A picture-perfect spring evening in Queens, New York quickly took a tragic turn when a gunshot hit 15-year-old Jaden Pierre. Authorities say cameras reportedly captured the incident at Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans on April 16 shortly after a large group of kids attacked Pierre, before he was hit with a single shot.

RELATED: Prayers Up! 1-Year-Old Reportedly Dies After 14-Year-Old Crashes While Driving Under The Influence

Police Launch Investigation Following Deadly Shooting At New York Playground

Per ABC News, residents said about 300 teenagers swarmed Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans for a planned water balloon fight on April 16. During the chaos, several kids allegedly attacked Jaden Pierre before an individual fired a single shot at him around 6 p.m. local time. Pierre was ended up suffering a gunshot wound to the chest on the basketball court. First responders rushed him to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition, but he later died from his injuries. According to amNewYork, Jaden’s family plans to hold a vigil for him at the park on Monday, April 20. Attorney General Letitia James, Donovan Richards, and Jumaane Williams are reportedly set to attend the event.

Authorities Continue To Search For The Suspect

Police put up posters as they search for the alleged gunman, who still remains on the loose. They also released photos of the person wanted in connection to the shooting. The images show the suspect with short dreadlocks, wearing a light gray printed tracksuit and a black backpack. Investigators still don’t know the motive, but reports suggest possible gang ties. Officials are offering a $3,500 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.

Jaden’s Family & New York Officials React To His Tragic Passing

Following his tragic passing, Jaden’s uncle reacted to the news. He said Jaden was a good kid who lived a regular life. “He was just a regular kid,” Jaden’s uncle said. When asked if his nephew wanted to play professionally when he grew up, he smiled and added, “He was short.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James also shared a statement on X (formerly Twitter) about Jaden’s passing. She called the incident “a senseless act of gun violence.”

“My heart is heavy tonight after we lost a 15-year-old to a senseless act of gun violence,” James continued, “I’m praying for his family, loved ones, and community. I will continue to work tirelessly every day to end gun violence in New York.”

RELATED: Prayers Up! Louisiana Mass Shooting Reportedly Leaves Eight Children Dead & Two Individuals Injured (VIDEO) 

Kanye West was denied the chance to perform at FC Basel soccer team’s stadium in Switzerland.

“FCB received an enquiry and considered it,” a spokesperson for the team told Reuters on Saturday, April 18. “However, after thorough review, we have decided ​not to proceed with the project, as ​we cannot, in accordance with our values, provide a platform ‌for the artist in question within this context.”

FC Basel oversees any performances held at the team’s stadium at St. Jakob-Park. According to Swiss newspapers, the team received a request from West, 48, to headline a concert in June.

West has not publicly addressed the canceled Switzerland show. Us Weekly has reached out for comment.

Related: Kanye West’s Apology Is ‘Long Overdue,’ Says Anti-Defamation ‌League

Kanye West has apologized for his antisemitic behavior, but one group dedicated to combating bigotry isn’t letting the rapper get off that easily. “Ye’s apology to the Jewish people is long overdue and doesn’t automatically undo his long history of antisemitism — the antisemitic ‘Heil Hitler’ song he created, the hundreds of tweets, the swastikas […]

Earlier this month, the U.K.’s Wireless Festival barred the rapper from performing at the summer concert series over his past antisemitic remarks. The entire festival has since been canceled.

“The Home Office has withdrawn Ye’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom,” a rep for the event wrote in an April 7 statement. “As a result, Wireless Festival is canceled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders. As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye and no concerns were highlighted at the time.”

The statement continued, “Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognize the real and personal impact these issues have had. As Ye said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the U.K.”

In light of Wireless canceling the show, West offered to “meet and listen” with members of the Jewish community in London.

“I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly,” the artist said in a statement. “My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace and love through my music.”

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Related: Kanye West Denies Speculation That Public Apology Is About ‘Reviving’ His Career

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After addressing his mental health crisis, Kanye West gave a rare interview where he again apologized for his problematic behavior — but there were certain questions he refused to answer. West, 48, agreed to an email interview with Vanity Fair where he spoke about his bipolar diagnosis and past antisemitic comments, saying, “When you’re manic, […]

West was previously suspended from Instagram in 2022 after making a series of derogatory and false comments about individuals who practice Judaism. He issued a public apology earlier this year.

“In early 2025, I fell into a four-month long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life,” West wrote in an open letter published by the Wall Street Journal in January, blaming his behavior on his bipolar disorder. “One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments — many of which I still cannot recall — that led to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body-experience.”

He concluded, “I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.”

Back in 2000, Memento represented a bold fusion of thriller storytelling and mind-bending plot devices, very much putting Christopher Nolan on the map. Since then, a wave of mind-bending cinema has emerged, movies that fracture time, blur identity, and leave viewers questioning what they’ve seen.

