HBO has finally revealed whether Euphoria will be coming back for more seasons after that shocking death in the season 3 finale.

The network confirmed on Monday, June 1 that the third season was the show’s last. Creator Sam Levinson made the announcement on the “Popcast” before HBO also confirmed the news to Variety.

The news comes after an explosive season 3 finale that permanently wrapped up certain characters’ story lines — including Zendaya‘s Rue and Jacob Elordi’s Nate, who were killed off on screen.

Euphoria’s series finale also aired after a tumultuous return. Creator Sam Levinson specifically received backlash for how he portrayed Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans arc after some creators weren’t thrilled with how their line of work was portrayed on screen.

Levinson, however, defended the decision to push boundaries.

“[Cassie] has got her dog house and her little dog ears and the nose, and that has its own humor,” Levinson explained to The Hollywood Reporter in April. “But what makes the scene is the fact that her housekeeper is the one filming it.”

He continued: “What we wanted to always find is the other layer of absurdity that we’re able to tie into it so that we’re not too inside of her fantasy or illusion,” the 41-year-old added. “The gag is to jump out, to break the wall.”

Levinson broke down how he and director of photography Marcell Rév brought the scenes to life.

“An obvious choice would’ve been something modern and very plain and fancy, but we ended up choosing this mid-century home, which is a little tacky, but also stuck in the ‘70s,” Rév explained. “It’s probably a strange choice, but also it gives us possibilities. OnlyFans has its own aesthetic and how you elevate that aesthetic to the show’s aesthetic is a challenge. I’m not going to lie.”

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Despite the backlash, Levinson stood by his vision.

“Some of these scenes we only lit with these ring lights that she would use. When you’re inside, it’s a beautiful, glowing front light, but then you jump out of it and it’s just a pool of light and everything surrounding it is dark. It’s just gnarly and jarring,” he added. “We wanted to capture what she’s trying to show the audience and be inside of it. But then also pull back wider and see how depressing it is.”

Euphoria is currently streaming on HBO.

Kristy Sarah Scott is finally giving her supporters the luxury details behind her dream home! Last August, after years of building the house from the ground up, she, Desmond Scott and their two kids moved in. Less than a year later, a cheating scandal and subsequent divorce, Kristy Sarah is still doing backflips in the lavish mansion while Desmond is whipping up compound butters in an apartment. Fast-forward to Friday (May 29). Architectural Digest gave Scott fans the inside scoop on the mega-home, from who built it to some of the pricey decorative elements in the space!

RELATED: Pop It Then! Kristy Scott Seemingly Teases Who Will Keep Her & Desmond Scott’s New Home Amid Divorce (PHOTOS)

Kristy Sarah Didn’t Mention Desmond Scott In Home Feature 

Kristy’s interview with Arch Digest started with her admitting that she never manifested building a home from scratch. Instead, she got the idea after touring multiple homes and falling in love with one, only for the offer to fall through later. She tapped Novi Home Builders for the construction and Nina Magon to help execute her “modern, soft and very calm” design of the inside. Years later, she’s surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows in a 7,000-square-foot home. Lots of windows were “a necessity,” she told AD.

On Instagram, Kristy Sarah shared photos AD published and captioned her post, “Years of ideating, creating, investing, taking risks, believing in myself, and building a business beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Today, AD featured a small piece of what this journey has made possible for my family, and I’m incredibly grateful. @archdigest.”

The former Mrs. Scott did not touch on how involved her ex-husband, Desmond Scott, was in bringing the three-year vision to life. However, previous social media content, has shown them walking through the home in its building process. As mentioned, he also appeared to have briefly lived in the home before their divorce earlier this year as he appeared in “move in day” content.

A Big Bag Was Spent On Decor

Kristy Sarah’s interior design includes uniform colors and tones throughout the open spaces. The living room, for example, features colors like off-white, beige, dark grey and pops of rust. But the decorative elements aren’t your budget-friendly IKEA and Wayfair finds! One of the couches pictured in her living room, an off-white bouclé, is valued at $14,760, per AD. A smaller sofa in the same space reportedly goes for $3,390. Her dining table? $1,299 at Crate & Barrel. Even her cocktail glasses are pricey. The home photoshoot by AD featured a set of four cocktail glasses valued at $135 and a teapot going for $109. Inside the home’s second office, there’s a $2,995 desk lamp.

For her sons Vance and Westin’s rooms, Kristy Sarah also ran her tab up! One of the rooms pictured in the article features a $440 throw pillow on the bed and a $699 West Elm floor rug. Vance and Westin were heavily involved in the final outcome of the rooms, Kristy said. 

