Entertainment

10 Western Movies Absolutely Anyone Can Enjoy

Published

3 weeks ago

22 March 2026

Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) sitting on a cave in 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'

It’s safe to say that one of the most timeless genres of film is the Western. From the Golden Age of Hollywood to our current resurgence in the Taylor Sheridan era, audiences simply cannot get enough of the Wild Wild West. It’s a chance to escape to a world we used to play in as kids, but beyond that, the stories are rich and deeply thematic. It’s partially why it’s such a crowd-pleasing genre.

Since the dawn of the Western, there have been countless titles that have been considered masterpieces, but what about those films that are simply meant to entertain? We’re here to discuss the 10 most crowd-pleasing Westerns ever. From those that epitomize the old west to comedies that poke fun at the genre, these movies are simply a good ol’ time that everyone can have.

1

‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ (1969)

Perhaps the pinnacle of buddy cop Westerns comes in 1969’s exceptional Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman, the film is loosely based on the Wild West outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker, known as Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman), and his partner Harry Longabaugh, the “Sundance Kid” (Robert Redford). A story of fast draws and wild rides, with posses, robberies, and a torrid love affair, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid follows two outlaws on the run for their lives to Bolivia while shining a light on a remarkable friendship. A lighthearted and likable Western, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is pure joy. Beyond the comedy, the film explores the end of the Old West and the encroachment of modern civilization. It’s a bittersweet story.

Blending Western grit with lighthearted charm, this film has become so beloved because of its stars. Both Redford and Newman had storied careers before and after the film, yet their dynamic as a duo remains one of their best work. They had a natural, charismatic rapport that carried the film all the way through. Like a great Western should, the vibrancy in cinematography contributed to the film’s splendor. Earning four Academy Awards, including Best Song for Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” the film’s legacy is everlasting. A film that epitomized the swinging ’60s, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of those films that can never be replicated.

2

‘Stagecoach’ (1939)

Claire Trevor as Dallas and John Wayne as Ringo the Kid standing next to each other in Stagecoach

If there’s any landmark film that perfected the Western genre, it’s John Ford’s Stagecoach. The Western classic tells the tale of nine disparate passengers as they travel through dangerous Apache territory from Tonto, Arizona, to Lordsburg, New Mexico. The journey showcases their evolving relationships, personal dramas, and eager redemption, ultimately resulting in a climactic final showdown. Featuring one of John Wayne’s most iconic performances as the Ringo Kid that launched him into stardom, Stagecoach is a simple story that highlights profound character-driven moments.

The film’s characters are vibrant and unique, lifting the material to great heights. The motley crew comprises a disgraced prostitute, Dallas (Claire Trevor), driven out of town by the Law and Order League; a drunken doctor named Josiah Boone (Thomas Mitchell); a snobbish pregnant officer’s wife, Lucy Mallory (Louise Platt); a diminutive whiskey salesman, Samuel Peacock (Donald Meek); a gambler by the name of Hatfield (John Carradine); an arrogant corrupt banker, Ellsworth H. Gatewood (Berton Churchill); Marshal Curley Wilcox (George Bancroft); and an outlaw, The Ringo Kid (Wayne). This recipe for an unlikely group of travelers has inspired countless Westerns, from the classics to today’s Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. Through pioneering stunt work to breathtaking cinematography in Monument Valley, you can’t help but point to this film as one that epitomizes classic Westerns. Though a 1966 remake and a 1986 television film were made, nothing beats the original.

3

‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ (1966)

Clint Eastwood aiming a rifle in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Whether you’re a die-hard Western lover or a casual fan, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of the Spaghetti Western subgenre. If you’re looking for a film that perfectly depicts the style, look no further than Sergio Leone’s monumental The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The film follows three amoral, gunslinging bounty hunters who shift alliances and betrayals as they search for buried Confederate gold amid the chaos of conflict. Now to the famous title. The good is represented by Blondie (Clint Eastwood), the bad through Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef), and the ugly as Tuco (Eli Wallach). The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly helped redefine Westerns by blurring the lines between hero and villain through the 1960s’ disillusioned lens.

From a cynical vantage point on the American Civil War, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is a gritty, stylized, slow-burning thriller. Leone is a pioneer of Spaghetti Westerns, with this classic possibly being his most beloved. His expert use of long shots, close-ups, and minimal dialogue builds the intense atmosphere with ease. Renowned for the legendary Mexican standoff and Ennio Morricone‘s soaring score, the film highlights the beauty of its backdrop, but the reality that justice is rare and survival is the true mission. Referenced, parodied, and celebrated, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is the cornerstone of Western pop culture.

4

‘The Magnificent Seven’ (1960)

Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, James Coburn in The Magnificent Seven

One of the true classics of the genre is The Magnificent Seven. Directed by John Sturges, the film tells the story of seven diverse, skilled gunslingers hired to protect a defenseless village terrorized by a ruthless band of marauders led by Calvert (Eli Wallach). The group consists of varied individuals — Cajun gunslinger Chris Adams (Yul Brynner); drifter Vin Tanner (Steve McQueen); young, hot-blooded shootist Chico (Horst Buchholz); the professional Bernardo O’Reily (Charles Bronson); the traumatized veteran Lee (Robert Vaughn), fortune seeker Harry Luck (Brad Dexter); and knife expert Britt (James Coburn) — all looking for money, excitement, or redemption. A skillful adaptation of Seven Samurai, the Western iteration balances the themes of camaraderie, sacrifice, and heroism with sensational action.

A film best remembered for its outstanding ensemble, The Magnificent Seven thrives over time. The all-star cast had grown into legends in their own right thanks to this project. Like many iconic Westerns of the time, the movie’s ability to build the world through set pieces and orchestration remains one of its highlights. Through its epic, adventurous American spirit, The Magnificent Seven is a rip-roaring classic. Like its predecessor, The Magnificent Seven continued through remakes and sequels. In fact, we ended 2025 with the major announcement that a new television adaptation had been greenlit. Suffice it to say, the impact of The Magnificent Seven lingers on.

Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz
Which Lord of the Rings
Race Do You Belong To?
Hobbit · Elf · Dwarf · Man · Orc

Middle-earth is home to many peoples — the courageous, the ancient, the stubborn, the ambitious, and the wretched. Ten questions will determine which race truly claims your soul. The answer may surprise you. Or it may confirm what you already suspected.

