Entertainment
The 20 Greatest Superhero Movie Masterpieces of All Time, Ranked
Superhero movies have had a long and varied history spanning across multiple decades and generations of growth and stylistic approaches that have made them some of the most dynamic filmmaking experiences out there. While the genre saw massive popularity bumps in the 21st century with the likes of cinematic universes and long-running franchises, both adapted and original stories about superheroes have always had a distinct niche among general audiences.
Nowadays, superhero movies are considered a symbol of blockbuster cinema and make up several of the highest grossing movies of all time. In the digital era where fan-culture is at the forefront of mainstream culture, superhero movies have reigned supreme, with the absolute best superhero movies becoming more widely acclaimed and appreciated as a result. While everyone is going to have their own personal picks of what the best superhero movies are, these films continue to be brought up as the best masterpieces that the genre has to offer.
20
‘X-Men: First Class’ (2011)
The X-Men franchise has had a wide array of well-crafted entries over the years, yet one of the most striking and exceptional standalone experiences continues to be the dynamic reboot/prequel to the franchise, X-Men: First Class. Under the direction of Matthew Vaughn, First Class proves to be one of the most energizing and invigorating entries in the franchise, having real, layered characters and not being bogged down by any previous films.
It does a great deal of justice to the layered friendship and dynamic between Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender), whose portrayal of the characters in their younger years proves to be one of the most effective portrayals of the characters in film to date. This is on top of the array of other great elements that help the film stand out not just as a prequel, but an exceptional standalone story of friendship torn apart by the fires of revenge.
19
‘Wonder Woman’ (2017)
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While the DC Extended Universe was wildly divisive among its first few entries, Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman was the first film in the extended universe that truly felt like it had unanimous praise and acceptance by comic book fans and critics alike. It delivered on everything that made the character work so well in Batman v. Superman, only further amplifying these aspects for engaging action and a layered, intelligent origin story.
Especially after decades of the all-star comic book heroine not having a truly great cinematic feature to call her own, Wonder Woman finally brings her action-packed comic glory to the big screen in the best way possible. The film single-handedly revitalized the appeal and prospects of the character for modern audiences, evolving her to be a powerful hero that can truly stand alongside the likes of Batman and Superman in terms of quality and craft.
18
‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)
While the original Captain America film was certainly enjoyable in its own right, the hardened, modern-day thriller approach that the sequel, Captain America: The Winter Soldier took actually solidified the righteous American icon as a hero worthy of his stature and presence on the big-screen. It takes the exact right path for the growth and development of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), having his entire worldview falling apart as he realizes that the institution that he’s been protecting has been fractured and compromised with villainy all along.
The action is perfect, the storytelling is complete with entertaining twists and an effective central message, and Evans is as likable and charming as ever as Captain America himself. The film has stood as the golden standard for not just Captain America movies, but how to effectively show grounded, thriller action in the MCU and superhero movies as a whole. It proved to be a major stepping stone for the MCU as a whole and is still often considered one of the best films in the cinematic universe.
17
‘Cutie Honey’ (2004)
While Cutie Honey may easily be the most obsure film to be featured on this list, it is absolutely deserving of its placement as the Japanese action comedy stands as a one-of-a-kind, colorful explosion of a cinematic superhero experience. The film goes to great lengths to recreate the same manic, no-nonsense action style of the original anime series that it’s based on, resulting in some of the wildest and most over-the-top action possible for a live-action film.
The magical girl satire is much more than flash-in-the-pan action, however, as its execution and story act as a love letter to the genre of magical superhero girls in anime storytelling while also comedically riffing on classic conventions and clichés of the genre. Under the guise of director Hideaki Anno, who has experience in both live-action and animation as the creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion and co-director of Shin Godzilla, the film soars as one of the biggest underrated masterpieces of the superhero genre.
16
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ (2017)
Reinventing the Thor franchise and character as a whole as well as evolving him to the new standard of MCU filmmaking as a whole, Thor: Ragnarok massively improved upon the lackluster superhero outing of Thor: The Dark World to become one of the MCU’s most stylish and entertaining action comedies to date. The film cuts back and focuses on what makes Thor such a great character, giving more depth and layers to his story while complimenting it with memorable jokes and bundles of charm.
The film sees Taika Waititi’s signature charm and wit at what is easily its best, able to light up a room while also not shy away from serious and more melancholic moments when the plot demands it. The visuals are still some of the best that the MCU has ever seen, while its legendary needle drops and well-paced action sequences have made the film a fan-favorite ever since its release.
15
‘Batman’ (1989)
Long before the wide array of 21st century superhero movies made the concept the face of serious, well-crafted blockbusters, Tim Burton‘s Batman was one of the first films to bring a real edge and serious attitude to a previously goofy and non-serious comic book character. A lot of the iconography and exceptional screen-presence that is associated with Batman as a character can be traced back to this 80s classic, with every other Batman masterpiece owing this film a great deal of gratitude and respect for paving the way for their success.
