Entertainment
5 Great Action Movies That Marked the End of an Era
Action movies, like any major genre, have gone through many different phases and eras. Changing sensibilities, rising and falling stars, and developing technologies have all contributed to the many shifts the genre has seen. As with all trends, the divisional lines aren’t always easy to draw. The styles and themes of one era can bleed over into another, while stars and directors can transition as well. It’s often easier to spot the films that are the beginning of an era rather than the end of one, especially since the rise of post-modern cinema, where movies are in constant conversation with their influences. In retrospect, though, there are those movies that can be looked at as the last of their kind.
From the ends of two different eras of action heroes to those final films in franchises that will never be the same, some of these movies were designed to be final statements, while others were made blissfully ignorant of the place in history they would hold. That doesn’t have any effect on the quality of the individual films themselves, as they are all, in their own ways, great action movies. They represent some of the most major blockbusters and influential films featuring some of the biggest stars and iconic characters of the genre. Every era must come to an end, and these action movies all ended theirs in style.
‘First Blood’ (1982)
The Hollywood action heroes of the ’70s were gritty, cynical, and often damaged, while the ones from the ’80s were musclebound, indestructible superhumans; you can see the transition in one film and one character. First Blood introduced audiences to John Rambo, the Vietnam vet protagonist from David Morrell‘s novel, whose harassment at the hands of some small-town cops triggers his post-traumatic stress response and leads him to wage a one-man war against them. As played by Sylvester Stallone, Rambo embodies all the physicality that would define ’80s action heroes but represents the broken, disenfranchised, anti-authority attitude of the ’70s. The film itself is likewise of a grittier and more grounded nature, more indicative of the ’70s action era. Rambo doesn’t rack up a high body count, only inadvertently causing a single death, and he doesn’t end the film with explosive triumph. He’s led away in handcuffs and covered with a blanket after suffering a mental breakdown.
By the time Rambo returned for his first sequel, his vulnerability had vanished. Stallone was even bigger and bulkier than before, and the character was sent back to Vietnam to save some POWs and win the war that had haunted American conservatives. It’s the same transition that many anti-heroes from the ’70s went through in the Reagan-era ’80s. Charles Bronson went from a violent vigilante in Death Wish to an avenging action hero in its first sequel, and Stallone’s other iconic character, Rocky, went from scrappy underdog to winning the Cold War. The ’80s were all about optimism, excess and unstoppable action heroes. Rambo was the poster child for ’80s action, but his origin story marked the end of the gritty action hero era.
‘Hard Boiled’ (1992)
John Woo helped to build the Heroic Bloodshed action era, with his film A Better Tomorrow often cited as its beginning. This specific brand of Hong Kong action movie featured glorious gun battles, gangsters versus cops narratives, and themes of honor and brotherhood. Woo didn’t just start the era; he also delivered its definitive statement with Hard Boiled. Technically, this action masterpiece isn’t the last Heroic Bloodshed movie ever made, but it definitely marked the end of its original era. Filmmakers like Johnnie To would carry the action torch well into the ’90s and 2000s, while the subgenre’s most major filmmakers, like Woo, Ringo Lam, and Tsui Hark, all made brief transitions to Hollywood, where they continued to make films featuring many of the techniques and trademarks they had pioneered. Other filmmakers, like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, also adopted many of the signatures of Heroic Bloodshed into their filmographies, making the transition all the murkier, but Hard Boiled is a proper exclamation point.
Chow Yun-fat, who starred in the majority of Woo’s Hong Kong action films, stars as Tequila, a cop with a penchant for dual-wielding pistols and causing maximum carnage. He’s the counterpoint to Tony Leung‘s tortured undercover officer, with the two fighting from opposite ends to take down a dangerous Triad leader. It’s on that plot that Woo hangs his greatest action sequences, with an opening tea house shootout, a warehouse gunfight, and the extended finale set within a hospital. Hard Boiled is as good as action movies get, and Woo and the Heroic Bloodshed subgenre were never as good again. It marked the end of one of the greatest eras in all of action cinema.
‘Eraser’ (1996)
Where First Blood was the clear pivot from gritty to hulking action heroes, the end of that muscular action era is slightly harder to pinpoint. Many point to Tango & Cash as the last of the over-the-top ’80s action movies, but it’s hard to count it as the end of the era when its most major stars still had their biggest action hits coming. Last Action Hero also often gets listed as the seemingly most appropriate final film of the era, as a full parody of a genre that had already grown into self-parody, but star Arnold Schwarzenegger still had two more earnest big-budget action blockbusters in him. He would re-team with James Cameron for the utterly ridiculous and ridiculously entertaining True Lies, and then, in 1996, he closed out the action hero era with the underrated Eraser. Coming from steady-handed genre director Chuck Russell, this old-school action movie features a little bit of everything from its predecessors.
