By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 14 seconds ago

When it comes to Star Wars, most fans agree that Darth Vader is the scariest guy in the entire galaxy far, far away. However, what’s scarier than this Dark Lord of the Sith? Simple answer: whatever scares Vader is scarier than Vader. Since he has access to an entire Empire and the Dark Side of the Force, there are few people he actually fears. One of the only people is Grand Moff Tarkin, who serves as the real Big Bad of the first Star Wars movie.

Sure, Tarkin didn’t look like a robot samurai, and he didn’t wield magical powers. But he’s the one guy, aside from the Emperor, who bosses Vader around. Leia is telling the truth later on: Tarkin really does hold the Sith Lord’s leash. If that sounds a little kinky for Star Wars, you don’t know the half of it. One relatively unknown Star Wars story makes it clear that Grand Moff Tarkin had a secret love affair with the Stormtrooper whose armor Luke Skywalker steals. Oh, and they send booty call messages with that little mouse droid from the Death Star!

Like A Moff To The Flame

Ok, this is a pretty weird tale, even by the standards of Star Wars. It begins with “Of MSE-6 and Men,” one of the short stories in the anthology book From A Certain Point Of View. Written by Glen Weldon, this story takes place on the Death Star and mostly focuses on two people: MSE-6-G735Y (the adorable mouse droid that Chewbacca roars at) and TK-421, a Stormtrooper. The trooper begins a gay relationship with an unnamed, high-ranking officer, whom the author later admitted was supposed to be Tarkin. Their secret, passionate affair ends when Luke Skywalker blasts the Stormtrooper, taking his armor and hiding the body in a crawlspace aboard the Millennium Falcon. 

So, how do we know the unnamed officer is supposed to be Grand Moff Tarkin? “Of MSE-6 and Men” drops some heavy-handed hints, including the fact that this guy has Alpha One security clearance and a super-swanky office aboard the Death Star. Oh, and he has an even swankier penthouse back on Coruscant. Mostly, though, we know because of author Glen Weldon’s posts on X. He has frequently responded with shrugging memes when people ask if the officer is Tarkin and posted smirking Cersei Lannister pictures alongside his own internet search for “tarkin gay.” Weldon also posted a picture of Tarkin and TK-421 side by side and called it a “couples costume idea.”

He’s Here, He’s Queer

While people more interested in culture wars than Star Wars might freak out about this short story, Grand Moff Tarkin being gay doesn’t really change anything people like about the character. He’s still just as intimidating, thanks in large part to a masterful performance by Peter Cushing. The same is true for Darth Vader: knowing his sexuality doesn’t make him any less of a scary robot man. Although knowing that he was regularly bumping uglies with Natalie Portman before she died of sadness and his penis burned off in lava admittedly goes a long way towards explaining why he’s so angry all the time. 

However, as with many of the short stories in From A Certain Point of View, “Of MSE-6 and Men” does force you to look at several aspects of A New Hope through fresh eyes. It’s wild to think Tarkin was on the down low with a random Stormtrooper (one who puts on a fake hick accent, no less) and sending texts via a droid. When Chewbacca yelled at this little droid, was he secretly c*ckblocking the scariest guy in the galaxy? As for Tarkin, did he refuse to evacuate the Death Star because he was obsessed with killing the Rebel hero who murdered his rough trade sidepiece in cold blood?

There’s a lesson here, Star Wars fans: when you’re celebrating Pride Month this June, don’t forget Grand Moff Tarkin. Thanks to this bonkers short story, he’s now the most prominent gay icon in a galaxy far, far away, if only because Lucas and Disney just keep C-3PO in the closet. On the topic of Pride, though, “Of MSE-6 and Men” does leave me with one lingering question: do you think the Empire makes a big deal about their rainbow PFPs on social media in June, or do they keep everything gunmetal grey, all year long?

A good, long-running show is perfect to sink your teeth into when you want a big commitment. There are shows with multiple seasons I ended up watching and binging late in the game, like Lost and Hannibal. But if you just so happen to have a free week or night, you might be looking for a short and sweet miniseries to entertain you from start to finish.

Netflix has tons of miniseries from which to choose, including quality ones that run only four, five, or six episodes long. Basically the length of a movie double-feature, you can grab a bowl of popcorn, a blanket, and relax with these miniseries, watching right through to the conclusion.

10

‘His & Hers’ (2026)

Image via Netflix

Though it received mixed reviews, His & Hers is a twisty mystery thriller that you’ll find impossible to watch any other way than binging all six episodes at once. Building suspense and intrigue, it’s the story of Anna (Tessa Thompson), a former news anchor who has withdrawn from her life but perks up when she hears there was a murder in the small town where she grew up. When she arrives, Anna runs into her estranged husband, Detective Jack Harper (Jon Bernthal), who is suspicious about why she has returned. Anna starts to wonder if secrets and truths from the past play a role in what happened.

