An inexplicably eerie pan over a city skyline. A nude pregnant woman looks straight into the camera. A quote is shown onscreen: “Chaos is order yet undeciphered.” It’s a striking way to open Denis Villeneuve‘s simple yet mind-bending 2014 psychological thriller Enemy — especially considering that megastar Jake Gyllenhaal heads it up. But while he’s known today for blockbusters like the Dune trilogy, Blade Runner 2049, and the upcoming James Bond series reboot, Villeneuve began his English-language film career with the one-two punch of crime thrillers Prisoners and Enemy, released a year apart and both starring Gyllenhaal. While Prisoners was received rapturously by critics, Enemy dives so deeply into symbolism and Lynchian surreality that it left many audiences at the time baffled.

It’s inconceivable today that the director would release something as idiosyncratic as Enemy, but audiences are lucky he did. If you watch the film now on HBO Max, where it’s currently streaming, the eerie film shows Villeneuve’s flare for visual storytelling, which he would continue to hone throughout his career, pairing it with a visceral finish that stands as one of the most startling endings to any thriller ever made.

‘Enemy’ Turns the Classic Identity Thriller Into Surreal Horror

Enemy stars Gyllenhaal as two identical men (or is there really just one?): a college professor focusing on totalitarian societies and a small-time actor. While a traditional thriller would build this up to the revelation of a big secret, in Enemy, the encounter between these doppelgängers triggers a descent into madness. But even that madness — and the film’s exploration of the men’s shared fear of commitment to their partners — is rendered vividly and visually, with hallucinatory imagery and, well, a lot of spiders (arachnophobes are strongly discouraged from watching Enemy, as fantastic as it is.)

From the first moments we see college professor Anthony (Gyllenhaal) and his girlfriend Mary’s (Mélanie Laurent) relationship, it’s clear that something’s off: She goes to bed while he grades papers or watches a film, and the one time they try to make love, she cries out and pushes him off of her. Once Anthony discovers, while watching a movie, that he has a double in an actor named Adam (also, of course, Gyllenhaal), he becomes obsessed to the point of stalking. This is followed by sexual confusion and frightening dreams (including a kaiju-esque image that’s unfortunately spoiled by the film’s poster).

Villeneuve Seems To Be Going for David Lynch … Until The Final Reveal

Image via Entertainment One

In case the shadowy underground club, complete with a secret key, doesn’t clue you in to the fact that Villeneuve is paying homage to David Lynch here, the presence of the magisterial Isabella Rossellini as Adam’s mother will leave no doubt. After her unforgettable roles in Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart, Rossellini only needs a few minutes of screen time in Enemy to establish her eerily powerful presence in Adam’s life. Add to that the film’s disconcerting score, brutalist architecture, and oddly mannered dialogue, and Enemy is one of the most Lynchian films that the master director never made.

However, it’s the final moments of Enemy that stick with virtually everyone who sees it — and move it from Lynchian territory into something even more surreal. After Mary and Anthony die together in a car wreck after a night of identity swapping, Adam dresses as Anthony and goes to the actor’s home. He calls out to Helen, Adam’s wife, while she’s in the bedroom and, after receiving no reply, walks in … only to find a massive tarantula that hisses and climbs the wall in apparent fear of him. It’s a genuinely frightening moment in its matter-of-fact surreality. Perhaps even creepier is Adam’s resigned expression as he looks at Helen/the spider.

Enemy resists a simple beat-by-beat interpretation, though many have tried online. From a commentary on life within the totalitarian societies Adam lectures about, to the presence of his mother, to his and Anthony’s shared fear of women, every and any explanation can fit with the horror of that final shot. But no explanation equals the pure shuddery impact of that final shot.

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Release Date

March 14, 2014

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Runtime

91 minutes

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Denis Villeneuve

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Coi Leray has fans in their feeling after dropping the cutest photo of Benzino and her daughter Miyoco. The flick shows Miyoco kicking it and spending some quality time with her granddad, and fans are loving every single second of it.

RELATED: Grubbin’ Down! Coi Leray Has Fans Catching Baby Fever After Showing Miyoco Goin’ In On Her Beachside Snack (PHOTO) 

Coi Leray Has Fans Gushing Over Rare Family Photo Of Benzino & Miyoco

Recently, Coi Leray dropped an adorable flick of Benzino and baby Miyoco. In the photo, Miyoco stands tall like a big girl while holding a green ball, fully in her little moment. Benzino sits right in front of her grinning from ear to ear like a proud granddad soaking it all in. Coi was clearly living for the moment as she captioned the post, “Grandpa’s Baby” with a red heart emoji.

Fans Can’t Get Enough Of Benzino In His Grandpa Era

Once The Shade Room dropped the sweet flick of Benzino and Miyoco, the comment section went WILD. Fans flooded the post with reactions, with plenty of folks saying they’re happy to see them together, while others kept saying they’re living for Benzino being in his grandpa bag.

