By Robert Scucci
| Published 16 seconds ago

Corporate, white-collar jobs are the worst. One time, I worked with a guy who “didn’t like to sit with his back to the door” in the conference room during our weekly management meetings, as if he was Jason freakin Bourne. He was an accounts receivable manager, an avid watch and stamp collector, and weighed north of 300 pounds. Not a single person thought, “man, what a badass” when he said these things, but we just had to grin and bear it. We just smiled and nodded as if he didn’t just say the dumbest thing on the planet. 

The same kind of behavior shows up in 2010’s Drones, except nobody’s pretending to be a highly trained assassin posing as a white-collar client services supervisor who drives a Honda Pilot. No, they’re claiming to be aliens.

A Not-So-Hostile Takeover

Drones centers on a business-casual G man named Brian (Jonathan M. Woodward), who works as a pencil pusher for the Omni Link company. It’s never really established what he or his coworkers do for a living. Think of it like Office Space. The greatest source of stress around the office is the company changing its filing system from chronological to alphabetical, which completely incenses Cooperman (Dave Allen), the most cynical employee in the building.

But if I’m weighing in here and being entirely honest, if you don’t sort by “date modified,” you’re a total psychopath. That way, the things you were working on most recently, and actually need, are at the top of the list. I’m totally Team Cooperman here.

There are two other sources of stress in Drones that slowly reveal themselves. First, Brian’s coworker Clark (Samm Levine) accidentally lets it slip that he’s an alien with plans for Earth that haven’t been fully explained. Second, before confessing any of that, Clark encourages Brian to ask out Amy (Angela Bettis), because it’s obvious to everybody that they’ve got some chemistry.

Then, Brian gets to know Amy and learns that she’s also an alien, reporting back to her home planet through the fax machine in the print room. Here’s the real problem. Amy and Clark aren’t from the same planet, and they both plan to take over Earth against each other’s knowledge. What follows is a series of closed-door conversations, eavesdropping, and awkward office romances tangled up in something much bigger than getting accused of stealing the last doughnut from the break room.

Quirky And Fun, But You Have To Use Your Imagination

Like most low-budget outings, Drones has its fun by never showing you its “monsters.” There are no special effects, and the entire movie takes place inside an office building. Everything is fluorescently lit to the point where your brain practically invents that awful humming noise just to complete the experience. Most of the tension comes from miscommunication and people getting their wires crossed over their motives.

What really sells the premise, though, is Amy’s dynamic with Brian. It’s the perfect interoffice romance because it’s built on paranoia. The kind of paranoia you get when you catch feelings for a coworker and convince yourself that even the smallest amount of happiness will somehow get reported to HR and shut down immediately.

Angela Bettis knocks it out of the park as Amy because she carries a subtle uncanny valley vibe. It’s not that she looks strange. She’s conventionally attractive and not doing anything overtly off-putting aside from occasionally talking to a fax machine. It’s all in her expressions. She studies everyone around her like she’s trying to figure out how humans operate in real time so she can report back to her own species.

Samm Levine’s Clark is similarly, and inexplicably, strange. Having worked in an office myself for years, nothing he’s doing is technically out of the ordinary, but something about his mannerisms still feels off. Both characters ride that line perfectly, where they seem normal on the surface but just weird enough to make you question everything.

Stuck between two potential alien invasions, all centered around his workplace, Brian is either weirdly okay with everything or completely bewildered depending on the moment, which makes for a surprisingly fun watch.

Drones is the kind of movie you throw on after a long day at an office job as a reminder to seek employment elsewhere. Everything from the interpersonal politics to the drab setting feels intentionally uncomfortable.

It makes you wonder if humans were ever meant to sit in cubicles all day (Peter Gibbons was right). An office suite is the perfect place for alien overlords to gather and talk shop if you think about it. It’s the one place where humans show up completely disengaged, which probably gives the aliens the upper hand before lunchtime most days.

As of this writing, Drones is streaming for free on Tubi.

By Brian Myers
| Published 1 minute ago

Throughout most of the 1990s, the top-rated NBC sitcom Seinfeld dominated primetime television. The witty humor and superficial characters took viewers through bizarre happenstances surrounding relatable life situations that are seemingly mundane on the surface. The “show about nothing” proved to be more about everything else, but also weaved in the real-life interests of the show’s star and namesake, Jerry Seinfeld. A fan of superheroes, Seinfeld and his writers found ways of inserting references to comic book icons in multiple episodes, some a bit more concealed than others.

Fans of Seinfeld have claimed since the show’s run that the writers packed a Superman reference into every episode. If you count the noticeable Superman statue on Jerry’s shelf or the small magnets of the superhero on his refrigerator, you might come up with a visual reference for the majority of the show’s 180 entries. While the real tally of mentions and nods is far less than what some fans might have originally speculated, looking for and discovering these little Easter eggs has been a bonus to enjoying a much-beloved 90s TV staple.

