Apple TV has plenty of sci-fi hits under its belt during its first few years as a massive streaming competitor. Just last year, the tech-funded streamer aired the first season of Pluribus, the new creation from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul writer Vince Gilligan. The show stars Rhea Seehorn, and it smashed records on its way to becoming Apple TV’s biggest sci-fi show in history. Apple TV also recently aired new seasons of Foundation and Invasion, both of which feature big stars and have accrued sizable audiences during their first few seasons. One of Apple TV’s original sci-fi hits, For All Mankind, is also set to return with its long-awaited fifth season soon. Apple TV’s biggest sci-fi misfire to date is Constellation, the thriller backed by Stephen King and starring Noomi Rapace, which was canceled after only one season despite plans for future seasons.

Many would argue that the most impressive show in Apple TV’s sci-fi arsenal, though, is Severance. Starring Adam Scott and directed by Ben Stiller, the show has aired two successful seasons and has a third on the way. Collider reported not long ago via an interview with John Turturro that production on Severance Season 3 was scheduled to begin this July, and now we’re back with another update for fans of Apple TV’s best sci-fi show. Collider’s Perri Nemiroff recently caught up with Severance star Jen Tullock, who portrays Devon Scout-Hale in the show, and she asked how Season 3 will challenge the cast in a brand-new way:

“I feel kept on my toes on that show generally just because I think we have the best cast in the business, and I’m working with people I’ve revered and respected for so many years. So, regardless of what happens story-wise, I always feel challenged by the writing, and I always feel challenged by the people I’m lucky enough to have scenes with, so that’s generally the vibe.”

She continued, diving deeper into what we can expect to see from Devon in Season 3 after watching her brother Mark (Adam Scott) go through so much during the first two seasons, “Specifically, I’m excited to let my character get a little bit angry and a little more into the nitty-gritty of what’s happening at Lumon. We saw that a little bit towards the end of last season, so I have no idea where it’s going to go. But, I know it’s going to be good.”

‘Severance’ Season 3 Is on a Tight Schedule

Severance Season 1 aired its Season 1 finale in April 2022, and the show didn’t return with its second season until almost three years later, in January 2025. When Apple TV renewed Severance for a third season around the same time as the Season 2 finale, Ben Stiller promised that the gap between seasons would be shorter for Seasons 2 and 3 than it was for Seasons 1 and 2. Unfortunately, we’re nearly a year removed from the Season 2 finale and the show won’t resume shooting for a few months, so a gap of at least two years is to be expected at this point.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Severance Season 3 and check out the first two seasons on Apple TV.

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Release Date

February 17, 2022

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Apple TV

Showrunner

Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman

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Writers

Anna Ouyang Moench, Wei-Ning Yu

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 30 seconds ago

The term “video game film” makes many movie lovers shudder, and for good reason: box office history is filled with awful game adaptations, including the notoriously grungy Super Mario Bros. and the confusingly disjointed Wing Commander. Between these and other flops (including Double Dragon and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation), it’s easy for gamers to think there are no good films based on their favorite titles. However, the perfect video game movie dropped 15 years ago, and it’s been quietly gaining a cult following ever since.

That movie is Halo Legends (2010), an animated anthology that explores the world of Master Chief; he’s a Spartan charged with protecting humanity from an encroaching alien menace, but even he can’t take on an entire space empire by himself. This is a film that helps you learn more about the fictional universe of Halo, bringing to life one of the most successful franchises in video game history. Whether you want to help Master Chief “finish this fight” or just vibe out to beautiful animation and killer fight scenes, you should stream Halo Legends for free on Tubi!  

Time To Finish The Fight

The cast of Halo Legends is full of some fun surprises for anime fans, including David Wald (best known for voicing the titular protagonist of Golgo 13) as Master Chief. Meanwhile, Atsuko Tanaka (best known for voicing Major Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell) plays Dr. Haley, Chief’s mother figure and the creator of Cortana. Speaking of which, Ai Maeda (best known for voicing O-Ren in Kill Bill’s anime sequence) plays Cortana, Chief’s own AI-powered Girl Friday.

There is no singular premise for Halo Legends: rather than telling one story, this anthology is broken up into seven smaller films focusing on different aspects of the Halo universe. Some of these are lore-heavy films that expand our knowledge of everything from Covenant culture to the relationship between Flood and Forerunners. Other short films are just cool side stories featuring marines, Spartans, Helljumpers, and more.

