Entertainment
10 Heaviest Musical Movies, Ranked
Do you like movies where people break into song? Do you like dancing? Do you like Singin’ in the Rain, Mary Poppins, and The Sound of Music? You could’ve answered yes to all those questions, and still, you might watch some of the following and not really love them. They are musical movies, but they’re not really fun musicals, to put it mildly.
Some of the following titles might have entertaining scenes, or some comparatively fun/light moments, but you wouldn’t really feel comfortable calling any of them feel-good. It’ll start off with some that might be a little more bittersweet, rather than outright miserable, but things will end with the inevitable heaviest musical movies of all time. Spoilers won’t be gone into too much, but a movie being here does suggest, at the very least, that the ending likely won’t be entirely happy, you know?
10
‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ (1973)
Starting off with something a bit obscure, or maybe just not quite as well-known as some of the soon-to-be-mentioned movies, here’s Jesus Christ Superstar. It sounds pretty wild, and maybe even campy, because it’s about Jesus during his final days, with Judas also being a prominent character, and what happens in the Bible during that relevant part plays out here, just as a musical.
The betrayal and death inherent to this part of the Bible obviously take place here, and Jesus Christ Superstar also has some difficult questions it raises about things related to the Bible, and then some things more recent, or beyond the Bible. It’s not exactly comparable, and wasn’t as controversial, but it almost (emphasis on the almost) does for this part of Jesus’s life what The Last Temptation of Christ did, in terms of being a somewhat striking and daring re-imagining, though that film did admittedly lack singing and dancing (had some great music, though).
9
‘Better Man’ (2024)
Thankfully, a good deal of Better Man is about overcoming personal struggles that one grapples with when they start to become famous. It’s about Robbie Williams who, at the time of writing, is still alive, and so you know Better Man isn’t going to have as heavy an ending as biopics that were made after a famous person’s death, since they’ll often end with that, or imply it’s about to happen.
It’s just that with Better Man, punches aren’t pulled when it comes to depicting the hardships. It’s a movie that tackles addiction, self-hatred, and insecurity in genuinely upsetting ways, in its most intense moments. That does make the personal victories achieved near the end feel all the more meaningful, but the film as a whole is more of an emotional roller-coaster than many give it credit for. Oh, and also, Robbie Williams is a chimpanzee the whole movie. And it works, somehow.
8
‘Les Misérables’ (2012)
With that title, if Les Misérables ended up not having some amount of misery in it, might you not feel a little disappointed? It’s based on a novel about hardships, crime, justice, and redemption or, more accurately, it’s based on a stage musical that was based on a novel about those things. So, Les Misérables is maybe technically an adaptation of the novel, but not to the same extent as those adaptations without the songs.
They go heavy on the singing here, with every line being sung, and then they naturally go pretty heavy on the emotional stuff here, too. Some people go through it, in Les Misérables, a little more than others, but some people do lose a ton and have to keep on struggling. If it were a better movie quality-wise (it’s inconsistent), it might rank higher, because that could mean the emotional scenes hit harder, but some of the tragic/dramatic moments in this particular adaptation do come across as a little silly at times, sadly.
7
‘All That Jazz’ (1979)
It’s not the only movie here about death in some way, but All That Jazz is really, really focused on dying and death to an extent few musicals are. The main character here is living a life that is, to put it mildly, too busy. He keeps working, pushing himself, and alienating people, and then some health problems worsen, and he eventually finds himself having to face the fact that if his life continues in such a way, said life probably won’t go on for much longer.
All That Jazz also isn’t as much of a musical as some other movies here, with the big musical numbers not really coming in until the end, and also being implemented in a way that feels too surprising to outright ruin. Yes, it’s an old movie, and avoiding discussion of the plot for something that’s nearing half a century in age might sound silly, but if you’ve not seen All That Jazz and still want to, then you’ll be thankful. And if you’ve seen All That Jazz, you know what all those somewhat vague words mean. Everybody wins, while talking about movies where not many people win. Yay?
6
‘Phantom of the Paradise’ (1974)
At least there’s quite a lot of camp to be found in Phantom of the Paradise, which evens things out a little, taking that alongside the darker and more grisly parts. It’s a horror/comedy film that also functions as a musical, and then it’s a few other genres at the same time. It’s a bit of everything. It’s chaotic. So much is not only thrown in, but jam-packed into it all, since it’s not a long movie, in the end, at just over 90 minutes.
Phantom of the Paradise is a horror/comedy film that also functions as a musical, and then it’s a few other genres at the same time. It’s a bit of everything. It’s chaotic.
In case you couldn’t guess, that also makes it imperfect, but there’s a charm here, at least at times, and you have to admire how far Phantom of the Paradise pushes things. With the stuff it takes influence from (including the legend of Faust and, unsurprisingly, The Phantom of the Opera), tragic elements are inevitable, but to have tragedy and horror-tinged bloodshed hitting you in the face at the same time as all the absurd and weird stuff makes the whole film a rather interesting experience.