Two Specific Episodes Do The Heavy Lifting

Two episodes are almost entirely dominated by Superman references. In the 1996 fan favorite episode, “The Bizarro Jerry,” Elaine begins a friendship with Kevin, with whom she has just ended a very short-term romance. As his new friend, Elaine discovers parallels between the life she experiences with Jerry and the gang, and Kevin and his friend group. Each person in Kevin’s life is the mirror opposite of every person in Jerry’s. Gene (George) and Feldman (Kramer) make up Kevin’s core friends, while Kevin is Jerry’s counterpart.

Kevin’s apartment also has details that, upon close examination, show Jerry’s interests in a twisted recreation. Aside from the layout being mirrored, there’s a unicycle on the wall where Jerry’s bike always hangs, Feldman always knocks before entering (instead of barging in, like Kramer), and continually restocks Kevin’s refrigerator and cabinets with groceries instead of bumming them. The cou de gras is positioned where Jerry’s prized Superman statue should be. In its place is Bizarro Superman, completing Jerry’s reference to Elaine being in “the Bizarro World” when she’s with Kevin.

The 1994 episode, “The Race,” sees Jerry have a rematch of a running contest that he deceptively won during high school. His old rival, Duncan Meyer, is revealed to be the employer of his newest love interest, Lois (as in Lois Lane, Superman’s girlfriend). Throughout the episode, Jerry utters memorable lines like “I’d have to be Superman to do that,” and “Faster than a speeding bullet.” The theme from Superman (1978) plays as Duncan gets his rematch with Jerry, which Jerry also wins after an unwitting headstart. He closes the show with a nod to the 1950s series, The Adventures of Superman, by uttering the line “Maybe I will, Lois. Maybe I will,” before breaking the fourth wall and winking at the camera.

Subtle Nods Through Dialogue

Most of the references to superheroes are revealed through the show’s dialogue instead of being visual cues. When George refers to Jerry’s new girlfriend, Gwen, as a “Two-Face” (the woman looks starkly different when the lighting changes), Jerry exclaims, “Like the Batman villain!” In another exchange, it’s revealed by Elaine that Jerry doodles naked pictures of Lois Lane. Yet another moment has George referring to Jerry as having only two interests, Superman and cereal.

Two-Face, Batman & Robin, and Superman aren’t the only DC superheroes mentioned in the series. On at least two occasions, Aquaman is the subject of conversations between George and Jerry. In “The Deal,” George wonders whether the character was “restricted to water,” while “The Glasses” has Jerry referring to his friend as “Aquaboy.”

“The Strongbox” Has Deep Cuts

One of the best superhero references occurred during an exchange between George, Jerry, and Elaine while the three were sitting in their favorite coffee shop in “The Strongbox.” Elaine has been seeing a new guy, a secretive fellow named Glenn. Elaine had previously speculated that he was probably married, given that he always met her out and refused to give her his phone number.

Jerry had interjected that the guy could be protecting his secret identity and that Elaine could very well be dating the Green Lantern. At the coffee shop, Elaine reveals that her new beau isn’t married, but that he’s been actively hiding the fact that he’s living in poverty. The exchange that follows is packed so full of lines revolving around DC characters, making it one of the greatest instances of snap dialogue over Seinfeld’s nine-season run.

Jerry’s one-liners included “We found out his superpower was lack of money,” “He’s the ‘got no green’ lantern,” and “He’s invulnerable to creditors.” A visibly annoyed Elaine gets up to leave, only to have George pipe up with “Maybe his girlfriend is Lois Loan.” Jerry deals the final blow when Elaine reenters moments later to retrieve something she’d left behind; “He can wipe out a checking account with a single bounce!”

References You May Have Missed

Superman-related references also make appearances in the following episodes:

In “The Pilot,” Jerry is clad in a wardrobe of red and blue, Superman’s colors.

During a scene in “The Secret Code,” Jerry tells George that his ATM passcode is “Jor-El,” the name of Superman’s father on the planet Krypton.

“The Stock Tip” sees Jerry and George debating whether or not Superman has a super sense of humor.

After George makes a bone-headed move concerning a new love interest in “The Face Painter,” he wishes he could turn back time in the way Superman could, by spinning the Earth in reverse.

“The Cheever Letters” makes one of several references to someone’s home being their “Fortress of Solitude.”

“The Invitations” has a montage of Jerry with his new fiancée, Jeannie. In one moment, the two of them are shown reading Superman comic books.

The next time you stream Seinfeld on Netflix, look and listen for the references aboveand others.

