Entertainment
18 Years Later, Mark Wahlberg’s Forgotten Video Game Thriller Hits Free Streaming on April 1
Video game movies have a much better reputation now than they did back in 2008, which makes Max Payne an interesting one to revisit. It landed in a much harsher era for game adaptations, and the reaction was rough, but it still has a certain cold, stylized mood that makes it more watchable than its reputation suggests. Tubi will add it for free on April 1.
The film stars Mark Wahlberg as Max Payne, a detective haunted by the murder of his wife and child who gets pulled into a conspiracy involving drugs, hallucinations, and a lot of violence. It leans hard into noir atmosphere, snowy cityscapes, and comic-book-style imagery, which at least gives it a look of its own even when the story does not always fully come together. The cast includes Wahlberg as Max Payne, Mila Kunis as Mona Sax, Beau Bridges as B.B. Hensley, Chris O’Donnell as Jason Colvin, and Ludacris as Jim Bravura.
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Today, we’re plunging into the deep ocean that is SJP’s filmography. You’ll need to be a real shark to hunt down the correct answers.
Is ‘Max Payne’ Worth Watching?
Collider’s review stated that Max Payne is exactly what you’d expect from its ingredients — a short runtime, a video game adaptation, and a director more interested in style than story — resulting in a lifeless, frustrating action film that barely functions as entertainment. Wahlberg drifts through the film with little energy, while the supporting cast — including Kunis and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges — are given very little to work with. Even when the film tries to raise the stakes, it’s hard to care about what’s happening or who it’s happening to. Ironically, Collider’s review highlighted that Max Payne becomes more entertaining the worse it gets. As the film leans harder into ridiculous action — complete with excessive slow motion and bizarre logic — it crosses into unintentionally funny territory.
“Throw Max Payne in the horrible video game movie pile (I say this as if there’s a good or even passable videogame movie pile) and put it near the top. I’m not sure what attracted anyone to this project but if there was ever anything redeeming in Max Payne it was clearly excised. In its place is a film that muddles around in uninteresting noir before becoming a balls-to-the-wall action flick that just gets funnier and funnier.”
Max Payne will stream for free from April 1 on Tubi.
- Release Date
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October 17, 2008
- Runtime
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100 minutes
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Entertainment
Jason Momoa’s Forgotten Western Will Be a Must-Watch for Taylor Sheridan Fans Next Month
Ever since his screen debut as Jason Ioane in the action series Baywatch: Hawaii, Jason Momoa has slowly worked his way to the very top of Hollywood. Thanks to his performance as the intense Khal Drogo in the first season of the beloved Game of Thrones, Momoa finally made his breakthrough, with his later casting as the DCEU’s Aquaman cementing him as a Hollywood mainstay. Most recently, the Hawaii-born actor’s starring role alongside Dave Bautista in Prime Video’s The Wrecking Crew rose to the top of the streaming charts, with its popularity making a sequel highly likely.
However, as is the case with any popular actor, not all of their films look destined to stand the test of time. One of Momoa’s more forgotten action flicks, and one of his most underrated performances, came in the neo-Western Braven, directed by Lin Oeding and written by Mike Nilon and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett. Sporting a lead turn from Momoa that is surprisingly soft and passive compared to his usual no-nonsense, charismatic performances, Braven deserves more love than it first received when released in early February 2018.
For anyone looking to give Braven a try, you’re in luck, as the film is about to head to a new streamer. Starting April 1, you’ll be able to watch Braven on the free streaming site Tubi, joining the long list of other exciting content joining the platform, including the cult classic fantasy hit I, Frankenstein and Dwayne Johnson‘s straight-to-DVD flick Empire State, and more. A synopsis of Braven reads:
“A logger and his father head to their hunting cabin, hoping for a quiet weekend. Instead, they find themselves in a kill-or-be-killed stand for survival when they encounter a gang of ruthless drug traffickers.”
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What Did Critics Say About ‘Braven’?
Most action flicks lost to time received a poor critical reception. This is not the case with Braven, with the film earning a strong average score of 80% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. One critic wrote, “If you’ve had a hard day and want to watch something to restore your sense of justice in this world, then Braven has all the boxes well and truly ticked,” with another proclaiming that “there’s plenty about this tiny action effort to stand up and cheer.”
Braven is streaming on Plex this April. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
- Release Date
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February 2, 2018
- Director
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Lin Oeding
- Writers
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Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, Michael Nilon
There is a level of finesse and craft that goes into the creation and fundamental strengths of horror filmmaking that have made it such a captivating genre for so many generations. Being able to perfectly balance the classic tenets of cinematic storytelling with sequences oozing with tension that are meant to massively scare the audience can be a daunting task, as many films fail to accomplish such a difficult balance.
