

In an exclusive interview with JustWatch, Hannah Dodd also mentioned that "John and Francesca truly see each other for who they are; they understand each other." And before grief hits them, Francesca and Michaela are on their way toward building something that can also be full of great understanding. Yet, time in this case feels important to get through everything they've experienced and are currently experiencing.

In addition, at Benedict and Sophie's wedding in My Cottage, when Penelope asks Francesca if she thinks she can walk down the aisle again, Francesca responds with, "Me? A wedding? No. I've had my great love. One time is enough." The statement feels affirmative and completely understandable for a woman grieving, so if the show were to dive into Francesca in Season 5, a time jump of at least two years feels necessary. A year, to be sure, because of traditional mourning standards held in society. Simultaneously, both Francesca and Michaela need to heal on their own before coming together to discover that love can be found in the most unexpected of ways.

Because of these details, no matter which direction Bridgerton Season 5 heads in, this is the first time in the show's history where it isn't blatantly obvious to even die-hard fans. There's a twist in the detail that we're somewhat in the dark about all the elements. Plus, in a series where we almost always knew what was ahead, the shift can also be great narratively because of how Benedict and Sophie's story changes the idea that finding a true love match no longer needs to be as society demands, but how the characters want it.

Movies, for all of their artistic integrity and creativity, are a business. Thanks to rigorous film shoots, months of editing, publicity, marketing, and licensing deals, they can also cost a lot of money. Some films become box office hits and make back their initial budget, some are more modest hits, while others can underperform and cost a studio a few million dollars in lost revenue. 

And then there are the flops. The bombs. The disasters. The films that did so poorly that studios lost hundreds of millions of dollars because of them, and are remembered solely for how big a failure they are. They merely exist as historical curiosities on streaming services like Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video. While 2025 had some painful bombs like Snow White (2025) and TRON: Ares (2025), they pale in comparison to how poorly the following ten movies performed financially. And hey, as we go through them, maybe we can find out how and why they failed as badly as they did. 

Mars Needs Moms (2011)

In the mid-2000s, acclaimed director Robert Zemeckis was fascinated with the growing trend of animated movies made entirely with CGI. With the assistance of Simon Wells, who had directed the wonderfully underappreciated The Prince of Egypt (1998), the two created Mars Needs Moms, and almost immediately, people wanted it erased from their minds.

The plot of the film, about a kid trying to travel to Mars to save his mom from Martians, is perfectly fine, if a bit predictable. No, what repelled audiences from Mars Needs Moms was its uncanny animation. The film did utilize motion-capture to try to accurately replicate human movement, but between the facial animations and the rubbery textures, it made the characters look like abominations. Audiences agreed, and the film cost Disney anywhere between $143 to $206 million in losses. The film may try to capture the same warmth and heart of The Polar Express (2004), but it wasn’t the mid-2000s anymore. This was 2011, and animated films had moved well past what Zemeckis and Wells were serving. 

Battleship (2012)

Hasbro has tried, and oftentimes succeeded, at creating huge film franchises based on its properties. Transformers (2007) was one of the biggest blockbuster hits of its time, but for each success, there were failures, and nothing was quite as bad as Battleship.

Battleship is a stupid movie, but not in a fun way. It’s a two-hour and 11-minute soulless action film that takes itself way more seriously than it has any right to. I mean, the plot only kicks into gear because the main character tries to steal a Hot Pocket. That should make the film feel like a dumb thrill ride in the same vein as a Roland Emmerich movie, but it feels as droll as Pearl Harbor (2001). The only thing that Battleship had was its impressive explosions and special effects, but they had the same impact as jingling keys. Audiences were quick to mock the film, and it wound up racking up $81 to $210 million in losses for Hasbro and Universal. It can be nice to just sit back and watch some incredibly loud explosions go off, but outside of that, there shouldn’t be a surprise why Battleship failed as badly as it did.

Strange World (2022)

Disney has had a rough couple of years. Following the pandemic, it seems that an animation studio once known for producing consistent hits had become far more inconsistent in its output. Movies like Zootopia 2 (2025), which became a smash box office success, are now the exception, and failures like Strange World have become the rule. 

The sad part is that Strange World didn’t deserve to lose Disney $197 to $217 million. Its animation, characters, and fantastical sci-fi world were all very well handled, and it’s easy to imagine a kid watching it and being enamored with its sense of adventure that channeled old-school pulp-era sci-fi movies like Flash Gordon (1980). However, because Disney was aggressively pushing for audiences to expect new films to be released on Disney+ instead of in theaters, it’s no wonder people didn’t show up. To make matters worse, the film became a casualty of culture war politics since Disney decided to make one of its main characters gay, which caused the film to be mired in plenty of unnecessary controversy that further harmed its box office performance. Strange World was a failure, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth calling it that. 

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)

Today, Dreamworks Animation is known as one of the best animation studios around, and that’s almost entirely due to their well-polished and kinetic use of CGI. But they didn’t always use solely CGI to make their movies; thanks to the failure of Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, they stopped utilizing hand-drawn animation.

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas was a very traditional fantasy adventure movie that serves as a great companion piece to Disney’s Treasure Planet (2002). Both are reinterpretations of literary classics with a modern twist to them. Sinbad has plenty of magic, action set pieces, and hefty doses of mythologies drawn from multiple cultures. It reviewed well and had positive word of mouth, so why did it cause Dreamworks to lose $219 million dollars? Well, it did release one week before Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), a film that was also a swashbuckling adventure with plenty of magical elements that appeal to both kids and teenagers, instead of solely kids. Sometimes a movie fails through no fault of its own, but because of bad timing. 

Cutthroat Island (1995)

Speaking of swashbuckling disasters, for the longest time, Cutthroat Island was considered to be the biggest box office bomb of all time, costing MGM $222 million by the time it left theaters. In 1995, such a loss would be catastrophic, so how on Earth did that happen?

In short, the film was a production nightmare. Most of the crew quit mid-production, the director, Renny Harlin, wasted money on unnecessary expenses, like shipping cases of V8 vegetable juice to Thailand, where Cutthroat Island was being filmed, and the numerous on-set incidents required the production to pause for extended periods of time. It was an arduous shoot, and that comes across in the film. It’s only a little over two hours long, but it feels way more than that. There’s very little excitement, joy, or energy present in the film, and it tries so hard to capture the energy of The Three Musketeers (1993) but just isn’t able to. Just think, if Harlin had successfully pitched this film to Disney as he intended, this would have been the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Thank God he failed. 

Mortal Engines (2018)

Peter Jackson is a man who knows how to create impressive visuals. He did so in The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003), King Kong (2005), and while he only produced and wrote the screenplay for Mortal Engines, it's clear that he wanted the film to be a grand spectacle like his prior films.

From a visual perspective, Jackson and Christian Rivers, the film’s director, delivered on that goal. They clearly were trying to make the film feel like a teenage-friendly version of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), complete with ludicrous vehicles and chase sequences. The setting of Mortal Engines, where gigantic city-like vehicles go to war with one another, is striking, but outside of the monumental scale of these mobile cities, there’s not really enough to keep audiences hooked for its two-hour and eight-minute runtime. It had a chance to make its hefty budget back, but like Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, it released only a few weeks before two other box office hits, Aquaman (2018) and Mary Poppins Returns (2018). There was little hope for it long-term, and it went on to cost Universal anywhere between $133 and $249 million dollars, spelling the end for this burgeoning YA franchise chock full of sci-fi grit.

The 13th Warrior (1999)

In a lot of ways, The 13th Warrior was the progenitor of the big-budget Hollywood flop. While it was a film filled with plenty of lofty ambition, its high budget and production woes spelled doom for the film before it was even released.

That doesn’t make The 13th Warrior a bad film. It’s just a very niche one. Imagine taking the dark Nordic violence of The Northman (2022), but giving it the ‘90s energy that pervaded Xena: Warrior Princess (1995). The film juggles a lot of tones, throwing in one-liners between emotional and devastating character deaths, but it still creates a memorable experience. So how did the film lose anywhere between $133 and $249 million? Well, the original director, John McTiernen, was booted after terrible test screenings, and thanks to extensive reshoots led by Michael Chricton, the budget ballooned to absurd degrees. Plus, since Chricton and McTiernen had vastly different ideas on how to end the film, both endings were oddly included, making the film’s 100-minute runtime feel longer than it needed to be. Fans of Nordic mythology and the Beowulf myth will definitely find something to love in The 13th Warrior, warts and all.

The Marvels (2023)

Since Avengers: Endgame (2019), Marvel has struggled to keep momentum and interest in the MCU. Still, the failure of The Marvels was something entirely different. It shouldn’t have cost Disney $210 to $250 million, and yet it did, mostly thanks to a combination of factors. 

Marvel, rather infamously, was focused on quantity and not quality following Endgame. Plenty of TV shows and movies were pumped out each year, so a lot of the buzz surrounding The Marvels was lost in the chatter around other MCU projects. In fact, there was barely any buzz to begin with, since the film launched right at the end of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA, meaning none of the cast could do any publicity for the film. The Marvels is still an okay superhero movie, one with a neat sci-fi bend to it that has a fun teleportation gimmick ripped straight out of Jumper (2008), but audiences didn’t care about it. They felt like understanding what happened in this 105-minute movie required too much homework, and very few people cared about the core trio of Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau. It’s still a fun and very family-friendly superhero movie, but without any enthusiasm and excitement leading to its release, it was doomed to die.

The Lone Ranger (2013)

Nostalgia is always bankable, right? People are always eager to relive their childhood and think fondly about movies, shows, and games from when they were kids. But nostalgia has a finite shelf-life. Case in point, The Lone Ranger. 

It’s easy to see why Disney thought that people would want to see a modern reinvention of The Lone Ranger (1949). Westerns used to be the go-to genre of Hollywood action movies, and Johnny Depp, who played Tonto in the film, was still incredibly popular thanks to his stint as Jack Sparrow. But Westerns hadn’t been popular for decades, and people were getting sick of Johnny Depp, and that’s not even touching on the negative publicity he received for playing a native American. Add it all together, and it’s no wonder the film lost Disney anywhere between $221 and $263 million. The film had clear ambitions to be a fun and comedic Western like Wild Wild West (1999), but it seems like everyone involved forgot that Wild Wild West was also a huge bomb at the box office. Like Cutthroat Island, The Lone Ranger was a throwback to a bygone era of Hollywood nobody wanted.

