By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 14 seconds ago

Before she was the co-founder of The Honest Company, before Fantastic Four, and before she was Honey, Jessica Alba burst onto the scene as Max Guevera, the genetically enhanced former child soldier working with a band of underground hackers and mercenaries in a near-future dystopian Seattle. That’s the setting for James Cameron’s Dark Angel, 2000’s hottest and most expensive series.

No one could have guessed this would be Cameron’s follow-up to Titanic, but what was predicted even back then was that Fox would mishandle the show. That’s exactly what happened, and today, it’s nearly impossible to find a copy of Alba’s breakout hit. 

Dark Angel Changed Gears Between Seasons

In the year 2000, you could throw a rock and hit a female-led action series. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xena: Warrior Princess, V.I.P., and The X-Files were still on the air. All of them were instant classics, but James Cameron gave Dark Angel an edge the others didn’t have. Max didn’t hesitate to throw a punch, and it turns out that violence was often the answer. During her underground war against Manticore, the evil government agency that messed with her DNA and raised her as a child soldier (think Marvel’s Weapon X), Max is willing to go to brutal lengths to accomplish her mission. 

The series starts with Max ignoring her mission and living life as a courier, right up until a journalist activist, Logan (played by the very young-looking future NCIS Agent DiNozzo, portrayed by Michael Weatherly), is injured on a mission she rejected and is now confined to a wheelchair. Max picks up the fight with Logan acting as her “man in the chair,” and a lot of the fun of the series comes from their interactions, though the “will they, won’t they?” gets tiring because yes, yes they will, and we all know it.

Even the standalone monster-of-the-week episodes tie into the larger mythology arc of bringing down Manticore. Dark Angel Season 1 is pulpy sci-fi fun with cheesy stunts, technobabble, and, after the multi-million dollar pilot, cheap special effects. Season 2 changes direction with the introduction of Alec (Supernatural’s Jensen Ackles, years before he got behind the wheel of a 1967 Chevy Impala), Max’s planned breeding partner, who instead becomes her co-worker as they burn down secret labs, liberate child soldiers, and deal with various mutants tied to a breeding cult.

Missing In Action For Decades

Dark Angel isn’t quite a cyberpunk series. The argument can be made for it since there are hackers, secret government programs, supersoldiers with animal DNA, and everyone hanging out at a bar/courier company. What it’s missing is the random neon lighting. 

Of course, when a sci-fi series becomes a hit, Fox has to mess with it somehow. The network argued that the series was routinely going over budget and put a hard cap on Dark Angel’s second season at $1.4 million. Two days after letting the cast and crew know that Season 3 was greenlit, Fox reversed course and canceled the show, citing low ratings as the reason. The switch from taking down Manticore to dealing with the mutant cult caused the show to lose viewers, and the move to Fox’s death slot on Friday nights from its previous Tuesday night placement didn’t help matters any. 

Why You Can’t Watch Dark Angel Today

As with many shows made before streaming was a possibility, Dark Angel’s music rights have kept it in limbo and off legal streaming in the United States for over two decades. The only way to watch it legally now is if you own the now-out-of-print DVD sets.

It’s a shame, as the series still has a fan following over 20 years later, and in a perfect world, Jessica Alba’s Max would be recognized alongside Cameron’s other leading ladies: Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley and Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Conner. 

Hailee Steinfeld is opening up about motherhood and sharing a major personal milestone with fans. Nearly three months after welcoming her first child with husband Josh Allen, the actress and singer revealed the name of their baby girl while reflecting on the life-changing experience of becoming a parent. Hailee Steinfeld welcomed Harper on April 2 with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

In her latest Beau Society newsletter, Hailee Steinfeld introduced her daughter to readers as Harper Haize Allen and shared an emotional letter dedicated to the newborn.

“Dearest Harper, I’m in awe of you,” she wrote. “You’ve been here for only a short while now, and somehow it feels as though you’ve always been ours. These last few months have been beautiful and exhausting. Sacred and so special. The longest days and the shortest season all at once.”

Steinfeld also reflected on how motherhood has changed her perspective on time. “People tell you becoming a mother changes everything, but no one tells you how, why, or when exactly,” she wrote. “Sometimes it’s realizing that I no longer measure time in months or years, but in ounces, naps missed and naps miraculously taken, in diaper changes, and the quiet triumph of a successful transfer from my arms to your crib.”

Allen And Steinfeld Are Embracing Life As New Parents

The actress also shared a sweet glimpse into Allen’s role as a father, joking that their daughter has already tipped the scales when it comes to family movie nights.