Instagram user @wassupgotti wrote, “Glad they got their father/daughter relationship back❤️” 

Instagram user @mommaneka wrote, “There’s no love like grand parents’ love. She’s a blessed little girl 🫶🏽” 

While Instagram user @the1nonly_bigmama wrote, “Growth 😍🥹” 

Then Instagram user @mook_da_host wrote, “About time. Love this. 🔥❤️” 

Another Instagram user @thereal__jlb wrote, “something about seeing your parents interact and love on your child is just so healing! 🥰❤️‍🩹” 

Instagram user @tyyybabyyy01 wrote, “Love that for them 🥹” 

Then another Instagram user @knownascourtney wrote, “This makes me happy ❤️” 

While another Instagram user @naypexx wrote, “I love to see our kings get to enjoy being grandparents.” 

Finally, Instagram user @officiallyjusttee wrote, “That baby her Grandpa’s twin.” 

Here’s What Benzino Previously Said About Having A Relationship With Coi & His Grandchild

Shortly after Coi and Trippie Redd confirmed they were expecting in 2025, Benzino opened up about taking on grandpa duties. During a podcast interview, he shared that he thinks Coi becoming a mom might give her a whole new level of respect for him as a dad. He also said he hopes their father-daughter relationship doesn’t affect the bond he wants with her child.

“Nobody really understood my relationship with my daughter before she was a rap star. Nobody was there, regardless of when me and her mother split apart. Believe me, that baby gon’ need its granddad. It’s important for me to get my message to that baby. Regardless of whatever we’re going through, that ain’t got nothing to do with the grandbaby.”

Benzino made it clear he holds no animosity toward or Coi or Trippie, and was looking forward to showing up as the best grandfather he can be. “Granddad’s here! I got nothing but love in my heart,” Benzino added.

RELATED: Boo’d Up! Justin Laboy Celebrates Coi Leray’s Birthday With Sweet Message & Boat Day (VIDEOS) 

Travis Kelce appears to see the funny side of the interest swirling around his upcoming wedding to Taylor Swift.

As the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and the Grammy winner, both 36, reportedly prepare to tie the knot at Madison Square Garden on Friday, July 3, comedian Bert Kreischer shared a humorous post about the nuptials.

Taking to his Instagram on Thursday, July 2, Kreischer, 53, uploaded an AI-generated image that featured himself flanked by Swift and Kelce in wedding attire.

The fake photo showed the A-list couple smiling at the camera while Kreischer looked off to the side.

Related: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Wedding Will Be ‘Whimsical’: What Guests Know

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have a “whimsical” evening planned for friends and family when they reportedly tie the knot in New York City, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. An insider says that the engaged couple have dreamt up a celebration inspired by fairytales, which have been a recurring theme in Swift’s music throughout […]

“The moment @jason.kelce called me over to the bar for a shot,” Kreischer quipped in the post’s caption.

Reacting to the AI image via the comments section, Travis posted four crying laughing emojis.

A follower then joked, “Dude, get ready for your wedding, what u doing here liking post! Don’t make Tay Tay wait 😝.”

It is unclear whether Kreischer is included on the guest list for Swift and Kelce’s big day, which will reportedly span several days in New York City.

“Taylor and Travis told guests to be in NYC. No other location was provided,” a source exclusively revealed to Us Weekly earlier this week.

The insider added that invitees were told to arrive in Manhattan to celebrate the couple on Thursday, July 2, and Friday, July 3. “They are spending a lot of money — in the millions.”

According to Page Six and ABC News, around 100 people are attending the couple’s rehearsal dinner on Thursday night.

Selena Gomez, Lena Dunham, Jack Antonoff and Bradley Cooper were among the famous faces spotted in New York, reportedly to attend the event.

Ed Sheeran, Sabrina Carpenter and Camila Cabello were also seen in the area this week, adding to the speculation that they will be guests at the nuptials.

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Related: Travis Kelce Hints at Making Core Memories Over 4th of July Ahead of Wedding

Travis Kelce is ready to make some “core memories” over the Fourth of July holiday — which may also be his wedding weekend. “Fourth of July weekend is right around the corner,” Travis, 36, said while promoting Expedia during the Wednesday, July 1, episode of his “New Heights” podcast with brother Jason Kelce. “America’s birthday.” […]

Swift and Kelce announced their engagement in August 2025 via a sweet Instagram post.

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“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the couple captioned the joint post, which featured photos of Kelce down on one knee, proposing to Swift.

In October 2025, Swift appeared on The Graham Norton Show and spoke about how well Kelce managed to pull off the romantic gesture.