Michael Keaton is a perfect fit for the role of Bruce Wayne, only outdone by the masterful performance by Jack Nicholson as the Joker, as their attitudes and performances complement each other perfectly. The film stood as the gold standard not just for live-action Batman adaptations, but also superhero movies as a whole for many years, showing to people that a comic book superhero could make for a grounded, well-crafted and darker story.
14
‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)
The climactic finale installment of the legendary Infinity saga that spanned over a decade of films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Endgame had a lot of hype and build-up to live-up to. By all accounts, the film managed to achieve the impossible by delivering on all the promises and potential of its set-up, bringing together every character and major story beat into a legendary combination of stakes and action-packed glory.
At just over 3 hours long, the film doesn’t falter for even a second as it spans across the entire history of the MCU with its wild, unpredictable and highly entertaining time travel storyline. However, even for those who weren’t keeping up to date with the MCU, its standalone storytelling and pacing prove to be so effective that it still works great as a standalone film. The film still stands as the defining example of crowd-cheering excitement in a blockbuster experience, which, even if one isn’t a fan of such theater behaviour, is certainly emblematic of its strengths.
13
‘Superman’ (1978)
It would make sense that the most iconic superhero of all time would have an equally iconic feature film to his name, yet out of all the well-crafted Superman films released over the years, Richard Donner‘s original classic still stands on top as the best Superman film to date. There’s simply a joy and whimsy that the film has in its filmmaking and action that is unmatched by any other superhero movie, perfectly capturing the do-gooder attitude of the Man of Steel and amplifying his strengths in the best way possible.
Christopher Reeve is also about as perfect of casting as one could get for the role of Superman, perfectly playing up both the neurotic, awkward demeanor of Clark Kent and the commanding, comforting strength of Superman. While many other superhero movies are more focused on heightened action and realistic storytelling, the quaint simplicity of Donner’s Superman is key to making it such a timeless and joyful experience.
12
‘Black Panther’ (2018)
One of the most frequent criticisms of the MCU is that, even despite having a wide array of filmmakers creating their films, their own personality and quirks can often feel drowned out by the samey feeling of most MCU films. However, Black Panther stands as one of the most distinct detractors of this trend, with the entire film overwhelmed with passion and drive from director Ryan Coogler. The action continues to be energizing and electrifying while its themes and core messaging are easily among the best of the entire MCU.
While the film certainly gets a lot of credit for being one of the most recognizable black-led movies of the superhero genre, the film’s strengths and exceptional artistry go well beyond the race of the people involved in production. There’s a finess and fine-tuned craft to its execution that feels more authentic than most other MCU movies combined, telling an important stand-alone story as opposed to simply acting as the next stepping stone for an extended universe.
11
‘Chronicle’ (2012)
Capitalizing on both the superhero trend that was defining the early 2010s and the massive prevalence of found footage movies at this time, Chronicle is an exceptional coming-of-age deconstruction of classic superhero origins with a grounded, high-tension execution to boot. The film never outwardly pushes its superhero elements, simply allowing the grounded realism of its story of unlikely teens getting powerful telekinetic abilities to speak for itself while it slowly travels more and more into superhero territory.
What makes the film work so well is that it acts as much as a supervillain origin story as it does a superhero one, with each of its main trio feeling distinctly different from one another in a way that feels realistic while also paying tribute to classic superhero stories. The film is sadly often forgotten about when it comes to conversations about the best superhero movies, often because it doesn’t share the massive intellectual properties of the biggest blockbusters in the genre.
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Netflix employees in Los Angeles are enjoying free products from Meghan Markle‘s lifestyle brand, As Ever, which includes jams, candles, wine, and her signature flower petal sprinkles.
The products, tied to her Netflix series “With Love, Meghan,” reportedly remain at the offices mainly for promotional purposes after most inventory was moved to a warehouse.
Meghan Markle launched the brand in partnership with Netflix, and insiders say it continues to sell out quickly, with plans for global expansion.
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Netflix Staff Taking Home Free Products From Meghan Markle’s Lifestyle Brand, As Ever
According to Page Six, Netflix staff in Los Angeles have been enjoying products from Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever.
Two storage rooms at the streamer’s Hollywood campus reportedly hold jars of jam, candles, wine, and Meghan’s signature flower petal sprinkles, and staff are said to be taking the products home freely.
“Apparently, there are two storage rooms packed with As ever product. They’re literally just giving it away to employees,” a source told the news outlet. “One (staffer) walked out with 10 products for free.”
Despite the giveaways, most of As Ever’s inventory was moved to a separate warehouse long ago. What remains at Netflix is primarily for promotional purposes, including gifting and sampling.
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The presence of the products at the offices stems from Meghan’s partnership with Netflix, which helped launch the lifestyle range after she abandoned the original name, American Riviera Orchard, due to a trademark dispute.
The products were tied to her Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan,” which will not return for a third season after ratings dropped.
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The Duchess’s Lifestyle Brand Denied Struggling To Sell After Glitch Reveals Massive Unsold Inventory
Last month, Meghan’s team denied claims that the business was struggling after a website glitch briefly revealed hundreds of thousands of unsold items: about 220,000 jars of jam, 30,000 jars of honey, 90,000 candles, 80,000 tins of flower sprinkles, and roughly 70,000 bottles of wine, including rosé, sauvignon blanc, and brut sparkling wine.
