Entertainment
Only 5 Action Movies in the 2020s Can Be Considered True Masterpieces
We’re well over halfway through this decade, which means that many film watchers are starting to look back at all the films that have been released to take stock. There have been plenty of great films and a few masterpieces in the 2020s, with more still likely to come. Every genre has gotten its fair share of new classics, and the action genre has been particularly potent. There have been installments in franchises new and old, bold originals and everything in between. They haven’t all been perfect, but many have been good, some great, and a select few are absolute masterpieces. Opinions are always going to vary on what films can be classified as true masterpieces, with debate still surrounding awesome action movies from this decade like Furiosa, John Wick: Chapter 4, and Tenet. While time may tell on those movies, and a handful of others, at least five action movies from the 2020s can currently be certified as masterpieces.
Every action fan has their favorite era of movies, whether it’s the bombastic blockbusters of the ’80s, their high-concept cousins of the ’90s, or the grounded and gritty efforts of the 2000s. There have already been a few apparent trends for the 2020s, but the action genre has shown a lot of diversity so far, and the five action masterpieces of the decade offer a wonderful cross-section of it. We’ve got a superhero sequel, an Indian epic, and no less than two Best Picture winners. Add to those one of the best franchise legacy sequels ever made, and there’s no doubting that these five films represent the best of the best of the action genre for the 2020s so far. When this decade has come to a close, there’s no doubt that these action movies will be counted as true masterpieces.
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)
The decade got off to a slow start thanks to COVID. The pandemic pushed the releases of many movies and caused others to struggle at the box office when it finally opened back up. There were a number of movies credited with bringing audiences back to theaters, but the big blockbuster that truly got butts back in seats was the long-awaited legacy sequel Top Gun: Maverick. While the Tony Scott-directed original is certainly a favorite for some action, it could hardly be considered one of the best of the ’80s or even in the careers of Scott or mega-star Tom Cruise. This sequel, helmed by Joseph Kosinski, rose higher and faster than its predecessor, thanks to some astonishing aerial action sequences. Those sequences, which were shot with the actors in real jets in the sky, gave audiences all the action they’d been craving, and the young cast proved proper copilots to Cruise, who was still firmly in the pilot seat.
Picking up decades later, the film finds Maverick (Cruise) still feeling the need for speed and pushing the buttons of his superiors with his devil-may-care attitude and reckless flaunting of safety measures. That gets him a one-way ticket back to the Top Gun flight school, now to serve as an instructor for the young blood cadets, including Rooster (Miles Teller), the son of the first film’s ill-fated Goose (Anthony Edwards), and Hangman (Glen Powell), who clearly takes after the antagonistic Iceman (Val Kilmer). Kilmer himself shows up for a surprisingly emotional cameo that sees the once-bitter rivals embrace as old friends. While the action is superlative, it’s scenes like that between Maverick and Iceman that epitomize the effectiveness of this legacy sequel, which pays homage to what came before but isn’t afraid to chart its own flight path. Top Gun: Maverick succeeds where so many belated sequels failed by bringing in a solid new cast of characters, tinging itself with nostalgia without ever basking fully in its glow, and featuring action that will pin you to your seat.
‘RRR’ (2022)
While Hollywood was patting itself on the back for remembering how to make great sequels, out of India came a film that showed everyone in America that the country was still outpacing us with original filmmaking. RRR, a Telugu-language historical epic with musical numbers and characters that rival superheroes for their athleticism, took international audiences by force with its blistering action set pieces. Directed by S.S. Rajamouli, who has been making films for two decades, including the two-part action epic Baahubali, the film is a non-stop thrill ride through its period setting. It combines history with folklore and wraps it in an over-the-top action style that makes it one of the most original action masterpieces of the 2020s or any other decade.
Set in India in the early twentieth century, during the British Raj, when the country was under British colonial rule, the film follows two fictionalized versions of revolutionaries. Tribal guardian Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) is brought into the action when a young girl is taken prisoner by the callous British Governor and wife, who enlist Imperial Officer Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan) to help fight him off. The two go from adversaries to allies as they join forces to take down the oppressive regime in some of the most kinetic and riveting action sequences to come out of any country. RRR put Hollywood on notice and made international stars out of its creative team, paving the way for more Telugu cinema and other Indian action masterpieces to break through to Western audiences.