However, this also serves to make the films that do accomplish this that much more impactful, as a horror film with absolutely perfect direction for its vision can be one of the most impactful and defining cinematic experiences out there. Scaring the audience in one moment and keeping them massively invested in the characters and story in the next, these horror films go above and beyond in terms of providing sheer cinematic bliss and mastery thanks to the genuine craft and impact of their direction.
10
‘Jaws’ (1975)
Steven Spielberg continues to stand as one of the most prolific and widely acclaimed directors of all time, with his craft and brilliance behind the camera amplifying the weight of many different cinematic masterpieces over the years. However, his often considered first true blockbuster masterpiece, Jaws, continues to be a landmark title for accessible, electrifying horror that still stands as one of the greatest horror movies of all time thanks to his masterful touch.
The film completely revolutionized the animal attack film, thanks in part to the brilliance and impact of Spielberg’s directing style. It adds emphasis and weight to each terrifying, tension-building moment, creating maximum terror out of a shark that is rarely ever actually seen on-screen. It continues to stand as one of horror’s most well-crafted cinematic achievements, having an undeniable legacy that still lingers in blockbuster filmmaking, horror or otherwise.
9
‘Scream’ (1996)
The slasher genre remains one of the most prolific and widely explored subgenres of horror, as the fear of being chased by a ruthless, manic killer has opened the creative floodgates for many horror filmmakers. It has largely reached a point where even the very notions and conventions of slasher filmmaking can be picked apart and satirized within the film itself, which is at the very core of what makes Scream such a timeless, well-crafted horror thriller.
While many other horror satires are quick to lean much more into comedy than actual horror, the directing and precision from Wes Craven do a brilliant job of keeping the film tense and terrifying, even while the screenplay is as witty and hilarious as possible. It’s this masterful pacing and balancing of distinct tones that helped the film completely revolutionize and reintroduce slashers to the public eye in the ’90s, with its on-screen brilliance still having an impact on slashers to this day.
8
‘Sinners’ (2025)
Immediately making a name for itself as a striking, must-watch original horror film of the modern era, Sinners soars to masterpiece status thanks in great part to the inspired directing and craft from director Ryan Coogler. The film is second-to-none in terms of its pristine combination of layered worldbuilding, mesmerizing cinematography and visual craft, and deep-rooted thematic depth that amplifies the scares and action alike. The film became an unstoppable juggernaut of film culture in 2025 for good reason, as Coogler went all out in directing a new modern classic.
While its story and characters are certainly strong enough on their own to make the film worthwhile, it’s the directing and fine-tuned craft under the vision of Coogler’s directing that truly makes Sinners such a special cinematic experience. He takes what he had learned from high-budget franchise blockbusters like Creed and Black Panther in order to concoct an exceptionally original experience tailor-made for the modern era but distinctly in line with his quirks and personality.
7
‘Evil Dead 2’ (1987)
Sam Raimi‘s original Evil Dead was already a widely celebrated exploration of passionate filmmaking, creating something truly distinct and full of personality with an infamously minuscule budget. However, with more experience and resources available for the sequel, Raimi manages to improve upon the Evil Dead formula in every possible way to make Evil Dead 2 one of the all-time greatest horror comedies. Rarely does something so close to a full-on remake of the original film so massively improve upon the original, but Evil Dead 2 struck while the iron was hot and solidified Evil Dead as a horror staple.
The biggest change and distinction that makes Evil Dead 2 such a more well-crafted and impactful horror film comes down to the confidence in Raimi’s filmmaking as a whole. With a better understanding of how to balance scares and comedy to create a beautiful cacophany of gore and madness, Evil Dead 2 consistently goes all out with its unrestrained vision, unafraid to fully commit itself to madness.
6
‘The Fly’ (1986)
The now 40-year-old classic horror remake by legendary master of body horror David Cronenberg, The Fly is still considered to be one of the absolute greats, not just in terms of technical craft and disgustingly perfect visuals, but a pitch-perfect execution from Cronenberg. While the film certainly delivers in terms of the stomach-churning visuals and body horror that Cronenberg is famous for, it’s the slow build into madness and exceptional pacing that sets Cronenberg’s vision apart from any other body horror film.
The film not only improves upon the narrative strength and horror impact of the original sci-fi horror classic, but also implements newfound themes and revelations of depth that only Cronenberg could have brought out of this already classic story. It finds this brilliant balancing act of staying true to what made the original such a classic while also reinventing it for a new audience, amplifying its greatest strengths while still feeling distinctly Cronenberg in nature.
5
‘Halloween’ (1978)
One of the all-time masterpieces of the slasher genre and one of horror’s absolute greatest examples of slow-building tension and dread, Halloween has received a constant stream of adoration and appreciation in the decades since its release. However, among all the strengths and iconic features that have made Halloween such a classic, the most important and defining aspect after all of these years is the exceptional direction by John Carpenter.
