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It’s Unfortunate How It’s Playing Out!!!

Published
February 9, 2026
5:18 PM PST

The timeline has been heating up all week as fans geared up to tune into Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Between Chris Brown’s  seemingly subtle reaction and ongoing chatter online, folks haven’t stopped debating who the Super Bowl should’ve booked or who should take the stage next year. Now, DJ Akademiks has sparked a fresh round of discourse after throwing his own nomination into the mix.

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DJ Akademiks Weighs In On The Halftime Conversation

DJ Akademiks took to X to share his thoughts on this year’s halftime show, praising the energy while also throwing shade at last year’s performance.

“This halftime show was fun.. had ppl vibing and dancing on some positive togetherness sht… last year Kendrick did a PSA for PDFS the whole performance .. sht was awkward and tone deaf. N**a we ain’t tryna hear dat sht.. we tryna get lit and turnt! Bad Bunny clears sorry!”

He then shifted the conversation toward next year, officially throwing his own pick into the ring. “Next year I nominate NBA YOUNGBOY to perform. Roc Nation I have sent my official recommendation via email and courier mail. Thanks for yall consideration!!! YB 2027 SUPERBOWL!” Akademiks also showed love to Chris Brown as a potential headliner, calling him one of the best performers alive right now and saying organizers should book him while he’s still flipping across stages.

I agree next year let’s put on BRIS BREEZY! ngl ain’t nobody alive rn can perform like him rn. We gotta book him before he get too old to do triple backflips and Gabbie Douglas somersaults n shit. Chris put his heart into every performance. Usher was good. BREEZY da GOAT! pic.twitter.com/8YYUmF326l

— DJ Akademiks (@Akademiks) February 9, 2026

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Social Media Reacts 

Folks gathered under The Shade Room Teens to debate DJ Akademiks’ tweet. Many said they don’t think it will ever happen. Others added it better not happen before Chris Brown or Lil Wayne. Meanwhile, YoungBoy’s fans are already ready to buy tickets, sharing why they believe he’d deliver the perfect halftime show.

Instagram user @_pooh_215_ wrote. “Bring the slime im ready that definitely be the best superbowl ever rs make America slimy again”

Instagram user @kngmilly added, “I’m buying that ticket 💯”

While Instagram user @getmakyo wrote, “First time Akademics has said sum I agree with”

Instagram user @whodontluv_bucks wrote, “I just went to a halftime show where I didn’t understand one word I don’t need that sh** again”

Instagram user @1mblivin_ wrote, “Them grey folks would not let that happen let’s be real”

While Instagram user @sexytoocutee wrote, “Hmm not before Chris brown”

Instagram user @clipjunkie11 wrote, “I don’t think people understand that for the past 4-5 years all the teams been playing yb after they win”

Instagram user @povpadro added, “Record breaking halftime show hands down !!! 

While Instagram user @loveetea_ wrote, “Him over wayne? Please stfu”

Reginae Carter And Joseline Hernadez Enter The Chat

While the internet continues to debate who should’ve performed at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, Reginae Carter made it clear she’s over it. She took to her Instagram Story writing, “I’m so tired of y’all fighting about this Super Bowl show every year! Lolll.”

If y’all recall, last year’s debate centered around her father, Lil Wayne, after many fans felt he should’ve headlined, especially since the game took place in his hometown of New Orleans. Some even argued he should’ve been chosen over Kendrick Lamar.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the internet, Joseline Hernandez chimed in after a fan tweeted that Bad Bunny should’ve brought her out during the show. Joseline replied, “That s**t would have been jumping.”

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Days of Our Lives 2-week spoilers for February 9 -20, 2026 divulge Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) exiting and Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) making a huge deal.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Jeremy & Alex Face Off

On Monday, February 9th, Jeremy Horton (Trevor Donovan) and Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) are going to get into an intense confrontation and a stare down. Jeremy is sick and tired of being accused of things he hasn’t done. Meanwhile, Alex is 100% sure that Jeremy’s the bad guy and is lying and stalking. Who is going to be right?

Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) agrees to help Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) on Monday. They’re setting up a huge surprise for Alex. Plus, Eli Grant (Lamon Archey) surprises Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes) and tells her the big news that he, Lani Price (Sal Stowers), and the twins are moving back to Salem. Julie’s over the moon about this.

Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) and Dimitri von Leuschner DiMera (Peter Porte) are discussing their connection and the type of relationship they shared. In contrast, Javi Hernandez (Al Calderon) and Leo fell in love and it was a genuine soulmate kind of connection. But with Leo and Dimitri, a lot of it was about sneaking around and physical attraction.

Leo may actually be relieved when Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) interrupts them in Horton Town Square to arrest Dimitri for the Crypt Crew kidnapping plot this week. Additionally, Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) considers doing a favor when Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) approaches her. This may be about Stefan DiMera (Brandon Barash) or maybe about some other DiMera drama.

DOOL Spoilers: The DiMeras Bid Farewell to Stefano and Xander Gets Close to Gwen

Tuesday, February 10th, we’ve got Brady Black (Eric Martsolf), Belle Black (Martha Madison), and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) all very upset and chewing Kristen a new one. We know she wants Rachel Black (Finley Rose Slater) out of Bayview ASAP, but Brady wants Rachel to get the help she needs. So does Marlena.

Belle’s been working overtime to advocate to protect Rachel and to get Kristen out of trouble for something she confessed to but didn’t do. I’m very interested to see what the judge decides about Rachel’s fate and how Kristen reacts to all that.

Chad may take Tony DiMera’s (Thaao Penghlis) suggestion, and this could be why Chad is packing his bags to leave town with Thomas DiMera (Christopher Cary) and Charlotte DiMera (Olivia & Oakley Rondou). Chad’s going to talk to Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) about it this week.

The DiMeras say their final goodbye to Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo). Theo Carver (Cameron Johnson), EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel), Chad, Kristen, and Tony are going to enter their dad’s ashes in the crypt to put the Phoenix to rest once and for all. Then Dr. Wilhelm Rolf (Richard Wharton) shows up and tells EJ that Stefano’s last instructions were to give him the Phoenix ring. EJ is going to put it on his finger, and I wonder if we’re going to see a big power trip after this.

Also this week, Gwen is giving Xander Cook (Paul Telfer) some hands-on pointers to play putt-putt. They are in the park together, and then Gwen is going to take Xander back to the mansion, throw him on the bed, and climb aboard. It looks like we’re going to have some sexy time for Gwen and Xander.

Days Spoilers: Valentine’s Day Deals and Dimitri’s Quest for Freedom

Wednesday, February 11th, is when Valentine’s Day arrives in Salem. Kristen gives Brady an enticing offer. She’s trying to cut a deal and I think she’s going to offer joint custody if he will meet Kristen’s demands.

What does she want in return? She already said she wants Brady to move out of the Kiriakis (John Aniston) mansion and get a place to live with Rachel. I wonder if Kristen is also going to demand that Brady stop seeing Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey).

Meanwhile, Dimitri wants his freedom. He’s insisting he did not do the DiMera kidnappings and was himself a kidnapping victim, which is all true, but it’s pretty funny.

Dimitri needs a lawyer ASAP. I don’t think EJ or Justin Kiriakis (Wally Kurth) is going to represent him. Maybe DA Melinda Trask (Tina Huang) will; she knows him and they worked together on that whole baby-stealing thing in the past. Plus, Marlena has a talk with Leo, and he really opens up to her about how much he misses Javi and the ongoing temptation he’s dealing with by Dimitri’s presence in Salem.

Romantic Dates and a Shocking Wedding Surprise on Days of Our Lives

Thursday, February 12th, Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) and Chanel Dupree (Raven Bowens) are enjoying some Valentine’s Day romance as Heart Day continues in Salem. EJ invites Cat to have dinner with him on Valentine’s Day. Is this a first date or a “thank you for covering while I was out of town” professional thing?

EJ may have more planned than a fancy chef-created dinner. We are supposed to be getting a kiss soon between EJ and Cat. Meanwhile, Chad is planning to leave Salem and head to Arizona for an extended period with Charlotte and Thomas.

Billy Flynn‘s (Actor) last episode is not this week, but it is coming soon. There’s a spoiler photo of Chad kissing Cat in the Square on Valentine’s Day. I suspect this may be a fantasy in one of their minds, or at least I hope it is, because Chad knows that is a dealbreaker. He even wrote a no-Cat Greene clause into the custody agreement he made with Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford) and Jennifer Horton (Cady McClain).

