If you’ve spent any time at all browsing social media in recent years, you’ve definitely encountered the claim that older TV shows, movies, and games simply “couldn’t be made” today. The argument is that modern audiences are just too sensitive to handle the rough-and-tumble jokes that the Nixon or Reagan era handled with so much grace. Rainn Wilson is the latest voice to join in this insufferable chorus, having recently sat down with Fox News. Per X, Wilson expressed “I do feel like you couldn’t make The Office today. I think that would be too hard to be as politically incorrect as the show was.”
Nobody Is Clutching Pearls Over The Office
Personally, I’ve always found this line of reasoning to be idiotic. Sure, on occasion I’ll sit down to watch an old film without my nostalgia glasses on, and find myself gasping at the rampant homophobia, misogyny, or racism on display from characters we’re meant to like and agree with. Even still, most of the jokes from older projects hold up just fine by modern standards, and offensive humor is very much still alive and well. In fact, I’d argue that the average episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia or South Park is significantly more politically incorrect than anything from The Office, and those shows seem to be doing just fine.
The fact that Rainn Wilson is referring to The Office in his recent comments is perhaps the most baffling part of this entire discourse. In fairness, it has been a few years since I’ve sat down to binge the show, but I really don’t recall anything offensive or boundary-pushing occurring within the Dunder Mifflin bullpen. Michael Scott offers a few awkwardly-placed racial jokes at the expense of Kelly, Oscar, and Darryl, but it’s nothing more jaw-dropping than the stuff you’d hear in a traditional work environment.
This bizarre take seems to stem from the idea that young people today, primarily those who lean left of center, are put off by patently bigoted material. Sometimes, these audiences can amplify their positions to the point of absurdity, and call something bigoted when it was really just a good-natured joke with a bit of edge. But, the idea that this is new is baffling to me. Decades ago, it was the conservative christian crowd chomping at the bit to cancel anything and everything. Television shows, films, and rap artists were picketed for foul language, suggestive nudity, or the mere suggestion that conservative Christian values could be questioned in any capacity.
From the 1930s through the 1960s, movies and TV shows were strictly governed by the Hays Code, which prohibited a wide array of so-called “offensive” materials. Landmark TV moments that broke the mold include Captain Kirk smooching Lieutenant Uhura, (a black woman) on Star Trek: The Original Series and a married couple from The Flintstones sleeping in the same bed. For contrast, Always Sunny characters now frequently drop the C word on FXX, while South Park shows off photorealistic deepfake sequences of the sitting president’s teeny tiny wang.
Art Is Getting Away With It
Every time I hear someone espouse this notion that they can’t make jokes because of cancel culture, my first response is to ask for some examples. So far, I’ve yet to hear a single joke that would be deemed “too edgy” for modern audiences. Sometimes people will respond with bits from Blazing Saddles, or show me the blackface scene from Trading Places. But those movies continue to air on television today, exactly as they were produced. In fact, you can pull up regular daytime cable and watch films that blatantly violate the Hays Code of yesteryear, in between car insurance ads and children’s programming.
Modern politics have become extremely divisive, leaving audiences significantly more polarized than they were back when The Office was in its heyday. Still, I just can’t see liberals foaming at the mouth over Michael Scott misusing urban slang, or MAGA voters writing in to the network because they had to bear witness to a desegregated workplace. I think every joke told in The Office, and in fact, in all popular movies and shows of decades past, would survive just fine on today’s radar. Plus, there’s a new Office spin-off series or foreign remake being produced just about every year, and those rarely receive negative press.
Paul Sun Hyung Lee and Dallas Liu in Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3Image via Netflix
Even though Netflix cut its losses, if there were any, by canceling the sci-fi series The Boroughs, the streamer seems to be going all in on another big-budget project. The project in question returned with a highly anticipated second season this week, following a debut season that divided audiences and critics in 2024. Instead of making fans wait another two years between seasons, Netflix produced the second and third installments of the show back-to-back. What this probably means is that the show’s next installment will debut later this year. This is also a strategy that streamers employ when they want to wrap things up quickly, or when they don’t want the cast to age too rapidly between installments. Alternatively, they might greenlight a feature-length climactic chapter to tie up the loose ends. All of this is to say that The Boroughs being canceled after a single well-reviewed and highly-watched season is irregular.
On the other hand, it’s still unclear if Netflix’s big-budget fantasy bet has paid off fully. The show we’re talking about is Avatar: The Last Airbender, which returned with a second season this week and immediately jumped ahead of the streamer’s holdover hits on the viewership charts. However, the show doesn’t seem to have registered an improvement as far as the critical response is concerned. The first season holds a 62% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, while the second season has settled at a marginally higher 67%.
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Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the Rings Character Are You? One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed
The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide.
💍Frodo
🌿Samwise
👑Aragorn
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🔥Gandalf
🏹Legolas
⚒️Gimli
👁️Sauron
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🪨Gollum
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You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders.
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Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis.
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03
Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it.
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What does “home” mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are.
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When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not.
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Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it’s knowing which questions to ask.
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07
How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind.
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Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen.
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You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character.
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When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories.
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The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earth
The scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people.
💍 Frodo
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🌿 Samwise
👑 Aragorn
🔥 Gandalf
🏹 Legolas
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⚒️ Gimli
👁️ Sauron
🪨 Gollum
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You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don’t have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is.
You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you’d do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one.
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You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you.
You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late.
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Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them.
You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don’t do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything.
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You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you’re not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct.
You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time.
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Netflix’s Live-Action Anime Remakes Have Been Hit-Or-Miss
This doesn’t exactly move the needle for the streamer as it builds toward the third (and potentially final) season. Avatar: The Last Airbender is the live-action remake of the anime original, which aired on Nickelodeon for three seasons from 2005 to 2008. Netflix has also produced live-action remakes of Cowboy Bebop, which ended up being canceled after one season, and One Piece, which has aired two successful seasons so far. According to FlixPatrol, the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender debuted at the number two spot on the global and domestic Netflix viewership charts, behind the holdover hit I Will Find You. Netflix will release official numbers next week, while Nielsen will provide a more in-depth look at how the show performed in around a month. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Fans have taken to social media to slam what some are calling a highly provocative film.