John Carter (2012)

There are box office bombs, and then there’s John Carter. Adjusted for inflation, the film lost Disney anywhere between $157 and $280 million, making it the biggest box office bomb of all time. It’s the kind of failure that’s been studied extensively, and it’s not hard to see why.

Much like Strange World, John Carter has nothing but respect and adulation for pulp-era sci-fi movies. The film is based on a comic series of the same name, and it tried to turn a series that had more in common with Conan the Barbarian (1982) into Star Wars (1977). Unbeknownst to the filmmakers, Disney was already engaged in discussions to buy Lucasfilm, resulting in Disney not putting enough effort into John Carter’s publicity, and it shows. Inept marketing campaigns, poor trailers, needless name changes thanks to the failure of Mars Needs Moms, and intentionally changing the release date to compete with The Hunger Games (2012) were just a few of the problems facing John Carter. Add in an impossibly large budget and reviews that were very middle-of-the-road, and it’s clear that there was no hope for the film. It’s a decent sci-fi adventure that capably lives up to its forebears, but it had everything going against it.

Netflix’s latest docuseries, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top (2026), has intrigued and shocked audiences nationwide. The documentary exposes the dark side of the wildly popular reality TV show, America’s Next Top Model (2003). It takes a deep dive into the show's controversies and scandals, exploring the many ways it failed the models who joined the show in pursuit of their dreams.

While Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is taking Netflix by storm, it’s not the only documentary or docuseries to tackle the horrors of reality TV. From exposing the secrets of family reality stars to exploring the rise and fall of popular reality TV shows, here are the best documentaries on reality TV horror, available to watch now on Prime Video, Apple TV, and more.

Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets (2023)

Shiny Happy People season 1, titled Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, delves into the Duggars, the family behind two of TLC’s most popular reality TV shows: 19 Kids and Counting (2008) and Counting On (2016). While the enormous, homeschooling family with Christian values captivated the nation, it hid dark secrets. Shiny Happy People explores what the family was like behind the scenes, including the cult-like religious organization, Institute of Basic Life Principles (IBLP), that the Duggars subscribed to, as well as Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's attempts to cover up their oldest son’s crimes.

Shiny Happy People isn’t an easy watch. Not only do Jill and Amy Duggar tell their firsthand experiences with abuse and Jim Bob’s control, but many other survivors of IBLP share their stories. The stories are moving and powerful, despite being difficult to hear, and the docuseries as a whole effectively demonstrates just how fake reality TV families can be.

Dark Side of Reality TV (2024)

Dark Side of Reality TV is a docuseries that explores a different reality TV series in each episode. It covers most of the major series, including Hell’s Kitchen (2005), Toddlers & Tiaras (2009), and America’s Next Top Model. Since it tackles a different show each episode, it doesn’t offer as deep an investigation as Shiny Happy People or Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model. However, it is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a variety of investigations, especially into several shows that other documentaries have yet to broach.

Dark Side of Reality TV is also a little less emotionally heavy. Instead of diving deep into scandals and controversy, the episodes are more of an investigation into how real the show is, producer interference, and what life after reality TV is like. Ultimately, it’s a good watch for viewers seeking a lighter exploration into the sides of reality TV you don’t often see. 

Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser (2025)

Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser is a Netflix docuseries that probes the truth behind the popular weight-loss reality TV competition, The Biggest Loser (2004). Across three episodes, the docuseries interviews former contestants and healthcare experts to determine the impact of the TV series. Like Dark Side of Reality TV, it isn’t as dark as some of the exposés on this list. 

However, Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser does get into the false promises and ineffective format of The Biggest Loser, which interfered with people’s lives for the sake of ratings and often left them high and dry afterward. It’s one of those docuseries that is less concerned with shocking, bombshell reveals and more interested in determining the truth of a show that often blurred the lines between fact and fiction.

Predators (2025)

Predators is a documentary that investigates the reality TV show To Catch a Predator (2004) and its abrupt ending. Unlike most of the titles on this list, Predators doesn’t unveil a particularly dark side or horror of To Catch a Predator. After all, the premise of To Catch a Predator already deals with quite a dark subject material to begin with. However, the documentary does probe the legal and ethical implications of To Catch a Predator and whether its content should ever have been used for entertainment purposes.

I like that Predators doesn’t specifically try to shock or horrify its audience, but instead leaves them genuinely questioning whether To Catch a Predator was ethical. It lets you reach your own conclusion or interpretation of the series while also outlining the show's pros and cons. Predators delves deep into the issues that plague all shows that seek to use real life as entertainment. 

Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model (2026)

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model dives into America’s Next Top Model, which ran for 24 seasons. Speaking with former contestants and producers, including creator Tyra Banks, the series explores the negative effects of the reality TV show. It exposes how the show was rife with fat-shaming and drama, but also probes the more egregious incidents in which the series failed to protect its contestants.

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is an excellent watch if you were intrigued by Dark Side of Reality TV’s take on the show, but want something more in-depth. Given that there are 24 seasons, the show still feels like it’s only scratching the surface of the dark side. Still, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is a dark, fascinating documentary that doesn’t hold back in exploring the hidden horrors of the show.

If the 2026 show The Beauty has you hooked, it's probably because it doesn't just flirt with the idea of perfection—it rips it open. The new Disney+ series imagines a world in which a drug that makes everyone beautiful exists. And like all great body horrors, the fantasy curdles fast. It taps into influencer culture, cosmetic enhancement, biohacking, and the panic of not measuring up.

But The Beauty isn't the first story to ask what happens when we try to perfect ourselves. From campy immortality comedies to surgically precise television dramas and full-blown grotesque transformation horror, the movies and shows on this list (which can be found on Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max) explore the same dangerous question: What does it really cost to change your body in pursuit of perfection?

The Beauty (2026)

The Beauty is set in a society altered by a miracle drug that makes its users physically flawless. As the series follows those who embrace and resist the drug, the price of that perfection slowly reveals itself. The story follows FBI agents Cooper Madsen (Evan Peters) and Jordan Bennett (Rebecca Hall) as they investigate billionaire Byron Forst's (Ashton Kutcher) conspiracy to protect his "miracle" product.

If you've followed series creator Ryan Murphy's work before, you can feel him refining themes he's circled for years, like beauty as power, the body as currency, and society's obsession with youth. The Beauty is a must-watch for fans of shows with Black Mirror (2011) vibes and stylish, satirical horror, and for those who like their genre storytelling wrapped in prestige production values.

Death Becomes Her (1992)

Death Becomes Her follows fading actress Madeline Ashton (Meryl Streep) and her longtime friend and rival, novelist Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn). They are both in love with the same man, plastic surgeon Ernest Menville (Bruce Willis), who Madeline stole from Helen years prior. In their attempts to win him over, Madeline and Helen drink a mysterious potion that promises eternal youth.

But their plan backfires with grotesque and very undead consequences. If The Beauty is glossy and unsettling, Death Becomes Her is its campy ancestor. The movie is sharper than it first appears and surprisingly mean about Hollywood's fear of aging. It's perfect for viewers who like their body horror with biting humor rather than outright dread.

Nip/Tuck (2003)

Before The Beauty, Ryan Murphy was already dissecting cosmetic obsession with Nip/Tuck (2003). The series follows Miami plastic surgeons Dr. Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), whose high-end procedures promise their patients new lives, even as their own personal lives spiral out of control.

Almost every episode opens with one of the doctors asking a patient a very basic question: "Tell me what you don't like about yourself." That line alone tells you everything about the show's thesis. Nip/Tuck isn't sci-fi, but it's often more disturbing than basic body horror because it grounds its premise in emotional insecurity. It's a fun ride for fans of medical dramas like 2005's Grey's Anatomy.

The Neon Demon (2016)

The Neon Demon follows Jesse (Elle Fanning), an aspiring model who moves to Los Angeles to follow her dream. Once there, she quickly becomes the object of obsession and envy among established models like Gigi (Bella Heathcote) and Sarah (Abbey Lee). What begins as a fairy-tale ascent into the glamorous world of fashion quickly morphs into something far more nightmarish.

The Neon Demon is less interested in plot mechanics and more focused on mood, turning beauty into something consumable. If The Beauty critiques perfection through sci-fi satire, this movie does it through arthouse horror. Its ambiguity can be frustrating, but if you like visually hypnotic films like 2010's Black Swan, this movie will absolutely get under your skin.

The Substance (2024)

If you're looking for something a little more visceral, The Substance goes for the jugular. The film follows aging star, Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) who turns to a new youth-restoring product that creates a younger version of herself, called Sue (Margaret Qualley). What follows isn't empowerment fantasy, but a slow unraveling of identity when the product's rules are broken.

The Substance is unapologetically excessive, using practical effects and transformation horror that makes it really difficult to watch. Where some body horrors use immortality for laughs, this movie weaponizes it. It's ideal for viewers who appreciate bold, confrontational filmmaking and aren't squeamish about things like bodily mutation.

Shell (2025)

Shell leans into moody sci-fi horror, telling the story of Samantha Lake (Elisabeth Moss), an aging actress who is convinced to undergo a rejuvenating procedure at a fancy wellness facility run by the slightly mysterious and very glamorous Zoe Shannon (Kate Hudson). Samantha goes ahead with the procedure, with the promise that it will give her career and dating life a much-needed boost.

But what starts out as a life-changing decision eventually turns into a waking nightmare for Samantha when she starts to experience weird side effects, and one of the wellness center's patients goes missing. Shell is quieter and more introspective than most body horrors (at first), while its themes overlap perfectly with The Beauty. It's ideal for anyone who prefers psychological creepiness to outright gore.

Slanted (2026)

Slanted approaches the definition of beauty through a sharp, satirical lens. The upcoming film follows Joan Huang (Shirley Chen), a teenager who undergoes ethnic modification surgery to improve her chances of becoming Prom Queen. What begins as a seemingly empowering choice slowly reveals the psychological toll of reshaping yourself to fit a narrow ideal of what it means to be beautiful.