🌿Hobbit

🌟Elf

⚒️Dwarf

⚔️Man

💀Orc

What does your ideal day look like?
How we rest reveals as much as how we fight.

How do you feel about the passing of time?
Our relationship with mortality shapes everything we value.

Danger is approaching. Your first instinct is to:
Fight, flight, or something in between — it’s more revealing than you’d think.

You stumble upon a great treasure. What do you feel?
What we desire — and what we do about it — is the true test.

How important is community and belonging to you?
No race of Middle-earth is truly alone — but some prefer it that way.

How ambitious are you, honestly?
Ambition is neither virtue nor vice — it depends entirely on what you want.

Where do you feel most at home in the natural world?
Middle-earth is vast — and every race has its place within it.

What kind of strength do you most respect?
Every race defines strength differently — and they’re all at least a little right.

What do you want to leave behind when you’re gone?
Legacy is the story we tell ourselves about why any of this matters.

Be honest — what do you actually want most out of life?
The truest question always comes last.

Middle-earth Has Spoken
You Belong To…

The race that claimed the most of your answers is your true kin. If two tied, both are shown — you walk between worlds.

◆ A TIE — YOU WALK BETWEEN TWO RACES ◆

🌿

Your Race

The Hobbits

You are, at your core, a creature of comfort, community, and quiet joy — and there is nothing small about that. Hobbits are proof that heroism does not require ambition, that the bravest heart can beat inside the most unassuming chest. You value good food, warm hearths, close friends, and a world that stays largely untroubled by dark lords and quests. When adventure does find you — and it will — you rise to it not because you sought it, but because the people you love needed you to. That is not ordinary. That is the rarest kind of courage in all of Middle-earth.

🌟

Your Race

The Elves

Ancient, graceful, and carrying a weight of memory most mortals cannot fathom, you are one of the Elves. You see the world in its fullness — its beauty, its impermanence, the unbearable ache of watching everything you love eventually fade. You pursue perfection not from pride, but because excellence is how you honour the time you have been given. Others may see you as remote or melancholy. They are not wrong, exactly. But they mistake depth for distance. You feel everything — which is precisely why you have learned to carry it so quietly.

⚒️

Your Race

The Dwarves

Stubborn, proud, fiercely loyal, and possessed of a work ethic that would exhaust most other races before breakfast — you are Dwarf-kind through and through. You do not ask for approval and you do not offer it cheaply. Your loyalty, once given, is given for life. Your grudges last longer. You love deeply and defend ferociously, and the things you build — with your hands, with your sweat, with generations of accumulated craft — are made to last. Not for glory. Because anything worth doing is worth doing properly, and you have never once done anything by half measures.

⚔️

Your Race

The Race of Men

Mortal, ambitious, flawed, and magnificent — you belong to the most complicated race in Middle-earth, and that complexity is your greatest strength. Men are capable of cowardice and extraordinary bravery, of cruelty and breathtaking sacrifice, sometimes within the same breath. You feel the urgency of your finite years, and it drives you. You want to matter. You want to leave something behind. You fall, and you rise, and the rising is what defines you. Tolkien called mortality the Gift of Men — not a curse, but a fire that burns bright precisely because it does not burn forever. That fire is you.

💀

Your Race

The Orcs

Brutal, survivalist, and contemptuous of anything that can’t defend itself — you answered with the instincts of an Orc, and there is a certain savage honesty in that. You do not dress up your desires in polite language or pretend you want things you don’t. You want power, survival, and to never be at the bottom of any hierarchy ever again. Orcs are not evil by nature — they were made from something that was once good, and broken into this shape by forces they did not choose. What remains is fierce, territorial, and deeply aware that the world is not kind. You’ve made your peace with that. The question is what you do with it.

5

‘True Grit’ (2010)

Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) kneels beside a wounded Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), aiming his gun up into the snowy night in True Grit

In almost every other situation, we’ll take the original over the remake. But in the case of True Grit, the Joel and Ethan Coen remake not only built upon its source material, but it also made it even better. A more faithful adaptation, True Grit follows 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) as she hires grizzled, trigger-happy lawman Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to go after outlaw Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), who murdered her father. Accompanied by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who has his own vendetta against Chaney, the trio embarks on a perilous journey into Indian Territory for revenge and punishment. Showcasing the splendor and grandeur of the West through a 21st-century lens, True Grit became a Western modern marvel, especially with that 95% Rotten Tomatoes score.

This True Grit serves as the superior adaptation of the novel through its grim and grizzly yet enthralling direction. The Coens intelligently guided the film to be narrative-driven, avoiding a reliance on bloodshed as the primary focus. Paired with sensational performances from a standout ensemble, this version of the story focuses on Mattie’s perspective, and with an extraordinary debut in a theatrical performance, Steinfeld earned an Academy Award nomination for the film. It’s safe to say that the modern resurgence of Westerns was partially thanks to the appetite from True Grit.

6

‘Tombstone’ (1993)

Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) confronts Frank McLaury (Robert John Burke) in 'Tombstone' — Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) confronts Frank McLaury (Robert John Burke) in ‘Tombstone’

When it comes to Westerns in the ’90s, George P. Cosmatos‘ Tombstone defined the genre. Inspired by real events in the 1880s in Southeast Arizona, Tombstone tells the story of retired lawman Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) as he moves to Arizona for a quiet life. Instead, he’s forced back into action as a ruthless gang known as the Cowboys, led by Curly Bill Brocius (Powers Boothe) and Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn), terrorize the town. Focusing on the feud leading to the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and the subsequent vendetta ride to restore order, Tombstone is a timeless classic that explores justice, loyalty, and vengeance.

The joy of Tombstone is just how iconic a film it is. From iconic quotes to intense action sequences to a legendary performance by Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday, Tombstone maintains its status as a staple of the genre. Beyond Kilmer, the entire ensemble, including Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Dana Delaney, and Charlton Heston, dazzles. Tombstone is truly a celebration of a band of brothers. It’s a stylish take on the Old West we all imagined. Even if you don’t like Westerns, Tombstone is a satisfying film, holding steady at 93% on the Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes.

7

‘Django Unchained’ (2012)

Calvin Candie, holding a hammer and smoking a cigarette, in Django Unchained.