The movie comes years after the actor’s court battle with his ex, Grace Jabbari, which ended with him being found guilty of assault and harassment.
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Jonathan Majors is set to return to screens in a major role in the new movie “Run Hide Fight: Infidels,” produced by Ben Shapiro’s media company, The Daily Wire.
The film follows a plot in which “radical Islamic terrorists” attempt to infiltrate and impose Sharia law on an ultra-progressive, “woke” American college campus.
In the trailer released this week, images from real-life terror attacks flash on screen, including those from 9/11. They are followed by a mashup of footage that includes the 2024 nationwide college protests over the war in Gaza, a Fox News host reporting on terror plots, and a clip of Marco Rubio telling the network, “Radical Islam has designs openly on the West.”
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Other Islamic elements also appear on screen, including footage of an ISIS flag as the call to prayer is heard.
Daily Wire Film Drew Heat Before Trailer Release
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Although Majors does not appear in the trailer, he is set to play the lead protagonist, a Delta Force military veteran who becomes the campus’s unlikely savior.
A synopsis for the film reads, “When radical Islamic terrorists hijack a liberal college’s pro-Palestine encampment to enforce barbaric Sharia law on students and execute infidels in a makeshift caliphate, a ragtag band of red-blooded students, a security guard tired of ‘Uncle Tom’ smears, and a Delta Force vet must arm up to save their clueless peers and keep America from surrendering to the enemy on its own soil.”
The project had already sparked controversy in April when Majors and his co-star, JC Kilcoyne, were seen falling through a window in a clip that trended online.
Film’s Crew Staged Walkout After On-Set Incident
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In the clip, published by Deadline, the pair moved backward as Majors’ character appeared to have been shot before they fell through a set of blinds.
The audio captured people on set exclaiming, “Ooh!” as crew members rushed to the window to ask if they were both okay.
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“I’m good, you good,” one person said, to which another responded, “I’m good.”
One voice could be heard asking, “Did we shoot it?”
A crew member later warned, “Be careful of the glass, guys.”
According to the outlet, the incident prompted a crew walk-off and union picketing by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
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In a fiery statement addressing the labor dispute, producer Dallas Sonnier dismissed the union’s interference, telling Entertainment Weekly that “The actors’ fall was shorter than the failed movie careers of the now-union reps.”
Fans Rip Jonathan Majors’ Comeback Film
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Several internet users took to social media to share mixed to critical reactions to the film’s trailer.
“Seriously, one of the biggest career downfalls in years,” a Reddit user wrote. “Was a huge villain of the biggest franchise, was shaping up to be a big deal in Hollywood, and now he’s doing movies like this.”
Another person said, “Grifting to the right after being outed as a wife-beater? Shocking! Conservatives’ complete lack of standards makes them the only place these abusers can find refuge after being outed (party of family values btw).”
“He is either extremely desperate for work or is extremely out of touch with reality,” a third person penned, while someone else added, “This isn’t wise at all. I understand him needing a check. But Ben Shapiro? He’s a sinking ship.”
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How Jonathan Majors’ Hollywood Rise Stalled After Conviction
The project marks Majors’ first major film role since his career ground to a halt following his conviction for assault and harassment of his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
At the time, she alleged she was a victim of battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution, and defamation.
Court documents also showed that she claimed he subjected her to a “pattern of pervasive domestic abuse that began in 2021 and extended through 2023.”
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Majors was found guilty of one count of assault in the third degree and one count of harassment in the second degree in December 2023.
Although he did not go to jail, he was ordered to complete a 52-week in-person batterer’s intervention program and continue mental health therapy. Before his legal troubles, Majors was on a rapid rise in Hollywood, anchored by his role as Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a role he was immediately fired from after his conviction.
The definition of a cult film is by no means clear-cut or defined by any sort of strict meaning. Virtually any kind of movie can garner a following passionate and obsessive enough to qualify as a cult following, but there’s one genre that lends itself particularly well to gaining cult followings, and that’s comedies. After all, few things attract a fanbase better than pure, unadulterated laughter.
This isn’t necessarily a list of the best comedy cult classic films, however, but rather a list of the most important, the ones that have defined and influenced the cult cinema movement the most throughout the years. Whether it’s a little-known international gem like The Gods Must Be Crazy or a Hollywood classic so huge that it’s almost mainstream, like The Big Lebowski, all of these comedies should be considered essential viewing for all those interested in better understanding cult cinema.
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‘The Gods Must Be Crazy’ (1980)
Image via 20th Century Studios
One of cult cinema’s most defining qualities is the obsession with niche films that not just any Average Joe is familiar with, and as a result, many international comedies that would have otherwise flown under the radar have acquired cult followings over the years. Case in point: the South African-Batswana co-production The Gods Must Be Crazy, the first in the film series of the same title.
Proof that films that actually performed remarkably well with critics and at the box office can still qualify as cult classics.
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This film is proof that films that actually performed remarkably well with critics and at the box office can still qualify as cult classics. Indeed, The Gods Must Be Crazy became a surprise word-of-mouth sensation across Africa, Europe, and North America during its theatrical run. It’s one of the most notorious must-watch cult classics from the ’80s, all thanks to its brilliantly-executed slapstick and its sharp satire of modern civilization.
9
‘Withnail and I’ (1987)
Withnail (Richard E. Grant) and Marwood (Paul McGann) sitting on a park bench in Withnail and I Image via HandMade Films
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Withnail and Iis yet another of the most essential cult classics of the ’80s, as well as one of the best British comedies of its era. Bruce Robinson‘s masterpiece has made Paul McGann and Richard E. Grant internationally recognized names over the years, even though it was only a modest commercial success when it originally released.
