Mama June’s Daughter Pumpkin
Defends OnlyFans Career
My BF Darrin Supports Me!

Published
March 11, 2026
5:30 PM PDT

Time travel makes for an excellent subject for television because it can lead to mysteries that span multiple seasons, as well as set up some really compelling character development. Drama series like Outlander and Dark have shown the more dangerous stakes at play when one travels to another time period, while dramedies like Undone and Paper Girls dive into the personal and emotional stakes that time travel can have.

A severely underrated time travel show is Hallmark’s The Way Home. The family-centered small-town dramedy series is now three seasons in, with its fourth and final season airing this coming April. The first three seasons are now available to stream on Netflix, and now is the perfect time to binge-watch The Way Home and catch up before the series comes to an end.

What Is ‘The Way Home’ About?

At the start of The Way Home, Kat Landry Dhawan (Chyler Leigh) has hit an impasse in her life. Her teenage daughter, Alice (Sadie Laflamme-Snow), has been acting out since Kat’s amicable separation from her soon-to-be ex-husband, Brady Dhawan (Al Mukadam). One day, Alice takes it too far and pulls the fire alarm at her school, getting her expelled. On top of this, Kat has just been laid off from the journalism job that she loves. When Kat receives a heartfelt letter from her estranged mother, Del Landry (Andie MacDowell), she decides to pick up and move back to her family home on a farm in the tiny Canadian town of Port Haven.

The three generations of Landry-Dhawan women are struggling to adapt to this new living situation, particularly because of the family tragedies that led Kat and Del to lose touch in the first place. When Kat was a teenager, her little brother, Jacob (Remy Smith), went missing and was never found. Soon after, Kat’s father, Colton (Jefferson Brown), died in an accident. Del has worked hard to leave everything in the past and move forward, but Kat is desperate to connect with the memories of the family members she lost. Kat’s move back home is already a major adjustment, but everything is turned upside down when Alice discovers that the pond on the family’s property is a portal that leads back to the past.

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VIDEO: Chyler Leigh Breaks Down That Epic ‘The Way Home’ Moment We Were All Waiting For

Leigh also revisits meeting her husband in an audition, learning her work can make a difference via ‘Supergirl,’ and more!

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Alice starts regularly traveling back in time to the same period in time when Kat was a teenager in 1999, soon before she met Brady, got pregnant, and lost Jacob and Colton. As Alice befriends her mother as a teen, she starts to become immersed in the past, a time before everything fell apart. Kat, meanwhile, struggles to confront the pain of her history, while also coming to the startling realization that her best friend as a teen, Alice, was actually her daughter this whole time. The only characters aware of the pond’s powers are Alice, Kat soon after her, and Kat’s childhood best friend, Elliot (Evan Williams), who has known since he met and helped Alice 15 years ago.

‘The Way Home’ Is the Perfect Time Travel Binge Watch

The Way Home is perfect for fans of small-town, family-centered shows like Gilmore Girls and Sweet Magnolias. The show tells the heartwarming and emotional story of the Landry family slowly healing and coming together again after their major tragedies 15 years before, set in a small town with beautiful sights and a fun ensemble of characters. What really makes the show such a perfect binge-watch, though, is its time travel twist. The Way Home sets up a number of overarching mysteries early on, making it impossible to stop watching after each episode’s cliffhanger ending. As Alice gets more tangled up in the past, surprising reveals start to come to light about how the time back then is connected to the present day.

While The Way Home‘s two main timelines are the present day and 1999, the show teases a third timeline in the very first scene. Before the Landry-Dhawan family is even introduced, The Way Home follows a woman escaping a witch hunt in 1814 by jumping into the pond and seemingly transporting somewhere else. The Way Home is detailed and creative in the lore surrounding the pond and its magic properties, making for a really entertaining addition to the time travel subgenre and filling the show with exciting twists and turns throughout.

The Way Home is available to stream on Netflix. Season 4 will premiere April 19 on the Hallmark Channel.