“Your daddy and I look at you often and ask each other the same question: How did we get so lucky to have you?” Steinfeld wrote. “You, whose dad is officially outnumbered when it comes to choosing a movie for movie night, though I suspect he’ll secretly love every minute of it.”

The couple first sparked romance rumors in May 2023 before getting engaged the following year. They tied the knot in Santa Barbara in May 2025 and announced Steinfeld’s pregnancy just months later.

Hailee Steinfeld Says Motherhood Has Changed Her

Throughout the newsletter, Steinfeld described the emotional push and pull of wanting to hold onto every newborn moment while simultaneously looking forward to watching her daughter grow.

“Everyone tells me not to blink. Now I understand why,” she wrote. “Before I was a mother, I had never understood this feeling of being so wistful and filled with excitement at the same time.”

The Oscar nominee concluded her letter by revealing how deeply motherhood has transformed her. “It’s funny, I used to think motherhood was about raising a child,” Steinfeld wrote. “But now, I think being a mother is actually about allowing yourself to become someone new over and over again.”

“Each day with you, I meet a different version of myself. A softer version. A stronger version. A more patient and present version,” the actress added.

Steinfeld Recently Opened Up About Her Postpartum Journey

The actress has also been candid about navigating the early months of motherhood. In previous newsletters, Steinfeld discussed postpartum recovery and credited her doula and family for helping her adjust after welcoming Harper.

She specifically praised her mother’s homemade albondigas soup and shared that she has been focusing on giving herself grace during what she called an “early period” of recovery. “I have to be super gentle with myself,” Steinfeld explained, adding that she’s continuing to embrace the learning curve that comes with becoming a first-time mom.

Hailee Steinfeld’s Baby News Comes After Major Success With Sinners

Steinfeld’s heartfelt update arrives just months after she starred in Ryan Coogler‘s critically acclaimed film “Sinners,” one of the year’s biggest cinematic successes.

The actress earned widespread praise for her performance alongside Michael B. Jordan in the supernatural thriller, which became a major force during awards season. The film ultimately secured 16 Academy Award nominations and took home four Oscars, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Actor for Jordan.

The success of “Sinners” marked another milestone in Steinfeld’s already impressive career, which spans music, television, and film. Now, as she celebrates both professional achievements and her newest role as a mother, the Oscar nominee is embracing what she described as an entirely new chapter of life alongside husband Josh Allen and their daughter, Harper Haize Allen.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hit a home run off the field when he found love with wife Mamiko Tanaka.

Although it’s unclear when they started dating, Ohtani announced in February 2024 that he had officially tied the knot.

“Not only have I [begun] a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have [begun] a new life with someone from my Native country of Japan who is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know I am now married,” he shared in an Instagram post. “I am excited for what is to come and thank you for your support.”

After making their red carpet debut at the Dodgers Foundation Blue Diamond Gala in May 2024, the couple shared that they are expecting their first baby together.

“Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!” Ohtani wrote via Instagram in December 2024 alongside a picture of a pink onesie, white baby shoes, a sonogram and their dog, Decoy.

Keep scrolling to learn more about Ohtani and Tanaka’s relationship:

February 2024

Ohtani revealed that he had tied the knot with someone from Japan, but he did not share her name or when they got married.

“We are still young and [there are] many things we don’t know yet, but we hope you will warmly watch over us,” he wrote in Japanese in an Instagram post at the time. “We hope that the two of us (and one dog) will work together to support each other and move forward alongside with our fans.”

March 2024

A couple weeks after announcing their marriage, the duo made their social media debut after the Dodgers X account posted a picture of Ohtani with his arm around a woman who was later identified as his wife, Tanaka.

“Wheels up to Seoul,” the Dodgers account wrote alongside the photo.

May 2024

The couple made their red carpet debut at the Dodgers Foundation Blue Diamond Gala.

September 2024

According to a video shared by Dodgers Nation via X, Tanaka was seen celebrating with Ohtani and their dog, Decoy, on the field after the team won the NL West. The Dodgers later went on to win the 2024 World Series.

December 2024

Ohtani and Tanaka took to social media to share that they are expecting their first child, a baby girl.

April 2025

The Dodgers star shared via a heartwarming Instagram post that he and Tanaka welcomed a daughter to “the Ohtani family” on April 19.

“I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter,” Ohtani wrote via Instagram. “To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents.”