Little Movie, Big Impact 

Even though it went straight to video, Halo Legends quickly proved itself a Spartan-sized financial success. It earned $11 million in DVD and Blu-Ray sales, and it was ranked as the second top-selling Blu-Ray the week of its release. Sadly, this ambitious anthology never got a sequel, though most Halo fans would certainly prefer these animated adventures over the later, live-action series.

When Halo Legends came out, it proved to be a hit with the most important audience of them all: the fans. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an audience score of 72 percent, with viewers praising it for its unique combination of different animation styles and different stories. According to most who watched Halo Legends, this approach helped to flesh out one of the coolest fictional universes (video game or otherwise) ever created.

A Buffet Of Cool Animation Styles

Even if you’re not a huge fan of the video game franchise, it’s worth watching Halo Legends for the same reason it’s worth watching any good anthology: there’s a little something for everyone! Like The Animatrix before it, this film presents a series of different vignettes in different styles and even genres. You may not like every short film, but you’re sure to love at least a few of these slickly-produced stories.

Speaking of slick, the animation and production quality are high throughout the entirety of Halo Legends. The short films each look and feel different, but what they share in common is killer animation and immersive voicework. Even if you’ve never picked up a controller and walked in the virtual boots of Master Chief, this movie is a great way to discover what makes this fictional universe so compelling to its legion of fans.

Rocking Some Big Sword Energy

If you are already a major fan, though, you’ll likely enjoy how Halo Legends expands the lore of Spartans and Covenant in new and interesting ways. Sure, some of this information is buried in the robust library of Halo books, but let’s face it: it’s cooler to see the deep background of this action-centric series brought to life in a more visceral way onscreen. After all, this is a gaming franchise founded on the holy trinity of “run, shoot, and toss grenades,” and it’s fun to see Halo’s signature frenetic gameplay brought to life in short films like “Prototype” and “The Package.”

Will you agree that Halo Legends is the perfect video game, or would you like to tag this nostalgic anthology with a sticky grenade? You won’t know until you grab the remote (you left it between the Assault Rifle and the Battle Rifle) and stream it for free on Tubi. Whether you’re one of the gamers keeping Halo Infinite alive (there are dozens of us, dozens!) or are completely new to this sci-fi franchise, this anthology is guaranteed to surprise you right up until the credits.

A mass shooting outside an Austin, Texas, bar has left three people dead — including the suspected gunman — and another 14 seriously injured, Us Weekly confirms.

Gunfire broke out during the early morning hours of Sunday, March 1, outside Buford’s, a popular beer garden on West Sixth and Rio Grande streets, Austin Police said.

According to authorities, officers responded to the scene just before 1:40 a.m. and eliminated the suspected gunman, whose name has not been publicly released.

Police also haven’t released the names of the deceased victims.

Eyewitness video shared on social media and allegedly captured from the scene appears to show officers pinning a man to the ground while emergency medical workers rendered aid.

The person recording the footage claims “that’s the piece of s**t” who shot up the bar.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis spoke to the media at 5 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. press conferences and said that first responders were on the scene less than a minute after the first 911 calls were received by dispatch describing a “male shooter” at the popular nightspot.

“They definitely saved lives,” Davis said.

Authorities confronted a man fleeing the scene with a gun upon arrival and “returned fire, killing the shooter,” Davis explained.

EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said that three people were found dead at the scene, while 14 others were injured and transported to nearby hospitals. Three of the wounded, he said, were listed in critical condition.

“We received a call at 1:39 a.m. and within 57 seconds, the first paramedics and officers were on scene actively treating the patients,” Luckritz told reporters.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson also spoke to reporters, applauding the rapid response of the city’s police officers and EMTs.

“I’m very thankful for the speed with which our public safety officials responded to this,” said Watson. “I don’t think there’s any question that it saved lives.”

Members of the Austin Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were still at the scene of the shooting late Sunday morning. A pistol and a rifle were both said to have been recovered from the scene.

Law enforcement sources claim to CBS News that the shooter has a history of mental health issues and are currently investigating whether the shooter was influenced by extremist ideology, specifically Islamic extremism.

An official motive for the mass shooting remains unclear.

“My condolences to those that have been touched by this. This is a tragic, tragic incident,” Davis said.

Anyone looking to reconnect with loved ones should call the Austin Police victim services unit at (512) 974-5037.

If you have any information about witnesses to the shooting or videos that may have captured what happened can submit the evidence here.

Tipsters can also call Austin Police at (512) 974-TIPS. You may submit your tips anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by calling (512) 472-8477.