“When it came to their rooms, the boys had input on everything,” Kristy said. “I want them to feel free here.”

What Else Have Kristy & Desmond Been Up To?

The Houston mansion is far from Kristy’s only lavish living space! Last week, she also shared that she purchased an apartment in Miami, a goal “cross off of [her] bucket list.” Amid her divorce, the influencer has kept up with some of her chaotic trends while leaning into high-end collabs, and even poppin’ out for pleasure, like her recent yacht day with friends. In early May, she revealed that she’s been in therapy for a few weeks and that her therapist recommended a year of no dating. However, she joked about negotiating that down to 36.5 days.

“I’ve been really learning to get my butt out the house and do stuff. It’s like I went from 0 to 100. Cause I’m not even going out in Houston mostly. I am packing my bag and going across the country and hanging out,” Kristy said.

As said, Kristy kept her ex-husband out of her special feature. Still, in recent months, he’s done everything but back out of the spotlight! Amid the divorce, he’s been linked to at least two women publicly, Marissa Springer — his bar kissing buddy — and Dana Tran, the mother of Diddy’s youngest child. A few hours after Kristy posted about the Arch Digest feature, he teased a behind-the-scenes video of his recipe-filming day. 

RELATED: The Tea Is Hot! Marissa Springer Claims Desmond Scott Was In Contact With Dana Tran During Their Time Together (VIDEO)

Right now, Alien icon Sigourney Weaver is back in theaters as part of an eye-catching ensemble in another beloved sci-fi franchise. Last weekend, Pedro Pascal‘s titular bounty hunter and ever-hungry companion made the move from the small to the big screen in The Mandalorian and Grogu. Alas, its opening weekend proved somewhat disappointing, only earning $167 million and even scoring a lower per-theater domestic average than the opening weekend of Ryan Gosling‘s sci-fi masterpiece Project Hail Mary.

Although critics provided a lukewarm reaction, fans seem to be loving The Mandalorian and Grogu, awarding the film a near-perfect 88% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Many have linked their love for the film to its star-studded cast, and, with that in mind, they’ll be happy to learn that another of Weaver’s movies, and one of her most underrated, will soon be available to stream for free. The film in question is 1995’s Copycat, a pulse-racing serial killer thriller produced in the hope of replicating the global success of The Silence of the Lambs.

The film proved to be a breath of fresh air in the psychological thriller genre by featuring two women in lead roles that so often fell to men. Perhaps thanks to this, the film found enough of an audience to prove financially successful, earning a $79 million global haul against a reported budget of $27 million. Copycat starred the likes of Holly Hunter, Harry Connick Jr., Dermot Mulroney, and more alongside Weaver, and was directed by Jon Amiel in only his fourth feature film, following 1989’s Queen of Hearts, 1990’s Tune in Tomorrow, and 1993’s Sommersby. To check out this thrilling Weaver movie for yourself, you’ll be able to watch Copycat for free on Plex, starting June 1, 2026.

Where Can You Stream ‘Alien’?

For Weaver’s most iconic role, and the gold standard of sci-fi horror, you’ll be heading to Hulu. The streamer currently holds all the films in the Alien franchise, including the Predator crossovers. One of cinema’s greatest IPs began back in 1979, with screenwriters Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett teaming up with director Ridley Scott to pioneer the sci-fi horror subgenre. Endless praise and nearly $200 million at the box office later, and an iconic franchise was born.

Copycat will be available to stream for free on Plex next month. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.

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Release Date

October 27, 1995

Runtime

123 Minutes

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Director

Jon Amiel

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Euphoria took a huge risk killing off a main character in the season 3 finale — and now Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is speaking out about possible backlash.

Akinnuoye-Agbaje, 58, addressed his character Alamo being involved in Rue’s (Zendaya) death, exclusively telling Us Weekly at the MPTF NextGen Summer Party, which was presented by Delta Air Lines and Waymo, “Look, it’s a voracious fan base. It’s really their show. It preceded me. I’ve done my part. Whatever they say and do is their part so that’s where I leave it.”

On the Sunday, May 31, episode of the show, Alamo offered Rue some pain pills that turned out to be laced with fentanyl. This confirmed that Alamo intentionally gave Rue drugs that he knew she would relapse on — and that he planned to kill her after he previously discovered she was working with the DEA to bring him down.

“The beautiful thing about Euphoria is — first of all — this incredible performance that Zendaya has done. She narrates the show and we’ve seen it largely through her perspective,” the actor told Us at the annual fundraiser, which toasts Hollywood while rallying money for the Motion Picture & Television Fund in support of working and retired entertainment professionals.