If there’s one thing that Quentin Tarantino can do, it’s go from genre to genre with the greatest of ease. In 2012, he tackled the Western through a revisionist tribute to Spaghetti Westerns called Django Unchained. Set in the Antebellum South and the Old West pre-Civil War, Django (Jamie Foxx) finds himself accompanying an unorthodox German bounty hunter by the name of Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) on a mission to capture the vicious Brittle brothers (M.C. Gainey, Cooper Huckabee, and Doc Duhame). Django, on a mission to reunite with his long-lost wife (Kerry Washington), finds himself on a hunt with Schultz to hunt the South’s most-wanted criminals. An unrelenting revenge-driven story, Django Unchained captured the dark side of the West through Tarantino’s stylized vision.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of vengeance was the perfect tagline for the film. Marrying his signature dark humor with a sharp perspective on historical injustice, Django Unchained goes beyond a simple, entertaining film. That said, if strong language and extreme violence are not your thing, steer clear of this film. The film did stir up controversy for both, but at the end of the day, it didn’t deter it from remaining a modern classic. Though Foxx and Waltz do most of the heavy lifting, with Waltz earning an Oscar, Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin J. Candie is sublime. Ending 2012 on many critics’ top 10 lists, Django Unchained was a Western like no one had seen before.

8

‘Blazing Saddles’ (1974)

Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little as Jim the Waco Kid and Sheriff Bart laughing together in Blazing Saddles.

It wouldn’t be right to not include the greatest send-up of the genre ever, Blazing Saddles. From the genius that is Mel Brooks, the iconic comedy is about robber baron Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman), who is determined to take over Rock Ridge by driving out the denizens. His plan? There’s a new sheriff — crafty railroad worker Bart (Cleavon Little) — who becomes the frontier town’s first Black sheriff. Instead, Bart and his sidekick, Jim the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder), end up being the villain’s most formidable opponent. A far-too-crude yet constantly hilarious comedy, Blazing Saddles pushed the boundaries beyond the edge and straight off the cliff.

Perhaps a tad too politically incorrect for today, Blazing Saddles was a product of its time. Satirizing racism and stereotypes in Westerns by utilizing anachronisms and humor to expose the prejudices of the all-white townspeople and the land-grabbing villain, the film employs every gag in the book. It’s brash and crass in all the right ways. With a cast of eccentric characters, Blazing Saddles is the complete Brooks experience. The cast is top-notch, especially the brilliant Madeline Kahn as Lili Von Schtupp. Her rendition of “I’m Tired” as if she’s Marlene Dietrich is pure camp. Though other Brooks films may hold up better today, Blazing Saddles blazed an important comedic trail while poking fun at a beloved genre.

9

‘3:10 to Yuma’ (2007)

Outlaw gunslinger Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) aims his revolver in a field in '3:10 to Yuma.' — Outlaw gunslinger Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) aims his revolver in a field in ‘3:10 to Yuma.’

Another example of an upgraded remake, 3:10 to Yuma, blends classic Western elements through a modern lens for an utterly entertaining viewing. The film tells the story of Dan Evans (Christian Bale), a struggling, crippled rancher who volunteers to escort notorious outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to face justice via a train to Yuma prison, where a $200 reward awaits him. On a mission to save his ranch, Evans embarks on a treacherous journey against Wade’s ruthless gang, led by Charlie Prince (Ben Foster), while navigating a tense psychological battle with a cunning outlaw. A story of honor, redemption, and the battle between good and evil, 3:10 to Yuma is an intense Western thriller that transcends clichés.

Though the 1957 version is admired, the update is even more action-packed. Hinging on the dynamics between two strong-willed individuals, the complex relationship between Evans and Wade is amplified by the sensational performances of Bale and Crowe. Director James Mangold builds tension through its moral depth. It’s a fiery interpretation of the original that established itself as a satisfying entry in the modern rise of Westerns.

10

‘The Searchers’ (1956)

John Wayne as Ethan Edwards in The Searchers, standing next to a horse and looking perplexed.

To close out, we have another classic Wayne-Ford collaboration that may be best known for subverting the traditional hero tropes, The Searchers. The film follows Ethan Edwards (Wayne), a hateful Civil War veteran searching for his kidnapped niece, Debbie (Natalie Wood). His mission isn’t to save her, but to kill her due to his perception that she has become tainted by living with the Comanche. A brutal look at the frontier through themes of racism and obsession, The Searchers is an example of how redemption can be earned in the end.

A critical masterpiece in the Western world, The Searchers is a complex film that tackles the psychological toll the West can have on an individual. Wayne, usually a perfect hero, swaps that morality for a story of vengeance. He’s an unlikely protagonist as he plays a deeply disturbed anti-hero. Ford uses this piece to confront the difficult and often uncomfortable aspects of American history and identity. Beautifully filmed, The Searchers is a transcendent masterpiece.

The Searchers

Release Date: May 26, 1956
Runtime: Advertisement

119 minutes
Director: John Ford
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Writers: Frank S. Nugent

Jeffrey Hunter
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Martin Pawley

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Hulu’s 5-Part Superhero Sci-Fi Series Is Perfect From Start to Finish

Published

5 minutes ago

12 April 2026

NewsAdmin

El's got that bloody nose thing going on again in Stranger Things 5

The sci-fi genre has received a lot of attention recently with shows like Pluribus, Severance, Murderbot, and many more. However, one notable entry into the genre that deserves more attention isn’t particularly new. In 2009, sci-fi fans were introduced to the fascinating superhero comedy Misfits, which follows a group of teens in trouble with the law as they accidentally gain supernatural powers, placing them in danger. Not only is it an original take on the traditional superhero origin, but with five seasons, Misfits will keep you entertained for a while, especially as it only gets better.

With a talented cast, many of whom were only beginning their careers, Misfits becomes a coming-of-age story as the characters grow from misbehaving teens into more balanced, though still flawed, adults. Even as the cast changes, the show remains engaging with its dark and cynical exploration of superpowers. In this way, Misfits was ahead of its time. These days, there are many gritty superhero shows that question the traditional story, from The Boys to Umbrella Academy to Doom Patrol, but at the time, Misfits was a unique concept. This deconstruction of the superhero narrative highlights the characters’ flaws as well as their powers, creating a more complex and rewarding story that viewers can easily invest in.

What Is ‘Misfits’ About?