With its Season 4 debut, AMC’s Dark Winds has done the unthinkable and extended one of television’s rarest streaks. Since its premiere in 2022, each season has consistently earned—and maintained—a perfect critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. Though not all critic reviews are in yet, it stands to reason that as the show’s new season continues to unfold, its 100% scoring streak will remain firmly in place. As one of the best psychologically thrilling mysteries on television today, the quiet crime masterpiece is created by Graham Roland, executive produced by George R.R. Martin and the late, iconic Robert Redford, and is based on the Leaphorn & Chee novel series by Tony Hillerman.

The show’s seasonal mysteries wrapped in clever stories with emotionally complex characters full of multi-layered depth aren’t the only things capturing viewer attention and earning praise. The cast’s powerhouse performances—most notably that of Reservation Dogs’ Zahn McClarnon—are one of Dark Winds‘ greatest strengths, and they make it impossible to pass on watching. Also, the fact that four seasons have aired in a little under four years is quite astounding.

If You Aren’t Watching ‘Dark Winds,’ Here’s Why This Rare Streak Matters

Image via AMC

Over the years, sure, there have been plenty of shows that have achieved a perfect critics’ score. The difference between those and Dark Winds is that most other shows to achieve a 100% RT rating did so across just one or two seasons, often not consecutive, and certainly not across the series’ entire run. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag is an exception, having maintained a rare perfect streak across its two-season run. Dark Winds has done it for four consecutive seasons and will likely continue to do so right up to its conclusion. In the television world, to achieve such an accolade is extremely rare, and this is why the success of Dark Winds matters.

The fact that every single season of the hit gritty crime masterpiece has maintained critical perfection isn’t just impressive, it’s downright significant. It’s a huge testament to the show’s consistent exceptional writing and production quality in what has become an overcrowded TV landscape. It also speaks to the stellar cast performances, the show’s authentic, respectful portrayal of Navajo culture, and its status as a must-see hidden gem among standard procedural dramas. Furthermore, its extension of TV’s rarest streaks cements its reputation as a top-tier neo-Western crime drama, indicating a dominating viewership (that you’re not part of if you’re not watching!), which is an extremely difficult achievement. That alone makes it a big deal.

Set in 1971, Dark Winds follows Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn (McClarnon) of the Tribal Police of the Navajo Nation and his deputy, Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), as they work to solve a series of unrelated, increasingly violent crimes while not only battling the forces of evil, but also each other and their own personal demons. The human transformation in the face of chaos is remarkable.

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What’s Ahead for ‘Dark Winds’ Season 4

In Season 4, Dark Winds is entering its darkest era yet, with Leaphorn, Chee, and Sgt. Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) investigating the disappearance of a Navajo teen named Billie Tsosie (Isabel Deroy-Olson). Their efforts take them across New Mexico state lines, deep into 1970s Los Angeles, where they face an obsessive killer and the sprawling underworld of gritty organized crime… but that’s not all.

We’ll also experience the personal strife of the lead characters slowly chipping away at their bond. Leaphorn is at an impasse, still trying to figure out how to bring himself into balance while also working to confront who he is apart from his identity as a cop. As he considers retiring and making Bernadette his replacement, this will put a strain on her developing romantic relationship with Jim Chee. Speaking of Chee, Season 4 will also see him handling quite an overwhelming load: injury, stress, love, tragedy, and a reckoning with his Navajo heritage. Expect to experience the gamut of human emotion.

The show has always been rooted in grit and grace, but Season 4 will see all that intensify before turning extremely grim with the introduction of a relentless, unleashed assassin (Franka Potente) on a violent rampage. Beyond that, expect plenty of plot twists and turns and more of the dark supernatural elements and trademark focus on Navajo culture for which Dark Winds is famous. Withstanding the test of time, Season 4 will also continue its focus on memory and reconciliation in the face of buried pain and trauma.

While the first three seasons featured more slow-burn mysteries and character-driven development nestled within some pretty gnarly atmospheric tension, it was Season 3 that introduced the more horror-driven elements—creepy suspense, dark lighting, a haunting soundscape, more layers of generational trauma, and a dead body. In Season 4, we’ll see those elements deepen, expand, and intensify as our lead characters navigate their fish-out-of-water scenario in a fresh change of pace. Each will be pushed to their own personal edge, giving our actors the space to deliver what is being hailed as career-best work and Season 4’s greatest strength.