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
Maybe it was the year of COVID lockdown or the tumultuous politics that led to a flourish of creative energy, but 2022 was a banger year for action movies. Even that year’s big Oscar winner was the martial arts extravaganza Everything Everywhere All at Once. Though Top Gun: Maverick was also nominated for Best Picture, and RRR should have been, it was this wickedly entertaining multiversal action-comedy from Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert that took home the gold. It’s truly one of the weirdest films to ever win Best Picture, but it richly deserved the award for its elaborate visuals, clever script, fantastic performances and wild action sequences. It made history with its award wins and proved that action movies don’t have to cater to more pretentious tastes in order to receive accolades.
Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) is a laundromat owner who is struggling to balance her deteriorating marriage, estranged relationship with her daughter, and an IRS audit. Things get multitudes more complicated when she discovers that many parallel universes exist, and she may be the key to saving all of them from an alternate supervillian version of her daughter. That overloaded premise is only scratching the surface of the oddities that exist in the film’s many different realities. An Oscar-winning Yeoh is as dynamic a protagonist as ever, and she’s ably supported by her supporting cast members, including fellow Oscar winners Jamie Lee Curtis as a vindictive IRS agent and Ke Huy Quan as Evelyn’s husband. Everything Everywhere All at Once‘s balls-to-the-wall, absurdist approach isn’t for everyone, but it’s got more ideas in single scenes than many blander action films have across their entire runtime.
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ (2023)
Everything Everywhere All at Once was far from the first film to make use of the multiverse concept, which had already broken through to the mainstream several years earlier in the animated action masterpiece Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. That invigorating comic book movie’s sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, expanded exponentially on its predecessor’s bold visual style and universe-jumping action to become the best superhero action movie of the 2020s. Introducing hundreds of new Spider-Heroes into its universe, Across the Spider-Verse broadened the creative possibilities of what a Spider-Man movie could be. It opened up a whole host of new avenues for potential future exploration, and while a third film is on the way, along with a live-action Spider-Noir streaming series, there’s no telling where else the franchise could go from here.
The film picks back up with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), who is struggling to balance his personal life with his superhero activities, longing to be reunited with his fellow webslingers. Meanwhile, Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) has been recruited into a league of multiverse-defending Spider-People, including clever cameos and full supporting characters like Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya) and Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), who bring even more diversity into the wonderfully colorful world. The animation pushes more boundaries than before, mixing media and radically different art styles for each universe and even individual characters. Like Miles, the movie does its own thing and manages to beat its live-action counterparts with more creativity and inventive action.
‘One Battle After Another’ (2025)
As unusual and idiosyncratic as one would expect for an action film from arthouse director Paul Thomas Anderson, last year’s Best Picture winner One Battle After Another gives you everything you might expect and then so much more. Based on Thomas Pynchon‘s novel Vineland, the film mixes social commentary with stoner comedy and propels it all with some of the most inspired action set pieces, including a climactic car chase that does more with a low-angle camera and a long stretch of road than many other modern blockbusters can with mountains of CGI. When it doesn’t have you laughing at the insanity of its characters or incensed at the social inequalities that surround them, One Battle After Another keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Former revolutionary Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) lives under an assumed identity with his daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) in California. He is shaken out of his weed-induced fog when a dangerous figure from his past, the hardline Colonel Lockjaw (Sean Penn), comes looking for Willa. So ensues a feature-length chase plot involving white supremacists, revolutionary nuns, and a super-chill karate sensei named Sergio (Benicio del Toro). While the film’s themes of social unrest, generational political movements, and authoritarian governments were developed before they became dishearteningly relevant to the current political climate, they will likely always resonate with audiences. Even if you don’t get down with the film’s messy politics, there’s no denying it’s an action masterpiece.
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“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” airs its final episode on Thursday, May 21.