While there are many twists along the way, Misfits follows a group of superpowered teens as they figure out who they are. The story begins with Alisha (Antonia Thomas), Simon (Iwan Rheon), Kelly (Lauren Socha), Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), and Nathan (Robert Sheehan), five young individuals doing community service, when a supernatural thunderstorm hits. This gives them unexpected superpowers, or most of them. Nathan struggles to figure out what he can do, while Alisha realizes she can arouse people with a touch, Simon turns invisible, Kelly develops telepathy, and Curtis can rewind time. Yet, they are not the only ones affected; their probation officer, Tony (Danny Sapani), receives superstrength, but it also amplifies his rage, sending him into a frenzy directed at the children. After killing him in self-defense, they must hide the truth of what happened, including their powers, which is easier said than done, especially once Tony’s fiancée and fellow probation officer, Sally (Alex Reid), comes into their lives.

However, with five seasons, that is only the beginning of their journey. The threats they face grow, going from angry probation officers to religious cults and power-switching villains. This allows the story to develop in unexpected ways, and it certainly takes advantage of that. Misfits often takes bizarre twists, incorporating concepts like time travel and resurrection, which are always good for a surprise. However, the show also features grounded elements by showing realistic character struggles, such as difficult family situations, exploring sexuality, and a lack of self-confidence. The result is an exciting series that is impossible to stop.

10 Sci-Fi Shows That Are Almost As Good as ‘Stranger Things’

Not quite the Upside Down, but close enough.

‘Misfits’ Isn’t Your Average Superhero Show

The cast of Misfits after they've been knocked onto the ground — The cast of Misfits after they’ve been knocked onto the ground

While superheroes have become widely popular, Misfits doesn’t follow all the classic hallmarks of that genre. The series is a less optimistic version of the story as the characters struggle more than ever after they get their abilities. With a grim and violent tone, Misfits doesn’t follow your typical heroes, and that is especially clear in the abilities they receive. The group doesn’t get random powers, but ones that highlight their flaws and insecurities. Take Simon, for example, who often feels ignored and isolated even before he can turn invisible, which only amplifies those feelings. Similarly, Curtis’ power of rewinding time is tied to his feelings of regret. This unconventional method of assigning power highlights the character’s personal struggles and makes their abilities darkly ironic.

As a show centering around the young and superpowered, Misfits is in the vein of Gen V or Marvel’s Runaways, but it was years ahead of its time. When the show premiered in 2009, superheroes were not yet at the peak of their popularity, and a show that highlights the flaws in the hero system was not what people were looking for. However, today, these are some of the most intriguing additions to the genre. Misfits picks apart the traditional superhero story with its dark commentary. Featuring themes of trauma and redemption, the series gets deeper than you might expect, yet it maintains the wit fans love, making it a perfect binge that never loses its touch.

Misfits is streaming on Hulu in the U.S.

Release Date: 2009 – 2013-00-00
Showrunner: Advertisement

Howard Overman
Directors: Howard Overman, Tom Green, Jonathan van Tulleken, Tom Harper, Wayne Yip
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Writers: Howard Overman, Jon Brown, Mike O’Leary
Franchise(s): Misfits

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Forget ‘The Boys,’ Watch HBO Max’s Twisted Sci-Fi Superhero Satire Before It Leaves This May

Published

19 minutes ago

12 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Actor Alex Russell as Matt, screaming and throwing his arms up while standing in a garden in Chronicle.

While Warner Bros. proceeds confidently with its DC Universe — an interconnected franchise of superhero films and shows — its sister platform, HBO Max, is preparing to remove one of the most inventive spins on the Superman template. The movie in question will celebrate its 15th anniversary next year, although it’s unlikely that anyone will bring much attention to it considering its tainted legacy. The film’s director and writer didn’t get along, and they’ve both had their separate downfalls over the years. However, one of the three main stars of the movie recently won the Best Actor Oscar and has emerged as a bona fide star.

The movie was released in 2012, and much like its found-footage precursor Cloverfield, became a word-of-mouth hit. It was welcomed with positive reviews and audience support, going on to gross around $125 million worldwide against a reported budget of $25 million. Following the film’s success, both the director and writer were courted by studios and given the reins for larger projects. The movie we’re talking about, of course, is Chronicle — the found footage superhero film that flips the Superman origin story on its head. It follows three young boys who gain superpowers after being exposed to a meteor. While they initially have fun discovering their powers, the corruption begins to kick in not long afterward.

Here’s How Long You Have Left To Watch ‘Chronicle’ on HBO Max

Chronicle also addresses issues such as teen bullying and mass shootings in the U.S. Directed by Josh Trank and written by Max Landis, the film featured Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, and Michael B. Jordan. Chronicle holds a “Certified Fresh” 85% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “Chronicle transcends its found-footage gimmick with a smart script, fast-paced direction, and engaging performances from the young cast.” Trank went on to direct the ill-fated Fantastic Four reboot of 2015, which he disowned a day before its release following an arduous production. The movie failed both critically and commercially. It featured Jordan as the Human Torch, a role that was previously played by Chris Evans and subsequently played by Joseph Quinn in 2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Jordan starred in Sinners in 2025, eventually winning the Best Actor Oscar for his dual performance. Chronicle is streaming on HBO Max, but only until May 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Release Date: February 3, 2012
Runtime: 84 minutes
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Director: Josh Trank
Writers: Max Landis, Josh Trank
Producers: Advertisement

Adam Schroeder

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Jhené Aiko & Sexyy Read Turn Heads With Coachella Link-Up

Published

32 minutes ago

12 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Jhené Aiko & Sexyy Red Turn Heads With Unexpected Coachella Link-Up

Roommates, the baddies are outside for Coachella this weekend, and the link-ups are heating up timelines. Jhené Aiko and Sexyy Red have fans going wild after they popped out together following their performances in the desert. Now, folks online are wondering if a collab might be on the way.

RELATED: 38, Where? Fans Praise Jhené Aiko For Gettin’ Finer With Age As She Celebrates Her Birthday (PHOTOS)

Jhené AIko & Sexyy Red Have Fans Gagging Over Their Coachella Link-Up

Fans are calling Sexyy Red and Jhené Aiko the duo they never knew they needed after their Coachella link-up. Both of the girlies hit the stage in the desert and later posed for photos together. Red even dropped clips from their time together on X (formerly Twitter). Folks online loved seeing them side by side and joked that they’re twinning since they share the same name, but it’s spelled differently.

