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Entertainment

10 Greatest War Video Game Masterpieces of All Time

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A massive naval and land battle over a fjord in 'Age of Empires II'

War video games are a dime a dozen nowadays. Let’s face it: first-person shooters are absolutely everywhere, many of them lazy and subpar. A lot of consumers like this content, though, because shooters allow them to experience some of history’s deadliest battles in an immersive experience. Other times, they just want to shoot aliens, but hey, that’s fine, too.

Over the years, a lot of games have centred on war, aiming to let players feel the futility of it, control the flow of battle, or place them in the midst of the chaos, which isn’t exclusive to any one particular genre of game, either. To be honest, though, war games would never be where they are today without these masterpieces. For this list, we’re focusing only on video games that are grounded in real or plausibly real conflicts — meaning no sci-fi or fantasy elements — otherwise we’d be here all day.

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10

‘Age of Empires II’ (1999)

A massive naval and land battle over a fjord in 'Age of Empires II' Image via Microsoft

Age of Empires II completely changed the real-time strategy genre and offered a wide variety of choices to the player. The game is meticulously detailed and intricate, allowing players to build their civilization from the ground up via the gathering of resources, which they can then use to amass an army and wage war on rival empires. Each faction is based on a real historical empire or civilization. There are 13 in total, from Chinese, Japanese, Persian, Viking, Celtic, Teutonic, and beyond.

The game also has a whopping 30 single-player campaigns, with over 200 individual levels, all centred around various empires and their conflicts, both real and fictional. It’s a history lover’s dream, and a fantastic foray into the world of real-time strategy. The game still has an active community, and continues to generate buzz due to how monumentally impactful it was, and still is.

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9

‘Medal of Honor: Allied Assault’ (2002)

American soldiers take cover from mortar fire on Omaha beach in 'Medal of Honor: Allied Assault' Image via Electronic Arts

Medal of Honor is a pioneering first-person shooter franchise that was actually directed by Steven Spielberg himself, following the success of his 1998 World War II film Saving Private Ryan. Medal of Honor: Allied Assault is the third mainline entry in the franchise, and the first to be released for Windows. In this shooter, players take control of Mike Powell, an operator with the OSS (a precursor to the CIA), as he dives deep behind Axis lines in the Second World War.

The original game sees Powell assist Allied operations in Norway, Algeria, and France, using a variety of weapons at his disposal. Two expansion packs also came out, which take players to the Battle of Berlin, the Battle of the Bulge, Tunisia, and Italy. The gameplay is pretty simplistic, but that’s what makes it so brilliant. There isn’t much to be said in the way of story here; it just excels in how fun it is, besides the fact that it’s an early FPS that completely changed the genre. It might not be as good as some of the other games on this list, but it definitely deserves a spot.

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8

‘Company of Heroes’ (2006)

American soldiers approach a wrecked tank in 'Company of Heroes' Image via THQ

Company of Heroes is a real-time strategy video game that is widely seen as one of the best in the entire genre. It is set during World War II, specifically during the D-Day landings in Normandy. Two expansion packs were also released for the game, both of which take place at other points on the Western Front in the final months of the war, from the Battle of Chambois to Operation Market Garden.

The campaigns aren’t the only area it excels in, though–the game still has an active multiplayer community, which is very popular in the RTS fandom. Perhaps it’s the way that sacrifice is depicted in this game, or maybe it’s the red and blue line, allowing players to actually see the front being pushed back in real time, but it feels really immersive and tactical, as strategy games should. It won countless awards and even received a (admittedly terrible) movie adaptation. It’s absolutely a masterpiece, not just in its genre, but in the medium as a whole.

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7

‘Valiant Hearts: The Great War’ (2014)

Emile (left) and Walt (right) stand in no-man's land in 'Valiant Hearts: The Great War' Image via Ubisoft

Valiant Hearts: The Great War was released to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the onset of World War I. Only, this game isn’t a shooter or an RTS. It’s a charming side-scrolling adventure/puzzle game following various characters. The primary focus of the game is Emile, a French farmer whose son-in-law, Karl, is deported from France when the war begins due to Karl being born in Germany. Karl is forced to enlist in the war, so Emile volunteers for the French Army to find Karl.

While the game’s controls are simplistic, the collectibles serve as interesting tidbits of history with a surprising amount of accuracy. Its visuals are a little cartoony, but it’s still able to accurately depict how horrific the First World War really was. Throughout the game, players will have to storm the trenches, avoid chlorine gas attacks, and save wounded civilians all across the Western Front of the war. What really makes Valiant Hearts: The Great War worthwhile is its emotional narrative, which hits with a swift gut punch of an ending. It’s a narrative masterpiece in all regards, which has no problem making grown men cry.

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6

‘Rome: Total War’ (2004)

Roman soldiers clash with Greek warriors in 'Rome: Total War' Image via Activision

Rome: Total War is the third entry in the Total War series of real-time strategy games. It also happens to be the best one. Total War has seen a few lackluster entries, but early on, they were really knocking it out of the park. As the name implies, the game sees players take control of a Roman Legion through various points in history, from the time of the Roman Republic to the age of the Roman Empire. ‘

Players will fight real historical battles against a variety of foes. Expansion packs even let players go up against Alexander the Great himself. Rome: Total War is another game that won a lot of awards, and rightfully so; it’s how a real-time strategy game should be, made even better by the fact that it puts the player in control of the famous Roman Legion, one of the most disciplined and tactical military forces of the Ancient World. It is one of the greatest war video games ever made, and one of the best RTS games, too.













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Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz
Which Oscar Best Picture
Is Your Perfect Movie?

Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country
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Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.

🪜Parasite

🌀Everything Everywhere

☢️Oppenheimer

🐦Birdman

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🪙No Country for Old Men

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01

What kind of film experience do you actually want?
The best movies don’t just entertain — they leave something behind.





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02

Which idea grabs you most in a film?
Great films are driven by a central obsession. What’s yours?





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03

How do you like your story told?
Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means.





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04

What makes a truly great antagonist?
The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you?





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05

What do you want from a film’s ending?
The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like?





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06

Which setting pulls you in most?
Where a film takes place shapes everything — mood, stakes, what’s even possible.





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07

What cinematic craft impresses you most?
Every great film has a signature — a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable.





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08

What kind of main character do you root for?
The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you.





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09

How do you feel about a film that takes its time?
Pace is a choice. Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly, deliberately.





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10

What do you want to feel walking out of the cinema?
The best films leave a mark. What kind of mark do you want?





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The Academy Has Decided
Your Perfect Film Is…

Your answers have pointed to one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others. This is the film that was made for the way your mind works.

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Parasite

You are drawn to films that operate on multiple levels simultaneously — that begin in one genre and quietly, brilliantly migrate into another. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a film about class, desire, and the architecture of inequality that manages to be darkly funny, deeply suspenseful, and genuinely shocking across a single extraordinary running time. Your instinct is for cinema that hides its true intentions until the moment it’s ready to reveal them. Parasite is exactly that — a film that rewards close attention and punishes assumptions, right up to its devastating final image.

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Everything Everywhere All at Once

You want it all — and this film gives you all of it. The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most maximalist films ever made: action comedy, multiverse sci-fi, family drama, existential crisis, and a genuinely earned emotional core that sneaks up on you amid the chaos. You are someone who responds to ambition, who doesn’t want cinema to choose between being entertaining and being meaningful. This film refuses that choice entirely. It is overwhelming by design, and its overwhelming nature is precisely the point — because the feeling of being crushed by infinite possibility is exactly what it’s about.