Instead of being straightforward stories, these movies are more like puzzles, dreams, or philosophical experiments. The titles below are all mind-bending in their own way, whether that’s through time travel, unreliable realities, or surreal symbolism.

10

‘Predestination’ (2014)

Image via Pinnacle Films

“The man who ruined my life is a ghost, and so is my daughter.” This sci-fi thriller adapts a Robert Heinlein short story into a time-twisting brainteaser. Ethan Hawke leads the cast as Agent Doe, a temporal agent who travels through time to stop a mysterious bomber, while recruiting a young writer (Sarah Snook) into a life of time-travel missions. Time travel movies tend to be trippy, but Predestination pushes it to its absolute limit.

The structure is deceptively simple at first, gradually layering revelation upon revelation until the full implications become clear. Early details become crucial later and subtly visual cues foreshadow impending revelations. Eventually, identities and timelines collapse into one another in increasingly paradoxical ways. Cause and effect melt in closed loops. It’s all pretty ‘high concept’ and convoluted, but the strong performances keep it grounded.

9

‘Mother!’ (2017)

Image via Paramount Pictures

“What hurts me the most is that I wasn’t enough.” Mother! is Darren Aronofsky‘s symbolic, philosophical, psychological horror. In it, a young woman (Jennifer Lawrence) lives in a secluded house with her poet husband (Javier Bardem), only for a series of increasingly intrusive guests to arrive, turning their home into a site of chaos and destruction. What begins as a domestic drama spirals into something far more allegorical and overwhelming.

This is a movie that operates almost entirely on metaphor. Everything is unstable, escalating from subtle discomfort to outright nightmare. The imagery is frequently surreal and striking, loaded with meaning and historical allusions, inviting the viewer to analyze it. In particular, the film leans hard into religious symbolism and references to creation and destruction. Not everybody liked this more arthouse approach, but for those who get on its wavelength, Mother! offers a lot of food for thought.

8

‘Waking Life’ (2001)

Image via Searchlight Pictures

“Dream is destiny.” Waking Life feels like a stoned dorm-room conversation with smart philosophy undergrads — in a good way. We follow a young man (Wiley Wiggins) as he drifts through a series of dreamlike encounters, engaging in conversations about free will, consciousness, and the nature of reality. The movie is a loose chain of ideas rather than a traditional narrative. Each conversation introduces a new perspective, creating a mosaic of thought rather than a single argument.

Waking Life was directed by the great Richard Linklater, who is one of the few filmmakers to pull off a concept like this. Rather than being dull or navel-gazing, Waking Life is energetic and intriguing, jam-packed with exciting ideas. Finally, on the aesthetic side, the rotoscope animation gives it a constantly shifting visual texture, reinforcing the sense that nothing is entirely stable.

7

‘Primer’ (2004)

Image via THINKFilm

“What if we’re already inside it?” This low-budget gem (it cost $7,000!) is one of the smartest time-travel movies ever made. Primer tells the story of two engineers (David Sullivan and Shane Carruth, who also writes and directs) who accidentally invent a device that allows them to travel back in time. They begin to experiment with it, and the consequences quickly become complex, leading to overlapping timelines and fractured relationships.

This is very much a film that demands active engagement. Carruth refuses to simplify the mechanics of time travel, presenting them in a way that feels almost deliberately opaque. As a result, some fans joke that it’s impossible to fully understand Primer on the first viewing. However, this refusal to explain is part of what makes the film so compelling. Primer trusts the audience to grapple with its complexity.

6

‘Paprika’ (2006)

Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan

“Dreams are windows into the psyche.” This masterpiece by Satoshi Kon is frequently cited as a major inspiration for Inception. In some ways, it’s even bolder in its exploration of dreamscapes. In Paprika, a device that allows therapists to enter patients’ dreams is stolen, leading to a series of increasingly chaotic dream invasions that begin to spill into the real world. A detective (Akio Otsuka) and a scientist (Megumi Hayashibara) must navigate this collapsing boundary to stop the perpetrator.

In executing that premise, Paprika embraces the full potential of animation. Kon creates dream sequences that are fluid, imaginative, and often overwhelming, shifting seamlessly from one image to another. The narrative mirrors this fluidity, blurring the distinction between dream and reality until the two become indistinguishable. This comes through most powerfully in the famous dream parade, a carnival of objects, creatures, and cultural symbols.

5

‘Triangle’ (2009)

Image via Icon Film Distribution

“It’s already happened… It’s going to happen again.” This is another lean, punchy, time-loop horror. In Triangle, a group of friends set sail on a yacht trip that goes disastrously wrong when they encounter a mysterious ocean liner. Once aboard, events begin to repeat in unsettling ways, trapping them in a loop that grows increasingly violent and disorienting. The protagonist’s (Melissa George) journey is both physical and psychological, as she begins to realize her role within the cycle.