5
‘A Star Is Born’ (1954)
You don’t get much happiness with any version of A Star Is Born, because the story always has to be a tragic one. If you found the 2018 version surprising, then good for you! But if you were familiar with the iconic (though not quite as good) 1976 version, or the (perhaps underrated and probably the strongest overall) 1954 version, then you surely saw the sadness coming. The 1937 version (the original) is interesting, too; just not as much of a musical or anything.
All these movies are about the entertainment industry, and the sadness comes about because the love story each one tells is about someone who’s on the up, in their industry, and then the other person in love is going down, and losing popularity. They meet maybe in the middle, Benjamin Button-style, for all too short a time, and then things progress to where you fear they might. Every time. And it just never stops being sad, but it might be narratively at its saddest in the 1954 version, thanks to Judy Garland and James Mason giving probably the two best performances of their respective careers.
4
‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ (2007)
You get a lot of gothic horror in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and it’s paired surprisingly well with some suitably dark songs. It’s easy to explain why this movie is showing up here, just by summarizing the premise, since Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is about a man who murders people through his work as a barber, and then his neighbor/accomplice bakes their bodies into pies.
There’s more to it than that, with some complex moral questions and villains who are interesting and ultimately humanized, and then everyone feels like they’re pretty much probably doomed. But it’s all equal parts gloomy, beautiful, and violent before that point, benefiting from some of the best directing Tim Burton’s ever done (hell, he probably makes what is, so far, his best 21st century release here, truth be told).
3
‘Cabaret’ (1972)
Before All That Jazz, Bob Fosse also directed Cabaret, which is another grim musical, but grim in a different way. All That Jazz was introspective and psychologically intense, while Cabaret is more about a society’s downfall, and people not really noticing until it’s too late. It takes place in Berlin during the 1930s, and so the rise of fascism in Germany before World War II is dealt with, albeit in an interesting and unexpected way.
It’s in the background until it’s in the foreground. Watching it and comparing it to other organizations that have risen seemingly out of nowhere, but only seemingly, because you were distracted by something else… it’s uncomfortable to think about. Best to keep it vague, but there’s a lot to apply Cabaret to, both concerning the past and present, and maybe (but also hopefully not) the future, too.
2
‘West Side Story’ (1961)
It’s Romeo and Juliet, but with a more modern setting and also a good deal more singing, so yes, West Side Story gets inevitably tragic. If Romeo and Juliet weren’t super famous and also super old, that might feel like a spoiler, but, you know… you kind of see where this one is going. It might not go to the exact same places as Romeo and Juliet, yet the places are inevitably similar.
And tragically similar. Watching West Side Story is a bit like rewatching Titanic. You hope, every time, that things will be a little different, and that either the iceberg will be missed or that fateful street fight will get called off, but you’re never so lucky, and neither are the characters in either movie. Oh, well. At least the sadness here, in West Side Story, is also kind of broad and big, and so the tears shed are cathartic ones.
1
‘Dancer in the Dark’ (2000)
Dancer in the Dark has a reputation for being sad, so you enter into it feeling fairly prepared for a tearjerker, and yet it still ends up being surprising just how heavy it gets. Maybe saying that it almost feels like a horror movie at times is a slight exaggeration, but it’s not hard to call it one of the bleakest dramas of all time, even of all those that don’t include singing.
When you take into account specifically those with some singing and/or dancing (musicals, in other words, or technically another word), then yes, Dancer in the Dark is likely the heaviest and bleakest and whatever other adjective you want to use in place of “saddest.” The pun’s inappropriate, but what the movie is about was danced around just now, sure, but if you’ve seen it, then you definitely know why Dancer in the Dark has to secure the #1 position here.
Dancer in the Dark
- Release Date
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October 6, 2000
- Runtime
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140 Minutes
- Director
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Lars von Trier
- Writers
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Lars von Trier, Sjon
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Entertainment
Prime Video’s 6-Part Psychological Thriller Is So Good, You’ll Finish It in One Weekend
David Cronenberg is one of the most important names in horror history, as the description “Cronenbergian” is often applied to innovative works of bodily terror. Cronenberg has many films that have been accepted as classics, but few are more iconic than the 1988 masterpiece Dead Ringers, which starred Jeremy Irons as identical twins. While it’s hardly the first instance in which an actor played twins on screen, Dead Ringers was a bold and subversive look at the grotesque world of medical malpractice. There is never a point in rebooting a classic property without a fresh take, and thankfully, the Prime Video reimagining of Dead Ringers is a totally distinct entity.