The film has a high-concept plot that features Schwarzenegger as a U.S. Marshal whose special skill is making witnesses disappear, a villain played by an acclaimed actor (James Caan), and some of the slick CGI that had begun to creep into the genre in the ’90s and has not aged well. Eraser may not be top-tier Schwarzenegger, but it’s certainly the last time audiences could enjoy the larger-than-life action hero in a larger-than-life action movie that wasn’t produced as some nostalgic throwback. There’s a sincerity to it that later movies like The Expendables have never been able to replicate, which is why it’s often considered the end of Schwarzenegger’s golden age of movie stardom and the action hero era as a whole.
‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)
No matter how you feel about the MCU, there’s no arguing that it represented a paradigm shift for blockbusters. Thanks to the success of the superhero mega-franchise, every studio and streamer tried to turn every IP they had into a cinematic universe, but despite all their efforts, none came close to the consistency or success of what Marvel accomplished. After the first era of the MCU, dubbed the Infinity Saga, came to an end a mere eleven years after Iron Man premiered with the undeniably epic Avengers: Endgame, it represented the culmination of one of the biggest franchises in Hollywood history, and it will likely never be replicated. The DCEU imploded in on itself, and even the MCU hasn’t been able to maintain the cultural foothold it once held in a post-COVID, streaming-dominated film landscape.
Bringing the original Avengers back together after they’d been split up and separated in their last film, Endgame is all about giving a proper send-off to the characters that had formed the foundations of the MCU. Black Widow and Iron Man both sacrifice themselves, while Captain America gets to live out the rest of his life slow dancing with Peggy Carter. Even though Scarlett Johansson came back for a spin-off two years later, and Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. are returning to the fold, along with seemingly every other actor to ever appear in a Marvel property, for Avengers: Doomsday, there’s something effectively emotional in Endgame’s finale that felt satisfying in 2019. It’s a crowd-pleasing blockbuster, and even if it ends up being relatively minor as a singular film in the grand scheme of action cinema, Endgame was still the end of the biggest cinematic superhero era audiences will likely ever see.
‘No Time to Die’ (2021)
The James Bond franchise has gone through many eras. With every new iteration of the secret agent played by a new actor, the franchise evolved into something different. George Lazenby brought Bond emotional poignancy and tragedy in his one-film stint before Sean Connery returned to the role he originated. Then Roger Moore took over and brought all kinds of humor and outlandish antics to the character before Timothy Dalton brought him back down to earth with a gritty pair of much angrier Bond films. Pierce Brosnan found a solid balance between those tones before eventually getting swallowed up in CGI and gadgetry, and then Daniel Craig rebooted the character for the 21st century with the toughest, gloomiest Bond yet. Every one of those Bond actors’ final films could be considered the end of an era, but Craig’s final bow in No Time to Die is easily the most definitive.
With a convoluted plot that brings together disparate threads from the previous four films, No Time to Die pushes Bond to his limits as he must reckon with his past and that of his paramour, Madeleine Swann. The lengthy movie makes room for lots of emotional character beats as well as some solid action setpieces set all across the globe before it culminates in a controversial ending where Bond does the one thing he’d never done before: die. By the time the credits roll, Bond is definitively dead, and while the filmmakers knew it would be Craig’s swan song, which likely contributed to the decision to end it this way, they couldn’t have known how fitting it would become. Amazon’s purchase of the Bond franchise effectively ended the legacy of EON Productions’ creative control, a legacy that had begun with the very first film. There’s no telling what the future of Bond will look like now that he’s under the umbrella of a real-life Blofeld, but it’s safe to say that No Time to Die, for better or worse, was the end of an era for the character.
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Crystal Hefner has shared photos from her destination wedding to her second husband, James Ward.
On Saturday, April 4, the Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself author, 39, posted a carousel of photos shot during her wedding in the Cook Islands on Thursday, April 2. The photos showcased Hefner’ long-sleeved “Margo” wedding gown from designer Oksana Mukha, which was covered in over 5,400 Swarovski crystals.
Hefner revealed to People that she picked out the lace “Margot” wedding gown because it felt like “a Disney princess dress.”
Another shot included a close look at Hefner’ stunning diamond wedding ring, which was accentuated by a flower crown that she wore during the ceremony.