The film weaponizes repetition. At first, the structure seems confusing, even chaotic, but gradually a pattern emerges, one that becomes more disturbing the more clearly it’s understood. Each rerun of the same events adds new context, new understanding, and, indeed, new dread. In the process, a time-loop puzzle becomes a survival horror. In this regard, Triangle draws on inspirations like Dead of Night and Jacob’s Ladder.

4

‘Enemy’ (2013)

Image via A24

“Chaos is order yet undeciphered.” Enemy is a provocative, divisive movie, but one that’s incredibly thematically rich. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal in a dual role, playing both a quiet history professor and an actor who looks exactly like him. He becomes obsessed with tracking down his doppelgänger, and his life begins to unravel, leading to a series of increasingly strange and symbolic encounters. This eventually culminates in one of the weirdest, most shocking final shots of the 2010s.

The dual performances create a sense of instability, as identity itself becomes uncertain. The dialogue is similarly cryptic, leaving much of the film’s meaning to be inferred rather than explained. Events can be read literally or metaphorically, and the philosophical undercurrents lend themselves to endless interpretation. Enemy is about the fear of commitment and the fear of losing control of oneself, and the double becomes a manifestation of everything the protagonist is trying to avoid.

3

‘The Fountain’ (2006)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

“Together we will live forever.” Another Aronofsky project, one that’s been trippier than Mother! The Fountain interweaves three stories spanning multiple centuries, following a man’s (Hugh Jackman) quest to overcome death, whether through science, faith, or myth. Each timeline reflects a different aspect of his obsession, converging into a single emotional arc. The movie very much prioritizes thematic resonance over clarity, allowing the timelines to echo and overlap.

For this reason, it was controversial and a box office bomb, bringing in just $16.5m against a budget of $35m. Still, The Fountain‘s ambition is commendable, as is its aesthetic boldness. The visual style is lush and often surreal, reinforcing the sense that these stories exist outside conventional time. It serves up powerful recurring symbols, like circles and cycles, water and light, and, of course, the Tree of Life.

2

‘Synecdoche, New York’ (2008)

Image via Sony Pictures Classics

“I’m thinking maybe this is my life… and it’s already over.” Charlie Kaufman specializes in strange stories, and Synecdoche, New York (his directorial debut) is one of his most intriguing. Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers a phenomenal performance as Caden Cotard, a theater director, who begins creating an ever-expanding stage production that mirrors his own life. Along the way, the line between reality and performance begins blurring as years pass and identities shift.

The film is deeply postmodern and self-reflexive. The narrative folds in on itself, with layers of representation that become increasingly difficult to separate. The dialogue is complex and introspective as well, touching on themes of mortality, regret, and the search for meaning. All in all, Synecdoche, New York is a film that can feel overwhelming, but also profoundly moving. It’s a great, challenging film.

1

‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)

Image via Universal Pictures

“No hay banda… there is no band.” Speaking of great, challenging films, no movie fits that description better than David Lynch‘s opaque magnum opus. Mulholland Drive features Naomi Watts as a woman suffering from amnesia. The story kicks into gear after she teams up with an aspiring actress to uncover her identity in Los Angeles. But as the mystery unfolds, the narrative fractures, revealing a darker and more ambiguous reality beneath the surface.

Lynch structures the movie like a dream (or nightmare) where logic is fluid and meaning is elusive. The plot is deliberately disjointed, with scenes that seem to contradict or reinterpret one another. Conversations pivot from naturalistic and mundane to surreal and phantasmagoric. In this world, identity is an illusion, Hollywood is a dark fantasy, and two contradictory versions of reality overlap. All of this is either intricate and masterful or frustrating and senseless, depending on your point of view.

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Mulholland Drive

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Release Date

October 19, 2001

Runtime

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147 minutes

Director

David Lynch

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Writers

David Lynch

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• 
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Alec Baldwin‘s retirement plans are being linked to ongoing industry challenges following his “Rust” shooting saga.

While he has suggested that growing accustomed to staying at home during his legal troubles contributed to his retirement thoughts, sources claim the decision is more connected to him being “edged out” of the industry.

Alec Baldwin was cleared of criminal charges in relation to the case, but he now faces a civil lawsuit in the coming months.

Alec Baldwin’s Reason For Eyeing Retirement Linked To Hollywood Snub

Days ago, Alec Baldwin shocked Hollywood by announcing plans to retire soon, claiming he had grown tired of working.

While fans are still processing the surprise announcement, sources suggest there may be more behind his intention to retire than he has publicly stated.

“He’s not stepping away — he’s being edged out,” one insider said about the film director, per a report.

According to the source, Baldwin is eyeing retirement because he is no longer as sought after by studios as he once was, despite the criminal aspect of his “Rust” shooting situation already being resolved.

“The offers just aren’t there,” the source further remarked about Baldwin. “Studios don’t want the baggage.”

The Actor Is Now Considered ‘High-Risk’ In Hollywood

Part of what appears to be making studios avoid Baldwin is reportedly insurance, which every project must have.