Although gender-flipping leading characters has become common within contemporary reboots, Dead Ringers inverts the original material with a feminist slant, given that it’s a story in which the two main characters are gynecologists. That narrative has a different connotation within the new version, as Rachel Weisz plays twin sisters who have sought to control and subvert bodily autonomy through their research. Beverly and Elliot Mantle share a unified interest in revamping the birthing process, but have very different means of executing their goals. Cronenberg’s film was a breakthrough for its time, but the series has been updated to address the radically different landscape for medical research in the 2020s. Dead Ringers is an homage that doesn’t feel like a clone; ironically, the show’s best virtue is that it isn’t identical.
‘Dead Ringers’ Is a Fresh Take on a Horror Classic
The most important aspect of any new take on an established piece of material is using the possibilities of a different medium, and Dead Ringers is retooled to work as a series that can’t rely as heavily on shock value. Cronenberg’s film had to build up to its most visceral scares, but that momentum could never have been sustained over the course of six episodes. As a result, Dead Ringers is able to retain a consistent sense of unease by showing the casual danger of what the Mantles do, as any procedure they perform has the potential to go wrong. It’s because the depiction of medical care feels so authentic that it becomes more shocking when the twins begin to diverge from their accepted policies; it’s evident that they are not only driven by passion to help women find peace, but also out of a desire to see what the human body is capable of. This could have easily felt exploitative, but Weisz brilliantly shows how both Beverly and Elliot have found tranquility through their profession; to them, surgery is just a form of art.
The TV Adaptation of ‘Dead Ringers’ Is Even Bolder Than Cronenberg’s Original
This thrilling reimagining delves into its disturbing subject matter far deeper than its predecessor.
The most challenging conceit in Dead Ringers was that the show had to ensure that both characters were distinguishable from one another, which is much harder to do in practice than it is in theory. Keeping two versions of the same actor straight in a series is already difficult, and Weisz has to do many scenes in which she has chemistry with herself. Although there are a few overt physical distinctions when it comes to body language and hairstyle, the difference between the Mantle sisters is in their conduct; Elliot uses foul language, manages a drug addiction, and engages in more social activities, whereas Beverly is more refined and constantly refers to her twin with disparaging language. They’re two distinct characters, but Weisz also makes them feel linked in a manner that is thematically sound. Since Elliot and Beverly represent two different sides of the same coin, it would make sense that they could only unlock their true potential while working together.
‘Dead Ringers’ Has the Best Performance of Rachel Weisz’s Career
Weisz pulls off an impossible challenge of making her characters both intimidating and slightly empathetic, as the series deals with the ways in which institutions have been corrupted by private equity. It’s an unfortunate reality that many of the most advanced medical innovations have been funded through donors, and the Mantle sisters are forced to take capital from the private investor Rebecca Parke (Jennifer Ehle), who has her own agenda. The consequence of this is that the backers funding the Mantles’ research don’t put safeguards in place that account for their erratic, potentially volatile behavior. Cronenberg’s films have always had a political edge, but Dead Ringers had the ambition to address the changing economic context of the original film’s thesis.
Horror television often runs into a sustainability issue, as audiences may not want to stew in such uncomfortable emotional places for the same extended amount of time that they would in a film. Thankfully, Dead Ringers is filled with mystery and dark comedy, as there is an inherent playfulness in the notion of women dedicated to preserving life while often courting death. It’s the rare reboot that works for multiple audiences; it’s both suited to those who can appreciate the homages to Cronenberg and those who want to see something with fresh eyes. It can be hard to tell which horror shows are actually worth investing in, but Dead Ringers is more than just a gimmick. It’s frightful, innovative, and thought-provoking television, and may end up spawning the same cult appreciation that the original film did.
Dead Ringers
- Release Date
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2023 – 2023-00-00
- Network
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Prime Video
- Directors
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Sean Durkin, Lauren Wolkstein, Karyn Kusama
Plot holes are kind of impossible to avoid in storytelling, and honestly, at times, the audience is willing to play along. If the story is good enough, a few logical leaps here and there don’t really matter. However, things get messy when writers push that limit a little too far. HBO, for all its prestige and reputation, is no exception. In fact, some of the network’s most iconic series are also the biggest offenders when it comes to obvious inconsistencies and unresolved arcs.
That doesn’t necessarily make them bad, though. If anything, it makes their success all the more fascinating. After all, it takes a truly great story to keep the viewers hooked even when the cracks in the plot are right there in plain sight. Here is a list of successful HBO shows that serve as perfect examples of that.
6
‘Westworld’ (2016–2022)
Westworld started as one of HBO’s most ambitious shows with a premise that instantly hooked the audience. The sci-fi series, created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, is about a hyperrealistic Wild West theme park populated by android hosts, where wealthy guests can indulge in their darkest fantasies without consequence. The show was meant to be a philosophical exploration of free will, consciousness, and what it truly means to be human. Now, Westworld Season 1 perfectly set up this concept with a gripping and layered central mystery. However, as the show expands its world, it begins to lose the plot big time. The storytelling begins increasingly convoluted, and timelines start blurring into each other to the point where the rules of the show’s own universe start feeling inconsistent.