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Oppenheimer

You are drawn to cinema on a grand scale — films that understand history not as a backdrop but as a force, and that place their characters inside that force and watch what happens. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a film about the terrifying gap between what we can do and what we should do, told with the full weight of one of the most consequential moments in human history behind it. You want your films to feel important without feeling self-important — to earn their ambition through sheer craft and the gravity of their subject. Oppenheimer does exactly that. It is enormous, complicated, and refuses easy comfort.

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Birdman

You are drawn to films that foreground their own construction — that make the how of the filmmaking part of the what it’s about. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, shot to appear as a single continuous take, is cinema examining itself through the cracked mirror of a fading actor’s ego. You respond to formal daring, to the feeling that a film is doing something that probably shouldn’t be possible. Michael Keaton’s performance and Emmanuel Lubezki’s restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else — a film that is simultaneously about creativity, relevance, self-destruction, and the impossibility of ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all.

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No Country for Old Men

You are drawn to cinema that trusts silence, that refuses to explain itself, and that treats dread as a form of meaning. The Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men is a film about the arrival of a new kind of evil — implacable, arbitrary, and utterly indifferent to the moral frameworks we use to make sense of the world. It is one of the most formally controlled films ever made, and its controlled restraint is what makes it so terrifying. You want your films to haunt you, not comfort you. You are not interested in resolution if resolution would be dishonest. No Country for Old Men is honest in a way that most cinema never dares to be.

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5

‘Call of Duty: Black Ops’ (2010)

Captain Alex Mason pointing a gun at someone during a mission in Call of Duty: Black Ops
Captain Alex Mason pointing a gun at someone during a mission in Call of Duty: Black Ops
Image via Treyarch
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A lot of the early Call of Duty games could be considered masterpieces, but in terms of sheer narrative and technicality, the best has to go to Call of Duty: Black Ops. It’s one of the most complex stories the franchise has woven, with a huge and iconic plot twist that many still remember and reference to this day. It is set during the Cold War, following CIA operatives as they try to take down Soviet operatives during the 1960s. However, it also has levels set during the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Vietnam War, which defined the era.

It’s Call of Duty, so of course the gameplay is pretty basic: run around and shoot things, and the same is true for the multiplayer. However, the cinematic scale of the campaign is pretty awesome, whether it’s running across the rooftops of Kowloon Walled City, base jumping off the Ural Mountains, or escaping Soviet gulags. Most importantly, it expertly captures the deep-seated paranoia that was rampant during the peak of the Cold War, and the espionage that was constantly going on between the global superpowers. President John F. Kennedy even makes an appearance in this game. It’s the best Call of Duty game by far, and definitely earns a spot on this list.

4

‘Spec Ops: The Line’ (2012)

Adams and Walker sitting on the sand, looking depleted in Spec Ops: The Line
Adams and Walker sitting on the sand, looking depleted in Spec Ops: The Line
Image via Darkside Game Studios
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When the trailers for Spec Ops: The Line first came out, everyone kind of assumed it would be another bland third-person shooter with very little substance; they couldn’t have been any more wrong. Set during the ongoing Middle East Crisis, the entire game is set in Dubai, which has been mostly abandoned after being hit with a catastrophic series of sandstorms. American military commander John Konrad, returning from Afghanistan, volunteers his force to help with relief efforts, but his PTSD only makes things worse. He declares martial law in Dubai and begins committing horrific crimes against the survivors still trapped in the city, turning the place into a war zone. Sent in to stop Konrad is Delta Force operator Martin Walker and his team.

The game is actually based on the classic book Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (note the name similarity), which also served as the basis for the film Apocalypse Now. Thus, it has a distinct and clear anti-war message. As the game progresses, Martin begins experiencing telltale symptoms of PTSD and is forced to make horrifying choices. The white phosphorus scene in this game became infamous for its brutality, forcing players to confront their morality. Gradually, the game’s hints devolve from run-of-the-mill tooltips to messages like “Do you feel like a hero yet?” It pulls no punches, and though it’s based on a fake event, the backdrop is a very real crisis, and its anti-war subtext clearly places it into the war genre.

3

‘Battlefield 1’ (2016)

A soldier on a poppy field looking up at a plane in Battlefield 1
Battlefield 1 Rupture map
Image via EA
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Battlefield 1 is set during the First World War, and is pretty near perfect on all levels. Like the rest of the games in the franchise, players can take on a ground infantry role, but can also drive land vehicles, fly planes, and sail in warships in massive multiplayer matches of dozens of players. The cinematic scale of this game is absolutely unreal, with maps ranging from the Western Front to the Middle-Eastern Theatre of the war, and even including a DLC set during the Russian Revolution.

The campaign does a pretty good job, too, following five distinct individuals from five different parts of the war. Here, players will drive a tank through the muck of the Hundred Days Offensive, scale the slopes of Monte Grappa, storm the beaches of Gallipoli, and ride with Lawrence of Arabia as he ambushes the Ottoman forces. Everything about this game is so intoxicating because it’s fun, unique, and visually stunning. There are very few players who don’t stop to watch a flaming zeppelin come crashing down in the middle of a match. Battlefield 1 is everything that a first-person shooter should be, and should aspire to replicate. It’s also the only shooter of its kind set in the First World War.

2

‘Ghost of Tsushima’ (2020)

A samurai holding a mask in Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima Red Herring
Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment
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Ghost of Tsushima is an action role-playing game set during the First Mongol Invasion of Japan in 1274. Players take on the role of Jin Sakai, a samurai who is on the front line of the Mongol landing on the Northern Japanese island of Tsushima. The sole survivor of a great battle, Jin must abandon his honor and his samurai code to retaliate against the Mongols, often striking from the shadows during the night.

While it isn’t a typical genre for a war game, the fact that a war is the main backdrop of the story, and that it’s so prevalent, definitely makes it qualify for this list. The open world is huge, gorgeous, and there are plenty of side quests and activities to keep players entertained. Better yet, nothing fantastical happens in the story. Yes, some characters are made up, and some historical details are exaggerated, but the content otherwise remains firmly grounded in reality. It is one of the best open-world games to come out in recent years, with people still praising it to this day. That movie adaptation can’t come soon enough.

1

‘This War of Mine’ (2014)

A young boy with a red jacket looking out the window in This War of Mine Image via 11 bit studios
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This War of Mine is by far the single most depressing video game of all time. In this side-scrolling survival story, you’re not an elite soldier on the front lines, and you’re not an officer commanding their troops; you’re an ordinary civilian, struggling to survive in a besieged city. Though the setting is fictional, it’s based on the Bosnian War and the Siege of Sarajevo in the 1990s. The final cut of this game is by far the best version. There’s the typical survival mode, but there are also three story episodes to… well, perhaps “enjoy” isn’t quite the best word.

The game is based on survivors’ testimonies, so it really bears some impressive emotional weight. Sometimes, players are left with no choice but to do objectively awful things — it’s hard to help the starving child that comes to your door when you don’t have any food yourself. This game definitely makes players feel the desperation, to the point that they may need to make some really terrible choices, such as stealing from an elderly couple just to get some medicine to heal your dying ally. As good as this game is, it’s absolutely devastating with its anti-war message, but it’s arguably what makes it the best war video game masterpiece of all time.

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Days of our Lives: Gwen & EJ’s Brutal War Turns Absolutely Vicious!

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Days of Our Lives: Gwen Rizczech (Emily O'Brien) - EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel)

Days of Our Lives excites as Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) just dropped a nuclear bombshell on EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) this week. And worse yet, he found out about it from somebody else that he hates, Paulina Price (Jackée Harry). And so now, EJ is furious that Gwen is planning to buy Salem University Hospital.

She’s trying to snatch it out from under her former co-conspirator and it’s about to get messy. You got to love EJ’s outrage over Gwen sticking up for herself and sticking a knife in EJ’s back.