Fans Are Livin’ For Jhené x Janae

After The Shade Room dropped the clips of Jhené and Red, the comment section was flooded with heart-eye and fire emojis. Some fans joked that the video basically shows their two personalities in one.

Instagram user @d.denisee__ wrote, “Janae and Jhené 😂😂😂❤️ my two personalities.”

Instagram user @siannemadi_ wrote, “Ouuuuu I love thisssss 😛😍”

While Instagram user @chocc__littt wrote, “Love a Pisces and Aries duo.”

Then Instagram user @kaizarimfalme wrote, “Y’all keep talking bout this y’all two personalities personified but they basically the same personality, Jhene just a singer. 😂”

Another Instagram user, @pancho_villatoro, wrote, “On the clock vs off the clock.”

Instagram user @alishaxolivia wrote, “I love this. Sexy vibes with everyone ❤️”

Then another Instagram user @registered_foodiee wrote, “random but here for it!”

While another Instagram user @ninaboo_51 wrote, “So when’s the collab 😍😍😍😍”

Finally, Instagram user @joyprivatelife_ wrote, “wait this is cute af 🥹”

Lizzo Pulls Up To Coachella For Surprise Performance With Sexyy Red

Sexyy Red popping out with Jhené Aiko wasn’t the only surprise at Coachella. She shocked fans when she brought out Lizzo for a special performance during her set. Lizzo came through, playing her flute and twerking for the crowd. The vibes hit a 1,000 as Red teased a new record while they were onstage. Peep the video below.

They weren’t playing on stage! 🔥 ✍🏾#TSRStaffAS https://t.co/KRZTU99NjJ
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) April 11, 2026

RELATED: Aht! Aht! Michael Jackson’s Estate Reportedly Reacts After Sexyy Red Samples ‘Beat It’ With SPICY NSFW Lyrics (VIDEO)

What Do You Think Roomies?

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‘Die Hard’ Meets ‘Air Force One’ in the 1997 Action Thriller Dominating Streaming

Published

46 minutes ago

12 April 2026

NewsAdmin

A plane crashes through the roof of a building in Turbulence

Some late-’90s thrillers are too weird to stay dead forever. Turbulence is absolutely one of them. The movie bombed when it hit theaters back in 1997, but it has exactly the kind of over-the-top premise and wild villain energy that streaming viewers love rediscovering. That’s especially true when the villain is Ray Liotta in full maniac mode.

And funnily enough, the movie has climbed its way to the top of the streaming charts across the country. In fact, if you note the streaming charts now, you’ll note that it was sitting just behind the top title on the service. That’s a pretty amazing second life for a movie that made only about $11.5 million worldwide in theaters.

The full main cast of Turbulence includes Lauren Holly as Teri Halloran, the flight attendant forced to take control of the plane; Liotta as Ryan Weaver, the chained serial killer who turns the flight into a nightmare; Brendan Gleeson as Stubbs, the armed robber being transported alongside him; Hector Elizondo as Aldo Hines; Rachel Ticotin as Martha; Jeffrey DeMunn as FBI agent Frank Sinclair; John Finn as the air traffic controller helping from the ground; and Ben Cross as pilot Captain Matthew Reynolds.

Is ‘Turbulence’ Worth Watching?

Well, in a so-bad-it’s-good way, sure. Roger Ebert‘s review stated that Turbulence is the kind of thriller that never stops moving, even though almost none of it makes sense. The movie throws a killer, a storm, a nearly empty 747, and a long list of disasters into one story, then keeps piling on more chaos without worrying much about logic. The result is not tense so much as completely ridiculous.

“There are more questions. Like, if a 747 sheers off the roof of a high-rise restaurant, wouldn’t that cause it to crash? Like, if a 747 plows through an outdoor billboard, wouldn’t that cause it to crash? Like, if it sweeps all the cars off the roof of a parking garage, wouldn’t that cause it to crash? Like, if it gets a truck caught in its landing gear, what would happen then? (‘It’s a Ford!’ a sharp-eyed observer says, in a line that–for once–I don’t think represents product placement.) Oh, yes, there are many moments I will long remember from Turbulence. But one stands out. After Lauren Holly outsmarts and outfights the berserk killer and pilots the plane through a Level 6 storm, the FBI guy still doubts she can land it. ‘She’s only a stewardess,’ he says. To which the female air traffic controller standing next to him snaps, ‘She’s a . . . flight attendant!’”

Turbulence is streaming now.

Release Date: January 9, 1997
Runtime: Advertisement

100 minutes
Director: Robert Butler
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Writers: Jonathan Brett
Producers: David Valdes, Keith Samples

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Rene Nichole Coleman Jailed Over $1,650/Hour Pay Mix-Up

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1 hour ago

12 April 2026

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One situation involving a paycheck has folks doing a serious double-take. And now, Rene Nichole Coleman is at the center of a case that’s raising plenty of eyebrows. Because baby… this wasn’t just a little mix-up. This is the kind of payday that’ll have everybody checking their direct deposit real quick.

RELATED: Dirty Business? Tennessee Nurse Learns Fate After Smearing Dirty Diaper On Coworker’s Face (VIDEO)

Coleman Arrested After $1,650/Hour Payroll Mix-Up

According to reports, authorities arrested Rene Nichole Coleman, 50, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, months after a judge reportedly found probable cause to charge her with felony theft involving more than $5,000 but less than $25,000. The case stems from an alleged payroll error at her former job. And apparently, officials say she was mistakenly paid an eye-popping $1,650 per hour for a 12-hour shift. Investigators claim Coleman, who normally earned $16.50 an hour, ended up receiving an overpayment totaling $19,388.

Company Demands Money Back As Dispute Escalates

Once the company realized the mistake, the CEO reportedly attempted to recover the funds, but things took a turn when Coleman allegedly refused to return the money. Reports state that the employer then brings the situation to law enforcement, providing financial documents and emails to support the claim that the overpayment was made in error. Authorities say the situation escalated after attempts to resolve the issue directly failed.

Missed Meeting Leads To Arrest And Court Date

According to investigators, Coleman initially agreed to speak with authorities about the situation but never showed up for the meeting. Authorities later issued a bench warrant, took her into custody on Monday, and booked her into the Craighead County Detention Center. Furthermore, a judge set her bond at $15,000, and she is expected to appear in court again on May 18 as the case continues to unfold.