Jack Osbourne
I Named Baby Girl After My Dad

Published
March 11, 2026
6:13 PM PDT

The 2026 Academy Awards will serve as a festive backdrop for an array of high-profile reunions.

“We have a huge reunion happening,” Oscars executive producer Raj Kapoor teased during a Wednesday, March 11, press conference. “There’s been rumors of what that is, and we are very excited to announce that we have a Bridesmaids reunion that is going to be very special.”

Bridesmaids, which premiered in 2011, costarred Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper and Rose Byrne as Maya Rudolph’s bridal party in a raucous pre-nuptial romp. Byrne is also nominated at the 2026 Oscars for her role in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.

The Bridesmaids cast won’t be the only former costars to hit the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 15. Keep scrolling for a complete guide of the movie reunions to expect on Oscar Sunday:

‘Bridesmaids’

Oscar nominee Rose Byrne will join forces with Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Melissa McCarthy to mark the raunchy comedy’s 15th anniversary.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Oscars producer Katy Mullan confirmed in a pre-ceremony press conference that there will “be a Marvel reunion for the superhero fans.”

“We’re gonna have superstar superheroes, and there is also going to be an extraterrestrial on the stage,” Mullan teased. “So you can figure that one out.”

It’s unknown whether the “extraterrestrial” will be related to the MCU segment and one of the comics’ out-of-this-world characters or a nod to a different alien movie, perhaps like Drew Barrymore’s E.T. or Sigourney Weaver’s Alien.

‘When Harry Met Sally’

Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are expected to lead an “In Memoriam” tribute to their When Harry Met Sally director, Rob Reiner. (Rob and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead with multiple stab wounds in December 2025. The couple’s son Nick was subsequently charged with two counts of murder but has pleaded not guilty.)

“I don’t feel like we’re at a place where we want to share what exactly what we’re doing for In Memoriam,” show executive producer Raj Kapoor said in a press conference before the ceremony. “All I can say is that a lot of time and thought has been put into the process of creating something really meaningful that has a lot of emotion and heart.”

According to fellow executive producer Katy Mullan, she and Kapoor have been discussing the perfect memorial tribute for “many, many months.”

“We’ve lost a huge amount of people this year who are so meaningful to so many in the film community,” she said. “We take it really, really seriously. We have been having many, many discussions. … It continues to change right up until rehearsal, because we want to get the strike, the balance, just right and make sure that it feels like the right moment in the show for the moment in time.”

Mullan added, “We really hope that it is a tribute that moves people and feels like it does the incredible people we’ve lost this year justice.”

Variety reported earlier in March that Barbra Streisand was in talks for a surprise musical tribute to her late The Way We Were costar Robert Redford, who died in September 2025.

Queen Naija continues to spark engagement speculation with her man, Clarence NYC, following her latest stream. The talk picked up after some supporters noticed a huge diamond on her ring finger. While the singer has yet to address the speculation, she did try on a few wedding dresses. She also previewed new lyrics that had fans wondering whether it was inspired by the rumored proposal.

RELATED: Fans Think Queen Naija & Clarence NYC Are Engaged After She Flexes HUGE Diamond Ring On Livestream (VIDEOS)

Queen Naija Tries On Wedding Dresses With Her Bestie Domi

On Tuesday, Queen Naija and her best friend Domi hopped on Twitch for their latest collab stream. During one segment, the two shared that they wanted to embrace both their inner child and grown woman by trying on wedding dresses together for a special bestie moment.

Queen explained that, despite being married before, she had never actually worn a wedding dress. She shared that walking down the aisle in a white gown has been a dream of hers since she was five years old. During the stream, the two tried on beautiful white gowns along with long veils. Domi hyped Queen up as she showed off a few dresses, telling her how stunning she looked in each one.

The two also answered questions about their definitions of love. When asked, Queen shared her thoughts on the spiritual meaning of marriage and what the union means to her. 