Gwen’s Revenge Plan Takes Shape on Days of Our Lives

So, Gwen has been wanting to get revenge on EJ ever since he reneged on their financial deal for the miracle serum resurrection serum. It was Gwen who funded the secret lab project to help EJ and he promised Gwen a 50/50 split and they were expecting big millions of dollars in future sales.

And if not for her, EJ probably couldn’t have funded Dr. Wilhelm Rolf’s (Richard Wharton) secret resurrection research. And then once Lexie Carver (Nikki Crawford) was successfully revived, that’s when EJ turned around and he did her really dirty. Not only did he tell Gwen that it would be quite some time before they made any cash on the serum.

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That’s fine. But EJ said the percentage of the proceeds that she was going to get would be far less than Gwen expected. And of course, EJ was smug because he thinks Gwen has no recourse. She’s got no way to come back at EJ and force him to give her what he promised, at least not in a court of law.

Gwen’s Devious Plot on DOOL

But ever since EJ announced that he was stabbing her in the back, Gwen has been busy plotting. First, she went and talked to Xander Cook Kiriakis (Paul Telfer)  about going in with her and buying the hospital. But of course, money is tight over at Titan thanks to Tony DiMera Thaao Phenglis) and Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) corporate sabotage. However, Gwen has got a big fat divorce settlement from Dimitri Von Leuschner (Peter Porte) and she seems to be planning to use it to stab EJ right in the back to get revenge for his betrayal. But Gwen also knows that going to war with EJ is very dangerous.

The Dead Man’s Switch on Days

So, this week, Gwen went to her former best friend, Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart), because Gwen knows that he has wanted to get the scoop of the century and expose EJ’s shady dealings that he knows are going on down in that lab. So Gwen told Leo he can have all the dirty details of what EJ has been up to, but the terms of Gwen’s deal are that Leo cannot write the story until Gwen is dead or missing.

And it turns out she gave all the information to a third party. All the dirt on EJ and Rolf’s sketchy science is in her lawyer’s hands. The whole story is in a sealed letter that she left with her attorney. And that letter will drop right into Leo Stark’s hands if Gwen dies or if she doesn’t contact her attorney every 10 days.

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Days of our Lives: Leo’s Worried about Gwen

So, this dirt that Gwen promised to Leo is a much bigger deal than just Rolf and EJ resurrecting Lexi. And immediately Leo was concerned that Gwen might be in danger. And Leo told Gwen, “Oh, okay. What you did? You set up a dead man’s switch.” That’s the thing in action movies where the villain like has a hand grenade taped to their hand. You know something where you have to hold the switch constantly or occasionally push a button or something or else the bomb detonates like in a case of death or incapacitation. So, Leo was intrigued but also worried.

And the best part I thought was when Gwen made a big confession to Leo. Gwen finally admitted to Leo that although yes, she’s mad about what happened with him and Dimitri, she knows that Leo is still the truest friend that she’s ever had. Gwen knows she can trust Leo to follow through if something happens to her. And of course, he’s hoping that Gwen won’t die. However, there’s also the chance that Leo could double cross her and maybe prevent Gwen from contacting her lawyer for more than 10 days, which would trigger the dead man switch so Leo can get the letter detailing EJ’s dirty deeds and publish it.

EJ Gets the News

It was big fun, I thought, also to see Madame Mayor Paulina personally deliver the news to EJ that the state medical board voted to censure him. Paulina said that is one step closer to stripping EJ of his hospital ownership, but he mocked her and said they can’t do it because they need another buyer.

And when Paulina said they have an offer on the table, EJ assumed it was Xander. And then he was basically laughing at her because EJ knows that Xander can’t afford to buy it. Paulina was so pleased to tell EJ that no, it’s not Xander, it’s Gwen who made an offer to buy the hospital. And he knows she’s got the money to do it. She’s got all those Dimitri dollars.

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And after letting Leo know about the dead man’s switch, you know, just in case something happened, Gwen marched over to tell EJ that she’s returning the knife he stabbed her in the back with, and she’s doing it blade first. And since Gwen knows he’s dangerous, she let EJ know if anything happens to her, he will be ruined. But we also know he’s not going to let Gwen get away with betraying him, even though EJ betrayed her first.

Days of Our Lives: Gwen Rizczech (Emily O'Brien) - EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel)Days of Our Lives: Gwen Rizczech (Emily O'Brien) - EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel)
Days of Our Lives: Gwen Rizczech – EJ DiMera 

The War Escalates on Days of Our Lives

But now the ball is rolling on Days of Our Lives. I can see him trying to wreak havoc on Gwen, especially if she moves forward with buying the hospital. And it appears that she still wants to let Xander in on that deal because she called him after confronting EJ. And of course, you know, he was feeling smug until she did this. Because Gwen and EJ didn’t have any legally binding contract because they were doing something dodgy.

But that also means that the blade cuts both ways and Gwen can also do whatever she wants. She knows Caleb Brady will support her purchasing the hospital. Anything to get rid of EJ. So, we’ll have to wait and see if it happens. However, I don’t think it will because the summer promo shows that EJ is still in control of the hospital because he fires a very shocked Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey). So, something may happen to slow up or prevent the sale. But even so, Gwen’s not going to stop.

Big Negotiation Coming Up

We know that she and Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) get together with Leo and Dimitri for an intense negotiation in the next few weeks. Leo and Gwen are now rekindled as besties. And of course, Leo has had to accept that Javi Hernandez (Al Calderon) has moved on with firefighter Gus (Michael Ocampo). So, when Dimitri comes back to Salem their dynamic is different.

There’s a little potential there. And it looks like Rafe, Gwen, and Leo are trying to get Dimitri to conspire with them. And it’s probably against EJ because Rafe still wants to take him down. He’s working with the FBI, and the ISA. So, it looks like they need Dimitri for some reason. And Leo may offer himself as a bargaining chip because he tells Dimitri, “If you won’t make a deal with Rafe, maybe you’ll make one with me.”

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So, yeah, whatever they’re asking, if Dimitri winds up getting Leo back, he might agree to it. So, even if EJ manages to hang on to the hospital and block Gwen from buying it, that doesn’t mean she lost the war. Just that battle. So, wait to see, but it is about to get really, really messy between EJ and Gwen. And I can’t wait.

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Off Campus Stylist Details Allie’s Hair Change From Book

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Everything to Know About RHOSLC Alum Jen Shah's Legal Drama

Allie Hayes’ hair was one of the notable book-to-screen changes in Off Campus — and there’s a reason for that.

“Her skin tones factored into it because once you start changing those hair colors, the skin tones change,” series hairstylist Debra Wiebe told Elite Daily in an interview published Wednesday, June 3, referring to actress Mika Abdalla, who brings Allie to life onscreen. “We enhanced the color to make it a bit more golden. Her highlights had more of a golden blonde tint, where Stephen [Kalyn]’s was lighter and more pastel.”

Off Campus is adapted from Elle Kennedy’s bestselling hockey romance series of the same name, in which Dean Heyward-Di Laurentis and love interest Allie Hayes both have blonde locks. In the Prime Video adaptation, Dean and Allie are portrayed by Kalyn, 28, and Abdalla, 26, respectively. 

Much like his book counterpart, Kalyn’s Dean had a bleached ‘do. Abdalla, meanwhile, kept her naturally dark tresses for the role.

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“Sometimes those conversations go on before I’m in the room. When producers are casting, they put the two actors beside each other and decide on the look,” Wiebe told the outlet. “Then, we all had a conversation of, ‘Can we lighten her hair just a bit?’”

For Wiebe, giving Abdalla blonde highlights helped nod to the literary inspiration and distinguish the character from her BFF Hannah Wells (Ella Bright).

