Entertainment
6 Near-Perfect Hard Sci-Fi Shows on Apple TV, Ranked
One of the most addictive genres on television remains science fiction. From space stories to technology thrillers, the genre has provided an opening for viewers to tap into worlds far removed through stories rooted in science. Now, some sci-fi films are so brazen and fantastical that we know they can’t be real. They play by their own rules. But for hard sci-fi, they use elements grounded in facts.
When it comes to hard sci-fi, Apple TV has a handful of series that are near perfect. From journeys into space to adventures before the surface, the streamer has hosted some gripping shows that leave us never wanting the story to end. The six titles on this list will scratch the sci-fi itch while keeping you entertained with authentic scientific elements.
6
‘Constellation’ (2024)
Even though a show is canceled after a single season, it doesn’t mean it’s bad. It just means the right eyes weren’t on it. Such is the case for the near-perfect single season of Constellation. Created by Peter Harness, Constellation follows the events of an unidentified object that collided with the International Space Station, leading to the death of one of the five astronauts aboard and crippling most of the onboard systems and one of the Soyuz descent modules. A physics experiment called CAL, or Cold Atom Lab, designed to study quantum states where objects can exist in two places at once, was running at the time of the catastrophic event, causing the surviving astronauts and cosmonauts to swap places with their mirror-universe doubles. In one reality, it’s Jo Ericsson (Noomi Rapace) who died in the collision. In the other, it’s Paul Lancaster (William Catlett). The mind-bending sci-fi psychological thriller explores quantum superposition, parallel universes, and the simultaneous acceptance and adaptation to the new entangled reality.
Constellation is a series unlike any other. It’s not always the easiest to follow, requiring viewers to focus and not use it as background noise. In turn, the mind-bending narrative taps into an unpredictable puzzle that leaves you guessing throughout the eight episodes. A visually stunning series, Constellation has no shortage of zero-gravity sequences and spacewalks that make you feel as if you’re up in the stars. Constellation is also filled with sensational performances, namely from Rapace and Jonathan Banks as Henry and Bud Caldera, mirror-universe counterparts. Constellation uses legitimate scientific concepts, including the observer effect, to explain phenomena such as the multiverse and parallel realities. Then, add in the practical psychological horror of the trauma from long-term spaceflight, and the narrative feels authentic. Constellation traps everyday astronauts in a scientifically explainable but terrifying phenomenon.
5
‘Dark Matter’ (2024–Present)
The multiverse conceit continues to be a messy but often-used narrative tool that provides for great entertainment. In the series Dark Matter, it serves as the central device that propels the plot. Created by Blake Crouch, the enthralling thriller follows Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton), a Chicago physicist who is abducted and thrust into the multiverse. He wakes up in alternate realities where his life choices went differently, and he must fight his way back home through a labyrinth of parallel worlds to save his true family from the most dangerous foe imaginable: himself. A deeply character-driven love story set within a high-stakes multiverse thriller, Dark Matter explores the roads not taken, challenging viewers with a core question: Are you happy in your life?
Based on Crouch’s own book, Dark Matter is precisely plotted, ensuring the magic and heart are present in the adaptation. Further, his ability to keep scientific elements within the fantastical premise keeps viewers engaged. Dark Matter uses real quantum mechanics, particularly Schrödinger’s cat and superposition, as the framework for the plot. Giving audiences something tangible lends itself to seamless storytelling that doesn’t pull the viewer out to question the implausible things. Dark Matter features remarkable performances led by Edgerton and carried through by Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, and Jimmi Simpson. Edgerton’s ability to navigate his characters, separating regular-guy Jason from ruthless Jason, carries the series to glory. Dark Matter may very well be a sci-fi show, but its human story is the reason to tune in.
4
‘For All Mankind’ (2019–Present)
Imagine a world in which the United States lost the space race. It might be hard to believe, but then For All Mankind told us what that alternative history might look like. Created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi, the series explores what would have happened if the global space race had never ended. The premise begins in 1969 when the Soviet Union successfully lands the first man on the Moon, dealing a devastating blow to the United States and intensifying the Cold War. By changing a single significant historical event, For All Mankind creates a massive butterfly effect, featuring rapid technological innovation, political intrigue, and an optimistic vision of human perseverance.
For All Mankind is a brilliant “what if” drama. Across each season, the series organically leaps about a decade forward, showcasing how that inciting event reshaped reality. In turn, it forces characters to age, evolve, and adapt to new eras of technology and global politics. For All Mankind is rooted in character-driven drama, centered on human ambition, sacrifice, and the emotional toll that space exploration and grueling career choices take on the astronauts and their families. The hard science comes in as For All Mankind changes events, but not the science itself. The series, among other things, delves into real-world orbital mechanics, engineering, and physics that govern humanity’s expansion into space. A bingeable epic, For All Mankind is a brilliant alternate-history season that is so good you get more from a different perspective: Star City.