The singer also spoke about how, as a Christian, she believes God created Eve to be a helpmate for Adam. She explained, “A marriage is an example. It’s supposed to exemplify how Christ loved His people, His church, and that’s how a husband is supposed to love his bride. It’s supposed to represent unconditional love. A lot of people think that marriage is just a piece of paper, but it is so much more. It’s a covenant that you create. In my case, it would be me creating a covenant with my husband and God. Not just me and my husband, but me, my husband, and God. It’s the three of us, because we can’t do it without God. We’re not going to survive without God. Nobody can do it without God, period. marriage is hard.”

Queen Naija Also Previews A New Love Song

Before the livestream ended, Queen Naija gave supporters a snippet of a love song she currently has in the vault. Fans speculated that the track may be inspired by Clarence’s proposal.

“It was just me and you in our New York hotel room. No cameras rolling, but it felt like a movie… and then you took my breath away and gave…” Before the next lyric could play, Queen paused the track. She then played another part that said, “And now it’s forever and forever and ever… and it’s no more playing house. This is the real thing.”

Social Media Reacts 

Folks gathered under The Shade Room Teens as they tuned into clips from Queen Naija’s latest stream. While many congratulated her and said they felt bad she may not be able to openly announce it due to negative comments, others still don’t believe the news and think she might be trolling.

Instagram user @cartixnx wrote, “Queeeennn getting married ima cry im so serious”

Instagram user @bigfinihoessss_ added. “I’m soo happy for her she deserves it ❤️❤️❤️❤️”

While Instagram user @keygetthegirlsmad wrote, “that’s right queen, manifestation is real.. it’s coming soon girl 💕”

Instagram user @ogmfkenbellaaa wrote, “YALL BELIEVE ANYTHING QUEEN A TROLL😂”

Instagram user @anragoidt added, “She’s doing anything for attention. Yall know if clarence proposed there will be a video or pic. No such thing as private with queen she loves attention”

While Instagram user @_divne_  wrote, “I want this song congratulations @queennaija”

Instagram user @ohso_yuli wrote, “Queen really have a song for it all the heartbreak the healed and the big day !!! Ahh love me some Queen”

Instagram user @maleyahnicolee added, “Ain’t nomore playing house this is a real thing 🔥 ❤️ I love Queen !”

While Instagram user @jamie_desno wrote, “Chris tried, Chris lied, Clarence in 5 😂❤️”

RELATED: Love And Legacy! Clarence NYC Says He Wants More Kids After He and Naija Get Married (WATCH)

Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster’s next move as a couple appears to be facing a big challenge.

The duo has been dating for a while, going public with their relationship just months after Jackman finalized his divorce from his ex, Deborra-Lee Furness.

Although they have reportedly considered tying the knot, this plan is said to be stalled by Hugh Jackman’s need to be “sensitive” and “respectful” to his kids.

Hugh Jackman Wants To Be ‘Respectful’ To His Kids As He Pauses Marriage Plans, Sources Claim

Hugh Jackman’s split from Deborra-Lee Furness shocked the industry, as they had always seemed like a couple that would go the distance.

Nearly a year after finalizing their divorce, Jackman’s relationship with his Broadway co-star, Sutton Foster, is still going strong, a romance that earlier reports claimed may have begun while Jackman was still married.

Now, amid reports that Jackman plans to take the next step with Foster, insiders reveal that the actor is facing a major obstacle in making it happen.

“Even though Hugh is excited to start this next chapter with Sutton, he has to be sensitive to his kids. They’re incredibly protective of their mother… he wants to be respectful of that,” a source revealed, per the Daily Mail.

Jackman is said to be cautious about moving forward, not just to protect his children’s feelings, but also so they can be present at any future wedding with Foster.

“Hugh really wants his kids at the wedding. They both want their loved ones with them to celebrate,” the source added.

The Couple Has A Preferred Timeline To Get Married

Previously, rumors swirled that Jackman and Foster were keen on walking down the aisle together.

According to a source who spoke with New Idea, the couple prefers a date during spring or summer and wants the wedding to be held in New York.