Entertainment
‘Game of Thrones’ Star Officially Breaks Silence on a Potential Return to the Fantasy Franchise
Westeros continues to expand as the Game of Thrones franchise grows from strength to strength. Following House of the Dragon and the more recent A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, HBO’s flagship fantasy series is about to hit the stage. In Game of Thrones: The Mad King, an upcoming stage production from playwright and director Duncan Macmillan, a tournament at Harrenhal set 10 years before the events of the original series takes place, with a plot against the King brewing as his subjects begin to fear his tyranny.
The play, presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company, has its opening night scheduled for August 8 in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, where those in attendance will get a newer look at the lives of several beloved characters, including the iconic Ned Stark. First portrayed by Sean Bean in the series, a younger version of the character was later played by Robert Aramayo in Seasons 6 and 7 via flashbacks. This was long before Aramayo would play the younger version of another iconic fantasy character, Elrond, in Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Should the stars align, and the upcoming stage show find itself popular enough for a television adaptation, perhaps Aramayo, who recently won the BAFTA for Best Actor in a Leading Role, could have a chance at playing Ned in a full-time capacity.
This possibility was posed to Aramayo in a recent interview with ScreenRant. “Oh, my word. I’ve never been asked that question before,” Aramayo responded. “I mean, that was just such an amazing part of my life. I absolutely loved playing Ned. It was great. I loved Game of Thrones. I was so excited to do. It was one of my first jobs. So I’ve got very, very good memories of it, but it was a long time ago.” The actor wouldn’t rule out the possibility, but it’s clear he sees several stars having to align for this to happen, making it unlikely.
Robert Aramayo’s Best Performance Is Finally Coming to Netflix in the U.S.
The aforementioned BAFTA win for Aramayo came for one of the past year’s most underrated movies. Written and directed by Kirk Jones, the hilarious, heartwarming, and profoundly educational biopic I Swear finally makes its U.S. streaming debut this weekend. Described as “an endearing, unflinching biopic” in Aidan Kelley‘s review, the film is a true gem and will hopefully find its way up the streaming charts over the next few days.
Could Robert Aramayo return to play Ned Stark in Game of Thrones? Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for all the latest news.
Bravo isn’t happy that audio from the “Summer House” reunion taping on April 23, 2025, has leaked. Hours after the cast concluded production on the upcoming sit-down gathering, where star Ciara Miller is set to address her former friends, Amanda Batula and West Wilson, about their secret relationship, behind-the-scenes footage showed up online. Andy Cohen spoke out about the breach of trust, and later, a Bravo spokesperson revealed the company’s plans to take action against the leaker.
According to Bravo’s Daily Dish, a network representative condemned the leaked “Summer House” audio and shared the company’s position on the matter.
“This represents a serious breach of trust and a clear lack of respect for the cast, crew, and the integrity of the production process,” the statement read. “We take this matter very seriously and have launched a full investigation and we will take appropriate action based on our findings.”
The released clip featured Miller having a heated conversation with Batula over her secretive relationship with her ex, Wilson.
During the argument, Miller slammed Batula, calling her a “snake,” while Batula’s other castmates questioned her over the timeline of her and Wilson’s relationship.
Before the leaked audio was shared online, Cohen rushed to Instagram to give viewers a teaser of what was to come.
“Well, I’m walking out of the Summer House reunion,” he said. “I’ve probably hosted — well, it’s over a hundred reunions, maybe a hundred and fifty — something like that. This is one of the most intense we’ve ever shot ”
He added, “This was a lot. This was a lot. It was very intense, you guys. And every question was asked.”
Cohen had a more serious tone when addressing the release of the short reunion clip, replying to a user on Threads who implored him to stay off social media.
“I don’t [like what I’ve seen],” Cohen wrote. “On my way to eye surgery and just reading about it. People laid their souls out emotionally for ten hours yesterday and its disgusting and illegal for someone to leak or distribute this.”
Cohen, who’s been hosting Bravo reunions since the early 2000s, called the move “disrespectful” to the cast who opened up their lives for the audience. “Let the season play out,” he finished. “You will see it all in due time.”
Wilson And Batula Confirmed Their Relationship Almost A Month Ago
The renewed interest in the current season of “Summer House” began in early March 2026, when viewers speculated that Wilson and Batula were in a relationship.