If you’re among those who’ve yet to indulge in the Dark Winds because you aren’t an AMC+ subscriber, don’t sweat it. Seasons 1, 2, and 3 are currently available on Netflix. Given how quickly the streaming giant picked up those seasons, it’s fair to expect to see Season 4 arrive on the platform sooner than you think. Can (and will) the quiet crime masterpiece continue to extend its rare streak into future seasons? Only time will tell, but that answer feels like a hard yes.

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June 12, 2022

Network

AMC

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Directors

Michael Nankin

Writers

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John Wirth, Steven Judd, Max Hurwitz, Rhiana Yazzie, Thomas Brady, DezBaa’

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By Robert Scucci
| Published 13 seconds ago

2018’s 10×10 is such a frustrating movie because, if you’re really into psychological thrillers, you’re going to think, “Oh god, here we go again.” I felt the same way when I first started watching it, but for every setup that feels stock, generic, and done to death over the decades, there’s an unexpected, deeply satisfying payoff waiting around the corner. It’s your typical guy-kidnaps-girl premise that you fully expect to go a certain way. It doesn’t. There are so many moving parts that the whole thing becomes a masterclass in misdirection.

Clocking in at just 88 minutes, not a moment is wasted in 10×10 because it simply doesn’t have time to meander. What you get is a tense, claustrophobic thriller that constantly subverts your expectations, never fully letting you know who’s the good guy and who’s the bad guy. Lesser films (The Glass House is currently streaming on Netflix) lay all their cards on the table and soften their own impact. 10×10 plays everything close to the chest, more often than not pulling a wildcard that changes the entire dynamic the second it’s revealed.

Guy Kidnaps Girl, So It Should Be Obvious What’s Going On … Right?

10×10 does Robert Lewis (Luke Evans) no favors because he immediately comes off like an unhinged maniac. He kidnaps Cathy Noland (Kelly Reilly) in broad daylight, shoves her in the trunk of his car, and drives to his remote luxury house, where he has a padded, soundproofed room hidden behind a false wall. Cathy will spend most of her time here while Robert goes about his life as if nothing is out of the ordinary, with the added caveat that he’s recording everything happening inside her new prison cell.

Cathy, rightfully terrified, proves she’s resourceful by breaking out of her zip ties and eventually overpowering Robert, who promises he won’t kill her if she gives him one piece of information: her real name. Cathy repeatedly insists she is who she says she is, but Robert refuses to believe her, suggesting he knows more about her than he initially let on. It becomes clear he’s been following her for months, waiting for the right moment to capture her for reasons that aren’t fully revealed until they absolutely have to be.

Here’s Where It Messes With You

One thing that initially rubbed me the wrong way about 10×10 was how inconsistent Robert seems at the outset. He’s fastidious to a fault, but doesn’t fix his garage door. He’s careful about covering his tracks, yet dumps his firearm into a kitchen drawer alongside extra zip ties and other incriminating accessories. He’s calculating, but he’s sloppy. I had a tough time reconciling those contradictions until I realized what was actually going on.

As 10×10 pushes further into its kidnapping plot, we learn not everything is what it seems, and maybe Robert isn’t necessarily in the wrong here. Don’t get it twisted. If you’re kidnapping women and holding them hostage inside your home, something is clearly broken upstairs. The issue is Robert’s motive, and whatever secret he’s trying to force out of Cathy, who by now has fought back savagely more than once, can certainly take a beating, and is definitely hiding a horrible secret.

Within the first 10 minutes of 10×10, I considered turning it off. Five minutes later, I reconsidered. By the second act, I was hooked. Every time I felt absolutely certain in my assessment of the movie, the rug got yanked out from under me. It gave me that sick feeling in my stomach that I only get when I’m genuinely glad to be bamboozled so many times in rapid succession.

10×10 is the kind of movie you have to earn enjoyment from, especially if you love a solid psychological thriller. It starts out looking predictable, and if you’re not patient enough to see it through, you’ll miss some legitimately sharp twists that keep landing well into the third act.

As of this writing, 10×10 is streaming on Netflix.

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Live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 1, the 32nd Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA recognize the greatest performances of 2025 across film and television. Previously known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Actor Awards serve as the final major televised ceremony of the season before the Academy Awards on March 15. Kristen Bell returns as host for the third time, following funny and well-received hosting stints in 2018 and 2025.

