Matty Healy was worlds away from the action as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce tied the knot at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.

The 1975 frontman, 37, was spotted grabbing lunch with his fiancée Gabbriette Bechtel in Los Angeles on Friday, July 3, according to photos published by TMZ.

Healy, who was linked to the Tortured Poets Department singer in 2023 shortly after her breakup from Joe Awlyn, was seen walking arm in arm with Bechtel on the same day Swift exchanged vows with Kelce on the opposite side of the country.

The British rocker and Swift were first linked when Swift attended several of his band’s shows in 2014. Healy revealed that he and Swift had “swapped phone numbers” at the time.

Related: Matty Healy’s Mom Confirms Gabbriette Bechtel Engagement: ‘I’m Thrilled’

Matty Healy’s mom, Denise Welch, has spoken — and confirmed that her son is engaged to Gabbriette Bechtel. “I woke up this morning to the fact that they put it on Instagram,” Welch, 65, shared on ITV’s Loose Women on Wednesday, June 12. “Instagram official! He’s got engaged to Gabriella Bechtel, Gabbriette she’s known as.” […]

“I mean, bloody hell, what am I going to do? Go out with Taylor Swift? She’s a sensation. I wouldn’t say no!” he said during a radio interview.

In 2016, Healy caused a stir when he claimed that it would be “emasculating” to date someone more famous than him, name-dropping Swift, in a 2016 interview with Q Magazine.

“It’s just interesting to me how interested the world is about Taylor Swift,” he said. “The reason I mention that is because if I had [properly] gone out with Taylor Swift, I would’ve been, ‘F***ing hell, I am not being Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.’ You know, ‘F***. That.’”

However, he backtracked the comments during an interview with Elle later that year, alleging his remarks were taken out of context. Healy insisted he was “not a misogynist” but could be “an idiot on occasion.”

He added, “I have said on countless occasions that I found her to be one of the most gracious, hard-working, creatively gifted and beautiful women that I have had the pleasure to meet. I personally have a lot of respect and admiration for her. Why would I not?”

Swift and Healy were linked again in May 2023, but both parties have remained tight-lipped about the exact timeline and nature of their romance. However, their split was confirmed the following month.

Related: Matty Healy Consoles Mom Denise Welch After Taylor Swift Comments

Matty Healy was spotted in the midst of an emotional conversation with his mom Denise Welch, just one week after she made headlines for slamming his ex, Taylor Swift. In a video filmed on Thursday, July 31 and published via TMZ the following day, the 1975 frontman could be seen appearing to console his mother […]

In July 2025, Healy’s mother, Denise Welch, weighed in on her son’s romance with Swift while appearing on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.

“Obviously on pain of death can I talk about that episode, but not being her mother-in-law is a role that I’m glad that I lost,” Welch, 68, said, earning gasps from the WWHL audience.

“Not that I have anything against her at all,” Welch quickly added. “It was just — it was tricky.

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After Swift, Healy moved on with Bechtel in September 2023. The pair got engaged in June 2024.

 During an appearance on “Tom’s Hirschsprung’s Podcast” in May, Welch confirmed that her son and Bechtel are set to tie the knot this month.

“Matty gets married in July, which we’re very excited about,” she said. “I’m very excited about that, that’s wonderful.”

Dolly Parton has a unique way of showing her gratitude for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s $2 million donation to her charity.

Parton’s Imagination Library was one of the recipients to share in the $26 million that Swift and Kelce gave away to various charity organizations ahead of their wedding on Friday, July 3.

To thank the couple for their generous gift, the “Jolene” singer, 80, shared an Instagram Reel message ahead of their nuptials on Friday.

“Taylor and Travis, it’s Dolly, and I was just told that you two were making a donation of $2 million to my Imagination Library,” Parton said in the video. “I’m blown away and overjoyed with that gratitude.”

Related: Rhode Island Governor Thanks Taylor and Travis for Food Bank Donation

UPDATE 7/3/2026 at 3:43 p.m. ET — Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has joined a chorus of charities and celebrities thanking Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce for making $26 million in charitable donations across the country. On Friday, July 3, the politician, 75, shared a tweet where the Rhode Island Food Bank personally thanked the […]

She then joked, “Now, it’s evident that you have made giving back a key part of your lives, so hey, when you have your firstborn, can I have it? Because that is gonna be one special baby!”

The Imagination Library provides free books to children up to the age of five, intending to inspire a love of reading.

Parton ended the video message on a more serious note, thanking the newly married couple for helping with her philanthropy endeavors.

“You know the mission of the Dollywood Foundation is to dream more, care more, learn more and be more, and thank you again for your very generous gift. And, we’ll continue that mission even in bigger ways now with your money,” she said.

The Imagination Library also shared the video. The post’s caption doubled down on thanking Swift and Kelce.