Heather Graham is letting fans in on her little secrets to maintain her chic physique.

The actress opened up about the rules she follows with her diet and self-care to ensure that she stays in shape. The youthful glow that seems to have never left her, even as she is now in her 50s, is seemingly thanks to everything but weight loss medication.

Heather Graham is living her childfree life to the fullest, enjoying the rewards of her work earlier in the industry. She gets her daily dose of happiness by focusing on enjoying the simplest things in life.

Going Under The Knife And Ozempic Are Not Part Of Heather Graham’s Routine

Graham had a chat this week where she told all on her secret to staying in shape, aging as an entertainer, and navigating through life. The actress explained how she tries to maintain her looks without succumbing to the pressure of going under the knife or using popular medications like GLP-1s.

For the Hollywood star, self-care is a top priority, and that includes her focus on staying active, eating healthy, yoga, and meditation. She strongly believes that “if you don’t have your health, you dont have anything” and as such she places her health as the most important thing in her life, even more important than her career. Graham, in her interview with US Weekly, revealed that she had unhealthy eating habits in her younger days.

She went through phases of being obsessed with sugar and eating frozen yoghurt for lunch and dinner. “I’d be like, ‘I don’t want to have dinner, so I’m going to eat eight candy bars or a pint of ice cream.’” Then I’d be like, “That was bad, so now I’m not going to eat any regular food.” After getting hands-on deep into meditation, she realized she needed to eat healthily. Now, she stays away from sugar by keeping it completely out of her house. and only sometimes indulges in two cookies.

The Actress’s Thoughts On Weight Loss And Aging

The entertainer was asked to share her thoughts on weight loss drugs and if they have a place in her regimen. In response, she stated that she does not see the appeal, even though there have been amazing reviews from people who use them. “But I’m fearful people haven’t been taking it long enough to know if there are bad side effects,” she added.

Graham then stressed that rather than turn to modern medicine for that purpose, she chooses to work out and have a prime diet instead. When it comes to cosmetic procedures, the star disclosed that she has never cut her face open. However, she has tried Botox, microneedling, and fillers. Her goal remains to look natural, she shared, adding “I dont want to look freaky. I wouldn’t completely rule it out, though.”

The “Hangover” star went on to answer questions about her career and aging in Hollywood. Recalling the time when there was a threshold age for women to get married before being tagged a spinster, Graham is glad to see that the industry is embracing female empowerment.

She gave a shout-out to Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, Doechii, and Cardi B for helping her through a breakup via their music. Ultimately, the actress is not worried about getting older as she has come to terms with aging as part of the laws of nature. Her focus remains on how she can enjoy and appreciate the life she has.

The ‘Boogie Nights’ Star Has Been Into Diet And Fitness For Years

Over a decade ago, Graham chatted with Refinery29, where she spilled details of her experiences while filming the 2012 film “At Any Price,” where she starred as Meredith Crown alongside iconic actor Zac Efron. During her talk with the outlet, the Hollywood star shared that the secret to her glowing skin was using generous amounts of moisturizer.

“I like moisturizing a lot, my whole body, my face. I use this inexpensive Body Shop Nourishing Night Cream, and sometimes I’ll use Crème de la Mer,” the actress disclosed. At that time, she also detailed how she managed to keep up with her diet and fitness regimen despite being on the road regularly for work.

Graham shared that she tries to avoid sugar as a broad rule, even though she falters at times. She also tries to steer clear of white flour. In that same 2013 interview, the actress talked about her relationship with exercising, disclosing that she was big on doing yoga. “I’m obsessed with yoga. For fun, I would go on a yoga retreat and do four hours of yoga a day. And then I do pilates. I also like going out dancing,” Graham said.

For The Entertainer, Aging And Happiness Go Hand In Hand

Last year, Graham stepped onto the 55th floor of life, and her shared secret is “enjoying the simple things in life.” The “At Any Price” star shared that aging is all about attitude, noting that as she grows older, she cares less about things that do not matter. The star told PEOPLE that with that mindset, she has become a happier person focused on “feeling good from the inside out.”

She also surrounds herself with positive energy from her friends and spends more time in nature. “I like to go out in nature, go to the beach, look at the ocean, go on a hike, go into the mountains, look at the trees,” she shared before adding, “I love just being by the ocean; anytime I’m at the ocean, I just feel happier.

Graham, in recent years, has embraced a more holistic perspective on life, and this has tilted her focus from the super ambitious younger version of herself to a woman who draws fulfillment from other parts of life besides her career.