It was thanks to the rise of VHS that Withnail and I became a pop-culture phenomenon during the ’90s, contributing to keeping the late-night cult film circuit alive during a decade when it lay mostly dormant. Further boosted by the endorsement of the British magazine Loaded and the famous drinking game that it spawn off (which fans still love playing today), as well as the script’s tremendous quotability, it’s no wonder why this became one of the ’80s’ biggest cult comedies.
8
‘Harold and Maude’ (1971)
Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon on a motorbike in Harold and Maude.Image via Cover Images
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Rom-coms about May-December couples aren’t exactly abundant, but whenever they do get made, they almost always owe something to the May-December rom-com’s most defining pioneer, Hal Ashby‘s Harold and Maude. It’s one of the most universally beloved cult classics ever, the perfect “odd couple” pitch-black comedy that pairs a death-obsessed young man with a free-spirited older counterpart.
After its terrible box office performance, Harold and Maude grew its following through late-night television and screenings at college campuses and repertory theaters. This taboo-shattering rom-com broke all the rules of traditional romantic Hollywood cinema, full of subversive humor and armed with a ton of life-affirming heart to really send its message home.
7
‘Superbad’ (2007)
Three teenage boys argue about McLovin’s fake ID after school. Image via Colombia Pictures
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The cult film movement has been thriving throughout the 21st century, and comedy cult cinema is no exception. But Greg Mottola‘s Superbadis far more than just one of the biggest cult comedies of the 21st century: It’s one of the funniest movies of the past 50 years, a true teen comedy masterpiece that’s among the most quotable films of modern times.
Almost immediately after its release, the film established itself as a modern teen cult classic through its tremendous quotability and generational staying power. But balanced with that iconicity and that raunchy, crude humor is a surprising amount of heart and an unexpected sincerity that makes it a cinematic love letter to male friendship. It doesn’t get much more perfect for a cult reception than that.
6
‘Pink Flamingos’ (1972)
People eat raw meat off of large bones in Flamingos.Image via New Line Cinema
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Few auteurs have ever been more important or revolutionary for the cult cinema movement than John Waters. Subverting mainstream taboos, championing countercultural outcasts, and pioneering the midnight movie phenomenon, Waters earned himself the moniker of the Pope of Trash throughout the early days of his career. But all the greats have to start somewhere, and in Waters’ case, the movie that put him on the map was Pink Flamingos.
It’s far and away one of the most tasteless movies of all time, but very intentionally so. It’s the ultimate cinematic rebellion, cinema’s quintessential celebration of bad taste, and an extravaganza built entirely on camp, anarchy, and queer liberation. The film became an underground sensation pretty much immediately following its premiere at the Baltimore Film Festival in 1972, turning it into one of the original champions of the midnight screening circuit.
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Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz Which Oscar Best Picture Is Your Perfect Movie? Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country
Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.
🪜Parasite
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🌀Everything Everywhere
☢️Oppenheimer
🐦Birdman
🪙No Country for Old Men
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01
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What kind of film experience do you actually want? The best movies don’t just entertain — they leave something behind.
02
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Which idea grabs you most in a film? Great films are driven by a central obsession. What’s yours?
03
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How do you like your story told? Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means.
04
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What makes a truly great antagonist? The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you?
05
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What do you want from a film’s ending? The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like?
06
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Which setting pulls you in most? Where a film takes place shapes everything — mood, stakes, what’s even possible.
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What cinematic craft impresses you most? Every great film has a signature — a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable.
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What kind of main character do you root for? The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you.
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How do you feel about a film that takes its time? Pace is a choice. Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly, deliberately.
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What do you want to feel walking out of the cinema? The best films leave a mark. What kind of mark do you want?
The Academy Has Decided Your Perfect Film Is…
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Your answers have pointed to one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others. This is the film that was made for the way your mind works.
Parasite
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You are drawn to films that operate on multiple levels simultaneously — that begin in one genre and quietly, brilliantly migrate into another. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a film about class, desire, and the architecture of inequality that manages to be darkly funny, deeply suspenseful, and genuinely shocking across a single extraordinary running time. Your instinct is for cinema that hides its true intentions until the moment it’s ready to reveal them. Parasite is exactly that — a film that rewards close attention and punishes assumptions, right up to its devastating final image.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
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You want it all — and this film gives you all of it. The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most maximalist films ever made: action comedy, multiverse sci-fi, family drama, existential crisis, and a genuinely earned emotional core that sneaks up on you amid the chaos. You are someone who responds to ambition, who doesn’t want cinema to choose between being entertaining and being meaningful. This film refuses that choice entirely. It is overwhelming by design, and its overwhelming nature is precisely the point — because the feeling of being crushed by infinite possibility is exactly what it’s about.
Oppenheimer
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You are drawn to cinema on a grand scale — films that understand history not as a backdrop but as a force, and that place their characters inside that force and watch what happens. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a film about the terrifying gap between what we can do and what we should do, told with the full weight of one of the most consequential moments in human history behind it. You want your films to feel important without feeling self-important — to earn their ambition through sheer craft and the gravity of their subject. Oppenheimer does exactly that. It is enormous, complicated, and refuses easy comfort.
Birdman
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You are drawn to films that foreground their own construction — that make the how of the filmmaking part of the what it’s about. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, shot to appear as a single continuous take, is cinema examining itself through the cracked mirror of a fading actor’s ego. You respond to formal daring, to the feeling that a film is doing something that probably shouldn’t be possible. Michael Keaton’s performance and Emmanuel Lubezki’s restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else — a film that is simultaneously about creativity, relevance, self-destruction, and the impossibility of ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all.