As Ever’s products carry premium price tags, too. The duchess’s jams and teas sell for $14, honey is $32 per jar, candles go for $64, rosé costs $35, and sparkling wine is $89 a bottle.
The brand’s current Valentine’s Day set combines chocolate, strawberry, and raspberry spreads, hibiscus tea, a water lotus and sandalwood-scented candle, and flower sprinkles for $185.
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Reddit users discovered a glitch allowing them to calculate maximum stock levels by adding large quantities of products to their carts, but sources close to Meghan say the brand is preparing for international expansion, not struggling.
A source told People Magazinethat “the glitch that led to this data being revealed points to a business that isn’t just successful — it’s flying, literally off the shelf.”
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Meghan Markle’s Lifestyle Brand Soars As Debut Rosé Sells Out
Insiders claim the Duchess of Sussex, who retains a first-look deal with Netflix alongside her husband, Prince Harry, is now focusing on expanding her lifestyle brand and may continue releasing occasional holiday specials.
During an interview for Bloomberg Originas’ “The Circuit with Emily Chang,” Meghan said her debut rosé sold out in under an hour, and the brand increased inventory for a second seasonal drop, which also sold quickly.
“When you sell out that quickly, actually, it’s a double-edged sword, because it’s an incredible thing to happen for any small business and any startup, and at the same time, you don’t get the same metrics and learnings about which products are the most coveted, because it’s all gone immediately,” she explained.
The Duchess Of Sussex Plans Global Expansion Of Her Business
Meghan, during her chat with Emily Chang, shared that the initial launch of products prompted a rapid scale-up due to the goods selling out quickly.
“[We] thought for sure that would at least last for a couple weeks,” she noted. “That sold out in a couple hours.”
Meghan continued, “And suddenly, the conversation goes from, at the start of this year, talking about a few thousand jars and lids, to ‘We need to do a purchase order of a million.’ And that’s a huge jump in just a few months of starting a business.”
When asked about global expansion, the royal swiftly confirmed, “Yes, absolutely.”
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Meghan Markle’s Netflix Series May Not Return For A Third Season
While Meghan’s lifestyle brand grows and flourishes, her lifestyle series “With Love, Meghan” may not come back for a third season.
“It’s not returning as a series. There have been conversations about holiday specials, but there’s nothing in the works yet,” a source told Page Six.
A second insider stated that the Duchess of Sussex will instead focus on her lifestyle brand As Ever, while another noted that “people will see similar cooking and crafting” on her social media pages, but they will be “more bite-sized.”
Speaking to People about the lifestyle series, a source confirmed at there are “currently no plans for a third season.”
Entertainment
Savannah Guthrie pulls out of hosting 2026 Winter Olympics coverage amid ongoing search for missing mother
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The “Today” anchor’s 84-year-old mother was reported missing Feb. 1.
Carrie Underwood was brought to tears during one particularly moving American Idol audition.
During the Monday, February 2, episode of the reality singing competition, Underwood and her fellow judges, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, listened to season 24 hopeful Hannah Harper perform her original song “String Cheese.”
After explaining that the song was written as a reflection of her experience with postpartum depression, Harper drew an emotional response from Underwood, 42.
“That’s about the most relatable song I think I’ve ever heard,” the American Idol season 4 winner, who shares sons Isaiah, 10, and Jacob, 7, with husband Mike Fisher, said. “You might be my favorite person that’s walked through those doors.”
Something to sing about! Carrie Underwood shares two sons with her husband, Mike Fisher, and loves gushing about her little guys. The American Idol season 4 winner gave birth to the couple’s eldest, Isaiah, in February 2015. “Tiny hands and tiny feet. God has blessed us with an amazing gift!” the country singer captioned her […]
Underwood continued, “You’re one that I’m going to think about when we leave here. I’m going to be rooting for you. I loved everything about everything you just did.”
The judging trio then approved Harper’s progression to the next round of auditions.
Harper’s song’s lyrics read, “Hot Wheels and little people under my feet / Babies crying, it’s pure chaos, but I don’t miss a beat / Always knew that a nine to five wouldn’t suit me very good / But my hours are extended, that’s just motherhood.”
Of her lyricism, Harper, a mother of three, told Underwood, Richie, 76, and Bryan, 49, that her words flowed after sharing a poignant moment at home with one of her children. “I was sitting on my couch wallowing … and you have boys, you know, everybody wants to touch you,” she explained. “I didn’t want to be touched. I was just having a pity party, praying that the Lord would calm my spirit.”
Since winning American Idol, Carrie Underwood’s life has been so much more than “Just a Dream.” The Oklahoma native shot to fame in 2005 after becoming the champion of the TV singing competition’s fourth season. Following the success of her debut single, “Inside Your Heaven,” which made her the first country music artist to hit […]
Harper continued, “My son kept coming up to me, ‘Mom, open this. Mom, open my cheese.’ I’m like, ‘Leave me alone with the dadgum cheese.”