He continued, “I would also like to thank the Dodgers organization, my teammates, and the fans for their constant support and kind words of encouragement. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to all the medical professionals and everyone who dedicated their support to us, up until this wonderful day.”

October 2025

Ohtani shared how Tanaka reacted after he was trolled by fans of the Toronto Blue Jays during Game 1 of the 2025 World Series. 

“It was a really great chant, and my wife really appreciated it,” Ohtani said through team interpreter Will Ireton during a team workout at Dodger Stadium on October 26. 

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Ohtani was serenaded by chants of, “We don’t need you!” during multiple at-bats throughout Game 1, a reference to the baseball superstar choosing to sign with the Dodgers instead of the Blue Jays during the 2023 free agency period.

June 2026

Ohtani and Tanaka revealed that they recently welcomed baby No. 2 without revealing the little one’s name or sex.

“We are again overjoyed to experience this wonderful day in our lives together,” a joint Instagram statement read. “Thank you for being born safely. We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported us throughout the journey.”

Few skincare products get rave reviews from shoppers with sensitive skin, but the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Face Moisturizer is one of them. The multitasking French moisturizer got a glowing endorsement from Sydney Sweeney, who revealed in a Vogue Beauty Secrets video, “It’s one of the only creams that keeps makeup in place.”

One reason the formula is a favorite is its simple yet effective ingredient lineup. The cream is infused with nourishing shea butter, which helps replenish moisture and support the skin barrier, while aloe vera delivers soothing hydration that can help calm redness and irritation. Beeswax creates a protective layer that helps lock all the moisturizing goodness into the skin. Together, these ingredients work to soften rough patches on the skin, relieve tightness and create an overall healthy-looking canvas. Get it on Amazon for just $19!

Get the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Face Moisturizer for $19 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

As if the $20 price point wasn’t enough, this French pharmacy staple reportedly sells every four seconds worldwide! Beyond its moisturizing properties, Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Face Moisturizer doubles as a makeup prep product, absorbing quickly while leaving behind a smooth, cushioned finish that helps foundation glide on more evenly. Plus, those with sensitive or reactive skin will appreciate that the formula focuses on hydration and comfort without feeling heavy or overly occlusive.

Use it as a daily face cream morning and evening, layered under sunscreen or applied as a hydrating makeup primer. You can even spread a thicker layer on and use it as a mask when skin feels particularly dry.

If some areas are feeling flaky, try smoothing a small amount on top for an instant boost of moisture. Whether you’re looking to strengthen a compromised skin barrier or create a smoother canvas for makeup, this French pharmacy favorite offers multiple ways to get the job done.

One Amazon user with dry skin reported, “I can’t live without it in the winter,” while another reviewer called it the “best primer for makeup.”

If you’re searching for a moisturizer that delivers hydration without overwhelming sensitive skin, Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Face Moisturizer may be your skin’s saving grace.

Get the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Face Moisturizer for $19 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more hair treatments here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

I Will Find You author Harlan Coben weighed in on the Netflix show adapting his book — with some major changes and twists.

“I’ll give you the emotional answer,” Coben, 64, exclusively told Us Weekly about his reaction. “When I first go on set, when I first see Sam Worthington and Britt Lower and Milo Ventimiglia and the rest of the huge cast and crew, I think to myself, ‘I had this little idea in the corner of my house in New Jersey and now all these fantastic people are going to bring it to life.’”

Coben was delighted with the television adaption, revealing how surreal it has been to see it rendered in reality..

“Netflix pushed a button and it is in 190 countries and 300 million plus households,” he noted. “I still get really welled up when I think about that. I’m so lucky and it feels so special and I don’t want to let anybody down so we work really hard on these.”

Related: ‘One Day‘ and More TV Shows Based on Popular Books

Little Fires Everywhere, Big Little Lies and You are among the best-selling books that made their way to the small screen in the form of TV adaptations. Reese Witherspoon is at the center of many of the most successful TV shows based on books, thanks to her passion for bringing fresh stories to a new […]

The author also revealed his favorite change, adding, “I think the characters of Max and Sarah are different from the book. Also Adam. They’re different from the book and I kind of like what we did with them.”

I Will Find You, which is streaming now, follows David Burroughs (Worthington), who is wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his son then receives information that his son may still be alive. In addition to Worthington, Lower and Ventimiglia, the show stars Erin Richards, Jonathan Tucker and Madeleine Stowe. Clancy Brown, Logan Browning and Vas Saranga make up the rest of the cast.