The proposed celebration is also expected to be intimate and will include an extended honeymoon across Europe.

“[Jackman] told his team to keep a big window open for him and Sutton to tie the knot and have a ‘honeymoon tour’ of Europe, where they can see his mum,” the source told the news outlet.

Sutton Foster Has Yet To Finalize Her Own Divorce Amid Hugh Jackman Romance

Also crucial to Jackman and Foster’s wedding moving forward is the actress finalizing her divorce from her ex-husband, Ted Griffin.

Unlike Jackman, who finalized his divorce from Furness last June, Sutton and Griffin remain legally entangled despite ending their decade-long marriage.

Reports claim that the Broadway star’s ex is dragging his feet over the split, and his stalling has become a “dark cloud” over her.

The former couple shares one adopted daughter named Emily Dale Griffin.

Hugh Jackman Won’t Force Sutton Foster To Sign A Prenup

If the marriage plans do move forward, Foster won’t be signing a prenup. Jackman is reportedly worth north of $100 million, which is a huge difference from Sutton Foster’s estimated $4 million. Still, despite this, he is said to have rejected the idea of drawing one up.

“Hugh won’t even entertain the idea of a prenup. He shuts it down immediately,” an insider told the Globe. “He thinks it’s offensive and says the idea that Sutton would ever be with him for money is laughable. He actually gets annoyed when people bring it up.”

The source also claimed that Jackman has maintained his stance even as his friends are “begging him to be smart” and protect his assets.

“He’s all in on Sutton and prepared to take the risk. The crazy part is that Sutton has no issue with signing something. She hates the idea that anyone would think she’s in this for the money,” the source added.

The Couple Has Been Spotted Packing On The PDA

In October, Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster debuted their relationship on the red carpet at the premiere of the Wolverine star’s film “Song Sung Blue” during AFI Fest at the TCL Chinese Theatre.

During the outing, the duo gave the cameras a glimpse of their love by wrapping their arms around each other as they posed.

A month later, they went Instagram official, with Jackman sharing on his page a shot of Foster performing at the Cafe Carlyle in New York.

Since then, the couple has been seen more often packing on the PDA.

In February, they were seen looking loved up when they arrived together at the Los Angeles International Airport from an undisclosed location.

The previous month, the duo also enjoyed a romantic getaway in Costa Rica, where they spent time at the beach, swimming together, and cuddling in the water.

By Jennifer Asencio
| Published 42 seconds ago

Remember the era of the VCR? The Last Video Store remembers it fondly in this horror movie tribute to the age of the video tape.

Nyla (Yaayaa Adams) walks into Blaster Video to return some VHS tapes her father rented and to inquire about a mysterious tape that was in his collection. Kevin (Kevin Martin), the store owner, is a huge movie buff and immediately sits down to view the strange video. The cassette opens a portal to the movie world that traps Nila and Kevin in the store as characters from their videos come to life. Things go even further off the rails when they summon an action hero from his worst movie to come save the day.

So Self-Aware It Hurts

If this sounds like The Last Action Hero, that’s entirely fair. The “Videonomicon” stands in for the Golden Ticket from the self-referential Schwarzenegger spoof, although the movies come to Nila and Kevin rather than them going inside. But The Last Video Store is more than just an action-movie knock-off: it is a loving tribute to the era of movie rentals, Blockbuster Video, and the camaraderie that renting a video can bring.

Blockbuster and its localized brethren were truly magical places, especially for a teenage movie fan with a rental card, which was almost as powerful as having a driver’s license back in the 80s and 90s. This movie recalls that majesty while simultaneously lamenting its decline.

Embrace The Throwback Format

From the very beginning, the movie is given the appearance of being watched on from a video tape on a VCR, zooming in on the television as a Star Wars-style scroll screen explains the “Format Wars,” which heralded the demise of the video store. Blaster Video, illustrated throughout the actual movie through clever throwback commercials, is a holdout from this bygone era. Kevin himself is a throwback, a nerdy, weird-looking, and almost sinister guide through the realm of cinema, reminding us constantly of the video store mantra, “Be Kind, Please Rewind.”