Warner Bros. Pictures productions One Battle After Another and Sinners lead film nominations with seven and five nods, respectively. Apple TV’s comedy The Studio is all but guaranteed to have a big night, with a total of five nods. HBO’s The White Lotus and Netflix’s Adolescence follow with four nods apiece. The presenters confirmed for Sunday’s ceremony include Sterling K. Brown, Lisa Kudrow, Chase Infiniti, Timothée Chalamet and Wunmi Mosaku, and Harrison Ford will be honored with SAG-AFTRA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

The 32nd Actor Awards airs on Netflix at 8 pm/5 EST. Stay tuned to Collider for live updates and the full list of winners.

Film Nominations

Cast Ensemble in a Motion Picture

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Male Actor in a Leading Role

Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme

Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon

Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

Jesse Plemons, Bugonia

Female Actor in a Leading Role

Jessie Buckley, Hamnet

Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue

Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another

Emma Stone, Bugonia

Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Miles Caton, Sinners

Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another

Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein

Paul Mescal, Hamnet

Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Odessa A’Zion, Marty Supreme

Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good

Amy Madigan, Weapons

Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

F1

Frankenstein

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Television Nominations

Over the past 50 years, we have been the gift of sensational cinema. Movies have taken us to far-off lands, told true stories that changed our history, and pushed our imaginations to the extremes. Within the scope of those fifty glorious years, we’ve witnessed some truly perfect films.

In a near-impossible task, we’ve determined ten titles that are perfect masterpieces. They also just so happened to define the last five decades in the world of movies. Whether through impact or influence, these perfect films have served as a blueprint for future films to utilize. While there are easily hundreds of other films that can be swapped in, these ten are remarkably special.

10

‘Parasite’ (2019)

Image via NEON

One film that truly reshaped American cinema was Bong Joon Ho’s captivating Parasite. Giving American audiences a reason to appreciate and seek out foreign language films, Parasite’s award run was nothing short of phenomenal. The South Korean black comedy thriller follows the Kims, a poor family who cunningly infiltrate the lives and home of the wealthy Park family by posing as unrelated, highly qualified employees. Diving deep into the themes of class struggle, greed, and social inequality, Parasite pushes the individuals to dark, chaotic, and tragic consequences that redefine how the desperate poor fight amongst themselves for scraps from the rich.

A flawless, genre-bending script, Parasite makes Downton Abbey look like a kid’s show. Through the smart and strategic use of comedy and drama, thriller and tragedy, Bong meticulously brings the viewer on a journey whose end you simply are not prepared for. Its deep critical conversation on class and economic disparity resonates now more than ever. Becoming the first ever foreign language film to earn the Academy Award for Best Picture was well deserved. Parasite was proof that excellent filmmaking knows no language.

9

‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994)

Image via Columbia Pictures

There has been an array of legendary cinematic adaptations of Stephen King’s works, but none were as perfect as The Shawshank Redemption. Based upon his short story, the Frank Darabont film tells the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a banker wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, who maintains hope and integrity over two decades in the brutal Shawshank State Penitentiary. He forms a deep friendship with fellow inmate Red (Morgan Freeman) while navigating corruption and secretly plotting his escape. A timeless tale of hope, friendship, and resilience, The Shawshank Redemption is a masterful work of storytelling, with pristine performances and exquisite cinematography.

A powerful exploration of the power of optimism, the emotional film is unlike many prison-set narratives. Darabont doesn’t try to make Andy’s experience squeaky clean. His bouts of hardship help to define his ultimate journey. Robbins and Freeman provide some of the strongest performances of the decade, helping to define their illustrious careers. When we see an oak tree today, thanks to this film, we can’t help but feel a sense of hope. The Shawshank Redemption is an endless reminder that our inner freedom is our greatest gift.

8

‘Oppenheimer’ (2023)

Image via Universal Pictures

Though there could be many individuals to earn this title, one of the most revolutionary directors of the 21st century is Christopher Nolan. With an extraordinary body of work, Nolan has done a sensational job at bringing epic storytelling to life. Many of his films could make an expansive version of this list, but the top spot would always go to Oppenheimer. Based on the 2005 biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, Oppenheimer dramatizes Oppenheimer’s studies, his direction of the Los Alamos Laboratory, and his 1954 security hearing. With Cillian Murphy taking on the role of the Father of the Atomic Bomb, the mind-blowing biopic is both a magnificent work of storytelling and performance.

Part of the blockbuster double feature with Barbie, Oppenheimer helped invite bring moviegoers back to the cinema. Rather than being a dense, dialogue-driven film, Nolan brought an evocative vision into a pulse-pounding experience. Beyond Murphy in the titular part, the entire ensemble, which includes Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, and Josh Hartnett, among many others, soar as they embark on the non-linear storytelling that dives deep into the psychological mythology of Oppenheimer. From the exceptional cinematography to the groundbreaking use of sound, and lack there of, Oppenheimer is more than just a story about a man of science. A profound journey through morality, power, and the devastating, long-lasting consequences of scientific achievement, Oppenheimer went big, and the risk was rewarded.

