What we know about Stranger Things 5 is limited, but the final entry of episodes will be released in three different blocks, rather than all at once. The same can also be said for Wednesday Season 2, half of which is out now and the other half will arrive September 3rd. There are a few reasons why I prefer this over getting the whole thing at once.

Slowing down the release results in water cooler talk.

Since Stranger Things and Wednesday are so popular, that means there's a ton of folks watching as new episodes drop on Netflix. While binge-watching is a solitary pastime, releasing batches of episodes allows fans to take in the story at a uniform pace. That makes it feel like more of a community-driven experience.

Water cooler television is typically associated with weekly releases, and it's something that seems to be diminishing since the streaming age. I'm not saying binge-watching is ruining TV, but I love being able to talk with friends and fellow fans about what's happening in my shows. So splitting up new seasons for Netflix juggernauts like Wednesday works for me.

Splitting seasons also helps me really enjoy it.

I have to admit, when Stranger Things Season 4 began splitting up the season, I had my doubts. But while it was hard to wait in the month that passed between parts one and two, it allowed the first seven episodes to really have their time and emotional impact. When the final two were finally released, the rest of the fans and I were especially hyped to see how The Duffer Brothers were wrapping up the story.

Stranger Things 5's release schedule is further complicated, as it'll be in three parts across two full months. While this has garnered some eye rolls from fans, I think it'll allow me to enjoy the final batch of this beloved series.

Wednesday Season 2 was a long time coming, and fans were treated to the first four episodes on August 6th. The season is being split literally in half, with the latter four arriving next month. Only time will tell how this affects the overall storytelling, but I'm totally down for this particular release schedule... even if that's a hot take.

The second half of Wednesday will arrive on September 3rd, and Stranger Things 5 will bring the first batch of episodes on November 26th.

We, of course, did learn some things about what's going to be available for the Star Trek franchise with our Paramount+ subscription in the future, but it wasn't until recently that it hit me there was another takeaway I completely ignored at the time. This year feels different from previous years, and it's because we don't have a ton to look forward to on the Trek front. For reasons readers might guess, I have some concerns about that.

Star Trek Ended San Diego Comic-Con Without Any Announcements About New Shows Or Updates On Its Movies

I only just got around to reflecting on my time at San Diego Comic-Con, specifically Star Trek's Hall H panel. For those who might've missed the major headlines from that, we learned that there will be a "puppet episode" in Strange New Worlds Season 4, we heard a trailer for the Khan podcast series, and the official trailer for Starfleet Academy dropped.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled about the upcoming Star Trek shows, but it's more appropriate to say "show." Strange New Worlds officially has an ending date, so really, we're just waiting on the premiere of Starfleet Academy. For the first time in many years, there aren't multiple Trek shows in the works, or at least that we know of.

Star Trek Las Vegas Featured Stories From Stars About Pitched Shows That Never Came To Be

Star Trek Las Vegas isn't typically known for earth-shattering reveals about shows on the way, but this year did yield a few surprises. Picard showrunner Terry Matalas revealed he wrote a manuscript for what his follow-up series would be, and Scott Bakula revealed he even pitched an Enterprise follow-up to Paramount. Tawny Newsome also said she's finished writing her live-action comedy series, which we've heard a bit about in recent years, and that she's waiting to hear from Paramount about it.

The common thread among all of these is that they are not currently in development and are still just pitches awaiting Paramount's interest. I think it's safe to say the days of pitching to streamers and getting a series order almost immediately are long gone. But it's also hard not to notice we're not seeing as much activity in the franchise, and it doesn't feel like a coincidence given one major event on the horizon.

Why 2026 Could Signal A Changing Of The Guard For The Franchise

There's some definite caution to how Paramount is proceeding with Star Trek, and there are likely a few reasons for that across the board. We are all aware of the merger with Skydance, which was held up for quite a while due to an ongoing lawsuit with President Donald Trump. The merger prevented money from flowing, so it just made sense that new shows weren't being announced.