Kevin is also the representative of the movie logic that overtakes the store after they watch the evil tape. It is obvious that it doesn’t take much to convince Kevin to view it, and as the mayhem unfolds, he is there to offer important advice, like “Don’t worry, it can’t hurt us. It’s just CGI,” and “The only thing that matters is the power of friendship!” His guidance is also illustrated imaginatively through exposition set to the classical music piece “Bolero” and presented as trailers from his Blaster Video commercials. Given the attention placed on soundtrack music in the movie, the regal song highlights that Kevin is King here.

Meta Humor That Would Make Scream Proud

Meanwhile, the entrance of a Jason knock-off named Castor is heralded when Nila starts hearing eerie music, which a frightened Kevin explains, “It’s his theme… he’s coming.” Fellow movie character Viper (Josh Lenner), a handsome tanktop-clad martial artist action hero, also has not only his own theme song, but an entire montage dedicated to 80s action hero training sequences from movies featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme or the Lethal Weapon duo.

Attention to detail is so focused that even the movies themselves are hilariously named, familiar titles like Bed of the Dead, Gremloids, Beaver Lake Massacre, and Fury of the Viper. Whoever sat down and made all the spoof cassette tapes and movie posters that make the set had a lot of time on their hands, a wicked sense of humor, and a deep admiration for the source material. The closing credits roll over a TV screen as it displays its attached VCR taking Kevin’s advice and rewinding the movie we just watched.

The movie is aware of itself at every moment, folding in upon itself with layer after layer of references, jokes, and themes. And a doorknob steals the show as such a major influence on events that it’s practically a character.

Rewind Or Pay The Price!

The Last Video Store probably had a very low budget (that information has not been publicly disclosed), but the special effects show they applied that budget well. Yes, they’re cheesy, but it’s in a deliberately-80s style that calls back classic fantasy and sci fi from the era, like Beastmaster or the 1984 version of Dune. Even the film quality of the movie is stylized to resemble that of a video cassette tape, complete with tracking (remember having to “track” your movies to get them to play clearly? The Last Video Store does!).

It also doesn’t take too long to pack a punch: clocking in at just 78 minutes, the movie doesn’t waste any time making its point, keeping its flow strong as it weaves the various movies together into a genre-crossing chaos. A lot manages to happen in so short a running time, leaving viewers with time to say, “oh yeah!” in familiarity but not much more before sweeping us away into the next scene and the next adventure. The movie embraces its logic, and we embrace the movie logic right alongside because by the time there is time to think about its themes, the movie is over and you’re thinking about it for days instead.

The Last Video Store is streaming on Shudder and is its #3-rated movie on th platform as of this writing. There is a lot to see in this short film, so watch it a few times to make sure you get it all!

You can go back about 100 years and still find movies that are honestly pretty exciting, like The General, which is mind-blowing for 1926, and also kind of mind-blowing for 2026, really. The 20^th century was a good time to be thrilled at the movies, if that was your thing, what with Alfred Hitchcock doing his thing, action movies really taking off, as a genre, post-Seven Samurai, and then cinema getting more exciting and risk-taking in nature from the late 1960s onwards.

Below, though, is a focus on thrillers made after the year 2000. The 21^st century’s most exciting thrillers might not have come out yet, because there are still 70+ years of the century to go, but for now, these are about as good as things get. Also, the focus here is on thrillers, or movies that are primarily thrillers with a few other genres (like action, horror, or crime) potentially thrown in for good measure. It’s not the same as saying these are the best thrillers of the 21^st century so far, nor is it like saying they’re the most exciting movies of any genre made/released after 2000 so far.

10

‘Grindhouse’ (2007)

Could be cheating a bit, seeing as Grindhouse is sort of two movies, but that was the whole gimmick, with Planet Terror and Death Proof indeed being an intentional double feature, at least originally. They’re now far easier to watch apart from one another, and on their own, there are longer cuts, but both movies are at their fastest and most relentless when you watch them as originally intended.

