By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 20 seconds ago

The Star Wars sequels are very different from the prequels in writing, tone, characterization, and more. But these newer movies have one thing in common with older films like The Phantom Menace: they are best enjoyed ironically. For example, The Rise of Skywalker may have failed to deliver organic storytelling or satisfying character arcs, but it did give us hilariously bad lines such as Poe Dameron’s “Somehow, Palpatine returned.” It took fans no time at all to make endless memes of this silly dialogue to make fun of how poorly thought-out the sequels are.

Recently, Josh Horowitz interviewed Oscar Isaac, and the Poe Dameron actor actually spoke about the infamous line of dialogue. In the interview, Isaac revealed that this line was added at the last minute as part of reshoots for this final film in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy. He also gently called the line of dialogue out, revealing that he was surprised that it became his most famous line, and that when he rewatches the scene, he mostly focuses on how good his wig looks.

He’s Just A Poe Boy

In The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren surprised us all by killing Lord Snoke, the mysterious First Order leader who had been set up to be the franchise’s newest Big Bad. Instead of giving us a new villain for the sequel, J.J. Abrams brought Emperor Palpatine back for The Rise of Skywalker. This was understandably confusing for fans because we all saw him die in Return of the Jedi. His body seemingly blew up after Darth Vader threw him into a Death Star shaft. Shortly thereafter, the entire space station exploded. How the heck could anyone, even someone with the power of Emperor Palpatine, survive all that?

Well, The Rise of Skywalker didn’t bother to explain something so fundamental to Star Wars lore. Instead, the beginning and end of the explanation were given to Oscar Isaac, whose Poe Dameron character reveals to his fellow Resistance members that “somehow, Palpatine returned.” The dialogue is frustrating in its vagueness, and it arguably highlights the core problem of the Sequel Trilogy. Namely, the seeming belief among writers, producers, and directors that nothing has to make sense and that fans will show up to blindly support anything with the Star Wars name on it.

How Palpatine Got His Groove Back

In Oscar Isaac’s interview with Josh Horowitz, he was pretty blunt about the circumstances that led to this infamous line of dialogue. “Yeah, those were reshoorts … those are like surgical strikes where you come in and try to make sense of it all while they’re scrambling to get everything done. That line was a new addition, right at the end.” While Isaac didn’t directly criticize how bad the script for The Rise of Skywalker was, his words emphasize the haphazard nature of the entire film. Apparently, JJ Abrams and his team forgot to explain how Palpatine came back to life, and having Isaac’s hotshot pilot blurt out “somehow, Palpatine returned” was the best thing they could come up with.

Plus, there’s a bit of ambiguity (intentionally, I imagine) in his phrasing of reshoots as “surgical strikes.” He could simply be talking about the actors who come back for reshoots trying to understand what has changed since they were last on set. Of course, he could also be talking about how Abrams and his team used last-minute reshoots to make their botched story line somehow make sense. Either way, he’s calling out The Rise of Skywalker for being a movie so crazy that even those who spent months making it had no idea what it was really about.

Now, Disney is hoping that the upcoming film The Mandalorian & Grogu will help reignite fans’ passion for this dying franchise. Unfortunately, after a decade of executive mismanagement, most of the fandom no longer trusts the creators involved to deliver a quality product. If the film somehow blows us all away, though, fans may finally put a positive spin on Oscar Isaac’s most infamous line with their own ironic twist: “somehow, Star Wars returned.”

April 25 (and the remaining weeks of spring, for many of Us!) might just be the “perfect date” as described by Miss Rhode Island in Miss Congeniality. All you need is a light jacket! It’s that rare in-between moment when spring finally feels real, but the weather still can’t fully commit. One minute it’s sunny and warm, the next you’re reaching for an extra layer — which is exactly why a lightweight jacket is the MVP of your wardrobe right now.

The key is finding styles that are breathable, versatile and actually elevate your outfit rather than weigh it down. We rounded up the best light jackets from retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Athleta (plus a few editor-loved brands) that are perfect for this transitional moment and easy to wear well into summer.

11 Light Jackets to Reach for on Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold Days

1. Our Favorite: This lightweight zip-up is the kind of throw-on layer you’ll rely on daily. It’s breathable, easy to pack and works just as well for morning walks as it does for running errands.

2. Runner-up: A cropped utility jacket strikes the perfect balance between polished and casual. The slightly structured fit adds shape without feeling heavy, making it ideal for layering over dresses or tees on unpredictable days.

3. Editor-Approved: A relaxed denim jacket is a spring staple that never fails. The slightly oversized fit gives it that effortless, off-duty vibe while still being structured enough to pull a look together.

4. Designer-Looking: This minimalist twill jacket looks far more expensive than it is. Clean lines and a neutral palette make it a go-to layering piece that instantly elevates basics.