After denying the rumors, the pair released a joint statement on March 31, according to The Blast, confirming the reports.
“We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity,” their joint post read. “It was never our intention to purposely hide anything. Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we need a little space to process things privately before speaking on it.”
Continuing, they said, “We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected. Our connection grew out of a genuine, long-standing friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care.”
‘Summer House’ Cast Members Slam Batula And Wilson
Before the cast gathered for the reunion, some of them reacted to the news online, according to The Blast.
Newcomer KJ Dillard appeared to throw shade at the pair by sharing a snap of the song “Back Stabbers” by The O’Jays.
Kyle Cooke, Batula’s soon-to-be ex-husband, also commented on the matter, saying he was “frustrated” by the story. “I’m obviously disappointed in her,” he added.
Former “Vanderpump Rules” star Stassi Schroeder blasted Batula’s need for male attention on her podcast. “She acts this way with men everywhere. She needs male attention really badly. She needs validation and I think that is what led her to West,” Schroeder said.
Ahead of her Atlanta tour stop, Lily Allen made a lavish detour that did not go down well with fans.
The “Not Fair” hitmaker, who ended her marriage to David Harbour, last year, released her “West End Girl” album around the same time. The project has been widely dubbed as a revenge album where she explores themes of heartbreak and cheating.
Now touring across the U.S., the singer is back in the spotlight, and this time, her high-spending habits have left fans sounding off on her.
Allen recently treated herself at Ice Box Jewelers, going all out without hesitation. In a video shared on the store’s social media, she is seen taking out cash from her Hermès Birkin as a salesperson totaled her purchases to $54,450.
Allen bought a $15,000 tennis bracelet and $25,000 earrings, as well as an unknown $20,000 gift for a friend. However, the sales rep said they were going to accept $50,000, as that was the amount of money she brought with her.
Before leaving, the 40-year-old proudly showed off her new diamond studs, smiling as she told the salesperson they were “pretty.”
Per the Daily Mail, the splurge comes just months after Allen admitted she sought therapy for what she described as compulsive shopping, saying she once spent “like an insane person,” believing she was a billionaire.
However, fans were not impressed with the “LDN” singer’s latest expensive purchase, as many claimed it was not appropriate given her past addiction and also the state of the economy.
One fan wrote, “We’re currently on the verge of a global financial crisis, read the room.” A second echoed a similar sentiment, claiming Allen’s action was “so tone deaf.”
While a third sleuth called Allen’s behavior “disgusting,” another on X mocked the irony of Allen’s spending. “Therapy for spending addiction while dropping 50k on rocks she’ll forget about next week,” the user wrote. “The self-awareness is truly breathtaking.”
A fifth individual added, “Carrying fifty grand in cash like it is emotional support money.”
Lily Allen Checked Into Rehab Following Split From David Harbour
While reactions poured in, Allen has since been candid about seeking professional help for her struggles.
According to The Blast, after the success of her album last year, she thanked fans for their support, while candidly admitting she later understood why she checked into a treatment facility costing £8,000 ($10,000) per week.
Allen decided to get her daughters settled back into their school routine before heading to rehab earlier than planned, describing herself as overwhelmed and in urgent need of support.
She also admitted that her breakup with Harbour had taken a significant emotional toll on her.
Lily Allen Opens Up About Dating After David Harbour Split
Since parting ways with the “Stranger Things” star, Allen has shared where she stands on love. The Blast reported that in a past interview, Allen revealed she’s dipped her toes into dating apps, but none of them have struck a chord with her.
While she remains open to meeting new people, Allen made it clear that being with another famous person is not on her radar.
Although the exact reason behind their split hasn’t been publicly confirmed, her music appears to hint at alleged infidelity. In one track, she questions, “I can’t trust anything that comes out of his mouth.. Who the f-ck is Madeline?” The lyric has sparked speculation among fans about a possible third party.
The Woman Allegedly Mentioned in Lily Allen’s Songs Broke Her Silence
Following the rumors, Natalie Tippett addressed the claims tying her to the end of Allen’s marriage. Taking to Instagram Stories, she pushed back against the narrative, calling it false and misleading.