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“We’re smiling extra big today!! @taylorswift and @killatrav, THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! It means so much to all of us at Dolly’s Foundation to know that you share Dolly’s dream of inspiring a love of reading in children,” the caption read. “Because of your kindness, more children will experience the excitement of receiving a new book each month, more families will share bedtime stories together, and more little imaginations will be inspired to dream boldly.”

The caption concluded, “On behalf of our team, partners, and millions of children and families across the United States to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland, thank you.”

Swift and Kelce tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony held at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Friday, July 3. Just after the pair exchanged vows, digital billboards outside the venue read, “JusT&T Married.”

There’s nothing more satisfying than watching an epic movie. But what defines an epic? Characterized by length, scope, and subject, an epic tends to focus on a heroic figure’s legendary deeds upon a vast expanse. Often elevated by text, style, larger-than-life foes, and sweeping narratives, epic movies are feats meant for the brave.

With advancements in cinema in the 21st century, many filmmakers have told new kinds of epics. Some are original tales. Others tackle historical moments. Whether on Earth or in space, these epics have had a profound impact on movies and blockbusters in general. The films on this list are among the best of the last 25 years, changing how we consume epic thrillers.

13

‘Kingdom of Heaven’ (2005)

Image via 20th Century Studios

If there is one director who knows how to play in every genre imaginable, it’s Ridley Scott. Whether in science fiction masterpieces like Alien, comedies like Thelma & Louise, or war films like Black Hawk Down, Scott’s ability to craft expansive universes has made him one of the greatest directors of all time. Only a few years after he established the epic in the new millennium with Gladiator, Scott took audiences to medieval times for Kingdom of Heaven. The film follows Balian (Orlando Bloom), a French blacksmith who, after his wife’s suicide and children’s deaths, travels to the Holy Land seeking redemption, joining his father, Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson), there. Balian becomes a knight and leads the defense of Jerusalem against the Muslim leader Saladin (Ghassan Massoud) as the fragile peace between Christians and Muslims breaks down. Navigating religious conflict, political intrigue, and the search for a kingdom of conscience, Kingdom of Heaven was an epic that vowed to change perception.

Kingdom of Heaven is a story of honor, faith, the futility of holy wars, and the corruption of religious zeal. Scott presents the film through a nuanced lens of conflict, putting forth morality before religious dogma. The title, a reference to both the physical city of Jerusalem and the idea of a place where morality, tolerance, and justice exist, Kingdom of Heaven is Scott’s most daring film thematically. Scott’s prowess as a directorial visionary made the film an immersive experience through its spectacular battle sequences. Though it may not have been critically beloved, as epics go, Kingdom of Heaven achieved its mission. Though a post-9/11 lens may have affected the film’s execution, the scope and story still resonate as an epic.

12

‘Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World’ (2003)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Loosely based on Patrick O’Brian‘s Aubrey-Maturin novel series, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World was an extraordinary epic about the naval side of the Napoleonic Wars. Directed by Peter Weir, Captain “Lucky” Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) leads the HMS Surprise in a relentless, high-stakes chase to capture a superior French warship, the Acheron, across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Showcasing the intense, complex friendship between the traditional Captain Aubrey and the ship’s scholarly, intellectual surgeon, Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is an exploration of the conflict between duty and the Crown, personal ambition, and the responsibility of being a commander at sea.

The film’s selling point is Weir’s realistic portrayal of 19th-century naval life. By highlighting the brutality of war, the hardships of the crew, and the woes that come with leadership, the film is a remarkably textured and richly human portrait of life during the Napoleonic War that audiences may previously have not been familiar with. Following his star turn in Gladiator, Crowe continued his rise to Hollywood superstardom, as this film highlighted his rough charm and brazen ability to lead a wide-ranging project. The source material led to a wonderful blockbuster that earned numerous nominations.

11

‘Prometheus’ (2012)

Image via 20th Century Fox Licensing

To no one’s shock, we have another groundbreaking Ridley Scott entry to discuss. This time, we’re heading back to space with 2012’s science fiction horror thriller, Prometheus. The fifth installment of the Alien franchise, the prequel film explores the origins of humanity and the engineers who created them. The story follows the 2093 expedition of spaceship Prometheus as it follows a star map to Moon LV-233, discovered among the artifacts of several ancient Earth cultures. They search for humanity’s origins, only to discover on this distant world, a dark biological weapon aimed at Earth, leading to a fight for survival. With a brilliant ensemble cast including Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Charlize Theron, and Logan Marshall-Green, Prometheus reignited the Alien franchise for the 21st century.

Written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof, Prometheus expanded on the mythology and lore of the original film while using similar tones across different themes. With artificial intelligence becoming a prominent factor at the time of creation, the newfound elements made Prometheus’ central theme of creation and identity so profound. It was an ambitious project, but it paid dividends. Fassbender’s take on the android David was sensational, delivering the film’s strongest performance. Visually striking, with an aesthetic only Scott could create, the vivid exploration of space was exactly what the franchise needed. Had it not been for Prometheus, we would not have any of the projects that have come since.