5. Everyday Essential: You can never go wrong with a classic hoodie jacket that delivers comfort without sacrificing style. It’s lightweight enough for warmer afternoons but still cozy when the temperature dips.

Related: These 15 Jackets and Cardigans Are My Shortcut for Spring Layering

As a busy toddler mom, I need quick fixes for every scenario, especially when it comes to my wardrobe. Thankfully, warm weather is trickling back into the forecast, which means replacing heavy puffers with light, seasonal layers. To save time and get out the door fast, I’ve perfected a warm-weather outfit formula by making spring […]

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6. Sporty Chic: A sleek zip-front layer is perfect for on-the-go days. It’s designed to move with you while still looking put-together enough for casual plans.

7. Budget-Friendly: This lightweight barn shacket proves you don’t have to spend much to look stylish. It adds just enough warmth while keeping your outfit relaxed and current.

8. Travel Ready: If you travel a lot, this packable windbreaker is a no-brainer for unpredictable spring weather. It folds easily, making it perfect to toss in your bag just in case.

9. Elevated Activewear: A streamlined jacket blends performance with polish. It’s lightweight, flattering and transitions seamlessly from workouts to everyday wear.

10. Polished Layer: A tailored blazer feels like a more refined take on a cardigan when it cinches at the waist like this one. It’s ideal when you want something that looks structured but still feels easy.

11. Performance Pick: This breathable training jacket is built for movement without bulk. It’s the perfect lightweight option for layering before or after workouts, and the Spark colorway? To die for.

Related: 15 Pre-Spring Essentials Worth Adding to Your Closet First

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The in-between season is officially here. It’s too warm for heavy wool coats but too chilly to rely on classic T-shirts alone, which means getting dressed can feel like a daily guessing game. My solution? Smart, breathable layers that work right now and carry me straight into spring. I combed through Amazon to find transitional […]

Emily Blunt’s sleek Hollywood curls for The Devil Wears Prada 2 London premiere were crafted with precision and polish. According to celebrity hairstylist Laini Reeves, the secret behind the 43-year-old actress’ glossy, defined waves was Tresemmé Bonding Oil. The lightweight treatment is designed to smooth, strengthen and add mirror-like shine without weighing hair down.

“For Emily’s London premiere look, I wanted the hair to feel sleek, sculpted, and effortlessly modern,” Reeves wrote in an Instagram post. The result? Glossy, defined waves that looked equal parts timeless and modern — anchored by a high-shine finishing step that elevated the entire style.

Tresemmé Bonding Oil helps reinforce hair from within, making it especially ideal for heat-styled looks like sculpted curls. It also works overtime to tame frizz, seal split ends and boost softness, leaving hair looking noticeably healthier and more polished. What gives this oil its high-gloss payoff is a mix of conditioning oils and silky smoothing agents that coat the hair just enough to reflect light without feeling heavy. Think nourishing plant-derived oils that soften and add slip, paired with lightweight gloss enhancers that seal the cuticle and blur the look of frizz and split ends.

Get the Tresemmé Bonding Oil for $13 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

If your hair leans heat-stressed, this oil pulls double duty as a repair-focused finisher. It helps reinforce weakened bonds caused by repeated hot tool use, so strands feel stronger and less prone to snapping over time.

At the same time, it smooths down rough, lifted cuticles — one of the biggest signs of heat damage — so hair looks sleeker and reflects more light, rather than appearing dull or brittle. With consistent use, it helps soften that dry, straw-like texture and makes curls look healthier and more defined, even if you’re still reaching for your blow-dryer or curling iron regularly.

To use, apply one to two pumps to damp hair before blow-drying to protect and prep strands, focusing on mid-lengths and ends. Once hair is styled, warm a tiny amount between your palms and lightly glide it over curls to define, de-frizz and add that sleek, reflective finish. The result is touchable, glossy movement that holds its shape while still feeling soft and effortless.

Just take it from one five-star Amazon reviewer who raved, “Amazingly good,” adding, “Feels good, smells good and [has] no build-up.”

If you’re chasing that same sleek, sculpted shine, Tresemmé Bonding Oil makes it surprisingly easy to recreate a red carpet finish at home.