Planet Terror has a bit more by way of excitement, and a lot more as far as over-the-top violence is concerned, but Death Proof still has some jaw-dropping sequences, and the climactic car chase trumps just about anything found in Planet Terror (might well be even better than all the Grindhouse fake trailers, too). Taking everything together, it’s a homage to grindhouse cinema and exploitation movies that is almost too good of a homage; it kind of elevates this whole strange and schlocky sub-genre.

9

‘How to Blow Up a Pipeline’ (2022)

Image via Neon

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They called a movie “How to Blow Up a Pipeline.” That’s pretty cool/daring. Technically, there was a book with more or less that title beforehand (How to Blow Up a Pipeline: Learning to Fight in a World on Fire), but that was a non-fiction book, and How to Blow Up a Pipeline, the film, was more inspired by some of the ideas explored in that book, not really being a straight adaptation or anything.

The movie itself is no-nonsense, like its title. There’s a group of environmental activists, and they enact a plan to blow up a pipeline as a form of extreme environmental justice. It was about timely and continually significant things, but sort of came and went, or got otherwise forgotten about. That’s a little unfair, because How to Blow Up a Pipeline has a lot to offer as a thriller, and even if you’re not in love with what it’s putting down thematically, it could still prove to be a compelling watch as an interesting spin (of sorts) on the heist genre.

8

‘Wild Tales’ (2014)

Image via Warner Bros.

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One more underrated or potentially lesser-known thriller, Wild Tales is, like How to Blow Up a Pipeline, a very honestly titled movie. You know what you’re in for, in other words: some tales that are wild. It’s an anthology movie as well, and the segments are linked tonally because they’re all darkly funny and kind of uncomfortable to watch, in one way or another.

If you’re the kind of person who really liked, say, the first season of Breaking Bad, or wanted to see something like that show but on fast-forward, and a few times over, then Wild Tales is for you. Each segment has a bad situation that spirals out of control in continually tense and ultimately rapid ways, and the film gets away with effectively telling the same joke over and over again because it’s a very funny joke, and it doesn’t really get old, at least for the two hours the film goes on for.

7

‘One Battle After Another’ (2025)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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One Battle After Another is a very recent film, at least at the time of writing, though it feels like it has a pretty good chance of enduring as something well-liked and remembered going forward. Most of Paul Thomas Anderson’s other movies live on and hold up well, proving memorable for enough people to keep his name a recognizable one. It might be too bold a claim to say One Battle After Another will definitely be a classic, but maybe. It could happen.

It feels very much of its time, like a quintessential movie about the 2020s made while the 2020s are still ongoing, and functioning like a less mean-spirited Eddington (which is also very good; just going for a very different thing). One Battle After Another is chaotic but also very effectively helmed and executed, with the contrast between the gonzo plot (and eccentric characters) and the precise filmmaking proving genuinely exciting to watch. That it’s also very funny and occasionally moving on top of always being thrilling makes it all even better.

6

‘Fast Five’ (2011)

Image via Universal Pictures

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People might dismiss Fast Five because it’s a Fast and Furious movie, and yes, some of them are very ridiculous, and sure, Fast Five is even pretty ridiculous at points. It’s the right kind of ridiculous, though. It pushes things just far enough and also satisfies surprisingly well as a heist movie, marking the point in the series where it kind of went, “Yeah, we’re not going to do as much racing stuff anymore.”

If you want racing, you’ve got the first three… kind of. The second is a bit different, and the fourth is sort of like the fifth, but not as good; like a prelude to the fifth. Okay, maybe racing is less important than you might think. But action! Fast Five has good action, and it’s so well-paced, working as a crime/thriller film on top of being an action movie. It’s super entertaining, too, and remains perhaps the high point of the entire series (one that’s gone on for quite a while post-2011).