Unlike the often outrageous nature of The Beauty, Slanted deals with some very real-world issues that have plagued people of color for the longest time. It's particularly resonant for young viewers who are constantly dealing with assimilation pressures, while figuring out their place in the world. It's ideal for anyone who enjoys movies with a deeper message.

Thanks to its Valentine’s Day release, Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” is a certified box office hit. Earning more than $150 million since its release, plenty of lovebirds and fans of Fennell’s audacious filmmaking have already flocked to theatres to see what was so scintillating about this version of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel. 

However, calling Fennell’s adaptation divisive would be putting it mildly. While audience members loved Jacob Elordi, and the cinematography is to die for, it’s a shockingly tame retelling of the novel, one that removes a lot of its nuance in favor of focusing on the toxic romance between Heathcliff and Catherine. Even then, those romantic elements, while entertaining, aren’t exactly as sultry as her last film, Saltburn (2023). If you were left disappointed by “Wuthering Heights” and found yourself wanting more of its dark Romantic vibes that go to some truly horrific places, then consider tracking down the 1988 version. You may have to jump through some hoops to see it on Hulu, but if you can, it’s certainly worth the effort. 

What Makes The Japanese Version of Wuthering Heights So Good?

Much like the Fennell version, the 1988 version of Wuthering Heights was a reinterpretation of sorts of the original novel, albeit created with a Japanese audience in mind. Instead of the film taking place in the north of England, the Japanese version sets the film during Japan’s Muromachi Period. While that may not mean much to Westerners, this version of the film is effectively Wuthering Heights, but with samurai.

That alone may pique some people’s interests, but it goes well beyond that. Thanks to the brutality of the time period, there’s a lot more violence and bloodshed in this version. Many of the characters are treated far worse than in other adaptations, with many of the men being brutally murdered and women experiencing violent sexual assault. Even compared to the original novel, the 1988 film is a far more bitter take on the story, but that alone makes it so captivating. The familial drama reaches the same heights as classic films like Ran (1985), where the characters are frequently scheming against one another for their own betterment. Add in some religious allegories—with Wuthering Heights in this version being depicted as a Shinto temple—and the violence on display begins to feel like the serpent god they pray to is actively punishing them for their transgressions. 

How Does It Compare To Emerald Fennell’s Version?

Compared to Emerald Fennell’s version, the Japanese adaptation of Wuthering Heights not only feels more complete, but it also goes well beyond what Fennell was able to accomplish in her depiction of the story.

Fennell’s take on the novel is, by her own admission, one meant to be viewed through a teenage lens. It’s far more simplistic and doesn’t really focus on the themes of the novel, and instead laser focuses on being a period romance in the same vein as Pride & Prejudice (2005), but with a splash of BDSM. It drops the novel’s focus on intergenerational vengeance, race and class allegories, and simplifies Heathcliff’s character to simply being a jilted lover and nothing more. Again, it has its fans, and the focus on toxic relationships is very fitting for 2026, but the pushback to it is very understandable.

In the Japanese version, while the Heathcliff analog, Onimaru, played by the late Yusaku Matsuda, does certainly love the Catherine analog, Kinu, that’s only a fraction of his motivation. He still does feel betrayed by her for spurring his feelings, but he very quickly decides that instead of winning her back, he’ll just ruin everyone’s lives instead. He orchestrates numerous plans to make sure all members of her family suffer, allowing him to gain control of all aspects of Wuthering Heights, including her children. His madness and obsession are incredibly palpable in this version, and the suffering they cause borders on turning the film into a horror movie. It’s not for the faint of heart, and if you were disturbed in Fennell’s version by what Heathcliff did to Isabella, the Japanese version makes the 2026 film hold its beer.

Should You Watch Wuthering Heights?

Both “Wuthering Heights” and the Japanese Wuthering Heights have very different focuses and intents, but between the two, the Japanese version is not only the superior version, but probably the best adaptation of the story ever put to screen. 

While many adaptations of Wuthering Heights tend to play it safe and keep the film in its English setting, the mere decision to set the film in Japan helps it stand apart from its peers. The cinematography, music, and direction all scream classic Japanese cinema, and its focus on gripping character drama is enough to keep anyone engaged. It’s also probably one of the most faithful adaptations of the novel, going well beyond the events of Emerald Fennell’s film and focusing on the aftermath of Heathcliff’s sordid affair with Catherine, which is where some of the novel’s darkest parts lie. 

On its own, Wuthering Heights also delivers plenty of stand-out acting performances. Yusaku Matsuda’s Onimaru is electrifying, as he alters his physicality and mental state over the film’s two-hour and 11-minute runtime, showing just how great an actor he was before his untimely death from bladder cancer. In fact, all the cast deliver standout performances, and the way they intermingle helps make the apocalyptic finale, ripped right from The Northman (2022), all the more striking. If “Wuthering Heights” left you wanting for a more depraved tale of vengeance and resentment, consider giving the Japanese version a shot. After all, by most accounts, it is the best adaptation of the novel ever put to film.

A good plot twist can be hard to pull off, but shows like Paradise (2025) make it almost look easy. Introducing itself as a political thriller before revealing its full scope by the end of the first episode, Paradise set itself up to be all sorts of things. It’s not the only show to take that approach either, using the sudden shock of a plot twist to shake up audiences who were only just getting used to a new collection of characters and settings.

The best twist endings can reshape shows, revealing their true scope, genre, and intent in sudden ways. Sometimes they involve supernatural elements revealing themselves, or seemingly straightforward characters proving themselves to be something entirely different. There are even a few medium-bending twists that benefit from their framing devices and overall structure, and deliver a bit of a shocker. Here are the eight best TV pilots that flip the script with twist endings and where you can watch them on Hulu, Prime Video, and more!

Paradise (2025)

Paradise has a truly terrific pilot plot twist, highlighting just how effective a good first episode twist can be. Sterling K. Brown’s thriller initially presents itself as a mystery story focused on the assassination of the United States President, quickly setting up a tense mystery that would drive much of the first season.

However, the episode’s stranger touches gradually build to reveal that the show is actually set in a post-apocalyptic scenario, with the President’s death only further complicating the circumstances for a community that has survived the end of the world under a massive dome. It’s a wild turn that completely rewrites the future of the show, giving it a tonal flexibility that benefits both the sci-fi elements and the mystery thriller. It’s a terrific first ending finale, and one that made Paradise a must-watch almost immediately. 

This Is Us (2016)

This is Us shares a creator with Paradise in Dan Fogelman, who also pulled off an effective medium-twist in his primetime drama. The show initially presents itself as a wide-ranging character study, focusing on five people who all share the same birthday and are going through their respective life experiences. It was already clearly a great family drama, with the stunning cast delivering on the big emotional swings. Similar to shows like Parenthood (2010) and A Million Little Things (2018), This Is Us uses a surprising plot twist to cement its approach to generational stories.

Initially presented as peers to the rest of the cast, Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) are revealed to be the parents of the other main characters, with their segments of the narrative actually taking place decades before the events of the rest of the show. It’s a clever twist on the editing and medium, and an effective way to cement the show’s focus on whole families rather than single ones.

Lost (2004)

One of TV’s most famous—and sometimes most infamous—sci-fi mysteries, Lost closed out the premiere episode with a huge tonal shift that laid the groundwork for everything wild that came after. The ABC series, influenced by shows like The Prisoner (1967) and Twin Peaks (1990), introduced a mix of the surreal and strange into its larger mystery narratives. Focusing on the survivors of a plane crash on a remote tropical island, the varied characters immediately bristle against each other even as they are quickly forced to work together to survive. 

The stakes are driven up even higher by the end of the first episode, however, which sees the main cast discover the plane’s pilot just in time for him to be murdered by some mysterious force off-screen. Tense, engrossing, and just a little bit horrifying, Lost’s premiere was a high mark for the show and the TV sci-fi genre as a whole, which is extra impressive, given that it was peers with other acclaimed shows of the period like Battlestar Galactica (2004) and Doctor Who (2005).

American Horror Story (2011)

Ryan Murphy’s most ridiculous show—and that’s meant as a compliment—the outlandish, unsettling, and hypnotic scary tales of American Horror Story started off strong with a very creepy pilot episode. "Pilot" is far from the creepiest episode of the show, but it goes a long way towards establishing the sexually charged and grimly depicted tone of the series, with plenty of creepy kills, supernatural turns, and outright horny encounters making this a very hard-R rated horror show. 

The suggestion that it was more than just a regular haunting but tied to figures like the neighbor, Constance, hints at the larger lore that would become paramount to the show's different season-long narratives. Everything with Moira and the latex suit hints at the show’s focus on heavy themes through provocative imagery, taking the kind of creepy visual elements from shows like It: Welcome to Derry (2025) and From (2022), and using it to confront some very dark impulses and topics.

Game of Thrones (2011)

It can sometimes be hard to remember that at first, most audiences saw Game of Thrones as a straightforward fantasy drama—but that first episode ending did a lot to dispel that notion. The introduction to many of the show’s underlying lead characters, “Winter is Coming” also established the show’s blunt approach to violence and horror elements with the introduction of the White Walkers. Still, the basic structure of the show seemed to be consistent with the general approaches to the fantasy genre. 

There was violence and sex, sure, but nothing really expanded beyond what fans had come to expect from HBO. However, the cliffhanger ending of the first episode saw the innocent Bran witness the affair between Jamie and Cersei, prompting the former to push the boy out of a tower to his potential death. This one small act of cruelty, driven by love, served as the ultimate statement about the dark underpinnings of the show. 

The Shield (2002)

One of the harshest cop shows ever and definitely not for the faint of heart, The Shield opens with an absolutely harrowing criminal encounter that takes a very dark turn in the final moments. The Michael Chiklis-led FX drama introduced Vic Mackey and his "Strike Team" of harsh and rough-edged police officers. The pilot seemed to be laying the groundwork for the team to be dealing with undercover federal agent Terry—only for Vic to close out the episode by murdering him in cold blood and framing it as the result of a shoot-out with a drug dealer.

In that single villainous act, The Shield established all the ways it was different from typical cop dramas, playing out more like The Wire (2002) than Law and Order (1990) and set itself up as a true villainous case study a few years before Walter White walked the same path in Breaking Bad (2008).