No Country for Old Men
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You are drawn to cinema that trusts silence, that refuses to explain itself, and that treats dread as a form of meaning. The Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men is a film about the arrival of a new kind of evil — implacable, arbitrary, and utterly indifferent to the moral frameworks we use to make sense of the world. It is one of the most formally controlled films ever made, and its controlled restraint is what makes it so terrifying. You want your films to haunt you, not comfort you. You are not interested in resolution if resolution would be dishonest. No Country for Old Men is honest in a way that most cinema never dares to be.
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5
‘Clerks’ (1994)
Brian O’Halloran as Dante in ClerksImage via Miramax
The ’90s were a particularly good time for independent cinema throughout the entire world, but Hollywood in particular saw a real boom in low-budget filmmaking like Clerks. Directed by Kevin Smith when he was only 22 years old, the movie was shot on a micro-budget of less than $50 million dollars, turning it into the kind of underdog filmmaking success story that the ’90s had so many of.
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The film’s instant connection with the apathetic, pop-culture-obsessed spirit of Gen X during the ’90s made it a cult hit almost immediately following its theatrical release, though it was the VHS market that really turned it into a pop culture sensation. Built on endlessly quotable dialogue and a relatable understanding of the monotony of dead-end retail jobs, it’s a film that still feels universally timely all these many years later.
4
‘This Is Spinal Tap’ (1984)
Image via Embassy Pictures
It’s not often that filmmakers completely re-invent a genre with their debut feature, but that was just the kind of immense talent that Rob Reiner was. This Is Spinal Tapwasn’t the first mockumentary in film history, but it sure made the genre mainstream and set a set of brand-new rules for it. Until this day, you’d still be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t consider it one of the best satire movies of the last 75 years.
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Though the movie was a critical success upon release, its box office gross were rather modest, largely because many viewers mistakenly thought that the fictional titular band was a real group and were thus uninterested. It was in the VHS market that Spinal Tap began to find its cult following—and what a loyal following it has remained through the decades. Satirizing and parodying the music industry and rockumentaries in ways that still feel clever and fresh, it became a word-of-mouth sensation that completely re-defined modern comedy. The entire mockumentary genre would simply not be the same without it.
3
‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ (1975)
Image via 20th Century Studios
The midnight film circuit is one of the most important pillars of the cult cinema movement, and there is no midnight cult classic more important, iconic, or enduring than The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s one of the best horror masterpieces of the ’70s, a musical comedy extravaganza fueled by pure camp, queer sensuality, and taboo-breaking humor.
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The film was both a critical and commercial flop when it came out, but just one year after its release, the Waverly Theater in New York City started running midnight screenings of it. This way, what had once been a failure became the defining work of participatory cult cinema, transforming the movement into an immersive, interactive social ritual. To this day, watching a midnight screening of Rocky Horror in a packed theater should be on every cinephile’s bucket list.
2
‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ (1975)
Image via EMI Films
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is one of the most admirable works of low-budget fantasy filmmaking in history, a film that takes full advantage of its shoestring budget and uses it as a way to elevate, not limit, its humor. It’s one of the most genre-defining comedy movies in history, and further proof that huge commercial and critical successes can also be considered cult classics.
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The film grew its cult following through late-night television broadcasts, college campus screenings, and the booming VHS market—and big-screen comedy has never been the same since. Absurdist comedy, quotable dialogue, smart satire, and creative workaraounds around budget limitations are always big factors that contribute to a film becoming a cult classic, and they certainly turned this into one of the most iconic comedy masterpieces in movie history.
1
‘The Big Lebowski’ (1998)
John Goodman was Walter and Jeff Bridges as The Dude wearing sunglasses sitting at a diner in ‘The Big Lebowski’Image via Working Title Films
There are plenty of box office bombs that are now considered masterpieces, but as far as comedies go, none are more notorious than the Coen brothers‘ The Big Lebowski. Despite its initial cold reception, the film found new life in the VHS and DVD market in the years following its release. With the launch of Lebowski Fest in Louisville, Kentucky in 2002, the deal was sealed: The world was in the face of the biggest cult classic in the history of comedy cinema.
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What, if not the biggest cult comedy in history, could spawn the emergence of an actual religion and life philosophy? Indeed, the mere existence of Dudeism should be proof enough that few cult classics have ever reached the level of iconicity of The Big Lebowski. The movie has become so beloved and so widely celebrated that today, it’s nothing short of a mainstream classic. Quotable, funny, weird in all the right ways, and fueled by an anti-establishment ethos that virtually every cult cinema fan should be able to vibe with, it’s a testament to the cultural power of the cult cinema movement.
90 Day Fiancé alum Jasmine Pineda is speaking out after finalizing her divorce from now-ex-husband Gino Palazzolo.
“My client has exercised remarkable restraint despite repeated public accusations that we believe are false and damaging. The legal process has concluded, yet the public attacks have not,” Pineda’s lawyer Andrew J. Tahmazian said in a statement to Us Weekly on Friday, June 26. “We are issuing a formal cease-and-desist demand, and if these defamatory statements continue, we are fully prepared to pursue every legal remedy available. Reputation has value, and the law provides recourse when false statements cause harm.”
Pineda’s manager, Dominique Enchinton, also addressed the reality star’s divorce in a statement to Us, “For far too long, Jasmine has been forced to defend herself against a narrative that simply does not align with either the facts or the outcome of this case. The final divorce resolution speaks louder than months of interviews, online commentary, and accusations.”
Enchinton continued, “Jasmine chose peace over prolonged litigation. She honored a settlement so she could close this chapter and focus on her children, her family, and her future. Unfortunately, the continued public attacks have made it necessary to respond. The legal process has concluded, and the outcome speaks for itself. Jasmine is choosing to move forward with grace, dignity, and purpose—not conflict. We are hopeful this chapter has finally come to a close. However, a person’s reputation is invaluable. Should false and defamatory statements continue, we are fully prepared to protect Jasmine’s rights through every appropriate legal avenue. We remain confident that the truth, supported by the facts, will continue to speak for itself.”