Get the Tresemmé Bonding Oil for $13 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more hair oils here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

Related: Want Amal Clooney’s ‘Rich Girl’ Hair? Get Her Exact $10 Gloss

Amal Clooney just proved that achieving glossy, expensive-looking hair doesn’t require a luxury budget. While attending a Cartier event in Milan, the human rights lawyer stepped out with voluminous waves and a silky, high-shine finish that looked straight out of a high-end campaign. The surprising part? Her ultra-polished look wasn’t created with a pricey salon […]

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By Robert Scucci
| Published 23 seconds ago

Happy Madison Productions. The guy from Workaholics. James Bond. What do these things have in common? 2023’s The Out-Laws, starring Adam DeVine, Pierce Brosnan, Ellen Barkin, and Nina Dobrev. As much as I wanted to like this movie, the whole does not equal the sum of its parts. It’s one of those instances where you have reliably funny people attempting to serve a screenplay that’s too little, and decades too late. The best way to describe The Out-Laws is a cross between Meet the Parents and any heist film you’ve ever seen from the early aughts.

There’s some great chemistry between the characters, but chemistry alone cannot save a movie that doesn’t have much else going for it. The interactions between DeVine and Brosnan are tremendous, and I’d love to see these characters interact more on a meaningful level. Given its miserable 21 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the fact that Netflix doesn’t openly report how much revenue their originals generate, it’s safe to say we won’t be getting a sequel based on those figures alone. That would be preposterous.

A Charismatic Cast With A Boilerplate Heist

The Out-Laws, like Meet the Parents, tells the story of Owen Browning (Adam DeVine), a bank manager who’s about to marry his yoga instructor fiancée, Parker (Nina Dobrev). By this point, Owen and Parker have made peace with the fact that his parents, Neil (Richard Kind) and Margie (Julie Hagerty), are boomer caricatures who are intrusive and outspoken. The running gag is that they think Parker is a pole dancer because she teaches yoga. Real funny stuff there. Let’s make sure they run it into the ground for 95 minutes (spoiler alert). 

The conflict kicks in when Parker’s parents, Billy (Pierce Brosnan) and Lily (Ellen Barkin) McDermott, come out of the woodwork to attend the wedding. To the best of Parker’s knowledge, her parents have been traveling the globe doing humanitarian work. The reality is that they’re actually a prolific bank-robbing duo known as the Ghost Bandits. Once they learn Owen is a bank manager, they realize they can pull off the perfect crime, largely because Owen is an idiot.

They carry out the robbery, which sets off a chain reaction involving Eastern European crime boss Rehan Zakaryan (Poorna Jagannathan), a dangerous woman they owe a substantial amount of money to. Owen doesn’t have definitive proof that it was Parker’s parents who robbed his bank, since they wore masks, but he recognizes the scent of Billy’s cologne, described as a combination of sandalwood and danger. Caught between the chaos at work, the McDermotts’ crime spree, and his fiancée, Owen has to figure out how to keep the peace as his personal and professional life fall apart right before the wedding.

Solid Nuggets, But Otherwise Unsubstantial 

There are some great zingers in The Out-Laws that are worth sticking around for. My personal favorite is when Billy asks Lily who her favorite James Bond is, and without hesitation she says “Number 5.” Adam DeVine’s interactions with Pierce Brosnan work by design because of their adversarial dynamic, but DeVine’s schtick gets old fast. He does a lot of screaming and panicking, and tries to throw jokes into every single interaction when it’s not that kind of movie. The situational comedy around the heists should be doing the heavy lifting, not constant banter.

Speaking of the heist, that’s the other major problem with The Out-Laws. It’s a stupidly simple setup. I can’t point to a specific movie it copies, but it basically boils down to “we robbed a bank, now we need to rob another one.” There’s no real grand plan. Just find the vault and crack it. There’s also a sequence where Owen, dressed as Shrek, gets his ass handed to him, and it feels completely forced. Like somebody in a boardroom said, “I’m not greenlighting this without the Shrek showdown,” and refused to budge.

It all plays out like other comedies that fail because they try too hard to be funny. DeVine’s other effort with his Workaholics alums, Game Over, Man, runs into the same issue. Dirty Grandpa (2016) falls into that trap too. If everybody is trying to be funny every time they open their mouth, it gets old fast, and this movie is no exception.

It’s a shame that The Out-Laws wasn’t a better movie because the dynamic between DeVine and Brosnan was absolutely worth my time. But it’s not original either. It’s basically Meet the Parents if Gaylord Focker and Jack Byrnes decide to rob a bank. That’s the dynamic you’re getting here.

The Out-Laws is a Netflix Original and is available to stream with an active subscription.

A Los Angeles judge has denied Cher‘s petition to secure a temporary conservatorship over her son, Elijah Blue Allman.

The decision comes after a legal expert said the “Strong Enough” singer would have to meet a “high legal standard” if she were to get conservatorship over her adult son in the state of California.

Cher previously filed the same petition against Elijah in 2023, but had it denied the following year due to him fighting back and saying he doesn’t need conservatorship.

Following Cher’s legal move to place her adult son, Elijah Blue Allman, under a temporary conservatorship, legal experts weighed in on the situation, suggesting she may encounter difficulties getting her bid.