“He really crushed it in surprising me. While we were talking on his podcast, he had a complete garden built out the back of his house to propose in,” she said. “He went all out — 10 out of 10.”

The novel and the short story have long been the bread and butter of the Western genre. Plenty of your favorite on-screen Old West tales have spawned directly from or been inspired by them, and now it’s time for Hollywood to look to the page once more. Now that Taylor Sheridan‘s Yellowstone Universe has evolved beyond the creator himself, it’s time for “America’s Storyteller” to finally get his due on the small screen. We’re, of course, talking about famed pulp Western author Louis L’Amour, who penned an impressive catalog of novels in his day. But for the best book to start with for a new made-for-TV franchise, we’d have to go with The Daybreakers, the first published installment of his popular series of novels revolving around the Sackett family.

Louis L’Amour’s Sackett Series Ought to Be the Next Western Hit — Starting With ‘The Daybreakers’

Okay, L’Amour fanatics out there are probably already riding to the comment section to remind us that The Daybreakers (along with material from Sackett) had previously been adapted as a miniseries back in 1979 with Tom Selleck, Sam Elliott, and Jeff Osterhage (who later reunited for another L’Amour adaptation). That’s true, and we’ve even highlighted that attempt in the past. But just because something was done once doesn’t mean that a hungry streamer shouldn’t be dissuaded from tackling it again, especially if it leads to more L’Amour adaptations going forward. As the first installment in L’Amour’s series of 17 official Sackett novels that tie to the eponymous family, the tale follows brothers Tyrel and Orrin Sackett as they leave their Tennessee home to make a new life for themselves out West, where their older brother, Tell, has already migrated to (as explored in Sackett). As they find themselves in conflict with the people living on the land, they end up in the New Mexico Territory, where they start their own ranch, which comes with a heap of difficulties of its own.

The Daybreakers is often considered one of L’Amour’s very best, and if the first season of a Sackett-based series were to follow the tale, it could learn from its previous TV adaptation by splicing the narrative with Tell’s adventures in Sackett, leading to the trio’s reunion either in the conclusion or in subsequent seasons. As the perfect foundation for a new Western franchise, multiple seasons of Sackett-themed material could be mined from L’Amour’s thrilling novels. This is only the beginning of the story, as Tyrel and Orrin (and Tell, by extension) find themselves in the middle of plenty of exciting adventures in the novels afterward, with other members of their extended family — such as Nolan Sackett, Milo Talon, Galloway Sackett, and Lando Sackett, among others — showing up as the series progresses, perhaps most notably in The Sackett Brand. The first season of a proposed Sackett series could easily begin with The Daybreakers before expanding to the other novels in subsequent years. It would certainly be a multi-season Western endeavor.

If The Daybreakers were successful in laying the foundation for this long-form series, L’Amour’s Sackett prequels like Sackett’s Land, which follows Barnabas Sackett in the 17th century, offer plenty of thrilling flashback possibilities to the family’s origins in the New World. Or, to take a cue from Yellowstone or The CW’s Walker, it could expand with a family history prequel series akin to what 1883 and Walker: Independence were for those programs. This would be a fascinating and diligent way to bring such an iconic book series to the screen after half a century of love and support from fans, and to do so with basically no limit to how many seasons could be produced given the sheer volume of material to work with. Although there are 17 official entries in the Sackett series, there are 32 novels total that L’Amour penned that connect to the Sackett family, making miniseries or streaming film spin-offs a real possibility (Son of a Wanted Man, for instance, could easily be a one-off made-for-TV movie that connects with the larger series itself).

The ‘Sackett’ Series Is a Western Gold Mine Full of Untapped Television Potential

L’Amour was considered a master storyteller for a reason, and even in the face of John Wayne pictures like Hondo, many prefer his novelization of the motion picture to the film itself. He knew how to tell an incredible tale that evoked everything viewers love about the genre (though he never fully limited himself to the Western). The Daybreakers is a perfect example of this. In just over 200 pages, L’Amour tells a riveting tale about two brothers who will stop at nothing to make a new life for themselves and their family. No matter the challenges, they wrestle with them together, always coming out on top.

Those who love Westerns typically adore L’Amour for his authentic characters and general attention to historical details. Although he wrote the Sackett novels out of order, they share a continuity and a brand that has come to be known as one of the greatest Western sagas in popular literature. That said, adapting The Daybreakers or any of the Sackett books is no small task, and so, whatever network, streamer, or studio decides to do so must do so only with the understanding that authenticity is exactly what audiences are looking for. If the production can’t capture the spirit of L’Amour, then it would be better not to do it at all — this is why so many of us are on the edge of our seats for the upcoming Flint. For any ambitious showrunners or developers looking to bring this fabulous multi-century tale to life, The Sackett Companion will be your greatest resource beyond the novels themselves.