Crystal Hefner and boyfriend James Ward are celebrating their first anniversary together with a luxurious getaway to Africa, and the former Playboy model is sharing the special photos exclusively with Us Weekly. We’re celebrating in a way that reflects who we are as a couple — with adventure, heart and purpose,” Hefner, 38, tells Us of the April 2 […]
The couple confirmed that Hefner walked down the aisle to a local band playing the Māori love song, “Akaipoipo Taua,” while the newlyweds’ first dance was to Ike Dweck’s track “Safe With Me.”
Hefner and Ward opted for a “simple, elegant, and ocean-inspired” ceremony to match their scenic Cook Islands location.
“We chose the Cook Islands because of how remote it is,” the bride told People. “There are no big chain hotels, which makes it feel incredibly peaceful and authentic. It’s also home to one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world. Since James and I both love the ocean and nature it felt like the perfect place for us to start this chapter of our lives.”
Ward beamed that he was over the moon about tying the knot with his bride.
James Ward and Crystal Harris. Crystal Harris/ Instagram
“Crystal’s heart, specifically for me and all non-human living things, is a thing to behold,” he said. “All creatures, great and small are bestowed a generosity and kindness, the likes of which I’ve never seen. She’s the classiest, brainiest, most adventure-seeking partner I could have ever hoped to find. My life is now better in every way, and I feel like the luckiest guy alive that I get to spend my life with her.”
The newlyweds opted to stay in the Cook Islands for their honeymoon.
As for what’s next for the couple, Hefner hinted, “[We hope for] more travel, more adventures in nature, and continuing to build a life centered around love, animals, the ocean, and meaningful experiences together.”
“We’re excited to keep exploring the world together, spending time in nature, and building a life that reflects the things we both love,” she added.
Crystal Hefner has entered a dispute with the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation over the potential release of the late Playboy editor-in-chief’s sexually explicit scrapbooks. Crystal, 39, filed regulatory complaints with the attorney generals of California and Illinois over her concerns that Hugh Hefner’s foundation is mishandling his private documents, including scrapbooks that allegedly feature explicit […]
Hefner confirmed her nuptials were imminent on Thursday when she shared a “wedding day” video of Ward picking her up in his arms. She also offered a sneak preview of their beachside wedding location, where stones had been arranged in the shape of a heart.
“Baby where the hell is my husband… probably waiting for me to walk down the aisle 🥹💍 Today is the day,” she captioned the post.
Us Weekly exclusively reported in March 2025 that Ward proposed to Hefner near their home in Hawaii with a six-carat, vintage mine-cut diamond set on a whisper-thin band.
“It truly feels like a full-circle moment. James completely surprised me. He had a hidden staircase and a winding trail cleared to reveal a handcrafted deck perched above a dramatic cliffside overlooking the ocean,” Hefner told Us.
She continued, “It was the exact spot where we’d had a quiet picnic together a year ago — a place that became ‘ours.’ I had no idea he was secretly turning it into something permanent and symbolic. I thought we were just going for a walk, but when I saw the flowers, the handwritten notes, and the sea stretching endlessly in front of us, I knew something extraordinary was about to happen.”
Crystal was previously married to late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017. (Hugh had been married twice before, to Mildred Williams from 1949 to 1959 and to Kimberley Conrad from 1989 to 2010. The Playboy magnate was a father of four children.)
Entertainment
Tom Hanks’ Near-Perfect Space Thriller Rockets Up the Streaming Charts After NASA Launch
Boosted by the interest in the ongoing Artemis II mission around the Moon — NASA‘s first crewed mission of this kind in decades — audiences seem to be revisiting the heyday of space exploration by watching an all-time classic. The Space Race of the 1950s and 1960s, which coincided with the Cold War, inspired numerous Hollywood productions. The Right Stuff, an epic drama that narrated the events leading up to the first-ever crewed space flight conducted by the United States, remains a favorite even more than four decades after its release. Other films that dramatized the events of that era include October Sky, starring a young Jake Gyllenhaal, and the more recent titles First Man and Hidden Figures. However, there is one movie that towers above them all when it comes to box-office success and cultural impact.
That movie was originally released in 1995. It was directed by Ron Howard, years before he won the Best Director Oscar for A Beautiful Mind, and starred Tom Hanks, who was coming off two back-to-back Best Actor wins at the Academy Awards. Hanks wasn’t nominated for his commanding lead performance in the 1995 film, which was nominated in nine categories overall — this remains one of the biggest snubs in Oscars history. He starred in the movie alongside Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Kevin Bacon, and Ed Harris. The film grossed approximately $350 million at the worldwide box office, against a reported budget of $52 million.
Party Down in Pawnee — Adam Scott Comedies Collide in Today’s Collider TV Quiz!