“The biggest challenge for us was also our biggest asset,” creator Robert Hull recalled to Us about the experience. “Which is that very early on Harlan and I wanted to really shoot in the real world. We didn’t build a lot of sets.”

He added: “We were out on real streets, relocations, real stunts, real wirework, because even with visual effects, there’s nothing that can replace putting an incredible actor in a real location and just letting them bring it to life. Once you do that, your job’s kind of done.”

Related: 5 Best Harlan Coben Netflix Shows, Ranked: From ‘Safe’ to ‘The Innocent’

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Best-selling author Harlan Coben has provided ample material for Netflix’s original series library. The crime and thriller novelist has written 35 novels, with 12 having been adapted for film and television. Currently, Coben has a deal with Netflix to pump out these heaters for years to come. With his latest adaptation, Harlan Coben’s Lazarus, already […]

Hull spoke to Us about how the novel had to change for the screen, saying, “First and foremost, I’m a custodian of the novel and I was first and foremost a fan of Harlan’s and a fan of the novel. The DNA is there and the heart of the show is there if you read the book.”

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It was important for the creative team to adapt where needed.

“That being said, past the premise we get there in a completely different way,” Hull concluded. “So the fun is just to take his story and see if we can find any way to tell it.”

I Will Find You is streaming on Netflix now.

Aww, Roomies! Waka Flocka has fans gushing after dropping an adorable flick on social media ahead of his baby boy’s arrival. As The Shade Room previously reported, the rapper is gearing up to welcome his first child.

RELATED: Congrats! Waka Flocka Reveals He’s Expecting His First Child During 40th Birthday Celebration (PHOTO) 

Waka Flocka Has Fans Gushing Over Pre-Baby Post

Recently, Waka Flocka melted hearts after sharing an Instagram photo as he prepares to welcome his baby boy, Juaquin James Jr. The Atlanta emcee posted a flick of a Nuna baby stroller with the caption, “We got you Juaquin James 🥹👼🏾 #MyNunaBaby.” At this time, it’s unclear whether Waka’s baby boy has arrived, but he’s making it clear that he’s ready for daddy duties.

Social Media Can’t Get Enough Of Waka’s Heartwarming Flick

After The Shade Room reposted Waka Flocka’s photo, the Roommates flooded the comment section with reactions. Plenty of fans said they’re happy for him, while others said they know he’ll be a great father because he was a solid bonus dad to Tammy Rivera’s daughter, Charlie Rivera.

Instagram user @carolinetania wrote, “Awe he is going to cherish fatherhood ❤️” 

Instagram user @patienceamor wrote, “Congrats to Him He’s Overly Excited About His New Baby Boy 💙” 

While Instagram user @queenjah wrote, “Somebody check on Ms. Deb, you know she is through the ROOF. 🫶🏽✨️” 

Then Instagram user @lilred_youpretty wrote, “Awww finally got his Baby 👏❤️” 

Another Instagram user @thera.p_ wrote, “He’s going to be such a great father , I’m glad God finally blessed him with a child of his own 🥹 he deserves it.” 

Instagram user @daughterofkd_ wrote, “YAY!!! I love this for him so much!” 

Then another Instagram user @gimmiediamondz wrote, “Aww he always wanted a baby ❤️ so nice.” 

While another Instagram user @mickymulan wrote, “i’m happy for him. he’s an amazing stepdad it’s time he has his own! 😍”

Finally, Instagram user @bonitabillionaire wrote, “Awww he’s gonna be a great father 🥹🔥👏” 

Waka Previously Broke The Internet With His Baby Announcement

Waka Flocka had fans showing love and congratulating him after he announced that he was expecting his first child on May 31. He shared the big news on his 40th birthday with a photo of a wooden cutout of the letter “J.” The base of the sculpture read “Juaquin Jr.” In his caption, he called his baby boy the best gift. “Just waiting for you to come home Jr. Best gift a man could ever ask for  I walked 40yrs on earth!!”

RELATED: Been A Father! 4 Sweet Moments Between Tammy Rivera’s Daughter Charlie & Her Bonus Dad Waka Flocka (WATCH) 

Olandria Carthen is facing criticism from some fans after pushing back against growing curiosity surrounding her relationship with fellow “Love Island USA” star Nic Vansteenberghe. The reality star, who became one of the breakout personalities from Season 7, addressed ongoing speculation about her romance during a recent interview, but her response quickly sparked debate online.