5

‘Gravity’ (2013)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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It’s tempting to call Gravity a science fiction movie, and maybe it is from a certain point of view, but also, it’s not really something that depicts a space-set story that feels futuristic or too outside the realm of what could really happen in space. That’s not to say every science fiction movie needs to be set in the future, but those that go to space do usually feature some kind of travel or journeying beyond what was possible at the time the film was made (you can also set something a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away).

Gravity is perhaps more of a thriller, or like a disaster movie set in space, and with a very small cast, rather than a massive and star-studded one with countless background extras generated with special effects or something. In Gravity, there are three people not too far out in space, then disaster strikes, and there’s a desperate mission to somehow get back down to Earth. You could highlight a few moments as unrealistic, maybe, but in the moment, Gravity feels effectively tense and surprisingly believable, or at least believable enough to be nerve-wracking for the better part of an hour and a half.

4

‘Uncut Gems’ (2019)

Image via A24

Not everyone is wired to find Uncut Gems exciting, because some people do find it exhausting, and it’s really not a universally loved movie. But you can understand why, even if you love it, surely? It’s just one of the most anxiety-inducing things ever, pretty much being the new benchmark. Shiva Baby? It’s Uncut Gems but at a wake. Marty Supreme? It’s Uncut Gems, but with table tennis. That kind of thing.

The Marty Supreme comparison makes a particularly large amount of success, seeing as one of the Safdie brothers directed it. Both were behind Uncut Gems, so maybe, like, double the anxiety. It’s just about a guy hustling and ruining his life, as well as the lives of others, all in pursuit of a high that’ll probably never come. You’ll find it thrilling and anxiety-inducing, or frustrating and anxiety-inducing. One or the other. There doesn’t really seem to be anything in between.

3

‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009)

Image via The Weinstein Company

Almost being an epic movie, having enough characters and scope for it, at least, is Inglourious Basterds, which would also have to be the most thrilling movie Quentin Tarantino has made in the 21^st century so far. Kill Bill, especially Vol. 1, provides some stiff competition, but it’s a bit harder to classify that one as a thriller, compared to Inglourious Basterds.

And yes, you might argue that Inglourious Basterds is more of a war movie than a thriller, yet there is a strong focus on keeping things thrilling, intense, exciting, and all those other similar adjectives. Inglourious Basterds is genuinely relentless on that front, or those fronts, and it’s a sign of good thrill-heavy filmmaking that you can rewatch this movie multiple times and still get a little shifty/nervous in your seat once it comes time for certain sequences to roll around.

2

‘The Departed’ (2006)

Image via Warner Bros.

The Departed potentially belongs in the same camp as Uncut Gems, in terms of being a little more anxiety-inducing than it is exciting in, like, a more traditionally entertaining way, but you can feel a bit of both, in any event. It’s a film about two people from opposite sides of the law infiltrating the other’s group (one a criminal going into the police force, and the other a cop going undercover to infiltrate a gang), and then they both try to out the other.

It keeps a level of suspense high throughout, as does Infernal Affairs, which The Departed is a remake of. The Departed just keeps things chaotic and moving forward for even longer, so maybe it’s better? If only just. Both are great. Also, The Departed finally got Martin Scorsese a win for Best Director at the Oscars, so that was undeniably great to see.

1

‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)

Image via Paramount Pictures

By some kind of miracle, the sixth Mission: Impossible movie is the best of the bunch. There are eight in total. The seventh was a fairly good follow-up. Before then, you’ve got people who feel different things about the first three, but with #4, the action got really big, and then the stunts and fights went further in #5, and then in #6, a peak was basically reached.

Movies #4, #5, and #6 make for one hell of an informal trilogy and, watching them that way, you get to end things off with the best of them: Mission: Impossible – Fallout. That’s not saying much about the plot here or anything, but what do you need? It’s what you’d expect, just told a little more effectively and with more feeling than most Mission: Impossible movies, and then the action (the good stuff; what you’re here for) is better and even more mind-blowing than ever. This is, to put it bluntly, the thriller/action film to beat, going forward, as the 21^st century keeps marching onward.