How I Met Your Mother (2005)

A fun mid-2000’s take on the archetype of sitcom best exemplified by shows like Friends (1994) and Seinfeld (1989), How I Met Your Mother’s format tweak was a clever way to bring in some cute touches. The show, set in the present day, was narrated in a framing device by the show’s main character Ted, decades later. Set up as an extended story that Ted is telling his eventual children about how he met their mother, the show initially seems to be teasing out the newest member of the friend group, an aspiring reporter named Robin, as that woman. 

However, the final moments of the episode took a surprising swerve when it’s revealed that she’s actually known to the kids as “Aunt Robin”—revealing that not only is she not the mother, but that she remains close enough to Ted to be a major part of their lives. It was a great trick, turning the typical “will they, won’t they” dynamic on its head by making it into a bittersweet story about charming and goofy people falling in (and sometimes out) of love. 

The Mandalorian (2019)

One of the biggest wins Disney has experienced since getting the rights to Star Wars was The Mandalorian’s surprise introduction of Grogu, otherwise known as Baby Yoda in the fandom, which was a great way to close out the episode. Introducing itself as a fusion of A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and Star Wars (1977), The Mandalorian’s tight action, strong worldbuilding, and terrific storytelling set the stage for an exciting adventure following the titular bounty hunter. However, the episode reveals that his target was an infant of the same race as Yoda which prompts Pedro Pascal’s wanderer to break off the mission to save him.

It’s a great reveal because it showcases the full depth of the central character, making Djin one of the most compelling leads in the entire franchise. It’s a terrific final twist in an episode that had already been great at playing in the established sandbox, finding a clever way to expand the universe while still remaining laser-focused on the main character.

Considering the way many critics and die-hard Jane Austen fans had a myriad of issues with Netflix's adaptation of Persuasion (2022), we really didn't need another Pride and Prejudice in the sea of greats we already have. But I'm a simple woman: cast Jack Lowden as Mr. Darcy, and I've never been more seated. Also, considering this will be another series as opposed to a movie, there's plenty of space to actually adapt a large majority of the book and do right by it.

The cast is not only stacked with perfect faces in every role, but veteran actors who are going to be so promising sharing the screen that no matter how the story pans out, seeing them in the same space is going to be a gift in and of itself. Here’s where you’ve seen the cast of Pride and Prejudice before; and catch them on Prime Video, Disney+, and more!

Jack Lowden as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy

From Mary Queen of Scots (2018) to Slow Horses (2022) on Apple TV, Jack Lowden is well on his way toward becoming the internet's new boyfriend once his version of Mr. Darcy is on our screens. Lowden's range is so incredible and so profoundly promising that the actor is surely on his way to greatness. It helps that the projects he's often involved in are also well produced, giving him plenty of legroom to show off what he's capable of.

Having seen him in a number of properties now, I've never been more confident in the casting of a Darcy since Matthew Rhys in Death Comes to Pemberley (2013). Lowden is not only capable of delivering stoic agitation, but the necessary softness that viewers will need to believe in his transformation from an aristocrat to a man in love by the end. 

One to watch: If you love crime dramas like Dept. Q (2025), check out Slow Horses for a grumpy lead (and also Lowden's character constantly keeps having the worst day ever).

Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet

Despite Mr. Darcy's popularity, it's actually the role of Elizabeth Bennet that's even harder to cast, and Netflix's Pride and Prejudice has nailed it with Emma Corrin. From the moment they stepped onto our screens as young Princess Diana in The Crown (2016), the amount of homework they'd done to fill the beloved princess's shoes was obvious. Corrin commanded every scene they were in with an impeccable range and understanding, proving that there's no role they can't take on.

As a complex character, Elizabeth is known to be tough to portray, but given Corrin's body of work in films like A Murder at the End of the World (2023) and The Crown, there's no doubt that their version of Elizabeth is about to become an easy fan-favorite. I came in for Lowden, but it's Corrin's casting that cemented we'd have something special on our hands. 

One to watch: If you loved Kristen Stewart's performance as Princess Diana in Spencer (2021), check out The Crown for another solid adaptation.

Rufus Sewell as Mr. Bennet

For the longest time, I've had one-sided (complimentary) beef with Rufus Sewell because he's often playing unlikable characters who are hard to root for. But the softness and warmth in Mr. Bennet make him one of the most important characters in Pride and Prejudice, and it's both exciting and refreshing to see how Sewell can bring him to life and finally give us a character we can fully root for.

Ultimately, having seen him in roles like The Holiday (2006) and more recently, The Diplomat (2023), Sewell's range as an actor is promising to give us a different perspective of Mr. Bennet. The late Donald Sutherland has left impossible shoes to fill, but we can be confident that Sewell will bring something totally different to layer the character in his own memorable way.

One to watch: If you want a complex love story like The Holiday where Sewell's character actions can surprise you, check out Tristan & Isolde (2006).

Olivia Colman as Mrs. Bennet

It is a known fact that any version of Mrs. Bennet will drive us off the wall in Pride and Prejudice, but she's often brought to life by such legends that it makes being annoyed with her more fun. That said, casting Olivia Colman and reuniting her with Corrin after The Crown is literally genius. Watching the two of them go head-to-head again in a completely different tone is going to make this adaptation a sure blast.

Colman is among the most versatile actresses we get to see on our screens now, and how she makes every role utterly unique and inimitably memorable is a gift that only she's capable of mastering as distinctly. From The Favourite (2018) to the recently hilarious The Roses (2025), Colman is sure to bring a levity to Mrs. Bennet in a way that's going to make her exceptionally memorable in this version.

One to watch: If you want to watch her play the sweet mom before diving into Pride and Prejudice, check out Heartstopper (2022).

Fiona Shaw as Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Lady Catherine de Bourgh is such an intimidating character in the book that the casting in this role always matters as much as Elizabeth's parents do. Therefore, casting Fiona Shaw already has me terrified as someone who remembers her from Harry Potter. She brought plenty of range to Petunia Dursley, and she's even recently done such an excellent job in Bad Sisters (2022) that it'll be even more compelling to see the layers she adds to a character we don't see often but know plenty about. 

Part of Lady Catherine's appeal as a character is this realization of how she exists in the shadows. How she's present throughout the story, even when we don't see her, so it'll be riveting to see how Shaw's essence will bring the character together in those moments, too. A+ casting, if you ask me.

One to watch: If you loved her complexes in Bad Sisters, watch Andor (2022) to see Fiona Shaw in one of the most memorable scenes in Star Wars history.

Freya Mavor as Jane Bennet

Freya Mavor isn't an actress who's been in a number of mainstream properties, but interestingly, as Jane Bennet, there's a lot we can hope for with the reminder that Rosamund Pike was also relatively new in Pride and Prejudice (2005). So, yes, before she became the star we now associate with remarkable range and quality content that's almost always rich with nuance, she was newer. 

The role of Jane is hugely significant, and the love story with Bingley is perfect for viewers who love softer romances, so it's going to be exciting to see what Freya Mavor brings to life. Given her work in Industry (2020), we can be confident in the fact that Jane is in exceptionally good hands.  

One to watch: If you love Succession (2018), watch Industry for similar rich people vibes.

Daryl McCormack as Charles Bingley

Daryl McCormack might not have a stacked IMDb profile, but he's already shared the screen with a number of greats, so the decision to cast him as Mr. Bingley is already promising. From Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022), Bad Sisters, and even more recently, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025), McCormack has plenty of incredible productions to look back on once everyone starts to obsess over Bingley's softness.

Thus far, McCormack has done an incredible job of ensuring that each role he's in differs from what he's done before, showing that he's fully capable of understanding his character to a T. Bingley often takes a backseat to Darcy with the amount of screen time, but I have a feeling we'll get something pretty memorable in this adaptation.

One to watch: If you liked Wake Up Dead Man, but want to see McCormack play a character who's less sinister and more complex, then watch Bad Sisters for its mystery and romance.

Louis Partridge as Mr. Wickham

The wildest part of Louis Patridge's casting is that he's so much younger than Darcy that it might be odd to see him as Wickham. Still, Patridge has done plenty in the last few years to showcase that he's pretty capable of embodying a wide range of characters from movies like Enola Holmes (2020) to TV series like House of Guinness (2025). 

The baby face might fool us for a beat, but he's capable of bringing depth and even adding layers to Wickham that are thus far only present in Death Comes to Pemberley. He's an easy target as a character to dislike, but with a limited series approach, the series might add more complexities that can be riveting. Rhea Norwood, who'll be playing Lydia, doesn't have much to her filmography outside of Heartstopper, but knowing what she's capable of there, it'll be riveting to see them side by side. 

One to watch: If you're excited for the new Young Sherlock (2026) series, check out Enola Holmes for a different side to the detective's family.

Jasmine Blackborow as Charlotte Lucas

Before we had the quintessential '90s rom-com best friend, we had Charlotte Lucas, knocking sense into Lizzie Bennet and also reminding us that twenty-seven is apparently ancient. Ultimately, the character's importance is crucial in the story, and Austen is often a writer who admires female friendships as much as she does romantic relationships, so it's great to see that the role has gone to an actress with plenty of range.

Blackborow has been in a few properties, like briefly appearing in Shadow and Bone (2021), Marie Antoinette (2022), and The Gentlemen (2024). Giving us complex women with plenty of layers, even during her brief screentime, I have full confidence in the fact that she may be our best and most memorable Charlotte Lucas yet.

One to watch: If you love the complex family dynamics in House of Guinness, check out The Gentlemen. 

Jamie Demetriou as Mr. Collins

One of the best parts of Pride and Prejudice (2005) is the comedic relief that Tom Hollander brings to Mr. Collins, so it's essentially perfect that the Netflix version also cast a comedy actor to bring the laughs and lighthearted approach. Jamie Demetriou has a ton to his name as an actor and writer, including films like The Roses with Colman and Apple TV's The Afterparty (2022).

Bringing comedy into a role like Mr. Collins is exactly what makes the character mean something in a space that would otherwise come across as creepy, so the fact that we could potentially have something light in this version is promising. I'm already thinking of what his equivalent of the "boiled potatoes" line will be.

One to watch: If you love whodunnit comedies like Only Murders in the Building (2021), check out The Afterparty. 