3
‘Foundation’ (2021–Present)
Predicting the future may yield grim outcomes, leading to further destruction to prevent imminent doom. That’s the basic premise of Foundation. Based on Isaac Asimov’s novels, the three-season series follows mathematician Hari Seldon, who invents “psychohistory,” a mathematical science capable of predicting the behavior of massive populations and charting the future of the galaxy. In turn, it predicts the inevitable fall of the Galactic Empire. To prevent a 30,000-year dark age, he leads exiles to establish “the Foundation” to preserve humanity’s knowledge and rebuild civilization. The tyrannical ruling dynasty attempts to crush the Foundation, viewing it as a threat to their absolute power. Successfully adapting Asimov’s “unadaptable” novels, Foundation is rooted in grounded, emotional narratives with rich world-building and hard science.
The century-spanning story centers on the conflict between the ruling imperial Genetic Dynasty via the clones of Emperor Cleon (Lee Pace) and the Foundation, including Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell), a prodigy who helps develop the plan, and Salvor Hardin (Leah Harvey), the warden of Terminus, as they navigate the predicted fall. The series relies heavily on the tension between science and faith, the nature of power, and the question of whether historical events can be altered. With Asimov’s invention of psychohistory, Foundation has, well, a foundation on which to stand. Having a meticulous, predictable, mathematical science at its core, there is great freedom to build a detailed, multi-generational galactic history. It may not be instantly familiar, but it swiftly becomes accessible. With breathtaking cinematography, Foundation is an intelligent and entertaining series.
2
‘Invasion’ (2021–Present)
And now it’s time for some aliens! Created by Simon Kinberg and David Weil, the multilingual format Invasion tells the story of an extraterrestrial threat to Earth’s existence, told through the eyes of ordinary people around the world. Rather than focusing purely on military battles, the show explores human relationships, fear, and survival during an extinction-level event. In New York, the Malik family fights to survive both the alien chaos and collapsing societal norms. Then there is Mitsuki Yamato (Shioli Kutsuna), a communications specialist for the Japanese space agency, who searches for answers regarding a lost spacecraft; Caspar Morrow (Billy Barratt), a bullied schoolboy in London on a field trip that takes a dangerous, mysterious turn; and Trevante Ward (Shamier Anderson), a U.S. Navy SEAL whose unit is ambushed in the Middle East. A tried-and-true character-driven drama that spans multiple continents into a harrowing tale, Invasion captures the raw, psychological terror of a global catastrophe.
Invasion smartly focuses on humanity over spectacle. That said, the visuals’ cinematic quality, atmospheric score, and international locales give the series a theatricality that feels like a global event. A slow-burning series, Invasion is one for patient people. The story allows its characters and narrative arcs to develop fully over multiple seasons, giving it a truly episodic vibe. While there is great mystery surrounding the extraterrestrials, the characters’ arcs are heavily rooted in the scientific process and deep personal grief rather than fantastical technology. Everything found inside Invasion is methodical, giving the show a more psychologically grounded science-fiction survival-story epic. There may be aliens, but Invasion is a refreshing people-first thriller.
1
‘Silo’ (2023–Present)
It pains my soul to say Silo is only near-perfect, but compared to Severance and Pluribus, it’s a notch below. Nevertheless, it remains one of the greatest shows on the streamer. Created by Graham Yost and based on the Silo trilogy of novels by Hugh Howey, the series is set in a dystopian future where a community lives in a giant underground silo with 144 levels. The residents are governed by strict rules and believe the outside world is a toxic, ruined wasteland. Engineer Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) becomes embroiled in the mystery of the past and the present as she seeks to uncover the dark, murderous conspiracy behind their existence. A brilliant mystery box that continues to expand the universe’s lore season by season, Silo is a fight for survival after a lie to survive.
Instead of relying on magical or futuristic technology, the show grounds itself in realistic mechanics, sociological theory, and the harsh, immutable rules of a confined, dystopian environment. And this society is no cakewalk to live in. The psychological effects of scarcity, resource management, and how totalitarian surveillance and history-erasure can shape a closed population over centuries are central to its narrative. Despite being a future-set thriller, science falls into the past. Due to the lack of technological evolution, the denizens of the silo use our modern technology in their future dystopia — steam, generators, heat dissipation, and the brutal physics of moving up and down the massive structure — making it appear as a mind-bending juxtaposition. Come for the intriguing story, stay for the top-rate ensemble, featuring Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Common, Tim Robbins, Harriet Walter, and more. Silo is a great example of why hard science is such a necessary genre within the sci-fi umbrella.
- Release Date
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May 5, 2023
- Showrunner
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Graham Yost
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Michael Mando has revealed that he was navigating life without a home while chasing his dream of becoming an actor.
He also admitted that repeated audition rejections during that period made him feel “untalented,” though he now sees those experiences as a natural part of the human journey.
The actor is best known for playing Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul and Mac Gargan in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” He is set to reprise the role in the upcoming “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” where he’ll finally transform into the mechanically enhanced version of his character, Scorpion.
In less than 48 hours, Michael Mando will return to the Marvel universe after first earning widespread acclaim for his standout performance in “Better Call Saul.”
That success was built on years of sacrifice, as the actor revealed during a recent appearance on the “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast.