As The Blast reported, Tippett denied ever being paid to speak on the issue and claimed her statement about being “fearful of a strange man at her door” was being misinterpreted.
While she didn’t name Allen directly, she questioned why she was being blamed instead of Harbour, even alleging that the marriage had been an open relationship.
A Woman Previously Linked With Harbour Was Kicked Out Of Allen’s Private Party
Amid Allen and Harbour’s fallout, it appears the singer’s close circle has drawn boundaries around any woman linked to Harbour during their marriage.
Morgan Cozzi, who was previously spotted on a romantic outing with the actor, reportedly faced an awkward situation at a private gathering. Per The Blast, Cozzi showed up at a birthday celebration for music producer Blue May, which Allen did not attend.
However, when she was recognized as the other woman, she quickly became the subject of whispered conversations. The tension reportedly escalated to the point where Cozzi was asked to leave the premises.
Right now is a great time to be a fan of Mark Wahlberg, especially thanks to the release of his new Prime Video original movie, Balls Up. The film co-stars Paul Walter Hauser (The Fantastic Four: First Steps) and Sacha Baron Cohen (Ironheart), and after being released straight to streaming on Prime Video last week, the film has yet to be dethroned at the top of streaming charts. Wahlberg is also fresh off the success of another straight-to-streaming movie, The Family Plan 2, which is streaming around the world on Apple TV. The film is a direct sequel to The Family Plan, and while it did reunite most of its original stars, it also added long-time Game of Thrones veteran Kit Harington to its cast. Wahlberg is also in line for a big year in 2026.
Over the years, Mark Wahlberg has starred in plenty of famous action hits and infamous misfires, but one of his more polarizing releases came just a few years ago with Uncharted. The film is inspired by the hit video game franchise from developer Naughty Dog, the same team that has developed and released both The Last of Us games. The film was released back in 2022, and while it was a complete miss with critics, who rated it a Rotten 41% on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, the film was a success with the masses. After earning a Verified Hot 89% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter, Uncharted grossed over $400 million at the box office against a $120 million budget. Currently, the film is currently in the top 40 films on HBO Max worldwide, even getting to the #1 spot in the Netherlands. The film is now streaming on Hulu in America.
Why Did Fans Not Like the ‘Uncharted’ Movie?
Some fans criticized the casting choices in the Uncharted game, particularly for both Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, who don’t exactly capture the same essence from the game as Nathan Drake and Victor Sullivan. While the film does still manage to provide a very Uncharted-feeling adventure, it’s hard for some long-time fans to look past the casting. Sony confirmed a while back that it was working to develop another Uncharted movie, but there has been little noise on this front lately. Still, after the first film was such a success, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the franchise return to the big screen in some way.
Check out Uncharted on Hulu in the U.S. and stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates and coverage of Wahlberg’s future projects.
- Release Date
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February 18, 2022
- Runtime
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116 minutes
- Writers
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Art Marcum, Rafe Judkins, Matt Holloway
Ant Anstead and girlfriend Renée Zellweger are still wheeling and dealing — and completely smitten — after five years of dating.
“How it started …..” Anstead, 47, wrote in a rare Instagram tribute to Zellweger, 56, on Friday, April 24, in honor of their anniversary, sharing a throwback photo from what appeared to be their meet-cute on Celebrity IOU Joyride.
“Happy FIVE YEAR anniversary my beautiful lady!” he gushed. “Hands down The best human I know! Luckiest boy! I love you my Ren 💫❤️ x.”
In the photo, Anstead looked lovingly at Zellweger as she laughed while holding a power tool. The pair appeared to be inside an empty garage working on a car renovation project of some sort.
Ant Anstead continued to make headlines after his split from Christina Haack by sparking an A-list romance with Renée Zellweger. Anstead and Haack, who share son Hudson, were married for nearly two years before they announced their separation in September 2020. Anstead didn’t stay single for long, as he and Zellweger first sparked dating rumors […]
Anstead wore all black with a pair of black-and-white work gloves, while Zellweger donned a flannel shirt, jeans and clear protective glasses.