Harper added that once she opened her son’s string cheese, she felt significant maternal responsibility. “I realized that God had put me in that place,” she told the judges. “That where I was in my house was the biggest ministry that I could ever have.”
Underwood said during a 2016 interview with Redbook magazine — when the country music singer was tackling toddler life — that working mothers need to “ask for help.” She told the outlet at the time, “Accepting help is hard for me, but I’m learning. Sometimes I feel guilty that this is my son’s life: We live on a bus and we’re in a hotel room and sometimes we’re in the middle of nowhere and it’s not so great. It’s not all glamorous. We have a nanny who helps out, especially when we’re on the road. But I’d feel guilty asking someone to watch him at home while I run to the grocery store.”
Three years later, Underwood took to Instagram to share further honest insight into her parenting journey, admitting that she can be “hard” on herself. A 2019 gym selfie included the caption, “I go into the gym and I can’t run as fast or as far. I can’t lift as much weight or do as many reps as I could a year ago. I just want to feel like myself again … for my body to feel the way that I know it can.”
After coming to the realization that she needed to go easier on herself, Underwood concluded at the time, “I’m going to take it day by day, smile at the girl in the mirror, and work out because I love this body and all it has done and will continue to do.”
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Whatever happened to predictability? This episode of “How Rude, Tanneritos!” was not that.
Entertainment
Christian Bale 'would scream like crazy' while filming “The Bride!” to keep 'from going insane'
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Bale reveals it took six hours to transform into Frankenstein’s monster — named “Frank” in this story — every day on set.
Entertainment
CBS pulls “60 Minutes” episode slated to rerun during Super Bowl after new contributor Peter Attia is named in Epstein files
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The longevity influencer has apologized for his correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but said he “never witnessed illegal behavior.”
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Will Trent Season 4, Episode 5.
This week’s episode of Will Trent, Season 4, Episode 5, “Nice to Meet You, Malcolm,” switches things up by putting Faith (Iantha Richardson) front and center instead of Will (Ramón Rodríguez). While investigating the murder of a matchmaker, Faith expresses her recent cynicism due to a string of bad dates, only to then meet her dream guy.
“Nice to Meet You, Malcolm,” balances between Faith’s whirlwind romance and its two major cases, as well as a hilarious subplot of Heller (Todd Allen Durkin) and Franklin (Kevin Daniels) building a stroller for Angie’s (Erika Christensen) baby, before ending on a wild cliffhanger. The episode is a fun and intense installment that sets up some really exciting storylines to come, both in terms of a major case, as well as regarding some ongoing character-centered storylines.
In ‘Will Trent’ Season 4, Episode 5, The GBI Investigates the Murder of a Matchmaker
This week, the GBI investigates the murder of a professional matchmaker named Sawyer Jennings, who ran a business called Jennings Luxury. In the hours before Sawyer was killed, he called his business partner, Liv Somerman (Marguerite Moreau), several times. Faith brings Liv in for questioning, but Liv tells her that she and Sawyer had a good partnership and that the business was doing well. The investigation then takes Will and Faith to Anna Martello (Greyson Chadwick), a matchmaking client who’d met with Sawyer at a diner the night he was killed.
Anna tells Will and Faith that she’d recently been matched with a wealthy man named Brody Evans (Logan Michael Smith). Brody drugged and sexually assaulted Anna, and she told Sawyer, who’d confronted him and had planned to expose him. Brody has an alibi for the time that Sawyer was killed, and Will and Faith realize that Liv killed him. Brody wired Liv $100,000 to keep Sawyer from exposing him, so she killed her own business partner. Liv had gone to a lot of trouble to craft a fake alibi, but thanks to a street camera, Will and Faith are able to prove that she’s guilty.
In ‘Will Trent’ Season 4, Episode 5, The APD Investigates a Bank Robbery That Is More Than Meets the Eye
While the GBI looks into Sawyer’s murder, the APD investigates a bank robbery where one person was killed. The only evidence they have are photos of the robbers wearing animal masks, as well as a tattoo on the arm of someone wearing a cheetah mask. Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin) is now done with chemo, and this is his first case since returning to the field. He feels good – almost too good as he notices that his vision is better than it was before his tumor, and his senses are heightened.
The investigation into the tattoo takes Angie and Ormewood to one family, but they’re unable to narrow it down to one of the ten siblings. During the investigation, they have an elevator run-in with Faith and Will. It’s mostly pleasant, but Will doesn’t know how to be around Angie now, even though he’s still been chatting with Ava (Julia Chan). A hurt Will leaves the elevator while Faith and Angie are talking about the baby. Later, Angie and Ormewood finally find the owner of the bank vault, a man named Wyatt Fernsby (Marc Levasseur). Wyatt is attempting to end his life when they find him, but Angie and Ormewood save him.