Then, as the merger was nearing completion, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was canceled. There was an allegation that the cancellation was made as a way of making amends to the President of the United States, as Colbert has frequently poked fun at him and his policies in his programming. It's all speculative, of course, and one might argue that South Park being continually antagonistic toward the President, all whilst being under the Paramount umbrella, could buck that narrative.

Still, it's hard to wonder what this could mean for Star Trek. This franchise is rooted in IDIC (Infinite Diversity Infinite Combinations). When Skydance announced it would cease all DEI initiatives in place at Paramount, one can't help but worry about how important promoting diversity will be to those in charge in the future. Franchise veteran Robert Picardo has said he's not worried about the franchise changing its roots under new ownership, but can he make that call?

Then there's the elephant in the room that Alex Kurtzman's contract with CBS Studios is set to expire in 2026. His contract was extended back in 2021, but there are only a few months left in 2025, and we haven't heard whether he'll still be the person overseeing Star Trek.

The fact that we've heard nothing about new projects and nothing about Kurtzman's contract being renewed has me wondering if Star Trek will soon be guided under new leadership. This has happened before, but as a fan who has seen more activity in the franchise the past ten years than we've seen in quite a while, I can't help but be nervous about the change. Why would Paramount and Skydance want to move away from a person who has helped the franchise flourish with fresh new shows?

Skydance's CEO Has A History With Star Trek

It is worth noting that Skydance CEO David Ellison has a history with Star Trek. The internet promotes him as a fan of the franchise, and Skydance was a producer on the Kelvin movies Into Darkness and Beyond. Simon Pegg recently said that Ellison is a fan of that franchise, and it sounds as though he's invested in helping the fourth installment finally happen (via TrekMovie.com).

That's great for the Kelvin films, and I would love it if Ellison could make happen what Paramount has been unable to do for nearly a decade in getting a fourth movie off the ground. It doesn't speak to his plans for television, however, and I would argue that as entertaining as the Kelvin movies are, they skew more toward prioritizing action and adventure than any moral message or scientific discovery.

We don't know what it means to hear that Ellison is a Star Trek fan, nor what that means for the franchise at large. The optimist in me wants to believe that this means Star Trek will proceed as it has for the past decade, and we'll get a lot more shows to enjoy and talk about for years to come. Do I know that's going to happen? Certainly not, and that's what has me so worried about the significant changes that could be coming to my favorite franchise.

Here's hoping for some answers on Star Trek in the coming months. Until then, we have new episodes of Strange New Worlds on Paramount+ airing Thursdays, so be sure to tune in and enjoy what has been a great season thus far.

After having the release of Alien: Earth circled on the 2025 TV premiere schedule, especially after the high praise from critics, I caught the first two episodes on Tuesday evening, and have to say, I was really impressed with its debut. There’s enough to say about Noah Hawley’s Alien series that it would be pretty handy to have a smaller mouth inside of my normal one, despite any inherent communication issues. But what I want to really talk about is why it wasn’t this franchise's Xenomorphs that kept me on edge the most.

Alien: Earth Introduced These Terrifying Ticks That Had Me Shuffling In My Seat

Alien: Earth takes place two years prior to the original Alien movie on the franchise’s timeline, and instantly I felt like I was being transported to Ridley Scott’s original vision as the series started on a Weyland-Yutani deep space research vessel that ultimately crash lands on Earth with at least one Xenomorph and a bunch of other specimens on board. Of course, horrific scenes involving the Xenomorph(which were actually practically shot) were present and accounted for, but it was one of the new alien creatures that had my skin crawling.

We're introduced to these nasty little nightmares that look like ticks. When two Prodigy soldiers come on board after the vessel's crash landing, they are caught and tied up to a pole by Morrow (the cyborg from the ship’s crew). Then enter these bug-like aliens attaching themselves to their veins in the neck and sucking all the blood out of their bodies. As a result, they become much bigger, and these creepy things filled with human blood, and it's just gross and terrifying. Seriously, I want to jump around and swat ferociously at my arms and legs just writing about them.