For the first time since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Star Wars is returning to the big screen with The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026). The film is a continuation of the hit Star Wars series, The Mandalorian (2019). It sees Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu embark on a new adventure as they help the New Republic combat imperial warlords. Given that Djarin and Grogu are fan favourites, anticipation for the new movie is high.

However, The Mandalorian was quite a unique series in that it appealed to both longtime Star Wars fans and newcomers to the franchise. Between the new Star Wars fans and how long it has been since The Mandalorian premiered, viewers may need a refresher or recap on Star Wars events and characters pertinent to the new movie. You can use our guide to find every Star Wars TV show and movie to watch to enjoy The Mandalorian and Grogu best.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is the pilot film to the The Clone Wars series. Taking place between Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005), it sees Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) stir mistrust of the Galactic Republic by framing Anakin (Matt Lanter) and Ahsoka (Ashley Eckstein) for Rotta the Hutt’s (David Accord) kidnapping.

While Star Wars: The Clone Wars has little to do with Djarin and Grogu, I recommend it because it includes the Hutts. The Mandalorian and Grogu marks Rotta the Hutt’s (Jeremy Allen White) first appearance since his baby Hutt debut in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Star Wars: The Clone Wars lacks some of the complexity and style of the TV series, but it’s sturdy enough to introduce you to the Hutts’ history with the Jedi and Rotta’s beginnings without having to go all the way back to the beginning of Star Wars.

Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018)

Star Wars Rebels takes place shortly after Revenge of the Sith. I wouldn’t say it’s mandatory to understand The Mandalorian and Grogu, but it’s a good watch if you want a little background on Zeb Orrelios (Steven Blum). In the series, Zeb is a primary member of the Ghost crew, proving a vital component of the rebellion through his muscle and brains. The Mandalorian already teased Zeb’s importance in Djarin and Grogu’s journey by having Zeb cameo.

Just as suspected, it was more than a fan service cameo, as Zeb will return in The Mandalorian and Grogu, aiding the Republic in avoiding another war. Star Wars Rebels is an excellent, rugged exploration of a ragtag group of rebels. It will provide a great backstory for Zeb and is an important watch in its own right, as Star Wars Rebels ties in quite significantly with The Mandalorian and its spinoffs.

The Mandalorian (2019-2023)

The Mandalorian is the most important work on this list as it provides the backstory of Djarin and Grogu. In the series, bounty hunter Djarin is hired to retrieve the force-sensitive child, Grogu. However, when he realizes Grogu is a vulnerable child, he decides to protect him rather than turn him over, sparking a wild adventure across the galaxy. As mentioned above, The Mandalorian and Grogu is the continuation of The Mandalorian, making it a must-see before the movie.

The Mandalorian takes place just nine years after Star Wars Rebels and helps set the tone for the New Republic Era, exploring the remnants of the Empire and the world of bounty hunters. Most importantly, it establishes the bond between Djarin and Grogu, offering a surprisingly tender and relatable story for the Star Wars universe. Both fans and newcomers alike can’t resist the perfect balance of action and emotion in The Mandalorian.

The Book of Boba Fett (2021-2022)

The Book of Boba Fett is closely related to The Mandalorian, essentially filling the gap between Seasons 2 and 3. The show centers on Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and Fennec Shand (Ming Na-Wen), who try to establish themselves in the underworld, but must contend with the Hutts. Midway through the show, Djarin and Grogu appear, marking an important chapter in their story as Grogu must choose between training as a Jedi or following Djarin.

Djarin and Grogu’s appearance isn’t the only reason to watch The Book of Boba Fett before The Mandalorian and Grogu, as the series also delves into the Hutts. It provides vital context for their underworld activities during this time and may be important to understanding Rotta’s rise to power. The Book of Boba Fett is a little all over the place in its story, but you won’t regret the additional context on Djarin, Grogu, and the Hutts before The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Ahsoka (2023-Present)

Ahsoka takes place concurrently with The Mandalorian Season 3, and follows Ahsoka Tano’s (Rosario Dawson) mission to find Ezra (Eman Esfandi) amid rumors of Grand Admiral Thrawn’s (Lars Mikkelsen) return. It’s hard to say how important Ahsoka is to The Mandalorian and Grogu, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to watch it for some extra preparation. Tano isn’t confirmed to appear in the film, but many fans anticipate a possible surprise appearance.

The Mandalorian and Ahsoka are very closely linked, as The Mandalorian sets up Ahsoka. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if The Mandalorian and Grogu, in turn, connected to Ahsoka Season 1 or 2. Not only is it an excellent story that offers the long-awaited continuation of Star Wars Rebels, but it also provides potentially significant context for what’s happening in the galaxy during the time of The Mandalorian and Grogu.

There's something almost indescribably special about campy sci-fi movies. They're fun. They're ridiculous, and at times, they feel like a warm, comfortable blanket on a cold night. If that sounds like your ticket, then you're in luck. JustWatch TV, JustWatch's new streaming service, is filled with sci-fi B-movie gems.

If you need recommendations for your next "bad movie" watch party, or just want something silly to unwind with after a long day of work, here are five sci-fi B-movies you can watch now on JustWatch TV. And the best news is that most of them are free! 

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)

If you're a major The X-Files (1993) fan like me, then you may also know Plan 9 from Outer Space as Fox Mulder's favorite movie. If not, then you probably just know it has one of the worst movies ever made. (Sorry, Ed Wood.) Those looking for absurd sci-fi with more of a horror feel will love this one, considering it involves aliens resurrecting the dead on Earth to prevent humans from using a doomsday weapon and destroying themselves. Yeah, okay, that makes sense.

Director Ed Wood, known for other genre schlock like 1955's Bride of the Monster (also available on JustWatch TV), puts his all into this ridiculous idea and never lets the shockingly low budget deter him. At only 80 minutes long, Plan 9 is the perfect choice for a B-movie watch party. It's campy, fun, and loaded with movie-making faux pas, like visible strings attached to spaceships. You'll even get performances from Vampira (Maila Nurmi) and Bela Lugosi.

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)

Nothing goes together quite like Santa Claus and space, right? Well, as Santa Claus Conquers the Martians proves, this particular pairing might be a bit underrated. In this sci-fi comedy favorite, a group of Martian leaders abduct Santa Claus from Earth to keep their Martian kids entertained… I guess? Listen, this is most definitely an absurd movie, but there is a vein of satire here if you dig deep enough. 

Featured in Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1989) and Elvira's Movie Macabre (1981), Santa Claus Conquers the Martians remains an enduring favorite among purveyors of "so bad, it's good" cinema. While you may want to wait for the holidays to roll around to give this one a try, don't sleep on it, because it's a genuine blast. 

Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women (1968)

Perhaps my favorite review for Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women comes from FilmFantatic.Org, where it's called "frightfully sub-par." However, as the review also goes on to say, "you'll likely never be bored." Both statements are true. Planet of Prehistoric Women is a Frankenstein-esque mash-up of the Soviet space film, Planet Bur (1962) and new scenes added by an uncredited Peter Bogdanovich. Bizarre? You bet it is. 

As a result, Planet of Prehistoric Women is a campy delight filled with that trademark '60s retro-futuristic flair and plenty of blonde women in scantily dressed clothes. The story itself is right in the title. When a group of astronauts lands on Venus, they must face off against dinosaur-like creatures and those aforementioned scantily dressed women. If that plot synopsis already has you chuckling, Planet of Prehistoric Women is for you. 

Barbarella (1968)

While Barbarella's bigger budget doesn't technically make it a B-movie in that category, everything else about it is wonderfully campy. There's a reason it remains one of Jane Fonda's most loved roles, despite everything else that the actress has been in. The plot itself is simple enough, with Fonda's sexy space agent (yes, that's a job in this universe) assigned to track down Dr. Durand Durand (Milo O'Shea) and his dangerous Positronic Ray.

What ensues is a surreal, psychedelic adventure that leans into cheesy sci-fi tropes and sexploitation themes. Don't let all the sexiness fool you, though. Reevaluations of Barbarella prove how smart the movie is. Parody and subversion sit below its layers… or lack of layers. Honestly, it's worth watching for that alone. Sitting somewhere between the "male gaze" and "female empowerment," Barbarella remains a fun yet complicated sci-fi romp steeped in '60s nostalgia. 

Doomsday Machine (1972)

As another movie blasted by Elvira's Movie Macabre, that should tell you (almost) everything you need to know about Doomsday Machine. Like Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women, Doomsday Machine has a messy production story, with parts of the movie shot in 1967 before completing shooting in 1972 with an entirely different cast and set. You know, normal things. 

Spinning out of the nuclear panic of the '60s, Doomsday Machine follows a US space crew whose mission to Venus is interrupted by the discovery that China has destroyed Earth with the titular "doomsday" device. Compiled in part by using stock footage from NASA and music from Forbidden Planet (1956), Doomsday Machine carries that "so bad, it's good" charm with a brighter, more '70s-infused style. 

If there’s one family that is synonymous with the Game of Thrones universe, it’s the Targaryens. They’re at the center of House of the Dragon, and in many ways, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. And although Game of Thrones splits the focus, so much of it still rests on the Targaryens we know and the ones we end up discovering.

But how to even begin ranking the Targaryens? Not many of them are actually good. They’re just interesting characters that we sometimes root for and sometimes root against, but that rarely leave us indifferent. So, let’s use that metric. Here are the best Targaryens in the Game of Thrones universe, ranked by how interesting they are. Judge for yourself by booting up HBO Max. 

10. Aemond Targaryen - House of the Dragon

Perhaps Aemond Targaryen would be higher on this list if he weren’t so one-note. He is closer to a cartoonish villain than a nuanced character. Yet, there have been times when we’ve gotten a glimpse of who Aemond could have been in another world. In this one, though, he is merely the second son who wanted so much to break out of that box that he started an all-out war.

Oh yeah, and the one who was so desperate to be on top that he basically tried to murder his brother. It’s hard to root for him, but it’s also hard to look away from him.

9. Baela Targaryen - House of the Dragon

Baela is pure fire, and until now, more promise than actual development. But the promise is so, so good. Daemon’s oldest daughter with Laena Velaryon, Baela, is betrothed to the heir of the throne, Jacaerys Velaryon. So, she’ll be the queen one day, and she certainly acts like she knows it. (I mean that in the best way possible.) She’s smart, decisive, and seems to truly care not just for Jace and her father, but Rhaenyra, too.