There’s a lot going on in this totally unpredictable story based on the 2020 Alice Feeney novel, an exploration of hidden truths and buried pasts. The Collider reviewer notes that the series doesn’t necessarily “reinvent the wheel” as far as murder mystery shows go, but the twisty story will “tug at your heartstrings” and leave you wondering if there’s anyone you can actually trust.

9

‘The Perfect Couple’ (2024)

Image via Netflix

The Perfect Couple is another in the murder mystery genre, set in Nantucket at the lavish wedding of the son of a wealthy family. All seems great until someone winds up dead. The six episodes from there explore the investigation to find out who is behind the murder and why. There are twists, turns, secrets revealed, and family fractures that begin to split open as the reality of the not-so-perfect life behind the scenes starts to peek through.

Earning mixed reviews, The Perfect Couple has a great cast including Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Meghann Fahy, and Dakota Fanning. It’s not quite at The White Lotus level in terms of quality and intrigue. But as a short story based on a novel, it’s a guilty pleasure that will keep you guessing right through to the end.

8

‘Alias Grace’ (2017)

Image via Netflix

There’s so much attention around The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments, two series based on the writings of Margaret Atwood, that it’s easy to forget there was another popular one. Alias Grace is based on her 1996 novel of the same name and is about the true story of domestic servant Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), a 16-year-old woman convicted of killing her boss and his pregnant housekeeper alongside farmhand James McDermott (Kerr Logan). While McDermott is sentenced to death, Grace is spared and sent to prison.

Through six episodes, the show explores the nuances of the case, including whether Grace was a cold-blooded killer or a victim of abuse. Hers was one of the most notorious cases of the 19th century and the series sets out to explore Grace’s mental state and themes of class, gender, and power dynamics through conversations with psychiatrist Dr. Simon Jordan (Edward Holcroft). A Canadian drama, Alias Grace was picked up for Netflix two years after it originally aired on CBC and became a streaming hit.

7

‘Sirens’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

A juicy and quick five-episode watch, Sirens is a story about trauma and reinvention, leaving a sorrowful past behind. Simone DeWitt (Milly Alcock) tries to do this by moving onto a beach estate with her eccentric billionaire boss Michaela “Kiki” Kell (Julianne Moore). But her troubled sister Devon (Meghann Fahy) is convinced there’s something weird about Kiki and her sister might be in a cult, so she travels to the estate to find her. Naturally, conflict occurs as the rough-around-the-edges Devon doesn’t quite fit in and Simone is desperate to hide her past.

The perfect miniseries you can binge in a night takes you through the story never really knowing who to trust, who has ulterior motives, and if Kiki really is brainwashing people or just kooky. Once Kevin Bacon arrives as Kiki’s husband Peter Kell, the story takes more turns. The female-led dark comedy has laughs, heartwarming moments, and culminates in an explosive end.

6

‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

Advertisement

Telling the true story of wellness guru Belle Gibson, who used her platform to promote alternative medicine with no real proof as to its efficacy, and her dealings with another popular guru, Milla Blake, Apple Cider Vinegar is based on the book The Woman Who Fooled the World by Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano. In the tragic story, Belle (Kaitlyn Dever) convinces her followers that she has cancer. She leverages the success of Milla (Alycia Debnam-Carey), a wellness influencer who publicly discusses her real battle with cancer and decision to pursue alternative medicine. Milla is thought to be inspired by the real-life Jessica Ainscough.

The story goes down a dark rabbit hole with these two women, a cautionary tale about the online community and how influential it can be, even when there’s no science or credibility behind claims. A story of snake oil influencers, Apple Cider Vinegar will infuriate you and break your heart at the same time. The Collider reviewer notes that while it’s slow moving, only really ramping up towards the end, the series is as much a story about consequences as it is about crime.

5

‘Griselda’ (2024)

Image via Netflix

Advertisement

Sofía Vergara impressed in the role of Griselda Blanco in Griselda, a six-episode tale of the life and crimes of the Colombian drug lord, who ruled the drug underworld in Miami in the 1980s and is widely considered to be the “Godmother of Cocaine.” It’s gritty and emotional, the normally comedic actor shedding her goofy skin to portray this dark and ominous character.

Beyond the entertainment value and the depiction of a woman’s rise to power at a time when women didn’t generally receive respect in that world, Griselda also highlights the dangers of that life, the dire consequences, and the emotional toll. “The Netflix series offers a fascinating look into a figure both controversial and intriguing,” says the Collider reviewer, reminding readers, as the show does in its opening scene, that Blanco was the only person notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar ever said he feared.

4

‘When They See Us’ (2019)

Image via Netflix

Advertisement

In the famous 1998 Central Park jogger case, five Black and one Latino young men are falsely accused of raping and assaulting a young white woman in the New York City park. Following the trials, they were each convicted and sentenced to the maximum terms. But a few years later, another man confessed to the crimes, exonerating these young men and prompting them to file a lawsuit against the city. When They See Us tells their story.