Characters are repeatedly killed and revived without clear stakes, major arcs are unresolved, and key plots like the fate of the Outliers never receive a satisfying payoff. The thing about Westworld is that it isn’t necessarily a bad show, but its tendency to constantly reinvent itself comes at the expense of the story and characters. Each season turns the status quo upside down and makes the audience feel that the show is more interested in escalating its complexity than in actually following through on already-established ideas.
5
‘Euphoria’ (2019–2026)
Image via HBO Max
Euphoria has been one of the most talked-about shows of the last decade. The controversial teen drama, created by Sam Levinson, stars Zendaya as Rue Bennett, a high-schooler battling addiction along with a group of her friends and classmates, all navigating their own struggles with identity and trauma. The series takes place in a hyper-stylized world that instantly became its signature and mirrored the chaos that its characters live in. The show has been widely praised for its performances, cinematography, and raw depiction of teenage life. However, for all its strength, the drama has also faced consistent criticism for gaps in its storytelling. Euphoria Season 2 in particular feels messy, inconsistent, and clearly prioritizes shock value over any semblance of character arcs.
Some of these issues include Nate’s (Jacob Elordi) sudden fixation on Cassie despite hating her throughout Euphoria Season 1. Entire character arcs are dropped, like Kat’s (Barbie Ferriera) being reduced to a side character or McKay (Algee Smith) being written out with no explanation. However, Rue’s storyline with Laurie (Martha Kelly) and the fact that she escapes that dangerous situation without any consequence is easily one of the biggest plot holes in the series. Some might argue that all of these loose ends will be solved by Season 3. That doesn’t take away from the fact that the show struggles with its own stakes. Euphoria thrives on how it makes the audience feel in the moment, but once they step back, the cracks in the narrative are impossible to ignore.
4
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
Game of Thrones has practically defined prestige television for the better part of the last two decades. The series, based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, takes place in an expansive, fantastical world and centers on the intense power struggle between the seven kingdoms for the Iron Throne. There’s no denying that the show has already gone down in pop culture history for its meticulous storytelling and unmatched worldbuilding. However, as the series moved beyond its source material, logic took a backseat to the spectacle, and that proved to be a major mistake. The later seasons destroyed the legacy that the show had spent around eight years constructing.
Entire storylines felt rushed or abandoned, including Cersei’s (Lena Headey) pregnancy and the prophecy of “The Prince That Was Promised.” Even major narrative arcs like Jon Snow’s (Kit Harrington) true lineage and Daenerys’ (Emilia Clarke) descent into madness ultimately had little impact on the outcome of the story. By the end, it felt like the show was just leaning on convenience to wrap things up, and in doing so, it set up many ideas that were never fully explored. The notorious ending of Game of Thrones raised more questions than answers and is widely considered one of the worst series finales of all time. Despite a rushed finish, though, Game of Thrones is still an undeniable landmark in TV history, with two spinoffs already airing and several others in the works.
3
‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)
The Leftovers is a show that fully embraces ambiguity, but that is no excuse for all the plot holes it has left behind. The series, created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, begins with two percent of the world’s population suddenly vanishing without explanation. However, the show isn’t about where they went, but it focuses on the people left behind as they grapple with grief and faith in the wake of a phenomenon that just can’t be explained. The show’s deliberate refusal to provide easy answers gives it its emotional weight, but also tends to get frustrating at times. The Leftovers often sets up certain storylines only to abandon them in the middle. For example, Kevin Garvey’s (Justin Theroux) repeated resurrections are never grounded in any clear logic.
Not to mention the entire situation with the Guilty Remnant feels like one of the show’s most interesting elements until the viewer realizes that their larger purpose is never actually explored. Even broader world-building elements like the earthquakes or the surreal hotel world are introduced with weight but never really explained in relation to the overall narrative. Sure, some of this is intentional, but there is a fine line between leaving things to the audience’s interpretation and careless storytelling. Despite all that, though, there’s no denying that The Leftovers is one of HBO’s most emotionally complex stories.
2
‘True Detective’ (2014–Present)
True Detective Season 1 is peak TV, but unfortunately, it goes downhill from there. The HBO crime anthology begins with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as two detectives trying to solve a disturbing ritualistic murder case. Each subsequent season has introduced a new cast and case, with the most recent one being True Detective: Night Country starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis. For all its ambition, though, the one thing the show has struggled with is consistency.
True Detective Season 2, in particular, is often criticized for being overly convoluted and weighed down by too many characters and subplots that ultimately go nowhere. It often feels like the show is focusing more on mood and character rather than telling a believable story. Its best moments have always come from the dynamic between its detectives and philosophical dialogue, but even then, the show’s glaring plot holes are hard to miss. Even at its messiest, though, True Detective is undeniably a great watch.