10

‘Gangs of New York’ (2002)

Image via Miramax Films

If there is one epic working relationship that blossomed in the 21st century, it is that of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio. The first that came to fruition was 2002’s Gangs of New York. A rich period piece, the historical epic explores the brutal gang wars in Manhattan’s Five Points district during the 1860s. Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio) is on a quest for revenge against Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis) for killing his father. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War and draft riots, Gangs of New York is a visceral exploration of vengeance and belonging during the violent birth of modern America.

The road to creation took nearly two decades, but the final product was sensational. Though some felt the excessive violence was heightened for entertainment, Scorsese’s portrayal of the time was fairly realistic. Having two superstar actors go toe-to-toe proved to be an immense draw for the film. By highlighting the long-running Catholic-Protestant feud through an epic lens, Scorsese created a sprawling production with impressive production design. Though it may have fallen short of some of his other works before and after, Gangs of New York is still a modern masterpiece.

9

‘Dune: Part Two’ (2024)

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By the end of this calendar year, we may have to swap Dune: Part Two out for its follow-up, but for now, the peak Dune film is its second chapter. Expanding upon the splendor of the first film, Denis Villeneuve‘s take on Frank Herbert‘s 1965 novel is remarkable. In Dune: Part Two, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unites with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to wage war against House Harkonnen. Learning the Fremen ways on the road of revenge, Paul must grapple with a prophesied messianic role and visions of a devastating future holy war he might unleash. Through power, love, religious manipulation, and the inevitable rise in becoming a dark anti-hero, Dune: Part Two built upon its predecessor’s success into something even more epic.

Knowing that this part would be bookended with the setup and ultimate climax, Dune: Part Two was the right bridge for the overall narrative. Chalamet’s charismatic Paul was on full display, but the clues to his ultimate descent allowed for a nuanced performance. The entire ensemble, from Zendaya‘s Chani and Rebecca Ferguson‘s Lady Jessica to new players Florence Pugh‘s Princess Irulan and Austin Butler‘s Feyd-Rautha, made the film even stronger than the first. Visually extraordinary, the science fiction epic was a cinematic marvel. Where else can you see two of Hollywood’s biggest rising stars, Butler and Chalamet, engage in a fight sequence as they did here? If the first film was a glorious appetizer, Dune: Part Two was the delicious entrée.

8

‘King Kong’ (2005)

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A reboot of a beloved classic would be difficult to achieve without it being in the most capable of hands. Thankfully, Peter Jackson brought King Kong to life in the 2005 epic monster film. A remake of the 1933 film, the film follows the story of Carl Denham (Jack Black), an ambitious and unscrupulous filmmaker who tricks playwright Jack Driscoll (Adrian Brody), actress Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), and his hired ship crew into traveling to the mysterious Skull Island, where they encounter various prehistoric creatures and the legendary giant gorilla, King Kong. Capturing and bringing him back to New York City, Ann forms an integral bond that helps prove the simian is truly no monster.

Emphasizing the emotional depth of Kong’s relationship with Ann and the spectacle of Skull Island, this iteration of King Kong maintained the integrity of the original’s core narrative while becoming a visually breathtaking blockbuster. Jackson, who will be represented on this list again later, brought his prowess to the project to ensure the epic wasn’t just a remake to introduce a new generation to the character, as 1998’s Godzilla was. With advancements in special effects and a majestic approach to the story, Jackson’s remake was faithful to the original, while also bringing a new sense of wonderment to the iconic creature. Though Jackson may not have continued on the journey with Kong, thanks to him, the character lives on today.

7

‘Lincoln’ (2012)

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Bringing Abraham Lincoln’s life to the screen would be no easy feat, given that the 16th President of the United States has been the subject of many projects over the decades. Then Steven Spielberg adapted Tony Kushner‘s script, casting Daniel Day-Lewis in the titular role, and an epic historical biographical drama was born. In the 2012 film Lincoln, the final four months of Lincoln’s life are covered, focusing on President Lincoln’s efforts in January 1865 to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude by forcing the Thirteenth Amendment to be passed. Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin‘s Team of Rivals, Lincoln was a sweeping epic created by a team of cinematic masters.

For a methodical performer who has tackled an array of roles in his career, Day-Lewis’s transformative take on Lincoln allowed for a dignified take on an extraordinary man. A powerful and patient performance of a stellar script, Day-Lewis was once again at the top of his game. Through Spielberg’s realistic approach to the story, it became a triumphant portrait of an integral figure during a dark period. Though it may not have yielded any new revelations, Lincoln became a reliable biopic with just enough cinematic flair.