Given how serious the “Rust” situation was, the cost of insuring any of Baldwin’s projects is now presumed to be extremely high.

“Insurance is the dealbreaker,” continued the source who spoke to journalist Rob Shuter’s “Naughty But Nice” Substack. “He’s high-risk now. That makes every project more expensive and more complicated.”

Regardless of that, attention surrounding Baldwin’s “Rust” situation has yet to fully fade and is believed to have the potential to affect any projects he takes on. As a result, studios reportedly feel it is best to distance themselves.

“It’s the whole package — the shooting, lawsuits, outbursts, constant drama,” one more insider noted. “No one wants to inherit that.”

Another put it even more bluntly, saying that Baldwin is being “viewed as toxic “and that studios.

“Don’t gamble on toxic.”

Alec Baldwin’s Career Came To A Halt After The ‘Rust’ Shooting Incident

Baldwin, best known for his role on the NBC sitcom “30 Rock,” had his life upended when a shooting incident on the set of his “Rust” film led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

He was subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter, and production on the film suffered an extensive hiatus.

During the period he was dealing with his legal issues, Baldwin took on little to no work and spent more time with his children at home.

He shares seven young children with his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and an older daughter, Ireland, from his first marriage to Kim Basinger.

The Actor Said He Got Used To Staying At Home: ‘I Don’t Want To Work Anymore’

While the case was eventually dismissed due to hidden evidence, time away from work became something Baldwin grew accustomed to, and he hinted at it as the reason behind his consideration of retirement.

“I was home with my kids for three-and-a-half years — I hardly worked at all — and that’s just changing now,” he said, per The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m going to go off and do a bunch of things. But I was home, and I got used to it, and I don’t want to leave my house anymore. I don’t.”

Baldwin continued, “I don’t want to work anymore. I don’t. I really don’t. I want to retire and stay home with my kids.”

Alec Baldwin Still Embroiled In Civil Suit From ‘Rust’ Saga

Despite being cleared of the criminal case filed against him, Baldwin is still facing legal repercussions from the Rust incident.

He has been sued by a member of the film set, Serge Svetnoy, who claims that the shooting caused him emotional distress.

Recently, a Los Angeles judge ruled that the civil suit can proceed, claiming that “a reasonable jury could find that Mr. Baldwin recklessly disregarded the probability that pointing a gun in the direction of someone, with the finger on the trigger, would cause emotional distress.”

Following the decision, Svetnoy, via his lawyers, expressed satisfaction with the ruling.

“We are pleased with the Court’s decision denying the motions for summary judgment filed by Rust Movie Productions and Mr. Baldwin,” lawyers Gary Dordick and John Upton said in a statement. “He looks forward to finally having his day in court on this long-pending matter.”

NBA analyst Charles Barkley broke his silence on the Ice Spice brawl that broke out at a McDonald’s in April 2026. During the Saturday, April 18 airing of “Inside the NBA,” Barkley cracked a few jokes about the 26-year-old’s latest troubles, asking his fellow co-hosts whether they’d heard the news before sharing what he thought the “Barbie World” performer should’ve done instead.

Charles Barkley Jokes After Ice Spice Fight At McDonald’s, ‘Slappy Happy Meals’

“I hear they got some slappy happy meals over there,” Barkley said to Ernie Johnson at the end of the show. “You see Ice Spice got slapped at McDonald’s? What you doing at McDonald’s in the middle of the night Ice Spice? Come on, stop that. Get it to go.”

“Inside the NBA” is presented by McDonald’s, so the former NBA star’s comments make the moment that much more ironic. “Presented by McDonald’s. How about that, presented by McDonald’s Chuck,” Johnson added.

The conversation didn’t stop there, though. Barkley declared his love for McDonald’s, specifically their fish filet and barbecue sauce, before commenting further on the Ice Spice ordeal.

“Let Ice Spice eat in peace! … She should have slapped her in the face with a Big Mac. You walk up on me, everything’s on the table,” he joked.

Ice Spice Was Reportedly Assaulted While Eating McDonald’s

According to a previous report from The Blast, Ice Spice was involved in an upsetting situation in April 2026 while eating with a friend at The Golden Arches. In the shocking video, Ice Spice is seated in a booth when a fan approaches her.

While the details of their conversation were kept private, the video shows things getting tense, as the fan leans toward Ice Spice and slaps her. The moment only escalated when Ice Spice stood from the table and chased after the fan. Bystanders can be seen trying to de-escalate the situation by separating the two women.

Fight With Ice Spice And The Fan Went Even Further

Ice Spice appeared incensed in the video, throwing a phone believed to belong to the fan. After being confronted, she responded, “‘Cause f-ck y’all, that’s why. F-ck you and that b-tch.”

The fan reportedly shared her side of the story, alleging that Ice Spice and her friend were rude to her when she approached them with a warm demeanor.