RELATED: Check, Please! Restaurant Calls Out Family Over Alleged $600 Armpit Hair Scam To Avoid Hefty Bill (VIDEO)

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Unrated, Unauthorized Netflix Rockumentary Is Equal Parts Trippy, Triumphant, And Tragic

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1 hour ago

12 April 2026

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Unrated, Unauthorized Netflix Rockumentary Is Equal Parts Trippy, Triumphant, And Tragic

By Robert Scucci
| Published 10 seconds ago

Before John Frusciante joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers and solidified the “classic lineup,” quit the band in 1992, was replaced by Dave Navarro for One Hot Minute, rejoined in 1998, quit again in 2009, was replaced by Josh Klinghoffer, and returned yet again in 2019, the band’s sound had already been molded by another guitar genius: Hillel Slovak. Netflix’s latest rockumentary, The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel, looks back at those early days when Anthony Kiedis and Michael “Flea” Balzary were just kids from broken homes, and how their best friend and spiritual brother Hillel offered them a lifeline through art, music, and, most tragically, drugs.

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers tells a heartbreaking story about the band’s early, turbulent years as kids running amok through Los Angeles in the 1980s, shaped by their environment and an unbreakable friendship. Through beautifully composed segments featuring archival photos brought to life with striking animation, the documentary feels kaleidoscopic at times, like a drug-induced fever dream, and brutally sobering at others. We hear from band members past and present as they reflect on their soul brother Hillel Slovak and how instrumental he was in shaping them into the musicians they became.

The coolest picture of Hillel Slovak ever

While a healthy amount of time is spent on the thrill of starting a punk-funk hybrid band in 1980s Los Angeles, Slovak’s life, impact, and lasting legacy takes center stage, doing the impossible by making an ending fans already know still land like a gut punch that makes you want to call up an old friend and check in.

From Triumph To Tragedy

While I’m fighting every urge to wax poetic about the band whose frontman once sang “Say what? You got a pumpkin in yo pants,” I can’t understate the emotional weight of The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It’s a look at the band’s early days, when both Flea and Kiedis felt completely lost as teenagers. They abused drugs, got into all sorts of trouble, and, thanks to unstable home lives, were mostly unsupervised and searching for something to hold onto.

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers 2026 — *The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel* (2026)

They went from lost to found when they met Hillel Slovak in high school, not yet realizing how chaotic their lives would become as they bonded over art, music, and their freewheeling youth, something that they thought would last forever.

Flea spends a healthy amount of time talking about how he might never have picked up a bass if Hillel hadn’t needed someone to play for one of his earlier projects, Anthym. Around this time, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were conceptualized, though scheduling conflicts created tension between Flea, Kiedis, then-drummer Jack Irons, and Slovak, who was committed to his other band, What Is This?

Their debut album featured Jack Sherman on guitar, but things didn’t click. By the time they were preparing to record their 1985 sophomore effort, Freaky Styley, Slovak had returned to the fold, and everything started to take shape on an almost cosmic level. That momentum carried into 1986’s The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, but by then, things were already starting to spiral.

Drugs had taken hold of both Kiedis and Slovak. Flea managed to stay relatively grounded, but the band dynamic was constantly on the verge of collapse just as they were finding their footing. Kiedis got sober, for the first time of many in the band’s documented history, but Slovak couldn’t escape his heroin addiction, which ultimately claimed his life in 1988.

Anthony Kiedis, Flea, and Hillel Slovak in *The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers* (2026)

Known as a constant source of positivity and inspiration, it almost feels like Slovak gave his light to the people who mattered most while his inner darkness slowly closed in.

The documentary closes on a somber but reflective note. John Frusciante speaks about Slovak’s legacy and how it shaped his own early playing with the band. Flea and Kiedis get visibly emotional as they remember their best friend, taken far too soon, even after all these years. A true artist and a deeply sensitive soul, Hillel Slovak was one of those rare musicians who radiated authenticity without ever trying. With his life cut short just as the band was beginning to take off, there’s no telling how differently things might have turned out if he had overcome his demons.

It’s A Great Watch, Even If You’re Not A Fan

Listen, whenever I talk about how much I love the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the first thing people bring up is how Anthony Kiedis openly discusses some pretty troubling behavior in his 2004 memoir, Scar Tissue. And yes, that book has aged terribly, and yes, Kiedis probably has some explaining to do when he arrives at the pearly gates. But that’s not what The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is about.

This documentary is focused on the life and legacy of Hillel Slovak.

For casual fans, that might seem like an odd choice, especially since most of the band’s classic albums feature Frusciante’s guitar work. But it’s worth remembering that Frusciante was only 18 when he joined the band, and Slovak was already his biggest influence. Slovak ran so Frusciante could sprint.

What makes the documentary especially compelling is how it uses archival material to tell its story. As someone who nerds out over old band photos and music history, I was genuinely surprised by how many images from those early days I’d never seen before. They capture the band at their youngest and most naive and explosive, and then those same images are brought to life through trippy, psychedelic animation that makes them jump off the screen and straight into your living room.

It’s a visually visceral way to show youth running wild, and the early days of a band that would eventually take over the world at a time when they were still figuring out where their next meal was coming from.

It’s heavy, heartfelt, and feels like it could be the first chapter of something larger. Maybe I’m reading too much into the title, but I’d love to see a follow-up documentary that picks up around the Mother’s Milk era, when Frusciante’s first stint with the band propelled them into superstardom. Until that happens, this is more than enough to keep me at bay.

In the meantime, I’ll be spending the weekend slapping the bass and revisiting those early records, because if nothing else, this documentary is a reminder of where it all started for a band that shaped my own early musical identity in more ways than I could ever reasonably articulate.

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The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel is a Netflix Original and is available to stream with an active subscription.

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Tennis Star Coco Gauff Slams Criticism of Her Natural Hair

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1 hour ago

12 April 2026

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Tennis champ Coco Gauff responded to online criticism after the athlete’s sizzling photoshoot highlighting her natural hair.

“So, I deleted TikTok and Twitter for a month,” Gauff, 22, began in a Thursday, April 9, TikTok video. “[When I returned, I saw] thousands of people talking about the way that I look and not in a positive way.”