Jada and Stephanie take Alex by surprise. It looks like it is a surprise wedding they have set up. Stephanie tells Alex she can’t wait to be his wife. They’re going to be in front of an officiant saying their vows. She’s in a white dress, he’s sliding a ring on her finger, and it looks like a real wedding. I wonder if their elopement scheme inspired this.

DOOL Spoilers: Friday the 13th Brings Bittersweet Memories and High-Stakes Inheritance

Friday, February 13th, Julie, Marlena, and Maggie Horton Kiriakis (Suzanne Rogers) are sharing bittersweet Valentine’s Day reminiscences because they’ve all lost their loved ones over the past year and a half. Plus, Xander and Sarah have a little run-in that is filled with uncomfortable nostalgia.

Julie and Gwen get into it and swap some insults. You remember how happy Julie was when Gwen’s credit card didn’t go through? That was so funny.

Holly Jonas (Ashley Puzemis) snaps, so Valentine’s Day is not going to be so romantic for them. It looks like she’s going to go off on Tate Black (Leo Howard) at the pub. Those drugs that Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) slipped Holly are pretty bad and strong.

Plus, Brady has a heartfelt conversation with Tate, and it may be about Rachel. Also this week, Rafe tells Eli that Gabi may be inheriting millions of dollars from Stefan’s share of the DiMera fortune if they can prove her divorce papers were forged and Stefan never signed them.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Stephanie in Danger and the Mystery of the DiMera Lab Tube

The week of February 16th through the 20th, we should be seeing Chad saying his goodbyes to Salem. Connor Floyd will debut as the new Chad DiMera in April. Gabi is still cleaning up the mess she made, as EJ has demanded she do this. Dimitri’s arrest is going to thrill her, but we’ll see if Vivian Alamain (Louise Sorel) did enough to keep him behind bars. By the way, Louise Sorel’s (Actor) short arc is done on Days of our Lives.

Stephanie’s stalker is going to snatch her from the hospital soon, and her wedding to Alex may push the stalker to act now. It looks like Owen Kent (Wes Ramsey) is going to be taking her from work. Alex and Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) aren’t there to protect her because they have their eyes on Jeremy instead of on this other blast from Stephanie’s past.

Xander may ask Gwen out for another date. Xander has decided he’s going to move on since Sarah is moving on. However, anything with Gwen is going to be a short-lived rebound, much to her disappointment.

Holly freaks out on her bestie, Arianna Hernandez Horton (Marissa Reyes). Because of the drugs, Holly is acting differently and Arianna doesn’t like this new version of her best friend. Sophia keeps planning her revenge, satisfied that she has already made Holly unhinged. She also wants to get Tate back and take Trey away from his adoptive parents.

Cat struggles with attraction to EJ and residual feelings for Chad. Meanwhile, Dr. Rolf and EJ are nearly ready to revive the “tube person.” Hopefully, we’ll get that by the end of Sweeps on February 25th. EJ is going to bring Paulina Price (Jackee Harry) down to the lab soon to show her who is in the tube, and she looks horrified. We know it’s a woman EJ loves, so it may be Lexi Carver (Renee Jones).

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 hour ago

After the first two Night at the Museum movies proved to be a hit, future Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy finished the trilogy with the star-studded Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014). The movie is criminally underrated, and it also happens to feature the final performance from legendary Hollywood funny man, Robin Williams. Whether you’d like to pay your respects or just seriously laugh it up, you can now stream this quirky comedy on Netflix.

The premise of Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb is that Larry Daley now has a working relationship with the exhibits that come to life at night at the Museum of Natural History and is dealing with a new addition: a walking, talking Neanderthal exhibit sculpted to look like him. But that proves to be the least of his problems when the ancient tablet that gives these exhibits life starts corroding, causing chaos throughout the museum. Unless he can figure out what’s going on, all of the exhibits will go completely lifeless, finally fading into history. 

A Cast For The Ages

As with other Night at the Museum movies, the primary reason to watch this third entry is the stacked cast full of Hollywood legends. Ben Stiller (best known for Tropic Thunder) once again plays the hapless security guard surrounded by living exhibits played by the likes of Owen Wilson (best known for The Royal Tenenbaums) and Steve Coogan (best known for Philomena). Meanwhile, Rebel Wilson (best known for Pitch Perfect) plays a new guard, Dick Van Clark (best known for Mary Poppins) plays an old guard, and  Rami Malek (best known for Mr. Robot) plays Ahkmenrah, the Pharaoh whose tablet gives the exhibits life and may soon take it away.