Carpenter brings out the tension and scares in Halloween to consistently make it an exploration of true discomfort and impact on the screen. So many of its scares and most impactful moments come directly from the pacing and execution of its directing, even further amplified by Carpenter’s own legendary original score and sound design that adds impact to each moment. While the film has seen a multitude of sequels over the years, the reason why none of them come close to the impact of the original is that they cannot recreate the magic and fine-tuned craft of Carpenter’s perfect directing style.
4
‘The Shining’ (1980)
Stanley Kubrick is one of the biggest names in terms of masterpiece filmmaking, spanning all varieties of genres, with his brilliant Stephen King adaptation, The Shining, proving to be one of the all-time horror greats thanks to his masterful directorial vision. Kubrick is the undeniable linchpin that ties all the madness and symbolic brilliance of the film to life, transforming an already great novel into a horror filmmaking masterclass that continues to influence and impact the genre to this day.
Kubrick’s exceptional visual style and camerawork serve to add weight and impact to the already masterful performances in the film, delivering on the strengths of King’s novel while also adding new layers of symbolic depth from Kubrick’s own vision of the story. While the film was wildly divisive when it was first released, it is now widely acclaimed and celebrated as one of the absolute greatest horror films of the ’80s.
3
‘The Sixth Sense’ (1999)
While M. Night Shyamalan‘s career has certainly been rocky and unpredictable over the years, his masterful work in directing The Sixth Sense and creating a powerful horror mystery masterpiece cannot be taken away from him. The film builds up tension and mystery better than any other horror film of the era, with its exceptional pacing helping create one of the all-time icons of original twists that still shocks audiences over 25 years later.
However, the depth and impact of its story wouldn’t be nearly as effective without the exceptional directing and passion from Shyamalan in every waking moment of the film. He brings out some truly beautiful and layered performances from everyone on-screen, with his signature stylistic choices feeling especially original and unexpected for its era. Even as the allure and charm of Shyamalan’s wild twists have largely worn off for many audiences, The Sixth Sense is still an icon of horror mysteries that is as perfectly directed as it gets.
2
‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)
Still standing as the only horror film to this day to actually win the Academy Award for Best Director, The Silence of the Lambs is a masterfully concocted crime procedural horror film whose narrative brilliance is amplified in spades by Jonathan Demme. The film does an exceptional job of keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, shocking them with its depraved and sickening concepts, while also balancing this terror with an impassioned side of intellect in its characters and filmmaking.
The definitive ’90s masterpiece took the world by storm in a way few horror films ever could, not shying away from the shocking content of its story while also managing to have mass appeal with general audiences thanks to the perfect execution of its directing. It continues to be celebrated as a pillar of the genre and a frequent display of horror thrillers at their absolute best, being a masterclass of directing and filmmaking even outside the confines of the horror genre.
1
‘Psycho’ (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock‘s overwhelming prowess and legacy as a master of filmmaking precede him, as his signature approach for thrills and tension is unmatched by any other director in film history. Among his legendary filmography of masterpiece after masterpiece, no singular film has had the continued staying power and legacy as his masterful horror icon, Psycho. Psycho continues to stand as the go-to example when considering masterpiece horror classics, with its legacy standing tall thanks entirely to the directing and craft of Hitchcock.
While many film fans will be quick to sing the praises of the film’s infamous shower kill, which became one of the most iconic and influential individual sequences in film history, this manages to do a disservice to the wide array of mastery present within every other aspect of the film. With a generational performance from Anthony Perkins, an unmatched rising tension and dread seeping from the film’s most painful moments, and one of the all-time most iconic endings ever put to film, Psycho will continue to be the blueprint for masterful horror filmmaking that cements Hitchcock as an all-time great.
Thomas Markle is embracing a new chapter in his life after years of a strained relationship with his daughter, Meghan Markle.
The octogenarian, who has faced health struggles in recent years, has revealed his new relationship with a Philippines-based nurse whom he met during his rehabilitation.
While settling into life abroad, Markle still has plans to visit the United States one day with his partner. However, he has made it clear he does not intend to meet up with Meghan Markle, and that he still does not understand why she has cut off contact with him.
The Retired Hollywood Lighting Director Feels Truly Blessed To Find Love Again
Years after a painful estrangement from his daughter, Meghan, the actress’s father, Thomas Markle, has revealed that he has rediscovered “joy” and “happiness” in his life again at 81.
“I never expected to find joy and happiness again at my age,” the retired Hollywood lighting director told the Daily Mail in an interview. “I am enjoying life again.”
His renewed sense of purpose follows major surgery in December that saw his lower left leg get amputated due to complications from a massive blood clot.