Whether you’re an innie or an outie, you’ve undoubtedly enjoyed the workplace comedies of Adam Scott. Let’s all cater to this state auditor.
A NASA Mission to the Moon During Times of Political Upheaval Isn’t New
We’re talking, of course, about Apollo 13, the survival drama that offered a dramatic retelling of NASA’s aborted 1970 mission to the moon. An entire nation — and, indeed, the world — was gripped when the spacecraft experienced a technical malfunction, endangering the lives of the three astronauts on board. The film remains a modern classic, and is now sitting at a “Certified Fresh” 92% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s consensus reads, “In recreating the troubled space mission, Apollo 13 pulls no punches: it’s a masterfully told drama from director Ron Howard, bolstered by an ensemble of solid performances.” According to FlixPatrol, Apollo 13 is currently one of the most-watched movies on the domestic iTunes chart, as the crew of Artemis II prepares to perform a lunar flyby. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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June 30, 1995
- Runtime
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140 minutes
- Writers
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Al Reinert, William Broyles Jr., Jim Lovell, Jeffrey Kluger
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have resurfaced publicly weeks after a frightening shooting incident at their Beverly Hills residence, stepping out in Paris with family while legal proceedings against the suspect continue.
Their appearance signals resilience following the ordeal, as new details emerge about the alleged attack, the investigation, and how close the couple and those around them came to danger.
Rihanna Steps Out In Paris With Family
The global superstar and her longtime partner made their first public outing together since the alarming incident, appearing relaxed as they headed to dinner in Paris.
They were joined by two of their children, sons RZA and Riot, as well as Rihanna’s mother, Monica Braithwaite.
Despite the troubling events of recent weeks, the couple looked composed while enjoying the evening.
Rihanna, who has been in the French capital for major fashion appearances and promotional work tied to her Fenty Beauty brand, opted for a polished look.
She wore burgundy slacks paired with a red sweater vest, accessorizing with a striking yellow Dior purse and pointed shoes. A$AP Rocky complemented her style in a black trench coat and dark shades.
The pair arrived at Siena restaurant, an upscale Italian dining spot known for its refined atmosphere.
According to the Daily Mail, observers noted that they appeared in good spirits, a notable shift considering the frightening circumstances they recently endured.
Their ability to step out publicly suggested an effort to return to normalcy following the shock.
Details Of The Beverly Hills Shooting
The outing comes after a dramatic incident that unfolded on March 8, when authorities say 35-year-old Ivanna Lisette Ortiz allegedly fired multiple rounds from an AR-15-style rifle toward the couple’s Beverly Hills property.
Rihanna, Rocky, their three children, and several others were reportedly on the premises when the shooting occurred.
Also present were two staff members, while two additional individuals were in a neighboring residence that Ortiz allegedly targeted from her vehicle.
Although no injuries were reported, the situation quickly escalated into a major law enforcement response.
A law enforcement official emphasized how serious the danger was, telling the Los Angeles Times that Rihanna and Rocky “easily could have been hit.”
Authorities arrested Ortiz and charged her with attempted murder.
The case quickly gained attention due to the high-profile nature of the victims and the alarming details surrounding the alleged attack.
Rihanna Targeted In Disturbing Messages
Investigators revealed that Ortiz had previously posted messages and videos that referenced Rihanna before the shooting.
In one communication, the suspect suggested the singer had spoken negatively about her, even though no known connection existed between them.
Authorities also pointed to unusual videos in which Ortiz allegedly claimed Rihanna intended to harm her.
These posts added to the mystery surrounding the motive, which remains unclear.
Ortiz, who had worked as a licensed speech pathologist for more than a decade, has since lost her license in California.
The revocation reportedly came at the request of the state attorney general following her arrest in connection with the incident.
Court documents also indicate she faces 14 charges tied to the case, including attempted murder.
Reports further noted that Ortiz has had previous encounters with law enforcement, including arrests related to domestic violence, careless driving, and violations of pretrial release conditions in Florida.
Legal Fallout And Protective Orders
Following her arrest, a judge set Ortiz’s bail at $1,875,000.
In addition to the high bond, she was ordered to stay away from Rihanna and A$AP Rocky if released.
The court also required her to surrender all firearms.
Legal proceedings are still unfolding, and officials have not disclosed a clear motive for the alleged shooting.
Meanwhile, the case has drawn significant public attention as more information about the suspect’s background continues to surface.
The couple’s decision to step out publicly amid these developments suggests they are attempting to move forward, even as the legal process remains ongoing.