When asked about speculation surrounding her relationship status with Vansteenberghe, Olandria made it clear she doesn’t believe she owes the public an explanation. “Why is it your business? Are your bills getting paid? Are you touch-deprived? Go get a man; go do something with your life,” she told Cosmopolitan.

She continued by questioning why so many fans remain invested in her personal life. “Why does it matter if me and Nic are together?” she asked. “Even when we were at Coachella, people in the comments were like, ‘Oh, I just needed proof that they saw each other this week.’”

“Why are you so invested in people that don’t know you? That part kind of creeps me out, because I’m never that invested in someone’s relationship, and I’m not living for the internet,” she continued. “I don’t always post what people want me to or always do what people want me to do.”

The comments quickly generated backlash across social media, with some viewers arguing that public interest in her relationship comes with the territory of appearing on a dating reality show. And as criticism continued to spread online, Olandria later addressed the situation directly on X. “Some people are dedicated to misunderstanding me on purpose and that’s okay. This is why I push education as much as I do,” she wrote.

Why Olandria And Nic Keep Their Relationship Private

Despite the backlash, Olandria explained that protecting her relationship has become increasingly important since leaving the villa.

“It’s important for our own mental health. These people met you on TV, so they want access to you all the time. You want to post normally, but then you see people overanalyze every little thing, and you shut down,” she said. “When it comes to me and Nic, when you really care about something, you keep it very sacred and close to you.”

The reality star also admitted her perspective on celebrity relationships has changed. “When I was younger, I never understood why people in Hollywood kept their love life private, and now I do,” she said. “When you post too much, they think you’re monetizing and faking it. When you don’t post at all, they can’t tell if y’all are together. There’s no winning.”

Olandria Carthen Says Embracing Her ‘Natural Body’ Became One Of Her Most Important Messages

Amid her growing popularity following “Love Island USA,” Olandria has also become increasingly vocal about body confidence and self-acceptance.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone Africa, the reality star explained why she feels it’s important to use her platform to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and encourage women to embrace themselves as they are.

“Women are often faced with unrealistic expectations about how they should look, and that pressure can make it difficult to feel comfortable in their own skin,” she said. “Publicly embracing my natural body is a way of showing that confidence doesn’t come from fitting a certain standard, it comes from accepting and valuing yourself as you are.”

The 28-year-old said she hopes her message resonates with fans who may be struggling with their own insecurities. “If sharing that message helps even one person feel more comfortable, worthy or beautiful without changing themselves, then that’s something I’m proud to stand for,” she continued. “I want people to know that authenticity is powerful, and that their natural selves are enough.”

How Olandria Learned To Embrace Herself Through Every Stage Of Life

Olandria also acknowledged that confidence didn’t come naturally to her and was something she developed over time.

“People often see confidence as something you’re either born with or not, but my journey has been a lot more layered than that,” she explained. “Behind the scenes, confidence has come from learning to accept myself at every stage of life not just when things are going well, but also when I’m facing uncertainty, rejection or self-doubt.”

Life After ‘Love Island’

Although Olandria finished Season 7 as a runner-up alongside Vansteenberghe, she has emerged as one of the franchise’s biggest success stories. Following her time on the show, she signed with United Talent Agency and quickly built a successful modeling and influencer career.

The Alabama native has since appeared in publications including Glamour, Rolling Stone Africa, and Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam, while landing partnerships with major brands such as Amazon, Yves Saint Laurent, Visa, Microsoft, and Hyundai.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 1 hour ago

It’s an open secret that superhero movies often represent a major gamble for the studio. Such films command huge budgets that require a correspondingly huge marketing budget. Throw in the creeping effect of superhero fatigue, and there’s no guarantee that the film will make a profit. But superhero fatigue doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it’s just the natural effect of fans comparing newer movies to what came before. It’s tough pretending Batman v. Superman is a good movie after you’ve watched The Dark Knight, for example. It doesn’t help that all of these films will inevitably be compared to the original blockbuster superhero movie: Christopher Reeve’s 1978 Superman.

Now that Supergirl is coming out next week, fans can’t help but wonder whether this cinematic outing will be able to fill the very tall boots left behind by Reeve so many years ago. As it turns out, though, the boots weren’t the part of the actor’s outfit that Supergirl director Craig Gillespie fixated on. Instead, he decided to make a very bespoke good luck charm that would honor the greatest superhero movie ever made. You see, Milly Alcock’s cape in Supergirl is made from literally the same fabric as the cape worn by Reeve in Superman!