The crime drama is not a docuseries, but it uses actors and a dramatized version to explore the lives of the five juvenile men and how this case and the accusations upended them. The four episodes begin with the arrest and move swiftly through the interrogations and alleged pressures on the young men to confess and turn on one another, their troubling time in a juvenile facility, and their lives after release. It’s a gripping true story that will make you question the justice system and the concept of being innocent until proven guilty.

3

‘Unorthodox’ (2020)

Image via Netflix

Advertisement

A heartbreaking tale based on a true story, Shira Haas plays Esther “Esty” Shapiro, a young woman who escapes from her Orthodox community right after an arranged marriage. She yearns for a life outside of her community, desperate to break free from the religious confines of the secular community. When her husband learns that she is pregnant, however, he rushes to Berlin, where she has traveled to find her and try and bring her home.

Unorthodox is one of the greatest four-episode miniseries, a German drama told mostly in Yiddish with English subtitles. But the story is universally understood about a young woman who feels oppressed and forced into beliefs and a life she does not want. The series is based on the real-life experiences of Deborah Feldman, who herself escaped from her Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn. Haas is electrifying in the role, bringing a sense of innocence and curiosity, but also fierceness, to this young woman who is finally standing up for herself and what she wants, not what’s mapped out for her.

2

‘Bodyguard’ (2018)

Image via BBC

Advertisement

If you love The Night Agent, you’ll appreciate Bodyguard as well, as both rank among the best political thriller shows. The British BBC political thriller that streams on Netflix centers around British army war veteran David Budd (Richard Madden) who is suffering from PTSD. After thwarting a train attack, he is assigned as personal protection for Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes) where his allegiances and views on politics are tested.

The story ramps up, however, when David is thrust into the middle of a terrorist plan and he, his family, and innocent citizens are in danger. It’s an intense ride through the six episodes, Madden electrifying in the role. Beyond the action, Bodyguard also dives into the topic of government surveillance and private citizen information.

1

‘Adolescence’ (2025)

The darling series of 2025 that earned tons of attention and accolades, Adolescence is a tough watch, a cautionary tale about youth, social media, and incel culture. When Eddie (Stephen Graham) and Manda (Christine Tremarco) are awoken in the middle of the night by police looking to arrest their 13-year-old son Jamie (Owen Cooper) for the murder of his classmate, their lives will never be the same. The story, told across four episodes as one of the best miniseries from the last five years, follows the heart-wrenching experience as they deal with the fallout and the reality that their son might actually be guilty.

The most difficult episodes to watch include Jamie’s conversation with forensic psychologist Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty), where the damage from online influence becomes apparent and the final episode as his parents reflect on signs they missed and what they might have done wrong. It’s a parent’s worst nightmare, a chilling tale that any parent of a pre-teen or teenager should watch and use as a step-off point for having difficult but important conversations with them.

Advertisement

Adolescence

Advertisement

Release Date

March 13, 2025

Network

Advertisement

Netflix

Directors

Philip Barantini

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

When you’re a big action star on a hot streak, you have to realize that not every film you make is going to connect with viewers, or even be particularly memorable. Even the greats have an off day, and that’s what happened to one of the most prolific and successful action stars of the 21st century when he met a script he couldn’t save.

Safe is streaming for free on Pluto this month, giving viewers another chance to catch the action thriller you’ve never actually heard of. The movie follows Luke Wright, a former cage fighter whose life has fallen apart after crossing the Russian mob. When he meets a young girl being hunted by multiple criminal factions, he becomes her only chance of survival. The pair goes on the run together and, wouldn’t you know it, heads get smashed, faces get punched, and quips get quipped.

The cast includes Jason Statham (The Transporter) as Luke Wright, Catherine Chan (A Kid Like Jake) as Mei, Robert John Burke (RoboCop 3) as Captain Wolf, James Hong (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Han Jiao, Anson Mount (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) as Alex Rosen, Chris Sarandon (The Princess Bride) as Mayor Tremello, and Reggie Lee (Grimm) as Quan Chang.

Was ‘Safe’ a Success?

This wasn’t one of Statham’s memorable movies, unfortunately. It’s not like it was an all-time disaster, but it grossed about $40.6 million worldwide against a reported $30 million budget, which means it barely cleared its production cost once all the marketing and distribution numbers were included, and adjusted for today, that’s roughly $55 million worldwide on a budget of about $40 million, so theatrically, this was a pretty underwhelming result.

Critically, there was a mixed response too. Rotten Tomatoes has it sitting at 59% with the consensus saying that, although it’s hard-hitting and quite violently inventive, the whole plot was just too formulaic to stand out from the majority of the action schlock kicking around the world these days. But it’s okay, because Statham didn’t let this one miss derail his momentum. In fact, it almost propelled him to greater heights, as soon afterwards, he joined the Fast and Furious franchise and then, the rest was history.