1
‘The Last of Us’ (2023–Present)
The Last of Us quickly established itself as one of HBO’s biggest hits and set the gold standard for video game adaptations. The post-apocalyptic drama follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), who is tasked with escorting Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across a post-apocalyptic United States to a revolutionary group known as the Fireflies. Now, what raises the stakes is that this teenage girl may hold the key to curing a fungal infection that is slowly taking over humanity. The drama series is far from a typical zombie show, though, because it leans heavily into character-driven storytelling.
However, for a show that attempts to remain grounded in realism, there are plenty of moments where its internal logic starts to crack. Plenty of Joel’s decisions make little sense from a practical point of view. Even the broader stakes, such as the Fireflies’ plan to immediately operate on Ellie without exploring any other alternatives, feel rushed and oddly underdeveloped. A lot of moments in the show rely entirely on convenience or shock value. One can overlook these gaps thanks to the cast’s brilliant performances and the emotional payoff of it all, but they do make it harder to fully buy into the world at times.
The Last of Us
- Release Date
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January 15, 2023
- Network
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HBO
- Showrunner
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Craig Mazin
- Directors
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Craig Mazin, Peter Hoar, Jeremy Webb, Ali Abbasi, Mark Mylod, Stephen Williams, Jasmila Žbanić, Liza Johnson, Nina Lopez-Corrado
Some sci-fi movies are too strange, too sincere, or just too out-of-step with the moment they arrive in. Reminiscence was probably all three. Lisa Joy’s feature directorial debut had a very specific kind of dreamy, flooded-neon melancholy that never really clicked commercially, but it has started finding new attention on streaming. Earlier this year, coverage noted that the film was drawing fresh viewers on HBO Max, which makes sense for something this mood-driven and weirdly romantic.
The cast was never the problem. Reminiscence stars Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Daniel Wu, Cliff Curtis, Angela Sarafyan, Natalie Martinez, Brett Cullen, and Marina de Tavira. The story follows a private investigator who uses memory-exploration technology to help clients revisit their past, only to become obsessed with finding a vanished woman. It’s pure tech-noir pulp, just draped in a more mournful and romantic register than audiences maybe expected.
Is ‘Reminiscence’ Worth Watching?
Collider’s review of the movie stated that Reminiscence is an ambitious but ultimately disappointing attempt to fuse classic noir with futuristic sci-fi, undone by shallow thematic execution. Lisa Joy’s heavy-handed narration and underdeveloped class commentary talk down to the audience rather than trusting the visuals or story to do the work. Despite its intriguing premise and atmospheric setting, Reminiscence ends up feeling like stylish texture without substance, culminating in a forgettable and emotionally hollow conclusion.
“What’s more frustrating is that the class commentary is merely window dressing. It kind of positions Mae’s story as a consequence of class conflict, but it doesn’t have much to do with Nick. It’s simply the world he inhabits, and while he doesn’t need to be a class warrior or anything like that, his perceptions of the world exist separate from his personal journey to find Mae. He doesn’t see the world one way and have that perception changed through his relationship with Mae, so it’s just Joy embracing her own cleverness by showing a sci-fi world that emphasizes class conflict. However, she doesn’t do the work to connect that world to her protagonist’s story, so it all feels hollow. Reminiscence is texture without purpose.”
Reminiscence is streaming now.
- Release Date
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August 20, 2021
- Runtime
-
116 minutes
- Director
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Lisa Joy
Gayle King is throwing her support behind Savannah Guthrie and her Today show comeback as the investigation surrounding her mother Nancy’s disappearance continues.
Speaking to Us Weekly at the Breakthrough Prize event in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 18, King, 71, said she was happy to see Savannah back on air despite the difficult circumstances she’s facing.
“Listen, we’re just glad Savannah’s back, but of course, our hearts are still aching and still breaking,” King told Us. She added, “There are no words to describe what she’s going through.”
The CBS Mornings presenter also urged anyone with information about what happened to Nancy to come forward.
Gayle King struggled to hold back tears as she addressed the news surrounding Today host Savannah Guthrie, whose mother, Nancy Guthrie, has gone missing. “We’re starting things a little differently this morning because like you, we’re all waking up this morning with very heavy hearts [and] praying for our friend and our colleague, Savannah Guthrie,” […]
“I’m still hoping that somebody will do the right thing,” King continued. “Somebody, somebody out there knows something, and it’s shocking to me after seeing Savannah open up her heart, after looking at the video that we all saw, and after the million dollars reward that there has not been some resolution in this case.”
She added, “So I am just here wishing her well and cheering. I’m glad that she’s back.”
Savannah, 54, returned to Today on April 6 after two months away dealing with the disappearance of her mother Nancy, who was reported missing in Arizona on February 1.
“Good morning, welcome to Today on this Monday morning. We are so glad you started your week with us, and it is good to be home,” she told viewers during her first episode back.
Savannah and Nancy Guthrie. Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC)
Savannah took a step back from the show at the time, traveling from New York to Arizona amid the police investigation into her mother’s disappearance. During Savannah’s absence from Today, Hoda Kotb filled in for her.