According to Us Weekly, family law expert and senior attorney at Sullivan Law & Associates, Rachael Bennett, said that even though her concerns are warranted, the 79-year-old singer has to meet a “high legal standard” for things to swing her way.

“To get a conservatorship over an adult child in California, Cher will have to meet a pretty high legal standard,” Bennett told the news outlet. “She has to prove by clear and convincing evidence that Elijah is either unable to provide for his basic personal needs, things like food, clothing, shelter, or medical care, or that he’s totally unable to manage his finances.

The lawyer continued, “Even if she proves that, the court still has to find that there’s no less restrictive alternative, like a trust or a power of attorney or some kind of other support system.”

A Judge Denied The Singer’s Petition Due To A Lack Of ‘Sufficient Urgency’

During an April 24 court hearing in Los Angeles, a judge denied Cher’s petition for her son to be placed under temporary conservatorship without prejudice.

According to reports, the judge said that she didn’t see “sufficient urgency” in the pop icon’s request.

Elijah appeared in a video call from the psychiatric facility where he’s undergoing treatment in Connecticut, but the judge ruled that because he’s currently facing outstanding charges, she doesn’t think he’ll have access to the money he receives from his late father’s trust.

“A lot of people don’t show up to court and get a default judgment and don’t need a conservatorship,” the judge said. “I am going to deny the temporary conservatorship without prejudice.”

Cher Previously Filed For Conservatorship

Cher filed for fiduciary Jason Rubin to be named conservator over Elijah’s estate on April 17, claiming her son’s life “has significantly deteriorated” since the first one she filed in 2023, which a judge denied the following year.

According to the legal expert Bennett, the denial stemmed from her inability to produce clear and convincing evidence that Elijah was incongruent and unable to fend for himself.

“Her earlier petition was denied because the judge didn’t see enough evidence of incapacity, basically saying that the petition was premature,” Bennett said. “At that time, Elijah pushed back with evidence that he was sober, that he was receiving treatment, and that he was managing his own financial affairs.”

The expert explained that the development left the court feeling like Cher’s argument “leaned too heavily on fears about what might happen,” and even though she was being proactive, they needed her to wait until his life “basically deteriorated before it would step in.”

Cher Raised Alarm About Her Son’s Criminal Charges

Cher’s latest petition described a dire situation where she claimed Elijah is in a New Hampshire psychiatric facility following a string of legal troubles earlier this year, including charges of burglary and assault.

The document explained that he’s in the facility as part of efforts to restore his competency so he can stand trial for the criminal charges.

She added that this only reflects his “Current set of problems,” adding that he lacks a proper understanding of money and cannot handle his finances.

She claimed that any money he gets, he always spends it on “drugs, expensive hotels, and limousine transportation.”

Elijah Would Have Lost The Ability To Access His Own Money ‘Freely’ If His Mother’s Request Had Been Approved

Bennett considered the possibility of Cher’s request being accepted in court, explaining that it would give “significant, but also very targeted control” over Elijah’s finances.

According to the legal expert, a court-appointed conservator will have to step in and manage the singer’s son’s estate due to his mother’s claims.

Bennett added, “So in practical terms, he would lose the ability to just freely access or manage his own money, and he probably would be put on a controlled allowance system of some sort.”

Mariah Carey is not allowing new allegations regarding her estranged brother’s ongoing lawsuit against her to go unanswered.

The superstar recently fired back at claims that she is deliberately dodging a deposition in the case, citing new court documents, as the bitter legal battle between the siblings continues.

According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Mariah Carey’s legal team has denied her brother Morgan Carey’s allegations that his sister deliberately missed multiple discovery deadlines for her to be deposed and for turning over requested documents. 

Per the documents, Mariah calls her brother’s latest motion a “misguided attempt to gain perceived tactical leverage in this action by threatening” her with deposition.

She also called out his “repeated filing of meritless motions” as one reason the case has persisted for so long. Mariah’s attorney responded to the claims, writing, “Ms. Carey has never refused to appear for a deposition, nor has the court ever specifically ordered her to appear.”  

This is the latest development in the case that dates back years. In 2021, Morgan Carey filed a $10 million lawsuit against his sister following the release of her memoir “The Meaning of Mariah Carey.”

He alleges that she portrayed him as abusive and a drug dealer, and as a result, she damaged his reputation and work opportunities.

Mariah has maintained that the details she included in her memoir were true.

Morgan Carey Introduced New Evidence Against Mariah In March 2025

As previously reported by The Blast, Morgan Carey moved to amend his lawsuit to include additional claims of “defamatory” statements in his case against his sister.

At the time, Morgan claimed he uncovered “false, disparaging, and defamatory” remarks she made about him, some of which he found on YouTube.