Meet The New Cape, Same As The Old Cape

Right now, Supergirl star Milly Alcock is doing quite a bit of promotion for her upcoming movie. Recently, she appeared on Raiders of the Lost Podcast, where she dished on some behind-the-scenes details. The most fascinating thing that she mentioned was that her onscreen cape has some serious superhero pedigree. “My cape in this film was remade using material from the original Superman cape,” she said. “I think that they found there was like 16 meters of that material, so yeah, that’s in the back of my cape now.”

It’s fun to know that at least part of Supergirl’s cape is cut from the same cloth as Christopher Reeve’s cape. It’s also a fun reminder that Warner Bros. tends to hold onto material from old superhero movies for a good, long time. Sometimes, this is for practical reasons rather than sentimental ones. For example, when Christian Bale needed to do his first screen test for Batman Begins, director Christopher Nolan had him wear one of Val Kilmer’s old suits. This ended up being a real Goldilocks situation because Michael Keaton’s suit was too short and George Clooney’s had prominent nipples. Kilmer’s old sonar suit, though, was just right.

You Will Believe A Woman Can Fly

Milly Alcock didn’t really elaborate on the cape story, so this might have been a decision made by any number of costuming experts, producers, and so on. But when I first heard the tale, I couldn’t help but think that director Craig Gillespie had requested this as a kind of cinematic good luck charm. By having his superhero wear something that ties his star actor to the most beloved superhero movie ever made, maybe he can avoid the most dreaded enemy of all tights-and-flights directors: superhero fatigue.

Incidentally, if Gillespie is feeling a bit superstitious, it’s likely because his boss jinxed him. A few months ago, DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran said that there’s no such thing as superhero fatigue, just “mediocre movie fatigue.” Now, with a projected opening weekend much lower than Superman ($45-$55 million compared to $125 million), it looks like Supergirl may very well be on its way to a mediocre movie box office. But a little luck can go a long way, and Milly Alcock might beat all the haters’ expectations while sharing something powerful in common with Christopher Reeve, who taught us all to believe a man can fly.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 21 seconds ago

To this day, Ronald D. Moore’s Battlestar Galactica reboot is remembered as a peak example of sci-fi storytelling. There are plenty of reasons for this: the cast was full of insanely talented actors, for example, and every single action scene kept fans on the edge of their seats. But the greatest strength of the show was its writing. The entire premise of the show was that humanity was trying to survive a genocidal attack by the Cylons, enemies who could potentially wipe everyone out at any given moment. It’s a very bleak story, and the tight writing of the show ensured that we felt every single heartwrenching decision.  

Moore got his start by writing for Star Trek: The Next Generation. While that franchise is all about hope and optimism for humanity’s future, Moore ensured Galactica was the anti-Trek, with dark storylines about paranoia and desperation. This filtered into the design philosophy of the show, which is why Galactica feels like a submarine and the Enterprise-D felt like a flying Holiday Inn. However, what most fans don’t realize is that Moore borrowed one aspect of Star Trek’s design: in the Galactica episode “Tigh Me Up and Tigh Me Down,” he introduced an observation deck that was very clearly inspired by Ten Forward from The Next Generation!

The One Chill Spot On Battlestar Galactica

This story comes to us courtesy of the commentary track for “Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down,” just in case you needed a special incentive to bust out your Blu-rays. While this episode had plenty of the show’s signature paranoia (including Adama suspecting that Ellen Tigh is a Cylon and Roslin suspecting Adama was a Cylon), it had plenty of lighthearted moments designed to give audiences a break from the relentless drama of Season 1. It was also an episode that gave its characters a break, as it introduced the Observation Deck, an area where characters could stargaze and generally contemplate the cosmos.

On the commentary track for this episode, Ronald D. Moore said that “It did feel right that, perhaps…there was one area of the ship, which accepted a window or a port to look out and that it would be a fairly confined space for the crew on these very long, deep space missions.” This would be a place “where they can go to and just stargaze. And in this situation, it seemed like there would be a lot of people lining up to try and look out at the stars, you know, a break from the monotony of staring at metal walls.”

 If this sounds a bit familiar, it’s because he’s basically describing Ten Forward from Star Trek: The Next Generation!

Make It Slow

Star Trek: The Next Generation was, to put it mildly, a more hopeful and optimistic show than Battlestar Galactica. Nonetheless, the Enterprise-D crew still experienced a fair amount of stress. Any given week, they could be tossed to the Borg by Q, get caught in a Klingon Civil War, or simply killed on an Away Team mission gone wrong. Because of this, the crew liked to relax in Ten Forward, a bar where they could look at the stars. It is located on Deck 10 in the forward section (hence, the name), offering everyone glorious, panoramic views of the cosmos around them.