Akinnuoye-Agbaje noted that Euphoria has a strong ensemble cast, adding, “One of the beautiful things is that it opens it up to the perspective of so many of the other characters. Whether they’re within Rue’s group and vicinity, you have Laurie’s gang and you have Alamo’s gang and you have Rue’s friends. There’s room to explore those backstories, those relationships and those adventures that they would have.”

He continued: “This is TV. There’s always a world in which it could — if they wanted to — [they could explore the world more.] Whether they want to or not … I don’t know.”

Despite the devastating ending for Rue, Akinnuoye-Agbaje praised creator Sam Levinson on his vision.

“This season has been heavily influenced with religious themes about God and belief,” he noted. “All of that came to bear in the final episode. It sums up the consequences of everyone’s choices so you will see a reckoning. It’s poetic and it’s poignant. It’s responsible as well in his artistry in the message that it’s sending out.”

Akinnuoye-Agbaje went on to address how Rue’s death set up Ali’s (Colman Domingo) story of seeking revenge in her honor. This allowed for a Western-inspired sequence that left Alamo dead — but not before an epic standoff.

“Sam’s vision for this was heavily influenced by Western iconography. He was going to make this a Western style but with a modern take,” he noted to Us. “It was incredible how he interwove that with the narrative of the show and those characters that grew up building that narrative.”

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Looking ahead, Akinnuoye-Agbaje showed support for more Alamo — perhaps in spinoff form.

“I would be up for it. It’s such a rich character and we saw such a beautiful back story,” he shared. “It would be great to see how he got to that house on the hill. We are going to put it out in the ethos.”

Euphoria is currently streaming on HBO Max.

Having now earned five acting Oscar nominations without winning, Ethan Hawke is overdue his Academy flowers. His latest nomination was a Best Actor nod earlier this year for portraying real-life American lyricist Lorenz Hart in Richard Linklater‘s Blue Moon. Hawke immerses himself into the character, being almost unrecognizable both in voice and certainly by hairstyle. Hawke’s nomination was one of two for Blue Moon, with Robert Kaplow also recognized in the Best Original Screenplay category.

Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be for Blue Moon on the night of the 98th Academy Awards, with Hawke walking away empty-handed. This wasn’t a surprise, with his nomination considered the least likely to win against the likes of Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, and Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent. It might not have won, but Blue Moon is the latest reminder that Hawke is one of the finest actors of his generation, and a performance many consider to be his best is about to stream for free.

Directed by Paul Schrader, the psychological thriller First Reformed features a stunning central turn from Hawke as Reverend Ernst Toller of First Reformed. The film was hailed by critics as a modern masterpiece, although it sadly failed to find its theatrical audiences and left theaters having only earned $3.9 million against a reported budget of $3.5 million. Although the movie holds a near-perfect reputation with fans, it still deserves much more attention. With that in mind, you’ll be able to watch First Reformed for free, starting this June 1, 2026, on Plex.

What Is Ethan Hawke Doing Next?

Off the back of his latest Academy Award nomination, Hawke’s next project has already impressed critics. After its premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, The Weight, a historical drama directed by Padraic McKinley, now boasts a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 94%, with one critic calling it “Mr. Hawke’s show the whole way through.” However, Hawke isn’t the only talented star cast in the film, with the likes of Russell Crowe, Julia Jones, Austin Amelio, and more also featuring. The Weight is scheduled for theatrical release on September 18, 2026.

Ethan Hawke’s First Reformed is streaming for free on Plex, starting June 1, 2026. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for all the latest stories.

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Release Date

May 18, 2018

Runtime

113 Minutes

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Director

Paul Schrader

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Whatever fans have felt about the past five years, the one thing they can admit is that it has been home to some of the greatest video games of all time, even rivaling masterful classics such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and modern sensations, including Red Dead Redemption 2. As the medium continues to grow and improve, gamers can see a clear difference in the shift from before and after five years.

That is why this list will be ranking the ten greatest video game masterpieces of the past five years, specifically 2022 to 2026. Based on elements such as gameplay, narrative, art, originality, influence, innovation, design, fan opinion, popularity, critical acclaim, and overall quality, these ten titles are must-play modern masterpieces that define the past five years of gaming.

10

‘Donkey Kong Bananza’ (2025)

Image via Nintendo

Nintendo is going strong with the Nintendo Switch 2, already boasting impressive sales. While it wasn’t the system’s selling flagship title, Donkey Kong Bananza is the best game on the console. After the Void Company and its boss drill into the world in search of bananas, DK and Pauline are the only two who can stop this dastardly villain and his heinous plan.