The couple’s milestone anniversary comes after they met filming Discovery+’s Celebrity IOU Joyride. Anstead and Zellweger were already in a well-established romantic partnership by the time their episode premiered in August 2021.
Fans learned of the pair’s relationship that summer when they were spotted together in Orange County, California. In July 2021, the Bridget Jones’s Diary actress was photographed kissing Anstead while riding bikes in Laguna Beach.
A reason to celebrate. Ant Anstead shared a sweet tribute to Renée Zellweger to celebrate their second anniversary. “Two years of magic 💫💫 x,” he captioned photos via Instagram on Sunday, April 23. The main snap shows the Wheelers and Dealers alum, 44, and the Academy Award winner, 53, holding hands while enjoying the great […]
As the couple prepared to celebrate their second anniversary in April 2023, a source exclusively told Us Weekly, “Renée and Ant are happy to have found each other and it shows.”
The insider shared, “They both want to settle down and create a home together.”
“Renée loves how romantic, open and honest he is. She does say that it took her a while to find love again, but it was well worth the wait,” the source added. “She’s still giddy in love. He literally swept her off her feet.”
Three months later, a source told Us that the Oscar winner has really bonded with all three of Anstead’s children. Anstead shares daughter Amelie, 22, and son Archie, 19, with ex-wife Louise Storey. He also shares son Hudson, 6, with second wife Christina Haack.
Renée Zellweger seemingly could be heard joyously laughing in the background of Ant Anstead’s holiday video starring his son Hudson. Anstead, 45, posted a clip via Instagram on Saturday, December 28, in which a woman giggles at the sight of 5-year-old Hudson gazing into a crystal ball that pulsed with beams of pink, purple and […]
“Renée gets along really well with Ant’s children and they spend a lot of quality time together,” the insider said in July 2023. “Despite being in the public eye, Renée and Ant love just hanging out at home with the kids, watching movies and making dinner together. They enjoy a very low-key lifestyle.”
Anstead’s eldest children, Amelie and Archie, even attended the January 2025 premiere of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy with him to support Zellweger.
“Midweek movie night with the kiddos …. The Movie was absolutely utterly brilliant and the lead actress was mesmerising and smoking HOT (I have a mega crush on her!),” Anstead captioned an Instagram photo of the trio on the red carpet. “I’ve let the missus know she’s my hall pass….. X.”
By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated
There’s no denying that Jordan Peele is one of the great horror directors of the last 10 years. Get Out, Us, and Nope were all hits. That’s why fans were so excited when HIM was announced. Jordan Peele’s name was all the marketing, the name fit alongside the rest of his filmography, and the first trailer looked like the same striking horror imagery he perfected.
The horror film, now available on Netflix, was only produced by Peele. You’ll still find plenty of people today who think he wrote and directed the film, which is a shame, because if he did, it would be a better film.
HIM Has No Time For Subtlety
HIM follows Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers, a former college football player turned actor) as the promising young player derailed by a vicious attack from a psycho wearing a goat mask. To get back on track, he goes to the remote compound of his idol, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), and takes part in a series of bizarre drills. There’s obviously something wrong with White and the compound, which might as well include a large neon arrow pointing to the horned skull on the wall when the two first meet.
The meat of HIM follows Cam training at the compound, meeting the bizarre group of hangers-on and assistants that surround Isiah, including his social-media influencer wife (Julia Fox) and doctor Marco (comedian Jim Jeffries), oh, and the star’s crazed fans, outright described as a “cult” by Isiah’s team. It’s supposed to be tense, with the horror slowly escalating, but it’s done with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Instead of going along for the ride, you’re waiting for the twist you can see coming the moment you see the team’s name, The Saviors.
HIM Needed Streaming To Be A Hit
What makes HIM interesting isn’t its slow burn plot, it’s how it looks. Cam is centered in most of the shots, putting us inside his head as he tries to make sense of the growing insanity around him. It’s a unique way to frame a movie, and the best performance by the back of an actor’s head since The Wrestler. HIM should be better than it is, but there’s something missing.
There are moments of bizarre silliness: Singing over a downed teammate’s body, Cam’s strange hallucinations, and the entire third act. By the time HIM pays off, the audience is checked out.