On a more bittersweet note, the performer to really watch in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb is Robin Williams, the comedy legend who reprises his role as the wise and affable exhibit of Theodore Roosevelt. He has always been one of the primary reasons to watch these movies, and Secret of the Tomb is actually the last movie he starred in before his tragic death. Because of that, his final line (“Smile, boy…it’s sunrise”) becomes so powerful that you might just have to reach for the tissues while the credits roll.

Losing The Critics, Winning The Audience

When Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb came out, it proved to be a hit, earning $363.2 million against a budget of $127 million. This marked the last live-action franchise entry from superstar director Shawn Levy, who would later go on to direct the wildly successful Deadpool & Wolverine for Disney. Speaking of Disney, after they bought 20th Century Fox, they released an unexpected sequel to Secret of the Tomb to Disney+: the traditionally animated film Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Strikes Again. 

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb ended up animating critics in all the wrong ways. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 48 percent, with reviewers generally agreeing that this third film doesn’t pack the comedic bite of its predecessors. They felt this movie was a poor way to end a very unconventional film trilogy, but acknowledged that the movie still has moments of greatness peppered throughout its runtime.

An Acting Legend Takes His Final Vow

To some extent, that critical consensus is correct: this third Night at the Museum movie doesn’t introduce anything really innovative to the franchise formula, and it’s unlikely to win over anybody who doesn’t get a kick out of Ben Stiller talking to animated museum exhibits. Of course, that logic goes both ways, and if you are a fan of these movies, the third entry offers more of the easy laughs and star-studded comedy you’ve come to expect. The fact that Robin Williams offers such a killer performance in what would be his final role is just the cherry on top for established fans.

There’s also something to be said for how uncynical and earnest the comedy in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb is. With its general absence of vulgarity or raunchy humor, it’s actually the perfect movie to watch with your family, and children are sure to love the “what if the museum came to life at night?” premise. Even without the little ones, this is a perfect movie to watch for anyone sick of quippy, irony-laden “he’s right behind me, isn’t he?” style dialogue that Hollywood now puts in almost every single comedy.

Will you agree that Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb is a thick, star-studded slice of imaginative movie magic, or is this one aging comedy that belongs in a museum? You won’t know until you grab your remote (it’s right next to the enchanted tablet!) and stream it for yourself on Netflix. Come for the gentle punchlines and stay for one last performance from Robin Williams, the man who could light up an entire screen with only a smile. 

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 11 seconds ago

In the age of streaming, it’s common to hear people say that they’ll wait for a series to end before bothering to watch it. Every year, an incredible show has its run cut short, but there are also shows that linger too long past their expiration date.

Bones, Brooklyn 99, Modern Family, Westworld, all shows that went one or two seasons too far past the story’s natural conclusion, and none of them can match Showtime’s 2005 comedy-drama series, Weeds. What started as a fun show about a suburban mom selling pot rebooted itself every few episodes by constantly upping the stakes and treating the term  “status quo” like a terminal disease. 

Weeds Burned It All Down And Kept Going

When Weeds begins, Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) is dealing with the sudden death of her husband, Judah (in photos and, eventually, flashbacks, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and struggling to care for her boys, Silas (Hunter Parrish) and Shane (Alexander Gould). The solution is to get into the marijuana business. Her brother-in-law, Andy (Justin Kirk), helps her fledgling business, while frenemy Celia (Elizabeth Perkins), the local overbearing PTA mom, constantly gets in the way. Local councilman Doug (Kevin Nealon) ends up being one of her best customers, and from there, the stage is set for a comedy about suburban consumerism. And it was, for three seasons. 

By the time the third season ends, Nancy has become embroiled with the DEA and escalating levels of dangerous criminals before pissing off a group of bikers and turning to the Mexican Cartel for protection. The entire town of Agrestic burns to the ground (complete with the show’s opening sequence on fire), and Season 4 kicks off along the Mexican border. A romantic relationship with the head of the cartel takes a violent turn, so naturally, Season 6 has them on the run across the country, while Season 7 and 8 put the Botwins in New York to start over. Again. 