Close Call For Rihanna’s Journalist Friend
The incident also nearly impacted others in the area, including journalist Don Lemon, who revealed he had almost visited a friend in the same neighborhood the night of the shooting.
According to his account, he changed his plans due to complications caused by the L.A. Marathon.
As The Blast reported, Lemon explained that the change of schedule may have prevented him from being dangerously close to the scene. He later shared his reflections during an appearance at the 12th Annual Better Brothers Los Angeles Truth Awards.
The broadcaster noted that his friend’s home, located near the singer’s residence, sustained some damage during the incident.
Lemon remarked that his year could have taken an even worse turn, particularly as he has already been dealing with legal matters stemming from covering an anti-ICE protest.
The near miss added another layer to an already unsettling situation. For Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, the ordeal has been a sobering reminder of how quickly circumstances can change.
Gigi Hadid is pushing back after her name surfaced in documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein.
The supermodel addressed the controversy directly, calling the association “disturbing” while emphasizing she had no connection to him.
Her response comes as the files spark online debate and renewed scrutiny, and amid recent comments from exes, including Zayn Malik and Cody Simpson.
Gigi Hadid Responds To Epstein File Mention
The controversy began after newly released documents referenced Gigi Hadid in a 2015 email exchange.
According to the correspondence, a redacted individual questioned the professional success of Gigi and her sister, writing, “How did the Hadid sisters became models and make so much money?! I don’t understand…”
Epstein reportedly replied, “You know,” prompting the individual to respond, “The father paid the agency,” to which he answered, “No.”
He later added, “Because they follow directions, its that simple.”
The exchange quickly drew attention online, sparking speculation and prompting calls for Hadid to address the mention.
The model eventually responded after a social media user criticized her for remaining silent.
She revealed that reading the documents “made me sick to my stomach.”
Hadid Defends Her Success
In a detailed explanation, Gigi Hadid clarified why she initially avoided commenting.
She wrote per E! News, “Horrible to read someone you’ve never met speak about you that way. Especially in this context.”
She also added, “I didn’t comment because I don’t want to take away from the stories of real victims of his; but your comment made me realize maybe its not clear—and it’s important to let you know.”
The supermodel stressed that she wanted the focus to remain on victims while still addressing the speculation surrounding her name.
Her message aimed to separate herself from the narrative while acknowledging the seriousness of the broader situation.
Hadid also reflected on her upbringing, explaining that although she “grew up privileged,” her parents “protected me and taught me the value of hard work.”
She further noted that after signing with a modeling agency in 2012, “I’ve worked hard every moment since.”
These comments appeared to counter the insinuations made in the email exchange about how she achieved success.
Gigi Hadid Calls Alleged Association Disturbing
The documents stem from material connected to Jeffrey Epstein, who faced serious criminal allegations before his death in 2019.
His legal troubles and connections to prominent figures have continued to generate headlines, with newly released files prompting renewed public interest.
Hadid emphasized the timeline in her response, pointing out she was young at the time of the alleged email.
She explained, “To be named in those files, I think I was 20-21 at the time he would have written that email—is disturbing.”
She concluded firmly, “and I want to state unequivocally that I have never had any affiliation with that disgusting human being.”
Her statement was one of her most direct responses to controversy in recent years.
By addressing the claims head-on, she sought to dispel any assumptions linking her to Epstein.
Zayn Malik Reflects On Hadid Relationship
The Epstein controversy unfolded amid comments from Zayn Malik about his past relationship with Gigi Hadid.
Speaking on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, the singer shared his feelings about their time together and their daughter.
“I will always love Gigi, because she’s the reason my child is on this Earth, and I have the utmost respect for her,” Malik said.
He also reflected on the emotional dynamics of their relationship, admitting that while he cared deeply for her, he felt something was missing.
He explained, “I don’t think I was in love with her at that point. Otherwise, I would have been a better version of myself.”
Looking back, Malik added, “I don’t feel like it was love.”
His remarks offered a candid perspective on their relationship, which ended after several years together.
Gigi Hadid’s Past Relationships Revisited
Another former partner, Cody Simpson, also spoke about his time with Hadid during an appearance on the “We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson” podcast.
Reflecting on their relationship, Simpson described it fondly, saying, “It was kind of like she was my first love, man. Absolutely.”
He further elaborated on the significance of their connection, noting, “The universe brings people together when they’re supposed to be together … We were supposed to be together when we were and learnt stuff from each other.”
As attention continues to swirl around the Epstein files and renewed discussions about her relationships, Gigi Hadid’s response remains clear.
By calling the alleged link “disgusting” and denying any affiliation, she aimed to put distance between herself and the controversy while reaffirming her own narrative.