Off Campus season 1 highlighted Hannah’s love story with Dean’s hockey teammate Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli). Abdalla and Kalyn will take the reins in the already renewed season 2, after fans got a peek at their journey at the end of the first season.

“I’m just really looking forward to digging deeper into who Allie and Dean are,” Abdalla exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of last month’s premiere. “They both, kind of, have these fronts, these personas that are hard to kind of crack through. They are kind of stereotypes of themselves. But in the books, as we know, there’s so much beneath the surface of Dean, and there’s so much beneath the surface of Allie.”

She continued at the time, “When it is time for our season, I’m excited to dig emotionally into that a little bit more, because, you know, we see Allie and Dean as their exteriors a lot in season 1. While that is fun, and they are super fun characters to play, I think as actors, selfishly, both of us are really excited to, kind of, like, get psychological.”

Off Campus season 1 is currently streaming on Prime Video, while season 2 recently started production.

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Social Reacts To Latest Song Snippet (Video)

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Oop! Social Media Users Are Mentioning Klay Thompson While Droppin' Mixed Reactions To Megan Thee Stallion's Latest Song Snippet (VIDEO)

Social media users are mentioning Klay Thompson while droppin’ mixed reactions to Megan Thee Stallion‘s latest song snippet.

RELATED: There He Go! Klay Thompson Takes To Livestream Following His Split From Megan Thee Stallion (WATCH)

More On Megan Thee Stallion’s Latest Song Snippet

Earlier this week, Megan Thee Stallion took to Instagram to share a video clip with her more than 32.7 million followers. Furthermore, the clip featured background audio of a woman repeatedly singing, “That man ain’t s**t.” This, while Meg appeared to be on a yacht alongside other women, rocking a multi-colored swimsuit.

As the beat dropped, Meg began rapping about putting “wifey s**t” to “bed.”

Peep the clip and song snippet below.

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Social Media Users Mentioning Klay Thompson While Droppin’ Mixed Reactions To Megan Thee Stallion’s Latest Song Snippet

Social media users slid in TSR’s comment section and began mentioning Klay Thompson while dropping mixed reactions to Megan Thee Stallion’s song snippet.

Instagram user @s.nashay wrote, tina snow is back 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭”

While Instagram user @shai.mere added,meg really put klay on cuz I forgot him ALREADY 😭”

Instagram user @soicouldntblametammy wrote, This is so sad… heal the right way babygirl”

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While Instagram user @konyiaa added, Yall saying this generation is cooked but when we try to treat yall 🥷s right yall play us and think it’s “cool”.. be dappin 🥷 up for breaking a woman’s heart 😂 hell.”

Instagram user @candymandmoney wrote, Klay did the right thing 😂”

While Instagram user @hsh.sh6168 added,Klay still don’t give af 😂😂😂😂”

Instagram user @erickaajanae wrote, Hot Gurl Summer Back On 🔥”

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While Instagram user @bonnicakes added, She lost me wit the first few words. All that wifey s**t is dead 🤦🏽‍♀️ no thank you. Cuz MY MAN MY MAN MY MANNN!!!!”

Instagram user @shantell_marie___ wrote,I just got out of a relationship too but I’m cool off the hot girl summer. Im giving God my time, the goal is still a wife for me. Just cuz it’s over doesn’t mean I shouldn’t prepare for my husband. Some women are wives and some just are not.”

While Instagram user @prettysuperiorxo added, YES FINALLY!! ITS ABOUT TO BE A HOT GIRL SUMMER 🔥🔥🔥🔥”

Instagram user @eastsidepresident84 wrote,  Its so many hurt women on here condoning this nonsense. Yall comical. Then when she get played again they gone be on here like what happened with our girl why she can’t find love lol”

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While Instagram user @ninoblaze added,I’ve always taught my daughters that a husband is never the end goal to their lives but neither is this.”

Instagram user @_b.o.m.b.s wrote, Hot girl summer finna be craaaaaazy 🔥🔥🔥”

While Instagram user @raymnicia added,Yeah this shi sound the same as the last 300 songs she released Meg please change it up 😭😭😭 one flow, one sound im so damn tireddddddddd”

More On A Recent Verse Where The Rapper Seemingly Mentioned Klay Thompson

Before Megan Thee Stallion’s latest song snippet, she seemingly mentioned Klay Thompson on a recent song feature. As The Shade Room previously reported, Megan recently dropped a feature verse on the remix to Bossman Dlow’s ‘Motion Party.’ In her verse, she rapped about not looking through phones and noted that if she catches her man cheating, she’s dropping deuces, seemingly referencing her recent breakup with Thompson.

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RELATED: Over It? Megan Thee Stallion Seemingly Addresses Klay Thompson Split In NEW Song As Fans Decode Lyrics (PHOTO)

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Tyler Baltierra Questions Sympathy for Amanda Conner Arrest

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Tyler Baltierra Does Not Plan to Talk About Daughter Carly Even With Lies Out There

UPDATE — 6/4/26, 1:22 p.m. ET: Tyler Baltierra is clarifying his comments about Amanda Conner and Catelynn Lowell.

“I was not comparing addiction to adoption. I was comparing society’s empathy, awareness & understanding towards addicts and birthmothers,” Baltierra, 34, wrote via his Instagram Story on Wednesday, June 3. “This was in no way to ‘shade’ Amanda AT ALL. I would never shame anyone in recovery. If you listen to the whole episode, I say it multiple times how I wish her & her family nothing but healing.”

According to the Teen Mom star, his comments were a “simple observation of societal/cultural differences when it comes to how we sympathize with addicts who are suffering vs how we sympathize with birthmothers who are suffering.”

“I’m the first one to know the affects [sic] of addiction & the struggles that come along with recovery,” he added. “I’m proud of [Amanda] for seeking help & I’m rooting for her.”

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Original story below: 

Teen Mom’s Tyler Baltierra is openly wondering why fans seem to be sympathizing with Amanda Conner following her arrest for an alleged DUI, but not with his wife, Catelynn Lowell, amid the challenges of adoption.

“One thing that always shocks me though is that the comments are, ‘She’s struggling and this is part of addiction and relapse is part of recovery and she’s going through a hard time right now. Please get better,’” Baltierra, 34, shared on the May 27 episode of the “Cate & Ty Break It Down” podcast. “All of this sentimental, empathetic, sympathizing, which is great. I think we as a society have learned more about what that looks like and how it affects people. I’m glad that society is more sympathetic.”

News broke on May 24 that Conner was arrested and charged with child abuse/neglect for allegedly driving under the influence with a baby in the car. She also was charged for allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road.

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Days later, Conner broke her silence on the arrest, confirming that she relapsed after three years of sobriety.

Tyler Baltierra Does Not Plan to Talk About Daughter Carly Even With Lies Out There


Related: Teen Mom’s Tyler Won’t Talk About Daughter Carly Despite Hearing ‘Lies’

Tyler Baltierra is standing firm in his and wife Catelynn Lowell’s vow not to speak about their daughter Carly following drama with her adoptive parents. “Listen, if I attempted to address every rumor, media misinformation or conspiracy theory about us, I would never be able to stop,” Tyler, 33, wrote via his Instagram Story on […]

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“I have let you all down and I’ve let my family down,” she said via TikTok on May 27. “Just saying that out loud, just letting it be known, it’s just so uncomfortable, it’s shameful, I’m disappointed, I feel guilty, scared. I’m not perfect.”

Conner’s bond was set for $16,000. Following her release, she was ordered not to contact the alleged child victim.

In his latest podcast episode with Lowell, 34, Baltierra couldn’t help but point out the different comments Conner received compared to the times his wife has opened up about her journey with adoption. (Baltierra and Lowell placed their daughter Carly for adoption when they were both 16. Carly is now 17 years old and has no contact with her birth parents, per Baltierra and Lowell.)