7

‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)

Image via Miramax Films

Quentin Tarantino’s influence on Hollywood is boundless, but the film that officially defined him as one of the greats was 1994’s black comedy, Pulp Fiction. A film that tells four intertwining stories, Pulp Fiction focuses on the lives of LA mob hitmen Jules and Vincent (Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta), boxer Butch (Bruce Willis), and a gangster’s wife Mia (Uma Thurman). Bringing the theme of redemption to the forefront, Pulp Fiction gives you everything: a botched robbery, a drug overdose, and a faked boxing match, for a bloody good time. Helping to energize the 90s with a unique approach in post-modern storytelling, Pulp Fiction masterfully united dark humor with highly-stylized violence.

Tarantino’s ability to turn the mundane into character-defining moments helped Pulp Fiction to achieve its greatness. The film featured so many iconic moments, including the Royale with cheese bit, and an exceptional soundtrack, including “Misirlou,” that made it a well-rounded and complete film. We still reference Pulp Fiction because it infused itself into pop culture so effortlessly. We get giddy when we see any of our main trio reunite for anything Pulp Fiction. Though not so much when Thurman and Jackson attempt to find any semblance of humor in a bomb like The Kill Room. It’s safe to say that Pulp Fiction not only defined the 90s in cinema but shaped Hollywood forever.

6

‘The Matrix’ (1999)

Image via Warner Bros.

In 1999, we entered The Matrix, and movies have never been the same since. Directed by the Wachowskis, the groundbreaking sci-fi action masterpiece follows computer hacker Neo (Keanu Reeves), who discovers that the world he knows is a simulated reality created by sentient machines to keep humanity docile while harvesting them for bioelectric power. He joins rebels led by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) to fight the machines, learning to manipulate the simulation’s rules to gain superhuman abilities and uncover the truth.

When you hear the title, you can visualize the film. From the bullet-time visual effects to the cyberpunk aesthetics, The Matrix’s distinct style helped it establish its unique identity and set the stage for a franchise. Some come for the insanely good martial arts sequences. Others seek out the profound philosophical approach found inside. The Wachowskis instilled a deep conversation about the nature of reality, free will versus determinism, and the search for truth. The Matrix continued to revolutionize science fiction blockbusters straight into the 21st century.

5

‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)

Image via Universal Pictures

One of the most profound films ever created was Steven Spielberg’s visually captivating and emotionally heavy Schindler’s List. The classic wartime drama follows the true story of Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a German businessman who saved over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories to protect them from concentration camps. Focusing on Schindler’s moral transformation from a war profiteer to a savior, the film’s intense historical approach blended with a rich emotional pull has set it above many films in the same category. But what makes Schindler’s List a step above the rest is its extraordinary black-and-white visual cinematography and its integration of colorized storytelling.

Schindler’s List is a technical marvel. Through a haunting atmosphere, helped by Spielberg’s longtime collaborator John Williams, Schindler’s List’s harrowing story is not meant to stoke change but remind the world about the rare heroes that were born out of moral necessity on the other side. The concept of “whoever saves one life, saves the world entire” is at the heart of the film, and it still resonates all these decades removed. Alongside Neeson’s career-defining performance, Ralph Fiennes is equally gripping as Amon Göth. Historical cinema is forever a part of Hollywood storytelling. Holocaust stories will continue to be made. And they will always aspire to hold the same significance as Spielberg’s perfect movie.

4

‘Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)

Image via Lucasfilm

It’s a wild thought to imagine how richly impactful George Lucas’ Star Wars has been on science fiction. While the original film started a franchise, it’s the sequel, Star Wars- Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back that defined the franchise. As Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) trains with Yoda (Frank Oz), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) are captured, setting up an epic battle between Luke (Mark Hamill) and Darth Vader (James Earl Jones), where a shocking revelation comes to light. Though it’s a brilliant showdown between good and evil, the film will forever be remembered for its groundbreaking twist: “No, I am your father.” And the Yoda backpack moment, but that’s a distant second.