6

‘300’ (2006)

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There was an extraordinary desire for gladiator-inspired content after the success of Gladiator. Finding a new way into the genre was the key. Then Zack Snyder swooped in with a Dark Horse comic book, and audiences’ needs were satisfied. Based on the source material by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, 300 took on a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae in the Greco-Persian War. Following King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) as he leads 300 Spartans into battle against Persian “God-King” Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his 300,000 soldiers. As the war rages on, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband. The fictionalized epic emphasizes the legendary aspect of the last stand through bravery, sacrifice, and defiance against tyranny.

Unlike Gladiator, 300 took on a markedly different tone, even in the color palette Snyder used. Extraordinarily graphic in nature, 300 did not minimize the amount of blood and violence. A film made for the movie theater, 300 didn’t aim to depict history with historical accuracy, opting for an entertaining retelling with buff bodies and quotable lines. Digitally enhanced yet never belligerently animated, 300 was a compelling blockbuster that made Snyder a power player in grandstanding. If you’re looking for historical accuracy, look away. But, like they said in Gladiator, “Are you not entertained?”

5

‘1917’ (2019)

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No matter what, cinephiles love a good war movie. The 21st century has been in no short supply. Of the many that have come out in the last 25 years, the pinnacle World War I film is Sam Mendes‘ 1917. Occurring after the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line during Operation Alberich, the film follows two British soldiers, Lance Corporals Will Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), on a perilous mission across enemy lines to deliver a message to halt an attack that would have cost 1,600 lives. Renowned for its immersive one-shot filmmaking, 1917 captured the intensity of war through a real-time mission that had never been depicted in war movies before.

One of the most visually remarkable war films, it earned the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects. 1917 is a hard-hitting technical achievement that puts the audience into the trenches. Though some war historians disapproved of the sanitized approach, the cinematic achievement elevated war cinema to new heights through the oft-overlooked chapter of World War I. The historical accuracy of the military tactics may have been exaggerated for entertainment, but nevertheless, 1917 brought the harsh reality of war.

4

‘Dunkirk’ (2017)

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Before 1917 wowed audiences with World War I, Dunkirk brought audiences the definitive World War II epic of the 21st century. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film depicts the Dunkirk evacuation from the perspective of people on land, sea, and air. Through three parallel narratives, Dunkirk portrays the many individuals who participated in the operation as they helped save Western civilization. On land, it’s British soldier Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) who tries to reach safety via the beach. At sea, Dawson (Mark Rylance), a civilian, and his son, Peter (Tom Glynn-Carey), sail their boat to Dunkirk to help with the evacuation. In the air, Collins (Jack Lowden) and Farrier (Tom Hardy), Spitfire pilots, defend the beach from German planes. Considered one of the greatest war films ever made, Dunkirk is an emotionally satisfying epic that honors the reality of a pivotal moment in war.

Filled with chaos and horror, even though we know the outcome, Nolan does a miraculous job at making us ponder if things may turn out differently. Yet, his ability to maintain historical accuracy pleased both casual moviegoers and historians. Seamlessly interweaving multiple storylines, some careening together, Dunkirk‘s ability to provide emotional balance amid the harsh realities of the situation makes the war drama character-driven first, with history as its backdrop.

Crime fiction is an enduring part of cinematic history, and it’s responsible for some of the greatest films of all-time. As the world’s relationship within criminality evolved over the course of the 20th century, films began to take different perspectives on what type of stories they would tell. Initially, a pulpy crime thriller was just another form of escapist cinema, but the “New Hollywood” era utilized it to tell more complex stories about lived experiences.

Grittiness is a challenging term to define, as it doesn’t just mean that something is dark and violent. Rather, a “gritty” film should speak to some sort of societal truth that grounds the story in humanity because it offers something familiar. A reminder that these types of films aren’t escapist fantasies but thrillers that say something about the human condition is why they have been able to stand the test of time.

10

‘M’ (1931)

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M is one of the most foundational works of the German expressionist movement and outlined the paranoid, neo-noir genre in a way that would be highly influential within the next few decades of crime fiction. Although the term “serial killer” wouldn’t be coined for almost four decades, M featured a terrifying performance by Peter Lorre as a child murderer who is so dangerous that the mob and the cops work together to track him down.

M set precedents within the genre because it introduced the idea of comparative morality when it comes to forging bonds. Rarely in crime films are characters given the opportunity to ally themselves with those who share their same ethical standards; although the cops would have no other reason to work with the mob, they are forced to ally for the collective good of the community’s safety.

9

‘The Untouchables’ (1987)

Image via Paramount Pictures

The Untouchables was an electrifying adaptation of the classic television show of the same name that saw Brian De Palma making one of his most entertaining films ever. Although De Palma had made a number of thrillers and psychological horror films early on in his career, he was able to draw from history to show how the Chicago cop Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) and his ragtag group of law enforcement officers led the hunt to take down Al Capone (Robert De Niro).