“I was homeless when I started my acting career,” the Canadian actor shared. “I used to shower at the YMCA. I used to take a bus from Montreal to Toronto overnight. I used to shower at the YMCA, go do an audition, and then take the bus back.”
The Canadian Actor Recalls Being Kicked Out By A Friend
During that period, Mando occasionally stayed at friends’ apartments, though those living arrangements often proved difficult.
“I remember in the winter, I got kicked out of my friend’s apartment because I overslept and I burnt his sheets by accident on the heater,” the Marvel star recalled. “And he’s like, ‘Man, you got to go. We can’t both sleep on a small mattress.’”
Afterward, Mando rented an apartment with poor living conditions because it was all he could afford. He continued auditioning for roles but faced far more rejections than callbacks, leaving him to question whether he was truly meant to become an actor.
“I felt so s—ty in my life so many times,” he said. “I felt small, I felt unwanted, I felt untalented, I felt hopeless, and that’s just a part of the human experience.”
Mando Shares Hope For Anyone Facing Homelessness
Across the six-season run of “Better Call Saul,” Mando appeared in 33 episodes, a role that helped elevate both his career and financial stability.
His role in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is also expected to be significantly larger than his appearance in “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” marking another major milestone in his Hollywood career.
Looking back on his journey, Mando said he hopes his story inspires others facing similar hardships.
He said, “To everyone out there, if you’ve been broke, if you’ve been homeless, if you thought that there’s no way out, of course I felt it. And I can promise you almost every single great person, actor, anyone you’ve ever met has felt it. It’s not just you; everybody feels it.”
The ‘Elysium’ Star Hyped ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Ahead Of Premiere
Mando recently stopped by San Diego Comic-Con, where he spoke with Extra about Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
When asked what fans should be most excited about, the actor kept spoilers to a minimum while offering high praise for the film.
“I think Spider-Man: Brand New Day is arguably one of the best superhero movies, period. I hope people enjoy it as much as we have making it,” Mando said.
He also praised lead star Tom Holland and the rest of the cast.
“All the stuff I’ve seen Tom do on and off camera is just great. Phenomenal. And everybody in that—I think everybody crushes it. So, I can’t wait for the world to see it.”
Michael Mando Lands Another Iconic Comic Book Villain
Next month, Mando will return to the superhero genre once again, this time lending his voice to Bane in the animated DC film Batman: Knightfall.
The actor revealed that the most rewarding part of playing the iconic villain came after much of the voice work had already been completed.
“I came back to do some of the grunts after they animated it, and I saw basically Bane and Batman fighting, and I had a callback to when I was a kid,” Mando recalled. “I just remember thinking, ‘Wow, imagine telling the eight-year-old me you’re going to beat up Batman and it’s going to be great.’ That was really beautiful.”
Influencer Sara Gilson’s late estranged husband Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey will reportedly not be given a funeral by his ex-wife and children after allegedly killing Gilson and himself.
Duffey’s ex-wife, Stephanie Ramsay, told TMZ on Wednesday, July 29, that their five children were responsible for making any decisions about his funeral and burial under Oklahoma law. Per Ramsay, Duffey’s children felt he was not deserving of any memorial so he will be cremated and his remains will be placed in a family plot.
In her interview, Ramsay recalled that Duffey repeatedly threatened suicide during their marriage, including warning that he would “take [her] out with him” if he ever followed through. Ramsay had sole custody of the former couple’s five children following their split. (Ramsay confirmed that she initially started dating Duffey when she was 15 and he was 20.)
On Saturday, July 25, it was reported that Gilson and Duffey were found dead in their Oklahoma City home after a fatal shooting on Thursday, July 23.
Influencer Sara Gilson’s ex-husband, Lyle Landers, allegedly “begged” her to leave her estranged husband Shawn Duffey before the couple’s apparent murder-suicide. “She had been stuck in a relationship where domestic abuse seemed ‘OK,’” Landers, 46, claimed in an interview with People published on Sunday, July 26, of his ex-wife, with whom he shared two kids, […]
Police later disclosed that 911 dispatchers received a call on Thursday from “a juvenile caller advising his step-father had shot his mother.” (Gilson is survived by two children from a previous relationship.)
The alleged murder-suicide plot took place following a tumultuous month where Gilson and a mother of a 15-year-old girl both took out separate orders of protection against Duffey.
Gilson was advised to take the action by local authorities after they received a report on June 10 from a local mother that Duffey had inappropriately touched her 15-year-old daughter. (Duffey was reportedly a youth basketball coach for the girl’s team.)
The petition accused Duffey of “child abuse” after a fellow basketball coach “observed through a window” that Duffey was “kissing and fondling” the minor on June 9 during private meetings.
This other coach alerted the girl’s mother, who alleged that she later found that Duffey was “sending inappropriate messages” to her daughter and offering her money to keep quiet.
“Once during an out of town tournament, when the whole team including myself were staying at the same hotel, [Duffey] got her [daughter] to come to his room [and] he touched her inappropriately,” the petition read.
Sara Gilson and Shawn Duffey mrsgilson/Tiktok
Gilson’s separate order of protection required Duffey to immediately leave their home and stay at least 100 yards away from her through at least August 24.
