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By Jonathan Klotz
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Stranger Things finally ended late last year, to a mixed reception from fans, some of whom were holding out hope for a secret final episode that would give them the real ending. That never happened, but instead, rumors are circulating that Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the Broadway play about Vecna’s early life, will be filmed this week for a future release on Netflix. The streamer has yet to officially confirm the rumors originally reported by Collider, but if true, this is the strangest release strategy possible. 

Stranger Things: The First Shadow Breaks Free Of Containment

Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiered in London’s West End back in 2023. At the time, the Duffer brothers explained that the play would be considered canon, which turned out to be true when the finale referenced the play within the play, “Dark of the Moon,” Henry Creel’s time as a student at Hawkins High, and most importantly, Henry’s experience in the cave. Viewers watching the finale didn’t know why the cave was so terrifying to Henry, who the man was with the case inside it, and why that rock was so important. Now, months after the finale, fans unable to attend the play will be able to connect the dots. 

As the final season aired, fans on social media complained that only a small fraction could watch the play and understand key lore, leaving many feeling the season was incomplete. Stranger Things: The First Shadow was a unique way to introduce Henry’s background and expand on the origins of the Upside Down with a wild new twist that ,again, the Duffers have said will be vitally important to the franchise going forward. It’s understandable that Netflix would finally relent and allow the play to be filmed for the streaming service since the upcoming prequel goes deep into what started this mess in the first place. 

No one has said which of the Stranger Things: The First Shadow casts will perform in the filmed version, and again, it hasn’t been officially confirmed, but the play did black out time this month, which is highly unusual while a performance is running. Ever since it was first announced, rumors swirled that the play would eventually be streamable, but at this point, it feels like any rumor about the franchise’s future could be true. Or none of them. 

The Murky Future Of Stranger Things

Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85, the upcoming animated series set between Seasons 2 and 3 and based on the canceled video game, is the only spin-off confirmed to be coming anytime soon. The upcoming spin-off set in a different decade with an entirely different cast is rumored to center on the mysterious stone, the establishment of the Nevada research lab, and how the Philadelphia Experiment ties into the arrival of the Mind Flayer. Then again, it’s also rumored to be set in the 90s with a different generation of kids battling a re-emergence of the Mind Flayer. 

The big question is, will any of this satisfy Stranger Things fans who were let down by the final season? The answer is no, because in today’s world, fandoms of all types run away with their own headcanon and theories about what should really happen, though in their defense, some fans have fantastic and creative ideas that really do outshine canon. Stranger Things: The First Shadow, finally getting a wide release months after it mattered, will be salt in the wounds of the series’ biggest fans.

You know how the timeline hits differently when someone steps in looking unstoppable? This week, Keyshia Cole reminded everyone why she’s still a queen on the ‘Gram, giving fans a serious dose of glam and confidence that had everyone double-tapping.

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Keyshia turned heads in a sculpted yellow dress that hugged every curve, featuring one long sleeve and one sleeveless side, perfectly showing off that bawdy. She accessorized with an iced-out chain, hoop earrings, a few rings, and freshly done nails, while her face was beat to perfection and her blonde side-part bob added that finishing touch. In her mirror snaps, Keyshia worked the camera effortlessly — one shot full-on baddie energy, the next blowing kisses to her fans — proving once again that she’s serving looks and mood in equal measure.

Fans Swooning Over Mama’s Mirror Slay

As soon as the pics dropped, fans flooded TSR’s Instagram comment section with praise for Keyshia Cole. Many shared that she’s finally starting to remember who she is, while others couldn’t help but call that look “heaven sent, babyyyyy.” Meanwhile, plenty were shook that she’s in her 40s, claiming she’s straight-up aging backwards.

One Instagram user @greatblackmusicandartist commented, “Heaven Sent 👌🏾🙏🏾”

And, Instagram user @manibigbody added, “She’s NEVER lost it love me some Keyshia!🔥😍”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @binti_ya_oshun wrote, “We looking good in our 40’s 🥰 She just got better with time“

While Instagram user @strawberry_shortcakeee_123 shared, “Keyshia finally realizing she’s keyshia Cole , love to see it 😍”

Then Instagram user @goodrxsnoop said, “Gotta Love Them Cougars 🔥🔥”

Finally, Instagram user @momitch added, “Look tf good! Aging backwards for sure 🤪😍”

Keyshia Ain’t The Only One Heating Up Timelines

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An epic war-scale movie about courage, bravery, and sacrifice, Saving Private Ryan is arguably one of the best epic war films around. While it has one of the most emotional opening scenes in film, the narrative is still one viewers were eager to watch, as a squadron of soldiers led by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) goes behind enemy lines in World War II with orders to save Private James Ryan (Matt Damon). It is a brutal telling of one of the deadliest wars in history, taking viewers into a violent and bloody battle where no one is safe.

From the eagerness of Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) in All Quiet on the Western Front to the last stand seen in Fury, Saving Private Ryan isn’t the only film that will have viewers on the edge of their seats. These films are fast-paced and filled with action and consequences arising from various military operations. So, for viewers who enjoy intense fight sequences, interesting characters, and powerful stories, check out these movies that are similar to the ferocity seen in Saving Private Ryan.