90 Day Fiancé stars Gino Palazzolo and Jasmine Pineda are still in the middle of a quarrelsome divorce nearly three years after they tied the knot, Us Weekly can exclusively report. Gino, 57, filed docs in July 2025 to legally end their union in Michigan, where the now-exes wed in June 2023, noting they separated […]
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Jasmine, 39, and Gino’s courtship was first profiled on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, as she left her home in Panama to move in with Gino, 57, in Michigan. They were later featured on 90 Day: The Last Resort.
Despite showing a volatile side to their relationship on 90 Day, the couple tied the knot in June 2023 in Michigan. They later agreed to open up their marriage, with Jasmine ultimately welcoming a daughter, Matilda, outside of the relationship with boyfriend Matt Branistareanu. (Jasmine also has two sons, Juance and JC, from a previous relationship.)
“Overall, after all this was done, I regret agreeing to open marriage,” he confessed in an April 2025 episode. “But I felt like I was trapped in a corner. Like, I had to make a decision, take action, because nothing was working for us.”
Gino officially filed for divorce in Michigan in July 2025, listing their separation date as April 22, 2024. Jasmine counterfiled for divorce one month later in Florida, where she’d moved with Matt, 39.
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As the former couple settled their divorce, Gino’s spokesperson exclusively told Us on Thursday, June 25, that he looked forward to “bringing a long and emotionally difficult chapter to a close.”
“The court’s final ruling has resolved the matter in his favor, giving him the legal closure he has been waiting for and allowing him to move forward at last,” his rep went on. “The relationship and its aftermath placed Gino under significant emotional strain, as he navigated a very public breakup, legal proceedings, and the pressure that came with the collapse of his marriage. After enduring that process, Gino is relieved that the matter is now behind him and grateful to finally have clarity, peace, and the opportunity to focus on himself.”
90 Day Fiancé alum Jasmine Pineda and her estranged husband Gino Palazzolo’s unconventional relationship has taken another unexpected turn. TMZ reported on Saturday, October 25, that Jasmine, 39, published a notice in Pinellas County, Florida’s La Gaceta newspaper to announce that she’d filed for divorce in August. According to the outlet, Jasmine took this legal […]
The 90 Day Fiancé star is “genuinely happy to start over” and is now focused on filming 90 Day: The Single Life, per his spokesperson.
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“Viewers have already seen him beginning that process on 90 Day: The Single Life, where he has started dating again and taking steps toward rebuilding his personal life,” his rep added. “This next chapter represents a fresh start, one centered on healing, moving forward, and embracing what comes next.”
The statement concluded, “Gino’s focus now is on growth, peace of mind, and creating a future that reflects stability and happiness. After everything he has been through, he is looking ahead with optimism and appreciation for the chance to begin again.”
We may know Cecil B. DeMille best for his final film, The Ten Commandments, but did you know that Hollywood legend Cecil B. DeMille made a trilogy of biblical epics back in the day? At the point where the silent era was fading out and “talkies” were becoming popular, DeMille made three historical/religious epics that chronicled the Old Testament, New Testament, and early Church eras. Yet, it was only the final picture in this unofficial string of thematic material that utilized sound, the highly underrated and all-around provocative The Sign of the Cross. If you’ve never heard of this 1932 Old Hollywood epic, it’s a pre-Code extravaganza well worth entertaining.
‘Sign of the Cross’ Was a First Century Epic of Romance and Faith
Marcus Superbus (Fredric March) stands with Mercia (Elissa Landi) beside a fountain in ‘Sign of the Cross’ (1932)Image via Paramount Pictures
As the third entry in his biblical epic trilogy, The Sign of the Cross is unique in that it was not based on any tale pulled from the holy scriptures. Rather, it was based on a 1895 play penned by English playwright Wilson Barrett, which DeMille had previously seen. (Interestingly, The Sign of the Cross first hit the stage in March 1895, two days after the remarkably similar serial novel, Quo Vadis, was published by Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz. Quo Vadis would likewise be adapted.) Although The Sign of the Cross had been adapted as a 10-minute silent short in 1904 and as a 70-minute silent drama in 1914, DeMille’s 1932 remake was the most earnest adaptation of Barrett’s material. Here, the director moves beyond strict biblical fiction into historical fiction to round out his religious drama, embracing his ability to craft a larger-than-life visual spectacle that rivals even his later works. While some of the costuming was reused from previous pictures, The Sign of the Cross is quite visually stimulating.
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Set several decades after Christ, the picture highlights early Christian persecution at the hands of Roman Emperor Nero (Charles Laughton) in the mid-first-century following the Great Fire of Rome in A.D. 64. More specifically, it follows the fictional Roman prefect Marcus Superbus (Fredric March), who falls for a young Christian woman named Mercia (Elissa Landi) just as Nero orders him to round up and capture all the Christians in the city. While Marcus wishes to show mercy to the new religious sect, he must keep up his Roman appearances and way of life — a way of life that keeps him and the faithful Mercia apart. The Sign of the Cross meditates on Marcus’ inability to believe in anything beyond himself, making his complete infatuation with this young Christian woman all the more brilliant and torturous. Likewise, there is a strong juxtaposition displayed here between the Christian ideals of virtue and sacrifice with Rome’s hedonistic and violent ways. This tension is what helps make The Sign of the Cross such a beautiful film.
Of course, The Sign of the Cross was also quite controversial in its day. As DeMille was known to do, the 1932 picture displays both the decadence and delinquency of Roman society, in the form of the “wicked” Empress Poppaea (Claudette Colbert). While March and Landi play Marcus and Mercia flawlessly, Colbert’s performance as Poppaea is seductively invasive. Jealous for Marcus’ affections and unashamedly lustful in her dealings, she sets her sights on Mercia as a romantic rival and finds herself at terrible odds with the doomed couple. Indeed, through characters like Poppaea and the film’s infamous Colosseum sequence, The Sign of the Cross leans into its pre-Code-era ability to revel in its depiction of ancient Rome’s decadence, showing nude women stalked by wild animals or Ancaria’s (Joyzelle Joyner) incredibly sensual dance sequence as she attempts to seduce Mercia away from her convictions. Yet, these moments of sin and seduction are contrasted marvelously with notions of faith and conviction on the part of Mercia and her fellow believers.