“So she kept going on, then she calls me a b-tch, so after she calls me a b-tch, I hit her,” the fan said

Rapper Breaks Her Silence Following The Madness

Sister Wives star Christine Brown Woolley hit the ground running toward some money-making gigs after she severed her polygamous ties. Fans were kept informed of her marriage demise to Kody Brown on the screen of the popular TLC show and through her frequent updates on social media.

Once she met David Woolley and became engaged, he became much more than her soulmate. The now-married couple has honed in on their entrepreneurial skills with several money-making gigs floating around today.

Sister Wives: Christine Brown Markets Friendship

Christine Brown ran the gamut of product promotions; one of the more popular ones was the drink she used to help her lose weight. She tried a cooking show online and even wrote a book of her own. But then this Sister Wives star got more personal with the fans by inviting them to rent her vacation home for a getaway.

That home boosted a number of Sister Wives photos on the walls for the fans who shelled out the price of Christine’s rental. But now she’s marketing friendship to her 1.5 million fans online in a much bigger way.

This entails getting up close and personal with the now-famous couple, David Wolley and Christine Brown Woolley.

Smooth Sailing with Christine and David Woolley

Next year this Sister Wives couple plans to set sail, and they are inviting fans to go along with them. With 1.5 million social media followers, she will likely get some takers. But the price for this Carribean cruise is not divulged by Christine. Fans must message her for all the details.

Sister Wives: Did Kody Brown Miss the Boat By Losing Christine?

Some Sister Wives fans wonder if Kody Brown missed the boat when he didn’t try to get Christine Brown back. They point out that Robyn Brown isn’t gainfully employed like the other Sister Wives women. So from all appearances, Kody is the main breadwinner in that now-monogamous marriage.

Kody once said his greatest fear is going broke. That said, it looks like he gets little help in building up the finances from Robyn.

Kody also loves to horse around and laugh. But fans gave the nickname of “Sobbin’ Robyn” to the only wife he has left. And that is because she cries a lot.

Christine is full of energy, and having fun seems to be a high priority for her in this new journey with David. But most of all, she seems to do whatever it takes to bring in the extra money for her new marriage, with David right by her side.

Kody’s Perfect Wife?

Many Sister Wives fans suggest that Christine is better off being adored by David instead of sharing Kody with three other women. But still some Sister Wives fans wonder how Kody feels about losing Christine today.

From where some viewers sit, Christine is more like Kody’s definition of the perfect wife and soulmate. Although fans see David fitting the bill for Christine’s perfect mate today.

Kody goes overboard sharing his feelings about Robyn. But now it is getting to the point where fans think he is trying to convince himself. Robyn seems really annoyed with him since the other wives jumped ship.

And while he says he’s happy, fans still can’t help wondering if Christine would have fit the bill for what Kody wants in a soulmate.

But one thing is for sure: fans believe David Woolley fits the bill for Christine, and they are overjoyed that she found this happiness.

Head back to Soap Dirt for the buzz on Sister Wives.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 44 seconds ago

Fan theories can range from the plausible and very likely, such as the “Pixar connected universe,” or “Elsa and Anna’s brother is Tarzan,” to the unbelievable, “Snowpiercer’s Wilford is Wily Wonka,” or “Jar Jar Binks is a Sith,” but there’s one that’s so perfect, it has to be true: Event Horizon is set in the Warhammer 40k universe.

This theory makes sense from the very beginning, when the titular spaceship activates its gravity engine and travels through a nightmarish dimension that’s full of demons and cosmic horrors. That’s exactly how ships travel in the world of Warhammer 40k, and it’s only the start of the connections. 

Event Horizon Traveled Through The Warp

Event Horizon takes place after the ship mysteriously reappears after it was missing for years, with the entire crew dead, and as the Captain’s log reveals, it was the crew themselves that turned violent and killed each other. The Captain, having ripped out his own eyeballs, issues a warning, in Latin of course, to “Save yourself from Hell.” It’s a gruesome, bloody sequence filled with rapid flashes of violence that make it hard to focus, and the first time seeing the film, it’s hard to comprehend what you’re even seeing. 

The rescue crew ends up giving into the spreading madness themselves, or rather, Dr. Weir (Sam Neill, the perfect star for a film about cosmic horror), the designer of the Event Horizon, goes mad and has to be put down by the rescue ship’s Captain Miller (Laurence Fishburne). And he is, but after he’s sucked into space, Weir comes back having embraced the strange and bizarre Hell-like dimension, and he taunts Miller by showing him visions from the Hell dimension. It’s a dark and disturbing moment, but it’s also an amazing live-scene depiction of Warhammer 40ks The Warp, a strange dimension in which time and space have no meaning, that happens to be filled with Daemons and, in Games Workshop’s universe, is used by humanity as an intergalactic superhighway. 