Heather Graham Has Gone No Contact With Her Parents Since Early Adulthood

The movie star previously disclosed that she has not spoken to her parents in almost thirty years. The estrangement from her father, James, who was an FBI agent, and her mother, Joan, who was an elementary school teacher, stemmed from her decision to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

The star shared that her father often actively discouraged her from getting into Hollywood, while her mom supported her creative and acting ambition, but did not protect her from James. “He regularly told me that the entertainment industry was evil and that Hollywood would claim my soul if I became an actress and appeared in anything with sexual content,” the actress revealed about two years ago.

ENews detailed that according to Graham, when she made her debut with “License to Drive,” staying at home with her parents became all the more difficult. She was determined to be successful and make a name for herself as a movie star. Friends became family to her, and she continued climbing the ladder to success. “I stopped talking to my parents when I was 25, and I’m estranged from them now. My friends are proud of me, and I’m proud of myself,” Graham concluded.

Roomies, it looks like fans have finally got their answer on where 21 Savage stands following Latto’s pregnancy announcement. Amid speculation about Big Mama and her baby, 21 seemingly weighed in with a few words for the first-time mom.

RELATED: Too Cute! Video Shows Cheetah-Inspired Baby Announcement With Latto & 21 Savage’s Names On It (WATCH) 

21 Savage Steps In With Some Words For Latto

Social media is going crazy trying to figure out if 21 Savage just confirmed he fathered Latto’s baby. On Wednesday, March 25, the rapper seemingly reacts to Big Mama’s baby announcement by posting her new Paper magazine cover with the caption, “Big Mama Not The Little 1.” He doesn’t stop there — he added three dagger emojis, which fans know is the same symbol tatted on his forehead and a tribute to his late brother Tay Man. Latto hasn’t reacted to 21’s post, but she’s previously made it clear before that he’s her bae. Back in 2025, she told TMZ she never gets tired of hearing about him because that’s “Her man, her man, her man!”

The Internet Said “Say Less” After 21 Entered The Chat

Once The Shade Room reposted 21 Savage’s message, the comment section went wild! Fans loved seeing him show love to his Big Mama, while other said trolls can be quiet now since 21 seemingly confirmed where they stand!

Instagram user @_therealtokyodrifting wrote, “Simple 😌♥️🫶🏽” 

Instagram user @laureaaall wrote, “He love his big mama ❤️” 

While Instagram user @kweenmocha wrote, “Wizard Kelly finally came downstairs 😂” 

Then Instagram user @iamjovimar wrote, “And there you have it yall😂 it’s FINALLY actually confirmed 👏👏 the internet is Always right.” 

Another Instagram user @binkyloc_ wrote, “y’all done bullied that man into claiming her openly 😭” 

instagram user @therealsiditydess wrote, “& thangggyaa🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽” 

Instagram user @moni_d93 wrote, “Lawwwddd he dun gave the internet what they been wanting.” 

While another Instagram user @thats.seldom wrote, “Ok Big Mama getting posted🤣🥳” 

Instagram user @___wond___ wrote, “THESE PEOPLE DONT OWE YALL NATHAN 😩🙄🤦🏽‍♀️” 

Then another Instagram user @cydneedane wrote, “Alright nowwwww we getting somewhereeeeeee.” 

Finally, Instagram user @msashnicole2u wrote, “21 has spoken 🔥yall leave them folks alone. I love this ❤️” 

RELATED: Nothing To Prove! Latto Reacts To Speculation About Her Relationship & Pregnancy After “Big Mama, No Kids” Lyrics Resurface

Kylie Kelce says critics are taking her past comments about hiring babysitters when her husband, Jason Kelce, is at home out of context.

“It got so aggressively taken out of context that I was pissed about it for, like, months,” Kylie, 34, said during the Wednesday, March 25, episode of the “Conversations With Cam” podcast. “Because there comes a time where you can set the record straight. But then at what point are you just continuously [doing it]? And like, ‘I don’t need to.’ This is the same thing of, like, if I’m going to talk about it, I’ll talk about it. If I’m not, I’m not.”

Back in December 2024, Kylie caused a stir when she revealed that she would schedule a babysitter even when Jason, 38, is scheduled to be home with their kids. (The couple shares daughters Wyatt, 5, Elliotte, 4, Bennett, 3, and Finn, who turns 1 year old on Monday, March 30.)

“How do I say this nicely? No,” Kylie said during the debut episode of her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. “When I have to do something — coaching, something for Eagles Autism Foundation, something for my podcast, a doctor’s appointment even — I will schedule childcare. My husband could tell me 72 times that he is going to be in the house during the time when I have to leave it, [and] I will still schedule childcare.”

Kylie added that their schedule is unpredictable now that Jason is retired from the NFL, so it’s hard to know when he will be able to watch the kids.

After the episode aired, critics online slammed Kylie for seemingly not allowing Jason to watch their children.