Wyatt reveals that he works for Biosentia Pharmaceuticals. The company made him shred documents for work, but he kept a copy in his safe deposit box. Someone from the company found out that he had the copy, so they stole it. Afraid of what his former company would do to him, Wyatt tried to end his life. It’s not yet revealed what is in the documents, but it’s bad enough that Wyatt won’t speak about them without a lawyer present. The case is much more than a bank robbery – it was a company trying to hide its illegal activities by hiring an accomplished team of robbers to steal the evidence for them. Because of this, Angie and Ormewood then take this case to the GBI.
‘Will Trent’ Season 4, Episode 5 Gives Faith a New Love Interest – and Delivers a Shocking Twist
Faith goes to a hotel bar for a date with a guy she met on an app, but he gives her the ick before he even gets there. Faith cancels the date, but she is soon swept off her feet by a charming stranger named Malcolm (DeVaughn Nixon). Faith and Malcolm have the perfect night together. The only problem is, she gave him a fake name and job when they first met, and this lie could end up ruining everything between them. Malcolm just gets better the more Faith learns about him. He’s the wealthy owner of the hotel where they met, and he’s enamored with Faith.
Three dates in, things are looking promising for Faith and Malcolm. He puts in a lot of effort and money to make her feel special, and he remembers the little things that she tells him. For a while, it looks like Faith’s lie will be the thing to make this romance collapse. There’s also another exciting obstacle that this episode sets up. In the elevator, Ormewood teases Faith about spending two nights in a row away from home, but there’s a hint of something else beneath his teasing. Sure enough, while on a stakeout with Will, Ormewood and Will have a surprisingly deep talk. Will suggests that Ormewood’s heightened senses are his way of rediscovering who he is after his body failed him. The two joke about Faith’s new romance, but when Will says offhandedly that Faith is happy, Ormewood looks heartbroken when he asks, “She seem happy to you?”
This stakeout scene has two major reveals. Ormewood’s feelings for Faith seem pretty clear at this point, though not outright stated, but they’re not a surprise. This potential romance has been developing since they moved in together last season, and it makes perfect sense. The second reveal of this scene is a major twist. Ormewood found the robber who wore the cheetah mask with the unique tattoo. While investigating this person, Will and Ormewood learn that the robber is Malcolm, and that Faith is with him at that very moment. Will calls Faith to warn her, and the episode ends there, with Faith now having to find a way to keep from blowing her cover, while dealing with this devastating news.
Will Trent airs Tuesdays at 8:00 P.M. EST on ABC.
- Release Date
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January 3, 2023
- Directors
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Howard Deutch, Eric Dean Seaton, Holly Dale, Lea Thompson, Patricia Cardoso, Sheree Folkson, Bille Woodruff, Erika Christensen, Gail Mancuso, Geary McLeod, Jason Ensler, Mark Tonderai, Paul McGuigan
- Writers
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Inda Craig-Galván, Henry ‘Hank’ Jones, Karine Rosenthal, Adam Toltzis, Antoine Perry
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Ramón Rodríguez
Will Trent
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Erika Christensen
Angie Polaski
Pros & Cons
- This episode sets up a compelling case for both the GBI and the AD, with a major plot twist regarding the central suspect.
- This episode centers the characters and their individual conflicts, delivering some important moments for its best dynamics.
Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell was admitted into the hospital after suffering “flu-like symptoms” over the weekend.
According to a statement provided to People by a representative for McConnell, 83, on Tuesday, February 3, the longest serving Senate party leader in U.S. history checked himself into a hospital one day prior.
“In an abundance of caution, after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend, Senator McConnell checked himself into a local hospital for evaluation last night,” the statement read.
The Kentucky Republican’s statement also noted that his prognosis is “positive” and he is receiving “excellent care.”
Former Republican senator Ben Sasse revealed he has been diagnosed with stage IV cancer. “Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die,” Sasse, 53, wrote via X on Tuesday, December 23, about his health battle. The politician reflected on his immediate reaction to his diagnosis. “Death is a wicked […]
It concluded, “He is in regular contact with his staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business.”
It is unclear how long McConnell is expected to remain in the hospital.
Us Weekly has reached out to a representative for McConnell for comment.
The politician has publicly shared his health issues over the years, while a recent fall that took place in the hallway of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was witnessed and filmed by reporters.
Shared by local Louisville, Kentucky, news outlet WHAS11, via its YouTube account on October 17, 2025, a video of the incident also captured McConnell walking while assisted by the arm of a colleague just prior to his fall.
Celebrities and other high-profile figures are sharing their well-wishes for former President Joe Biden. Biden’s office announced on Sunday, May 18, that the former U.S. president has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. “Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” said a statement. […]
The tumble occurred while McConnell was being questioned over his perspective on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
His Capitol Building fall marked the third public fall of 2025, and the politician has publicly fallen twice in the building in total.
McConnell also suffered a public concussion after tripping and falling inside Washington’s Waldorf Astoria in 2023. His recovery involved reliance on a wheelchair, per reporting at the time by NBC News.
He has also demonstrated public freezing episodes over the years, several of which were captured by news outlets during press conferences. The results of the episodes have left McConnell completely non-responsive in the face of questioning.