The ticks aren’t the only new aliens in Alien: Earth, either, even if they're ones that could be hiding in your shoes and cereal boxes, just waiting for your blood. There are quite a few others to learn more about, and I think it’s really smart of the series to up the stakes with unexpected kills from aliens after so many Alien movies.

I'm Especially Stressed About The Group Of Hybrids Introduced In The Premiere Episodes

One of the major strengths of the Alien movies from the beginning has been the commentary on human nature through its science fiction lens. This very much continues in Alien: Earth with the plotline regarding Prodigy’s experiment on “Neverland” research island. In the series, its CEO and trillionaire Boy Kavalier has created a program where a group of kids who had terminal illnesses, like cancer, get a second chance at life through their consciousness transferred into a synthetic body, in a new Alien term called a Hybrid.

I’m absolutely locked in to the storyline of Sydney Chandler’s Wendy, who is the first Hybrid. When her brother, Joe Hermit, becomes part of the rescue team of the vessel, she insists that her and the other Hybrids go to aid in rescue. It wasn’t long in the mission before I started getting anxious about these children being placed in these stressful situations, just because now they are in a form that doesn’t easily break.

I can tell Alien: Earth is going to have me really thinking about what it means to be human as these children-turned-Hybrids continue to run around. There’s already interesting implications around whether they are still “human” or because they are in synthetic bodies, no longer having hormones running through their bodies, if they will become more like Cyborgs or Synths. So long as they stay away from my neck blood, however, we can be copacetic.

Anyway, I’ll definitely be catching the next episode, coming out next Tuesday, but count me satisfactorily stressed over this new entry of Alien already!

While it goes by different names depending on the theater chain (AMC Screen Unseen, Marcus Mystery Movie, etc) the Monday mystery movie event is a screening of a new, unnamed movie on a Monday night for a low price. Of the few I’ve attended, it appears to be the same film being screened across various theater chains. While there’s usually some speculation on social media about the title, the whole point is that you show up not knowing what movie you're seeing until the movie starts. Besides the date and time of the screening, the listing only includes the movie’s rating and general length. My theater also says if it’s a horror or not.

I Hoped I'd See Nobody 2, But I Guessed Wrong

So far, my experiences attending the mystery movie Monday have been pretty great, even when I guess wrong. Case in point: this week, because Nobody 2’s release date is this coming weekend, I guessed that it might be the Bob Odenkirk sequel. Also, it's rated R, which would match the teased mystery movie. Relay’s theatrical release isn’t until next week (August 22), so I hadn’t even considered it, though I now realize that the level of earliness of the mystery movie varies.

While I showed up for the screening thinking Nobody 2 was a possibility, my mindset with these screenings is very much: “I get what I get.” Guessing right is fun, but if I get to see a movie I hadn’t heard about or planned to see in the theater, and it turns out to be really good, well, that’s even better. I realize that I'm spinning a figurative wheel and hoping for the best with these screenings, which I think we all sort of do when we go see a movie, in that we don’t know for sure if we’re going to enjoy it. This just adds a bigger layer of mystery in that we don't know exactly what we're about to see. So if you’re super picky about what movies you see, this experience may not be for you.

Before this week, the last time I did a Monday mystery movie, I ended up seeing The Life of Chuck, which was what I'd hoped for, especially after Eric’s high praise for it in his review. It was fantastic, and I was delighted to get to see it a bit earlier than its theatrical release. (CinemaBlend’s Laura Hurley ended up accidentally seeing it twice due to her own Monday mystery movie experience, but that’s another story.)

Now Let's Talk About Relay, Because Wow

In the case of this week’s experience, I went in hoping for one movie, but it turned out to be something else. And that worked out, as Relay was such a fun, suspenseful movie, and a great one to see in the theater with a crowd.