However, it is deeply tied to finding love in the care of a Philippines-based rehabilitation nurse, Rio Canedo. Their bond formed unexpectedly after he met the mother of two at a rehab center while navigating his recovery.
Their romance, according to Markle, has left him feeling “truly blessed,” especially as his new “special” love takes such “good care” of him.
Meghan Markle’s Father Doesn’t Mind That His Relationship May Face Criticism
Given the age gap between Markle and his lover, it was no surprise that he acknowledged that criticism may hit his new romance.
However, he remains unmoved and focused on his own happiness and has no issues sharing his story.
“I know some people will say hurtful things, but I don’t care,” Markle said. “I want to talk about this because I never thought I would ever be happy again.”
It is also his hope that people who had given up on love may see his story as a reason to keep their hopes alive.
“I want people to know you’re never too old to find peace and love,” he continued. “There’s a lot of negative things going on in the world, and if my story can give a little hope to one person, then I’m happy.”
“The haters will hate, but to be honest, I don’t give a damn. Life is for living. There’s nothing more important in life than love,” the 81-year-old further remarked.
Thomas Markle Revealed Why He Moved To The Philippines
Markle’s decision to live in the Philippines is tied to family tensions with his daughter, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.
Since her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, their relationship has remained strained, and he has not met her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Seeking distance and a fresh start, the octogenarian relocated in 2025.
His move was also influenced by a serious health setback in 2022, when he suffered a stroke that left him unable to speak for weeks.
Meghan Markle’s Father Says People In The Philippines Are ‘Kind To Each Other’
Markle has since regained his speech after his stroke and is now adjusting to life in his new surroundings.
The former lighting director had nothing but great things to say about life in the Philippines, noting that the people there treat each other kindly and, especially, have great respect for the elderly.
“The Philippines have a gentler way of life,” he shared. “I hardly watch the news. I live in a world where people are kind to each other. The nurses and doctors here in the Philippines are wonderful.”
“People here don’t have all the worldly goods we have in the West, but they respect and care for older people,” he added.
Thomas Markle Won’t Visit Meghan If He Returns To The U.S.
In the near future, Markle hopes to return to the U.S. with his lover to give her a glimpse into the life he lived during his Hollywood heydays.
“I would love to take Rio to Los Angeles and show her all the places in Hollywood where I worked for so many years,” he said.
However, when asked if he would drive up to Montecito to see his daughter, the duchess, Markle, who claimed not to have an idea why she cut him off, answered in the negative despite his strong desire to see his grandkids.
“No, I would never do that. What’s the point?” the octogenarian emphasized.
“I’d love to see my grandkids. It makes me sad that King Charles has only met Archie and Lilibet once or twice,” he continued.
For now, Markle remains only in communication with his son, Tom Markle Jr., and his other daughter, Samantha, whom he welcomed with his first wife, Roslyn Loveless.
In 2027, the ever-brilliant Gerard Butler will be joined by long-time collaborator Cate Blanchett in Universal Pictures’ sequel to one of their biggest hits of last year. Earning just shy of $650 million worldwide at the box office, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake saw Butler reprise his voice role from the animated movies, alongside an all-star cast in a triumph both financially and with critics. It then became a matter of “when” and not “if” How to Train Your Dragon 2 would be confirmed, although news of a long wait until its release left some frustrated.
Butler fans needn’t worry, as his many movies are constantly rotated in the ever-turning revolving door of streaming sites. The latest of these is Gamer, an unfortunate sci-fi flop starring Butler alongside Ludacris, Terry Crews, Logan Lerman, and Michael C. Hall, with the latter in the midst of his hugely successful starring turn on Dexter. Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor — who helmed both installments in Jason Statham’s action franchise, Crank — this 2009 experiment failed to hit the mark with theatergoers, scoring just $42 million during its box office run, a figure made all the more disappointing considering the movie’s reported $50 million budget.
However, 17 years later, audiences now know that they made a mistake in their judgment of Gamer. Considered somewhat ahead of its time, considering its discussion of VR and the culture of gaming, this misunderstood sci-fi gem is much better suited to a 2026 audience. Thankfully, you can put that to the test as Gamer heads to a new streamer. Starting April 1, you’ll be able to watch Gamer on the free streaming site Plex.
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‘Gamer’ Also Missed the Mark With Critics
Dubbed a “miasmic upchuck of techno sludge” by one critic, and “A hostile movie that pretends to contain some semblance of criticism toward escalating video game brutality and social detachment” by another, it’s fair to say that the response from critics to Gamer was far from positive. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the movie earned 29%, with the consensus on the site reading, “With all of the hyperkinetic action and none of the flair of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor’s earlier work, Gamer has little replay value.”