Savannah and her siblings Annie Guthrie and Camron Guthrie have pleaded for the public’s help in finding their mother since she disappeared, offering a $1 million reward for information leading to her recovery.
Savannah Guthrie will share more insight into the disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, in a new interview more than 50 days after the 84-year-old went missing. During the Wednesday, March 25, episode of the Today show, host Craig Melvin introduced a clip from Savannah’s upcoming sit-down with Hoda Kotb, marking her first interview about […]
In one video released by Savannah, Annie and Camron via social media, they begged for Nancy’s safe return.
“We received your message and we understand,” Savannah said in a video shared on February 7, while flanked by and holding the hands of her siblings. “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us and we will pay.”
On February 10, the FBI released photos and video footage of a masked individual at Nancy’s home. However, no suspects have been officially identified since her disappearance.
Entertainment
Rebecca Ferguson’s Forgotten 115-Minute Sci-Fi Sequel Is Quietly Climbing Global Streaming Charts
Men in Black: International is one of those franchise reboots people more or less decided on immediately, which meant it never got much room to become anything else. But streaming is often kinder to movies that arrive with baggage, and that seems to be happening here. Earlier this year, the film started drawing renewed attention on Starz in the U.S., while overseas streaming charts have also shown it popping up in places like France. That doesn’t make it a full-scale global juggernaut, but it does mean the movie is finding a broader second life than its original reputation might suggest.
Men in Black: International stars Chris Hemsworth as Agent H, Tessa Thompson as Agent M, Liam Neeson as High T, Emma Thompson as Agent O, Rebecca Ferguson as Riza Stavros, Kumail Nanjiani as Pawny, and Rafe Spall as Agent C. On paper, that’s a really appealing sci-fi comedy ensemble, especially with Hemsworth and Thompson reuniting after the Thor movies.
Is ‘Men in Black: International’ Worth Watching?
Collider’s review stated that Men in Black: International really came down to the sheer appeal of its two stars. The dynamic helps carry the movie through action scenes and story beats that might otherwise feel pretty flat. The review also pointed out that touches like the broader world-building, some fun support from Pawny, and the natural pull of the central duo gave the film a sense of missed opportunity. It may not fully come together, but there’s still enough there to make it an entertaining watch.
“As Agent H, Hemsworth is basically ramping up the most dick-ish of Thor Odinson’s personality quirks, but weaponizing well-timed smirks or winks—or, let’s be honest, an unbuttoned button—to make us still like him. Thompson has the harder role; Agent M is extremely competent and a bit of a fangirl for the Men in Black at the same time. Thompson combines those two qualities into pure, crackling energy. That’s the funny part, really. Thanks to the combination of Hemsworth + Thompson + the world-building, I’d watch the hell out of a sequel to this movie despite feeling cold about it overall.”
Men in Black: International is currently streaming.
- Release Date
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June 12, 2019
- Runtime
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115 minutes
- Director
-
F. Gary Gray
Aaron Eckhart fans are currently gearing up for a turbulent flight, as The Dark Knight star’s next project opens in theaters on May 1. An action-packed survival thriller from Deep Blue Sea director Renny Harlin, Deep Water follows a flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai that, while coasting over the middle of the Pacific, enters a terrifying storm that sends everyone on board into the cold ocean below. Just when things couldn’t get worse, along come the sharks. Alongside Eckhart, the movie also stars the likes of Ben Kingsley (Iron Man 3), Angus Sampson (Insidious), Lucy Barrett (Charmed), Kelly Gale (Plane), Richard Crouchley (Evil Dead Rise), and more.
In anticipation of Eckhart’s latest release, fans have been flocking to one of his lesser-spotted recent projects. Thieves Highway, a 2025 neo-Western that made very little impact upon arrival, is perhaps one of the more underrated entries in Eckhart’s impressive catalog, thanks simply to it falling so far under most radars. Directed by Jesse V. Jackson, who also worked with Eckhart on the 2024 conspiracy thriller Chief of Station, Thieves Highway also featured performances from the likes of Devon Sawa, Brooke Langton, and Lochlyn Munroe.
At the time of writing, and seemingly against the odds, Thieves Highway has risen to the very top of the Hulu movie streaming charts in the U.S., outperforming the likes of Gaten Matarazzo‘s new comedy Pizza Movie, the original The Devil Wears Prada, and Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice. A synopsis for Thieves Highway reads:
“Lawman Frank Bennett uncovers a massive smuggling operation after a deadly confrontation. Cut off from cell service and without his truck, he’s forced to take on a dangerous gang led by a deranged ex-military commander.”
What Did Critics Say About ‘Thieves Highway’?