Now, Ronald D. Moore didn’t explicitly name-drop Ten Forward during the commentary track. However, the idea of a ship section where beleaguered crew members can relax by gazing at the stars through big windows is very clearly inspired by everyone’s favorite spot to hang out on the Enterprise-D. That means that the showrunner never fully escaped his television roots and that his acclaimed anti-Trek show has a powerful echo of Star Trek: The Next Generation hidden deep within the Battlestar Galactica.

Not every movie enjoys the success it deserves. Plenty of films failed when they were first released, either with critics, at the box office, or both, but have gone on to find success as cult films. These are movies that are adored, usually by a small but devoted group of fans. In the age of the internet and now social media, it’s become far easier for these fandoms to maintain their support of these films in a more public fashion, but there are cult classics that still feel far too forgotten, many from the ’70s.

The decade of oil crises, political corruption, and economic instability produced a great many classics which are still loved in this current era of…oil crises, political corruption and economic instability. More now than ever, many audiences can relate to the pessimistic viewpoint that permeated much of ’70s cinema, but there’s even more that the decade had to offer in movies. Cult classics abound from the ’70s, and these are six of the best that should never be forgotten.

6

‘Brewster McCloud’ (1970)

Image via MGM

Idiosyncratic filmmaker Robert Altman’s output in the decade was wild and varied, from masterpieces like Nashville, The Long Goodbye, and McCabe & Mrs. Miller to underrated gems like California Split and 3 Women to debacles like Quintet and Buffalo Bill and the Indians. Altman never stayed stagnant in one genre, and was always making interesting left turns in his career, none more so than the black comedy Brewster McCloud. As his follow-up to M*A*S*H, the film is a strange contemporary fable featuring the enigmatic Bud Cort as a man who dreams of wings.

In Houston, Texas, Brewster McCloud (Cort) lives in a fallout shelter beneath the Astrodome, where he bides his time building a pair of wings that will allow him to fly like the birds he idolizes. His only human contacts are two women, the mysterious Louise (Sally Kellerman), who has distinctive scars on her back, and tour guide Suzanne (Shelley Duvall). There’s so much more freewheeling madness to the film, and we haven’t even mentioned the murders that occur and the hard-boiled detective who believes Brewster might be the cause. There aren’t many films like Brewster McCloud, and fewer still made by filmmakers like Altman, who can maintain a balance in the quirky film that prevents it from folding in on its own affectations.

5

‘Freebie and the Bean’ (1974)

Image via Warner Bros.

There was plenty of action in the ’70s, with the international success of martial arts films and the rise of exploitation filmmakers. It’s the era that gave us cult classics like Vanishing Point, Coffy, and The Gauntlet, and the essential buddy cop movie Freebie and the Bean. Akira Kurosawa’s Stray Dog and the thriller In the Heat of the Night helped establish the mismatched detective archetypes, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid inspired the comedic banter that would define the buddy action subgenre, but Richard Rush’s Freebie and the Bean is the first true American buddy cop action comedy.

Rush’s film establishes the exact tone between its San Francisco cops Freebie (James Caan) and Bean (Alan Arkin) that would define ’80s movies like 48 Hrs. and Lethal Weapon. The two detectives trade barbs as well as bullets as they strive to protect a crime boss from getting killed before they can arrest him. Their antics practically destroy the entire city, and it’s not hard to see why many critics chided the film for its blasé approach to police violence. It would inspire queasiness if it weren’t amped to such high levels of ridiculousness and if Caan and Arkin didn’t have such scalding chemistry. Freebie and the Bean is to the buddy cop movie what Halloween is to slashers, and it deserves more recognition.

4

‘Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia’ (1974)

Image via United Artists

Westerns were still a viable genre in the ’70s. They weren’t being produced nearly as prolifically as they were during the genre’s golden age, but riding the wave of success that Spaghetti Westerns started, many filmmakers were able to put their own revisionist stamp on the genre, and no filmmaker made more cult films for it than Sam Peckinpah. The iconic director started the decade with the comedic Western gem The Ballad of Cable Hogue, brought the genre’s sensibilities to the contemporary thrillers Straw Dogs and The Getaway as well as the gentler drama Junior Bonner. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid would be his final official statement on the genre, but he’d make an even bolder one with the Neo-Western cult classic Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia.