“Tell me you don’t trust your husband, without telling him you don’t trust him,” an Instagram user commented on a clip of the podcast at the time.

Another person added, “That’s really sad a guy can’t parent his own kids.”

Addressing the criticism on Wednesday, Kylie continued, “It got so taken out of context because people were like, ‘You won’t let Jason watch your kids.’ And I’m like, ‘What do you mean, let him watch the kids? They’re his kids.’ I’m not letting him do anything. They’re f***ing his.”

Kylie then reiterated her original explanation for hiring a babysitter.

“When I first started the podcast and we addressed this, which is when I said it, Jason was in football season for ESPN,” she said. “He had multiple other things going on where his schedule was, and still is, chaotic, but not nearly as much. There was like no structure happening.”

Related: Kylie Kelce Has the Perfect Clapback for Haters Who Are ‘Tired’ of Her

  Kylie Kelce is not here for the haters weighing in on her life or her new podcast venture. “My producer, Queen Emma, has pulled a couple of the comments that we’ve gotten over the last couple weeks,” Kelce, 32, said during the Thursday, January 2, episode of her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. “One of […]

Kylie added, “And there were times where he would be sitting, and he’d be like, ‘Oh, I don’t have anything for the rest of the day.’ And then someone would call him, and he’d be like, ‘Oh, I actually have to take this.’ And then he would end up on a call for like 45 minutes to an hour. And like, it’s, they’re not calls where you can have little voices in the background.”

The podcaster also argued that she had a “sarcastic” tone when she made the original remarks.

“It’s always how someone wants to twist it,” she noted.

If there’s anything that history proves, it’s that nothing is permanent—not even nations. There have been several countries throughout the years that have disappeared, dissolved, or transformed into something entirely different. That certainly includes a few throughout cinema’s existence in the 20th century, which means that there are many movies out there whose home has vanished since their release.

Many such movies have either been forgotten by time or disappeared altogether, but there are a few masterpieces from countries that no longer exist that are widely counted among the greatest films ever made. From Yugoslav gems like pretty much Emir Kusturica‘s entire filmography to legendary Soviet movies like I Am Cuba, these are cornerstones of movie history that cinephiles should never allow themselves to forget.

‘I Was Nineteen’ (1968) From East Germany

Image via DEFA

Right before the end of World War II, the Allied powers agreed on the division of defeated Nazi Germany into occupation zones. The Soviet occupation zone turned into East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic, a communist state whose economy soon became the most successful in the Eastern European Bloc. East Germany’s state-owned film studio was called DEFA, and the best movie that it ever produced is undoubtedly Konrad Wolf‘s I Was Nineteen. It’s a fictionalization of Wolf’s experiences, where a young boy who fled Germany with his parents returns as a lieutenant in the Red Army.

Due to its emphasis on subjective experience rather than propagandistic clarity, the DEFA disliked I Was Nineteen and tried to get Wolf to revise the screenplay in several ways. Yet, despite their interference, it is easily the best-made and most thought-provoking East German masterpiece. Though episodic, the film feels like a deeply intimate recollection of a man’s recollection of his tumultuous youth. It’s a stunning cinematic autobiography.

‘The Nightingale’s Prayer’ (1959) From the United Arab Republic

Image via Arab Film Distribution

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In 1958, a political union between Egypt and Syria formed the United Arab Republic. Just three years later, Syria seceded from the union following a coup d’état, but Egypt continued to be known officially as the United Arab Republic until it was formally dissolved in 1971. During these (roughly) 13 years, the United Arab Republic produced several of what have gone down in history as the greatest African movies of all time. The most noteworthy of these is Henry Barakat‘s The Nightingale’s Prayer, a romance drama that follows a woman’s revenge plot against the engineer who destroyed her family’s honor.

It’s an immensely powerful social melodrama that’s surprisingly bleak and anti-patriarchy for its era. The Nightingale’s Prayer, which looks and feels delectably similar to the best of noirs being produced in Hollywood at the time, hasn’t aged perfectly in every department, but it still feels as well-performed, well-written, and well-directed today as it surely must have been back in the 1959 United Arab Republic.

‘Time of the Gypsies’ (1988) From Yugoslavia

Image via Ljubavny Film

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Yugoslavia came into existence following World War I, being the first union of South Slavic peoples as a sovereign state in history. Due to a wide variety of factors and after a violent multi-stage process, the country broke up between 1991 and 1992. But during its existence, it was the source of some of the greatest European films and filmmakers of its time, chief among which is the great Emir Kusturica. One of Kusturica’s best movies is the Yugoslav-Italian co-production Time of the Gypsies, a coming-of-age fantasy crime drama about a young Roma boy with telekinetic powers who is seduced by the world of petty crime.