Tyler Baltierra Wonders Why Amanda Conner Arrest Gets More Sympathy Than Catelynn Lowell Adoption

Amanda Conner
Courtesy of Amanda Conner/Instagram

“It’s interesting that we’re talking about a woman in recovery who relapsed and during that relapse, put her child in danger and herself in danger,” Baltierra claimed. “She gets this amount of empathy and sympathy because she is struggling with this addiction problem. At the same time, my wife will make a post — who is sober, a great mom — about how hard it is that she can’t see the baby she relinquished out of desperation for her birthday. The comments of that vs. this always blows my mind.”

He continued, “It’s just a representation of how adoption is still in the shadows and mental health in general of adoption. How is it possible that a woman who endangered her children because she’s a drug addict gets more sympathy and empathy over a birth mother who relinquished out of desperation, talking about missing her on her birthday?”

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Teen Mom Tyler Baltierra Heartbroken After Photos of Carly Leak Online


Related: Teen Mom’s Tyler Baltierra ‘Heartbroken’ After Photos of Carly Leak Online

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Teen Mom’s Tyler Baltierra is “beyond heartbroken” to see photos of daughter Carly being leaked online. “To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. It’s literally heartbreaking & sad that people are still continuing to share pictures & now videos of Carly,” Baltierra, 33, wrote via his Instagram Story on Saturday, April 5. “The same people […]

Although Conner has not publicly commented on her arrest, she admitted in a TikTok video that she is currently dealing with the “consequences’ of her actions.

“It’s not going to be polished, it’s going to be authentic, real and what happens in my life when you relapse and do stupid s***, there’s consequence,” she said. “We’re not going to give up, we’re going to fight and we’re going to get back on track. So with that said, we’re going to get ready to go meet the lawyer, so stay tuned.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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1 Year Later, Netflix’s Record-Breaking Fantasy Masterpiece Is Still Making Streaming History

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Nearly a year ago, Netflix released a fantasy animation film that became a global phenomenon. Nobody expected that a movie involving K-pop and demon hunting would dominate the streaming platform to the point that it would lead to recognition in both the movie and music industries. Many months have passed since its release, and it still dominates the Top 10 charts.

Throughout Netflix’s history, many titles have broken many records for the streaming giant. For example, Wednesday Season 1 is still the most-streamed show, with over 1.7 billion viewing hours since its 2022 release. Or how all three seasons of Squid Game dominate Netflix’s Top Non-English shows of all time, with the first season generating over 2.2 billion watched hours alone. But there’s another Netflix exclusive that broke a massive milestone, a record that it holds alone.

KPop Demon Hunters, an animated fantasy musical by Sony Pictures Animation, holds the record for a 50-week streak on Netflix’s Top 10 English Movies. As of writing, it sits at #9, between Remarkably Bright Creatures and Guess Who, but has never left the Top 10 since its release on June 20, 2025. Additionally, Kpop Demon Hunters is the most-streamed movie of all time, with over 541 million viewed hours, just under Red Notice‘s 454 million watched hours.

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Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz
Which Action Hero Would Be
Your Perfect Partner?

Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt

Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn’t work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.

🎖️Rambo

🍸James Bond

🏺Indiana Jones

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🔧John McClane

🎭Ethan Hunt

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01

You’re dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner?
The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.





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02

You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel?
How you get there is half the mission.





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03

You’re pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do?
This is when you find out what someone is really made of.





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04

The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest?
Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.





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05

How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission?
Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.





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06

Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them?
The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.





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07

Things go badly wrong and you’re captured. What do you trust your partner to do?
Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.





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08

What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn’t replace?
A great partner fills the gap you didn’t know you had.





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09

Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with?
No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.





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10

It’s the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now?
The last question is the most honest one.





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Your Partner Has Been Assigned
Your Perfect Partner Is…

Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.

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Rambo

Your partner doesn’t talk much, doesn’t need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you’ve finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You’ll never need to ask if he has your back. You’ll just know.

James Bond

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Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it’ll take you a moment to remember what’s actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You’ll never be bored. You’ll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.

Indiana Jones

Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar’s eye and a brawler’s instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn’t matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you’ll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.

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John McClane

Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren’t so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.

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Ethan Hunt

Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you’ve finished reading the briefing, and the plan he’s settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn’t exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.

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How ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ Became a Global Phenomenon

​​​

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Kpop Demon Hunters follows a 3-member Kpop idol group called Huntr/x, who are also demon hunters. Tired of his plans getting thwarted, the demon king, called Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun), agrees to follow Jinu’s (Ahn Hyo-seop) plan of creating a demon boyband to weaken the demon hunters. Since its release, K-pop Demon Hunters has gone viral on social media for its K-drama-inspired storyline and worldbuilding. Not to mention, the songs were catchy enough to generate millions of streams, with “Golden” the most-streamed at 1.7 billion.

Additionally, the Kpop Demon Hunters was highly praised, earning a 91% Certified Fresh Critics’ Score and a near-perfect 99% audiuence score on Rotten Tomatoes. Collider’s Jeff Ewing gave Kpop Demon Hunters an 8/10 in his review, praising the animation, musical performances, and voice acting, but thought some of the lore was underexplored due to narrative reasons.

Netflix has confirmed that a sequel to Kpop Demon Hunters has been greenlit and is scheduled to release sometime in 2029, following its streaming success and award-season wins. A plot has yet to be announced, but according to KDH’s director, Maggie Kang, one of the things she wants to address if the film were to continue is the unanswered questions the first movie left behind.

Kpop Demon Hunters is available to stream on Netflix. Follow Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

June 20, 2025

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Runtime

96 minutes

Director
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Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang

Writers

Hannah McMechan, Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang, Danya Jimenez

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Producers

Michelle Wong

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Sexy, R-Rated 80s Action Thriller Is An Unfairly Overlooked Revenge And Rescue

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Sexy, R-Rated 80s Action Thriller Is An Unfairly Overlooked Revenge And Rescue

By Robert Scucci
| Published

There’s nothing I love more than a generic plot that lets you lean into and have fun with its characterization. I’m not even being facetious here. I think it’s a model that works for commercial filmmaking because, if we’re being real, we’re all just watching the same movies over and over again with different titles. There are expected genre conventions that allow filmmakers to bust out a quick storyboard, get some great talent involved, and let them chew the hell out of the scenery.

1989’s L.A. Bounty is just another “lone bounty hunter looking for revenge” flick, but it works because Sybil Danning is serious as a heart attack in the lead role, and then she has to face off with Wings Hauser, who seems to be having just a little too much fun acting like a murderous psychopath.

L.A. Bounty 1989

You know all the beats going into this one, but you’ll want to stick around because the exchanges that happen between those beats make the entire viewing experience worthwhile. And at the end of the day, aren’t we all just trying to be entertained?

Mayors, Mobsters, And Murder

L.A. Bounty 1989

L.A. Bounty kicks off with the kidnapping of Mike Rhodes (Robert Hanley), who’s running for mayor in the next election. A lone bounty hunter, Ruger (Sybil Danning), intervenes, allowing Mike’s wife, Kelly (Lenore Kasdorf), to escape traumatized but safe. We learn that Mike was kidnapped by psychotic drug kingpin Cavanaugh (Wings Hauser), who spends most of his time painting portraits of nude women and killing people on a whim when he’s not moving unthinkable amounts of drugs to his cohorts.