Safe is streaming for free on Pluto this month.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

April 16, 2012

Runtime

Advertisement

94 Minutes

Director

Boaz Yakin

Advertisement

Writers

Boaz Yakin

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 5 seconds ago

From the moment that he popped up as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, Marvel fans have absolutely loved Tom Holland. It’s hard not to, really: his Peter Parker is a humble, stumbling geek when he’s not thwipping his way through one supervillain fight after another. Offscreen, Holland always comes across just as affable as his onscreen persona, and he has more charisma than Spidey has web-fluid. So much charisma, in fact, that he managed to transform Zendaya, his onscreen love interest, into his real-life fiancée. But would you believe that Marvel’s most wholesome hero has a secret dark side? 

No, I’m not talking about the Venom symbiote, which has yet to become a going concern in the MCU. But Tom Holland showed off his inner supervillain recently when he was confronted with an old, explosive quote of his: “If I’m playing Spider-Man after I’m 30, I’ve done something wrong.” Now that the actor is 30 years old, he admitted that he had a “strategy to create fear” among Sony executives so that he could get more money from the studio!

A Hero Is (Re)Born

Back in 2021, Tom Holland gave an interview to GQ Magazine. There, he made a very shocking statement: “If I’m playing Spider-Man after I’m 30, I’ve done something wrong.” What made the quote so shocking was the very idea that someone as young as Holland would voluntarily walk away from the biggest cinematic universe ever created. At the time, Marvel still had a well-earned reputation as a money-printing machine, and Holland was playing its most beloved superhero. While many thought he was foolish to toy with the idea of throwing it all away, some thought it was a sign of integrity that Holland might potentially turn away millions upon millions of dollars to avoid being typecast.

Everything came full circle when he gave a more recent interview to GQ. When asked about his old quote, he said that he had recently been “trying to remember what I meant” and clarified that his main point was “that I would love to pass the baton on.” Acknowledging that he should shift his Spider-Man retirement age to 37 instead of 30, he then threw out another possible motivation for his controversial quote. “I could also have been trying to leverage Sony and scare them into thinking I wasn’t going to do ‘Spider-Man 4’ now that I had a new deal on the horizon,” he said. “It could’ve been part of a strategy to create fear.”

In His Villain Era

Tom Holland isn’t confirming this was his plan. Still, what he threw out is hilariously sinister coming from Marvel’s most wholesome actor. At the time, everyone thought that he was either really brave or really stupid to act like he was too good for a role most actors would kill to have. Now, he just casually admitted that this might have been a plan to land himself a bigger paycheck for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is coming out this summer. When he and Zendaya finally tie the knot, he might be able to treat her to an extravagant honeymoon, all because he secretly bullied Sony into giving him more money!

Now, though, the not-so-young man is past playing head games with the studio. In his most recent GQ interview, he admitted that “playing Spider-Man has been the joy of my life…I’ll do it for as long as they’ll have me.” That’s likely good news for Kevin Feige, as most assume Holland’s Spider-Man will be a central MCU character after Avengers: Secret Wars reboots this cinematic universe. After all, he’s still much younger than other Marvel stars like Hugh Jackman, who would probably never mouth off to the studio. In fact, if Jackman is still playing Wolverine when he’s 90, he’ll have done something very, very right!

One of the biggest draws of cinema has always been its escapism, and no film genre fulfills that need quite as well as fantasy. With their imaginative worlds, endearing characters, and larger-than-life stories, fantasy movies have entertained and inspired audiences for generations. But while there have been a lot of great fantasy films released over the decades, the best of them all are the films that truly transformed the genre, pushing it to heights never before seen.

These are the films that didn’t just entertain audiences; they completely changed the game, becoming benchmarks and inspirations for all subsequent generations. The fantasy genre (and cinema in general) would be a vastly different world altogether without them, so it’s only right that we give these films the acclaim they deserve. Read on to discover our handpicked selection of fantasy movie masterpieces that are so great they became the blueprint for the genre.

1

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)

Image via New Line Cinema

Directed by Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is an adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien‘s classic high fantasy novel of the same name and the first part of Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Set in the fantastical world of Middle-earth, the story follows young hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and his eight companions as they set out on a dangerous quest to destroy the One Ring, an evil artifact tied to the Dark Lord Sauron. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Sean Bean, and more.

Universally acclaimed and immensely successful at the box office, Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies have had as profound an impact on fantasy filmmaking as Tolkien’s novels did on fantasy literature. The first film, arguably the best of the trilogy, is widely recognized as one of the greatest movies ever made, and it earned several honors, including four Academy Awards out of thirteen nominations. Its influence can be seen in practically every high fantasy film made since its release, making it the definitive movie of its subgenre and one of the greatest of all time.