Costner has rarely been better than he is as a desperate, morally upstanding defender of justice, but the film’s real scene-stealer was Sean Connery as a veteran Irish cop who decides to join his team. Although Connery was considered to be past his prime at this point in his career, his performance was so acclaimed that he ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

8

‘Once Upon a Time in America’ (1984)

Image via Warner Bros.

Once Upon a Time in America was an ambitious drama about the futility of the American dream directed by the great Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, who was best known for making “The Man With No Name” trilogy. Despite the fact that he was best known for making Westerns, Leone was able to make an elegiac epic about the journey of immigrants involved in mob conflicts throughout the 20th century, painting a damning portrayal of generational violence.

Once Upon a Time in America was what got Leone out of retirement after he had prematurely ended his career in the early ’70s, and sadly, the theatrically released film was marred by endless studio cuts. Thankfully, the director’s cut of Once Upon a Time in America, which ran for over four hours long, was eventually unveiled at festivals and given the praise that it deserved.

7

‘Point Blank’ (1967)

Image via MGM

Point Blank was a feat of formal innovation within the action genre that saw director John Boorman turning what could have been a trashy B-movie into an existentialist drama. The film stars the great action star Lee Marvin as a hitman who is abandoned and left for dead by his former allies, leading him on a quest for revenge as he tries to piece together his life.

Boorman uses eerie, slightly surrealist repetition techniques to tap into the madness of Marvin’s character, with some theories suggesting it is all part of an elaborate fantasy he had in the moments before his death. Point Blank had a significant influence on the career of Steven Soderbergh, who made his own homage to the film with his 1999 crime thriller The Limey, starring Terence Stamp in a role based on Marvin’s performance.

6

‘Dog Day Afternoon’ (1975)

Image via Warner Bros.

Dog Day Afternoon is the ultimate heist film because it explores the pressure and anxiety faced by a criminal as their plan falls apart and the grim reality of the situation becomes even clearer. Although Sidney Lumet has made many crime films that would be considered to be among the best of all-time, Dog Day Afternoon is significant because he was able to contain all of the tension within the single location of a bank.

Dog Day Afternoon featured one of the greatest performances ever from Al Pacino, who was able to show a surprising degree of levity and vulnerability, as the film functions as a sincere commentary on marginalization and class warfare. Although Dog Day Afternoon was an Oscar-nominated masterpiece that would seemingly be impossible to ever remake, this year saw a new Broadway version of the story with Jon Bernthal in the role that Pacino had played.

5

‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1941)

Image via Warner Bros.

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The Maltese Falcon is the foremost entry in the hardboiled detective genre because it saw the introduction of Sam Spade, the definitive private eye character in fiction. The moody, intense atmosphere of the classic film noir movement of the 1940s required a protagonist who was world-weary and a bit cynical, and The Maltese Falcon perfectly cast Spade by getting Humphrey Bogart in what would become one of his most iconic roles.

The Maltese Falcon is the directorial debut of John Huston, a former actor who would go on to become one of the most respected filmmakers of the 20th century. Although Huston would go on to direct many epics and historical dramas, The Maltese Falcon succeeded by telling a confined story that felt like it existed in a real city, and that realism would become a cornerstone of the genre moving forward.

4

‘The French Connection’ (1971)

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The French Connection is one of the greatest films to ever win Best Picture at the Academy Awards and felt perfectly suited for an unusual point in American history in which the “war on drugs” had gone into full effect. Gene Hackman gave the most iconic performance of his career as Popeye Doyle, a committed detective who is determined to stop a French criminal (Fernando Ray) from bringing drugs into the United States.

Friedkin was a former documentary filmmaker who showed an unprecedented level of detail in exploring the investigative process of the cops, as The French Connection explored the mundanity of law enforcement in a way that cinema hadn’t seen before. The film is best known for its showstopping car chase, which put some of the cast and crew in real danger because of Friedkin’s insistence on making it as realistic as possible.

3

‘Se7en’ (1995)

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Se7en was the film that solidified David Fincher as the greatest director for serial killer films because he created one of the most disturbing and multifaceted examinations of a psychopathic mind. The film follows the detectives William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and David Mills (Brad Pitt) as they track down an enigmatic killer known only as “John Doe” (Kevin Spacey), who has been staging elaborate murders that are staged around the “Seven Deadly Sins” in the Bible.

Se7en explores the darkness that mankind must confront and ends with one of the most depressing conclusions in the history of the genre. Although Fincher would return to tell more serial killer stories in subsequent films and in his Netflix series Mindhunter, Se7en was such a transgressive work of experimentation within an established mystery genre that its influence on crime fiction cannot be overstated.

2

‘Goodfellas’ (1990)

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Goodfellas is hardly the first crime film that Martin Scorsese made, but it became his most famous and is remembered as one of the most defining classics of the ’90s. Goodfellas understood, better than any other gangster film, how alluring the life of a mobster could seem, and showed how the criminal Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) is lured into the dangerous lifestyle before it all falls apart, forcing him to betray his former allies.