We have been trained to believe that the heroes always win. The Empire Strikes Back defied that. Though we ultimately know that it was the second part of the saga and Darth Vader will lose in the end, this film had us all wondering if our heroes could not be victorious. With a darker tone than the first and more complexities with the ever-growing story, The Empire Strikes Back served as an exceptional continuation while also standing solidly on its own. The Star Wars mythology and lore are not only expanded, but character arcs are also enhanced. But let’s be honest, we adore the wide-ranging locales that Lucas takes us to and the epic moments we see there. Between the intense Hoth battle, the Dagobah training, and the Cloud City climax, each iconic moment serves to build the bigger puzzle.

3

‘Jurassic Park (1993)

Image via Universal Pictures

We’ve had an affinity for dinosaurs, but we were never fully immersed in the sensational creatures until Steven Spielberg brought us Jurassic Park. In the first film of the franchise, paleontologists Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler (Sam Neill and Laura Dern), along with mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), are invited by billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) to tour a new theme park on Isla Nublar featuring cloned dinosaurs. The trip turns into a fight for survival when a security failure, sabotaged by a worker, releases the predators, including T-Rex and Velociraptors. As InGen cloned dinosaurs using prehistoric DNA extracted from amber-trapped mosquitoes, Jurassic Park opened our imaginations to the possibility of what it might be like to walk among these beautiful beasts.

Giving us a dose of summer blockbuster, Jurassic Park seamlessly transported Michael Crichton’s novel to the big screen. Through exceptional animatronics and revolutionary CGI, Jurassic Park’s visceral suspense-building and terror provided for a perfectly terrifying experience. They may be giant creatures, but these carnivores still manage to sneak up on you and eat you while you’re on the loo! While the entertainment factor is at its max, Spielberg ensured that Crichton’s conversation about the hubris of humanity and the dangers of manipulating nature through technology could have a catastrophic effect on our future. Jurassic Park established itself as a major player in pop culture, jumpstarting a franchise and finding a space in theme parks around the world. Fret not, the animatronics at Universal Studios won’t try to eat you— just provide a memorable thrill.

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‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

The 21st century has seen the superhero blockbuster blow up as the defining genre in the world of popcorn movies. We go for the action and see our favorite heroes in action. But what if you could go see your favorite comic book characters while also experiencing a rich psychological drama? You certainly did with Christopher Nolan’s groundbreaking The Dark Knight. The second part of his trilogy, Batman (Christian Bale), Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) form an alliance to dismantle Gotham’s organized crime. Their efforts are thwarted by the Joker (Heath Ledger), a chaotic criminal mastermind who plunges the city into anarchy, kills Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), and turns Dent into the villainous Two-Face. Not a bad arc for a singular film! Forever synonymous with Ledger’s award-winning performance, The Dark Knight became the recipe for every superhero flick to come.

Through a blend of high-stakes, grounded storytelling and thematic depth exploring morality, chaos, and heroism, The Dark Knight is richly unique. You could easily remove the iconic DC Comic names and still receive a fervent crime drama. The Dark Knight is remembered for the Joker, but the nuanced arc for Batman continued to allow the character to establish himself as a completely different iteration, ripe for the new century. By removing the typical comic-book tone in favor of something realistic and gritty, The Dark Knight is more than just a good-versus-evil tale. It’s a fully developed movie that just so happens to use classic IP.

1

‘The Lion King’ (1994)

Image via Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

The Disney Renaissance changed animation forever. Collectively, the films from the 90s instantly became core memories for everyone who watched them in theaters. But one film stood out at the top and defined the decade: The Lion King. In the 1994 animated classic, audiences were dropped into the African savannah as Simba (Matthew Broderick), a young lion cub destined to rule the Pride Lands, who flees into exile after his wicked uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons) orchestrates the death of King Mufasa (James Earl Jones). Raised by Timon and Pumbaa (Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella) under the “Hakuna Matata” philosophy, an adult Simba returns to challenge Scar, reclaim his throne, and restore balance to the circle of life. Loosely inspired by William Shakespeare’s classic drama Hamlet, Disney balanced an iconic soundtrack with darker themes to craft a flawless cinematic masterpiece.

The golden era of Disney hand-drawn animation, The Lion King remains a timeless tale that has been passed down for generations. Disney has been known for introducing audiences to talking animals, but never have we met the brilliant characters within this nuanced animal kingdom. Each character, voiced by the perfect performer, is wonderfully brought to life, earning a place in the Disney pantheon. With Elton John and Tim Rice’s whimsical soundtrack and Hans Zimmer’s score, music becomes its own important character. The legacy of The Lion King remains profoundly a part of the tapestry of entertainment and pop culture. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream, you’ll feel warmth. The Lion King is the complete package.