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The Sacketts

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Release Date

1979 – 1979-00-00

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Robert Totten

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Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s wedding festivities were always expected to be packed with celebrities, NFL stars, and longtime friends. 

However, before the couple even exchanged vows, whispers of behind-the-scenes tension began stealing the spotlight. 

While every member of Kelce’s football world received an invitation, not everyone was welcomed equally. As New York City filled with stylish arrivals and familiar faces, insiders revealed that the wedding’s carefully tiered guest list may have left some of the groom’s closest associates quietly nursing bruised egos.

The festivities kicked off on Thursday night as Travis Kelce’s inner circle arrived in New York City dressed in their signature blend of NFL swagger, sporting everything from berets and gold chains to shorts and Spider-Man-inspired sneakers.

While the arrivals looked carefree, insiders say a quiet divide had already formed among the guest list. According to the Daily Mail, everyone connected to Kelce was invited to celebrate his marriage to Swift, but not everyone received the same invitation.

His oldest friends, longtime business partners, and a handful of NFL stars were invited to an intimate rehearsal dinner before the main celebration. 

Meanwhile, several members of his broader football circle were only included in Friday’s massive wedding reception, reportedly leaving some feeling overlooked.

“There is a general invite to everyone on the team,” a source told the outlet, adding, “But it doesn’t extend to some of the front office people, so there’s some feelings there. And also, not everyone on the team has the same invite.”

They also shared, “A few who he’s closer to have more info and it sounds like there’s something smaller that they get to go to.”

Kelce Surrounds Himself With Friends Who Knew Him Before Fame

The rehearsal dinner was reserved for the people who have been by Travis Kelce’s side long before his relationship with Swift made international headlines.

Among the first to arrive was Aric Jones, Kelce’s oldest friend. Their friendship stretches all the way back to a Cleveland Heights hockey rink, where they first met as five-year-olds in 1995.

Also attending were Aaron and André Eanes, the twin brothers behind A&A Management, who have worked with the NFL star since 2013 and helped transform him into one of football’s biggest commercial stars years before he became one half of pop culture’s most-watched couple.

Former NFL tight end Ross Travis also joined the celebration, arriving in a black beret and gold chain alongside Sarah Blackburn King, who wore a shimmering gold dress.

George Kittle and his wife Claire also stood out upon arrival. Claire opted for an elegant black dress, while the San Francisco 49ers star embraced a more playful look with sunglasses, tailored shorts, and Spider-Man-themed Nike Air Jordan 1 sneakers.

Travis Kelce’s Romance Brings Together Familiar Faces

Another notable guest arriving for the rehearsal dinner was Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews, whose connection to the couple runs much deeper than football.

Andrews, accompanied by her husband Jarret Stoll, has often been credited with helping spark Swift and Kelce’s romance months before they officially became a couple.

On her podcast, she famously appealed directly to the Grammy winner, saying, “Taylor, please try our friend Travis. He is fantastic.” Since then, the two couples have become genuine friends, even vacationing together in Montana. 

While Kelce’s closest confidants enjoyed the exclusive gathering, others reportedly remained on the outside looking in.

Several Kansas City Chiefs teammates and football friends were invited to Friday’s larger celebration but not Thursday’s intimate dinner, creating what insiders described as an “outer ring” of guests.

The difference extended beyond the invitations themselves. Some Chiefs players were reportedly staying at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, while Kelce’s closest friends appeared to be accommodated at a far more luxurious hotel nearby.

Swift’s side of the celebration brought together some of the biggest names from her personal and professional life.

Music producer Jack Antonoff, one of the singer’s closest collaborators and the frontman of Bleachers, was among those spotted in New York ahead of the festivities.

Their friendship has stretched across multiple albums, and Swift previously returned the favor when Antonoff married actress Margaret Qualley in 2023 by attending the wedding and delivering a memorable 15-minute roast for the newlyweds.

Also joining the celebrations were Shane and Paige Buechele. The former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and his wife have become familiar faces within the extended Kelce-Swift circle since Swift first began attending Chiefs games.

Earlier in the week, the couple was spotted dining at Meduza Mediterrania, the restaurant Travis Kelce co-owns with teammate Patrick Mahomes, before making their way to the wedding festivities.

Travis Kelce Welcomes More NFL Stars As The Celebration Continues

The celebrations weren’t limited to current Chiefs players or Kelce’s childhood friends.

Former NFL offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, who captured a Super Bowl title with the Los Angeles Rams before transitioning into broadcasting with Amazon Prime, also arrived for the festivities.

Joining him was fellow Amazon Prime analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick, another former NFL quarterback who remains well-connected throughout the league.

Although the weekend has so far been filled with smiles, glamorous arrivals, and reunion moments, insiders suggest not everyone is completely satisfied with their place in the festivities.