DeMille Rounded Out His Trilogy of Biblical Epics with This 1932 Picture
As one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century, DeMille was a true pioneer during the silent and early sound eras. His 1934 film, Cleopatra, was a Best Picture delight at the Oscars, and The Ten Commandments would stun both audiences and critics in 1956, concluding his work in the pictures and solidifying himself as one of the most important names in film history. (This isn’t to mention films like The Greatest Show on Earth, Samson and Delilah, and Union Pacific.) But long before working with Charlton Heston, DeMille’s unofficial biblical epic trilogy chronicled the transition from silent to sound. The Sign of the Cross was only the final entry in this series of religious epics, and the only “talkie” installment. But don’t let that dissuade you from giving his other two installments a try.
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The trilogy begins, interestingly enough, with his first attempt at The Ten Commandments in 1923. Yes, his 1956 film is technically a remake of his own material, which arguably makes it even more impressive. Yet, this silent take on the Exodus story is just as engaging, especially as a blueprint from which he would later expand and improve upon. Three years later, DeMille looked to the New Testament for The King of Kings in 1927, deciding that the story of Jesus Christ was the best way to follow up that of Moses. Audiences and critics praised his tender and reverent take on Christ. It was only five years after that he tackled The Sign of the Cross, establishing the religious epic foundation he would need to revisit this historical era later on in his career. Not only did all three of these public domain films help invent the biblical epic as it would later be known and perfected, but they were the foundation for DeMille’s greatest picture ever — and one of Old Hollywood’s absolute best.
TheSign of the Cross, The King of Kings, and The Ten Commandments are available for streaming on Tubi.
Sometimes, the finest action shows don’t always have the mainstream attention they deserve. Despite being quite underrated, these masterful action-filled watches are worth returning to over and over again. In fact, some of the best shows of the genre aren’t just fun because of the spectacle and violence; they work because their worlds and all it consists of make it rather easy to revisit.
Action shows like the often-overlooked gem Alice in Borderland, which transforms brutal survival games into something clever, emotionally gripping, and incredibly tense, and Banshee, a violent crime drama with a wild premise, fantastic intensity, painful fights, and nonstop consequences, are just two series in the genre that prove underrated action television can be just as rewatchable as anything circling mainstream channels. On this list are incredibly addictive action shows that are absolutely worth watching over and over again.
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8
‘Wayne’ (2019)
Mark McKenna in ‘Wayne’Image via YouTube Premium
Waynehastobeone ofthemostunderratedaction masterpieces that no one seems to know about. The clever teen action drama follows the young Wayne(Mark McKenna), who hits the road after his father’s death to reclaim a stolen Trans Am, dragging Del (Ciara Bravo) into an incredibly funny, violent, and heartwarmingly romantic fugitive trip.
Wayne is practically built to be rewatched by the lucky few who come across it. The series is creative and quite surprisingly deep. It’s a teen drama that’s so incredibly rewatchable because every episode feels extremely charged with promising momentum. Wayne, despite being criminally underrated, stands as the perfect series to revisit time and time again, as it moves with the confidence of a comic-book bruiser and wields the heart of a scrappy road romance. It’s a sweet, nasty, weirdly sincere, action-filled watch that is structurally tight and worthy of anyone’s time, making it a great addition to this list.
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7
‘Hanna’ (2019–2021)
Esmé Creed-Miles as Hanna in the Prime Video show Hanna.Image via Prime Video
This often-overlooked Prime Video thrill ride has quite the emotional hook. Hanna centers on the titular character, a young girl, ignorant of the normalcy of the world, due to being raised off-grid by her father to survive pursuit, only to find herself stalked by a powerful government organization as she begins uncovering the truth about her origins.
Hanna is the type of action series that definitely rewards rewatches, with its tense cat-and-mouse storytelling, carefully layered character development, and emotional detail that becomes more captivating on repeat viewings. Not only is the show’s action clean and purposeful, but the emotional hook is a young girl learning just how to be ordinary while, at the same time, she’s dismantling extraordinary organizations. Hanna is unique and worthwhile because of its compelling story, action, and deep emotional stakes, cementing it as a tense, stylish watch that’s far greater than it often gets credit for.
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6
‘Alice in Borderland’ (2020–2025)
Kento Yamazaki as Arisu and Tao Tsuchiya as Usagi in Alice in Borderland Season 2Image via Netflix
Alice in Borderland is an underrated sci-fi banger that is a rather addictive viewing experience. The action thriller focuses on the directionless gamer, Arisu (Kento Yamazaki), and his close friends as they’re dropped into an emptied-out Tokyo where survival depends on deadly games.
Alice in Borderland is quite a captivating series to indulge in, and only gets better for audiences on a second viewing. The series, unlike most survival thrillers, doesn’t entirely rely on shock value; instead, it leaves its mark because it depends on its action being tied to grief, tragedy, loyalty, and fear. Alice in Borderland is genuinely masterful, the perfect series to watch time and time again, because it never gets boring. Simply put, the sci-fi wonder’s mechanics are only half its appeal when it comes to replays. In fact, once viewers are aware of the rules, they are able to better appreciate the show’s foreshadowing, character work, and emotional decisions that make rewatches all the more enthralling.
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5
‘Nikita’ (2010–2013)
Nikita hanging off a rope and wearing all black in NikitaImage via The CW
This action dramais much too underrated, a genuine good time that deserves far more credit than it’s ever received. Nikita follows the assassin Nikita (Maggie Q), who returns to destroy Division, the covert program that turned her into the killer that she’s become.