Image via Warner Bros.

Stanley Kubrick‘s Full Metal Jacket is a gripping war movie set during the Vietnam War and stars Matthew Modine as Private James “Joker” Davis who, along with Private Leonard “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence (Vincent D’Onofrio), are sent to boot camp where they endure intense psychological and physical abuse under a brutal drill instructor, shaping them into soldiers while pushing some to the breaking point. After graduating from the Marine Corps, Davis is sent to Vietnam, where he navigates the absurdity, violence, and moral confusion of the brutal warfare.

While Saving Private Ryan focuses on the chaos and sacrifice of combat, Full Metal Jacket explores how soldiers are psychologically shaped before battle and how that conditioning affects them in war. It offers a darker, more satirical take on military life, with unforgettable characters, sharp dialogue, and a deep focus on dehumanization and moral conflict. Full Metal Jacket ultimately conveys and explores the unsettling understanding of what war does to people—both on the battlefield and inside their minds. —Andrea Ciriaco

19

‘The Hurt Locker’ (2008)

Image via Summit Entertainment

The Oscar-winning war movie, The Hurt Locker, is recognized as one of the best war films of the 21st century and takes place during the Iraq War. Following the death of their Staff Sergeant, a bomb squad is assigned a new leader, Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner), who has a reputation for taking risks and seems to thrive on war. While the squad tries to adapt to James’ different kind of leadership, they can’t deny that the man has an uncanny talent for defusing bombs.

The Hurt Locker delivers the same intense realism and tension as Saving Private Ryan, but in a more modern-day war setting. The Hurt Locker zooms in on the moment-to-moment psychological stress of combat, showing how war becomes addictive and isolating. Its handheld style and focus on a small unit make the danger feel immediate and personal, while exploring how soldiers struggle to function both in war and away from it. The Hurt Locker is less about missions and more about the mental cost of surviving them, which pairs naturally with what Saving Private Ryan does so powerfully. —Andrea Ciriaco

18

‘Platoon’ (1986)

Image via Orion Pictures

Charlie Sheen stars in Oliver Stone‘s 1986 war drama, Platoon, as Chris Taylor, who, in 1967, abandons college and enlists to serve during the Vietnam War. When Taylor finally lands in the middle of the battleground in Vietnam, his idealism begins to fade, and the reality of combat shakes him to the core. As Taylor fights to survive, in-house fighting between his hardened superiors and sympathetic comrades pits everyone in his unit against each other as well as against enemy troops.

While Saving Private Ryan shows the chaos and heroism of battle, Platoon dives into the personal toll of war, including fear, guilt, and ethical dilemmas that many veterans struggled to cope with after the war. Its gritty realism, intense firefights, and portrayal of the bond and tension between soldiers make it emotionally powerful and a must-see for anyone who loves war films. Both films present audiences with a raw, immersive look at combat, but Platoon has a heavier psychological focus on the morality and mentality of soldiers, ultimately setting it apart from other war movies. —Andrea Ciriaco

17

‘Braveheart’ (1995)

Image Via Paramount

Braveheart is an epic historical war drama directed by and starring Mel Gibson as William Wallace, a Medieval Scottsman who revolts against the English after the love of his life is brutally murdered. After Wallace recruits his own army of men, he leads them into battle and eventually sparks an all-out war that threatens England, making him a wanted man, but before he is captured and executed for his actions, Wallace becomes an immortal symbol of freedom and hope for his beloved country of Scotland.

Braveheart features a brutal depiction of battle and embodies the emotional weight of fighting for something bigger than yourself. The movie explores the personal courage, sacrifice, and leadership of one man rallying people against overwhelming odds, effectively capturing the chaos, fear, and heroism of combat. Braveheart received ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Screenplay and Best Costume Design, and went on to win five of its nominations, notably for Best Picture and Best Director. —Andrea Ciriaco

16

‘Flags of Our Fathers’ (2006)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Clint Eastwood‘s Flags of Our Fathers is an intimate glimpse into the lives of five Marines and a Navy corpsman who were involved in planting the American flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. A photo of the servicemen and their display of patriotism becomes an iconic symbol of victory for Americans, inadvertently making the men heroes, but despite the notoriety and glory, each of them still has to live with the traumatic aftermath and lasting effects of being on the battlefield.

Flags of Our Fathers explores the human stories behind the historical Battle of Iwo Jima, and examines the personal cost of heroism, the pressure of public expectation, and the emotional aftermath of war. The film is a thoughtful, realistic look at how ordinary soldiers endure extraordinary circumstances and the complex ways society honors or misunderstands those who put their lives on the line for their country. Unlike the majority of other war movies, Flags of Our Fathers tells the events of Iwo Jima through the American perspective, while its companion, Letters from Iwo Jima, provides the Japanese perspective of the battle, making Flags of Our Fathers a unique and fascinating war movie. —Andrea Ciriaco

15

‘Gladiator’ (2000)

Image via Universal Pictures

Gladiator follows the story of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), taking viewers back to the time of Ancient Rome and gladiators fighting in an arena for the entertainment of the empire. Once an honored general for Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), Maximus soon finds himself bound in chains after the Emperor’s son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), murders his father. Jealous that his father wanted Maximus to be his successor, Commodus frames him. Maximus’ family is eventually sold to Proximo (Oliver Reed), a gladiator trainer. It isn’t long before Maximus is thrown into Rome’s Colosseum, fighting for his life and, eventually, taking on Commodus and killing him for the spectators.