So under-seen that it doesn’t even have a rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, those who did catch Thieves Highway in 2025 responded with mixed reviews. Whilst some praised the movie’s gripping lead performance, saying, “Eckhart anchors the film with a world-weary, classic sense of morality,” others were not so impressed with the project as a whole, saying, “Johnson and Mills do some fun maneuvering with their characters and Eckhart is a sturdy enough lead. But the storytelling takes too many shortcuts and the overall lack of suspense keeps us one step ahead.”
Thieves Highway is streaming on Hulu. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates, and check out Eckhart’s next movie, Deep Water, in theaters on May 1.
- Release Date
-
May 1, 2026
- Runtime
-
106 minutes
- Director
-
Renny Harlin
The Golden State Warriors’ future is looking murky after the team’s loss in the NBA play-in tournament, and head coach Steve Kerr seems to know it.
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen next,” said Kerr to players Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in a huddle on the sideline. “But I love you guys to death. Thank you.”
The heartfelt moment — picked up by a TV microphone — came in the waning seconds of a 111-96 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday, April 17, ending the Warriors’ season.
The final buzzer marked the end of Kerr’s contract with the Warriors, and the 60-year-old said after the game that he’s going to take a few weeks to mull over his future.
Stephen Curry added another major milestone to his Hall of Fame career on Thursday, March 12, when he connected on his 4,000th career three-pointer in his Golden State Warriors’ 130-104 win over the Sacramento Kings. Curry, who turns 37 on Friday, is the first player in NBA history to reach the milestone. “It’s a clear […]
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Kerr said to reporters. “I still love coaching, but I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date. There is a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas.”
He continued, “I don’t want to walk away from Steph. I’m definitely not going and coaching somewhere else next year in the NBA. I would never walk away from Steph. But all this stuff has to be aligned and right. Those are all discussions that will be had.”
Head coach Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green hug during the final moments of an NBA play-in tournament game Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Curry, 38, joined the Warriors in 2009. Green, 36, was drafted by the team in 2012. Kerr took over as head coach in 2014, and together the three helped build one of the most dominant dynasties in NBA history.
In the 12 seasons since Kerr joined Curry and Green in Golden State, the Warriors have won four NBA titles (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022). They’ve reached the playoffs eight times and played in six NBA Finals.
“If [my time is done], then I will be nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise in front of our fans and to coach Steph Curry, [Draymond Green], the whole group,” Kerr said. “It may still go on. It may not. I don’t know at this point. But we all need to step away a little bit and then reconvene.”
Both Curry and Green have expressed interest in continuing to play for the Warriors. While Curry still has one more season on his contract, Green has the option to opt out of his contract with his player option for next season.
Despite the option, Green reiterated after Friday’s game that he wants to remain in Golden State.
“Hopefully I’ve done enough to still be here,” Green said.
Summer House star Kyle Cooke has seen his estranged wife, Amanda Batula, kissing West Wilson — which might have been a bridge too far.
“Was not prepared to see that,” Cooke, 43, wrote via Threads on Saturday, April 18, responding to the Summer House chain. “And that. And that 🤢.”
Cooke’s costar Mia Calabrese replied, “Kyle, I left you for 1 hour….”
The Bravo show’s thread had been abuzz since Batula, 34, and Wilson, 31, were spotted at the New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals baseball game on Friday, April 17. The duo even packed on the PDA when the stadium’s Kiss Cam panned to their seats.
Batula and Cooke were married for four years, announcing in January that they had separated. She confirmed her romance with Wilson just three months later.
“We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity. It was never our intention to purposely hide anything,” West and Batula wrote in a joint statement last month. “Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we needed a little space to process things privately before speaking on it.”
They continued at the time, “We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected. Our connection grew out of a genuine, longstanding friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care.”
Cooke and his Summer House costars were shocked by the reveal, including Ciara Miller. The former nurse, 30, dated Wilson in 2023 and was close friends with Batula. She told Glamour in a Friday profile published before the MLB game that she found out about their decision to go public t less than one hour before the statement was shared online.
Kyle Cooke reveals he’s spoken to Ciara Miller about estranged wife Amanda Batula and West Wilson’s relationship drama — and she had “evidence” from the start. “I think she had more evidence at her disposal than I did,” Cooke, 43, told Adam Glyn in a TikTok video uploaded on Wednesday, April 1. “She was trying […]
“It’s one thing to experience hurt behind closed doors,” Miller told Glamour. “To experience it so publicly is like another layer, and then to have to see what you thought was your life still play out in season 10. It’s a major mindf***.”
As for Cooke, he was recently seen kissing The Real Housewives of Orange County alum Meghan King on Thursday, April 16.
“Kyle didn’t know Meghan prior to being at the same event last night. She had pursued him the second she saw him,” a source exclusively told Us. “It’s nothing serious, but they did hang out all night even after the event was over, and made out several times in public.”
Nicole Kidman is reflecting on the moment she was told her mother Janelle Kidman had died right before she was about to go on stage to accept an award.