2

‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)

Image via Warner Bros.

Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s iconic 1900 novel, The Wizard of Oz is a musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed primarily by Victor Fleming. The movie stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, a young girl from Kansas who finds herself transported to the magical land of Oz and embarks on a quest to meet the titular wizard in order to return home. Besides Garland, the film also stars Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Billie Burke, and Margaret Hamilton.

A masterpiece of technical innovation, The Wizard of Oz was acclaimed in its time for its music, characters, plot, and visual effects, especially its brilliant use of Technicolor. Though it didn’t make a profit initially, the film earned three Academy Awards out of five nominations and has since become one of the most celebrated fantasy movies of all time. Easily one of the most iconic films in the history of cinema, The Wizard of Oz is a cultural touchstone that has been an inspiration to generations of filmmakers both within the fantasy genre and beyond.

3

‘Spirited Away’ (2001)

Image via Studio Ghibli

Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away is a Japanese fantasy anime film animated by Studio Ghibli and produced by Toshio Suzuki. The movie follows a young girl named Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi), who accidentally enters the spirit world and takes a job working for a witch while trying to find a way back to the human world. The film’s voice cast also includes Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takashi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tsunehiko Kamijō, Takehiko Ono, and Bunta Sugawara.

One of the most universally acclaimed and commercially successful anime films of all time, Spirited Away is a landmark of Japanese animation and one of the most influential animated films of all time. The movie has earned praise over the years for its hand-drawn animation style, emotionally deep storytelling, and imaginative world. Widely regarded as one of the greatest animated films of all time, the movie is also notable for being the first hand-drawn, non-English-language animated film ever to be awarded the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

4

‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (1937)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Advertisement

Produced by Walt Disney, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is an animated adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairytale and the first animated feature film produced in the United States. Adriana Caselotti stars as the voice of Snow White, a gentle and kind young princess who hides from her evil stepmother, the Queen (Lucille La Verne), with the help of seven dwarves, voiced by Roy Atwell, Pinto Colvig, Otis Harlan, Scotty Mattraw, Billy Gilbert, and Eddie Collins. Harry Stockwell, Moroni Olsen, and Stuart Buchanan voice other supporting roles.

Easily one of the most influential Disney films of all time, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a landmark of cinematic history that has entertained generations of fans with its music, animation, and timeless moral story. The film was a massive success in its day and has continued to win praise from worldwide audiences over the subsequent decades, making it one of the most enduring works of fantasy animation ever made. Not even Disney could make a better retelling of the classic fairy tale, and they tried!

5

‘Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope’ (1977)

Image via Lucasfilm

Advertisement

Written and directed by George Lucas, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is an epic space opera that’s the first movie of the Star Wars film franchise and the fourth chapter in the franchise’s Skywalker Saga. Set in a fictional galaxy far, far away controlled by the tyrannical Galactic Empire, the film stars Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, a young farmboy from the desert planet Tatooine who sets out to rescue the kidnapped leader of the Rebel Alliance, Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and help the rebels destroy the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the Death Star. The film also stars Harrison Ford, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, David Prowse, and James Earl Jones in notable roles.

The first Star Wars movie was a massive, unexpected blockbuster when it first premiered in 1977, igniting the imaginations of a whole generation of fans and laying the foundations for what would eventually become one of the biggest global franchises of all time. An entertaining blend of science fiction and fantasy, A New Hope had a transformative impact on the genre, both in terms of its worldbuilding and the many filmmaking techniques it pioneered, including the original use of sound effects, props, models, and special effects. Today, the movie is widely regarded as a cinematic masterpiece and a major cultural landmark that’s adored by legions of fans around the world.

6

‘The Dark Crystal’ (1982)

Image via Universal Pictures

Advertisement

Directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, The Dark Crystal is a live-action dark fantasy film that’s most recognized for its extensive use of puppets and animatronics, featuring no human actors at all. Set in the magical world of Thra, the movie follows two young Gelflings, Jen and Kira, as they embark on a quest to overthrow the evil Skeksis by restoring a shattered crystal. The film’s voice cast includes Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, and more.

The Dark Crystal had a pretty mixed reception when it first premiered in 1982, largely because of its dark tone, but the film has since grown into a cult classic that’s widely praised for its imaginative worldbuilding, unique production, and original story. The movie raised the bar for practical effects and creature design, pushing the art of puppetry to new heights, and it has been an inspiration to filmmakers and designers ever since. A prequel series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, was released on Netflix in 2019.

7

‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)

Everett Collection

Advertisement

Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, Pan’s Labyrinth is a Spanish‑language dark fantasy film set in Spain in the summer of 1944, not long after the end of the Spanish Civil War. Ivana Baquero stars as Ofelia, a young girl whose mother has recently married a ruthless Civil Guard officer, and the film follows her attempts to complete a quest that blurs the lines between myth and reality. Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil, and Álex Angulo star in key supporting roles.