The Influence Of Chaos

The Warp is a dangerous dimension that exists outside of four-dimensional space, but it’s also able to be navigated by psychic humans called Navigators who use the Astronomican, a massive psychic beacon waypoint that you think of as a transdimensional lighthouse, to remain safe while traveling through. In Event Horizon, set in the year 2048, it’s the experimental gravity engine that pulls the ship out of our reality and into The Warp, making it humanity’s first experience with Chaos Deamons and the horrors that lurk outside our universe. Those dangers include the Chaos Gods, Tzeentch, Khorne, Nurgle, and Slaanesh, and amazingly, Paul W.S. Anderson’s sci-fi horror even implies the influence of these beings on the ship’s original crew. 

While the rescue crew from the Lewis and Clark is watching the original Captain’s video, it’s clear that the crew is killing each other (that would be Khorne, the Blood God, encouraging slaughter and destruction), but at the same time, it’s clear that Slaanesh, the Prince of Pleasure, is involved since some of the crew to be “enjoying” themselves. The other two, Tzeentch and Nurgle, may be sitting this one out, but Event Horizon includes one other story beat that touches on the technology of Warhammer 40k. Weir implies during the back half of the film that the ship itself has become possessed by a Deamonic spirit, and of course, that’s a huge part of the Warhammer 40k setting where humanity believes machine spirits power all machines. ]

The Machine Spirits

In the grim darkness of the far future in Warhammer 40k, technology is incredibly advanced but also oddly primitive, with Tech Priests rubbing ointments and saying prayers over military vehicles before they go to war to embolden the machine spirits within. The denizens of The Warp are able to possess technology and infect with their own Daemonic spirits, giving players the option to use twisted versions of the Imperium of Man’s own weapons against them. If that sounds like exactly what happens to the ship in Event Horizon, well, that’s another reason why this is secretly a Warhammer 40k film.

The Event Horizon fan theory may not even be a fan theory, and is instead confirmed thanks to screenwriter Philip Eisner commenting on Twitter in 207 that “I played the sh*t out of 40K, so it was definitely an influence, conscious or otherwise.” Writers who went on to work at Games Workshop to help shape the universe returned the favor, with an attempt to name-drop the ship in one of the game’s official codexes, but the U.K.-based company stopped it from seeing print. Still, it’s a comment straight from the twisted mind behind the film that the classic tabletop miniatures game’s gothic setting had an impact on the film.

Event Horizon Is A Gateway To Warhammer 40k

When Henry Cavill and Amazon bring Warhammer 40k to life, it won’t look like Event Horizon, but there’s no doubt that, intentionally or not, the 1997 sci-fi horror is the perfect companion piece to the grimdark future franchise. If you enjoy the movie, there are multiple Black Library novels out there that you should check out, starting with Xenos by Dan Abnett, the first of the Eisenhorn novels, which isn’t nearly as bloody and gruesome as the movie, but it nails the dark, ominous feeling of something being very, very wrong that first half of the movie does so well.

The Event Horizon/Warhammer 40k fan theory has existed since the film first hit theaters, over a decade after Games Workshop released Rogue Trader, the first game set in the world of 40k. It’s been an enduring fan theory because it honors both the film and the gaming franchise, and it doesn’t demand either one of them, and simply says, “Hey, this would be really cool.” The best fan theories are just that, they’re fun, but this time around, the Sam Neill horror film is also a perfect introduction to how crazy the Warhammer 40k setting can get, and given the cost of running a well-painted 3,000-point competitive army, that might be the most horrifying part of the movie.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 2 minutes ago

For the last decade as streaming has taken off in homes around the world, it’s become possible for films that lost historical amounts of money in theaters to find success, even if it might be the post-Mystery Science Theater 3000 trend of “so bad it’s good.” That’s why a massive flop, for example say, Morbius, and films that slightly missed the mark like The Fall Guy can turn it around and become a streaming success.

What’s even more impressive is the amazing turnaround of 2013’s Jack the Giant Slayer, which lost Legendary Pictures an alleged $200 million, only to end up topping streaming charts in 2025. 

The Classic Fairy Tale With A Twist

Everyone knows the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, the classic fairy tale about selling a horse for magic beans and climbing a beanstalk to find a giant living in the clouds.  It’s simple, contains multiple morals, and can be easily adjusted to turn Jack into the villain, but Jack the Giant Slayer instead asks, “What if there was no moral, and instead of one giant, there was an entire army of evil giants?” The movie is the classic story, as you’ve never seen it before, and it almost works. 

Nicholas Hoult plays Jack, the young man who finds himself trading his horse to a monk in exchange for beans that he can’t allow to get wet, ever. Like the rules in Gremlins, it’s not long before Jack accidentally gets the beans wet and a beanstalk grows under his house with the princess, Isabell (Eleanor Tomlinson), trapped inside as it grows into the sky. All the king’s men gather to rescue the princess, including Lord Roderick (Stanley Tucci), who, thankfully, Jack the Giant Slayer makes obvious is very evil, very quickly. 