Those who found themselves excluded from Thursday’s smaller rehearsal dinner are reportedly still nursing bruised feelings, even as they prepare for Friday’s star-studded celebration.

Ray J shared a cryptic message about his health on Instagram on Thursday, July 2, and he also asked for prayers for himself and his family. The ‘One Wish’ artist was hospitalized back in January with a severe case of pneumonia, per TMZ. Ray J later claimed on Instagram that he “Just almost died!!” He also claimed he was told by his doctors that he only had months to live, and fans have been questioning his every move. 

RELATED: Prayers Up! Ray J Speaks Out After Viral Boxing Knockout Lands Him In Hospital (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO)

Ray J Asks For Prayers Amid Health Update

During the BET Awards on June 28, host Druski joked about the recording artist’s health scare.

“Why’d you lie to us, man? I thought you was gonna be dead.”

The ‘Wait a Minute’ singer seemed to take the joke in stride, but he later clarified his health issues in the Instagram video. The video was seemingly made in the dark, and his face can barely be seen in the footage. The post was captioned, “Pray 4 me.”

“Yeah, like, n***as is, is actually tryin’ to like, take what n***as is sayin’ and flip it,” he said. “If I don’t take care of myself, I’m dead. I said that but if I do take care of myself it’s all good, and that’s what I’m doin’. N***as is clownin’ like I’m saying I’m gonna die. I said I’ma die if I don’t do the right thing just like everybody would.”

The 45-year-old artist also referenced his upcoming celebrity boxing match with comedian Orlando Brown in August.

“Right now, I’m with my kids,” he added. “I’m with Princess and I’m taking care of myself. I’m gonna get in this ring and I’ma fight and give it all I got — a 100,000 percent. I’m gonna knock Orlando Brown out. He knows that. I’m just doin’ the right thing and tryin’ to get my life back together.”

Ray J also asked for prayers and noted he loves his wife and kids.

“Be patient with me.,” he added. “Please send a prayer out for me and root for me a little bit…. I love my family…pray for my family.”

Fans Reacted To Ray J’s Video in TSR’s Comments Section

After the video was shared on TSR‘s Instagram page, several people prayed for Ray J. However, folks also went in on the ‘Last Wish’ singer.

User @moneybaggkenn wrote, “Nah this was what @druski just was talking ’bout not again Mr.postman 😂😭😭😂😭.”

The Singer Is Fighting Orlando Brown In August

According to Entertainment Weekly, the singer will fight Brown in a celebrity boxing match in Atlanta on August 15.  The fight is being promoted by the Zeus Network, and during a recent event publicizing the match, things got spicy. After Brown jokingly slapped Ray J in the face with a stack of cash, 

“This n***a just slapped me with money,” said the artist. “That’s not cool, bro. You’re lucky I let that slide, bro.”

RELATED: In His Words! Ray J Addresses Concerns Over His Mental Health In Social Media Rant (VIDEOS)

The early 2000s were a gold mine for historical dramas, and Starz seemed to excel at creating them. Whether it’s the decades-spanning romance of Outlander or the bold look at the age of piracy with Black Sails, Starz managed to stand shoulder to shoulder with other major cable channels. 15 years ago, Starz delivered what’s arguably its best historical drama with Spartacus. True to its name, Spartacus follows the exploits of the titular gladiator, portrayed by Andy Whitfield and later Liam McIntyre, as he becomes one of the greatest gladiators in the Roman Republic.

As expected of a series set in Ancient Rome, Spartacus was immensely bloody and featured plenty of sex scenes. However, unlike other shows of its ilk, it was actually rooted in history. Most shows often use a historical setting as a mere backdrop, but Spartacus made sure that everything, from the way it depicted gladiatorial combat to the power structures of the time, was as accurate as possible. Series creator Steven S. DeKnight said that he and producer Robert Tapert (Xena: Warrior Princess) came up with this approach thanks to doing extensive research on the real-life Spartacus:

“Once we started digging into it, the big surprise for me was how little is known about Spartacus. Especially his history before he broke out and started making trouble for the Romans. There’s literally a page and a half of stuff you can read, and it’s just scraps. It’s fragments from different historians. Most of them are 100 years old to 200 years old. His true history is just a complete mystery to everybody. It really gave a chance to dig into that storyline.”

That approach proved to be the right one, since it turned Spartacus into one of Starz’s biggest television franchises​​​​​​. It’s also engrossing beyond the violence and nudity, as watching Spartacus’ rise to power and the effects it has on everyone connected to him makes for a compelling chronicle that rivals Game of Thrones.