Every time you think the show is going to settle down, wether it’s when Nancy early on sits around the table with the supporting cast and everyone agrees to start their own criminal enterprise, or seasons later, when they do the same scene again, or maybe when Silas starts up a front called “Headcheese” with Julia Bowen’s “Yoga Butt” character, you’re wrong. Each of the new status quo setups lasts for three episodes or less before it’s blown up again. 

Mary-Louise Parker Defied Hollywood Expectations

Weeds was a huge hit for Showtime the moment it debuted, culminating in record-breaking viewership for the Season 3 finale. Part of the appeal was the setting, the comedy, and since it was on Showtime, the series didn’t hesitate to throw out nudity and sex scenes in almost every episode, turning the 41-year-old Mary-Louise Parker into a sex symbol. Even at its lowest point, in Season 5, the show kept its dark sense of humor, which worked with the gratuitous nudity to keep eyeballs on the show until it finally ended in 2012. 

The show’s creator, Jenji Kohan, went from Weeds to Orange Is The New Black, another show that kept resetting the status quo on itself. Even if Kohan never works on another show in her career, she managed back-to-back successes that both overstayed by a few years but remain beloved years after they came to an end. 

One of the best parts of Weeds is the opening song in Seasons 1-3, and again in Season 8, “Little Boxes” by Malvina Reynolds. Starting in Season 2, the show used cover versions from artists including Elvis Costello, Randy Newman, Billy Bob Thornton, Linkin Park, the Mountain Goats, and Death Cab for Cutie. The satirical song captured the first few seasons perfectly, which is why it’s removed when the show goes way off the rails and returns when the show finally settles down again.

Over a decade after the end of its run, Weeds might be one of the best shows to binge-watch. The off-kilter narrative 180’s keep it exciting the whole way through, but if you end up bailing after the Season 4 finale’s twist, that’s alright, as you’ve already seen the show at its best. 

1981 was a year of transition. The bold experimentation of 1970s filmmaking was colliding with the emerging blockbuster logic of the 1980s. The result was a diverse slate of films: muscular and thoughtful, mythic and grounded, commercial and deeply personal.

With this in mind, this list looks at some of the most enduring classics of 1981. They helped define what action, horror, romance, historical drama, and political cinema could look like in a changing industry. The best of them more than hold up today.

10

‘Excalibur’ (1981)

Image via Warner Bros.

“You will be the land, and the land will be you.” Excalibur retells the legend of King Arthur as a dark, operatic myth rather than a chivalric fairy tale. It charts Arthur’s (Nigel Terry) rise from illegitimate child to king, the forging of the Round Table, and the eventual collapse of his kingdom through betrayal, ambition, and moral decay. Knights quest for the Holy Grail, loyalties fracture, and magic slowly drains from the world. As Arthur weakens, so does the land itself.

The film was directed by John Boorman, the mind behind Point Blank and Deliverance, explaining its grimmer, grittier edge. Still, the fantasy aesthetic remains striking and immersive. Watching Excalibur now, the stylized performances, gleaming armor, and ritualistic tone feel intentionally heightened rather than dated. The supporting cast is strong, too, including Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, and a bewitching Helen Mirren as Morgan le Fay.

9

‘Body Heat’ (1981)

Image via Warner Bros.

“You’re not too smart, are you? I like that in a man.” Body Heat follows a small-town lawyer (William Hurt) who becomes entangled in a dangerous affair with a married woman (Kathleen Turner) intent on escaping her wealthy, controlling husband (Richard Crenna). What begins as pure lust quickly evolves into manipulation, deception, and even murder, with the lawyer gradually realizing he may not be the one in control.

The plot is tightly wound, drawing heavily from classic film noir while updating its sexual frankness and moral cynicism. Every decision compounds the last, turning desire into a trap that tightens without warning. In particular, the movie’s understanding of power dynamics, whether sexual, economic, or psychological, gives it lasting bite. In other words, while it has the trappings of an erotic thriller, Body Heat is really a sharp neo-noir. Much of its success hinges on the phenomenal femme fatale performance from Turner.

8

‘Thief’ (1981)

Image via United Artists

“There’s a thousand ways to get hurt in this business.” Thief was Michael Mann‘s debut, and it contains many of his stylistic calling cards in microcosm. At the center of it is Frank (James Caan), a professional safecracker determined to complete one last big job so he can finally build a normal life. When he agrees to work for a powerful crime boss, his carefully controlled world begins to unravel as independence gives way to obligation. Every step toward legitimacy pulls him deeper into the criminal underworld. Frank’s tragedy isn’t moral failure, but believing he can negotiate with systems that only consume.