It’s one of those ’80s movie masterpieces that most people have forgotten about, which won Kusturica the Best Director Award at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. Tragicomical, deeply moving, and unexpectedly dense (with a runtime of nearly two and a half hours), Time of the Gypsies is a beautifully chaotic epic that’s definitely a must-watch for history buffs and cinephiles alike.

‘Marketa Lazarová’ (1967) From Czechoslovakia

Image via Criterion

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In 1918, Czechoslovakia was created after declaring its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1992, it split peacefully into Czechia and Slovakia. Throughout those 74 years, Czechoslovakia was the home of some of the greatest and most groundbreaking European films of the 20th century. During the ’60s in particular, filmmakers like František Vláčil led theCzechoslovak New Wave, one of the most notorious European film movements of the era.This movement birthed the country’s greatest cinematic masterpiece: Marketa Lazarová, an epic period drama about a young girl promised to God who is kidnapped and raped by a marauder.

It’s an unsettling and absolutely brutal masterpiece, but a masterpiece nonetheless. Clocking in at nearly three hours long and sprinkling surreal moments into the mix to enhance its psychologically intense atmosphere, it’s a dreamlike, poetic, and utterly mesmerizing work of art. Its score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes is well deserved, since this is one of the most unforgettable period pieces in the history of cinema.

‘The Cranes Are Flying’ (1957) From the Soviet Union

Image via Mosfilm

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From 1922 until its dissolution in 1991, the Soviet Union was the world’s flagship communist state. The nation’s film industry was fully regulated by the central government in Moscow and, thus, often prone to censorship. Still, such a tremendously large number of cinematic masterpieces came out of that system that one can point to innumerable Soviet movies which could be counted among the greatest of the 20th century. One such movie is The Cranes Are Flying, a war drama about two lovers planning a rendezvous at the bank of a river, only for the man to be drafted into WWII shortly after.

Plenty of war films out there depict the horror and devastation of armed conflict in all manner of thought-provoking ways, as well as somewhat problematic war films that make war seem like an exciting prospect. But movies about the tedium of war, about how slow, boring, and existentially dreadful it can be? There aren’t nearly enough of those in existence, but Georgian-Soviet filmmaker Mikhail Kalatozov made this one, which is great enough to make up for the scarcity of such movies. It’s a timeless cinematic miracle; poetic, visually splendid, and deeply human.

‘I Am Cuba’ (1964) From the Soviet Union

Image via Mosfilm

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A co-production between the Soviet Union and Cuba, I Am Cuba is proof that propaganda cinema isn’t inherently bad. In fact, it is widely recognized by cinephiles and film historians as one of the greatest films of the 1960s,an anthology film and political drama with some of the most revolutionary cinematography in the history of the art form. Also directed by Mikhail Kalatozov, it follows four vignettes about the lives of the Cuban people during the pre-revolutionary era.

The film was almost completely forgotten until it was rediscovered by American filmmakers in the ’90s, and Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola were actually instrumental in its restoration and re-release in 1995. Politically radical, full of jaw-dropping visuals, and so ideologically profound that film scholars will probably continue to study it deeply for the rest of history, I Am Cuba is a must-see for all those who would say they love cinema.

‘Stalker’ (1979) From the Soviet Union

Andrei Tarkovsky was perhaps the greatest of all Soviet filmmakers, a poet with a camera who loved to work on his own terms. So much so, in fact, that he exiled himself from the Soviet Union in the early ’80s due to the unrelenting censorship and artistic interference from the government. The last film he made in the USSR was Stalker, one of the best and most beautiful arthouse sci-fi masterpieces of all time, full of the same kind of poetic pacing and philosophical depth that makes Tarkovsky timeless.Aside from being one of the sci-fi films with the strongest acting ever, the most gorgeous visuals ever, and the best dialogue ever, Stalker is a thought-provoking exploration of themes of faith, societal decay, and spiritual redemption. Its production was notoriously difficult (and led to Tarkovsky’s untimely death from cancer at 54 years old, since they shot in highly toxic locations), but the result is one of the most transcendental works of art in film history.

‘Underground’ (1995) From Yugoslavia

Image via Ciby 2000

The biggest masterpiece that Emir Kusturica ever directed was the satirical epic war film Underground, about two underground black marketeers who sell weapons to the Communist resistance in wartime Belgrade. Admirably genre-bending and enthralling throughout its nearly three hours of runtime, the film earned Kusturica his second Cannes Palme d’Or victory (after 1985’s When Father Was Away on Business), making him one of only ten directors in history to have won the award more than once.