Critics and fans on Rotten Tomatoes agree, with a 36 percent and 58 percent rating, respectively. During its brief theatrical run, the film barely recouped its $27 million budget, earning $28 million, yet since debuting on Netflix this month, it’s been in the streamer’s top ten. People want to give it a chance, but they just don’t want to pay movie theater prices.
I wanted to enjoy HIM, which at least dared to try something different in an increasingly sanitized Hollywood. I’m also a sucker for gothic horror. The edges of the film that hint at something dark and disturbing boiling beneath the surface make a promise the gore-filled, bonkers finale can’t live up to. Jordan Peele’s films leave the audience with plenty of questions, but HIM’s largest question is, “What did I just watch?”
HIM is now on Netflix.
Entertainment
Dave Grohl accidentally insulted David Bowie after seeing him perform: 'I would never say that to anybody!'
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“I don’t know how I got out of that one,” Grohl said of the embarrassing conversation with the rock legend.
Elon Musk is once again at the center of online speculation, but this time it’s tied to long-running rumors involving Amber Heard and her children.
The renewed frenzy erupted after users flooded Musk’s own AI chatbot with questions about paternity, pushing the issue back into public conversation.
As interest in Heard’s quieter life grows, so too has curiosity about her past relationship with Musk, and whether there’s more to the story than either has ever confirmed.
The latest controversy erupted when Elon Musk’s own AI chatbot, Grok, was flooded with questions about whether he fathered Amber Heard’s children.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, the chatbot repeatedly pointed users back to the same reality that speculation exists, but nothing has been confirmed.
It explained that “rumors link it to Elon Musk from their 2016-2018 relationship and a reported old embryo dispute, but there’s zero official confirmation from her or him. That’s the full public/official story.”
The sudden spike in questions came as public interest in Heard’s life resurfaced, especially after details of her move to Spain and her decision to step away from Hollywood gained attention.
Because Heard has never publicly identified her children’s father, the mystery continues to fuel online theories.
Musk Connected To Controversial Embryo Dispute Claims
One of the biggest reasons the rumors refuse to fade is a past claim involving embryos allegedly created during Elon Musk and Amber Heard’s relationship.
A declaration by a family acquaintance alleged that the pair were locked in a disagreement over the future use of the property.
According to that statement, Heard had been “in a legal battle with [Musk] over embryos they had created together… He wanted to destroy them, and Amber tried to keep them to have a baby.”
However, those claims never became part of official court proceedings during the Depp v. Heard trial.
Heard’s legal team argued that the document had been improperly obtained, and her sister later dismissed the allegations as “complete fiction.”
Despite that, the claims continue to resurface whenever questions about her children arise. Heard’s representative has also firmly denied the rumors, previously stating they were “100 percent false.”
Musk, on the other hand, has never publicly responded to the speculation, allowing it to linger without clarification.
Elon Musk’s Expanding Family Adds Fuel To Ongoing Speculation
The speculation is also fueled by Musk’s widely discussed approach to fatherhood. The billionaire is publicly known to have at least 14 children with four different women, and reports suggest the real number could be even higher.
His openness about wanting a large family has kept conversations about his personal life active. “I mean, you know, you’ve got to walk the talk. So, I do have a lot of kids, and I encourage others to have lots of kids,” Musk said in 2024.
Reports have also claimed he is open to unconventional arrangements, including offering to be a sperm donor without romantic involvement.
In one alleged message reviewed by WSJ, he wrote, “They want me to be a sperm donor. No romance or anything, just sperm.”
There have even been claims that he approached individuals online about having children, sometimes without ever meeting them in person.
Not all proposals were accepted, but they reinforced the perception that Musk is actively expanding his family in ways that deviate from traditional expectations.
Behind the scenes, Musk is said to rely on trusted associates to manage agreements with his children’s mothers.
Confidentiality is reportedly a key part of those arrangements, with one warning stating that failing to formalize agreements would be “absolutely insane and irresponsible.”
Musk And Heard’s Relationship Timeline Resurfaces
As the rumors gain traction again, attention has also turned back to Elon Musk and Amber Heard’s relationship.