Political commentator Piers Morgan has been hospitalized and is detailing his painful ordeal, including necessary surgery. “1. Tripped on small step. 2. In a London hotel restaurant. 3. Fractured femur,” Morgan, 60, wrote via X and Instagram on Sunday, January 18, giving succinct details regarding his recent hospitalization. “4. So badly I needed [a] new […]
McConnell has held the seat of Kentucky since 1985 and is currently in his seventh Senate term. From 2007 to 2025, he also served as the leader of the Senate Republican Conference. He announced last year that he would not seek reelection in 2026.
In 2015, McConnell, who has been married to former government official Elaine Chao since 1993, was first listed as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. He was awarded the same honor in 2019 and 2023.
He is a polio survivor, having endured a polio attack in 1944 when he was two years old. His upper left leg was paralyzed as a result of the attack. Successful treatment from medical staff at the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institution for Rehabilitation at the time, prevented McConnell from developing a permanent disability.
Entertainment
One of the Most Remarkable Movies Ever Made About Space Is Now Available To Watch on Netflix
Space travel has been a subject that has long fascinated filmmakers, as the silent classic A Trip To The Moon was one of the earliest examples of cinema predicting real events. Although the science fiction genre has frequently speculated about the possibilities of space travel, the 1969 NASA lunar mission visualized what it would actually look like, leading to an even greater expansion in imagination. Although it is one of the most important historical moments of its century, the NASA space trip to the lunar surface was not fully realized on film until the 2019 documentary Apollo 11, which assembled previously unseen footage to explore every step of the journey. It’s not only one of the most brilliantly crafted documentaries of the 2010s, but an important work of historical documentation that serves as a reminder of what technological advancements have achieved.
The footage of Neil Armstrong stepping onto the lunar surface is an undeniable part of popular culture, but the technology did not exist to distribute all the footage of the NASA mission in 1969, given the amount of material. It was only after director Todd Douglas Miller and his team of editors spent the time to search through hundreds of hours of both footage and audio experts that they were able to pinpoint the most important material needed to tell the story, all whilst polishing the quality to meet contemporary standards. The result is a documentary that has none of the hallmarks of the medium; Apollo 11 plays so seamlessly that someone with no knowledge of the situation could mistake it for an original piece of dramatic filmmaking.
‘Apollo 11’ Is Edited Like No Other Documentary
Apollo 11 is unique when compared to most documentaries because the film does not include any talking heads, introductory information, narration, or recreations that would break the momentum of the story. What’s being shown is taken from the original film negatives recorded during the original mission, which were only used as a matter of historical record. A majority of these videos were never displayed to the public, giving Apollo 11 the opportunity to blend in unseen aspects of history. The story of the mission itself is so filled with stakes that there was no need to provide any sort of additional drama. It was a sign of bravery on Miller’s part that he trusted the audience to have some degree of awareness of the situation, but it also doesn’t take a scientific expert to enjoy Apollo 11. Even for those who don’t know every step of NASA’s process or understand the different programs that are being cited, Apollo 11 provides a complete portrayal of the many different departments that played a role in the spectacular achievement.
One Of The Year’s Best and Most Overlooked Documentaries Just Landed on Hulu
A film more than worthy of your time.
Seeing the image crystalized in such vivid detail is almost jarring, as the imagery is so crisp that it nearly feels like the film is taking place in real time. Although Apollo 11 obviously did not show every step of the process, as the mission itself was preceded by years of research and testing, the film helps to contextualize the enormity of NASA’s achievement. Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin may have walked away with the most fame, but the scientists who planned the ordeal, the engineers watching the controls, and the journalists who helped to record the event all played a part in pulling off a groundbreaking leap forward for mankind. The focus on showing the team effort is not only an important theme to convey, but an explanation for something that otherwise might seem like science fiction.
‘Apollo 11’ Is an Important Historical Time Capsule
Apollo 11 was given a limited distribution in IMAX theaters, as the scope of the imagery was so detailed that it justified the extended format. Miller was precise in directing the story to show which details would be most important to highlight at given times; even if the process was filled with some slower moments, Apollo 11 is able to navigate between different players involved so that the pacing never came to a halt. There are also components of the film that were left out of most newsroom accounts at the time, including the manner in which NASA prepared for different potential outcomes. It’s easy to forget that the mission could have ended in tragedy, and that there was no guarantee that NASA had both conceived of any possible issues with the mission and properly prepared to deal with them.
Apollo 11 is as detailed of a historical encapsulation as historians could ask for, but it also shows the emotional effect that documentaries can have. No recreation would have the same impact of seeing the real reactions of everyone involved in Apollo 11, as the film does seem to celebrate a grandiose moment that expands beyond any one person, institution, or country. Interestingly, Apollo 11 came only a year after Damien Chazelle’s First Man dramatized Armstrong’s personal journey during the same period; the films serve as perfect companion pieces, as First Man is a creative version of the grounded facts that Apollo 11 brought to life. Nonetheless, Apollo 11 was such a laborious documentary to put together that it feels like an achievement in its own right, and one that benefits all involved. Not only should it serve as an inspiration for those interested in the science of space travel, but as an indication to aspiring filmmakers what the medium may be capable of.