Pan’s Labyrinth premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival to critical praise, receiving the longest standing ovation in the festival’s history. Universally acclaimed for its visual style, emotional depth, and layered narrative, the film was an exceptional success at the time of its release, earning numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards and three BAFTAs. The movie is arguably Guillermo del Toro’s greatest film, a fascinating blend of wondrous fantasy and historical tragedy that is widely regarded as one of the best films of the 21st century so far.

8

‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Advertisement

Directed and co-produced by the late Rob Reiner, The Princess Bride is a fantasy adventure comedy written by William Goldman and adapted from Goldman’s own 1973 novel. The film stars Cary Elwes as farmhand-turned-swashbuckler Westley, who seeks to rescue his true love, Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright), from the villainous Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), with the help of his quirky companions. Mandy Patinkin, André the Giant, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Billy Crystal, and Carol Kane star in supporting roles.

A true pop culture landmark, The Princess Bride is a timeless classic that has earned the praise of generations of critics and viewers with its combination of wit, romance, and swashbuckling action. Full of quotable dialogue, genre subversions, and entertainingly eccentric characters, the film was not a very big success at the box office when it first came out, but it has since grown into one of the most widely loved adventure movies of all time. A perennial cult classic, the film’s legacy was officially recognized in 2016 when it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

September 25, 1987

Runtime

99 minutes

Advertisement

Writers

William Goldman

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The epics of Hollywood’s Golden Age are unlike anything the industry produces today. The enormous set pieces, colorful costumes, powerful performers, and iconic tales of deeply human drama that transcend the time periods in which they’re set — and Ben-Hur sets a high bar. You may not know that Ben-Hur was based on the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace, which was first published in 1880. According to the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities, it was second to the Bible itself in sales for decades until Margaret Mitchell‘s Gone with the Wind usurped the title. But while Ben-Hur is set in first-century Roman-occupied Judea, its roots go all the way back to the Wild West era of American expansion.

‘Ben-Hur’ Was Written By Governor Lew Wallace on the American Frontier

The famed 1959 Charlton Heston adaptation of Ben-Hur — which was first adapted as a silent picture in 1907, followed by a 1925 adaptation, a 2003 animated film, and a 2016 remake — is not only one of the most impressive technical marvels to find its way to the big screen, but easily among the most profound. Yet, the source material that sparked such a powerful epic was penned and published by author Lew Wallace while he served as Governor of the New Mexico Territory. Wallace had fought in both the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War, and at the tail end of the latter, even served on the commission investigating the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. After the war, he pursued politics, ultimately backing the Republican abolitionist Rutherford B. Hayes in the 1877 presidential race. It was Wallace’s earnest support for Hayes that earned him his governorship of New Mexico, and in 1878 he arrived in Sante Fe just after the worst of the famed Lincoln County War.

Although Wallace was tasked with settling the dispute, which some believe carried on as long as 1981 when Sheriff Pat Garrett reportedly killed outlaw and former “Lincoln County Regulator” Billy the Kid (aka William H. Bonney), it didn’t stop him from continuing his research into first-century Judea, nor from finishing his biblically-inspired epic. As noted by the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum, “[Wallace] completed the final chapters of the novel, especially those dealing with the crucifixion of Christ, while he was serving as Governor of the New Mexico Territory.” This means that Ben-Hur was in the works at the same time that Wallace met with the Kid in hopes to use his testimony against the corrupt officials involved in the Lincoln County War.

Although Bonney agreed to Wallace’s request, he only did so on the condition of a full pardon for the three murders he was charged with during the conflict. The governor agreed to the terms and the Kid testified, but the local district attorney refused to honor the deal, leading to Bonney’s eventual escape. Wallace was forced, then, to sign Billy the Kid’s death warrant, which was one of his final acts as governor. While Ben-Hur is the farthest thing from a traditional Western, Lew Wallace’s classic novel is undoubtedly a product of his time on the American frontier.

‘Ben-Hur’ Was Lew Wallace’s Literary Masterwork

Five months after Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ was published, Wallace resigned from his post. His weary attitude toward the West came just in time as, only a few years later, Ben-Hur became a source of great wealth and success for the former governor and general. He left behind politics altogether by 1885. Although Wallace hadn’t visited the Holy Land before writing the book, the National Endowment for the Humanities notes that he spent nearly a decade researching the Ancient Near-East and diligently studying the period. So, when he finally made it to Jerusalem in 1882, he was pleased with how well his work represented what he saw.

These days, Western audiences likely remember Lew Wallace as the governor who “betrayed” Billy the Kid. Fictional depictions of Wallace have appeared in movies like Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and Young Guns II, as well as television shows like Death Valley Days. (His work on Ben-Hur was briefly noted in the MGM+ series Billy the Kid.) For the most part, Wallace’s literary contributions have been largely been divorced from his time in the Old West. Even so, Ben-Hur remains a powerful tale that transcends his brief governership on the frontier.