Directed by David Mackenzie, Relay stars Riz Ahmed as a man who works in the shadows, helping people broker deals with companies that usually have something to hide. The titular “relay” refers to the relay phone service he uses to communicate with clients anonymously and confidentially. Sarah (Lily James) hires this man to help her after she kept documents from a former employer that could expose research findings they don’t want made public. Because she has these documents, she’s being harassed by the company at life-ruining levels. Ahmed’s character takes on the job to sort the situation out with her, and the thriller really takes off from there. Sam Worthington plays the guy who leads the team of life-ruining harassers trying to get the documents back on behalf of the company. Watch the trailer below:

As has been the case in the past two Monday Mystery Movie screenings, my theater was impressively full for a Monday night. People are certainly showing up for a mystery screening, at least in my neighborhood. And the tension in the room for this film was palpable, which added to my enjoyment.

Like I said, this wasn’t a film that was big on my radar, but after seeing it, I learned that it debuted at TIFF in 2024, and with 28 reviews as of this writing, it’s currently holding a respectable 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is exactly why I’m loving the Monday Mystery Movie screenings. I don’t love going out on a Monday night, but I need this kind of randomness in my life. I'm not sure if I would've chosen to see Relay in the theater otherwise, but it was a great big-screen experience.

Relay arrives in theaters on Friday, August 22. If it sounds like your type of film, give it a shot. The cast is great, as is the New York City setting, and it kept me guessing throughout.

For all the fun I had seeing Hank and Peggy return to Arlen after time abroad in Saudi Arabia, nothing can compare to seeing the modern world through Luanne's unique perspective. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it's currently in the cards for that to happen, but I'm ready to argue that it absolutely should for a couple of reasons.

Luanne And Lucky Are Missing In The King Of The Hill Return

King of the Hill brought back many beloved characters, but there's a pretty glaring omission when it comes to Hank and Peggy's niece, Luanne Platter. Luanne lived with the Hills throughout a chunk of the original run of the series before getting married to her husband Elroy "Lucky" Kleinschmidt. They went on to have a baby, Gracie, and set out on their own, but still kept in touch with their family.

Well, that's my assumption anyway, because King of the Hill's first ten episodes of the return do not make mention of Luanne, Lucky, or their child Gracie in any way. It might catch some viewers by surprise for sure, especially with cameos from more obscure characters like Hank's half-brother Junichiro and the now-grown Good Hank, but it should be mentioned that those paying attention had the heads up that they wouldn't be featured.

Why King Of The Hill's Showrunner Didn't Bring Them Back

As mentioned, King of the Hill's showrunner Saladin Patterson was quick to bring up that Luanne and Lucky would not be featured in the first batch of episodes when the series returned. In fact, there are no current plans to bring them back at all, because he felt it wasn't right given the passing of voice actors for the characters, Brittany Murphy and singer Tom Petty:

As mentioned, Luanne and Lucky are not referenced in the first ten episodes, so hopefully Saladin Patterson was backwards-hinting that future episodes could pay homage somehow. As exciting as any tribute to the characters would be, I can't help but be disappointed and continually express how I still think they need to be part of the show.

Even With Bobby Becoming An Adult, Luanne Should Remain Part Of The Story

I think one thing that's clear in King of the Hill is that Bobby has slid into the space in storylines that Luanne previously held. It's a compelling story, with Bobby opting out of college to pursue his dream of owning and operating a Japanese and German fusion restaurant. The first ten episodes only whetted my appetite for more Bobby adventures, so I'm not advocating that his screentime be diminished for more of Luanne.

At the same time, one of the biggest compliments I can give this series is that each character feels as though they've been living their lives the entire time they've been offscreen since King of the Hill first ended. Wouldn't it be great to see what Luanne and Lucky are like down the road, and if they got their lives together? There's nothing I'd like to see more, and I think even if Bobby is occupying that twenty-something storyline the show typically held for Luanne, there's still plenty of time for her to pop up here and there.

I Don't See Recasting Luanne And Lucky As A Major Issue, Considering Other Changes Made

I can understand Saladin Patterson's mind in wanting to "retire" the characters of Luanne and Lucky, especially in the context of it being an honor to their legacies after death. At the same time, King of the Hill tragically lost Dale's voice actor Johnny Hardwick while making the revival and recast him with former Kahn voice actor Toby Huss.