While Ridley Scott’s historical epic is set in ancient times, it is still a compelling tale of strength and honor. Like Saving Private Ryan, it moves at just the right pace, so when the action sequences do happen, they are all out entertaining, if not wildly violent. Crowe’s performance as Maximus is magnificent, creating a quiet yet strong-willed person who wants revenge for the murders of his family while still wanting to fight for the freedom of himself and the other gladiators forced into slavery. Visually stunning and electric, Gladiator won five Oscars at the 73rd Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.

14

‘Narvik’ (2022)

Image via Netflix

A suspenseful tale of the true events that happened during the Battles of Narvik from April 9, 1940, to June 8, 1940, Narvik brings viewers into the tiny Norwegian port town as German forces are invading the country, intent on taking over the iron ore exports the village is known for. The movie follows Ingrid Tofte (Kristine Hartgen) and Corporal Gunnar Tofte (Carl Martin Eggesbø), a married couple who want nothing more than to live a normal life and to keep their family safe, even though they are now caught up in a war.

The film brings into question what a person will do under extreme duress if they are willing to stand up and fight for what they believe in. An emotional and impactful movie, Narvik has a way of making every decision made by the characters feel as though it is life or death, a moral obligation, and less of a strategic way of taking on the encroaching German forces. It is interesting to watch, as viewers aren’t sure if the characters are going to break under the emotional turmoil or continue to fight for their town.

13

‘The Patriot’ (2000)

Image via Sony 

Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) is a widowed farmer living in Berkeley, South Carolina, and a French Indian War veteran who wants nothing more than to stay out of another war, even though the British are coming and the American Revolutionary War is on his doorstep. But when British Troops come and disrupt his life, killing one of his sons, Thomas (Gregory Smith), he joins the ranks. Getting to one of the American camps, Benjamin meets up with Colonel Harry Burwell (Chris Cooper), who, knowing Benjamin’s fighting skills, tasks him with creating a militia unit and engaging in guerrilla warfare. Benjamin fights alongside his son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger), who is eventually killed, and does his best to win the war, one bloody battle after another.

The Patriot is like Saving Private Ryan as it is a war film filled with violent battles, hand-to-hand combat, and emotionally draining death scenes, just with an eccentric villain in Jason Isaacs’ Colonel William Tavington, who viewers can’t help but hate to love with his zero-remorse and guilt-free attitude. While it is not as thought-provoking as the squadron tasked with saving another soldier’s life, it is still wildly entertaining, with incredible acting and a strange juxtaposition of sentiment and brutality, a similar theme seen in Saving Private Ryan.

12

‘The Thin Red Line’ (1998)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Based on James Jones’ 1962 novel of the same name, The Thin Red Line brings viewers into the Pacific Theater of World War II and the Battle of Mount Austen, part of the Guadalcanal Campaign. The film looks into the lives of different United States soldiers from C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, including Private Witt (Jim Caviezel), who went AWOL, and Sargeant. Welsh (Sean Penn), the commanding officer who found him and returned Witt to active duty, training for the battle to come.

From there, soldiers gear up for the Battle of Mount Austen, showcasing a violent war field full of machine guns, death, and a squadron who need to figure out their respective attitudes in life or death situations and war as a whole. The Thin Red Line is an emotional tale about a group of men who find love in unlikely places, namely in each other, as they try to overrun a Japanese bunker during the battle. It is powerful and takes viewers on a journey through an intense battle and sequences of bloodshed that are nothing short of heart-piercing moments.

11

‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ (2022)

Image via Netflix

All Quiet on the Western Front is based on the 1929 Erich Maria Remarque novel of the same name and brings viewers back to the start of World War I in 1914 Germany. It follows the story of Paul Bäumer, a young German man who, alongside his friends, enlists in the army. The film is interesting, as it shows Paul as an excited young man, ready to go to the front lines for his country and become a decorated war hero. He sensationalizes being a soldier but is quickly struck by the realities of warfare, the death and destruction it causes, and the body count growing every hour of every day. Instead of becoming the hero he dreamed of being, all Paul wants to do is survive and make it back home to his family.

The film shows the personal development of Kammerer’s character, first, as a young schoolboy who thinks it would be glorious and an honor to die for his country, and then realizes the truth, conditions, and horrific nature of where he is. It is a harrowing portrayal of soldiers and war, a grueling and emotionally taxing film that is as visually appealing as it is compelling. Like Saving Private Ryan, All Quiet on the Western Front explores the notion that war is something else altogether for those actually fighting and how the experience isn’t an adventure but something that will stay with you forever.

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