He also argued that neither Mariah nor her team ever contacted him for a response before publishing the memoir. 

Morgan said that he was never given a chance to dispute the allegations before they were made public in the book.

In addition to the allegations of his violent past and drug use, Morgan also denies a section of the book where Mariah alleges that in 1980, Morgan accepted money from a woman to kill her husband but backed out. 

The woman later committed the murder herself, and Morgan testified at her trial, per In Touch.

Mariah Carey’s Sister Also Took Legal Action Against Her Prior To Her Death

Before her 2024 death, Alison Carey filed a lawsuit against her superstar sister, demanding $1.25 million in damages, with allegations of public humiliation.

In the lawsuit, Alison described Mariah’s words as “heartless, vicious, vindictive, despicable, and totally unnecessary,“ claiming they inflicted severe emotional distress. 

She further accused Mariah of using her celebrity platform to attack her and paint a damaging picture of her past just to generate publicity and boost book sales.

Alison said that the allegations left her deeply devastated, arguing that Mariah’s portrayal only added to the struggles she had already endured.

The Singer Shared Her Heartbreak At The Deaths Of Her Mother And Sister

Per a previous report from The Blast, Mariah’s legal drama with her brother came mere weeks after the deaths of both their mother and sister. Their mother, Patricia Carey, and their sister, Alison Carey, both passed away on the same day in August 2024.

Mariah confirmed the news in a heartfelt statement.

“My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend,” the Grammy winner wrote. “Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day.”

Carey Recently Responded After Being Snubbed For The Third Time For Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction

TMZ recently caught up with Mariah Carey after the 2026 Rock Hall class was revealed, and she is apparently unbothered. She responded “no” when asked directly by the outlet if she was upset at not being included this year.

Known to always show love to her devoted fanbase, the Lambs, Carey said, “I love my fans. Always!” She also bluntly added additional feelings about the Hall of Fame slight. “Who cares? Like, give it to somebody else. Fantastic.”

This year’s class includes Sade, Luther Vandross, Wu-Tang Clan, and Phil Collins.

Athleisure isn’t usually sophisticated, but Cameron Diaz is making Us reconsider that. Running errands with her boo, Diaz rocked chic white sneakers that elevated her entire outfit. The secret? Knit detailing. And we found the classy, expensive look for under $40.

Diaz styled her sporty kicks with a white tee, an oversized blazer and joggers, tying it all together with a belt bag. The sneakers made her entire outfit look polished, all because of the knit upper that reads more ‘downtown cool’ instead of ‘weekend errand.’ We’re copying Diaz’s effortlessly refined aesthetic all spring and summer.

Get the Tiosebon Knit Walking Sneakers for $39 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

These Tiosebon Knit Walking Sneakers have the same knit fabric that makes Diaz’s sneaker choice so luxe. Aside from elevating the look, the knit upper is extra breathable, making the shoes perfect for the humid summer days. With an all-white color palette, they work with everything in your warm-weather wardrobe. Sleek and understated, they’ll become your first-pick shoes for any occasion.

Related: Andie MacDowell‘s Chic Kitten Heel Style Makes Legs Look Long — Just $43

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Andie MacDowell walked around New York City looking effortlessly elegant — and somehow taller. Her magic trick? Chic kitten heels that made her legs appear noticeably longer. It just proves you don’t need sky-high stilettos to get that leg-lengthening effect. Her outfit was deceptively simple: A striped button-up shirt, baggy trousers and dainty kitten heels […]

Comfort is the other part of the equation, and these plush kicks don’t skimp. They feature memory foam insoles that cushion each step, so you’ll want them on hand while logging miles in New York City or walking to your local Target. The slip-resistant outsoles are the cherry on top, ensuring you don’t sacrifice safety for style.

Nearly 25,000 fashionistas gave these sneakers five stars. One reviewer who says they’re like “walking on clouds” wrote, “I currently am on a three-week vacay with quad tendinitis and I had to buy comfy shoes for walking. These shoes are walking bliss.” The shopper continued: “[I] have worn them two days straight in Europe, and walked over 20 miles brand new.”

If Diaz’s New York shopping trip proved anything, it’s that elegance doesn’t require heels, a designer label or even much effort. Sometimes it just takes a pair of white sneakers with the right texture. Your only regret will be that you didn’t grab them yesterday.

Get the Tiosebon Knit Walking Sneakers for $39 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

Not what you’re looking for? Shop other sneakers on Amazon and don’t forget to check out Amazon’s Daily Deals here!

Running Point returned for season 2 and dedicated the newest installment to Niko Mijailovic.