When Cavanaugh learns that Kelly is still a loose end, he sends his men to ambush her, but Ruger is already one step ahead of him, and she’s pissed. This isn’t Ruger’s first run-in with Cavanaugh, but she’s hoping it will be her last. Previously, Ruger worked as a narcotics officer trying to take down the kingpin, but she resigned from the force after he killed her partner in cold blood, giving her current protection job more personal stakes than Kelly would like to be involved with.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Chandler (Henry Darrow) works closely with Mayor Burrows (J. Christopher Sullivan), who wants to know who’s behind the kidnapping. Being this close to the election, the only thing he cares about is saving face, and he doesn’t want the public, or any of his constituents for that matter, to think he had anything to do with his rival’s kidnapping.

Sybil Is Serviceable, Hauser Is Next Level 

While L.A. Bounty didn’t boost Sybil Danning’s career like she thought it would, she’s doing everything she’s supposed to be doing here. Ruger is a woman of few words, but she knows how to hold her own in action scenes. She convincingly portrays a jaded bounty hunter with an axe to grind, while still bringing plenty of B-movie energy to the forefront. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but she was clearly hoping this flick would be her ticket to action-thriller franchise stardom, which is quite the reach if I’m being brutally honest. The film’s $2.2 million budget leaves it rough around the edges, and she performs well within those limitations, so credit where it’s due.

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L.A. Bounty 1989

The real star of the show in L.A. Bounty is Wings Hauser as Cavanaugh. He’s so delightfully twisted that it borders on comical, but the contrast between his personality and Danning’s makes for some genuinely entertaining moments. Cavanaugh thinks he’s some brilliant artist, but we don’t see what he’s painting until well into the third act, which makes you want to rewind the whole thing and revisit every scene set in his lair. Early on, when he’s philosophizing and talking about his evil plans, you build up an image in your head of beautiful photorealistic portraiture or some insanely detailed abstract art. What you finally get to see recontextualizes everything that came before because he’s laughably terrible at art.

The final action sequences have their limitations, but there are a few great kills that make the juice worth the squeeze. One thing I admired, which I’ve been thinking a lot about lately, is how we need to bring back the warehouse showdown. Sometimes all you need to make a low-budget action movie really pop off is a few practical explosions, a floor littered with shell casings, and a badass bounty hunter rocking the Atomic Blonde haircut decades before Charlize Theron ever did.

L.A. Bounty 1989

As of this writing, you can stream L.A. Bounty for free on Tubi.


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Jimmy Kimmel, Rachel Maddow, Katie Couric, and more criticize Scott Pelley firing from“ 60 Minutes”

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Scott Pelley was fired from “60 Minutes” after 22 years on the program.

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Vasana Montgomery Releases A Statement Amid ’Love Island’ Boot

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Vasana Montgomery Releases A Statement Following Her Removal From ‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 After Resurfaced Videos Showed Her Allegedly Using A Racial Slur

It’s that time of year again, when ‘Love Island’ viewers gather daily to tune in as singles search for love in the Fiji villa. Last Thursday, ‘Love Island USA’ officially revealed the official cast for Season 8. Viewers quickly began discussing the Islanders, sharing who they were shippin together and rooting for this year.  However, one Islander didn’t even get the chance to make her Season 8 debut after her time on the show was cut short. Now, she has returned to social media to address the backlash surrounding her exit.

RELATED: Yikes! Social Media Reacts After Huda Mustafa Loses Huda Beauty Partnership Over Livestream Controversy (PHOTOS)

Love Island USA’ Removes Vasana Montgomery Before Her Season 8 Debut After Videos Allegedly Showing Her Using The N-Word Resurface.

Shortly after the cast announcement, videos of one contestant began circulating online. By Saturday, May 30, it was revealed that Vasana Montgomery’s chance to find love in Fiji had been cut short. According to TMZ, the Season 8 contestant was removed from the show after footage resurfaced that allegedly showed her singing the n-word in a song lyric. TMZ reports that the clip was allegedly a private video that had not previously been shared publicly. To note, NBC News adds that a second video showing Montgomery using a racial slur also surfaced within the past week.

As previously reported, two contestants from ‘Love Island USA’ Season 7, Yulissa Escobar and Cierra Ortega, were also removed from the show after their past use of racial slurs resurfaced online.

Vasana Montgomery Addresses The Backlash Following Her Removal From ‘Love Island USA’

Following the controversy surrounding Vasana Montgomery’s removal from the cast, she officially took to Instagram to address the backlash. In a statement shared to her Instagram Story, Vasana apologized for using a racial slur in resurfaced videos from her teen years. She took responsibility for her actions and said she has grown since then.

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She wrote, “I want to address a couple videos from my teen years that have recently resurfaced. In those videos, I used a racial slur. There is no excuse for it, and I am deeply sorry. I am embarrassed and disappointed by my words.

I take full responsibility for what I said and understand why it has hurt and upset people. Since then, I have grown a lot as a person and taken the time to educate myself, listen, learn, and better understand the impact that language can have. That growth does not erase my mistake, and I am not asking anyone to excuse it.

I believe people should be held accountable for their actions, but I also believe in growth, learning, and becoming better. To anyone I hurt or disappointed, I am truly sorry.”


Social Media Reacts

Folks quickly reacted to Vasana’s statement in the comments. Some felt her removal was too extreme. They argued that she had been singing a song during her teen years. Others argued the word shouldn’t have been used at all. Furthermore, they said young actions still have consequences.

Instagram user @ therissashoww wrote, “I’ve seen this exact statement 1,000 times before 😂😂😂”

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Instagram user @madithag added, “they only sorry when they get caught 😂”

While Instagram user @prettygirlll__c wrote, “They caught her before she even got on the villa, that was quick lol”

Instagram user @kash.ari26 wrote, “At least she is taking accountability for what she did cause honey if it was anybody else they wouldn’t have did it”

Instagram user @breenoelle_  added, “Yall we gotta start giving some people grace especially when they say it while singing a song .. as a black women I really don’t take offense … we’ve said plently of things in our younger self that wasn’t right. Understand people change”

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While Instagram user @rains.song wrote, Do teenagers not know right from wrong like….”

Instagram user @lavishladies_202 wrote, “I understand she was a kid right but it is well known as a racial slur. You know it wasn’t right when you used it but now you want to educate yourself about a word you already knew you shouldn’t say. Everybody should get a second chance but stop the BS. You knew it will hurt people but you said it anyways”

Instagram user @luvv.444jas added, “sorry cuz you said it or sorry cuz it resurfaced ?”

While Instagram user @lovee_niqua wrote, “She gone keep saying it. We dgaf ! NEXT. They don’t be sorry, they be sorry they get caught.”

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RELATED: Cierra Ortega Breaks Her Silence Following ‘Love Island USA’ Exit Over Resurfaced Racial Slur Posts (VIDEOS)

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Lost in the Infinite: A Review of Backrooms (2026) : Coastal House Media

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Lost in the Infinite: A Review of Backrooms (2026) : Coastal House Media

Most horror films open a door to terror. Backrooms open thousands of identical doors and dares you to find your way out. Inspired by one of the internet’s most unsettling urban legends, this cinematic labyrinth delivers an experience that is equal parts fascinating, frightening, and wonderfully disorientating. 

Plot

The owner of a furniture store finds a secret doorway that leads him to an endless stretch of rooms. When he disappears, his therapist ventures into the unknown to rescue him.

Movie Review

Few internet horror concepts have captured the imagination quite like The Backrooms. What started as a simple image and an unsettling online creepypasta has evolved into a cultural phenomenon, making the leap from YouTube sensation to major theatrical release. Directed by young filmmaker Kane Parsons, Backrooms arrives with enormous expectations, and while it doesn’t escape every pitfall, it succeeds in delivering one of the most unique horror experiences of the year.