King of the Hill also has to address the death of Jonathan Joss, who had finished his voice work as John Redcorn in the ten episodes before his untimely death. The character was featured a solid amount as Nancy's business partner, and doing his usual schtick of trying to get closer to Joseph Gribble without raising too many red flags that he's his real father. It seems like the show still has stories to tell with the character, so it feels like he would get a new voice actor as well.

Obviously, the team at King of the Hill didn't know they were going to lose two key actors to the series in the midst of making it and waiting for it to release. Now that it's happened, however, I think it's worth considering that if there's reason enough to bring in replacement actors for Dale and potentially John Redcorn, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the show could find people to do the voices of Luanne and Lucky for at least an episode or two.

I think about what Pamela Adlon and Saladin Patterson told CinemaBlend at San Diego Comic-Con about why they decided not to change Bobby's voice as an adult. Ultimately, it came down to deciding what it was that fans wanted to hear the most, and after some back and forth, they ultimately realized people would want to hear Bobby as they remember him.

I could be off base here, but I think a lot of King of the Hill fans who watched the original liked Luanne and would love to see her back. The same goes for Lucky, and I would love to see at least one more story revolving around the two after seeing just how well Mike Judge and company brought these characters into the year 2025. I need to know how she's doing in the modern era, and better yet, if she became the great mother I knew she'd ultimately be to her child.

Watch the new episodes of King of the Hill with a Hulu subscription. As a big fan of the original series, I flew through the new episodes, and am already ready for more episodes as soon as they can hit the platform.

While there are a lot of fun facts we know about Bianca Belair, many have wondered: Is what she’s doing with her long braid real or faked? Now the Unreal docuseries has hit Netflix's schedule, we have an answer.

Does WWE Actually Use Sound Effects When Bianca Whips Her Braid?

Even Bianca knows her braid is a major topic of discussion on the Internet. For one, it's her signature, but she also admitted in the docuseries that she knows there have been fans who have hedged that the WWE has used sound effects to amplify her braid hitting her opponents. Regardless, she admitted in Netflix’s Unreal that she braids and oils up her hairdo herself for maximum impact, and nothing about what happens when she uses her hair as a weapon is faked for TV.

Later, in Episode 5 of the Netflix series, the WWE star was prepping for her big Wrestlemania 2025 match with Rhea Ripley And Iyo Sky, and she opened up about how she actually styles her braid. Turns out, there's actual strategy to getting it to make as much of a smacking noise as possible.

I was also surprised to learn that her biggest concern when heading into a ring for a match has to do with her braid. She often worries she’ll get out there and slap someone around and the braid won’t make the famous noise she needs it to make. Ahead of Wrestlemania, she confirmed in the docuseries that this is the thing that “stresses” her out, noting the braid's gotta be "thick" for it to work best.

Prior to watching, I honestly was on team sound effect, because I didn’t realize hair could make that much of a cracking sound in real life. So, yeah, this tidbit was a bit surprising for me. After she braids the hair while getting ready, she gets it to a point where it basically acts like a whip or a rope. It can also hurt. There have been several memorable times women have been on the receiving end of Bianca’s braid and ended up with major marks on their bodies, and that will likely remain true in upcoming WWE matches.

Previously, there was video of Bianca whipping her hair at Becky Lynch that made such a huge sound it went viral. This season, a tussle with Liv Morgan left a giant burn-looking mark on her stomach. After the match with Rhea and Iyo, Rhea had a nasty welt from the braid on her bicep. She and Bianca had joked before the match that if it left a welt, she’d mark it with a tattoo. Not sure if that came about, but both women seemingly knew the score going into the match.

Which leads me to the question: How did Bianca come up with the braid? Thanks to Unreal, we have an answer for that, too.