On July 11, Gilson went public with allegations of pedophilia against her estranged husband. She followed a TikTok trend where people pretend to be interviewed for a Netflix true-crime documentary — though, in her version, she wrote that she was “preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon-to-be ex-husband, who I just found out is a pedophile.”
“I wish I was joking,” she added.
Weeks later, police officers were sent to Gilson’s home after receiving an emergency call where dispatchers heard a woman screaming and “what sounded to be a gunshot.”
“A few moments later, the E911 Center received another 911 call from a juvenile caller advising his step-father had shot his mother,” police said in the statement. “The juvenile caller was calling from a nearby neighbor’s home.”
Their statement concluded, “Investigators continue to work this investigation, although they advised it appeared to be a murder/suicide event.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
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Thomas posed for a photo with his on-screen mom, Patricia Richardson, and brother, Taran Noah Smith, in a sweet reunion photo.
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There’s never a boring moment in Jennifer Lawrence‘s wardrobe, and her latest sneaker style is a prime example. Instead of plain white kicks, the actress opted for comfy, eye-catching ballet sneakers, and we found the look on sale for only $30.
While cycling through the city, Lawrence wore a simple black tank top, sporty track pants and split-toe ballet sneakers. What makes her outfit work is the balance. Her sporty track pants are mega casual on their own, but the ballet-inspired footwear adds an elevated twist.
Get the Coollulu Mary Jane Ballet Sneakers for $30 (was $43) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
If the split-toe silhouette feels like too much of a bold commitment, these Coollulu ballet sneakers are a softer entry point to the same energy. They feature a rounded toe, hook-and-loop closure and instep strap for that Mary Jane flair. We also love the sleek suede and vegan leather accents that make the shoes transition well from summer to fall.
If you’re tired of sneakers, sandals and even basic ballet flats, we feel you. But Anne Hathaway‘s latest shoe choice might inspire you to try a new take on an old trend. The actress wore rich-looking woven flats that somehow screamed ‘Hamptons’ and ‘Manhattan’ at the same time, and we found the luxe look for […]
And in case you missed it, these stylish slip-ons are also mega comfortable, too. They’re designed with padded insoles and an anti-slip bottom, so they’re perfect for long walks, even if it’s raining outside.
One shopper called them “fancy sporty shoes,” and we couldn’t have put it better!
Another happy reviewer who wore them on an international trip was stunned by their comfort and quality. “I recently hiked the rainforest in Australia and took these bad boys along. I think these are amazing travel shoes because they held up through hiking, sightseeing and airport terminals,” they wrote. “I like this look because it’s feminine and can be matched with anything from dresses to biking shorts.”
These trendy shoes fall firmly in polarizing-yet-chic territory, but with Lawrence’s approval, they lean way more chic. Slip them on with a dress, jeans or track pants, and her cool-girl energy is yours!
Get the Coollulu Mary Jane Ballet Sneakers for $30 (was $43) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more chic sneakers, and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping
Welcome to summer with our biggest sale of the year. This summer’s chicest dresses, tops and swimsuits are all over 30% + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.
If you’ve been eyeing a $600 pair of sandals, same, but nothing can justify the price tag for something you wear for three months of the year. That said, if you want to look like you dropped triple digits, these 13 luxe-looking sandals nail the assignment. Nobody at brunch will be able to tell the […]
Influencer Jordyn Woods has broken her silence on the rise of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, saying the revolutionary drug that’s taken over Hollywood has halted progress in the body inclusivity movement.
In a new interview, Jordyn Woods, who rose to fame in the early 2000s through Kylie Jenner and the rest of the Kardashian clan, has been open about body image before, even starting her own activewear line that features a range of sizes for every woman.
Jordyn Woods Doesn’t Seem To Be A Fan Of The Ozempic Trend: ‘Everyone’s Skinny’
Woods, 28, spoke with Bustle about everything under the sun, from her relationship with NBA champion Karl-Anthony Towns to the recent rise in GLP-1s for weight loss.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, GLP-1s are medications that help lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss.
Woods, a size inclusivity advocate, broke her silence on the recent trend and seemed to be against the drug that’s taken Hollywood by storm.
“Yeah. We were taking some steps forward, and now I think in the Ozempic era we’re taking a few steps back. Everyone’s skinny now. The bug hasn’t caught me yet,” she said.
Jordyn Woods Isn’t Worried About Her Weight Fluctuating
Woods implied that she wasn’t interested in using a GLP-1 herself, adding that she’s aware her weight will fluctuate.
“It’s not hard for me,” she said. “My weight’s going to fluctuate. I’m going to be skinnier sometimes. I’m human.”
In 2018, Woods spoke with PEOPLE about her activewear line, SECNDNTURE, and said that she was inspired to create a more inclusive brand after falling in love with working out.
“I went through a lot of different things and working out became my therapy, especially after losing my dad,” she said. “Throughout working out all the time I realized that there wasn’t an activewear line that was super quality and affordable and size-inclusive so I decided, ‘Why not make my own?’”