At its core, Backrooms is not interested in cheap jump scares or traditional monster-movie thrills. Instead, it thrives on atmosphere, dread, and a deeply uncomfortable feeling that something is fundamentally wrong with reality. The film follows Clark, played brilliantly by Chiwetel Ejiofor, whose discovery of a mysterious passageway leads him into an endless maze of fluorescent-lit corridors, empty rooms, and impossible architecture. As the mystery deepens, the film transforms into a psychological descent that explores isolation, obsession, and the fear of losing one’s grip on reality.

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Chiwetel Ejiofor as Clark in Backrooms (2026) (Photo by Courtesy of A24)

What makes Backrooms so effective is its visual design. The endless yellow hallways, humming lights, and sterile environments create a nightmare that feels strangely familiar. The production team has crafted spaces that are simultaneously mundane and terrifying, proving that horror doesn’t always need darkness to be effective. In many ways, the architecture itself becomes the monster.

Parsons demonstrates remarkable confidence for a first-time feature director. His camera work and sense of spatial disorientation are exceptional, creating sequences that genuinely leave audiences feeling trapped alongside the characters. The sound design deserves equal praise, using subtle ambient noise and unsettling silence to maintain tension throughout.

The performances are equally strong. Ejiofor anchors the film with a believable emotional core, while Renate Reinsve provides a grounded counterbalance as Dr. Mary Kline. Their performances prevent the film from becoming merely an exercise in visual experimentation.

Renate Reinsve in Backrooms (2026) as Dr Mary Kline in Backrooms (2026) (Photo by Courtesy of A24)

That said, Backrooms is not flawless. The film’s pacing occasionally drifts, particularly in the middle act, and some viewers may find the deliberately ambiguous storytelling frustrating. The final act, while ambitious, doesn’t fully capitalize on the fascinating mysteries established earlier in the film. Several narrative threads remain vague, which will delight some audiences while alienating others. Community reactions have similarly praised the atmosphere and visuals while expressing mixed feelings about the story’s resolution.

Ultimately, Backrooms succeeds because it understands what made the original concept so compelling. Rather than overexplaining its mythology, it embraces uncertainty and existential dread. It feels less like watching a conventional horror movie and more like experiencing a recurring nightmare that lingers long after the credits roll.

For horror fans seeking something different, Backrooms is absolutely worth getting lost in. It may not be perfect, but it is bold, visually stunning, and refreshingly original. More importantly, it signals the arrival of an exciting new filmmaking voice in Kane Parsons.

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Backrooms transforms an internet legend into a haunting cinematic experience that proves horror can still find new ways to unsettle us. While its pacing and ambiguity occasionally hold it back from greatness, its atmosphere, visuals, and sense of creeping dread make it one of the most memorable horror films of 2026.

When the credits finally rolled, I felt like I had escaped the Backrooms myself—slightly confused, deeply unsettled, and oddly eager to go back in. While it occasionally loses its way down a few narrative hallways, the film never loses sight of what makes the concept so compelling. Backrooms may not be a perfect maze, but it’s a journey well worth getting lost in – just don’t expect me to draw you a map. I rate this movie 4 out of 5 stars. Make sure to catch it at a movie theatre near you.

Backrooms | Official Trailer (A24)
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10 Most Perfect Thriller Movies of the Last 40 Years, Ranked

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Two men showing a photo to a third in Cure-1997

It’s a truly difficult thing for a movie to approach perfection, which makes the most perfect thrillers the world has been treated to since 1986 all the more admirable. This is a genre all about suspense, nail-biting stakes, and adrenaline-pumping excitement, and over the course of the last 40 years, it’s a genre that has produced some of the greatest films of the period.

Whether it’s a horror thriller like The Silence of the Lambs or an action thriller like The Dark Knight, these are films that show just how close the genre can come to flawlessness. As tense as they are entertaining and as well-paced as they are atmospheric, these enthralling masterpieces are the peak of what the genre has had to offer throughout the last four decades.

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10

‘Cure’ (1997)

Two men showing a photo to a third in Cure-1997 Image via Daiei Film

Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Cure is one of the greatest horror movie masterpieces of the 1990s. Psychologically fascinating and overwhelmingly bleak and atmospheric, it’s one of the most chilling portraits of the nature of evil that cinema has ever seen. Every movement, sound, and detail in the frame and outside of it feels like a nightmarish, almost demonic omen.

So impeccably made in every sense—from its striking visuals to its unshakeable ending—that it’s impossible to ever look away.

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It’s a mean-spirited movie through and through, but one so impeccably made in every sense—from its striking visuals to its unshakeable ending—that it’s impossible to ever look away. It’s a masterclass in making a police procedural as scary and suspenseful as possible, a deliberately-paced and intricately complex work of art.

9

‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)

The Dark Knight (2008) Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
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Christopher Nolan has been one of Hollywood’s kings of blockbusters for many years, and the film that really cemented him as a commercial juggernaut was The Dark Knight. To this day, it’s still widely regarded as the greatest superhero movie ever made, largely thanks to its having one of the best screenplays of any comic book movie.

Phenomenal writing isn’t all that this action thriller has going for it, though. It’s the definitive live-action interpretation of Batman, bolstered by Heath Ledger delivering one of the greatest villain performances in movie history in his Oscar-winning portrayal of the Joker. Tense, action-packed, and epic-feeling in every way that matters, The Dark Knight is some of the best stuff that action thrillers have had to offer at any point during this century.

8

‘Se7en’ (1995)

Two men guiding a prisoner across an open field in Se7en Image via New Line Cinema
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David Fincher is one of the greatest filmmakers working in Hollywood thrillers today, but what many would consider his magnum opus came out in the mid-’90s: It’s Se7en, easily one of the darkest and most violently pessimistic movies ever to gross over $300 million dollars at the box office. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s undoubtedly a must-see for fans of thriller cinema.

With the exceptional work of its cast, Fincher’s oppressively atmospheric direction, and one of the most suspenseful movie climaxes ever, Se7en is a thriller so grim that some may even consider it a horror movie. It’s a remarkable twist-filled procedural that doesn’t let up for a single second of its runtime, and as horrifying as its conclusion may be, it should still be considered essential viewing for all movie fans.

7

‘Perfect Blue’ (1997)

A woman yelling in her bathub filled with water in Perfect Blue (1997) Image via Rex Entertainment
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It’s not just live-action that has provided some of the most perfect thrillers of the last four decades. Case in point: Perfect Blue, the greatest masterpiece of legendary anime auteur Satoshi Kon. It’s the quintessential film about artistic obsession, having inspired filmmakers of the stature of Nicolas Winding Refn and Darren Aronofsky.

It’s one of those classic animated movies that have aged like fine wine, a psychological thriller with some of the most masterful visuals, direction, and writing that the animated medium has ever seen. From its enveloping atmosphere to the enthralling complexity of its protagonist, there’s virtually nothing to complain about with this perfect ’90s thriller.

6

‘The Handmaiden’ (2016)

Kim Tae-ri and Kim Min-hee in 'The Handmaiden'
Kim Tae-ri and Kim Min-hee in ‘The Handmaiden’
Image via CJ Entertainment
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No one makes thrillers quite like South Korean filmmakers, and few films demonstrate that better than Park Chan-wook‘s The Handmaiden. It’s one of the most perfect thrillers of the 21st century, an erotic drama as steamy as it is suspenseful and full of twists. Impeccably acted and directed with sumptuous gusto by Park, it’s the erotic thriller genre at its very best.

The film is based on Sarah Waters‘ period novel set during the Victorian era, but the way Park takes that material and makes it entirely his own is something worthy of the utmost admiration. Stylish, intrepidly paced, and delectably character-driven, it’s a film that’s absolutely flawless both technically and narratively. The genre truly doesn’t get much better than this.