Nikita is a true network TV action staple. The series is exactly what spy thriller fans want, from undercover missions and sleek action to heartbreaking betrayals and a strong kickbutt heroine. Nikita can admittedly be a bit pulpy, but even the most outrageous turns feel earned. The show’s attack-defense rhythm makes it extremely bingeable as every setback, victory, and countermove naturally pushes viewers into the next installment, ensuring repeat viewings feel quite rewarding. Nikita is an underrated work of perfection that wields its stylish and intense action narrative with remarkable confidence, delivering the kind of gripping espionage drama that stands as a strong pick for action fans looking for something overlooked.
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Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would Be Your Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt
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Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn’t work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.
🎖️Rambo
🍸James Bond
🏺Indiana Jones
🔧John McClane
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🎭Ethan Hunt
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01
You’re dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.
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02
You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.
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03
You’re pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.
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04
The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.
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05
How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.
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06
Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.
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07
Things go badly wrong and you’re captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.
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08
What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn’t replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn’t know you had.
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09
Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.
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10
It’s the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.
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Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…
Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.
Rambo
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Your partner doesn’t talk much, doesn’t need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you’ve finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You’ll never need to ask if he has your back. You’ll just know.
James Bond
Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it’ll take you a moment to remember what’s actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You’ll never be bored. You’ll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.
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Indiana Jones
Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar’s eye and a brawler’s instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn’t matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you’ll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.
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John McClane
Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren’t so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.
Ethan Hunt
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Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you’ve finished reading the briefing, and the plan he’s settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn’t exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.
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4
‘Black Sails’ (2014–2017)
Black Sailsmay be awoefully overlooked series,but it’s definitely a cult favorite that is remembered by its most loyal fans as one of the greatest action TV watches ever created. The thrilling pirate action show centers on Captain Flint (Toby Stephens), who tries to transform Nassau from pirate chaos into something sustainable, while characters like John Silver (Luke Arnold) evolve alongside him, going from opportunistic survivors into some of the most captivatingly complex figures of the story.
Black Sails does indeed start off as a captivating pirate drama, but it then gradually transforms into something far richer, rife with naval battles, politics, betrayals, and character work that genuinely rewards audiences who come back for more than one viewing. With each season, the show gets stronger, and by the end of the addictive series, it has evolved into a sweeping legend filled with tons of emotional payoffs and layered motivations.Black Sails has definitely earned itself endless rewatches as it only gets better once audiences know where it’s heading.
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3
‘Into the Badlands’ (2015–2019)
The finale of ‘Into the Badlands’, featuring the majority of the cast.Image via AMC
This fantastic action spectacle is an exceptional series that spurs rewatches because of its brutal world that is less gun-heavy and much more martial arts-dominated. Set in a post-apocalyptic society ruled by feudal barons, Into the Badlands focuses on the lethal regent Sunny (Daniel Wu), who is desperately searching for a way out of the violent system he lives in.
Into the Badlands is a criminally underrated series that wields extraordinary action. It’s actually quite a rewatchable series, simply because of its intense combat sequences. Into the Badlands‘ story may be quite entertaining, but most viewers tend to stick around for the sword-wielding, almost too absurd fight scenes. Those moments are incredibly addictive and genuinely remain some of the most inventive and stylish action moments television has ever produced, cementing the series as a consistently overlooked yet incredibly fantastic gem that is rather easy to resist over and over again.
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2
‘Banshee’ (2013–2016)
Ivana Milicevic and Antony Starr stealing money in BansheeImage via Cinemax
Few underrated action greats are as unapologetically intense as Banshee. The series centers around an ex-con who steals the identity of a dead sheriff named Lucas Hood (Antony Starr), and lands himself in Banshee, Pennsylvania, where he collides with his former partner and lover Carrie Hopewell (Ivana Miličević).
With the impact of a brawler and the energy of a crime thriller, Banshee is incredibly easy to keep watching. It’s actually so rewatchable because it understands exactly what kind of show it is. Banshee is hardly a subtle watch, but it is enticingly consumable, with every episode pushing the intense chaos further. The series is quality revisiting material that never apologizes for its excess, marking it as a hidden action gem that stands as a great addition to this list of criminally underrated hits in the genre.
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1
‘Warrior’ (2019–2023)
Andrew Koji and Joe Taslim fighting in Warrior Season 3Image via HBO Max
Warrior is genuinely one of the strongest hidden gems in the action genre of the last several years. Set during the Tong Wars in late 1800s San Francisco, the series follows the martial artist Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji), who is in search of his sister, only for him to somehow become entangled in the violent power struggles of Chinatown.
Warrior wields a cinematic quality that makes it the perfect action series, one that is definitely well worth watching more than once. It isn’t too well-known, making it a woefully underrated beauty that most action lovers tend to miss out on. For dedicated action fans who have stumbled across the well-hidden gem, they have lauded Warrior as an addictive, almost impossible to ignore show, once started. The series is truly the complete package with its vivid setting, incredible fight choreography, and intense drama, cementing its place as the greatest underrated action series that is definitely worth watching over and over again.
Reports claim Keith Urban is seeking to rebuild communication with ex-wife Nicole Kidman following their 2025 separation and divorce.
Insiders claim the country singer hopes to clear the air and restore a more cordial relationship, though the actress has reportedly remained distant.
The situation is also said to involve their co-parenting dynamic, with Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban focusing on stability for their daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith, under a structured custody arrangement.
Keith Urban Reportedly Seeks Peace With Nicole Kidman Amid Post-Divorce Distance
Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE / MEGA
A new report claims that Keith Urban is hoping to get back on speaking terms with his ex-wife, Nicole Kidman, following what insiders describe as a distant and emotionally strained period after their separation was finalized.
Urban is said to be uncomfortable with how little contact the former couple has had since the split and would reportedly “love the chance to clear the air and get to a place where they can at least be more cordial.”
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However, the same sources suggest Kidman has so far remained “a brick wall” to attempts at reconciliation, “but he’s hoping she might soften towards him now that she’s found happiness with someone new.”