Things are going to get much worse before they get better in House of the Dragon, and Baela Targaryen is someone you’d want on your side.

8. Jacaerys Velaryon - House of the Dragon

Not a Targaryen by name, but a Targaryen by blood, Jacaerys carries the name of his father—who wasn’t actually his father—Laenor Velaryon. And yet, despite his black hair, he’s very much his mother’s son: smart, a little impulsive, and very much the kind of man who will one day make a very wise king. You know, if this universe ever wanted us to have nice things.

Jacaerys hasn’t gotten to shine as much as he could just yet, but Season 3 of House of the Dragon is set to be his moment, for better or worse.

7. Rhaenys Targaryen - House of the Dragon 

“The Queen Who Never Was,” Rhaenys Targaryen is one of the most impressive Targaryens in this universe, and not just because of the dragon she commands, but also because of her presence. She should have been chosen queen, but the Great Council passed her over to crown her cousin, Viserys. Still, Rhaenys continued to carry the strength of a queen until her final moments.

From her relationship with Corlys, to her love for her kids, to a woman in her position being a fierce dragon rider and warrior, perhaps in another timeline, wars were fought for her and not for Rhaenyra’s sake. Either way, this Targaryen truly left her mark.

6. Baelor Targaryen - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Oh, Baelor. We hardly knew you. As the heir to the throne of Westeros, Baelor [spoiler!] dies in Episode 5 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and it feels like the world shifts after his death. He dies in such a silly way, too. An accidental blow by his own brother, Maekar, after he decided to support Ser Duncan the Tall in his Trail of the Seven.

What would the Seven Kingdoms have been if Baelor had become king? We will never know, but a man of such temperament and honor might have indeed changed the fate of all Targaryens who came after.

5. Jon Snow (aka Aegon Targaryen VI) - Game of Thrones

We’ll continue to call him Jon, okay? And Jon is very much not your typical Targaryen. There’s something to be said about blood, and there’s something to be said about upbringing, and Jon is a Stark, through and through, thanks to being raised by his uncle, Ned Stark. He is also the man who came back from the dead, and in many ways, the prince who was promised in that prophecy we’ve heard so much about.

Even if Game of Thrones forgot about that, we can still appreciate Jon for what he was and also for what he could have been.

4. Daenerys Targaryen - Game of Thrones

There’s a little more to appreciate with Daenerys, who was basically our first standard for what a Targaryen should be. And despite that heel turn in the final episodes of the show that we are still trying to forget, she was an easy character to root for. In fact, for most of Game of Thrones, she was one of the main characters we were rooting for.

We wish she’d gotten another ending. Or, at the very least, we wish the one she got had made a little more sense. But some Daenerys moments remain some of the best ones from this entire franchise. No one can take that from us.

3. Aegon Targaryen V (aka Egg) - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

We’ve only had Egg for a little while, but if something happened to him, we’d do drastic things. And so would Ser Duncan the Tall. There’s something just so lovable about Egg, even as he remains a kid who has so much to learn because he’s lived such a sheltered life. The thing about Egg is that he will only get the chance to become the man he will one day be, thanks to the fact that he was one of those Targaryens no one expected would ever get close to the throne.

Perhaps that’s what makes him all the more interesting. Egg is just himself, and that’s a sweet, nice kid. That’s a rarity on this list, and in the franchise in general.

2. Rhaenyra Targaryen - House of the Dragon

The entire franchise got more interesting in House of the Dragon, and Rhaenyra is one of those characters we can never look away from. Perhaps it’s because she represents every overqualified woman who has ever been pushed aside for a man who doesn’t know what he’s doing and doesn’t even want the job he’s been entrusted with. Maybe because she’s not the meek and kind princess anyone expects, but she’s also not a lone Targaryen in the world, like Daenerys was.

Instead, she’s a queen. And it’s hard not to support her as she fights for what’s hers.

1. Daemon Targaryen - House of the Dragon

Daemon Targaryen is chaos incarnate. It’s hard to know if he’s a villain, a hero, an antihero or all of the above, depending on the day. But he’s also the most interesting Targaryen who has ever graced our screens, particularly because it’s so hard to figure out what exactly he’s all about. What drives Daemon? His love for family, of course. But does he want to be king, or does he just want to be chosen? And is there any limit to what he will do to get what he wants?

We don’t know the answer to the first two questions, but it’s become clear that the answer to the last one is no. And that’s why he makes for good TV.

There once was a time when if a film wanted to have a successful marketing campaign, it needed a video game tie-in. Whether it was animated films, action blockbusters, or the odd horror movie, video games were seen as the go-to for studios to earn a little extra cash off a film’s release. While tie-in games were all the rage in the ‘90s and 2000s, most film studios have shifted away from developing licensed games, yet some studios still go the extra mile to develop adaptations for home consoles like the PS5 and Switch 2.

In fact, last week it was announced that a video game based on John Wick (2014) was in development, and gamers are currently gearing up for 007 First Light, the latest James Bond project since No Time To Die (2021). But which films have delivered some of the best video game tie-ins? Plenty of films on HBO Max and Disney+ have had them, but these ten games are generally considered to be a cut above the average licensed game slop. If you want some quality games based on movies, check these out!

10) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

While later Harry Potter films would be remembered for their darker plots, it’s easy to forget that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) was a whimsical and light-hearted kids' film. Thankfully, the developers at Argonaut Games remembered this when crafting a tie-in game based on the film.

Much like the film, there’s a sense of awe that players feel when exploring Hogwarts. You take classes, use spells to navigate around Hogwarts, and even play some matches of Quidditch. Fans of the film will love the attention to detail, including the ending that features plenty of great set pieces. There are some drawbacks though. It was released on the PlayStation a full year into its successor, the PlayStation 2’s lifespan, and looked dated even back then. Just look up ‘PS1 Hagrid’ whenever you get the chance. It may not be revelatory, and there definitely is some nostalgia talking here, but it was a heartfelt adaptation of the source material that delivered a solid 4-6 hour adventure. Those looking for a dose of nostalgia and a kid-friendly experience akin to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (2005) should check out this underappreciated PS1 classic.

9) The Mummy: Demastered (2017)

Remember Universal’s “Dark Universe”? During the height of the MCU, every company was trying to hop onto the cinematic universe bandwagon, and Universal announced grand plans for a shared universe before its first film, The Mummy (2017), even came out. Needless to say, that film crashed and burned, but funnily enough, the best thing to come out of Universal’s doomed franchise was The Mummy’s tie-in video game, The Mummy: Demastered.

Sporting a dark and Gothic aesthetic like Van Helsing (2004), The Mummy Demastered is a solid action platformer that had no right being as good as it was. The game has wonderful pixel art, and with a fairly large world to explore with power-ups to help aid in exploration. It slid under the radar because of the film’s poor quality, but The Mummy: Demastered is one of the rare movie tie-in games that’s actually better than the source material. The film is a positively grim and dull experience, but The Mummy: Demastered is bursting with color, hectic boss fights, and a difficulty curve that’s tough, yet fair. It takes bigger swings than Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and even if it’s a bit more obscure, it’s definitely worth checking out.

8) Peter Jackson’s King Kong (2005)

There was a time when Peter Jackson’s King Kong (2005) was seen as cutting-edge. The scale and special effects involved in bringing King Kong to life were unlike anything audiences had seen up until that point, and like Jurassic World (2015), revived a franchise that was all but extinct. That legacy would extend to the video game tie-in, which many fans claimed was way ahead of its time.

Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Video Game was a launch title for the Xbox 360 back in 2005, although it did release on virtually every system available at the time. Regardless of which console version you picked up, the game was a surpsiingly well crafted first person shooter that prioritized immersion above all else. Barely any notifications or distractions popped up to take you out of the action as the game was squarely focused on having you explore Skull Island and fight the various creatures living there. Peter Jackson’s King Kong was given the budget and scale one would expect from a AAA blockbuster as opposed to a licensed tie-in like The Mummy: Demastered or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, elevating it to being not just a good movie tie-in game, but a good game overall.

7) X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Good video games based on bad movies aren’t exactly uncommon. The Mummy: Demastered was a true surprise in every sense of the word, but the gold standard of great games based on bad movies is undeniably X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

The film X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) had the potential to be a violent gorefest, true to the character of Logan, but with a PG-13 rating, it was very limited in what it could do. That’s not the case with the tie-in game. X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the game, was M-rated and had plenty of carnage, violence, and blood to spare. The Logan in this game feels like the same Wolverine fans loved in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), rough edges and all. The action itself is easy to comprehend for anyone to pick up and play, though it can be simplistic, and both the violence and at times brain-dead combat can lose its luster after a few hours. That being said, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a great game that can be beaten in a weekend, so even if the gameplay is a bit on the repetitive side, it’s forgivable.

6) The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay

Does anyone remember The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)? Chances are, you probably don’t. While Vin Diesel's sci-fi action thriller is as intense as other sci-fi action movies like Predator: Badlands (2025), it was never able to find an audience. However, the video game tie-in, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, is arguably more well-known than the film it’s based on.

Thanks to heavy involvement from the film’s directors and Vin Diesel himself, Escape From Butcher Bay felt like a meaningful installment in the franchise, serving as a prequel to the original film, Pitch Black (2000). The game was a melding of different genres, including first-person shooters, stealth games, and even elements from brawlers. While that may make the game seem busy, thanks to the game’s short length, the developers were able to make sure that what was present was polished enough to make a mirror shine. Like Peter Jackson’s King Kong, immersion was prioritized above all else, which made escaping from the maximum security prison that Riddick found himself in feel like a character in itself. It takes a lot of effort for a tie-in game to be remembered more than the film it’s based on, but that should speak to the quality of Escape From Butcher Bay.

5) Scarface: The World Is Yours (2006)

Making a sequel to Scarface (1983) is a bad idea. How can you possibly continue the story of Tony Montana in a way that is not only respectful to the original film but warrants its own existence? Well, leave it to Scarface: The World Is Yours to not only make a compelling case, but a convincing one.