Apollo 11 is now available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
- Release Date
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March 1, 2019
- Runtime
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93 minutes
- Director
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Todd Douglas Miller
To say that the Netflix catalog is a hit-or-miss situation is hardly controversial nowadays. As a matter of fact, the same statement can be made about almost all of our giant, non-curated streaming services. It isn’t that rare for amazing movies and TV shows to pop up on these platforms, but quite often they tend to get buried under piles of titles that range from okay at best to horrifyingly bad. If you’re a horror fan, for instance, you might have missed one of the coolest, scariest, most disturbing films to hit Netflix in quite some time, arguably one of the best to hit our screens this year. After all, to finally come across Luis Javier Henaine’s Disappear Completely, one has to dig deep — almost as deep as the movie’s main character in his search for a cure to the curse that threatens to turn him into a kind of living corpse, a karmic punishment for his own misdeeds as a photojournalist specialized in crime scenes.
After premiering in 2022 at Austin’s Fantastic Fest, Disappear Completely debuted on Netflix in April 2024. And while it made its way to the streamer’s Top 10 in its native Mexico, it has struggled to find an audience in other countries where it is readily available. It’s a pity: Henaine’s film has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it is indeed a gem that deserves to be seen. Why it has not conquered audiences worldwide is hard to say. Perhaps Netflix hasn’t marketed it enough, or maybe it’s something to do with that pesky one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles. After all, it isn’t rare for international films — particularly genre films — to be overlooked only to be, years later, included in lists of underrated projects.
What Is ‘Disappear Completely’ About?
As it is so new in the world of streaming, Disappear Completely still has a chance of being recognized in its time. The film, which relies more on psychological horror than on traditional jumpscares, is a character study surrounding a man’s relationship with his profession, and his family. The premise is creative and terrifying from the get-go: Santiago (Harold Torres), a photojournalist who sells pictures of crimes and accidents to tabloids, falls victim to a curse after shooting a particularly gruesome scene featuring a still living, but completely unresponsive politician partly devoured by rats. Unbeknownst to him, Santiago’s camera has captured the presence of a demonic entity that traps him in the same web as the senator (Juan Sahagun) he just photographed. Little by little, Santiago starts to lose all of his five senses.
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As Santiago races against time to find a cure for his predicament, going from doctors to shamans to the very demon that has hexed him, his girlfriend, Marce (Tete Espinoza), faces troubles of her own. Pregnant with Santiago’s child, she wishes to have the baby and build a happy family. However, Santiago claims that they are not ready to have a child, and pressures her to have an abortion. This relationship with Marce and his unborn baby ends up being essential to how Santiago deals with his curse, being completely responsible for sealing his fate. By the end of the movie, just as he is about to lose the eyesight that is so dear to him, Santiago refuses to deliver his child’s life to the demon in exchange for everything he has lost and therefore becomes forever locked in a tomb made of his own flesh.Mixing an urban vibe with folk horror, Disappear Completely is a movie that dabbles in witchcraft, superstition, and politics, with the cursed senator having been victimized by a political rival. However, the focus of the plot is Santiago himself. The movie asks us to place ourselves in his shoes, forcing us to wonder what it would feel like to be in such a terrifying predicament. The final scenes make this invitation to identify with the main character all the more obvious: as Santiago is losing his sense of hearing, we can barely understand the sounds around him. Eventually, in the blink of an eye, the whole movie goes quiet. As he loses his sight, the image becomes blurry, until it… disappears completely. Seven long, despair-inducing seconds of dark screen stand between the last image of Marce calling Santiago’s name and the film’s end credits.
‘Disappear Completely’s Director Was Intentional About Creating a Personal Film
Director Luis Javier Henaine was intentional in creating an immersive, realistic experience for the audience while filming Disappear Completely, as he shared during an interview with Eye For Film. Rather than relying on jump scares or musical cues, he aimed to “make a more personal film with more down to earth issues,” while still balancing the element of witchcraft and folk horror. He said:
“Here in Mexico, witchcraft is something that people take very seriously and something very, very real for the majority of our population. And I like to reflect that in a way. So, all the time, I was trying to say, ‘Okay, this has to look real, this has to feel real, this has to be very realistic.’ And that’s how I tried to go throughout the whole film, with the production design and with the cinematography and with everything. Our references were real things, how people behave in these environments. . . ”
Placing the audience in Santiago’s shoes is one of the reasons Disappear Completely is so unnerving – it feels personal. At the heart of the film is Santiago’s struggles with being a potential father and a supportive partner for Marce. When reading the script, Henaine envisioned “a very immersive filmmaking style,” one that would make the audience active participants rather than passive observers of Santiago’s slow descent into a tomb of his own flesh. “I thought it would be great to just when, when he starts losing his sense of hearing, just play slowly with the whole film as well, make it subjective, put the audience in the character’s mind,” Henaine explained.