Gauff shared photos from a Miu Miu campaign via Instagram earlier this month.

“Big bag day means my @miumiu Vivant can carry just about anything I need 🤎,” she wrote via Instagram on April 2, sharing photos of herself posing on a tennis court.

In the snaps, Gauff wore a red polo and navy skirt from the famed brand, which she accessorized with a leather tote bag. For glam, she wore minimal makeup and tied her tresses in an updo.

“It was literally me and my social person. We shot that ‘shoot’ in my parents backyard,” Gauff explained on Thursday. “The creative concept … was to show how [the bag] can be used in everyday scenarios.”

For the campaign, Gauff also served as her own stylist.

“I did my hair and my makeup [and] that’s exactly how my hair and my makeup looked for dinner [after the shoot],” she stated. “We took the photos and, like I said, the concept was using the bag everyday, so I did my everyday hair and makeup because that’s what was said to do. I personally don’t like to slick back my hair super sleek because it does damage my hair.”

@cocogauff
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♬ original sound – Coco Gauff

Gauff acknowledged that she has “4C hair,” commonly defined as a type of curl that is very tight and springy. Attempts to slick back or straighten tight curls can damage a person’s natural hair.

“I do play tennis, so most of the time when I’m wearing it in a bun, I choose to allow my natural hair to be at present in its 4C self,” she stated. “I don’t want it to be super slicked back because that’s just not good for my hair. That’s how I do my hair.”

Gauff further stressed that she didn’t want to “apologize for the way [her] hair looked” because both she and her friends liked the styling in the moment and when the photos were released.

“There are other girls who have the exact same hair as me and I just wanted them to see [and] feel represented that your hair is literally fine the way it is,” the tennis phenom said. “My hair was good enough for a high-fashion fashionable brand Miu Miu to promote one of their newest launches. If my 4c hair is good enough for that, then yours is good enough to do whatever you need it to do. I’m not going to apologize for that.”

Gauff’s look was also championed by several of her famous friends.

“You’re amazing. sending you LOVE,” Kerry Washington wrote in the comments section, while Angel Reese added, “You are gorgeous QUEEN! Love you, my girl.”

Chloe Kim also replied, writing, “You are so so beautiful I can’t believe anyone’s saying otherwise?!”

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12 Years Later, Ridley Scott’s Impressive Historical Epic Is Being Rewritten as a Streaming Sleeper Hit

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2 hours ago

12 April 2026

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There are plenty of Ridley Scott movies people love to argue about, and Exodus: Gods and Kings is definitely on that list. The biblical epic made money worldwide, but it never really escaped the “what if this had worked better?” conversation. Now it’s getting another shot with viewers thanks to free streaming.

FlixPatrol’s Tubi chart for April 5 places the film inside the platform’s U.S. top 10, and it’s pretty clear to see that the movie is showing up well as one of the service’s bigger library performers right now. The movie grossed about $268 million worldwide against a reported $140 million budget.

The full main cast of Exodus: Gods and Kings includes Christian Bale as Moses, the Egyptian-raised leader who becomes the liberator of the Hebrews; Joel Edgerton as Rhamses; John Turturro as Seti I; Aaron Paul as Joshua; Ben Mendelsohn as Hegep; Sigourney Weaver as Tuya; María Valverde as Zipporah; Ben Kingsley as Nun; Indira Varma as the High Priestess; Hiam Abbass as Bithia; and Isaac Andrews as Malak.

Is ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ Actually Any Good?

Well, not really. Collider’s review stated that Exodus: Gods and Kings fails in the most important way: it never tells the story in a compelling way. The film has all the basic pieces of the Moses story — betrayal, destiny, freedom, and conflict — but it handles them in the dullest way possible. Scott seems far more interested in giant effects and destruction than in the people or ideas at the center of the story.

“Does it really matter how high the waves were when God parted the Red Sea? Does watching eight hundred chariots fall off the side of a mountain qualify as anything more than an unintentionally comic tribute to Ramses’ stunningly incompetent leadership? I understand that some people go to the movies for mindless entertainment, but this story comes with weight, and Scott doesn’t want to do the heavy lifting. He wants an excuse to make Gladiator again where the wise, handsome general gets revenge by rallying slaves to his cause. Religion and history are meaningless in Exodus: Gods and Kings as is everything else that doesn’t involve the swinging of a sword, the clash of a chariot, the burning of a city, or the parting of a sea.”

Exodus: Gods and Kings is streaming now.

Release Date: December 12, 2014
Runtime: 150minutes
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Ralph Fiennes won't star in “Harry Potter ”HBO show — but he has an 'amazing' idea for who should play Voldemort

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2 hours ago

12 April 2026

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“I think that ship has sailed,” Fiennes said of the possibility of returning as the Dark Lord.

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5 Kaiju Movies That Are 10/10, No Notes

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2 hours ago

11 April 2026

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Since almost as far back as cinema goes, people have liked watching big creatures stomp around on screen. The Lost World (1925) was a definitive early dinosaur movie, and even if they’re not monsters necessarily, they kind of serve the same purpose in an action/adventure or horror kind of movie. Then there was King Kong (1933), and he’s endured in ways that are obvious, because that story is timeless, movie apes of any size are cool and fun, and because King Kong is always the sort of thing you can remake or rework and show off whatever special effects are cutting-edge at the time of production.

But are those movies kaiju films? Some might say King Kong is, and certainly, King Kong has had some crossovers with – and battles against – the most legendary of all the big screen kaiju, but for this ranking, we’re going to go with a narrow definition of “kaiju movie.” Any giant monster movie from Japan, or influenced by the Japanese monster movies that started getting popular in the 1950s onwards, counts as a kaiju movie. Oh, and the monster has to be huge; like, as in multiple storeys high. This is the one thing that keeps The Host (2006) from appearing here (though that is an excellent monster movie and the creature there is plenty big for the story being told… just not as comparable “kaiju-sized” as the other monsters featured in the movies below).