Episode three of the hit Netflix series featured a tribute card for Mijailovic, which read, “In Loving Memory of #6 Niko Mijailovic.” Mijailovic was a varsity volleyball player who died in 2025 at 15 years old.

Mijailovic, who attended a private school in Los Angeles, suffered from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in April 2025. During his memorial service, it was mentioned that the last show Mijailovic watched with his family before his death was Running Point, which follows Kate Hudson as a reformed party girl, Isla, who gets the chance to prove herself when she is left in charge of her family’s pro basketball team.

The student’s older sister Mila spoke out about Mijailovic’s shocking death.

Related: Celebrity Deaths of 2026: David Wilcock, Darrell Sheets and More We Lost

Hollywood mourned the deaths of some of its most legendary stars in 2026. The year started off with Broadway performer and influencer Bret Hanna-Shuford’s death at age 46. At the end of the month, comedy acting icon Catherine O’Hara died at age 71. In February, Designing Women’s Camilla Carr died at age 83, Dawson’s Creek […]

“There was no warning, and as far as we knew, he was completely healthy,” she wrote via Instagram in April while showing support for the Huddle For Hearts initiative. “He was always active and played sports his entire life. He loved volleyball the most, playing both on his high school varsity team as a freshman, as well as playing club.”

Mila reflected on her bond with her brother, adding, “He was there for every single part of my volleyball career, always supporting me.”

She continued: “As an athlete, he had a lot of drive and a lot of big goals. He also wanted to play Division I volleyball one day, and I always looked forward to seeing him achieve that. He also just has always been a really bright and happy person. He always made people feel comfortable and included. He was my number one supporter.”

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Mila got emotional about weathering the major personal loss.

“He was my brother, but also my best friend,” she concluded. “Losing him has been the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through, but what makes it harder is that we didn’t know anything was wrong. There weren’t any signs that something like this was going to happen, until the one morning I got the phone call that he just didn’t wake up.”

Mijailovic’s school Campbell Hall paid tribute by retiring his jersey, writing via Instagram, “Niko was a true light within our community. Niko joined Campbell Hall in Kindergarten and grew into a beloved and thriving member of our varsity boys’ volleyball team. Beyond his incredible athletic talent, Niko was known for his quiet confidence, kind heart, and deep love for his friends and family. 🕊️💙💛.”

Epic films survive for a different reason than most classics. While scale gets them in the door, it’s never alone enough to keep them alive. And therefore, the ones people keep carrying with them are the ones that take all that size, war, history, landscape, spectacle, and then pin something painfully intimate inside it: grief, vanity, sacrifice, obsession, revenge, survival, the terrible cost of wanting to become larger than an ordinary life.

That is the real thrill of the best epics. They let private emotions detonate across giant canvases. A man loses a family and topples an empire. A woman clings to love while history keeps burning down the room around her. A visionary crosses a desert and slowly starts believing the myth of himself. These ten films make the human heart look tiny against history, then somehow turn it into the biggest thing on the screen.

10

‘Braveheart’ (1995)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Braveheart grabs people so fast since it does not begin with strategy or nationhood in some abstract sense. It begins with theft. Wallace (Mel Gibson) loses his father as a boy, grows up under occupation, finds a sliver of peace with Murron (Catherine McCormack), and then watches that peace get ripped from him with public cruelty meant to humiliate the entire village into obedience. That is the emotional lock. The rebellion does not rise from rhetoric first. It rises from grief curdling into rage after the one private life Wallace wanted gets crushed under a system built to make ordinary tenderness impossible.

That is why the big speeches land. They come after the film has already shown what English rule looks like on the ground: fear, violation, the stripping away of dignity. Wallace turns personal devastation into a national cause, and the movie understands how intoxicating that can feel. Each victory feeds the fantasy that courage and moral clarity might actually outmuscle corruption. Then the betrayals arrive, and the film gets even stronger. Wallace becomes larger in death than he ever was alive, which is exactly the fantasy epic audiences love to hand over to when a story earns it. It lets one wounded man stand in for a people refusing to kneel.

9

‘Doctor Zhivago’ (1965)

Image via MGM

Doctor Zhivago devastates people since it traps a delicate emotional life inside a historical earthquake that has no patience for delicacy. The film follows Yuri (Omar Sharif) as a poet, a doctor, a man drawn toward feeling and beauty even while Russia is turning into a landscape of ideology, deprivation, shifting allegiances, and brute survival. That alone gives the film its ache. He is the wrong kind of soul for the century he is living through, and the movie never stops punishing him for that mismatch.