Scarface: The World Is Yours is an open-world game in the same vein as Grand Theft Auto, but goes well beyond the scope of that series. Yes, you are a criminal who does plenty of illegal acts, but you also are the head of a criminal empire and manage all elements of it, including controlling territory, selling drugs, and buying off cops to turn the other cheek. In many ways, Scarface: The World Is Yours feels more like a video game based on The Godfather (1972) than the actual Godfather video game. It’s violent, but never tasteless, and thanks to the involvement of several of the original film’s actors, there’s an air of authenticity to the game. If you’ve grown numb to the wanton mayhem of Grand Theft Auto, or are just waiting until Grand Theft Auto VI, Scarface: The World Is Yours is a great little forgotten gem.

4) Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (2024)

In the modern era of gaming, most movie-based video games are now relegated to app stores with a whole host of predatory microtransactions aimed at capitalizing on a film’s popularity. It’s not often that gamers are given a movie tie-in game with genuine effort put into it, but leave it to Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to show that a little bit of effort goes a long way.

Set as a sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and the Great Circle does a great job at making the game feel like a globetrotting adventure. The game simply understands what makes the Indiana Jones franchise so much fun. Yes, there’s a story that feels exciting in the same way that National Treasure (2004) was exciting, but there’s also a fair amount of wit that helps to rehabilitate the franchise after the disappointment that was Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). There’s a healthy amount of action in the game, but the puzzles are also equally well handled and can be genuine brain scratchers that test even the most well-versed gamer. Nothing beats a simple adventure game, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is that and then some.

3) Spider-Man 2 (2004)

There have been plenty of Spider-Man games before and since Spider-Man 2, but it was the first Spider-Man game that offered a concise and fully realized simulation of what it would be like to play as the old web head.

The game expands upon Spider-Man 2 (2004) by not only adapting the film’s plot, but also adding in other fan-favorite comic book characters that never got their time in the spotlight in Sam Raimi’s trilogy, like Mysterio, Shocker, and Black Cat. Comic fans will geek out over that in the same way they geeked out over all the cameos in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), but more importantly, you’ll love the freedom of movement that the game provides players. The momentum you feel while swinging across New York City flows so wonderfully, and the world itself, while big, isn’t overwhelmingly so like Insomniac’s take on the series. Sometimes, less is more, and the refined focus on physics and replicating that Sam Raimi charm helps make Spider-Man 2 stand apart from the crowd. That, and it has the pizza theme. That alone makes it fantastic.

2) Alien: Isolation (2014)

There have been plenty of horror movie tie-ins over the decades, but none have been as terrifying as Alien: Isolation. Carrying the same spirit as Alien (1979), it works as well as it does for one reason and one reason only: the Xenomorphs.

Xenomorphs have always been the apex predators in the Alien series, and Alien: Isolation truly makes them some of the most dangerous monsters in all of the video games. When you hear the Xenomorph or, God help you, see it, the terror is immediate and visceral. Thanks to smart environmental designs, as well as the variety of tools you’ll acquire, you’ll be able to survive each encounter, but just barely. The Sevastopol itself is a terrifying setting that feels truly isolating, and those who felt paranoid watching The Thing (1982) will likely be checking around every corner not just for the Xenomorph roaming around, but for the Working Joes that can be just as dangerous as the supposed perfect organism. Alien: Isolation stands tall as not only one of the best movie tie-in games, but one of the best survival horror games, period. 

1) GoldenEye 007 (1997)

Alien: Isolation may stand as one of the greatest survival horror games of all time, but it didn’t change the industry as much as GoldenEye 007. GoldenEye (1995) may not be the best Bond film, but its impact on video games was nothing short of revolutionary.

At the time, first-person shooters made their home on PCs and not consoles, but GoldenEye 007 was the first console FPS that felt fun to play. While the campaign was great and featured plenty of gadgets, stealth segments, and frankly, awesome music, it was the multiplayer mode that made GoldenEye 007 into the legend it is today. Thanks to the Nintendo 64, four players could partake in split-screen matches themed after different Bond films, play as numerous characters from the movie, including the infamous Oddjob, and have nearly two dozen weapons to choose from. Fans of spy thrillers like The Bourne Identity (2002) will definitely find that GoldenEye 007’s more grounded approach helps make it stand apart from fantastical FPSs of the era like Doom. Goldeneye 007 genuinely changed the industry, and that alone makes it the best video game based on a movie.

2026 will see Tom Hiddleston return to his most famous role as Loki Laufeyson in Avengers: Doomsday (2026). Hiddleston gained widespread recognition for his role as Loki, becoming a fan favorite and early staple of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’s been so popular that the MCU has granted his character immense power and a propensity for cheating death.

However, Loki is far from Hiddleston’s only notable role. From playing a refined secret agent to portraying an accountant with a talent for dancing, Hiddleston dazzles with his convincing, grounded, and quietly emotional performances across a wide range of genres. Use our guide to read about the 10 best Tom Hiddleston performances, ranked to the best based on the quality of the film and performance, available to watch on Prime Video, Disney+, and more!

10. High-Rise (2016)

High-Rise is a sci-fi thriller that follows Dr. Robert Laing (Hiddleston), who moves into a high-rise building where residents are divided by social class and are incentivized by its many amenities to remain isolated from the rest of the world. Hiddleston plays Laing well, capturing his character’s slow descent into madness as class warfare and chaos break out in the high-rise. Meanwhile, the film is an interesting dystopian thriller that reminds me a lot of Snowpiercer (2013) through its claustrophobic environment and exploration of class divisions and the downsides of capitalism.

High-Rise gets even grittier than Snowpiercer, as conditions in the building reach a near-apocalyptic level of deterioration. At times, it felt almost a little too eager to get into the gritty apocalypse, rushing the narrative a bit. Although the movie has big ideas, it struggles with pacing, and the slightly messy plot means it takes 10th on this list.

9. Thor (2011)

Thor marked Hiddleston’s breakthrough role as Loki, a mischievous god who secretly plots against his brother, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), following Thor’s banishment to Earth. Although Loki is the villain, Hiddleston plays him so well that it’s hard not to empathize with him. While he excellently captures the trickster side of Loki, he also adds a vulnerability to him, demonstrating how, at times, he’s really just a boy who wants his father’s approval.

Thor is a refreshing MCU movie that blends superhero action with a bit of Norse mythology. Bringing the gods into the MCU is a momentous occasion, and the film delivers on the excitement and glamour. However, given it’s one of the earliest MCU works, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the recent movies and is more of a straightforward origin story that doesn’t tap wholly into Loki’s potential.

8. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Avengers: Infinity War sees the Avengers rally to stop Thanos (Josh Brolin) from completing his collection of the Infinity Stones and wiping out half of the population. Hiddleston reprises his role as Loki in the movie, although it’s quite short-lived. Even so, he delivers one of the movie's most emotional moments and chooses the heroic route despite all his previous schemes.

I especially love how it brings his redemption story from Thor: Ragnarok (2017) full circle. There weren’t any tricks up his sleeve this time, which is both devastating and touching. Meanwhile, his final shocking moments align quite well with the spectacle and twists of Avengers: Infinity War. If Hiddleston’s role were just a little more prominent, the film would rank higher on this list.

7. Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Kong: Skull Island marks the first Kong movie in the MonsterVerse. In the film, Bill Randa (John Goodman) leads a research expedition to Kong Island, where the team encounters an enormous ape. Hiddleston stars in the film as James Conrad, a veteran who serves as the team’s hunter-tracker. It’s a great performance in which his character exudes a military background, but is also deeply attuned to nature. He’s tough and stringent, while also capturing those softer moments where Conrad really resonates with Kong.

Kong: Skull Island is a fun Kong movie. The monster design is fantastic, resulting in numerous breathtaking moments when the sheer scale of that giant ape blows you away. Between the excellent design, strong performances, and adrenaline rush-inducing action, Kong: Skull Island is a great addition to the MonsterVerse.

6. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Thor: Ragnarok follows Thor and Loki, who must unite when their long-lost sister, Hela (Cate Blanchett), returns to unleash her fury on Asgard. Hiddleston and Hemsworth are at their best in Thor: Ragnarok, which gives them the space to work with their excellent chemistry and comedic timing. Their dynamic in the film makes for excellent humor, but also some surprisingly emotional moments that will resonate with anyone who has tense, seemingly irreparable family differences.

Thor: Ragnarok is easily the best Thor movie, giving it a bit of an upgrade over previous entries with more action, eye-catching visuals, and an excellent soundtrack. It’s the kind of film that’s so stylish and vibrant it feels exhilarating at times. Although it’s not one of Hiddleston’s most serious roles, Thor: Ragnarok marks his most fun movie.

5. Crimson Peak (2015)

Crimson Peak tells the story of Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), an aspiring author who travels to her new husband Thomas Sharpe’s (Hiddleston) and his sister’s (Jessica Chastain) family home, but soon begins experiencing supernatural phenomena in the isolated mansion. As a period Gothic horror movie directed by Guillermo del Toro, Crimson Peak provides the perfect environment for Hiddleston to shine. He has those refined mannerisms and charm that make him so well-suited for period dramas.

Hiddleston plays Sharpe quite well, leaning a little more into his antagonistic, mysterious side. Crimson Peak is also a gorgeous work of Gothic horror, featuring dazzling costumes, set designs, and cinematography that wholly transport you into a hauntingly beautiful world. Although the story is fairly simple, the film's beauty elevates it as one of del Toro’s best works. 

4. Archipelago (2011)

Archipelago follows a wealthy family whose trip to the island of Tresco brings long-buried resentments and family dysfunction to the surface. Hiddleston stars in the film as Edward, whose upcoming trip to Africa prompts his mother, Patricia (Kate Fahy), and sister, Cynthia (Lydia Leonard), to organize a farewell trip. It’s one of his more vulnerable roles as he’s a man uncertain of his future and whose doubts are only exacerbated by his combative family.

As a whole, Archipelago is a highly underrated but rewarding experience. The film plays out like a slow-burning, moving family tragedy, delving into the problems money can’t solve and the complexities of family friction. The only reason it doesn’t rank higher on this list is that not everyone will enjoy the talk-heavy, slow-burning nature of the film, though it’s certain to resonate with fans of twisted family sagas.