It’s up to Jack, Isabell, and the loyal Knight, Elmont (Ewan McGregor) to save the kingdom and stop the invasion of giants led by Roderick and the giant two-headed General Fallon (Bill Nighy). If there’s one thing Jack the Giant Slayer does better than every other adaptation, it’s the third act featuring a full-blown war between humans and giants, with a touch of humor and absurdity. Watching a giant toss a windmill like the glaive from Krull is the perfect amount of off-beat to distract from a surprising amount of body horror in both the giant’s designs and Fallon’s ultimate fate. 

A Movie For No One

Jack the Giant Slayer looks too good, and the star-studded cast is having way too much fun for it to be a truly bad movie. The problem is that the pacing is off: it takes a little too long to get to the good stuff, then it feels a little too rushed, and though it is a fun adventure, it’s also, like the source material, simplistic. It’s not like the movie wasn’t watched in theaters; it made $197 million worldwide, which would be a great haul except it cost $185 million to make, and that’s not including the extensive marketing campaign.

The push and pull of director Bryan Singer’s vision of a dark take on the fable, complete with actual people-eating on screen, and the sanitized version that hit theaters, which was still too dark for children, since the film is surprisingly rated PG-13, meant it ended up being a film for no one. The Rotten Tomatoes ratings, of 52 percent from critics and 55 percent from the audience, are proof that the final product is not great, but not bad; it’s a movie that will keep you watching for a few hours and then leave no lasting impression. These days, Lionsgate and Sony wish they’d release a movie that is that well-received, as even Jack the Giant Slayer looks like a masterpiece compared to Borderlands or Kraven the Hunter.

Streaming is the perfect home for Jack the Giant Slayer, and 10 years later, it no longer matters that the movie lost hundreds of millions in theaters. It finally gets to stand on its own as a fun, if unremarkable, fantasy adventure.

Over the course of the last 15 years, the world has been treated to some of the best television dramas of the entire 21st century. Medical shows, thrillers, big chapters of sci-fi franchises—these are all small-screen masterpieces which demonstrate the full power of the medium at its most serious. But while there have been countless excellent TV dramas since 2011, only a handful of them can truly be considered perfect.

Shows like Game of Thrones and True Detective are undoubtedly among the best TV dramas of the last 15 years, but they’re not really perfect. The most flawless TV dramas from 2011 to the present are about as close as television comes to perfection, extraordinary examples of their respective genres which don’t really have any significant flaws beyond any nitpicking that viewers may engage in.

8

‘Hannibal’ (2013–2015)

Image via NBC

Part psychological thriller, part psychological horror, and a hundred percent one of the most shocking things that have ever been allowed to air on American broadcast television, Hannibal is a must-see for all those who love The Silence of the Lambs. It’s one of those thriller shows that has aged like fine wine, a cult classic whose cancellation after three short-lived seasons still remains one of NBC’s biggest crimes ever.

But even though it ends on a frustrating (though meaningful) cliffhanger, Hannibal is still essential viewing for people who like their TV dramas with a side of disturbing horror elements. Bolstered by Mads Mikkelsen‘s intense, elegant, and perfectly calculated lead performance, it’s a brutal yet strangely satisfying televisual masterpiece through and through. Visually stunning, sophisticated in its writing, and reliant on the electric dynamic between Hannibal himself and Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), it’s one of those unfairly cancelled shows that are still worth watching years after their conclusion.

7

‘The Americans’ (2013–2018)

Image via FX

One of the very few drama shows that have ever received two Peabody Awards during their run, The Americans is undoubtedly one of the greatest TV series of all time. It’s one of those TV dramas where every episode is a masterpiece, using an enthralling espionage story as a vehicle to explore themes of marriage, parenthood, and identity.

The show’s balance between being a spy thriller and a family drama is unexpectedly perfect. Critics called it this decade’s The Sopranos, and frankly, it’s not that far-fetched of a comparison. Beautifully slow-burning, perfect in how it uses its genres, and full of fascinating characters, it’s a gem supported by Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys at the top of their games. From emotional payoffs to deep character arcs, there’s nothing to not love about The Americans.

6

‘Andor’ (2022–2025)

Image via Disney+

A prequel spin-off show centered on a random character from a prequel spin-off movie? On paper, Andor sounded like it would either prove to be a cash-grab or a time-wasting disaster. Instead, the Star Wars franchise hasn’t been this great since the ’80s. What Tony Gilroy and his team created here is far more than just the best piece of content in the galaxy far, far away since Return of the Jedi: It’s one of the most perfect modern sci-fi TV shows out there.

On the one hand, Andor is a sharp and thought-provoking critique of authoritarian power and celebration of rebellion in the face of fascism. On the other hand, it’s an endlessly entertaining space opera full of interesting characters (played by excellent performers), shocking twists, and emotionally riveting moments. Fans would never have complained if it had run for another dozen seasons, but the two seasons that do exist are some truly top-tier television.