Goodfellas is among Scorsese’s most entertaining films because he understood the ways in which gangsters talked and took efforts to explore the communities that emerged among their families. Scorsese’s use of music has rarely been better thanks to the numerous great needle drops. It’s a film stacked with great performances, including Joe Pesci in the scene-stealing role as Tommy DeVito, which won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

1

‘The Godfather’ (1972)

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The Godfather marked the beginning of the greatest story in cinematic history and changed the way that crime films were perceived forever. Although gangster films had previously been seen as works of trashy exploitation, Francis Ford Coppola elevated the acclaimed novel by Mario Puzo to tell a complex story about family, loyalty, and the American dream that had the richness of a Shakespeare play.

The Godfather has the single best ensemble of any film ever made, as there is an exorbitant amount of detail that each character has, making them each memorable and tragic in their own ways. Although the film’s story is not complete without The Godfather: Part II, the 1974 follow-up from Coppola that acted as both a prequel and a sequel, the original classic remains the perfect installment in the series and perhaps the best film ever made.

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The Godfather

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Release Date

March 24, 1972

Runtime

175 minutes

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Director

Francis Ford Coppola

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Writers

Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola

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Love Island USA‘s Parmida Keshani and Corbin Mims shut down the insinuation that they were in a shallow relationship.

During the Friday, July 3, episode of the hit Peacock show, each couple had to nominate two pairs who were not compatible. Kenzie Annis and Dylan Wrona questioned Parmida and Corbin’s connection after only hearing him praise his partner in a physical sense.

Kenzie specifically said Corbin and Parmida were in a “lustful relationship,” with Parmida saying, “I definitely disagree. From the outside, it might look that way to you because we are both very good looking and we both workout.”

Some of the other couples laughed as Corbin and Parmida continued to defend themselves.

“We know that about ourselves. So it might seem that way but we can get deep and serious too,” she continued. “You just haven’t seen that because you aren’t in our chats.”

Corbin’s return to the villa hasn’t been easy after finding a connection with Parmida in Casa Amor. Their recoupling initially sparked backlash when Kenzie publicly dragged him for not considering her when he went to explore his chemistry with other women.

Earlier in the week, Corbin revealed there were “red flags” he didn’t address with Kenzie. This inspired Corbin to explore his options — and he later told the guys he “hasn’t thought” of Kenzie at all.

Love Island USA originally premiered in the U.K. in 2002 before it expanded worldwide with various spinoffs, including Love Island USA on Peacock. The series follows a different group of singles every season who have to pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa.

The contestants — referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa and are under constant video surveillance. They must be coupled up to remain on the show and stand a chance at receiving the $100,000 prize.

Season 8 escalated the sex that took place in the villa with multiple couples going all the way while sharing a bedroom in the villa. The drama escalated with Casa Amor when the new women discussed which guys they thought would pair off with them before returning to the villa.

They poked fun at Kenzie’s possible reaction to Parmida walking in with Corbin.

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“Kenzie just likes anyone who likes her,” Parmida said after the rest of the women made fun of how Kenzie spoke to Corbin.

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.

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Animation is a medium, not a genre, and it’s a medium perfectly suited for some of the most bonkers, wildly over-the-top TV shows that the small screen has ever seen. After all, the fact that animation throughout history has allowed creators almost infinite visual creativity has obviously resulted in several creators taking full advantage of that fact to deliver some truly wild shows.

Whether it’s an animated series for kids, like the aptly-titled Bonkers; or one that’s definitely not for kids, like Frisky Dingo, the most bonkers animated TV shows in history are proof of why cartoons are worthy of significantly more respect than they tend to get nowadays. What other medium could possibly be able to deliver experiences this delightfully wacky? Even though these shows have been forgotten over the years, they should all be considered essential viewing for fans of over-the-top television.

10

‘Bonkers’ (1993–1994)

Image via The Disney Channel

There are very few shows in the Disney Channel’s catalog more fittingly titled than Bonkers, a spin-off of Raw Toonage‘s short series He’s Bonkers. Heavily inspired by the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, this is just as bonkers an animated experience, telling the story of the titular out-of-work toon, who joins the Hollywood Police Department to help his partners catch animated criminals.

Virtually anyone who loves Roger Rabbit is pretty much guaranteed to love Bonkers just as much. Blending surreal slapstick with elements of the detective procedural genre in ways as kooky as they are entertaining, it’s one of the most irresistibly fun cartoons in the Disney Channel’s history. It has heart, it has some fantastic animation, and it has plenty of exquisite cartoonish world-building.