Donkey Kong Bananza isn’t a typical 3D platformer; in fact, it is barely a platformer at all, instead focusing on a powerful punching mechanic, where every bit of land is destructible. This cathartic, engaging, and satisfying gameplay makes players feel stronger than ever, and the game has plenty of unique levels, gimmicks, bosses, and collectibles to keep them entertained and smashing from start to finish.

9

‘Pragmata’ (2026)

Image via Capcom

Maybe this is just recency bias, but Pragmata has already become a fantastic game of the 2020s that can compete with some of the best. Abandoned in a rundown facility on the moon, the protagonist and a little android girl must trek across the base and search for a way to escape back to Earth while making sure not to be shot down by the hostile AI running it.

As the newest game, Pragmata had a harder time establishing itself on this list, but it is already a sensation because of its unique gameplay that blends hacking and puzzles into the shooting. As one of the best sci-fi video games of all time, it features an imaginative system that is fun to play. The gameplay loop never gets tiring, and Pragmata’s tight pacing and linear exploration keep the game from being bloated.

8

‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ (2025)

Image via Sandfall Entertainment

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2025 was a versatile year of gaming, and the one that walked away with the title of Game of the Year was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In a fading world exists the paintress, an entity able to erase an age from the planet every year. Now, a brave group of adventurers set out on the 33rd expedition to defeat her and save the planet from becoming ageless.

Using the innovative blend of turn-based combat and real-time events, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a compelling masterpiece from a gameplay perspective that delivers immersive and tense combat. However, this award-winning title is also renowned for its incredible narrative and painterly world, which sets up some of the most unique worldbuilding. Not to mention its voice acting is spectacular, making this big-budget indie a game to remember.

7

‘Kingdom Come: Deliverance II’ (2025)

Image via Warhorse Studios

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As mentioned, 2025 was a magnificent year for gaming, and one specific title was the must-play hidden gem: Kingdom Come Deliverance II. Players are a soldier traveling to a king to make sure their loyalty is still intact, but when they lose their identity, players have no way to prove who they are, all amidst a brewing war between nations.

This sequel improved on pretty much everything, expanding the world with more things to do in new avenues, gameplay opportunities, and different roles to play. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is one of the greatest RPG titles ever made, using its vast possibilities to create an immersive and authentic medieval title. Since 2025 was such a great year, this game went under the radar, yet it remains a definitive title from the past five years.

6

‘God of War: Ragnarök’ (2022)

Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment

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2022 was a two-horse race for the honor of Game of the Year, and while God of War: Ragnarök didn’t come out victorious, it is still a worthy sequel. As Midgard freezes, the prophesied end of the world is nigh, leaving Kratos and his son, Atreus, to journey around the realm in search of allies to help in the fight against the Gods, hoping to save the world.

The 2018 reboot was a massive rebranding that improved the franchise in a big way, and while God of War: Ragnarök isn’t better, it is still a remarkable game. Its single-take camera style created a cinematic masterpiece among the best that video games have to offer. However, God of War: Ragnarök‘s true strength is its mechanical depth with systemic combat and variety to deliver an action masterclass.

5

‘Astro Bot’ (2024)

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The 3D platformer genre has been dominated by Nintendo forever, but 2024 saw a change, with Sony delivering Astro Bot, an unexpected delight. Playing as the titular character, players must travel around a plethora of levels to try to rescue their crew, repair the PS5 mothership, and escape this planet.

Games are all about having fun, and unfortunately, some fans have forgotten that. However, Astro Bot will revive that passion for entertainment through its incredible level design and platforming gimmicks. This modern platforming gaming experience is at the peak of its genre, using haptic feedback to create an immersive feel, while its fluid character and movement make jumping satisfying.

4

‘Hades 2’ (2025)

Image via Supergiant Games

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is technically an indie game, but one that has that distinct feel and style is Hades 2, the much-anticipated sequel to the 2020 original. With Chronos newly resurrected, he immediately takes over the underworld and imprisons his family. However, Melinoe escaped, and now she must travel through Tartarus and Olympus to kill Chronos and free her family.

Indie games have been getting better and better over the years, with the genre reaching its peak with Hades 2. This game keeps the hook from the first game, but reinvents the combat and adds more weapons to make it even better. The refined roguelike gameplay loop has a grander scale that weaves the narrative into the repetitiveness, making Hades 2 one of the more creative games of the past five years.