Jordyn Woods Wanted To Be The Change She Was Hoping To See
For Woods, creating an activewear brand wasn’t just about making money; it was about helping other women feel comfortable in their own skin.
“I felt like there weren’t many options for clothing out there, which enhanced my tomboy-ness because I would just wear my dad’s big shirts or my brother’s big shirts,” she said. “It was discouraging to go to the mall. I knew I couldn’t find anything that would fit me or look cute.”
After Woods began modeling, though, she learned to embrace her body and everything that came with it.
“When I started modeling I gained a lot of confidence because I had to go out of my comfort zone,” she added. “And I realized that my individuality was my greatest gift and that I have this physical body and I can’t change it so you have to love it.”
Rosie O’Donnell Is Using A GLP-1 For Weight Loss
While Woods is staying away from GLP-1s for weight loss, many other celebrities have embraced them, including comedian Rosie O’Donnell.
The former “The View” moderator appeared on the “Bleep!” podcast, according to The Blast, and opened up about microdosing the popular drug to help her avoid negative side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
“I did the lowest dose for [the first] year with 2.5. Then, I did [the second] year at 5, and now, I’m just finishing year [three] at 7.5,” she said.
O’Donnell Called GLP-1 A ‘Miracle Drug’
O’Donnell, 64, has struggled with weight for most of her adult life, she said. However, once she began taking the “miracle drug” over two years ago, she said it changed everything for her.
“I’ve had trouble with my weight my whole life. I know the shame and humiliation dealt to people who are overweight,” she stated. “My kids would come home from trick-or-treating with pillowcases full of candy and hide it,” she continued. “Smart children. I’d wake up at three in the morning and go, ‘There’s a Nestlé’s Crunch bar somewhere.’ I couldn’t help myself.”
According to O’Donnell, using a GLP-1 in the right way has not only changed her body for the better, but it’s also helped her create healthier habits and quiet the “food noise” she’s battled for years.
“Mounjaro changed my life,” she said about the medication.
The Jordyn Woods Breaks Silence On Ozempic Trend: ‘Taking A Few Steps Back’ first appeared on The Blast
Credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock
Patricia Heaton
The Everybody Loves Raymond star posted a video in July 2021, sharing an exciting milestone. “It’s July when we celebrate our nation’s freedom. Also celebrating three years of freedom from alcohol for me,” she said while on a three-mile hike. “Just wanted to share that with you. And message me if any of you are thinking about doing that, any of you are doing that now and need some encouragement or anything at all. Have a great day.”
The Middle star revealed her kids were the reason why she decided to get sober in a candid September 2021 interview on the “Heart of the Matter” podcast.
While she drank shooting the Ray Romano-led sitcom, which ran from 1996 to 2005, her drinking got worse after her four sons moved out. “I just noticed that if it was 5 p.m. and I don’t have anything to do the next day, I would start drinking automatically,” the actress said, adding that she “really started looking forward to drinking and thinking about it in a way that I hadn’t before.”
However, it was a birthday dinner for one of her sons that made her realize she had a problem.
“I was just filling my glass with red wine throughout the five or six hours that we were together. I don’t know how many glasses it was, and I felt completely sober and fine,” the Carol’s Second Act star said. “I was making a joke to the table, and I started saying, ‘You know, in our family it’s a tradition …’ And I could not pronounce the word ‘tradition.’ I tried three times, and I couldn’t say the word.”
One of her sons remarked on her inability to say the word in front of everyone. “And I was so humiliated,” she says, adding, “It shook me up. I thought, ‘That’s it. That’s it’ … It had every element that I needed. It had a logical element and had this, ‘Oh, my gosh, my sons have seen me drink too much.’”
The next day at breakfast, the Back To You actress said she told a friend, “Well, you’re the first person I’m telling this to, but this is my first day of never drinking again.”
Action fans have had plenty to feast on this year, with enough hits to keep the “best of the year” debate going for months. From high-tech military survival thrillers, revenge sagas, hard-boiled crime epics, and fun buddy adventures, the genre has delivered just about every flavor imaginable. Most of the attention has gone to high-profile releases like The Rip, The Wrecking Crew, and Alan Ritchson‘s War Machine, but some of the year’s biggest surprises have come from smaller titles. The Furious proved that point with its John Wick-meets-The Raid martial arts action, and there’s another overlooked gem that’s every bit as worthy of the conversation.
One of the year’s lesser-known action hits features a Taylor Sheridan favorite who has quietly become a favorite among fans of grounded, no-nonsense action. The narrative features a highly skilled veteran pushed past their breaking point and forced to unleash calculated violence against his enemies. Much like in the Finnish fan-favorite WWII thriller Sisu, the motivation behind the thriller is personal as the protagonist takes matters into his own hands following the kidnapping of his daughter. However, rather than the sometimes over-the-top spectacle seen in Sisu, Man of War favors the type of tactical realism and methodical combat that made Chris Pratt‘s The Terminal List an easy watch for military thriller fans.