9

‘The Maxx’ (1995)

Image via MTV

MTV broke plenty of new ground in adult-oriented animated television during the ’90s. This included the creation of Oddities, a label for Eric Fogel‘s The Head and Sam Kieth‘s The Maxx. As great as the former is, it’s the latter that’s one of the best animated shows you’ve never heard of, based on Kieth’s own exceptional comic book series. It’s about The Maxx, a superhero trying to protect his friend from an omniscient serial killer both in the real world and in a subconscious fantasy world.

Disguising a profound, admirably mature psychological drama about trauma behind a gritty superhero narrative, The Maxx is one of the most criminally underrated animated superhero shows in history. That psychological depth that makes it feel like a deep dive into the human subconscious comes with an air of surrealism that makes it a must-see for all those who love head-scratchingly bizarre shows.

8

‘Mr. Pickles’ (2014–2019)

Image via Adult Swim

There are some shows whose bonkers nature becomes abundantly clear from the moment one hears their premise, and the Adult Swim forgotten classic Mr. Pickles is definitely one such show. It’s one of the best body horror and slasher shows that animation has ever produced, about a family who lives with a deviant Border Collie with a secret Satanic streak.

Thankfully, Mr. Pickles lives up to the wildness of its premise at every turn of each of its four seasons. It was always the intention for the show to combine the charm and nostalgia of a ’50s family sitcom with some of the most subversive shock humor, gore, and surreal absurdity imaginable, and for people who love that kind of thing, Mr. Pickles should hit the spot easily.

7

‘Sym-Bionic Titan’ (2010–2011)

Image via Cartoon Network

Even though it was created by Genndy Tartakovsky, one of the biggest names in the history of televisual animation, Sym-Bionic Titan has somehow still managed to slip under most animation fans’ radars as the years have passed since its cancellation. It’s one of those obscure animated shows that became cult classics, one that everyone who loves animation—regardless of whether they love Tartakovsky—should consider checking out. In it, three young aliens with the ability to form a giant robotic warrior try to blend into suburbia.

“Bonkers” is a word that would very fittingly describe a decent majority of Tartakovsky’s work across television and the big screen, but it applies to Sym-Bionic Titan with particular glee. Part mecha action extravaganza, part John Hughes-esque high school teen drama, it’s a genre-bending trip full of fast-paced animation and mature themes.

6

‘Frisky Dingo’ (2006–2008)

Image via Adult Swim

Those who love bonkers animation should already know that Adult Swim is typically the place to go when looking for one such show. But even by the network’s sky-high standards of hilarious absurdity, Frisky Dingo is particularly bizarre. Even the synopsis of this sci-fi farce is hard to explain, but in broad strokes, it’s all about a philandering billionaire playboy who moonlights as a superhero, as he faces his nemesis while balancing his business and his superhero life.

It’s one of the best animated series for adults, a gleeful deconstruction of the pre-MCU superhero genre that feels even timelier and more relevant today than it did back in the late 2000s. With its frantically paced, hilariously nonsensical plotlines, its absurd visuals, and its rapid-fire dialogue, it’s one of the most chaotic comedies that animation has ever produced for the small screen.

5

‘Turbo Teen’ (1984)

Image via ABC

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From the moment one hears Turbo Teen‘s mere synopsis, it becomes abundantly clear why it’s one of the most bonkers cartoons of the 20th century: It’s all about a teen who gets into an accident and then gains the ability to transform into a crime-fighting sports car when it’s hot. It’s a genuinely wild premise to make a show out of, so (perhaps needless to say) the show failed to capture an audience.

Even still, its brief 13 episodes are worth watching today if only to admire how anyone could have come up with an animated show so bonkers. It’s a Knight Rider rip-off that almost borders on qualifying as kid-friendly body horror, and as if that weren’t enough reason for an animation fan’s morbid curiosity to be piqued, there’s also the writing so nonsensical that it’s practically surreal.

4

‘Freakazoid!’ (1995–1997)

Image via Kids’ WB

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Executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, Freakazoid! is one of those forgotten cartoons that are still worth watching. It follows the adventures of Washington, D.C.’s brand-new defender, a geeky teenager who absorbs the entire cyberspace after a freak accident and gains superhuman cartoon powers. It’s the sort of premise that would feel right at home in even the wildest of Looney Tunes stories.

Clearly a response to the chaos and mayhem of the early rise of the Internet and the digital frontier during the mid-’90s, Freakazoid! is as surreal, absurd, manic, and eager to break the fourth wall as any fan of a character like Deadpool could possibly hope for an animated superhero show to be. Written like a stream of consciousness and full of meta humor, it’s the peak of what superhero comedies had to offer during the ’90s.

3

‘The Pirates of Dark Water’ (1991–1992)

Image via Fox Kids

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Produced by Hanna-Barbera, The Pirates of Dark Water is a dark fantasy swashbuckling adventure like no other. In it, a young man learns that he’s a prince, one with an urgent quest to save his world by finding 13 magical treasures. What ensues is one of the best forgotten fantasy shows of the ’90s, a highly ambitious serialized story with some of the most groundbreaking animation of any ’90s cartoon.