3

‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’ (2023)

Image via Nintendo of America

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With Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, God of War: Ragnarök, and Hades 2, this list features many sequels, highlighting the anticipation felt in the past five years. But the greatest sequel comes from The Legend of Zelda franchise, specifically its newest 3D entry, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. When Zelda and Link discover Ganondorf beneath the palace, he is resurrected again, sending Zelda to the past and Link without his Master Sword.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is still the better and more influential game, but Tears of the Kingdom improved on virtually everything. From the narrative to bosses to dungeons to exploration to side quests and overall content, this expansive open-world masterpiece isn’t lacking in things to do. Tears of the Kingdom‘s revolutionary traversal rewards exploration by encouraging curiosity in the most marvelous and whimsical of ways, proving it is one of the best video games on the Nintendo Switch.

2

‘Elden Ring’ (2022)

FromSoftware is a prolific game studio, and the past five years saw them release their magnum opus, Elden Ring. After the titular object shatters, the pieces are collected by the demigod children of Queen Marika. However, the players control the Tarnished on a journey through the Lands Between to defeat the children, collect the shards, restore the ring, and become the Elden Lord.

With George R.R. Martin‘s worldbuilding and FromSoftware’s soulslike gameplay, this game-changing RPG is the ultimate fantasy experience that bridges prestigious lore and storytelling with challenging combat. Elden Ring may be known for its relentless challenge and difficulty, but that is what makes the combat so rewarding. Plus, this title features amazing exploration in what is regarded as one of the best open-world video games of all time.

1

‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ (2023)

Image via Larian Studios

The past five years have been home to some of the greatest video games of all time, but Baldur’s Gate 3 is the best and most innovative. Set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, players are infected by a mind-flayer tadpole and must adventure across the world to find a cure. However, amidst the ticking clock is a brewing war between mortals and gods.

The best fans can hope for is companies to actually care about their games, because when they do, games such as Baldur’s Gate 3 are made. This passion-fueled masterpiece is the product of hard work and love of the IP, creating a game full of agency and player choice. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a detailed video game where players can do whatever they think of, perfectly translating the D&D experience to the interactive realm.

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Baldur’s Gate 3

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Released

August 3, 2023

ESRB

M

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Developer(s)

Larian Studios

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Over the years, animated cinema has proved to be the perfect medium for highly imaginative and visually striking stories that can only find their home in the admirably inventive limitlessness of animation. On plenty of delightful occasions, this medium has been the perfect vehicle for tales of sweeping romance, allowing for particularly creative stories with colorful characters that make the love story at their center really come to life.

From beautiful Disney classics that helped define the genre, like Beauty and the Beast, to much more subversive modern masterpieces like the bizarre Anomalisa, animated romance can often be the best kind. The visual and narrative qualities that only animation can offer allow filmmakers to flesh out characters and celebrate the magic of love, always from angles that live-action can’t reach.

10

‘The Princess and the Frog’ (2009)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Disney’s last 2D-animated romance film, The Princess and the Frog tells the story of a waitress whose dream to fulfill her dream of owning a restaurant is threatened when, after kissing a frog prince, she becomes a frog herself and must set out on a journey for both of them to go back to normal. Subversive of typical fairy tale romance tropes, while also paying homage to them and very much feeling like typical Disney magic, it’s definitely one of the studio’s best efforts in recent years.

The movie doesn’t do anything particularly groundbreaking for the genre, but with beautiful animation, a moving story, and a group of memorable characters, it delights audiences by going back to the animation giant’s roots. Princess and the Frog‘s long-overdue focus on Black characters was applauded by critics and audiences alike, and even if some people were left wanting a less by-the-numbers narrative, The Princess and the Frog was enough charm to make anyone swoon.

9

‘Tangled’ (2010)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

After the exceptional Golden Age known as the Disney Renaissance, the studio started exploring more and more stories outside of the traditional romantic fairy tales that had defined their legacy. With Tangled, they went back to their narrative roots with a comedy musical that puts a twist on the tale of Rapunzel, placing her alongside a runaway thief who gets her out of the tower that she has spent her whole life in, showing her the world for the first time.

The movie finds the perfect balance between endearing screwball comedy and heartwarming romance, throwing in a coming-of-age story of self-discovery for good measure. With some of the most memorable characters in the studio’s library, stunning animation, and a bunch of catchy songs, Tangled proves that the fairy tale genre is far from dead if creative things are done with its tropes.

8

‘Whisper of the Heart’ (1995)

Image via Studio Ghibli

One of the most unique and endearing outings in Studio Ghibli’s filmography, Whisper of the Heart is a love story between a girl who loves reading books and a boy who has checked out all the library books she has chosen in the past. Mixing all the best elements of a coming-of-age, a romantic drama, and a fantasy adventure, this movie written by Ghibli giant Hayao Miyazaki is all that fans of romance anime could ask for.