It was a well-deserved victory, too, since Underground is an exhilarating masterpiece that offers an insightful look at life in Communist Eastern Europe. Hugely ambitious, disorienting, energetic, and carnivalesque, it’s movie magic in its purest form. Funny though it may be, Underground is also epically operatic and emotionally enthralling, making it one of history’s greatest cinematic masterpieces.

‘Come and See’ (1985) From the Soviet Union

Image via Sovexportfilm

Yet another Soviet masterpiece, the anti-war thriller coming-of-age Come and See is not only the highest-rated European film on Letterboxd, but the 4th-highest-rated movie on the platform in general. It’s a horrific, absolutely harrowing epic where, after finding an old rifle, a young boy joins the Soviet resistance movement against German forces during WWII. Plenty of movies make war seem like hell, but none nearly as effectively and potently as this one.

Directed by Elem Klimov and starring Aleksei Kravchenko, who delivers the most transformative and emotionally devastating child acting performance in film history, Come and See is not for the faint of heart. But daunting though it may be, it’s obligatory viewing for movie fans. It’s an unforgiving waking nightmare that you simply can’t forget, visually striking and full of hard-hitting scenes. Soviet cinema was rarely ever this good.

‘Andrei Rublev’ (1966) From the Soviet Union

Image via Janus Films

Actually, Soviet cinema was only ever slightly better than Klimov’s Come and See once, and that was when Andrei Tarkovsky made his magnum opus, Andrei Rublev, arguably the greatest movie of the last 100 years. It’s a three-hour-long arthouse biopic about the life, times, and afflictions of the titular Medieval Russian icon painter, though the movie is far more focused on Medieval Russian history than on Rublev’s life in terms of historical accuracy. However, Tarkovsky is even more interested in the thematic depth of this thought-provoking film about art, religion, spirituality, and where those things intersect.

Andrei Rublev will be an obnoxious bore for those who hate slow-burning cinema, but for people who love arthouse films that take their time and aren’t afraid to slow down and let the narrative breathe, it will be an unforgettable experience. The acting is phenomenal, Tarkovsky’s direction is so transcendentally powerful that it almost doesn’t feel human, and the long runtime doesn’t have a single second where it’s not absolutely fascinating. The Soviet Union may not exist anymore, but Tarkovsky’s work will prove eternal.

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Andrei Rublev

Release Date

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December 16, 1966

Runtime

183 minutes

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Director

Andrei Tarkovsky

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General Hospital early weekly spoilers for March 30th through April 3rd stun as Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) is going to be absolutely devastated and Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening) terrified.

As we always do on early edition day, we start with what is coming the rest of this week and then talk about what is ahead for next week.

General Hospital Spoilers Wednesday, March 25th: Something’s Not Right in Surgery

So, on Wednesday, March 25th, we have in surgery Dr. Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) telling Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) that something is not right. So, this does not sound good for Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo) at all because the two of them are working on him. But I honestly expect him to pull through. I hope he does. Fingers crossed. We should find out on Wednesday, Thursday at the latest.

And Elizabeth has to break bad news on Wednesday. And again, nurses don’t tell people that patients died. That’s a doctor’s job. But that’s kind of part of why I feel like Marco survives. And this may be Elizabeth telling Lucas once he’s out of Ross Cullum’s (Andrew Hawkes) surgery that his boyfriend Marco is in the hospital, just got out of surgery and has been stabbed. And Lucas is having his own little crisis in surgery saying, “Come on, Cullum.”

So, it looks like they might be losing him. I mean, good riddance to bad rubbish. But honestly, he’s so awful. I don’t think he’s going to die either. Even though I’d be cheering for it, you know, when GH brings on somebody that fans hate, they just don’t up and get rid of them like we would like them to. You know, Peter August (Wes Ramsey) lived way too long. Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober) lived way too long. So, I don’t know if Cullum’s going to be pushing up daisies quite yet.

GH Spoilers: Lulu Begs Rocco to Keep Quiet

And Lulu gives Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) a warning. And Lulu’s telling Rocco, “Promise me you won’t tell anybody.” So, at this point, I think she’s going to have found out that he shot Cullum, who may die. And Lulu doesn’t want him to go down for it. And I think this is going to leapfrog her and Nathan West’s (Ryan Paevey) relationship forward while he’s protecting her son.

Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn) tells Carly Corinthos Spencer (Laura Wright) and Charlotte Cassadine (Blusey Burke) that his dad Jason Morgan‘s (Steve Burton) in danger and Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) is the only one who can help. So obviously, you know, they’re over at Carly’s house and somehow thinking that he can work a miracle.

But Charlotte is let down according to spoilers for Wednesday and I suspect if Valentin does talk to them, he just says there’s nothing he can do. He doesn’t have any power to help. Danny, of course, will be upset. Charlotte may be upset too because she’s the one who suggested this. So the residual question is would Danny rat out Valentin? If he goes to talk to Jason, he’ll probably tell him just zip it. Don’t tell anybody that he’s there or Carly’s going to go to prison.