5

‘Severance’ (2022–Present)

Image via Apple TV

With only two seasons released so far, Severance is still one of the best sci-fi shows to binge-watch in one week. Honestly, that feels like the only right way to go with this masterful “mystery box”-type series, one of the most addictive genre shows streaming has had to offer throughout this decade. For every narrative answer that Severance provides, another four questions pop up.

But that’s precisely the show’s puzzling appeal, an appeal further supported by top-notch production values and an exceptional ensemble cast. Though definitely not without a sense of humor (sometimes dark, sometimes offbeat, always effective), Severance is nevertheless a drama at heart. And what a thematically nuanced, emotionally compelling, twist-filled drama it is. The character arcs are engaging, the mysteries are all nail-bitingly intense, and the way the show comments on modern corporate culture couldn’t possibly hit harder.

4

‘The Pitt’ (2025–Present)

Medical dramas have a very long history on both cable TV and streaming, but it’s a genre that lends itself perhaps a bit too well to feeling contrived and trite. The Pitt hasn’t given off any semblance of those qualities for a single second of its run. Designed from the get-go as the most realistic medical drama the small screen has ever seen, a mission it succeeds at almost the entire time, it’s also one of the most perfect TV dramas of the last 10 years.

The Pitt may be entirely committed to raw realism and genuineness, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t find plenty of time to explore emotionally stirring character arcs and dynamics. It’s a refreshingly believable medical show, incredibly well-staged and well-paced; but it’s also one of the most engaging character dramas television viewers have gotten in years, and that is perhaps the key to its feeling like it’s full of heart.

3

‘Succession’ (2018–2023)

Image via HBO

One doesn’t just watch Succession in order to get to what’s easily one of the greatest series finale masterpieces ever. It’s all about the journey, not the destination; and in the case of the Roy dynasty and their story, what a journey it is. It’s a show so steeped in dark humor that some may go so far as to call it a dramedy, but at its core, this HBO masterpiece is one of the most dramatic and powerful Shakespearean shows out there.

It’s all about the power dynamics here. Through the flawlessly written and endlessly quotable dialogue, the many sharp-edged jokes and insults, the surprising amount of perfectly-executed plot twists, and all the emotionally stirring character moments, Succession constantly sees the power dynamics between its characters shift and twist and transform. It’s an absolutely fascinating spectacle to watch unfold.

2

‘Chernobyl’ (2019)

Image via HBO

It’s a miniseries, but there’s no denying that Chernobyl is one of the greatest TV dramas not just of the last 15 years, but perhaps even of all time. It’s one of the darkest HBO shows ever, and definitely not for the faint of heart. Its exploration of the events leading up to the disaster in the titular Ukrainian city, of the event itself, and of its ghastly aftermath never hold back a single punch. It’s a grim, brutal, incredibly hard-hitting drama, but one that’s essential viewing for all those who like well-made television.

There’s the actual physical disaster, the institutional precedent and response, and the philosophical and thematic arguments at the core of it all. On all three levels, Chernobyl is an engrossing masterpiece. Full of complex characters played by some of the most talented actors on Earth, the show allows a feeling of slow-burning dread to make its way into the viewer’s mind gradually but oh so potently. It’s an intelligent, well-researched, mostly quite accurate and insightful look at how dangerous a system built on lies and institutional rot can be.

1

‘Better Call Saul’ (2015–2022)

Image via AMC

Back in 2008, Breaking Bad was born. It was once the show started streaming on Netflix that people around the world started coming to a realization: Vince Gilligan‘s crime thriller wasn’t just a great show, but rather one that promised to become the best TV drama in history. Indeed, that’s what many people today would say to describe the story of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), his family, and those who helped him in his journey to becoming the drug kingpin Heisenberg. Among those people was Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), a character that was originally designed to just be a comic relief character for a few episodes. Instead, Bob Odenkirk’s character became such a fan favorite that he had to stick around for the rest of the show.

Fans grew to like the character of Saul so much that he ended up becoming the lead of Better Call Saul, and the rest is history. Part legal dramedy, part crime thriller, this is not only one of the most perfect crime shows of all time, but also the best television prequel in history. It’s the most formally-precise character study ever created for the small screen, a slow-burning Shakespearean tragedy where every plot development feels like a seismic shift. It’s television at its best, and undoubtedly the best TV drama of the last 15 years.

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Better Call Saul

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Release Date

2015 – 2022-00-00

Network

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AMC

Showrunner

Peter Gould

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Directors

Vince Gilligan, Thomas Schnauz, Peter Gould, Michael Morris, Adam Bernstein, Colin Bucksey, John Shiban, Michelle MacLaren, Daniel Sackheim, Jim McKay, Minkie Spiro, Terry McDonough, Larysa Kondracki, Melissa Bernstein, Gordon Smith, Andrew Stanton, Bronwen Hughes, Giancarlo Esposito, Keith Gordon, Michael Slovis, Nicole Kassell, Norberto Barba, Rhea Seehorn, Scott Winant

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