Gamer will stream on Plex this April. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
- Release Date
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September 3, 2009
- Runtime
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95 minutes
- Director
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Brian Taylor
Sci-fi television lends itself perfectly to binge-watching in the age of streaming. After all, what can possibly be more immersive than these shows about extraterrestrial worlds and space exploration? What could possibly be more addictive than these tales of technological advancement and futuristic developments? What could possibly demand to be watched in one sitting more than a good sci-fi TV series?
But while some sci-fi shows have hundreds of episodes and are thus perfect for people looking for a binge-watch that will last them several weeks, others are much shorter. Some are so short, in fact, that the committed sci-fi fan can easily binge-watch them in a single week. The best part? They’re pretty much guaranteed to have an amazing time doing it.
10
‘Scavengers Reign’ (2023)
Streaming platforms have a controversial history of disrespecting animation, but never have they given fans of the medium the middle finger quite as absurdly as with the Scavengers Reign debacle. This incredible cult classic was cancelled by HBO Max after a single season and then acquired by Netflix, but the streaming giant also chose not to renew it.
It’s a tragedy, though fans (and the show’s creators) are still very strongly holding onto hope for a second season. Mature, visually striking, and full of fascinating world-building, it’s one of the best sci-fi shows for those out of good TV to watch. And since there are only 12 excellent episodes to get through, all less than half an hour long, it’s a show that could even be binge-watched in a single day.
9
‘X-Men ’97’ (2024–Present)
X-Men: The Animated Series wasn’t the first animated superhero show, but it utterly revolutionized and greatly popularized the genre. Twenty-seven years after the show’s cancellation due to financial constraints, Disney+ revived it for a new generation with X-Men ’97, far and away one of the greatest TV show revivals in the history of science fiction.
We’re only a single ten-episode season into the run of X-Men ’97, and it’s already one of the best superhero TV shows of all time. It captures the essence and charm of the original with nostalgic perfection, but also adds plenty of its modern spice—including new-and-improved animation that often looks gorgeous. It’s a must-see not just for X-Men fans, but for anyone who enjoys well-made science fiction.
8
‘Station Eleven’ (2021–2022)
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Critically acclaimed and nominated for seven Emmy Awards, Station Eleven is one of the most perfect miniseries of the last 10 years. Based on Emily St. John Mandel‘s 2014 novel of the same name, it’s one of those sci-fi shows that prove that slow-burns are always worth it. It may not be fast-paced, but Station Eleven is as emotionally satisfying and absolutely fascinating as any sci-fi masterpiece that’s come before or since.
Mandel’s pre-COVID premise of a flu pandemic that wiped out all civilization is as terrifying as it was prophetic, and this post-COVID adaptation makes it seem even scarier. But Station Eleven isn’t a horror show; it’s a thematically rich and deeply human drama that celebrates art and culture in the face of a tragedy. Full of extraordinary actors and great writing, it’s one of the most underrated sci-fi series of the 2020s so far.
7
‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)
Everyone familiar with the history of video game adaptations on both the small and big screens knows that they used to have a pretty lousy track record. That has recently started to change, however, and Arcane was an enormous contributor to that shift. Visually stunning, full of engaging characters, and packed with catchy tunes, it’s an animated series that outshines most live-action shows.
Based on League of Legends, its world, and its many characters, Arcane is a must-see not only for fans of the game but for pretty much anyone who loves good animated television. The character arcs and dynamics, the intricate world-building, and the many surprising twists make its 18 episodes incredibly tempting to watch over the course of a single week.
6
‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ (1995–1996)
It was Neon Genesis Evangelion that cemented Hideaki Anno as the cult-favorite auteur that people know him as today. This classic anime series is more than just the beginning of a hyper-successful franchise; it’s a brilliant deconstruction of the mecha genre and a cleverly philosophical masterpiece that never gets old. It’s probably not the most familiar anime for newcomers to get into the medium, but for the experienced, it’s a must-see.
It’s one of the biggest and most notorious sci-fi anime masterpieces of all time. Getting through the incredibly dense and richly detailed movies that followed the show would probably take a little longer than a week, but watching the original show’s 26 episodes can easily be done in just a few sittings. It’s an addictive, absolutely intoxicating fictional world; however, so it’s unlikely that those who watch it will want to stop at the show’s conclusion.
5
‘Firefly’ (2002–2003)
Firefly recently made headlines for its return to life, and that only feels fitting. After all, over the course of the last 23 years, this sci-fi Western classic had made itself notorious primarily as one of the most unfairly cancelled TV shows in history. Following a single 14-episode season, Fox put an end to one of the most imaginative and original sci-fi shows the world has ever seen.
But even today, this is still one of those sci-fi Westerns that people shouldn’t sleep on. The cast is legendary, the world-building is enthralling, and the plotting across every single episode is engaging from start to finish. And since it’s so short, one could finish the whole series and then watch the iconic movie that followed it, Serenity, in time for Sunday dinner.