‘Spartacus’ Launched An Entire Franchise

Image via Starz/ Courtesy: Everett Collection

As an early sign of Spartacus‘ success, it was renewed for a second season before the first even premiered. Before that, its first season Blood and Sand was followed by the prequel series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, which delved into the early lives of Spartacus’ owner, Quintus Lentulus Batiatus (John Hannah), and the gladiator Crixus (Manu Bennett), further adding depth to their characters’ lives before they met Spartacus. Season 2 also came with its own shake-up, as Whitfield was undergoing cancer treatment; he gave Starz his blessing to recast the role, leading to McIntyre taking over as Spartacus. McIntyre manages to both build on Whitfield’s performance and give Spartacus his own flavor.

Perhaps the wildest swing that Spartacus took was with its most recent entry, Spartacus: House of Ashur. House of Ashur focuses on Nick E. Tarabay‘s titular gladiator, who died in Season 2, and pulls him into an alternate universe where he takes control of the gladiator school where he was trained. Despite its bonkers premise, House of Ashur still managed to keep the same mix of blood, grit, and historical accuracy that made the original Spartacus a must watch series. Its recent cancelation marks the end of an era, both for the Spartacus franchise and for Starz as the channel recently underwent a split with Lionsgate.

The Cast of ‘Spartacus’ Found Success With Another Genre

It wouldn’t be long before the cast of Spartacus became closely connected with another long-running television franchise, as most of them traded their swords and sandals for capes and cowls when joining the CW’s interconnected slate of DC Comics-based shows. On Arrow, Manu Bennett would portray Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, while Nick E. Tarabay played Captain Boomerang and Katrina Law made recurring appearances as Nyssa al Ghul, one of Ra’s al Ghul’s daughters. As for Liam McIntyre, he briefly appeared on The Flash as the Weather Wizard, but is set to portray another iconic comic book character as he’s taking the title role in the upcoming Marvel’s Wolverine video game.

Spartacus is proof that you can make a historical drama that’s actually true to history while still appealing to an adult crowd. While Starz is still making television, it’s yet to make a series that could match this one.

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2010 – 2013-00-00

Directors

Jesse Warn, Michael Hurst, Rick Jacobson, Mark Beesley, T.J. Scott, Chris Martin-Jones, Brendan Maher, Glenn Standring, Grady Hall, John Fawcett

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Science fiction books have existed for at least a couple of centuries, or possibly longer, depending on what you want to define as science fiction. Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein probably counts, and that was originally published in 1818, but it’s a little more horror-focused and maybe not “hard” science fiction. H.G. Wells also wrote the likes of The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds in the late 1800s, and then sci-fi, as it’s now understood, really took off in the 20th century.

Some sci-fi books are kind of fun, while others have a mix of heavy-going/thought-provoking elements alongside some possible sense of escapism… and then there are the following books that take one or more steps further away from escapism. These ones are all among the heaviest sci-fi books of all time, and most of them are great, so long as you don’t mind reading something a little bleak (and they might be best read during the day, too, rather than right before you turn off the light at night).

10

‘Brave New World’ (1932)

Image via Horizon Ridge Publishing

The setting of Brave New World is a little removed from the sort of dystopias that are right on the line of becoming post-apocalyptic hellscapes, or at least it seems that way, at first. The whole book is about a society that’s said to be utopian, though there are countless ways that people have certain liberties restricted or crushed, and then there’s also a certain emptiness to the kind of pleasure that seems constant.

It’s an undeniably interesting angle for a dystopian novel to take, and maybe it adds some nuance, even if ultimately, the message of Brave New World proves hard to miss. Brave New World, therefore, isn’t entirely subtle or anything, but it does stand apart from other books about dystopias, and there is a definite uneasy kind of heaviness to the whole thing, with much of that being why it’s considered such an essential and enduring book.

9

‘Lucifer’s Hammer’ (1977)

Image via Del Rey Books

There’s no real sense of a dystopia to be found in Lucifer’s Hammer, because it’s about the lead-up to the world becoming a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and then a good chunk of it’s about the people still around surviving that whole mess. The world-ending event here is a comet that gets dubbed “The Hammer,” and yeah, Earth gets hammered by it. Chaos ensues.

It gets quite technical about the comet and its force, with quite a bit of hard science fiction informing what might happen to the Earth after such a drastic collision. There’s also some more visceral and outwardly horrific stuff in Lucifer’s Hammer, what with it being a post-apocalyptic story and all, with everything being very compelling. Like, it is a fairly underrated book, even if it’s not wholly overlooked (a Hugo Award nomination is something, after all), but it still feels like a few more people ought to read it.

8

‘A Clockwork Orange’ (1962)

Image via Penguin Books

A Clockwork Orange is one of its decade’s best books, and very much worth reading, even if you’ve already seen the movie of the same name. Stanley Kubrick could just about always be relied upon to do interesting things with the source material his movies adapted, as Lolita and The Shining also showed, with A Clockwork Orange joining that camp. The movie definitely gets what the book was going for, albeit with one major difference near the end.