Speaking to Variety on Saturday, April 18, Nicole, 58, detailed how she found out about the loss at the Venice International Film Festival as she was preparing to accept a best actress award for her role in Babygirl.
“I was about to go out on stage, and I found out that my mother had passed,” Nicole told the outlet. “I went right back to my room in Venice, was getting into bed, and I was completely devastated.”
Nicole added that as she digested the sad news at the time, she thought to herself, “‘I’m not sure how I’m going to move forward or function now.’ She was so much a part of my existence.”
Nicole Kidman spoke about missing her late mother Janelle, who died last month at age 84. “It’s been hard,” Nicole, 57, told The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, October 23 at the Lioness season 2 premiere in Los Angeles. “It’s a hard road. I’m hanging in there.” The actress admitted it was bittersweet to be celebrating […]
In September 2024, the Big Little Lies actress left Venice early to make her way home to Australia after learning of Janelle’s death.
Speaking to Variety on Saturday, Nicole also described her “harrowing” attempt to leave Venice in the middle of the night trying to return to her home country.
“I remember getting into a boat in the canal, literally at night, trying to find my way to the airport, and then turning around going, ‘I can’t even do this,’” she said. “Then I went back to bed. And I was alone. My husband wasn’t there, my children weren’t there. I was there to win an award, which should’ve been a beautiful thing. That there is the contrast of life.” (Nicole was married to Keith Urban at the time, with whom she shares daughters Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14. Nicole and Urban finalized their divorce in January.)
Janelle and Nicole Kidman. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)
At the time, Babygirl director Halina Reijn confirmed Janelle’s death as she read a statement on behalf of Nicole during a Venice International Film Festival panel.
“Today I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after, that my beautiful, brave mother Janelle Ann Kidman has just passed,” Reijn, 50, read on Nicole’s behalf. “I am in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her, she shaped me, she guided me and she made me.”
Nicole Kidman paid tribute to her late parents in honor of her mother’s birthday. “Missing Mumma and Papa so much on what would have been her birthday today ❤️,” the actress, 57, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, March 12, alongside a throwback pic of her mom, Janelle Ann, and dad, Antony. The photograph showed Kidman’s […]
The statement continued, “I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina, the collision of life and art is heart-breaking, and my heart is broken.”
Less than a week after their mother’s death Nicole and her sister Antonia, 55, took to Instagram to share a joint post thanking friends and fans for their condolences and well wishes.
“My sister and I along with our family want to thank you for the outpouring of love and kindness we have felt this week,” Nicole and Antonia wrote. “Every message we have received from those who loved and admired our Mother has meant more to us than we will ever be able to express. Thank you from our whole family for respecting our privacy as we take care of each other ❤️”
Entertainment
Prime Video’s Near-Perfect Action Hit Is Exactly What John Wick’s ‘Ballerina’ Should Have Been
Having clearly appealed to fans across demographics, a new Prime Video movie is proving to be a major hit for the streamer amid much bigger titles. It was released in the wake of star-driven tentpoles such as The Wrecking Crew, led by Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista, and Mercy, the sci-fi mystery starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson. Both films dominated the Prime Video streaming charts for several weeks before the all-female action movie came out of nowhere to take the number one spot. It remains one of the top 10 movies on the global Prime Video leaderboard, and recently passed a major milestone.
The movie, directed by Vicky Jewson, features a quintet of young women as ballerinas who must defend themselves against a sinister adversary played by Uma Thurman. The five protagonists are played by Lana Condor, the star of Netflix’s To All the Boys trilogy; Iris Apatow, who played a supporting role in the Netflix series Love; Millicent Simmonds, who starred in A Quiet Place and its sequel; Maddie Ziegler, who rose to fame after appearing in a couple of Sia music videos; and Avantika, who played a supporting role in the Mean Girls remake.
Here’s the Action Movie That’s Ruling Prime Video’s Streaming Charts
The movie in question is Pretty Lethal. It premiered on Prime Video on March 25 and, according to FlixPatrol, has spent more than 20 days on the streamer’s top 10 charts. Pretty Lethal received mixed reviews and is now sitting at a 56% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator website’s consensus reads, “Starting off with a fun hook and diluting it with a plethora of clichés, Pretty Lethal doesn’t reach its full operatic potential but doles out enough balletic action to remain reasonably en pointe.” In his review, Collider’s Ross Bonaime praised the film’s action sequences and noted its similarity to other movies produced by the original John Wick‘s co-director David Leitch. He wrote, “In one particularly inspired choice, these ballerinas decide to stick a razor blade between their toes and utilize their dance moves to fight off their attackers. Many of these fights are blunt and full of big, wild moments that mostly carry the film, despite its fairly weak narrative.” Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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March 25, 2026
- Runtime
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88 minutes
- Director
-
Vicky Jewson
- Writers
-
Kate Freund
- Producers
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Kelly McCormick, Mike Karz, Piers Tempest, Bill Bindley
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