Then Lara (Julie Christie) enters, and the story locks into something even more painful. Their connection never gets the luxury of a clean beginning or a stable middle. It keeps forming in fragments while marriages, war, class upheaval, and political terror keep cutting across it. The scenes between them hurt precisely since they are so restrained. The film does not rush toward romantic release and keeps showing how history can force two people to live in the shadow of a life they can glimpse and never properly claim. By the final stretch, with Yuri reduced, exhausted, and spiritually hollowed out, the entire movie feels like one long argument with loss. People stay haunted by it. Doctor Zhivago understands a particularly cruel form of heartbreak: not losing love quickly, but watching the world slowly make it impossible and that’s why it’s so loved.

8

‘Titanic’ (1997)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Titanic stayed lodged in people’s nervous systems since James Cameron built the first half like a seduction and the second half like a nightmare you cannot stop trying to outrun. Rose (Kate Winslet) is introduced in a gilded cage, dressed in wealth, moving through first-class spaces like a possession being prepared for permanent display. Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) crashes into that arrangement with the exact energy the story needs, not polished, not strategic, simply alive in a way nobody around her is allowed to be. Their early scenes matter so much since the film makes freedom feel tactile: running through steerage parties, standing at the bow, drawing, laughing, choosing feeling over decorum one reckless moment at a time.

Then the iceberg hits, and the romance changes function. It stops being fantasy and becomes the emotional mechanism that carries Rose through terror. The ship’s sinking works so brutally since the movie has spent so much time mapping its spaces. When the tilt grows steeper, when corridors flood, when families separate, when musicians keep playing and the wealthy keep bargaining for a little more privilege against the cold, the disaster gets personal in every direction. Jack dying, with that final transfer of life, drags her into a version of herself that survives him. That is why the ending has wrecked people since forever. Although the film’s themes of cheating are controversial, Titanic is one of the most widely loved epics.

7

‘Ben-Hur’ (1959)

Image via Loews, Inc.

Ben-Hur follows Judah (Charlton Heston) and Messala (Stephen Boyd) as boyhood friends, which is the detail that makes everything afterward feel poisoned in a richer way. Messala returns to Jerusalem carrying Rome inside him, all appetite for order, loyalty, and domination. Judah still believes some part of their former bond might survive the uniform. Then one act of political suspicion, one refusal to betray his own people, and the film starts crushing him piece by piece. His mother and sister are taken. He is sent to the galleys. Friendship becomes state violence in the space of a few scenes.

That emotional break powers the whole film. The sea battle, the adoption by Quintus Arrius (Jack Hawkins), the chariot race, all the spectacle lands with force since it is tied to a very specific wound: Judah wants to confront the man who converted intimacy into punishment. The chariot race is legendary on its own terms, though it lasts in the mind since it is not just action. It is years of humiliation, survival, hatred, and memory slamming into the arena at full speed. Then the film does something even more enduring. It refuses to let vengeance be the final spiritual answer. By the time suffering circles back through his family and into contact with Christ’s crucifixion, the movie starts pulling Judah out of rage toward something more difficult, the release of carrying it.

6

‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ (1957)

Image via Columbia Pictures

The Bridge on the River Kwai gets under the skin since it turns discipline into a form of madness so gradually that the viewer can feel it happening and still get trapped in its logic. Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness) begins as a prisoner of war determined to protect the dignity of his men against Saito (Sessue Hayakawa)’s abuse. On that level, he is admirable. He refuses humiliation, invokes military rules, takes punishment rather than surrender authority.

Then once Nicholson gains control over the bridge project, pride begins feeding on itself. Building the bridge well starts to feel, in his mind, like proof that British order and competence cannot be broken even in captivity. That rationale is insane, though terrifyingly understandable in the moment. He needs purpose, superiority, and the illusion that his suffering has shape. Meanwhile, Shears (William Holden) and the commandos move through a completely different war movie, one grounded in survival, exhaustion, and practical sabotage. The collision between those plotlines is why the film hits so hard. Few epics cut this deep into the human need to find meaning inside captivity, even when that meaning starts eating your judgment alive.

5

‘Gladiator’ (2000)

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Gladiator 2 was good. Gladiator remains catnip for audiences since its revenge engine is so clean and its emotional wound is so raw. Maximus (Russell Crowe) is introduced as a man tired of war and ready to return home. That matters. He is not craving conquest. He wants his wife, his son, his farm, the ordinary life battle delayed. Then Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) names him protector of Rome’s future, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) murders his father, and Maximus rides home only to find his family butchered and hanging where his future used to be. The movie earns every ounce of his fury before it ever asks the audience to cheer for blood.

From there, it keeps layering power into the obvious revenge structure. Slavery strips him down. The arena rebuilds him. Each fight becomes more than survival since it lets Maximus weaponize spectacle against the empire that destroyed him. Commodus is a perfect epic villain for one reason above all: he is starving for love he cannot command, so he keeps reaching for domination instead. That makes every confrontation between them feel personal and political at once. It’s the OG story of a grieving man who keeps moving through degradation without surrendering the part of himself that loved home more than power.