4
‘Severance’ (2022–Present)
After The X-Files and Lost pioneered the genre, mystery box shows have become some of science fiction’s most enthralling. Case in point: Severance, one of those rare thriller shows where every episode is perfect. Like any good mystery series, every time it answers a question, it brings up two more mysteries. That makes it so that, if Apple and the writing team decide that it should continue for another fifteen seasons, fans wouldn’t complain.
For the time being, however, Severance has only put out two seasons and a total of 19 episodes, making it perfectly plausible to watch it over the course of a single week. It’s probably the best way to consume it, anyway, since its mysteries and the consistently wild ways in which it solves them are so addictive that it’s easier to click “next episode” than to turn off the TV.
3
‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)
Over the course of their illustrious history, HBO has produced many TV dramas where every episode is a masterpiece, but few are as consistently exceptional as The Leftovers. Subtle in its sci-fi elements and immensely powerful in its emotional impact, this show may only last three seasons and 28 episodes, but the effect that it leaves on viewers’ minds lasts a lifetime.
After all, the way the show explores themes of grief, trauma, and how people move on after a tragedy is not only universally resonant but incredibly hard-hitting as well. Purely in terms of emotional and intellectual density, it’s probably not the best show to binge-watch in a single week, but in terms of how addictive its story is, it’s definitely tempting to see it done.
2
‘Cowboy Bebop’ (1998–1999)
Simultaneously a sci-fi neo-noir and probably the single greatest space Western ever made for the small screen, Cowboy Bebop is a mishmash of genre elements and influences that somehow works flawlessly. It’s a show often praised for having introduced Western audiences to anime television in the early 2000s, and as such, its cultural impact cannot be understated.
The most admirable thing is that Cowboy Bebop did that over the course of just two years and 26 incredibly entertaining episodes, establishing itself as one of those classic anime shows that have aged like fine wine. Unanimously acclaimed for its stylish aesthetics and thrilling tone, it feels like a prophetic show that was lab-designed to be binge-watched over the course of a single week.
1
‘Andor’ (2022–2025)
Star Wars has been putting out TV shows since the ’80s, though their live-action offerings have been far more recent, starting with 2019’s The Mandalorian. The question of what the best Star Wars show (live-action or otherwise) is, however, has one abundantly clear answer. The title has to go to Andor, which is the best that the franchise as a whole has been since the Original Trilogy.
It’s one of the best dramas to binge-watch in one week, a thematically layered and emotionally riveting condemnation of fascism and authoritarianism released in an era that needed it desperately. It’s flawless in virtually every way: the writing, the performances, the visuals, the music, the finale. From start to finish, without the need for a single lightsaber battle, Andor‘s two seasons and 24 episodes don’t just merit being watched over the course of a single week—they beg for it.
Before Michael Bay became a full franchise machine, he made The Rock, which is still one of the purest examples of what his style can do when everything clicks. It is loud, tense, funny in weird little bursts, and absolutely packed with star power. Nearly 30 years later, it still feels like one of the most entertaining action movies of the 1990s. Now it is getting a new free streaming home, with Tubi adding it on April 1.
Released in 1996, the film follows an FBI chemical weapons expert and a mysterious former British prisoner who are forced to team up after a rogue general takes over Alcatraz and threatens San Francisco. It is part heist movie, part military thriller, and part pure action chaos, and it knows exactly how to keep the energy high from start to finish. The cast includes Nicolas Cage as Stanley Goodspeed, Sean Connery as John Mason, Ed Harris as General Hummel, David Morse as Major Baxter, Michael Biehn as Commander Anderson, and William Forsythe as Special Agent Paxton.
Are You a Sarah Jessica Sharker? — The Collider Movie Quiz!
Today, we’re plunging into the deep ocean that is SJP’s filmography. You’ll need to be a real shark to hunt down the correct answers.
How Good Is ‘The Rock’?
The legendary Roger Ebert opined that The Rock is a classic example of blockbuster filmmaking done right — loud, chaotic, and packed with familiar elements, but executed with enough style and energy to make it incredibly entertaining. Connery brings a cool, experienced edge to Mason, Cage leans fully into his anxious, fast-talking persona, and Harris adds surprising depth to what could have been a one-note villain. His motivations, while extreme, give the story a bit more weight than expected.
“No matter. Director Michael Bay (Bad Boys) orchestrates the elements into an efficient and exciting movie, with some big laughs, sensational special effects sequences, and sustained suspense. And it’s interesting to see how good actors like Connery, Cage and Harris can find a way to occupy the center of this whirlwind with characters who somehow manage to be quirky and convincing. There are several Identikit Hollywood action stars who can occupy the center of chaos like this, but not many can make it look like they think they’re really there. Watching The Rock, you really care about what happens. You feel silly later for having been sucked in, but that’s part of the ride.”