Leading the charge is LaMonica Garrett, a face Taylor Sheridan fans will instantly recognize. He first made an impression as Thomas, the former Buffalo Soldier in the Yellowstone prequel, 1883, and then in Sheridan’s hit spy thriller Special Ops: Lioness. Military action fans may also know him as Commander Bill Cox from The Terminal List and its prequel series, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. Garrett sticks to familiar territory in Man of War, delivering another hard-hitting performance that plays to his strengths. After recently landing on digital platforms, the film has begun to reach a wider audience and is now climbing the streaming charts on Starz in multiple countries.
How Good Is ‘Man of War’?
Man of War takes viewers into the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, following Connor (Garrett), a former Navy SEAL and CIA operative who heads into the war-torn country after his daughter, an aid worker, is taken hostage by Russian mercenaries. The mission quickly becomes a one-man war as Connor encounters backstabbing and has to rely on his elite skills to fight his way through enemy territory.
Directed by William Kaufman (Sinners and Saints), the movie has already earned praise from several platforms for its relentless action and “all-out carnage,” with much of the attention directed toward Garrett’s “badass” performance. Other reviewers have also highlighted the film’s effort to show the human cost of conflict and the innocent lives caught in the crossfire. The cast also includes Linds Edwards (Osiris), Andrew Howard (Limitless), Rosemary Yaneva (The Bouncer), Jason Patric (The Lost Boys), and Daniel Bernhardt (John Wick).
Man of War is available to stream on Starz. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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July 3, 2026
- Runtime
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111 minutes
- Director
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William Kaufman
It’s probably harder to come up with World War II movies that aren’t particularly intense than ones that are. If you’re making a movie about the largest and most global conflict in the history of the world, a certain level of intensity and drama is needed, with comparatively breezy films about World War II generally being older, or perhaps not as focused on conflict (and even then, classics like Casablanca and The Best Years of Our Lives are emotionally moving in other ways, without showcasing much by way of combat or on-screen violent).
When it comes to the following titles, though, they stand out for being among the most intense World War II movies of all time. There are different reasons why these movies tend to be hard-hitting, and they’re not all here because they’re especially graphic… though some are. They’re not always easy movies to watch, but they all have a purpose in being some level of suspenseful, or even harrowing.
10
‘The Dirty Dozen’ (1967)
The Dirty Dozen is one of those quintessential “we gotta put together a team” sort of movies, with the premise here involving a very dangerous mission that a group of criminals agree to take part in, because pulling off said mission may allow their potential death sentences to be commuted. Some of them are nasty enough that calling them antiheroes would still be a little too generous, and things get undeniably chaotic when it comes time to carry out the main mission behind enemy lines.
Before that rather action-packed final act, The Dirty Dozen is compelling with its set-up, too, with all the stuff surrounding the putting together of the titular team, and training for their eventually deadly mission. It’s got that reliable action movie structure first perfected in Seven Samurai, and then reused again and again since, but sometimes, when something works, it just works, and that’s enough.
9
‘Downfall’ (2004)
Set in the days leading up to Germany’s defeat in the final year of World War II, Downfall inspires an impressive amount of dread for something where the outcome is going to be known ahead of time, regardless of how much/little you know about the Second World War. It’s also called “Downfall,” so, you know… that’s what you’re in for, and it’s pretty grueling to watch.
Downfall isn’t about inspiring sympathy for those it’s about, and instead feels more like it wants to show what happened, warts and all, among the high-ranking members of the Third Reich as it was crumbling and the end was nigh. It’s a claustrophobic and extremely well-acted movie that is kind of infamous nowadays for inspiring a series of memes, but if you get past those Downfall parodies (as funny as some of them might be), you’ll probably be surprised to find a very compelling war drama here.
8
‘The Great Escape’ (1963)
Like with The Dirty Dozen, there’s quite a bit of entertainment to be found in The Great Escape, with it still retaining a good deal of intensity throughout. It’s about an ambitious escape attempt from a prisoner of war camp that’s been established specifically to be “inescapable,” housing various Allied prisoners who’ve all made escapes beforehand from more “regular” prisoner of war camps.
This plays out over a runtime that nears three hours, which might sound a little excessive, but the execution makes it work and feel engaging for all that time. The Great Escape is pretty much perfect, and probably more than just “Great.” As for “Escape,” it is escapist in the sense that there are things to be thrilled and entertained by here, all while also feeling the tension of the situation, with certain costs and hardships of war nonetheless conveyed.
7
‘Letters from Iwo Jima’ (2006)
In 2006, there were two World War II movies directed by Clint Eastwood that were released, and both were about the Battle of Iwo Jima. Flags of Our Fathers showed it from the American perspective, and much of that particular film was focused on the aftermath, and the story behind the famous photograph known as Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.
Letters from Iwo Jima is also about confronting the end, and dealing with approaching death, doing so with surprising sympathy.
Letters from Iwo Jima, on the other hand, was about the battle from the Japanese perspective, and a good deal of it was instead concerned with the lead-up to said battle, and with less time spent on the aftermath, considering how many on the Japanese side of the battle died. So, Letters from Iwo Jima is also about confronting the end, and dealing with approaching death, doing so with surprising sympathy (at least for an American-produced film) and a ton of emotion for hopefully obvious reasons.