3. Loki (2021-2023)

Loki centers on a variant of Loki (Hiddleston) whose time-traveling shenanigans catch the attention of the Time Variance Authority, sending the God of Mischief on a transformative journey to restore the sacred timeline. Hiddleston returns to his most recognizable role in Loki and finally gets the chance to shine in his own solo project. His excellent performance adds further depth to the character, capturing his tragic-heroic side.

The series gives Loki his redemption arc and allows him to pursue his “glorious purpose” in a less villainous way. The intriguing time travel premise and deep dive into the multiverse further elevate Loki, giving it a nice balance of sci-fi, drama, and superhero action. Hiddleston carries the show in the most satisfying chapters in Loki’s story.

2. The Life of Chuck (2025)

The Life of Chuck delves into the life of Chuck Krantz, tracking his journey from a young boy with a love of dance (Benjamin Pajak) to a 39-year-old accountant (Hiddleston) who seems tied to the end of the world. Hiddleston’s role as the adult Chuck is quite small, but wholly mesmerizing. He radiates life and kindness as he breaks into dance in the middle of the street, makes friends with strangers, and interacts with his wife and son.

It’s both one of his simplest and most complex roles. He may be just an accountant, but his beautiful performance captures the significance of every life. The Life of Chuck is a deeply moving and mesmerizing portrait of life and the universe each individual contains. The brevity of his role is the only thing keeping The Life of Chuck from being Hiddleston’s best movie.

1. The Night Manager (2016-present)

The Night Manager follows the adventures of Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston), a veteran and secret agent who poses as a hotel manager to spy on arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). Pine is a role Hiddleston was truly born to play, as he excels at refined, intellectual, and somewhat mysterious characters. He plays Pine to perfection, establishing him as an intriguing secret agent who rivals James Bond with his polite disposition and suave mannerisms.

In addition to Hiddleston’s incredible performance as Pine, The Night Manager is an excellent adaptation of John le Carré’s book of the same name. It has the thrills, action, twists, and exhilaration of any secret-agent story, but often sets itself apart with its grounded, more realistic approach to the genre. Fans of captivating spy stories like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) and The Killing (2011) won’t want to miss The Night Manager, which stands as Hiddleston’s best work.

Awards season is in full swing with the 2026 BAFTAs happening this past weekend, and the Actor Award (formerly known as the SAG Awards) taking place on March 1 before we dive into the Oscars on March 15. Most of the time, some patterns ultimately allow a movie or show to sweep in a category it's presented in, but most films this year have been thoroughly surprising, making the Oscar winners even harder to predict.

Still, the BAFTAs delivered with some underrated gems and great decisions. Here are all the winners, as well as where to stream them on HBO Max, Prime Video, and more.

Best Film

• One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures) - WINNER

• Hamnet (Focus Features)

• Marty Supreme (A24)

• Sentimental Value (Nordisk Film) 

• Sinners (Warner Bros)

One Battle After Another (2025)

One Battle After Another wins big at the BAFTAs as best film, Paul Thomas Anderson for best director, cinematography, and adapted screenplay. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, and more, the film is gritty, gruesome, and surprisingly hilarious, but it's certainly not for every type of viewer.

It's a slow start for those who might not tolerate violence as well, but the film carries a plethora of depth in each frame, making it something that's worth checking out at least once if you want something that's jam-packed. Surprisingly, despite his many films, Anderson doesn't have an Oscar, so whether this will be the year, time will tell, but the BAFTAs are a great place to recognize his work.

Animated Film 

• Zootopia 2 (Disney) - WINNER

• Elio (Pixar)

• Little Amélie (Haut et Court)

Zootopia 2 (2025)

Rarely does an animated sequel do the same numbers as the original, perhaps even topping it in terms of narrative quality, too. But like Toy Story 2 (1999), Zootopia 2 is the kind of hit that could perhaps kickstart a number of films, making it a worthy franchise to invest in. Narratively and from an animation standpoint, Zootopia 2 is an absolute joy from start to finish and fun for the whole family.

It's profoundly moving, genuinely thoughtful in its themes that reflect current times, and effective in its messaging to evoke empathy and understanding of the human world through animals. In every area, this win is not only fully earned, but it feels right considering what a sensational hit it's been since the initial release and how it'll continue to be when it's available on streaming.

Film Not In the English Language

• Sentimental Value (Nordisk Film) - WINNER 

• It Was Just an Accident (Memento Distribution)

• The Secret Agent (Vitrine Filmes)

• Sirāt (BTeam Pictures)  

• The Voice of Hind Rajab (Jour2Fête) 

Sentimental Value (2025)

Sentimental Value takes the BAFTA award for Film Not in the English Language, making it another win for the movie that's surprising everyone this season. Between The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value, there are two extraordinary features to choose from for Best Picture contenders, and Sentimental Value is excellent as a story about healing, loss, and the connections we make with people through our art.

In line with Hamnet with this theme, the movie might be a bit heavy for some audience members, but its authenticity and the honest portrayal of deeply human emotions are worth watching for anyone who wants an intimate family story to dive into. The performances are all exceptional, too, and while it doesn't take home anything else for the BAFTA awards, we may still get some surprises with the others.

Outstanding British Film

Hamnet (Focus Features) - WINNER

28 Years Later (Sony Pictures)

The Ballad of Wallis Island (Focus Features)

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Universal Pictures)

Die My Love (Mubi)

H is for Hawk (Lionsgate)

I Swear (StudioCanal)

Mr. Burton (Icon Film Distribution) 

Steve (Netflix)

Hamnet (2025) 

Recommending Hamnet to people almost feels wrong because the movie is so deeply heavy and potentially triggering that it's completely understandable if there are still people who haven't seen it and don't want to. The idea of a child dying is an ache that many people can't stomach, so it's among the more challenging films to praise, but still, it's a masterpiece in more ways than one.

Jessie Buckley also takes home the BAFTA award for best leading actress, which is undoubtedly earned because, while it's been months since I first watched the movie, I'm still haunted by her performance throughout. It's gripping, heartbreaking, and simultaneously a beautiful reminder of how grief and love live among art, making it the kind of movie that's ultimately significant as an account for healing.

Underrated Pick - Steve (2025)

While Steve doesn't take home any awards at the BAFTAs and slipped under the radar for many award shows, it's still one of the most worthy films to watch to see previous Oscar winner, Cillian Murphy, in another role where he brilliantly delivers a full range of emotions. Murphy's range is incredible in everything he does, allowing every role to stand out in a manner that is wholly unique.

As a film, Steve is heartbreaking and heavy, but not in the way Hamnet is, and more so in how kindness can go further when characters look inward at their own perils. It's a film that asks significant questions about how we hold up others when we can't even hold our own, and that narrative theme sticks the landing in every way as a deeply vulnerable movie.

Russell Crowe is one of those actors people either revere or roll their eyes at. And I've never been entirely sure which group I fall into. He carries a sort of heavyweight reputation even when he's just standing there. For some viewers, he's practically sacred. For others, he's just… Russell Crowe. Which is why hearing Taika Waititi gush about the actor and his 2003 war drama, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, felt surprising and awesome at the same time.

WATCH: Taika Waititi Can Watch His Guilty Pleasure Movie HOW MANY TIMES?!

Speaking to JustWatch at the Sundance Film Festival while promoting the 2026 fantasy adventure movie Fing! Waititi didn't hesitate when asked about his guilty pleasure. "I'm not sorry to love that film because I love Russell Crowe with all my heart," he said. And he didn't stop there. "I think he's one of the greatest actors we've ever had. And I watch every Russell Crowe movie 50 times. You can tell him that. I mean, I have told him that. He knows."

Waititi calling Crowe his "guilty pleasure" doesn't even sound all that guilty. He actually sounds really proud of his choice, which makes you reconsider the whole idea of being embarrassed by personal taste to begin with, because that kind of commitment to a fave is super refreshing. And when someone whose own filmmaking voice is so distinct and playful is that sincere about another actor, it does make you pause and think, maybe I've been missing something.

The Russell Crowe Hype

I don't dislike Russell Crowe. I just don't always see the brilliance everyone talks about. In every movie, whether he's a Roman general, a tortured genius, or a sea captain, Crowe still feels like himself. Same grounded stare. Same gravelly authority. Same slightly clenched intensity. It's not bad. But it just feels like the same guy in different outfits reading off a cue card. And yes, I am aware that he has won an Academy Award for Best Actor, two Golden Globes, and a BAFTA.

Despite my indifference toward Crowe, Master and Commander is interesting. Directed by Peter Weir, the film follows Captain Jack Aubrey (Crowe) as he commands a British warship during the Napoleonic Wars, chasing down a powerful French privateer across treacherous seas. And Crowe actually works beautifully in this environment because Aubrey is meant to be steady, authoritative, and a little obsessive about duty and pursuit.

That kind of role fits Crowe's natural presence like a tailored naval coat. Maybe that's why this performance resonates with so many people, including Waititi. But do I think it proves he's one of the greatest actors we've ever had? I don't know. I still see him more as a strong anchor than a shapeshifter. He doesn't disappear into characters the way actors like Al Pacino do. But I guess, sometimes a film just needs a solid center more than it needs fireworks, which is where Crowe comes in.

Why You Should Watch 'Master And Commander' (And What to Watch Next)

Master and Commander is worth checking out, even if you're not on board with the Russell Crowe hype. It's ideal for viewers who prefer atmosphere-heavy stories as opposed to constant action. If you enjoy practical filmmaking and movies about the pressure that comes with leadership, this is very much in your lane. It's not a movie that offers up big emotional speeches every 10 minutes. Instead, it places focus on strategy sessions, moral dilemmas, and the unglamorous grind of life at sea.

For fans who already love Crowe, there's plenty more to explore. A Beautiful Mind (2001) is often cited as his most transformative role. He plays John Nash, a brilliant mathematician whose groundbreaking work is complicated by his struggle with schizophrenia. The film moves between intellectual triumph and deeply personal turmoil, and Crowe shows a vulnerability there that feels less armored than some of his other performances.

Then, of course, there's 2000's Gladiator, the swords-and-sand epic that turned him into a global superstar. As Maximus Decimus Meridius, a betrayed Roman general who wants revenge against a corrupt emperor, Crowe leans fully into mythic intensity. The movie is operatic, dramatic, and undeniably iconic. So even if (like me) you think Crowe is "just himself," it's a version of him that has been dialed up to eleven.