To focus just on the book, though, this one’s about a dystopian society where crime is extra violent and widespread, and measures taken to combat said crime are also heightened in intensity. There’s an experimental procedure developed to make violent thoughts cause nausea, and the narrator goes through that “treatment,” with the consequences explored after. Like a lot of good science fiction, difficult questions about technology and human nature are asked here, and A Clockwork Orange ultimately proves undeniably thought-provoking because of all that it goes for thematically.

7

‘Gravity’s Rainbow’ (1973)

Image via Viking Press

There’s a real mix of genres found in Gravity’s Rainbow, but a little by way of science fiction, so it’s still going to be counted here. It takes place mostly during the closing stages of the Second World War, and there are a whole heap of characters spread out across Europe (for the most part), with many of them trying to find a particular V-2 rocket that is important for, like, reasons, or something.

With Gravity’s Rainbow, answers of a conventional kind are hard to come by, though might be there if you read the book like, a few dozen times, and then consult with the three other people in the world who’ve also found time to get through its almost 800 pages a few dozen times. There’s some absurdity and dark humor in it, with it getting a little sci-fi and metaphysical/postmodern in nature beyond being a book about World War II, and then much of Gravity’s Rainbow also proves to be confronting, profane, and sometimes even weird in a way that puts other so-called “weird” books to shame.

6

‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ (1969)

Image via Dell Publishing

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Slaughterhouse-Five is, like Gravity’s Rainbow, worth considering as an all-timer as far as ambitious books go, and it does all the stuff it does within a relatively lean number of pages, too. Much of the narrative here, like with Gravity’s Rainbow, takes place during World War II, but Slaughterhouse-Five does have more by way of conventional sci-fi elements, since its protagonist is someone grappling with becoming apparently “unstuck in time.”

This makes Slaughterhouse-Five something of a time travel-related book, but if it’s time travel, then it’s the extra chaotic and nightmarish kind, and then part of the horror of it all also relates to how it’s a traumatic time in history (generally and for the protagonist) to keep jumping around in, with him struggling to process his wartime experiences that aren’t, strictly speaking, all in the past. So, yes, it’s a nightmare, but a very compelling and honestly quite readable one, all things considered.

5

‘Hard to Be a God’ (1964)

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It might feel like an obscure pick, but Hard to Be a God has had a decent amount of exposure for a Soviet novel from the 1960s (being adapted into two different movies kind of helps). It’s got an undeniably intriguing premise, for a work of science fiction, being about a man from the future who goes to a planet that’s currently slogging it out through their equivalent of the Middle Ages.

He observes more than he interferes, at least at first, but there is a tension there, and that’s where the title kind of comes in. Hard to Be a God is a pretty bleak look at human nature (of sorts) on an alien planet, with the way it goes back to a certain kind of Middle Ages ensuring that the setting definitely feels distinct. It’s all pretty brutal and bleak, but kind of has to be, to really dig into the things it tackles.

4

‘The Forever War’ (1974)

Image via St. Martin’s Press

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The titular war in The Forever War really does last an incredibly long time, and because of technology in the future, the protagonist is around – and part of it in some sort of way – for a very long time, too. There is so much more to the book than just the way it rushes through time, but that is one of the more exciting and surprising parts (surprising in the sense that you don’t know how long “Forever” is going to be, when you and the protagonist are sort of just trapped in it).

So, it’s not subtle about being an anti-war book, and there are definite parallels to be drawn between the war in this novel and wars that have happened in real life, which is, yes, something certain works of science fiction do well. The Forever War is sometimes thrilling and surprising, but it’s also pretty soul-crushing, and it does a remarkably effective job at being anti-war while not “technically” or “explicitly” being about an “actual” war humanity has fought. Implicitly, or being reminiscent of, on the other hand…

3

‘Under the Dome’ (2009)

Image via Charles Scribner’s Sons

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There aren’t nearly as many sci-fi books Stephen King’s written as horror or thriller ones, but of them, Under the Dome is probably the bleakest. And it might well be one of the best, even if the sci-fi elements here are quite controversial, to say the least. Putting them aside, though, Under the Dome does have a bit of a dystopian/post-apocalyptic thing going for it, so even before you get “answers” to what’s behind the situation all the characters are in, it kind of fits into those particular kinds of science fiction sub-genres.

Basically, the members of a small town are trapped in that town because of an invisible and impenetrable dome that confines them all, with pre-existing problems in the town getting much worse, since no one can leave. Under the Dome just has more and more things fall apart, pretty much chapter by chapter, and there are so many chapters, so things go from bad, to worse, and then get even worse somehow, and on and on, for about 1000 pages. It’s equal parts compelling and anxiety-inducing, really.