Bianca Belair Wears Her Hair In A Braid Thanks To Her Husband Montez Ford

Another cool story that came out of Netflix’s Unreal Documentary has to do with the origins of Bianca’s braid. It was a look that Bianca tried out earlier in her career. It was probably going to be a one-off, but then her husband, Montez Ford, gave her a piece of advice:

The reason? It’s notable. He was right in saying no one else was doing it at the time. While Lyra Valkyria and some of the other women do have memorable hair, nothing is as consistent and memorable as Bianca’s braid. To my knowledge, she’s also the only person who uses her hairdo as a weapon, and this was all because of the one piece of advice Ford gave her early on:

It was sound advice, and probably a good thing she latched onto it. Girls now love to emulate the look. Belair even said at Wrestlemania that she met a gaggle of six young fans who’d all worn their hair in a braid like hers.

So, there you have it. The braid does legitimately hurt and its slapping sound is also authentic. None of that is faked in the ring. This is only one of many stories that came out behind-the-scenes in Unreal, including whether WWE wrestlers pee and poo themselves, so if you haven't given it a watch, I do recommend it.

Now, I just need to know if Rhea followed through and got a tattoo to commemorate the Wrestlemania match, which was my favorite match At Wrestlemania 40 (and maybe this year).

The truth is, I can’t get enough of the “Milk Man,” his comedic timing, the way he handles himself in a fight and vehicular combat, and pretty much everything else about Mackie’s dynamic character.

I'm Not Saying Sam Wilson Is Boring, But Captain America: Brave New World Wasn't Exactly Fun

Though Captain America: Brave New World was one of the highlights of the MCU’s Phase Five, it wasn’t necessarily a fun movie, which didn’t really allow Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson to shine like his character on Twisted Metal.

The new Cap does have some funny quips, was charming, and makes for a good hero, but at times it felt like Mackie was either holding back or being told to tone it down, which is a shame, considering he’s a great comedic actor and the character has been so much fun to watch over the years. I get it, as random ‘90s pop culture references, an obsession with The Baby-Sitter’s Club books, and puns don’t really work in a dramatic superhero flick paying homage to ‘70s political thrillers.

Twisted Metal's Ridiculousness Brings Out The Best In Anthony Mackie's Comedy And Action Skills

What’s so great about Twisted Metal is that its utterly bonkers tone allows Mackie to show off his incredible action skills while also giving him the opportunity to cut loose, have some fun, and say/do some ridiculous stuff in each episode. I’m only five episodes into the second season (all that has been released up to the point of this writing), but I already have a hefty list of hilarious moments involving John Doe so far:

• John starting a “John Dough” pizza delivery service
• John Doe freaking out when he can’t find Book #89 of the Baby-Sitter’s Club
• John still being obsessed with the books when his sister tries to reconnect
• John and Quiet crawling on the floor during the orgy
• John recreating THAT Entrapment scene in the laser hallway

Now That The Tournament Is Underway, I Can't Wait To See Where John Doe Takes Us

Before Twisted Metal first premiered in 2023, I had a list of things I wanted to see in the adaptation. Though a lot of those didn’t happen in the first season, it’s a completely different story this time around, including the actual Twisted Metal tournament itself. I had long dreamed of seeing the vehicular combat of those classic PlayStation games on the TV show, and the fifth episode of Season 2 gave me just that after it was teased in the Twisted Metal trailer.

Now that Calypso has gathered deadly, unique, and truly bizarre drivers from around the country to take part in his tournament, I cannot wait to see where John Doe goes on this journey. Those who’ve played the games know that the maniacal tournament founder can’t be trusted with those wishes, so anything could happen with John if he wins…

You can watch Twisted Metal on Peacock right now, and new episodes will drop in chunks weekly through the end of August. Who knows, maybe we’ll see a third or fourth season pop up on the list of upcoming video game movies and shows in the near future.

The Long Walk Trailer Has Wrecked Me Repeatedly Now.

I’ve seen The Long Walk trailer three times now. Once, I screened it early while sitting next to a slew of journalists at Lionsgate’s CinemaCon 2025 presentation. Despite the professional setting, I cried. Once, I saw it ahead of a viewing of F1 and once I’ve now watched it on my computer. Every single time I’ve had a visceral reaction to the material. My eyes well up, yet I can’t tear them away from the screen. My stomach churns and my legs feel like jelly. I am literally horrified, and yet feel glued to my seat at the same time. If that was the intention, the movie has already succeeded.