The two first crossed paths at the 2016 Met Gala and later began dating after Heard filed for divorce from Johnny Depp.
At the time, the actress described Musk warmly, calling him “a real gentleman.” She added per PEOPLE, “he was really nice. He sat at a nearby table and we got to speaking that night and eventually became friends.”
Their relationship moved quickly but ultimately proved unstable. They split in 2017, briefly reconciled later that year, and ended things for good in early 2018.
The billionaire publicly addressed their breakup, writing in the comments of one of Heard’s Instagram posts, “Although Amber and I did break up, we are still friends, remain close and love one another. Long distance relationships, when both partners have intense work obligations are always difficult, but who knows what the future holds.”
Elon Musk Speculation Grows As Amber Heard Embraces Private Life
Heard has consistently chosen to keep her family life private, even as public curiosity continues to grow.
When she announced the birth of her daughter in 2021, she made it clear that she was building her family on her own terms.
“Four years ago, I decided I wanted to have a child. I wanted to do it on my own terms,” she said at the time.
She later reinforced that independence by sharing, “I’m just the mom and the dad. She’s the boss.”
With the arrival of her twins, she again emphasized her personal journey, writing on Instagram, “Becoming a mother by myself and on my own terms despite my own fertility challenges has been the most humbling experience of my life.”
While the speculation surrounding Musk continues to circulate, Heard’s public statements have remained focused on her role as a parent and her desire for privacy.
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
One of the things that made Ronald D. Moore’s Battlestar Galactica reboot so successful is that it was basically everything that Star Trek wasn’t. While Gene Roddenberry’s classic show was all about the hopeful exploration of the cosmos, Moore’s series focused on humanity’s frantic fight for survival after a genocidal attack by the Cylons.
Despite the differences between the franchises, Battlestar Galactica was actually inspired by Star Trek to create Cloud 9, a civilian fleet vessel whose interior looks like a lush, outdoor planet.
How Star Trek Created The Cloud 9
The Battlestar Galactica reboot introduced Cloud 9 in the episode “Colonial Day,” a very political episode that called for a slight change in setting. Showrunner Moore wanted to introduce some outdoor environments to the show to keep it from feeling too claustrophobic, but he also wanted to avoid having the Galactica visit a new planet each week, a la Star Trek. The solution was to introduce Cloud 9, a civilian ship whose interior conveniently looks like the exterior of a planet.
At this point, you might be asking yourself why the Battlestar Galactica showrunner and other producers thought the series needed Coud 9 in the first place. The short answer is that if the show never takes its characters to new locations, viewers will eventually start going stir-crazy as their favorite characters do. This is one of the big reasons that Galactica, a show about characters who live in space 24/7, still found so many opportunities to visit Caprica and other planets.
Much of that exploration came later on as Ronald Moore became more comfortable with having these characters explore strange new worlds. However, the Battlestar Galactica showrunner wanted to create Cloud 9 in Season 1 so that the writers didn’t necessarily have to take the main ship and its heroes to a new planet every week, like in Star Trek: The Original Series or The Next Generation. Thanks to Cloud 9 (a vessel whose interior looks like that of a planet), the show could provide a visual change of pace as needed without forcing the title vessel to make any detours.
If the showrunner had been anyone else, we likely wouldn’t have gotten a new ship. Our heroes would simply visit a new planet each week, a formula made popular by Kirk and Spock. However, Ronald Moore got his start in show business by writing for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and he landed that job in large part because of his great passion for The Original Series (he even became TNG’s Klingon expert because of his love of TOS). Once he began running his own show, Moore seemingly wanted to do something different, so Battlestar Galactica introduced Cloud 9 so he wouldn’t have to bite Trek’s style.
As hardcore Battlestar Galactica fans know, Cloud 9 didn’t make it to the end of the series. Instead, this unusual ship was destroyed by a nuclear device at the hands of a version of Six whose breakup with Dr. Baltar led to some very literal fallout for our heroes. But we would never have had this ship in the show at all if not for Star Trek and its “planet of the week” trope that Ron Moore desperately wanted to avoid. He was ultimately successful (so say we all!) in creating a standalone sci-fi series that boldly went where no Trek had gone before.
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