Saturday Night Live has featured several celebrity hosts throughout its nearly 50-year run, but only a select few have joined the show’s coveted Five-Timers Club.
Tom Hanks became the club’s first official member upon its creation in 1990, though several stars such as Steve Martin, Danny DeVito, Drew Barrymore, Justin Timberlake and Melissa McCarthy have each hosted SNL five or more times over the years. Upon reaching the entertainment milestone, each member is presented with the club’s iconic velvet robe.
While the honor is usually bestowed upon the show’s hosts, several musical guests have also appeared on the NBC sketch series five or more times, including Paul Simon and Jack White.
Emma Stone became the show’s youngest (at 35) Five-Timer Club inductee in December 2023. “Emma, this is your day. You’re part of SNL herstory,” fellow member Candice Bergen quipped, making a special cameo. The most recent addition to the Club was Jack Black in April 2026.
Scroll down to see every SNL celebrity host who has joined the Five-Timers Club:
During the heyday of the film noir genre in 1947, Out of the Past was released in the United States, but it may have been difficult to parse it out from the litany of other films revolving around hard-boiled protagonists and murder mysteries in the wake of The Maltese Falcon and Double Indemnity. Emerging from the end of World War II, the subgenre reflected the American postwar malaise and rotten core of the nation amid the patriotic celebration of the defeat of the Axis Powers.
No noir embodies the sense of disillusionment and general melancholy simmering beneath the surface quite like Out of the Past, Jacques Tourneur‘s movie that cemented the iconography of a noir legend, Robert Mitchum. Now available to stream on HBO Max, this cult classic will hook any genre neophyte into a noir obsessive, with its moody atmosphere, striking photography, and inventive use of genre tropes.
Robert Mitchum Became a Noir Icon in ‘Out of the Past’
Based on the novel Build My Gallows High, Out of the Past tells the story of Jeff Bailey (Mitchum), a gas station owner whose troubled past returns when his old enemy, gambler Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas), reemerges with his femme fatale mistress, Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer). With the energy of a thriller and the mood of a ghost story, Out of the Past represents the pinnacle of Jacques Tourneur, renowned for suspense films like Cat People and The Leopard Man.
The studio, RKO Pictures, struck gold with the casting of the relative newcomer Robert Mitchum, an actor seemingly born to play a tired private eye. His hangdog expression and sleepy eyes characterize the wear and tear of noir protagonists in over their heads and yearning for a better life down the road. Mitchum’s recognizable attributes seen in Night of the Hunter and Cape Fear are at their most raw as Jeff Bailey in Out of the Past, whose gaze alone enhances the film’s rich dramatic tension. Despite its potentially irresponsible portrait, no one has ever looked better with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth than Mitchum, prompting Roger Ebert to honor the film as “the greatest cigarette-smoking movie of all time.” Puffs of cigarette smoke create a dusty, shadowy aura and convey the gloomy psychological state of its characters.
‘Out of the Past’ Cemented the Trademarks of the Film Noir Genre
A noir with the emotional tenor of a melodrama, Out of the Past is a swooning portrait of lost dreams, love, and the agony of regret. Classic noirs antagonized the American city as a den of sin and violence, especially Jeff’s former stomping ground of New York City. However, the film wisely doesn’t glorify that quaint beauty of Jeff’s current hiding spot in this rural town, as the same daunting, haunted energy that clouds each room in a typical noir looms large, signaling that the days of innocence are long gone for Jeff and the country at large. Jeff’s tortured past as a private eye entangled in the wrong case reflected the American mindset following WWII’s conclusion, with many families moving away from cities and into the idyllic suburbs. Despite the veneer of starting over with a brand-new life, Jeff can’t escape the horrors of his past.
Beautifully crafted interior and exterior locations and richly acted by Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and the relatively unknown Kirk Douglas at the time, Out of the Past is the quintessential noir, and its roots can be traced in future classic noirs of the ’50s like The Big Heat and modern neo-noirs like Shutter Island. While its contemporaries of the genre were deeply cynical, Jacques Tourneur’s masterpiece has a heart of gold, but much like its protagonist, it’s been worn down by the punishing outside circumstances. Whether it’s the canted angles, clouds of smoke, or sultry femme fatales, indulging in noir tropes is always an immersive experience, but Out of the Past‘s sympathy for Jeff makes you wish that he could escape the confines of this movie and settle down.