All this makes for an unusually smart thriller, one of the best crime films of the early ’80s. While Mann’s later work would get much more ambitious and elaborate, Thief remains punchy even now. Its cool visual style and electronic score have aged well, and its de-romanticized take on crime feels much more honest than you usually find in this genre.

7

‘Reds’ (1981)

Image via Paramount Pictures

“I want to make a difference.” Reds dramatizes the life of American journalist John Reed (Warren Beatty, who also directs), whose radical politics and romantic idealism draw him into the Russian Revolution. The film traces his relationship with fellow writer Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton), their political commitments, and the strain ideology places on their connection. The movie is simultaneously epic and intimate, moving between personal romance and historical upheaval.

To accommodate this ambitious storytelling scope, the movie clocks in at well over three hours long, something that not every viewer will appreciate. Others have taken issue with the way it presents the protagonists’ politics. Still, for those interested in this period, there’s a lot to be enjoyed here. Weatty and Keaton’s acting is great, as one would expect, and the film does make some nuanced points about both potential and the perils of trying to bring about revolution.

6

‘An American Werewolf in London’ (1981)

Image via Universal Pictures

“Beware the moon.” This seminal comedy-horror follows two American tourists (played by David Naughton and Griffin Dunne) attacked by a mysterious creature on the English moors. One is killed, the other survives, only to discover he is slowly transforming into a werewolf. As his body changes, he’s haunted by visions of his dead friend, who warns him of what he’s becoming. While that sounds like typical horror fare, the story is shot through humor as well, as well as more than a little of that classic John Landis absurdity.

The special effects alone ensure An American Werewolf in London‘s place in genre history. The transformation scenes were groundbreaking for the time: painful and intimate, emphasizing bodily violation rather than spectacle. All in all, this movie is funny, frightening, and unexpectedly sad, a genre hybrid that has never really been replicated. It paved the way for many great comedy-horrors that followed.

5

‘Blow Out’ (1981)

Image via Filmways Pictures

“You can hear the screams.” Blow Out is Brian De Palma‘s pulpier, harder-hitting take on Michelangelo Antonioni‘s Blow-Up, but switches that movie’s focus on photography to a focus on audio recording. John Travolta is great in it as Jack Terry, a sound technician who accidentally records evidence of what may be a political assassination while gathering audio for a low-budget horror film. He begins piecing together the truth using sound, images, and film fragments, but soon becomes entangled in a conspiracy far larger than himself.

While the movie is structured like a paranoid thriller, its real subject is perception itself. Jack believes that if he can assemble the evidence correctly, reality will assert itself. Instead, every step toward clarity reveals how easily truth can be distorted, erased, or repackaged. His technical expertise becomes both his power and his curse. In this sense, Blow Out very much channels the spirit of Alfred Hitchcock.

4

‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)

Image via Paramount Pictures

“It’s not the years, honey. It’s the mileage.” One of the most purely entertaining movies of all time, Raiders of the Lost Ark introduces the legendary Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), an archaeologist-adventurer racing against Nazi forces to locate the Ark of the Covenant, a biblical artifact said to wield immense power. The plot moves briskly across continents, blending chases, puzzles, and narrow escapes into a relentless pursuit, all harking back to the classic adventures of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Every obstacle escalates the stakes, and every action sequence advances the character development.

All these decades later, the movie’s clarity of storytelling, sense of wonder, and tonal confidence remain unmatched. Raiders is joyful and fun, simply jam-packed with plot in the best way. Plus, in contrast to most adventure blockbusters of the era, the protagonist is not invincible. Indy survives through improvisation, endurance, and occasional luck. That vulnerability grounds the spectacle.

3

‘Escape from New York’ (1981)

Image via AVCO Embassy Pictures

“Call me Snake.” Escape from New York is set in a near-future where Manhattan has been converted into a maximum-security prison. When the President (Donald Pleasence) crash-lands inside the city, the government recruits Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), a disgraced former soldier, to rescue him within a strict time limit. The story that follows is spare and cynical. Snake navigates rival gangs, collapsed infrastructure, and shifting alliances, not out of loyalty, but obligation. In this world, authority is corrupt, survival is transactional, and heroism is deeply suspect.