The reports link his desire for a truce to changes in Kidman’s personal life, especially speculation that she may be dating a “high-profile entertainment executive,” something insiders claim has been difficult for Urban to process, even as he tries to avoid resentment.
“There’s no denying it’s a lot to take in, but he’s making a conscious effort not to be bitter because he knows that won’t help anyone,” the insider noted.
Keith Urban Reportedly Seeks Family Reconnection As Nicole Kidman Shares Father’s Day Tribute
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA
Beyond his relationship with Kidman, the narrative also claims Urban is hoping to repair his bond with their two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith, amid suggestions that the girls have “essentially cut off contact” between them since the divorce.
According to sources cited by the National Enquirer, he is said to believe that easing tensions with his former wife could also have a positive ripple effect on the wider family situation.
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“He knows Nicole holds a lot of influence,” one insider said, adding that “he’s desperate to repair things with her.”
Kidman, meanwhile, marked Father’s Day on Instagram with a simple tribute that included a general message celebrating fathers, alongside a black-and-white photo of her with her own father, as well as a picture of Urban carrying their daughters on his shoulders, which came as a surprise to some fans online.
Keith Urban Wished Nicole Kidman A Happy Birthday In A Surprise Move
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA
Kidman and Urban share two daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith, 15, whom they welcomed during their nearly 20-year marriage.
The couple, who tied the knot in June 2006, ended their relationship in 2025, with their divorce finalized the following January.
Due to their separation, Urban’s recent online activity drew some attention when he publicly wished Kidman a happy birthday via social media, writing an enthusiastic message on his Instagram Stories.
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While he has largely stayed quiet about the breakup in public, the gesture was widely noted given the high-profile nature of their split.
Nicole Kidman Reflects On Family And Co-Parenting After Divorce From Keith Urban
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Unlike Urban, Kidman has addressed their divorce directly during a March interview, where she emphasized her focus on stability and family.
The Oscar winner described herself as someone who is “always going to be moving toward what’s good,” adding that her priority remains keeping her family unit intact in spirit, even after changes in structure.
She also spoke warmly about her daughters, referring to Sunday and Faith as her “beautiful girls” and expressing deep gratitude for motherhood.
During Mother’s Day celebrations, Kidman also shared a message dedicated to mothers everywhere, alongside a personal note to her daughters, writing, “To my beautiful girls, the greatest joy is being your mother. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in the world.”
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Nicole Kidman And Keith Urban Finalize Divorce With Structured Co-Parenting Agreement
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In September 2025, reports confirmed that Kidman and Urban had been living apart for several months after separating earlier in the summer. Kidman subsequently filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences
The divorce was later finalized in a Nashville court at the beginning of the following year. As part of the settlement, Kidman’s residence was designated as the primary home for their two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith, while Urban was granted scheduled visitation time, including alternate weekends.
Despite the arrangement, both parents retained joint responsibility for major decisions affecting the children.
Court documents also outlined expectations for co-parenting conduct, emphasizing that both parties were to “behave with each other and each child so as to provide a loving, stable, consistent and nurturing relationship with the child even though they are divorced.”
The agreement required them to avoid speaking negatively about one another in front of the children and to “encourage each child to continue to love the other parent and be comfortable in both families.”
Despite having received the best reviews of its run, which indicate that the show has finally hit its stride, HBO’s House of the Dragon is dividing audiences right down the middle. House of the Dragon was HBO’s first released Game of Thrones spin-off, and fans of the original haven’t always been on board. This typically happens with genre titles that tackle queer themes, or are led by actors from minority communities. The third season of House of the Dragon may have earned the series’ highest score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, but it seems like we’re also witnessing the earliest instances of review-bombing. This is when a group of hardcore fans launch a concerted effort to decrease a film or show’s audience score on aggregators such as Rotten Tomatoes.
For instance, the latest season of the fantasy series currently holds a “Certified Fresh” 91% score on the aggregator website, where the consensus reads, “The fate of Westeros comes to a head in a reinvigorated and riveting third season of House of the Dragon, complete with wicked new characters and more thrilling battles, crafting a punchy prequel that matches the expectations of its predecessor.” However, the new season’s audience score has dropped to 69%. The last time that something like this happened to an HBO title was the second season of The Last of Us, where Bella Ramsey was targeted by certain members of the audience.
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Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the Rings Character Are You? One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed
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The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide.
💍Frodo
🌿Samwise
👑Aragorn
🔥Gandalf
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🏹Legolas
⚒️Gimli
👁️Sauron
🪨Gollum
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01
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You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders.
02
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Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis.
03
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Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it.
04
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What does “home” mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are.
05
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When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not.
06
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Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it’s knowing which questions to ask.
07
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How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind.
08
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Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen.
09
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You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character.
10
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When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories.
The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earth
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The scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people.
💍 Frodo
🌿 Samwise
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👑 Aragorn
🔥 Gandalf
🏹 Legolas
⚒️ Gimli
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👁️ Sauron
🪨 Gollum
You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don’t have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is.
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You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you’d do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one.
You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you.
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You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late.
Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them.
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You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don’t do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything.
You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you’re not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct.
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You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time.
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‘House of the Dragon’ Made a Splashy Debut
Some viewers on Rotten Tomatoes made their negative feelings known. “HBO desperately needs to clean house on the creative involved with this project,” one person wrote, unfavorably comparing House of the Dragon with the second Game of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. “Awful show. Acting is appalling, the writing is terrible,” a second person wrote, while a third commenter felt that House of the Dragon “disrespects” Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin, who has criticized the series in the past. Critics disagree with these observations. In her review, Collider’s Therese Lacson called the new season “game-changing.” Created by Ryan Condaland Martin himself, the series stars Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith, and others. House of the Dragon made a strong debut this past Sunday, jumping to the top of the global HBO Max viewership charts, according to FlixPatrol. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
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