6
‘Dunkirk’ (2017)
Before Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan had made one movie set in the past (The Prestige), but that one wasn’t really based on a true story, having mostly fictional characters. Dunkirk was a bit more faithful to history, specifically being about the Dunkirk evacuation, which really happened, though the characters are either fictional or inspired by real-life people. It’s more about the experience of the whole event from multiple perspectives, rather than honing in on the real-life people who were involved, if that makes sense.
It’s then possible to look at Dunkirk as bridging the gap between historical fiction (The Prestige) and a full-on/mostly historically accurate biopic (Oppenheimer), with Nolan’s whole filmography. Anyway, regarding Dunkirk, it’s one of his most visceral and compelling movies, being paced and edited in a way that feels continually nerve-wracking and genuinely rather unique among the many, many World War II films already out there.
5
‘Come and See’ (1985)
Some people will tell you that Come and See gets talked about too much, while at the same time, it’s not quite as famous as most of the other movies being mentioned here, so maybe there’s an argument to be made that it’s overlooked in the overall scheme of things. It kind of depends on what online spaces you’re in or not in, and that does make it hard to introduce and talk about, given some people are probably sick of hearing about it, and others are probably like, “Huh, Come and See?”
It’s a movie about a young man joining a group of resistance fighters, and then experiencing a series of utterly hellish situations as those resistance fighters try to combat German forces in Belarus. As an anti-war movie, Come and See is about as effective as they get, so calling it very intense honestly feels like something of an understatement. It’s a horrifying watch, and one of those movies where seeing it once feels like enough.
4
‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998)
One of those movies that’s famously about Matt Damon getting home, in one way or another, Saving Private Ryan has Damon playing the titular Private Ryan, and a group of soldiers are tasked with finding him so he can be sent home after his brothers are found to have all died in combat. There’s also a very intense depiction of the Omaha Beach landing, which is a big reason why Saving Private Ryan inevitably has to get ranked among the most visceral war movies of all time.
Things don’t really slow down or get a great deal easier after that point, with Saving Private Ryan having its main characters in near-constant danger, and then there’s also a fairly large battle sequence that comes near the film’s conclusion. It’s relentless and undeniably emotional, well and truly earning the right to count itself among Steven Spielberg’s all-time best directorial efforts.
3
‘The Battle of Okinawa’ (1971)
One of the most relentlessly downbeat war movies of all time, The Battle of Okinawa could well have even Come and See beat in terms of being a World War II movie that takes no prisoners and makes you feel miserable once it’s done. You’ll feel miserable while it’s going on, too, and then just extra miserable once it’s finished. It’s a very harsh anti-war movie about the titular battle and how much devastation it came to cause.
Its focus on the Pacific Theater makes The Battle of Okinawa also potentially comparable to Letters from Iwo Jima, but that one wasn’t as despairing, even if much of it was also about loss, death, and destruction. The Battle of Okinawa is next-level depressing, and has a level of violence that’s far more upsetting and shocking than most films released around the same time that are considered groundbreaking/boundary-pushing for the violence they depicted (like, Bonnie and Clyde and The Wild Bunch look positively PG-rated in comparison).
2
‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009)
Inglourious Basterds walks a delicate line, in terms of being great entertainment and genuinely intense at different points, and then it does all that while being in no way describable as “delicate” in the conventional sense. It’s about vengeance in Nazi-occupied France, basically, with a few different people all trying to combat German forces in their own ways, with all parties eventually meeting for a confrontation – partly by chance – in a cinema by the time the final act comes around.
The medium of film itself is weaponized, and then Inglourious Basterds also explodes/dismantles other things, narratively and thematically, playing around with history in some rather startling (but effective) ways. It does a lot, and it does it all relentlessly at the same time, technically being one of the more entertaining movies here, for sure, yet there are long stretches of this movie that also prove almost unbearably tense.
1
‘Das Boot’ (1981)
Since it’s confined in a way that feels in line with what you might expect from a grueling psychological thriller, Das Boot stands out as arguably the most intense World War II movie ever made. Also helping it in this regard is its length, because you’re made to feel on edge for a very long runtime, with the shortest version of Das Boot still running for about 2.5 hours, and then the longer versions proving similarly tense, just for, you know, quite a while longer.
It’s set inside a German submarine, with the members of the sub’s crew having to deal with boredom, danger, and the idea that death feels particularly inescapable when you’re deep underwater and in such a vulnerable position. Das Boot is basically guaranteed to make anyone who watches it feel anxious throughout, doing for submarine warfare what Uncut Gems did for gambling addictions.
Country singer Ruston Kelly announced that he is now three days sober after recently suffering a relapse.
“I told myself back in 2021 that as long as I wasn’t using amphetamines that I would be on the right ‘clean’ journey for myself,” Kelly, 37, wrote in a poignant Instagram post about his relapse on Wednesday, July 29. “I had never been addicted to any drug other than those pills. I lumped in alcohol and THC etc initially because I thought that’s what I was supposed to do.”