It was also a genre-bending and incredibly bonkers show, though, an unprecedented mixture of high fantasy, swashbuckling pirates, cosmic horror, and science fiction. The world of Mer is wonderfully surreal and full of over-the-top world-building, inhabited by a delectably odd ensemble of characters who never fail to get into all sorts of entertaining situations.

2

‘Megas XLR’ (2004–2005)

Image via Cartoon Network

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The slacker genre, spanning both cinema and music, peaked around the mid- to late-’90s. Megas XLR is both an homage to and a parody of not just the slacker genre, but also the mecha genre. Its story follows two teenage slackers who find a mecha from the future that had been lying in a New Jersey junkyard for almost 60 years.

Megas XLR is one of those classic 2000s cartoons that is ready for a reboot, but for the moment, the original should be more than enough to satisfy fans of animated sci-fi and bonkers comedies. Also inspired by video games and heavy metal, Megas XLR feels like a delightful hotchpotch of styles, tones, and influences that always blend together in all the most enjoyably over-the-top ways.

1

‘Æon Flux‘ (1991–1995)

Image via MTV

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Premiering on MTV’s experimental animation showcase Liquid Television, Æon Flux instantly cemented its place as one of the greatest experimental animated shows of the ’90s. Today, those lucky few who have actually seen it still tend to regard it as one of the best of all time. This avant-garde masterpiece follows a secret agent from an anarchic society who repeatedly infiltrates a heavily surveilled neighboring state.

It’s one of those sci-fi shows that gets better every episode, though it also gets more bonkers every episode. Created by Peter Chung as a very intentional subversion of every established rule of 1990s American television, Æon Flux has aged like fine wine. Visually surreal, psychologically tense, and masterfully genre-bending, it may be disorienting at times, but it’s also an undeniable masterpiece.

Influencer Halley Kate McGookin opted for a vintage designer dress as she tied the knot with Reed Williams.

Posting via her TikTok on Thursday, July 2, the New York-based influencer, 25, showed off her thrifted Dior outfit as she got ready for her special day.

“I’m getting married today and my vision for this look absolutely came together,” she shared in the video. “Yes, I’m just going to the courthouse, but I’m still going to do an insane, iconic look.”

McGookin shared details of her wedding day attire as she explained the aesthetic she was aiming for.

Related: Halley Kate Shows Off Massive Marquise Engagement Ring From Reed Williams

Influencer Halley Kate McGookin showed off a massive engagement ring from boyfriend Reed Williams. Halley, 24, shared a glimpse of the stunning sparkler, featuring a marquise-shaped diamond set on a gold band, while taking to social media on Friday, January 23, to announce that she and Reed were engaged after more than two years of […]

“This is a vintage Dior look. Immediately, when I saw the flowers on it, I knew it was for me. Reed actually picked it up for me at a vintage market. I still wanted to keep the integrity of the dress, but I had it altered to be strapless because I knew I was going to do this hat,” she said. “I had this hat custom made because I saw this vintage Valentino look. Immediately, I knew I had to recreate it. I’m so happy with how this turned out. I think it’s insane.”

Later the same day, McGookin shared a video of her and Williams kissing inside the courthouse after exchanging vows.

@halleykate

Tomorrow look might even top this👀

♬ Venus and Flower – Austin Farwell

McGookin announced her engagement to Williams in January after more than two years of dating. Taking to Instagram, McGookin shared a glimpse of the stunning sparkler, which featured a marquise-shaped diamond set on a gold band.

She followed up the post by sharing a clip of the sweet proposal. The video showed Williams getting down on one knee to pop the question as they stood in a park in Switzerland. After asking McGookin for her hand in marriage, Williams stood back up and gave her a kiss.

“He ate with the 💍,” she captioned the post at the time.

The content creator also shared that Williams couldn’t sleep for “a couple of nights” because he was “trying to decide between which diamond to get.”

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Several of the internet’s most famous faces took the next steps in their relationships in 2026. The year kicked off with influencer and former Playboy model Amanda Cerny saying yes to Serhant real estate agent Johannes Bartl. Weeks later, influencer Halley Kate McGookin announced that Reed Williams popped the question to her while on vacation […]

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In an episode of her “Delusional Diaries” podcast in June 2025, McGookin was candid about never having any ambitions to have a big ceremony if she ties the knot.

“I’m not against getting married, I just wanna make that clear, I have nothing against marriages, I just don’t wanna have a wedding, is what I’ve always said,” she explained on the podcast.

McGookin and Williams first met on the dating app Hinge in early 2023 and dated briefly before calling it quits in November 2023. After that false start, McGookin announced in April 2024 that the pair had gotten back together.