The Long Walk follows a group of kids all walking an indeterminate distance for life-changing prize money. Only there’s one hitch: if you fall behind, you die. We’ve seen a scene where all of the kids walking seem to be spurring one another on. However, one young man is falling behind. A crack of a gun is heard. There’s another moment when one young man’s shoe comes loose and he's struggling to get it back on before things take a serious turn.

Every time I see the loose shoe, I’m internally screaming, ‘Get up! Get up!’ I've even dreamt about it. I've seen sub-five minutes of this movie so far, and I already feel scarred for life.

The Long Walk Source Material Is So Tough It Took A Long Time For The Movie To Get Made

The development of the flick has been a long time coming. We’ve previously explored the history of the film coming together in our The Long Walk guide, and various voices involved have explained how this movie felt insurmountable and completely unmakeable for years. At one point in the ‘80s, George Romero was reportedly attached. Frank Darabont held the rights for a while. André Øvredal was supposed to make it in 2019, but the project was dropped and we weren't bullish it would ever move forward.

Fifteen years ago or so, dystopian fiction also came to the forefront with content like The Walking Dead, The Hunger Games and even popular projects like Divergent. Still, The Long Walk was not made.

We’ve covered this tale before on CinemaBlend. How part of the problem seems to have been simply making a movie about kids trudging on and on for days. How part of the problem was the subject material, as JT Pollner, who wrote the movie, has called it “disturbing and somewhat controversial.” How another problem with The Long Walk was simply how much walking the cast had to do to actually film the movie. The cast told us that in order to have comparable scenery, they’d walk one route over and over at ¾ of a mile per take.

Whomever was in charge of continuity in this movie, I salute you. But I also salute the young men, who confirmed they walked over 300 miles during the making of The Long Walk.

I mentioned how this flick has really been sticking with me to my co-worker Eric Eisenberg, who also happens to be CinemaBlend’s Stephen King expert. This means that, yes, he’s read the 1979 source material the movie will be based on, and he told me even he’s “flabbergasted” The Long Walk got made. I haven’t read the book, and I don’t know its ending, but I get the impression I’m going to have a real gut-punch coming.

Plus, it strikes me that if I’m that emotional this early in, there’s only going to be more toil to come. If I can’t even handle three minutes of this film, how am I supposed to get through the film’s 108-minute runtime?

I’d say bring it on, Stephen King, but honestly, I’m too traumatized to confidently do that. The Long Walk will be here to ruin our days on September 12th.

It’s safe to say Pedro Pascal is having a very good year. Between being a part of one of the biggest 2025 TV shows with The Last of Us Season 2 to having large roles in two of the biggest releases on the 2025 movie schedule, we’ve seen a lot of the former Game of Thrones actor. However, while everyone is talking about The Fantastic Four: The First Steps, there’s one movie that seems to have flown under the radar: Freaky Tales.

If you haven’t heard of Freaky Tales, just know that it’s an anthology film set in Oakland in 1987, telling four underdog stories – be it in sports, the world of crime, the East Bay’s hip hop scene, or a battle between punks and Nazi skinheads. Now that’s streaming with an HBO Max subscription, there’s no reason not to watch this Pedro Pascal movie no one is talking about…

Freaky Tales Is A Wild And Blood-Soaked Anthology Film Will All Kinds Of Surprises

Don’t worry, you’re not going to find any spoilers that weren’t already teased in the Freaky Tales trailer below, but just know that this is a wild and blood-soaked anthology film where all four stories – “Strength in Numbers: The Gilman Strikes Back,” “Don’t Fight the Feeling,” “Born to Mack,” and “The Legend of Sleepy Floyd” – share a common conneection. It’s campy, it’s violent, and it’s fun as hell.

And then there are the surprises throughout Freaky Tales. With some outrageous cameos, including one that I’m still laughing about days later, pop culture references, and one shocking turn after another, this crazy anthology film is something else!