5

‘Godzilla vs. Destoroyah’ (1995)

Yes, Godzilla is going to show up a few times here, and the first movie in that series being mentioned is one of its saddest, and one that might’ve felt, in 1995, like the end of the series as a whole. It’s Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, which concludes the Heisei era of Godzilla movies, which began in 1984 with The Return of Godzilla. There were five movies between that one and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, and the sense of continuity from film to film is surprisingly strong, and there is a definite arc for Godzilla and the way humanity sees/treats him. He also gets an adoptive son in the final three movies of the Heisei era, Godzilla Junior, and he’s not as irritating/silly as Godzilla’s adopted son from the Showa era, Minilla.

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is pretty thrilling and exciting, and easily one of the best Godzilla films.

You get attached to both Godzilla Senior and Junior, which makes them going up against Destoroyah all the more traumatic, since he’s one of the most powerful monsters in the history of the Godzilla series. Oh, and in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, Godzilla (Senior) is also melting down, basically being like a nuclear reactor with legs, so that makes the stakes feel unbearably high, and some of the more intense scenes feel genuinely somber. That might make it sound like a downer, but Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is still pretty thrilling and exciting, and easily one of the best Godzilla films. It’s genuinely great science fiction, and represented new heights, at least on an emotional front, for the franchise (and maybe even kaiju movies more generally).

4

‘Pacific Rim’ (2013)

Though it might have been logical to restrict “kaiju movies” to ones made in Japan, Pacific Rim was just too good to leave out. Also, the giant monsters that are a threat in this movie are officially labeled as kaiju, in-universe, so it makes sense for Pacific Rim to be a kaiju movie in more than one way. Further, though it wasn’t a Japanese production, and Guillermo del Toro is not a Japanese filmmaker, Pacific Rim is spiritually in line with a good deal of Japanese entertainment, and not just classic kaiju movies. See, to fight the kaiju, humanity has constructed giant pilotable robots, and they function like mechs, and there are, of course, plenty of shows and movies (particularly of the animated kind) about mechs from Japan, so that checks out further.

Pacific Rim is a good-hearted movie, and it just wants you to have fun. The humans are mostly all good people, and the ones who aren’t so great learn the errors of their ways and stuff, so the movie’s ultimately rather idealistic. Plus, the monsters are unambiguously monstrous and need to be stopped via a punch or two or three-hundred to the face(s) with a big metallic fist. Or an oil tanker. Deploy a sword, why not? Pacific Rim is big, goofy, silly, and quintessentially crowd-pleasing. Well, it should’ve been. It didn’t set the box office ablaze necessarily, but it had enough of a fanbase to get a sequel in 2018, and that sequel was, unfortunately, a waste of time. It seemed to kill momentum for further movies. Oh, well. At least we’ll always have the rather perfect original film.

3

‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023)

At the time of writing, Godzilla Minus One is the most recent Japanese film in the Godzilla series, and already feels worthy of being considered one of the very best. It had that kind of well-deserved impressive reputation almost straight away, just because it’s very no-nonsense and broadly approachable in a way few kaiju movies have ever been. Well, to be fair, some of the broader kaiju movies have been rather silly and hard to get invested in on any sort of dramatic front, but that’s not an issue with Godzilla Minus One. You understand the stakes here straight away, and feel the desperation of everyone in Japan, while recovering from the end of World War II, having to go right into dealing with the emergence of Godzilla.

The first movie also took place not long after the end of World War II, but not as close as the period Godzilla Minus One ended up being set in. It goes a long way toward making the scenes without anything by way of monsters feel particularly engrossing, as in Godzilla Minus One is a good character-driven drama alongside being an exciting giant monster movie with all the thrills and action that often come with such a genre. It’s the best of both worlds, or if there are multiple worlds/genres here, then it’s the best of all the worlds. If you’re new to Godzilla, or are only familiar with the American movies and want to get a handle on the Japanese side of the series, the best place to start is either at the start, or with Godzilla Minus One. It really is that good and essential.

2

‘Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris’ (1999)

Image via Toho

The 1990s was a wonderful time for Gamera, since that’s the only decade in the monster’s history when he didn’t just stand alongside Godzilla, but might well have even trumped him for a bit, after having existed in Godzilla’s shadow for about three decades prior. The trilogy from 1995 to 1999 was responsible for that, with these movies doing what the Heisei era did for Godzilla, but with more consistency and what felt like purposeful planning from movie to movie. Each one builds on the other immensely, so you can’t really watch and appreciate Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris without first watching Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995) and Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996).

So, consider those two movies honorably mentioned. They get the ball rolling with a newer take on Gamera that makes the giant turtle-like kaiju a good deal more interesting, and even one you can take seriously, at least by giant monster movie standards. Gamera feels like a real force of nature in Gamera 3, in particular, and it almost does for Gamera what Godzilla vs. Destoroyah achieved for Godzilla. There is a ton of spectacle and charm in this movie, and with the two Gamera movies that preceded it, making the trilogy a no-brainer of a recommendation for anyone who’s even just a little fond of Godzilla and keen to see some more kaiju movies that don’t involve the King of the Monsters himself.

1

‘Godzilla’ (1954)

Godzilla in the original 1954 movie staring down the Japanese army and reading for combat

Finishing with the start of things might seem backwards, but Godzilla (1954) deserves to be held in particularly high regard, and thereby saved until the end here, crowned as the best of all the kaiju movies. With the greatest handful of movies in this long-running series, you can, like, pick six, assign them all a number from 1 to 6, then roll a die, and pick whichever one’s the luckiest. There are maybe half-a-dozen Godzilla movies that could’ve gone here. But for now, it’s the original, which was so instrumental in the development of the whole kaiju genre, as it’s now understood. It also came out during an incredible year for Japanese cinema, so it’s honestly important and historically/culturally significant beyond the realm of the giant monster movie.

1954’s Godzilla stands out for how grim and horror-focused it is, with Godzilla being equal parts tragic and terrifying. Later Godzilla movies like Shin Godzilla sometimes had him being more tragic, and then you’ve also got movies like Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, where he’s not really tragic, and is instead more just terrifying. This original film, though, gets the balance right, and while there is some spectacle here, the heaviness is what really sticks with you, and it’s something you can still feel 70+ years later, even with the knowledge that it kick-started a series where, eventually, the titular monster did some absolutely crazy things (flying kick in Godzilla vs. Megalon, anyone?).

Godzilla

Release Date: November 3, 1954
Runtime: 96 minutes
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Director: Ishirō Honda
Writers: Ishirō Honda, Shigeru Kayama, Takeo Murata, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Eiji Tsuburaya