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The Lion King

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Release Date

June 15, 1994

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Runtime

89 minutes

Director

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Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

Writers

Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton, Rick Maki, Jorgen Klubien, Chris Sanders, Joe Ranft, Thom Enriquez, Larry Leker, Barry Johnson, Francis Glebas, Burny Mattinson, Andrew Gaskill, Gary Trousdale, Lorna Cook, Tom Sito, Mark Kausler, Kevin Harkey, Ed Gombert, Jim Capobianco

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  Matthew Broderick

  Simba (voice)

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 40 seconds ago

For a long time, Hollywood was missing one of its big-screen mainstays: the iconic horror villain. That is slowly changing with the addition of characters like Art the Clown, but it can be tough to take this Terrifier villain’s particular brand of mystic-flavored gore porn very seriously. A few years ago, though, an entirely different scary movie introduced us to a foe who was much more down-to-earth and that much scarier for it.

That movie is The Black Phone (2021), which seizes on one of our most heart-stopping modern-day fears: that powerful forces are hurting children, and there’s nothing we can do about it. It does so while wrapping those fears in the cloak of a new horror villain, one who is even more viscerally disturbing than Art the Clown. To experience the most potent cinematic terror in years, all you have to do is stream The Black Phone on Netflix today.

Time To Pick Up The Phone

The premise of The Black Phone is that in the late ‘70s, the streets of suburban Colorado are stalked by a creepy child snatcher known only as The Grabber. We follow the misadventures of a group of kids, one of whom is abducted. When the police have trouble turning up leads, it’s up to the abducted boy’s sister to use her psychic dreams to lead a rescue, but one wrong move may get these youngsters killed (or worse).

Fittingly enough, the cast of The Black Phone is primarily filled with rising stars like Mason Thames (best known outside this movie for the show For All Mankind) and Madeleine McGraw (best known outside this movie for the show Outcast), who play the dynamic duo at the heart of this bleak drama. Speaking of bleak, veteran performer Jeremy Davies (best known for Saving Private Ryan) does an excellent job as an alcoholic father who doesn’t believe his children’s warnings about the local child murderer. That character is played to chilling perfection by Ethan Hawke (best known for Training Day), and his performance effortlessly elevates what might have

A Horrific Hit With Critics And Audiences

When The Black Phone came out, it earned $161.4 million against a budget of only about $17 million. That’s the kind of horror movie that studios love to see: one that earns nearly 10 times its budget while becoming a breakout pop culture hit. Because of this, a sequel quickly got the green light, and The Black Phone 2 slashed its way into theaters in 2025.

While horror movies often fail to impress critics, The Black Phone was the exception: on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has an 81 percent, with reviewers praising it for being as frighteningly well-acted as it is bone-chillingly scary. They also commended the movie for being an effective adaptation of a short story written by Joe Hill over two decades ago. Notably, The Black Phone has an 88 percent audience score, proving that audiences hungry for fresh horror love this iconic thriller even more than the critics do.

Horror Has A New Face

If you’re a fan of the horror genre, there is plenty to like about The Black Phone, starting with Ethan Hawke’s hypnotically creepy performance as The Grabber: while his fearsome mask and gruesome proclivities help make him frightening, he elicits a very different fear from villains like Jason Voorhees or Freddie Krueger. He’s not some dream demon or resurrected zombie out to cause as much mayhem as possible. Rather, he’s a very human threat, and a cancerous community presence that targets children specifically because they are so vulnerable.

Speaking of which, a big part of what makes The Black Phone work so well is that it constantly emphasizes the vulnerability of our young protagonists. You know that skin-crawling feeling you get when a killer (say, Art the Clown in Terrifier 3) is attacking someone in the shower? That feeling comes from knowing the characters are helpless in the face of something almost unstoppably malevolent. That malevolence permeates The Black Phone like a shroud, creating an atmosphere of menacing suspense that is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat.

The Scary Movie You’ve Been Looking For

Finally, The Black Phone is great because the film never glosses over the grit and grime of its period setting. Everything looks palpably dirty, which helps give the film its gritty texture while serving as an extension of The Grabber’s malign influence. This is a town where nothing ever looks or feels clean, and why should it? After all, the dirtiest thing of all, a child predator, hides in plain sight among his victims.

Will you agree that The Black Phone is a creepy thriller from beginning to end, or is this one horror movie you’d rather hang up on? The only way to find out is to stream it on Netflix today. Just do yourself a favor and don’t watch it too close to bedtime; otherwise, I won’t be held responsible for the weird nightmares you end up having!

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