The Rock will stream on Tubi starting April 1.
- Release Date
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June 7, 1996
- Runtime
-
137 minutes
- Writers
-
David Weisberg, Douglas S. Cook, Jonathan Hensleigh, Mark Rosner
IndyCar driver Scott McLaughlin miraculously walked away from a scary crash ahead of the Grand Prix of Alabama.
The Team Penske driver, 32, was in the middle of a practice run at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday, March 28, when his car spun out and crashed its rear end through a fence at the edge of the course. Multiple media outlets reported that McLaughlin was not injured despite how frightening the collision seemed.
Shortly after the incident, McLaughlin assured his fans that he will be back on the course for Sunday’s race.
“That one’s on me. P14 for the show tomorrow. Super proud of the #Thirsty3’s and everyone at @team_penske for putting our battery wagon back together,” McLaughlin wrote via Instagram on Saturday night. “She’s still quick, and we’ll be ready to get to work in the morning.”
During live TV coverage, Fox Sports 1 commentators explained to viewers just how close McLaughlin came to a potentially catastrophic situation. A dashcam video showed the driver bringing his hands to his head in order to brace for impact as he turned the car enough so it wouldn’t crash headfirst into the safety barrier.
“That’s got to be a 150 mile-per-hour impact into the tire stack,” a commentator explained, before clarifying that the speed may actually have been closer to 170 miles per hour.
“Guys, at the end of the day, all of this [safety] equipment absolutely did its job,” one of the reporters told viewers. “It slowed the car down.”
His colleague agreed, saying. “[The safety equipment] allowed Scott to slow down and and [be saved] from a horrible impact. A horrible incident out here at Turn One.”
NASCAR’s Joey Logano has some major beef with fellow driver Austin Dillon. Following Dillon’s victory at Richmond Raceway on Sunday, August 11, Logano, 34, went off to reporters. “It’s ridiculous that that’s the way we race. Unbelievable,” Logano said. “I get bump and runs. I do that. I would expect it. But from four car […]
The FS1 commentary team likened the high-tensile strength safety cables inside McLaughlin’s car to a “resting F14 [fighter jet] on an aircraft carrier.”
“Those cables absolutely kept McLaughlin inside the stadium and not into the parkland,” a reporter explained on air.
Moments after the crash, McLaughlin was shown climbing out of his “totally destroyed” car with assistance from the on-site emergency team. He embraced some of Team Penske pit crew members and ultimately walked away on his own power.
Scott McLaughlin in March 2026. Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Later in the day, McLaughlin thanked his Team Penske pit crew for helping get his car back into shape for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Alabama.
“So lucky for my team, but not only the #thirsty3s but everyone on the 2 car and the 12 car that pitched in today,” he wrote via Instagram. “Then to build me a whole new car for me to have the confidence to ship in qualifying. Thank you team. Team Sport, this thing is ready to go for tomorrow.”
McLaughlin joined Team Penske’s lineup for the IndyCar Series in 2021, officially making his debut at the Firestone Grand Prix in St. Petersburg, Florida. He later finished third in the IndyCar Series in 2023 and 2024 and had his best showing at the Indy 500 in 2024, where he finished sixth overall.
Earlier this month, during the 98th Academy Awards ceremony, it was the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners that stole the headlines. However, one of the sleeper champions of the 2026 Oscars was Frankenstein, the long-awaited adaptation by Guillermo del Toro. In total, Frankenstein earned three golden statues, just one fewer than Sinners, winning for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design.
For months before the film even premiered, Frankenstein was already on many people’s radars to take home technical Academy Awards. This is thanks to the record of its director and the story itself, with its many iterations regularly proving popular with critics. However, some Frankenstein interpretations sadly do not find such gushing praise, with one of the worst-reviewed hailing from director Stuart Beattie.
Scoring just 5% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 2014’s I, Frankenstein was an unmitigated disaster when it debuted over a decade ago, with the consensus on the review site reading, “Loud, incoherent, and dramatically listless, I, Frankenstein is a remarkably dull fantasy adventure that fails to generate much excitement or interest in its characters.” If such a low score sparks your morbid curiosity, you’re in luck, as I, Frankenstein is about to stream for free on Plex, starting April 1.
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‘I, Frankenstein’ Is a Cult Classic
Starring The Dark Knight‘s Aaron Eckhart as a character based on Mary Shelley‘s 1818 creation, I, Frankenstein has since become a cult classic thanks to its strange, overly ambitious blend of horror and action. Described by some as “steampunk-meets-underworld,” critics may have disliked the film, but it is its enduring reputation that counts the most. I, Frankenstein‘s synopsis reads:
“Two centuries after Dr. Frankenstein assembles and reanimates his creature, Adam is still living. He becomes embroiled in a war between two immortal races: gargoyles, the traditional protectors of mankind, and evil demons. Since Adam is neither human nor demon, gargoyle Queen Leonore and demon Prince Naberius each want him for their own purposes. It is up to Adam to discover his inner humanity and the reason for his continued existence.”