Out of the Past is also a calling card movie for Robert Mitchum, a classic Hollywood icon often overshadowed by peers such as Gregory Peck, Cary Grant, and Burt Lancaster. Equally cool and disturbed, Mitchum’s performance as the haunted gas station owner who paid the price by being a dutiful private eye is stripped of all the theatrical conventions of classic Hollywood acting, but without the self-conscious rule-breaking of method acting. Despite its successors heavily cribbing from it, the film always feels inventive, raw, and unbridled.
Jason Statham and early-year actioners are a perfect pairing, and that’s exactly how 2026 began as Statham returned with another ass-kicking masterclass. In his latest effort, Shelter, you won’t be surprised to learn that Statham plays a former British government assassin who has now chosen to live a quieter life, only to be forced into using his skull-cracking expertise in the name of justice. Against a budget of $50 million, Shelter sadly failed to impress at the box office, running out of steam with a global haul of just $49 million.
What made this box office performance even more damning was the success of Statham’s January 2024 movie, The Beekeeper. Against a budget of $40 million, The Beekeeper proved a smash hit, scoring a huge $152 million in global revenue, split between a domestic haul of $66 million and a further $86 million from overseas markets. Not only a hit financially, but The Beekeeper was also a success with both critics and audiences, earning a solid 71% from critics on the review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, and “Verified Hot” 92% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter.
After its enormous success, the actioner was quickly greenlit for a second installment, with The Beekeeper 2 seeing Timo Tjahjanto take over directorial control from David Ayer. Written by Umair Aleem, who takes over from Kurt Wimmer, the film is scheduled to hit theaters on January 15, 2027. However, if you’re from Germany, you’re in luck, as the movie will arrive a day early, on January 14. In anticipation of the sequel’s release next year, the first movie, The Beekeeper, is one of the ten most-watched films on Peacock in the U.S.
Remembering the Icons of Television — Collider TV Quiz
These television artists were posthumously recognized for their work, and the awards they received were testaments to their lasting legacies.
What Did Collider Say About ‘The Beekeeper’?
In line with the views of others around the world, Collider’s Nate Richard wrote a glowing review of The Beekeeper, awarding the film a strong 8/10 score. “The Beekeeper is made for a very specific audience. Those who don’t want their action paired with a large quantity of puns and cheese won’t find much here,” he said. “It’s an action movie with plot beats that might make certain audience members raise their eyebrows and scoff,” Richard wrote, “but it will have Statham devotees smiling, laughing, and cheering in their seats.”
The Beekeeper is streaming now on Peacock. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
- Release Date
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January 12, 2024
- Runtime
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105 minutes
- Director
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David Ayer
- Writers
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Kurt Wimmer
A handful of directors in a similar age bracket seem to be following in the footsteps of Ryan Coogler on the traditional path to Hollywood success. Coogler broke out with the indie darling Fruitvale Station before making his first studio movie, Creed, and then landing the gig to direct Black Panther for Marvel. He secured a rare deal with his blockbuster Sinners, which set the record for the most Oscar nominations for a single film some months ago. Nia DaCosta took a similar road, although she has hit more than one hurdle along the way. One of the brightest examples of this strategy working out is Michael Sarnoski, who made his studio debut with the critically acclaimed blockbuster A Quiet Place: Day One, and is now gearing up to deliver his blank-check project, The Death of Robin Hood.
Scheduled for release by A24 in June, The Death of Robin Hood is a dark retelling of the legend. It stars Hugh Jackman in the titular role of an aging Robin Hood burdened by his past. Sarnoski has one of the most anticipated movies of 2026 on his hands, as evidenced by the buzz its trailer generated and by the filmmaker’s immaculate track record. Before A Quiet Place: Day One, which grossed more than $280 million worldwide and earned a “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes, Sarnoski announced his arrival on the scene with a thriller starring Nicolas Cage. The actor went on to declare that his performance in the film was the finest he’d ever given in his eclectic career.