General Hospital Spoilers: Jason & Nathan Scheme to Protect Rocco

Nathan is telling Jason while Dante Falconeri’s (Dominic Zamprogna) there in the interrogation room that Jason needs to make his next decision carefully, but wink wink nudge nudge. Nathan and Jason are conspiring behind Dante’s back. Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) is in a race against time and she wants to see Jason before he’s sent to Steinmauer or wherever.

And we’ll see if the warrant at the WSB takes precedence over the PCPD arrest for shooting Cullum and if he survives, of course not. And Britt is frantically saying one way or another she is going to see Jason. She’s at the hospital getting checked out this week, but may force them to let her leave.

And Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) walks in on a close moment. There’s a couple of things he could see. He could walk in on Nathan and Jason conspiring over Rocco. He could walk in on Jason kissing Britt in the interrogation room bc Jason’s obvi gonna be gone for a while.

And over at Wyndemere, by the way, with their faces only inches apart on Wednesday, we’re going to see on Ava Jerome (Maura West) telling Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) she enjoys a challenge. And he says, “So does he.” So this could be Chase coming in to interrupt them to notify Sidwell about Marco’s attack.

GH Spoilers Thursday, March 26th: Nathan Makes a Promise

Then on Thursday, March 26th, Nathan makes a promise. And it may be to Jason to protect Rocco. I mean, Britt was conked out. So, she doesn’t know about Rocco, but Jason, you know, was saying say that I shot him, and that’s pretty easy to figure out. And Rocco may even talk to her about it.

Meanwhile, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) tells Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) that he needs help. So, Sonny may be questioned in Marco’s stabbing, whether he lives or dies. And Carly gives somebody advice they didn’t ask for. So it could be Charlotte or Danny who showed up at her house or it could be Valentin.

And Sidwell opens up to Ava. So, if they’re together when he gets the news about Marco, I’m sure Ava’s going to come to General Hospital with Sidwell. And of course, he’s very concerned about his beloved son. Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) makes a connection and with both Cullum and Marco injured, she may do the math on that. We’ll see.

Friday, March 27th on General Hospital: Sonny Demands Answers

Friday, March 27th, we’re going to end this week with Sonny getting a visit from DA Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor). He and his little doggy, Fizz, are happy to see her. Things may heat up again, but she may also be prodding Sonny to see if he was somehow involved in the attack on Marco, which he didn’t have a role in that.

Michael Corinthos (Rory  Gibson) is cautious and it could be about Jacinda Bracken (Paige Herschell) because of Tracy Quartermaine’s (Jane Elliot) comments that Michael was disrespecting her or it could be something to do with this latest attack. Gio Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza) pays Dante a visit

And Gio may be looking for some father-son bonding time and we know Dante would love that. Joss has an offer for somebody and it could be Lucas or it could be Valentin about Carly. Also, Lulu is investigating, so she may start digging into Cullum based on what Rocco tells her about the things he overheard Britt and Cullum saying.

And Lulu already hated the guy for showing up at her house and wanting to see her kids. Plus, Sonny demands answers on Friday. And it could be about Jason. And we’ll see if Sonny’s going to get to see Jason before he is shipped off.

Week of March 30th-April 3rd GH Spoilers

The week of March 30th through April 3rd, we’re going to have massive fallout from Jason’s arrest and his exit. And we’ll see if he is sent straight to Steinmauer or maybe they’re going to send him to Pentonville and he goes missing along the way.

Plus, Sidwell is going to want to avenge the attack on Marco. He may suspect Sonny since Sidwell was leveraging him. And if Marco is in a coma or he’s dead or he’s scared to tell his dad the truth that it was Cullum, you know, then Sonny would continue to be the top suspect.

And Marco honestly would probably be okay with that if he’s too scared to tattle on Cullum. Like if Cullum is dead, which I don’t think he will be, but I hope so. Then I think he would tell his dad the truth. But if Cullum survives, Marco may be terrified and may be fine with Sonny going down for this.

General Hospital Spoilers: Britt Terrified & Joss Determined

Plus, Josslyn tries to protect Carly from Valentin. Britt is terrified because Cullum broke her medicine vials. And you know, we’ve got Marco stabbed, maybe dead, hope not, which means that takes away her hope to get hold of more meds to reverse engineer.

Even if Cullum dies, and we’ll know soon if he does, Sidwell will still be cracking the whip about this project. Nathan and Lulu are determined to protect Rocco and go all out to make it happen. Lulu is intently digging for answers. Sonny and Justine try to keep each other in the friend zone. And Lucas is absolutely distraught by this attack on Marco.