I, Frankenstein is streaming on Plex this April. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for all the latest streaming stories.
- Release Date
-
January 24, 2014
- Runtime
-
92 minutes
- Director
-
Stuart Beattie
Entertainment
One of the Best Harrison Ford Thrillers of All Time Arrives on Free Streaming This April
Some thrillers are great the first time. The Fugitive is great every time. It is one of those movies that just works on every level, with a perfect chase setup, a huge lead performance, and the kind of pacing that barely lets up for a second. It is also one of the clearest reminders of why Harrison Ford was such a dominant movie star for so long. Tubi will add it for free on April 1.
Released in 1993, the film stars Ford as Dr. Richard Kimble, a man wrongly convicted of murdering his wife who escapes custody and sets out to prove his innocence. Hunting him is U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard, played by Tommy Lee Jones in one of the movie’s most memorable performances. What follows is a smart, relentless thriller that never wastes time. The cast includes Ford as Richard Kimble, Jones as US Marshal Samuel Gerard, Sela Ward as Helen Kimble, Joe Pantoliano as Cosmo Renfro, and Jeroen Krabbé as Charles Nichols.
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How Good Is ‘The Fugitive’?
The esteemed Roger Ebert stated that The Fugitive is more than just a great thriller — it’s one of the most effective and entertaining films of its kind, combining relentless tension with surprisingly strong character work. From the moment Kimble escapes, the story barely pauses, keeping the pressure on as he stays just ahead of the authorities. Even when the plot stretches believability, the direction and performances ground everything enough that it still feels real in the moment. In the end, The Fugitive stands as a reminder of how effective a well-made thriller can be — driven by strong performances, clear storytelling, and smart direction rather than relying on spectacle alone.
“Ford is once again the great modern movie everyman: dogged, determined, brave and not not demonstrative. As an actor, nothing he does seems merely for show, and in the face of this melodramatic material he deliberately plays down, lays low, gets on with business instead of trying to exploit the drama in meaningless acting flourishes.
Thrillers are a much-debased genre these days, depending on special effects and formula for much of their content. The Fugitive has the standards of an earlier, more classic time, when acting, character and dialogue were meant to stand on their own, and where characters continued to change and develop right up until the last frame. Here is one of the year’s best films.”
The Fugitive will stream on Tubi from April 1.
- Release Date
-
August 6, 1993
- Runtime
-
131 minutes
- Director
-
Andrew Davis
- Producers
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Arnold Kopelson
This summer of cinema is packed with exciting blockbusters, with one of the most hotly anticipated marking the final stop on the road to Doomsday. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to swing into theaters on July 31, and many are anticipating big things for Tom Holland’s return as Peter Parker now that he lives in a world where no one remembers him. A couple of weeks ago, Sony’s release of a pulse-racing trailer officially generated 718.6 million views globally within its first 24 hours, making it the most-watched trailer launch of all time and cementing Brand New Day‘s position among the upper echelons of the must-watch list for 2026.
But way before he was starring in record-breaking trailers and headlining summer blockbusters, Holland made his debut in a movie that arguably features his best performance to date. The Impossible, released in 2012 and produced when Holland was just 14 years old, is a survival thriller based on the terrifying true story of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Replacing the real Belón-Alvarez family in the film are the Bennett family, comprised of Maria (Naomi Watts) and Henry (Ewan McGregor), their eldest child, Lucas (Holland), and two other sons, Thomas (Samuel Joslin) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast).
Following his success on the stage at just 13 years old in Billy Elliot: The Musical, Holland was the perfect pick for young Lucas, as he used his acrobatic balance and clear emotional maturity to hold his own against veteran performers like Watts and McGregor. If you’d like to check out Holland’s breakout performance for yourself before the release of Brand New Day, you’re in luck, as The Impossible will be available to stream for free on Plex this April.
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How Did Critics Respond to ‘The Impossible’?
With Watts earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, it’s fair to say that critics enjoyed The Impossible. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is rated a “certified fresh” 81%, with the consensus on the site reading, “The screenplay isn’t quite as powerful as the direction or the acting, but with such an astonishing real-life story at its center, The Impossible is never less than compelling.”
The Impossible will stream on Plex this April. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
- Release Date
-
September 9, 2012
- Runtime
-
114 Minutes
- Director
-
J.A. Baynona
- Writers
-
Sergio G. Sánchez, María Belón
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