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We’re talking, of course, about Pig. Released in 2021, the movie didn’t break the bank, but it was critically acclaimed and viewed as a return to form for Cage. The actor was considered a favorite to score an Oscar nod, but was eventually snubbed. Pig follows a grieving former chef who lives as a recluse in the woods and whose prized pig is stolen by gangsters. He goes on a journey to recover the pig that takes him into an underground community of chefs and restaurant workers in Chicago. The movie holds a near-perfect 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “Like the animal itself, Pig defies the hogwash of expectations with a beautiful odyssey of loss and love anchored by Nicolas Cage’s affectingly raw performance.” According to What’s On Netflix, the movie will leave the streamer on May 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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July 16, 2021
- Runtime
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92 minutes
- Director
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Michael Sarnoski
- Writers
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Michael Sarnoski
Entertainment
Chris Pratt’s Epic Fantasy Movie Dominates Streaming as Sci-Fi Sequel Shatters Records in Theaters
The box office has made space the place to be this weekend, as a sequel to an animated juggernaut goes head-to-head with Ryan Gosling‘s latest masterpiece. The epic sci-fi adventure Project Hail Mary, based on the bestselling book by Andy Weir, has already broken box office records for Amazon MGM and will continue its impressive run this weekend. However, it now faces its biggest test in the form of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, directed by returning filmmakers Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Although Super Mario Galaxy is expected to collect the most coins from the box office this weekend, early reviews might damage its chances of reaching the heights of its predecessor. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has only earned a 42% score from critics, with the consensus on the site reading, “While it’s nowhere near as thrilling as turtle tipping your way to 128 lives, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a colorful — albeit thinly plotted — animated adventure that has about as many Nintendos as Nintendon’ts.”
However, Collider’s Ross Bonaime was more positive in his review of the sequel, praising Donald Glover and Brie Larson‘s new additions, saying, “Regardless of anything else, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a pretty impeccably cast movie from top to bottom.” The film’s debut in theaters has encouraged millions to head back to the first outing to get a taste of what’s to come, which has led The Super Mario Bros. Movie to become one of the ten most-streamed movies on Peacock in the U.S., at the time of writing.
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How Much Did ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Make at the Box Office?
Against a reported budget of $100 million, The Super Mario Bros. Movie earned over $1.3 billion worldwide, split between a domestic haul of $575 million and a further $784 million from overseas markets. In doing so, the film became the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time, capitalizing on the global adoration for the source material. With the sequel facing a similar initial response from critics, only time will tell whether it can pull off the same sort of record-breaking box office run as its predecessor.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is streaming now on Peacock. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
- Release Date
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April 5, 2023
- Runtime
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93 minutes
- Director
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Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath
- Writers
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Matthew Fogel
- Producers
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Chris Meledandri, Shigeru Miyamoto
Jack Black enlisted some star-studded helpers to bring Saturday Night Live’s Five-Timers Club back to life.
The School of Rock star, 56, made his historic fifth appearance as an SNL host on Saturday, April 4, which meant that he’d gained entry in the show’s historic Five-Timers Club lounge — but there was a hitch.
Fellow Five-Timers Club member Jonah Hill crashed the monologue to explain to Black that something was wrong in the Club. The duo raced to the Five-Timers Club lounge, only to find it covered with cobwebs and other spooky regalia.
“There’s evil lurking around every corner,” Black warned, before a voice replied, “No, it’s just me.”
Six-time Saturday Night Live host Tina Fey then stepped out of the shadows wearing a freshly-minted SNL UK one-timers jacket for hosting the series premiere of the British spinoff two weeks ago. (Fey joked that the SNL UK one-timers club jacket was lined with the fur of Paddington Bear.)
Jack Black and Tina Fey on “Saturday Night Live.” Courtesy NBC/YouTube
“I wanted to congratulate you on a historic night. You’re officially the first Black in the Five-Timers Club,” Fey quipped, in reference to SNL’s less-than-diverse hosting history.
(Dwayne Johnson is the only nonwhite member of the Five Timers Club yet, though Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph and Charles Barkley have all hosted multiple times.)
As the trio tried to figure out how to revive the Five-Timers Club lounge, they were joined by fellow five-time SNL host Candice Bergen and six-timer Melissa McCarthy. Jack White — the night’s musical guest — even dropped by for a quick cameo to celebrate his own fifth time performing solo on Saturday Night Live.
“The five-time musical guests only have their parking validated for 15 minutes so I have to move my hearse,” White, 50, quipped before walking off.
Black finally decided that he needed a rocking musical number to fully revive the Club, so he called on all of the former hosts, White and “a choir of marching wizards” to join him for a revamped cover of the White Stripes’ 2003 classic “Seven Nation Army.”
“I’m gonna make it right. The five-timer army gonna lift the curse,” Black sang. “We got Jack Black and White, he’s shredding his axe while I sing the next verse.”
As all of the classic SNL hosts danced around him on stage, Black declared, “I can’t believe this is really happening. Am I in heaven?”
Bergen, Steve Martin, Buck Henry, Elliott Gould and Chevy Chase were among the earliest members of the Five Timers Club but the first actual sketch occurred in 1990 when Tom Hanks joined.
Black made his SNL debut as a special guest with his Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass in May 1998. He hosted for the first time in January 2002.
Saturday Night Live continues on NBC April 11 at 11:30 p.m. ET with guest host Colman Domingo and music from Anitta.
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