The film follows consummate loser Bennie (Warren Oates), a former soldier turned alcohol-swilling piano player in Mexico who takes on the task of tracking down the titular character who has had a massive bounty put on his head by a crime lord. Shot entirely in Mexico on a low budget, the film is Peckinpah at his most unfiltered, since he was free from the interference of studios. The result is a wild, violent ride that critics hated at the time and bombed at the box office. Since then, it’s rightfully earned recognition, not only as Peckinpah’s most nihilistic film, but also as a clear influence on filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is a dirty, nasty little Western thriller that belongs on a double bill with No Country for Old Men.

3

‘The Cars That Ate Paris’ (1974)

Image via British Empire Films

The Ozploitation movement came about during the Australian New Wave, where international attention came to films and filmmakers from the land down under thanks to a resurgence of their film economy. This era of Australian filmmaking would stretch through the ’80s and bring audiences cult classics like the Mad Max franchise, the harrowing thriller Wake in Fright, the Jaws-inspired horror film Razorback, and the feature debut of Peter Weir with the outlandish The Cars That Ate Paris. It’s a strange mix of vehicular horror and macabre humor that would propel Weir to future success in Australia and eventually Hollywood, and it remains one of the most iconic Ozploitation movies.

The rural town of Paris has an interesting economy, based on profits earned by causing car wrecks of traveling motorists and stealing their valuables. The wrecked vehicles have also inspired a strange subculture of hoons who turn them into mechanical monstrosities meant for violence and destruction. It’s into this chaos that Arthur (Terry Camilleri) drives with his brother, who is killed in their accident, leaving Arthur to fend for himself in the unstable town. The Cars That Ate Paris is the most unique of all the automotive movies that came out of the car culture of the ’70s, and it’s still a perfect microcosm of the era in Australian cinema that made it possible.

2

‘The Driver’ (1978)

Image via 20th Century Studios

A very different kind of car movie, Walter Hill’s minimalist masterpiece The Driver is a crime classic whose influence is apparent in the careers of filmmakers like Michael Mann and Edgar Wright. Its reappraisal has been slow, and it still hasn’t risen to the cult ranks of Hill’s follow-up The Warriors, but it’s an even better film and among the best cult ’70s crime thrillers, of which there are many. Before digging into Hill’s classic, some honorable mentions should go to The Outfit, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, Blue Collar, and The Harder They Come.

The Driver (Ryan O’Neal) is a criminal who’s made a career as a getaway driver, much to the chagrin of the hard-nosed Detective (Bruce Dern), who will stop at nothing to bring him down. It all leads to a high-stakes game set up by the Detective in the form of a heist that leaves plenty of bodies in its wake. The film has some incredibly kinetic car chases, shot at night in Los Angeles with Hill’s distinctive stripped-down efficiency. Hill is one of the most influential action directors of his era, and while he’s often overlooked, his films like The Driver continue to have an immense influence.

1

‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ (1978)

Image via Universal Pictures

Despite becoming one of the biggest Hollywood directors of the ’80s and ’90s, Robert Zemeckis’ career started inauspiciously. He and his early collaborator Bob Gale were mentored by Steven Spielberg straight out of film school, but their first three collaborations with the filmmaker flopped. They wrote the notorious comedic bomb 1941 for Spielberg, and the filmmaker produced their first two films, I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Used Cars, both of which failed and now have cult followings but are still overshadowed by Zemeckis’ later blockbuster successes. As his directorial debut, I Wanna Hold Your Hand is an incredibly assured comedy that showcases much of what would define Zemeckis’ greatest successes in the ’80s. It’s a madcap movie that charmingly recreates the era of Beatlemania.

Named after the Fab Four’s hit song, the film is structured around the Beatles’ first live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Trying to get to that show are a group of teens, including super fan Rosie (Wendy Jo Spurber), soon-to-be newlywed Pam (Nancy Allen), aspiring photojournalist Grace (Theresa Saldana), and rebellious Janis (Susan Kendall Newman). Their odyssey to the Ed Sullivan Theater is filled with slapstick, hijinks and hysterics, all of which Zemeckis balances with the same heartfelt tone that made Back to the Future such a similarly nostalgic success. I Wanna Hold Your Hand has all the hallmarks of Zemeckis’ later career and deserves to be mentioned among his best films.

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I Wanna Hold Your Hand

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Release Date

April 1, 1978

Runtime

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99 minutes

Director

Robert Zemeckis

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