‘Disappear Completely’ Presents Photography as the Ultimate Horror
Disappear Completely presents us with a kind of horror that would be disturbing no matter who it befell. Still, when we take into consideration Santiago’s profession, the film gains additional layers. At the same time that Henaine and his fellow screenwriter Ricardo Aguado-Fentanes ask us to identify with Santiago in his plight, they also make it pretty clear that he is someone we should despise. Santiago is not a tabloid photographer because that’s the only job he can find. On the contrary, he seems to enjoy taking pictures of mangled bodies and even attempts to make it into a form of high art. The movie shows us that he has fun creating tasteless titles for the stories that will accompany his pictures, and right in the beginning we learn that he is trying to sell some of his photos to art galleries. This is, in itself, terrifying: in a way, the biggest horror in Disappear Completely is becoming the subject of one of Santiago’s photographs.
A Susan Sontag quote that opens the movie gives us the key to interpreting the story in this sense. “Photography converts the whole world into a cemetery. Photographers, wittingly or unwittingly, are the angels of death.” In Disappear Completely, a still picture is not just a tomb in a graveyard because it depicts someone who might already be dead, but because having your picture taken is already a kind of death. You become unmoving, unfeeling, blind, and deaf, all at once. You might say something, of course, in the sense that all works of art say something, but you will never again respond to any stimuli.
When he is cursed, Santiago is doomed to become one of his own photographs. His fate is, in a way, an ironic punishment: he has condemned so many dead people to a living death that he will, himself, become a tomb in the cemetery that is the entire world. Disappear Completely is definitely a movie with something to say, and it turns its eyes specifically to the art of creating images. To an extent, it is even fitting to watch Santiago’s downfall happen in a movie instead of, say, reading about it in a book, for the image is essential for us to understand what is happening to him. As we gaze at Santiago, we wonder if what is happening to him might one day happen to us as well. After all, in the age of smart phones and social media platforms where privacy goes to die, haven’t we all produced our own fair share of images that trap people in a single, unchangeable moment?
‘Disappear Completely’ Also Focuses on Santiago’s Relationship with His Unborn Child
But while photography, particularly Santiago’s kind of predatory photojournalism, and its meanings are at the center of Disappear Completely, Henaine and Aguado-Fentanes also go beyond the professional aspect of their protagonist. Well, in a way. Santiago’s relationship with Marce and their unborn child is marked by his career: it is because he hasn’t yet succeeded as a serious photographer that he believes it isn’t yet time for them to have a baby. When confronted with the opportunity to preserve the one sense that he needs for working in exchange for his child, though, Santiago chooses to let himself disappear completely.
Santiago sacrifices himself for his unborn child and, by extension, for the sake of Marce’s happiness. After all, she is the one who wants to have a child. But will Marce still want that baby now that her life has been upended so completely, now that she doesn’t have Santiago by her side anymore? What he does is completely remove himself from Marce’s life, thus leaving her alone to make a decision about her pregnancy and deal with the consequences. It is a selfish choice, but the reality is that there is no decision that Santiago could make that would not be selfish, as trading his baby’s life for his senses would prove tragic for both him and Marce. Either way, the demon forces Santiago to wallow in the selfishness that has ruined his life.
Disappear Completely ultimately wraps up with a fitting conclusion for Santiago. In his infinite suffering, he decides that the world would be a better place without him, for there is no answer that would satisfyingly end his suffering. He has already done too much to be forgiven. He’s already drowned in hubris, having been a man who mocked the death of others and who refused the happiness of the woman who lived with him. He turns the world into a cemetery and thus deserves to be buried alive. Is it a sad conclusion? You bet it is. But, quite often, the best horror stories have a tinge of tragedy to them.
‘Disappear Completely’ Is One of the Best Horror Movies to Hit Our Screens in 2024
With all of that in mind, it is no stretch to call Disappear Completely one of the best horror movies of 2024, despite having started its festival run all the way back in 2022. After all, what counts is when a movie is made available to general audiences, and, even in Mexico, Disappear Completely only managed to get itself a proper theatrical release in February of this year. And, well, considering how divisive the year has been for its horror releases, to watch a movie that isn’t particularly revolutionary, but that does the basics so well can feel like a breath of fresh air. Sure, movies like Longlegs and The Substance have won over hearts and minds all around the world, but they have garnered equally large legions of detractors. As for Disappear Completely; well, it’s not the kind of film that will change your conceptions about what horror can be, but it will definitely scare you and make you think about the themes being laid out on screen.
This should by no means be construed as negative criticism of the film. Simple and straightforward doesn’t mean mediocre. You don’t have to purport to change the genre to create something truly sublime. Sure, a The Bear-like meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant might be life-changing, but a good, old bowl of mac ‘n cheese can be just as tasty and satisfying. From Huesera: The Bone Woman to When Evil Lurks, Latin America has been producing some incredible horror films over this past decade, many of which are available on Prime Video, Netflix, and other streaming services. Thus, why stop at one amazing work of art? After you finish this beautiful, tragic, and terrifying film, take a few days to expand your spooky horizons. Results may vary, of course, but you certainly won’t regret such a rich meal.
- Release Date
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February 29, 2024
- Runtime
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106 Minutes
- Director
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Luis Javier Henaine
- Writers
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Ricardo Aguado-Fentanes, Luis Javier Henaine
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