Seven dangerous fellas, zero interest in subtlety, and pretty horses. That’s this particular Western in a nutshell, because it does nothing quietly. It takes the bones of a classic story and then throws it into the body of a louder and bloodier action movie for modern times. It’s dusty, yes, and violent as well, but it’s the exact kind of movie that you’ll be looking for when you need something to stream late at night on the weekend.

The Magnificent Seven is streaming for free on Pluto this month, giving viewers another chance to revisit the brutal Western reimagining from Antoine Fuqua. The film is set in a desperate town that hires a group of outlaws, gamblers, bounty hunters, and gunslingers to protect them from a ruthless industrialist who wants their land. What could possibly go wrong? That setup is classic Western material, but it’s tinged with the revenge thriller aspect too, and it’s easy to see the Yellowstone comparison in its land-war setup, while the body-count-heavy action gives the whole thing a bit of John Wick energy, only with horses, dust, and fewer pencils.

The cast includes Denzel Washington (Gladiator II) as Sam Chisolm, Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy) as Josh Faraday, Ethan Hawke (The Lowdown) as Goodnight Robicheaux, Vincent D’Onofrio (Daredevil: Born Again) as Jack Horne, Byung-hun Lee (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) as Billy Rocks, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer) as Vasquez, and Peter Sarsgaard (Shattered Glass) as Bartholomew Bogue.

How Successful Was ‘The Magnificent Seven’?

In a manner of speaking, it did well, but it wasn’t a massive smash. It grossed about $162.4 million worldwide, including $93.4 million domestically, against a reported $90 million production budget, so that gives it about 1.8x its production budget. That’s a decent amount, but when marketing and advertising costs are factored in, the movie probably made a small loss. It opened well, though, with $34.7 million in North America and topped the box office that weekend. Critically, it was more mixed. Rotten Tomatoes lists it at 64%, with critics praising the cast and action but saying it didn’t really reinvent the Western as a genre. Collider’s review of the movie was absolutely not one of the positive ones as it slammed it for taking one of the finest Westerns ever made and turning it into a rote action movie. Why would you want to watch this if the original film or Seven Samurai are sitting right there?

The Magnificent Seven is streaming for free on Pluto this month.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

September 23, 2016

Runtime

132 minutes

Advertisement

Writers

Richard Wenk, Nic Pizzolatto

Advertisement

Producers

Roger Birnbaum, Todd Black

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 20 seconds ago

One of the most interesting Star Wars supporting characters is Asajj Ventress, the murderous Sith who frequently tormented the Republic during the Clone Wars cartoon. She initially served as Anakin Skywalker’s dark counterpart, one who trained under Count Dooku just as the young Jedi trained under Obi-Wan Kenobi. Eventually, her story took some weird twists and turns: after being betrayed by Darth Sidious and Count Dooku, she tries to find a home with the Nightsisters and even some sleazy bounty hunters, including Boba Fett. Eventually, she has a face turn, ultimately helping to save Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ashoka, two Jedi who were once her sworn enemies. 

While Asajj Ventress benefited from good writing, it was her voice actor, Nika Futterman, who really brought this complex villain to life. Futterman is an accomplished actor who has voiced some of the genre’s best characters, including Hawkgirl and Catwoman.  However, what even the biggest Star Wars fans don’t realize is that Futterman helped connect their favorite franchise to one of the most beloved and most controversial bands of the ‘90s. You see, long before she voiced a Sith apprentice, Futterman sang the “give it to me baby” part of the hit Offspring song “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).”

Nothing Ventress, Nothing Gained

Like many voice actors, Nika Futterman has had a very unconventional career. Since the mid-90’s, she has voiced characters in just about every geeky franchise under the sun. This includes Marvel, DC, Ninja Turtles, Scooby-Doo, and so many more. In 2008, she voiced Star Wars character Asajj Ventress in the Clone Wars movie, a role that carried over to the Clone Wars television show. Her casting was a pleasant surprise, as Ventress had been previously voiced by Grey DeLisle in the earlier, 2D Clone Wars show. Futterman has gone the distance in a galaxy far, far away and continued voicing Asajj Ventress in the Star Wars shows Tales of the Underworld and The Bad Batch.

Early in Futterman’s career, she dabbled in music. Her most notable achievement in this arena included performing in the hit 1998 Offspring song “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy”). Futterman doesn’t sing along with the band, exactly; instead, she provides the iconic refrain “give it to me, baby!” that arguably makes the song so memorable. While the song proved to be immensely popular, some found it offensive because most of its humor was based on race. Specifically, the song is filled with tongue-in-cheek references to the titular white guy desperately trying (and failing) to be cool by doing things like buying Vanilla Ice records and cruising around in a Pinto.