He went on, “Somewhere along the way I became obstinate in my journey, that I wasn’t an ‘addict’ in the traditional sense of the word, that I was only addicted to amphetamines. ‘I’ve never had a problem with alcohol, I’ve never had a problem with XYZ’ ‘See I can be like everyone else, I can show self control, I am in control.’ I even got to the point of recent spiritual surrender and still attempted to live a lifestyle that was satisfactory to my carnal impulses because I ‘never had a problem with them.’”
Kelly — who was married to country superstar Kacey Musgraves from 2017 to 2020 — revealed that he experienced a crisis in his sobriety after a golf cart accident in June.
The “Mockingbird” singer was riding in a residential golf cart when it collided with an overgrown root, sending his cart flipping into the air. Kelly smashed his head into a mailbox and practically broke his arm “in half.”
“I was given fentanyl morphine ketamine dilaudid and oxycodone for 3 days leaving with a month long Rx of Percocet. I needed it for the level 15 pain but very quickly they started running out sooner and sooner,” he acknowledged. “I was chewing them in the pharmacy before I walked out the door. I was hiding how many at a time I was taking. I was complaining to the dr it wasn’t enough. It awakened something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.”
The musician ultimately decided on Sunday, July 26, that he was going to give up all substances and alcohol as a recommitment to his sobriety.
“I decided to end any chance of ruining anything good. For my soul my wife my family my art and career and my people,” he wrote. “I admitted that whether I like it or not I will forever have a substance abuse disease. ALL drugs/substances including alcohol and THC are off the table for good (working on nicotine) That if there is something that will scratch an itch I didn’t think I had, I will use it beyond excess and into addiction. I am 3 days completely clean and sober again, and intend to remain this way forever, one day at a time.”
Kelly’s confessional post received more than 7,000 likes, as of publication, with many of his friends and fellow musicians pledging their support for his sobriety journey.
“Your transparency and honesty is gonna help a lot of people 💙 It always has. Love u buddy,” singer Katie Pruitt replied in the comments section to Kelly’s post.
“Proud of you. Praying for you. Love you so much,” musician Natalie Hemby added. “Philippians 4:13 is such a powerful surrender. ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’”
Kelly has spoken openly about both his struggles and sobriety in the past, including telling Esquire in 2020 that he’d battled with addiction for most of his adult life. (Prior to his recent relapse, Kelly celebrated five years of sobriety in December 2025.)
“I’ve always had an issue with self-control in my life. I’ve been emotionally reckless at times and I’ve definitely abused myself with copious amounts of drugs and illicit materials and doing crazy things, and being wild without purpose and that is dangerous,” he explained at the time.“It could be creatively fueling, but I think what’s really helped ground me is learning the difference between creative spontaneity and emotional recklessness in everyday life. And that line had always been blurred for me and [coronavirus] quarantine was a way for me to sit back, take inventory mentally, spiritually, physically.”
Following his 2020 divorce from Musgraves, 35, Kelly tied the knot with second wife Tia Cubelic in May after proposing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in September 2025.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
After conquering Prime Video, Alan Ritchson seems to be extending his empire on Netflix. Ritchson emerged as one of the biggest stars of the streaming era thanks to the hit action-thriller series Reacher, which has aired three seasons on Prime Video. He cemented his position with this year’s War Machine, which went on to become one of Netflix’s biggest-ever original movies. A sequel to War Machine was greenlit some weeks ago, along with another action movie starring Ritchson. He will also return as Reacher in the fourth season of the Prime Video series, as well as a spin-off titled Neagley. This week, Ritchson can be seen headlining his first major theatrical action movie: Motor City.
On the eve of Motor City‘s release, one of Ritchson’s rare dramatic movies found itself atop the domestic Netflix charts this past week, according to FlixPatrol. If this isn’t all-around domination, what is? Motor City, directed by Potsy Ponciroli, also features Shailene Woodley, Ben Foster, and Pablo Schreiber. The movie currently holds a 66% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with Collider’s Aidan Kelley comparing it to the John Wick franchise and the films of Zack Snyder. In his review, he wrote that Motor City “feels like another logical step in Ritchson’s career as an action superstar, and one that will undeniably recruit even more of a dedicated following.”
Alan Ritchson Wields Considerable Star Power
However, the movie that’s currently number one on Netflix couldn’t be more different. We’re talking, of course, about Ordinary Angels. Starring Hilary Swank, the film was aimed at the faith-based demographic that took films such as The King of Kings and Jesus Revolution to major box-office success in recent years. More recently, the same audience turned out in droves to watch Young Washington, which has quietly grossed more than $40 million domestically. Ordinary Angels, like most movies aimed at faith-based crowds, received near-unanimous audience praise. The movie holds a “Certified Fresh” 84% critics’ score and a “Verified Hot” 99% audience score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “With a dash of grace and circumstance, this sweet display of humanity is stabilized by Hilary Swank in a role that plays to the heartstrings of all Ordinary Angels.”
Ordinary Angels is streaming now on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
-
February 23, 2024
- Runtime
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118 Minutes
- Director
-
Jon Gunn
- Writers
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Meg Tilly, Kelly Fremon Craig
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