2

‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ (1949)

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Mentioning Nineteen Eighty-Four is obligatory, for present purposes, which is quite the understatement, honestly. This is probably the quintessential dystopian story, and a good companion piece to Brave New World. That 1932 novel is also dystopian, yet in a way that makes the world look – or seem to be – utopian at first, even if it’s pretty dire once you dig into things. The world of Nineteen Eighty-Four is dystopian in a more in-your-face way.

The only light, so to speak, comes from a protagonist who, alongside some side characters, think they might be able to rebel against the dystopia they’re in, in one way or another, but no, Big Brother gets them, gets them, gets them, gets them. That’s all a simplistic way to break Nineteen Eighty-Four down, but that is the gist of it. Great novel and an essential read, of course, but there’s a definite heaviness to it throughout that you have to be (and probably will be, given the novel’s reputation) prepared for.

1

‘Watchmen’ (1986–1987)

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If you’re talking Alan Moore graphic novels, Watchmen isn’t even the heaviest, as the existence of From Hell makes pretty plain to see. There’s an almost sci-fi element to part of that graphic novel, but it’s not as heavy on sci-fi qualities as either V for Vendetta or Watchmen, and of the two, Watchmen is perhaps darker and more subversive… though honorable mention to V for Vendetta, since it’s still very effective as a work of dystopian fiction.

With Watchmen, it just balances the dystopian elements and some post-apocalyptic elements in a more startling way, and elaborating on all that too much might be spoiling things, and yeah, it’s still worth staying away from discussing the ending in too great detail, even if the graphic novel’s about four decades old. And yeah, it’s a graphic novel, and it’s ranking ahead of a bunch of “normal” novels, but it feels like a suitable #1 pick. It’s got the sci-fi side of things represented, with the stakes and it being set in an alternative history, and then it’s extremely heavy – and groundbreaking – as a deconstruction of superhero stories and the conventions you can (or could) often find in them.

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Watchmen

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Release Date

March 6, 2009

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Runtime

163 minutes

Director

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Zack Synder

Writers

Alex Tse, David Hayter, Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons

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By TeeJay Small
| Published 16 seconds ago

A few months back, I found myself trawling Netflix for a good movie to put on for a group of friends. After sifting through a digital bargain bin of poorly-promoted original content, I eventually landed on a modern classic: American Hustle. I had distinct memories of catching this one in the theater back in 2013, but it hits even harder today, since political corruption seems to be a 24/7 news story in the year of our lord 2026. Unfortunately, when I went to search it back up last night for a home movie viewing, I was dismayed to see that American Hustle is no longer on Netflix at all. In fact, it’s been shelved from all streaming libraries, relegating its availability to on-demand rentals and purchases.

For those not in the know, American Hustle is a true story crime comedy written and directed by controversial filmmaker David O. Russell. The film adapts the story of an FBI sting operation that took place in New Jersey circa 1978. In bringing this bizarre investigation to life, we’re treated to an A-list cast including Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Robert De Niro, Jeremy Renner, and Jennifer Lawrence, in possibly her best role.

A Classic Caper Stacked With An A-List Cast

The narrative of American Hustle kicks off by introducing us to con artist Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale). Irving is a sleazy scam artist with a quick mouth and a hairline that’s hanging on for dear life. He works alongside a scammer named Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), to swindle art collectors and other debutants out of their inheritance money. The two are also engaged in a tawdry love affair, while Irving’s unstable wife spends her days neglected and slowly losing her marbles back home.

Right at the start of the film, FBI rising star Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) catches the dynamic duo in the midst of a rug pull, and offers them immunity in exchange for a larger arrest. Irving and Sydney agree, and begin working with Richie to entrap American politicians in a foreign investment gambit. From there, things spiral out of control, leading to a fake Arab sheikh, a chilling mafia investment, and a sting operation that lands multiple elected officials in the slammer. The whole thing is extremely baroque, even by FBI standards, especially when you know that it all really happened.

A Modern Classic That’s Been Snubbed

I won’t spoil the ending here, but suffice is to say, American Hustle is a straight up classic for a reason. The film was an instant success with critics and audiences alike, taking in $251 million at the worldwide box office on an estimated production budget of just $40 million. That’s why it’s so confusing that the film is currently unavailable to stream on any of the major outlets. You’d think HBO Max, Disney+, or Netflix would be chomping at the bit to get their hands on this thing.

American Hustle also received nearly a dozen Academy Awards, though it was ultimately snubbed in every category, so maybe this lack of streaming access is just the next logical step for an overlooked classic. In any case, you should be sure to seek this one out if you haven’t already seen it. For the time being, that means renting it on digital retailers like YouTube, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, or heading to your local brick and mortar to find a Blu-ray. Just be prepared to laugh, shed a few tears, and shake your fists in fury at the capitalist machine.