5

‘Memories of Murder’ (2003)

As if further proof were needed that South Korean thrillers don’t really have an equal, there’s also Bong Joon Ho‘s Memories of Murder, one of the greatest police procedurals that cinema has delivered during the 21st century. It’s one of those mystery movies that keep you hooked from start to finish, based on the real hunt for the serial killer of the city of Hwaseong during the late ’80s and early ’90s.

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What really makes the film’s bleak tone work as well as it does, and what makes its fourth-wall-breaking finale all the more impactful, is that this was an investigation that was actually still unsolved in 2003. It wouldn’t be until 2019 that Lee Choon-jae would reveal himself as the Hwaseong murderer. And yet, Bong still finds all sorts of opportunities to sprinkle in some surprisingly effective dark humor and even some elements inspired by his personal life, making for one of the most adventurous artistic achievements that the thriller genre has ever given us.

4

‘Oldboy’ (2003)

Choi Min-sik in Oldboy smiling hauntingly in Oldboy.
Choi Min-sik in Oldboy smiling hauntingly.
Image via Show East

Yet another masterful film by Park Chan-wook, this one generally agreed to be his magnum opus, Oldboy is one of the most intense thrillers of the last 25 years. Though it’s loosely based on the manga by Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi, this is another film that feels entirely and purely like the product of the deliciously twisted imagination of the brilliant Park Chan-wook.

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Oldboy, easily one of the most disturbing and shocking thrillers to still be considered mainstream classics, is definitely not for the faint of heart. It is, however, a must-see nonetheless. Impeccably made, masterfully directed, and cleverly written, it’s a visceral revenge story that leads all the way to one of the most shocking third acts in the history of movies.

3

‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)

The Silence of the Lambs - 1991 (1) Image via Orion Pictures

The latest winner of the Big Five Academy Awards (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay), Jonathan Demme‘s The Silence of the Lambs also happens to be the only horror film that’s ever on the Best Picture Oscar. It’s simply that good of a movie. It is, in fact, one of the best horror thrillers of all time, anchored by Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins‘ flawless performances.

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Its two leads aren’t the only elements that are perfect about The Silence of the Lambs, however. Tautly written and psychologically complex to an admirable degree, it’s a consistently shocking yet universally appealing masterpiece that has unsurprisingly remained a timeless classic for over three decades. It’s not just one of the most perfect films of the ’90s, but arguably of all time.

2

‘Memento’ (2000)

Leonard Shelby sits starkly shadowed in crisp black and white in Memento.
Leonard Shelby, played by actor Guy Pearce, sits starkly shadowed in crisp black and white in Memento.
Image via Newmarket Films

As Christopher Nolan’s blockbusters keep growing bigger and more impressive, it’s fun to look back at the days when he was still an up-and-coming indie filmmaker. These were the days when he released what’s arguably still his best film, and is almost undeniably one of the most meticulously constructed thrillers ever made: Memento.

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The way Nolan structures the story in reverse chronological order isn’t a cheap gimmick, it’s a uniquely creative decision that generates a sense of tension and suspense unlike anything you get with any other thriller. Boosted by Guy Pearce‘s criminally underrated lead performance and the most perfect script Nolan has ever written, it was a phenomenal way of closing off the thriller genre’s 20th-century run.

1

‘Parasite’ (2019)

Park So-dam and Choi Woo-shik check their cellphones in a scene from Parasite
Park So-dam and Choi Woo-shik check their cellphones in a scene from Parasite
Image via NEON

It had to be Bong Joon Ho, and it had to be Parasite. Every movie fan remembers where they were when they heard this thriller masterpiece become the first foreign-language film ever to win the Best Picture Oscar, and how they reacted to the reveal. Six years have gone by since then, and this is still widely remembered as one of the most entertaining movies of the 2010s.

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It’s not just entertaining: Parasite is also impeccably made in virtually every single way, from the incredible performances delivered by every member of its underappreciated cast to the jaw-droppingly flawless way in which Bong juggles several different genres throughout the runtime. Parasite‘s metaphor for class inequalities may not be particularly subtle, but Bong Joon Ho has never been a director who cares particularly deeply about understated themes. Parasite is still impossible to not admire for just how close it comes to true flawlessness.































































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Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz
Which Oscar Best Picture
Is Your Perfect Movie?

Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country

Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.

🪜Parasite

🌀Everything Everywhere

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☢️Oppenheimer

🐦Birdman

🪙No Country for Old Men

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01

What kind of film experience do you actually want?
The best movies don’t just entertain — they leave something behind.





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02

Which idea grabs you most in a film?
Great films are driven by a central obsession. What’s yours?





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03

How do you like your story told?
Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means.





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04

What makes a truly great antagonist?
The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you?





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05

What do you want from a film’s ending?
The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like?





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06

Which setting pulls you in most?
Where a film takes place shapes everything — mood, stakes, what’s even possible.





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07

What cinematic craft impresses you most?
Every great film has a signature — a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable.





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08

What kind of main character do you root for?
The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you.





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09

How do you feel about a film that takes its time?
Pace is a choice. Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly, deliberately.





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10

What do you want to feel walking out of the cinema?
The best films leave a mark. What kind of mark do you want?





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The Academy Has Decided
Your Perfect Film Is…

Your answers have pointed to one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others. This is the film that was made for the way your mind works.

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Parasite

You are drawn to films that operate on multiple levels simultaneously — that begin in one genre and quietly, brilliantly migrate into another. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a film about class, desire, and the architecture of inequality that manages to be darkly funny, deeply suspenseful, and genuinely shocking across a single extraordinary running time. Your instinct is for cinema that hides its true intentions until the moment it’s ready to reveal them. Parasite is exactly that — a film that rewards close attention and punishes assumptions, right up to its devastating final image.

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Everything Everywhere All at Once

You want it all — and this film gives you all of it. The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most maximalist films ever made: action comedy, multiverse sci-fi, family drama, existential crisis, and a genuinely earned emotional core that sneaks up on you amid the chaos. You are someone who responds to ambition, who doesn’t want cinema to choose between being entertaining and being meaningful. This film refuses that choice entirely. It is overwhelming by design, and its overwhelming nature is precisely the point — because the feeling of being crushed by infinite possibility is exactly what it’s about.

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Oppenheimer

You are drawn to cinema on a grand scale — films that understand history not as a backdrop but as a force, and that place their characters inside that force and watch what happens. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a film about the terrifying gap between what we can do and what we should do, told with the full weight of one of the most consequential moments in human history behind it. You want your films to feel important without feeling self-important — to earn their ambition through sheer craft and the gravity of their subject. Oppenheimer does exactly that. It is enormous, complicated, and refuses easy comfort.

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Birdman

You are drawn to films that foreground their own construction — that make the how of the filmmaking part of the what it’s about. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, shot to appear as a single continuous take, is cinema examining itself through the cracked mirror of a fading actor’s ego. You respond to formal daring, to the feeling that a film is doing something that probably shouldn’t be possible. Michael Keaton’s performance and Emmanuel Lubezki’s restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else — a film that is simultaneously about creativity, relevance, self-destruction, and the impossibility of ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all.

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No Country for Old Men

You are drawn to cinema that trusts silence, that refuses to explain itself, and that treats dread as a form of meaning. The Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men is a film about the arrival of a new kind of evil — implacable, arbitrary, and utterly indifferent to the moral frameworks we use to make sense of the world. It is one of the most formally controlled films ever made, and its controlled restraint is what makes it so terrifying. You want your films to haunt you, not comfort you. You are not interested in resolution if resolution would be dishonest. No Country for Old Men is honest in a way that most cinema never dares to be.

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Parasite


Release Date
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May 30, 2019

Runtime

133 minutes

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  • instar50296004.jpg
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    Lee Sun-kyun

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    Park Dong-ik

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