One of Japan’s most prominent animation studio’s highest-rated films on IMDb, Whisper of the Heart is full of sincere emotion and mature depictions of love and connection, proving that animated movies can be family-friendly without ever coming across as condescending or “too kiddie”. Its animation has aged wonderfully, and its story about pursuing one’s dreams never stops being inspiring.

7

‘Your Name’ (2016)

Image via Toho

Contemporary romantic anime isn’t at all uncommon, but a film like that as magical, charming, and deeply moving as Your Name is something that audiences don’t come across every day. It’s about two teens who share a deep connection that has caused them to swap bodies. Things become all the more complicated when the pair decide that they should meet in person.

The film revolves around the kind of ultra-creative premise the likes of which only Makoto Shinkai seems capable of coming up with in the industry, and it does some really emotionally affecting things with those ideas. As one of the best body swap movies to come out in recent years, Your Name. is a poignant depiction of relationships and the transcendental connection that binds them together, conveyed through a beautiful story that has a pair of compelling characters at its core.

6

‘Aladdin’ (1992)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Released near the beginning of the studio’s Renaissance, Aladdin is recognized as one of Disney’s greatest movies of all time. Inspired by one of the best-known tales of The Thousand and One Nights, it’s a sweeping desert adventure where a kind street urchin in love with a young princess sees his luck changed when he retrieves a wish-granting genie in a lamp, ignorant of the fact that the Sultan’s evil advisor has his own plans for both the young man and the lamp.

There is something in Aladdin for everyone to enjoy. Inventive fantasy elements, exciting action, hilarious comedy courtesy of Robin Williams in what many praised as the best voice performance in any movie ever made, and a touching romance between two fun characters, which celebrates the courage of being oneself and living with honesty.

5

‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (2004)

Image via Studio Ghibli

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Hayao Miyazaki is not only the best-known director of anime films, but even one of the best-known Japanese filmmakers of all time. This is for good reason: His movies are enchanting, mature, and absolutely enthralling, Howl’s Moving Castle being no exception. In it, an insecure young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, and has to recur to the help of an arrogant wizard and his companions to break the spell.

Howl’s Moving Castle‘s most prominent features, at least on the surface, are the kind of thrilling action, enrapturing world-building, and creative concepts that you might find in an adventure epic. At heart, however, this is a beautiful love story about two characters who, in learning how to love each other, learn also to accept themselves and their flaws. It’s one of Miyazaki’s best efforts, and that’s saying a lot.

4

‘Anomalisa’ (2015)

Image via Paramount Pictures

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Charlie Kaufman is one of the most brilliant creatives in the film industry today, writing some of the most profound and hilariously bizarre scripts, and directing some of the most attention-grabbing spectacles of existentialist cinema. Anomalisa, his seventh film as a screenwriter but only his second as a director (in collaboration with stop-motion expert Duke Johnson), is a stop-motion romance dramedy about a man crippled by the mundanity of his life and incapable of interacting deeply with others, whose life is turned upside down when he meets an extraordinary stranger.

Anomalisa is the kind of life-changing existentialist masterpiece that only Kaufman could have possibly made, a bittersweet depiction of loneliness, connections, and the unbearable weight of being. With two incredible voice performances by David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh, the relationship at the core of the story feels brutally genuine and heart-achingly real.

3

‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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In 1992, Beauty and the Beast made history by becoming the first-ever animated film to be nominated for the highly coveted Best Picture Oscar. It was a tremendous honor, and a decision that has aged like fine wine. This is still considered one of the most beautiful animated romances ever, where a prince cursed to spend his life as a monster sees his humanity revived by a young woman’s love.

There are plenty of things that have made Beauty and the Beast endure in audiences’ hearts for so long. Perhaps it’s its beautiful and colorful animation, or its catchy songs (some of the best in Disney’s whole library), or the layered and thought-provoking romantic story that it focuses on. Likely, it’s all those things at once—and then some.

2

‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya’ (2013)

Image via Toho

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No one can deny that Miyazaki is a master of his craft, but he’s not the only exceptional Japanese filmmaker in town—Or in Ghibli, for that matter. Isao Takahata is the studio’s other most notable name, and he has made some of their most iconic masterpieces. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya in particular might be his best work, a fantasy drama based on Japanese folklore where an old bamboo cutter and his wife find a young girl inside a bamboo stalk, raising her as their own. Coveted by five nobles but not wanting to marry a stranger she doesn’t love, Kaguya sends her suitors on impossible tasks.