John Carpenter wrote it as a direct response to the Watergate scandal and the pessimistic public mood it engendered. On release, some critics dismissed all this as genre pulp. However, as is often the case with Carpenter movies, Escape from New York went on to become a cult classic. It’s grimy, action-packed, and full of attitude. Snake’s refusal to play along becomes the film’s quiet act of resistance.

2

‘Das Boot’ (1981)

Image via Neue Constantin Film

“It’s cold. It’s dark. And it’s very quiet.” Das Boot follows the crew of a German U-boat during World War II as they patrol the Atlantic under constant threat from Allied forces. Hours stretch into days stretch into weeks as tension mounts and morale deteriorates. The film confines the audience within the submarine’s cramped interior, creating a claustrophobic experience that mirrors the crew’s psychological state. Attacks are sudden, survival is uncertain, and victory offers no relief, only temporary reprieve.

This refusal to glorify combat allows fear and exhaustion to dominate. The result is one of the most immersive war films ever made. The tension is tautly controlled throughout, the plot elements are all bolted into their right place, and the realism of the submarine is genuinely impressive. Every movie since that takes place owes Das Boot a debt of gratitude, and probably falls short of the high bar it set.

1

‘Chariots of Fire’ (1981)

Image via 20th Century Studios

“I believe God made me for a purpose.” That year’s Best Picture Oscar was won by this inspirational drama. Chariots of Fire follows two British athletes preparing for the 1924 Olympics: one (Ian Charleson) driven by religious conviction, the other (Ben Cross) by a desire to overcome class prejudice. For them, running becomes an expression of belief, whether spiritual or personal. Their parallel journeys become vehicles to explore faith, discipline, and the cost of ambition. Breaking with genre convention, the emphasis here is on training, doubt, and moral conflict rather than competition itself.

Basically, this is a well-crafted prestige sports drama, anchored by strong performances. The visuals are granded and the score is great. It all builds up that famous slow-mo sequence to the sounds of Vangelis, a sence that has been endlessly referenced and parodied in the decades since. The movie’s admirers include Christopher Nolan, who called it “a masterpiece of British understatement.”

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Release Date

May 15, 1981

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Runtime

125 Minutes

Director

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Hugh Hudson

Writers

Colin Welland

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After what seemed like a major return to form in the last five years, Jason Statham‘s hot streak has been hit with its second setback. His new movie, Shelter, has been struggling at the box office despite having earned mostly positive reviews. This is difficult to explain, but it reflects the unpredictable nature of the movie business these days. While similar original genre movies starring Statham have done well in the recent past, Shelter was outright rejected by audiences. The movie still hasn’t recovered its reported $50 million budget theatrically, and seems poised to fall short of even Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, the star’s lowest-grossing film of the decade. During this decade, Statham has headlined both franchise films and original action vehicles — reviews have hardly come between him and box office success. It turns out that reviews don’t mean much when one of his movies underperforms, either.

Shelter isn’t just a setback for Statham, but is also the second underperformer in the span of a month for director Ric Roman Waugh. The filmmaker only recently saw the commercial failure of Greenland 2: The Migration, the Gerard Butler-led sci-fi sequel that grossed only around $20 million worldwide against a reported $90 million budget. Greenland 2‘s underperformance may partially be explained, since it will be released on digital in most markets outside North America. Shelter, however, was given a proper theatrical release. It’s now sitting at a 62% critics’ score and an 87% audience score on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Classing up an overdone premise with professional execution, Shelter is highly derivative of previous Jason Statham action vehicles but lean and mean enough to forgive the recycled tropes.”

Here’s How Much ‘Shelter’ Has Grossed So Far

The movie’s positive audience score sets it up for a solid performance on digital, but its box office run so far has to sting. The movie has grossed less than $10 million domestically — one-fifth of its reported budget — and only around $25 million worldwide. By comparison, Statham’s last two films — The Beekeeper and A Working Man — made around $160 million and $100 million worldwide, respectively. In the last half-decade, he has also delivered the hit film Wrath of Man, which made more than $100 million worldwide, and the action sequel Meg 2: The Trench, which grossed nearly $400 million globally.

You can watch Shelter in theaters. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

January 30, 2026

Runtime

107 minutes

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Director

Ric Roman Waugh

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Writers

Ward Parry

Producers

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Greg Silverman, Jason Statham, Jon Berg, John Friedberg, Brendon Boyea

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