Give It To Her, Baby!

The song was a breakout hit for The Offspring, a band that made a name for itself with vulgar lyrics that celebrated aggressive behavior and mocked everything from poser culture to authoritarian posturing. As such, they were considered highly offensive by conservative critics of the ‘90s, which, in retrospect, isn’t really fair. If you can get past the foul language and songs about sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll, you are left with a successful band that simply helped make punk attitudes and aesthetics mainstream. In terms of punk, these guys are infinitely less offensive than, say, hardcore punk legend GG Allin.

Whether you hate or celebrate The Offspring, their connection to Star Wars is wonderfully surreal. One year before The Phantom Menace hit theaters, the woman who would ultimately voice the prequels’ coolest spinoff character was singing an infectiously catchy, hilariously suggestive refrain for the most vulgar bop of the decade. In its own way, that song was even prophetic when it comes to the Chosen One of a galaxy far, far away: Anakin Skywalker. This angry young man might never have been granted the rank of Master, but even the stodgiest members of the Council can agree on one thing: he is pretty fly, for a white guy! 

Off Campus star Mika Abdalla and ex-fiancé Jake Short are speaking out exclusively to Us Weekly regarding a controversial resurfaced podcast clip that’s been making waves online following their split.

“We’ve seen a conversation around clips of us together when we were in a relationship, and people making harmful and inaccurate assumptions about our dynamic,” read the joint statement from Abdalla, 26, and Short, 29, about the resurfaced conversation from a 2024 episode of “The Sit and Chat” podcast. (In the video, Short made a joke in reference to Abdalla that some social media users have since dubbed controversial online.)

The former couple noted to Us that they “were in a loving, respectful relationship for five years” and “it’s hurtful to see playful moments dissected in a way that does not reflect the respect and love we had and still have for each other.”

The exes put on a united front just days after Us broke the news of their split after five years together. In a statement to Us, a rep for Abdalla said, “Because of the immense curiosity about Mika’s personal life and in light of numerous erroneous reports, I can clarify that Mika and Jake are no longer in a relationship.”

Related: ‘Off Campus’ Cast: Who the Prime Video Stars Have Dated in Real Life

The Off Campus cast has, similar to their fictional counterparts, have found success in their personal dating lives. Based on the Off Campus book series by Elle Kennedy, the show, which premiered in May 2026, follows an elite ice hockey team — and the women in their lives — as they “grapple with love, heartbreak […]

The spokesperson noted that Abdalla and Short continue “to support each other as friends,” adding, “I’d ask that Mika’s and Jake’s privacy be respected at this time.”

The former couple started dating after they met on the set of Sex Appeal in 2021, even getting engaged before parting ways. Abdalla,
has since been focused on her career following her breakout role on Prime Video’s Off Campus.

Based on the Off Campus book series by Elle Kennedy, the show, which premiered in May, follows an elite ice hockey team — and the women in their lives — as they “grapple with love, heartbreak and self-discovery — forging deep friendships and enduring bonds while navigating the complexities that come with transitioning into adulthood,” read the official synopsis.

Season 1 is centered around the “sexy and fun ‘opposites attract’ romance between quiet songwriter, Hannah and Briar University’s all-star hockey athlete, Garrett.”

Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli led the first season, with Allie and Dean (Stephen Kalyn) being next in line. Before production kicked off on season 2, Abdalla spoke to Us about the support for the show.

“Since the cast was announced, I feel like there’s been theories circulating online, and it’s been really interesting to read it,” she shared about the book to TV show changes. “I for sure think people are going to be at least surprised.”

Abdalla specifically addressed the surprise introduction of Hunter Davenport (Charlie Evans) — despite him not being linked to Allie in Kennedy’s version of the story.

“It was really important to have that scene to slow down what was happening between Allie and Dean. I want to see them kind of go. I want to see them really separate,” Abdalla hinted. “Allie just got out of a long-term relationship. She can’t do what she always does. … I really like the edition of the Hunter story line drama. They need to grow as individuals. And so I really want to see Ali and Dean grow separately in season 2.”

The actress was thrilled to see what would come next for Allie and Dean.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Abdalla expressed excitement at the chance to explore more of the fictional couple’s relationship.

“I’m just really looking forward to digging deeper into who Allie and Dean are. They both kind of have these fronts, these personas that are hard to kind of crack through. They are kind of stereotypes of themselves, if that makes sense,” she told Us. “But in the books, there’s so much beneath the surface of Dean and there’s so much beneath the surface of Allie.”

Abdalla continued: “When it is time for our season, I’m excited to dig emotionally into that a little bit more. [We] see Allie and Dean as their exteriors a lot in season 1. And while that is fun, and they are super fun characters to play, I think as actors, selfishly, both of us are really excited to like, get psychological.”