Kaguya is a riveting story of femininity, gender roles, and societal expectations of love and marriage. With a complex depiction of Japanese history and some of the best uses of low fantasy in a movie, Takahata created a wonderful story that layers history, magic, and romance in the most perfect ways. Its watercolor animation is gorgeous, and its title character is one of the most engaging in any Ghibli picture.

1

‘Shrek 2’ (2004)

Image via DreamWorks Pictures

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What happens after happily ever after? This is the question that Shrek 2, one of the best, funniest, and most original animated sequels of all time asks. Its story sees Shrek and Fiona travel to the Kingdom of Far Far Away to meet the princess’s parents, but when they arrive, they find that they aren’t as welcome as they thought they would be.

While the original Shrek was about the titular character learning to allow himself to be loved by others, Shrek 2 has him learn how to love himself exactly as he is. It has more of what made the first film so charming: fun characters, hilarious jokes, and an endearing love story, while also adding some creative world-building and thoughtful themes to make itself stand out as one of the few sequels that were able to top the original.

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Shrek 2

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Release Date

May 19, 2004

Runtime

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92 minutes

Writers

David N. Weiss, J. David Stem, Joe Stillman, Andrew Adamson, Charles Perrault, William Steig

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  Eddie Murphy

  Donkey (voice)

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Euphoria wrapped up the series with a devastating death – but there were numerous characters who were killed off on screen.

During the Sunday, May 31, episode of the HBO show, Rue (Zendaya) was the most surprising when she relapsed by taking painkillers. This led to her death from an accidental overdose due to the pills being laced with fentanyl.

Ali (Colman Domingo) wanted to seek revenge and he murdered Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) at his strip club. At the same time, Laurie (Martha Kelly) died by suicide when the DEA raided her property and G (Marshawn Lynch) was another casualty of Ali storming the club to avenge Rue’s memory.

Euphoria premiered in 2019 and originally followed troubled high school student Rue as she struggled to remain sober after rehab. The hit HBO series was quickly renewed for a second season after its premiere, but it took nearly three years for the episodes to air.

Related: ‘Euphoria’ Tragedies: Most Shocking Deaths Through the Years

The Euphoria cast and crew have mourned the deaths of some of their colleagues over the years. Euphoria, which premiered in 2019, originally followed troubled high school student Rue (Zendaya) as she struggled to remain sober after rehab. The hit HBO series was quickly renewed for a second season after its premiere, but it took […]

In between seasons, the cast suffered several losses after Eric Dane, who played Cal, died in February at age 53 after a battle with ALS. Angus Cloud, meanwhile, died at age 25 and creator Sam Levinson dedicated the season to the actor and his character, Fez.

In a segment after Sunday’s episode, Levinson explained why Rue died from an overdose, saying, “The honest ending is that people like Rue don’t make it.”

Levinson reflected on his own history with addiction — before mentioning Cloud’s death in July 2025 following an accidental overdose.

“People relapse and they f*** up. They’re not ready to get clean. And they weren’t dying like they are now with the influx of fentanyl into this country,” he explained. “I could say with absolute certainty that if I was going through what I went through when I was younger now then I wouldn’t be here either.”

He continued: “There’s no reason to sugarcoat it. I wanted to tell the story for Angus and for people who weren’t granted a second chance.”

Levinson called the finale “an honest ending.”

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“Zendaya’s performance has been so wonderful and layered over the course of these seasons. We fell in love with this character — this girl who was flawed and f**ked up but has a good heart,” he said. “It’s a blessing to work with talented people and people that you love.”

Levinson noted that the show was always building to Rue’s death, adding, “In the end, I wanted to tell an honest story about addiction. I also wanted to tell a story about grief and the emotional turmoil that it can create.”

Euphoria is now streaming on HBO Max.

I honestly miss the time when trilogies were simple and wholesome instead of constantly chasing bigger action scenes in every single movie. A lot of modern franchises already start thinking about spin-offs, crossovers, and cinematic universes before the first film even has its own identity. And that’s what ruins the foundation. Older trilogies had a more personal feeling; it felt like we were growing old with those characters after every installment, and they didn’t exactly care about being greenlit for the next season or next spin-off.

I especially love the five trilogies on this list because they are all different from each other. And none of them became giant mainstream obsessions, which, according to me, is the best part. Let’s dig in.

5

‘The Three Colors Trilogy’ (1993–1994)

Image via mk2 Diffusion

Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colors films are all built around different ideas, liberty, equality, and fraternity. Blue follows Julie (Juliette Binoche) after the sudden death of her husband and daughter leaves her trying to detach herself from almost every part of her old life. White shifts toward Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski), a man humiliated after his marriage collapses, while Red centers on Valentine (Irène Jacob) and her strange connection with a retired judge who spends his time secretly listening to other people’s phone calls.