4

‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939)

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Gone with the Wind endures in part since Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) is such a thrillingly difficult person to sit with for this long. She is vain, selfish, manipulative, resourceful, terrified, magnetic, and almost impossible to reduce to one moral note. The movie’s emotional grip starts with her refusal to accept that the world she knows is about to disappear. At Twelve Oaks, desire still feels flirtatious and petty, Ashley (Leslie Howard) still feels like the prize she can organize her life around, and the whole Southern social order still imagines itself permanent. Then war arrives and starts tearing the fabric apart faster than she can emotionally process it.

The Atlanta sections are where the film really hooks people. Scarlett claws through it. She survives childbirth, hunger, ruin, and the burning city with her fear exposed and her will hardening in the same motion. “I’ll never be hungry again” lands so hard. Then romance becomes tangled with appetite, status, and the refusal to be powerless again. Her relationship with Rhett (Clark Gable) works so explosively. This film is a grounding tragedy about mistaking obsession for destiny while history remakes the ground under your feet.

3

‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)

Image via Universal Pictures

Schindler’s List does not belong to the same emotional category as crowd-pleasing epics, and that is exactly why its place this high feels right. The film starts in moral grayness. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) here is opportunistic, stylish, socially agile, a businessman reading war as a ladder. He sees occupied Poland, sees cheap Jewish labor, sees profit.

That beginning is crucial since the film’s power depends on watching human conscience form under pressure rather than arrive prepackaged. Schindler changes scene by scene as the machinery around him gets more impossible to look away from. The liquidation of the Kraków ghetto, though, is where the movie sears itself into people. Chaos floods every corner, families are split in seconds, hiding places fail, old people are shot where they sit, and the whole apparatus of extermination stops being a distant fact and becomes a series of immediate violations. From there, Schindler’s relationship to his workers deepens from utility into responsibility, then into desperate protection. Then Steven Spielberg lands the knife with Schindler’s breakdown at the end. It’s an epic epic.

2

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (2003)

Image via New Line Cinema

The perfect film to circle around after The Hunt for the Gollum got announced. The Return of the King works on the soul in a way very few blockbusters even attempt. Now in LOTR’s journey, by this point, the story has earned every ounce of scale. Frodo (Elijah Wood) is no longer an eager hobbit on an adventure. He is spiritually worn down, suspicious, physically failing, and carrying the Ring like a wound that keeps deepening inside him. Sam (Sean Astin) has become the emotional backbone of the whole trilogy, not through grand speeches alone but through action after action that proves love can remain practical under impossible conditions.

He cooks, carries, defends, pleads, refuses to leave. That matters. The film’s biggest emotional triumph is that amidst armies, kings, and collapsing cities, its deepest bond is still the friendship crawling one step at a time toward Mount Doom. Then everything around that central journey starts cresting. Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) accepts the kingship he once hesitated to claim. Théoden (Bernard Hill) rides toward almost certain death with the dignity of a man choosing courage over survival. Éowyn (Miranda Otto)’s confrontation with the Witch-king lands with such force since the whole film has kept showing her caged by the dismissals of men who cannot read her hunger to matter. And then the ending keeps going, wisely and at the end, what hits me the most is that victory often does not ensure a ditto restoration as old times.

1

‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (1962)

Image via Columbia Pictures

Lawrence of Arabia sits at the top since almost no other epic understands greatness as a seduction this dangerous. T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole) enters the film already restless inside conventional military life, brilliant, insolent, impossible to fully contain. The desert first offers him scale, freedom, and self-invention. Crossing the Nefud, rescuing Gasim (I. S. Johar), winning over Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif), orchestrating Aqaba, all of it feels like a man discovering the version of himself ordinary structures could never hold. The film lets that transformation feel exhilarating. That is crucial. You have to understand why Lawrence falls in love with the myth of Lawrence before you can feel the horror of what that myth starts doing to him.

And it does start doing something terrible. Violence changes flavor. Public triumph makes him bolder, stranger, more detached from ordinary limits. He moves between British interests and Arab hopes, between genuine idealism and narcissistic intoxication, until the two become inseparable. The scene in Deraa cracks him open. The massacre at Tafas finishes exposing how badly the role has corroded him. By the end, Lawrence is still legendary and already spiritually ruined, a man who touched the sublime and came back unable to live inside ordinary humanity again. That is epic cinema at its highest level: not just vast, not just beautiful, but deeply alarmed by the human craving to become bigger than the self can safely survive.

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Lawrence of Arabia

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Release Date

December 11, 1962

Runtime

228 minutes

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Director

David Lean

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Writers

Robert Bolt, Michael Wilson

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