The reason the trilogy works so beautifully together is that every film approaches loneliness differently. Julie tries to erase emotional attachment completely, Karol becomes obsessed with revenge and dignity, and Valentine slowly develops a connection with somebody she barely understands. Small details quietly connect all three stories, though each film still feels emotionally complete on its own. By the final moments of Red, the trilogy somehow pulls everything together without making the connection feel forced or overly dramatic.

4

‘The Apu Trilogy’ (1955–1959)

Image via Aurora Film Corporation

Satyajit Ray’s Apu trilogy follows Apu from childhood into adulthood, though the films never feel rushed while moving through different stages of his life. Pather Panchali begins in a poor rural village where Apu spends much of his childhood observing the world around him alongside his sister Durga. Simple moments become deeply memorable because Ray pays close attention to how these people actually live day to day. A train passing through the distance or children running through fields somehow becomes just as emotionally important as larger dramatic scenes.

The later films gradually push Apu into completely different environments. Aparajito follows him leaving home for education, while Apur Sansar shows him entering adulthood, marriage, fatherhood, and devastating loss. One thing that makes the trilogy extraordinary is how naturally Apu changes across the years. He is not written like a symbolic character carrying a grand message. He simply feels like a real person growing older, making mistakes, drifting away from people, and trying to understand what kind of life he actually wants.

3

‘The Before Trilogy’ (1995–2013)

Image via Columbia Pictures

The entire Before trilogy is built mostly around conversation, which honestly should not work as well as it does. Before Sunrise starts when Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) meet on a train and impulsively spend one night walking around Vienna together before Jesse has to leave for America the next morning. Very little “happens” in the traditional sense. They talk about relationships, family, religion, death, ambition, and the small fears they would probably never admit to strangers under normal circumstances.

What makes the trilogy so special is watching those same two people meet again at completely different points in their lives. Before Sunset carries the regret of time already lost, while Before Midnight finally shows what happens after the fantasy phase of romance disappears and ordinary frustrations begin taking over. The arguments become harsher, the affection becomes quieter, and the films stop pretending love automatically solves personal unhappiness. By the final movie, Jesse and Céline feel less like fictional characters and more like people the audience has genuinely grown older alongside.

2

‘The Dollars Trilogy’ (1964–1966)

Image via United Artists

Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name enters each film in Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy looking almost disconnected from the chaos around him. In A Fistful of Dollars, he arrives in a town controlled by two rival families and immediately starts manipulating both sides for money. For a Few Dollars More expands things by pairing him with Colonel Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef), whose reasons for hunting El Indio (Gian Maria Volonté) become far more personal than simple bounty hunting.

Then The Good, the Bad and the Ugly turns the trilogy into something much larger. Blondie, Tuco (Eli Wallach), and Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef) spend the film chasing buried Confederate gold while the American Civil War continues violently around them. Leone constantly stretches scenes longer than most directors would dare, though that patience is exactly why the confrontations become unforgettable. Gunfights feel tense because the films spend so much time around silence, suspicion, and tiny reactions before anybody finally reaches for a weapon.

1

‘The Human Condition Trilogy’ (1959–1961)

Image via Shochiku

Masaki Kobayashi’s The Human Condition trilogy follows Kaji (Tatsuya Nakadai), a man desperately trying to hold on to his morality while Japan moves deeper into the Second World War. At the beginning, Kaji takes a management role at a labor camp believing he can treat workers more humanely than the people around him. Very quickly, he realizes the system itself leaves almost no room for compassion. Every attempt to help somebody places him in conflict with military authority, and each compromise slowly wears him down further.

The later films become even harsher once Kaji is forced into military service himself. Training turns brutal, soldiers begin dying around him, and survival gradually replaces the ideals he started with earlier in the trilogy. What makes these films so difficult to forget is how relentlessly they follow Kaji through humiliation, exhaustion, guilt, and loss without simplifying any of it into easy heroism. By the end, the trilogy stops feeling like a war story and starts feeling more like a portrait of a person being emotionally destroyed piece by piece over time.

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The Human Condition III: A Soldier’s Prayer

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Release Date

January 28, 1961

Runtime

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190 minutes

Director

Masaki Kobayashi

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Writers

Zenzō Matsuyama, Masaki Kobayashi, Koichi Inagaki

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  Tamao Nakamura

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  Hinannmin no Shôjo

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  Yūsuke Kawazu

  Terada Nitôhei

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