Like The Last Of Us And The Fantastic Four, Pedro Pascal Plays A Father Forced To Make A Grave Decision

Pedro Pascal has played some great dads and father figures in recent years, with The Wild Robot, The Fantastic Four: The First Steps, The Last of Us, and The Mandalorian quickly coming to mind. This is the same for Freaky Tales, as the in-demand actor, who had to drop out of another great 2025 horror flick, Weapons, plays a former enforcer who’s tasked with making a grave decision after the birth of his first child.

Again, I won’t give anything away, but his character finds himself in quite a pickle where there’s only one, and incredibly violent, way out.

I Honestly Don't Know How This Flew Under The Radar

When I was writing about all the new 2025 action movies I wanted to see, I made sure to include Freaky Tales, as the premise and cast had me interested to see how it’d all go down. Back then, and even now, I haven’t come across anyone else who’s watched this movie, and I’m struggling to figure out how it flew under the radar for so long.

With Captain Marvel and Masters of the Air’s Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck directing, a cast that includes Jay Ellis as NBA legend Sleepy Floyd, Ironheart’s Dominique Thorne, Ben Mendelsohn, and the late Angus Cloud, and some of the wildest gore I’ve seen all year, this checks all the boxes. Maybe now, with the movie streaming on HBO Max, this will change.

Don’t be like me and wait so long to watch Freaky Tales, because this is one wild-as-hell anthology film you won’t want to miss.

Freakier Friday hits most of the right notes that a sequel should. It’s nostalgic, funny, and has a fresh take on a classic story. Freakier Friday is one of many sequels to hit the big screen, but it won't be the last sequel of the upcoming 2025 movies this year. At the heart of this film is comedy. That is why you cast Manny Jacinto, right?

When you are looking to add to an already stacked cast of comedic talent like Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, there is no reason to rely on Jacinto, but that is a mistake. The script does not allow for his comedic abilities to shine through, and most of the time he is on screen, he plays the albeit very attractive and mostly convincing Brit(ish) straightman.

Jacinto Is Hot, And There Were Flashes Of Funny, But It Felt Like Such A Tease

We first get a glimpse of how effortlessly charming and attractive Jacinto is when he and Lohan, who in her own right is a rom-com queen, have their meet-cute moment outside the school. Jacinto is swoon-worthy and, according to Slate, may be Hollywood’s next leading man. Although he may not be dubbed the fourth hottest man alive like Pedro Pascal, in my opinion, he is in the top ten. One of the things that makes Jacinto so attractive (besides his rippling pectorals) is how funny he is. However, we don’t really get to see this.

The funny often goes to other characters. There are two glaring instances where I feel the funny went to the wrong people, even though they crushed it. The first is in the teacher's classroom, and the second is in the marriage license appointment. Both times, the jokes go to the supporting cast. Whether it is them inserting themselves into a dinner date or reflecting on their own failed love life, the script took those comedic moments away from Jacinto.

The one shining moment for me was the surf scene. Right after Anna, or should I say Harper, gets done surfing, like a pro, we see Eric plunge headfirst into the ocean and immediately wipe out. The confidence and hubris mixed with physicality are a laugh-out-loud moment, but these are just too few and far between.

A Wedding Dance Rehearsal Is A No-Brainer, But The ‘Dirty Dancing’ Scene Isn’t Dirty Enough

This could have been great, but it was only good. Another reason you cast Jacinto is for his epic dance skills. From The Good Place, where he was a part of a 60-person dance crew, to The Acolyte, where his sexy Sith skills with a light-saber are balletic…we get a scene where most of the time he strikes some ‘tango poses’ before we get to the real meat.

Now, no one is as ‘dirty’ as Patrick Swayze, but I do think that Jacinto gives him a run for his money, and maybe even Hannah Waddingham might change her tune, but it takes too long to get there. When we get to Lohan’s ‘run to him’ and she runs out of the room, the payoff is great, but we have to wade through some dirty water to get it.

Overall, I loved Jacinto in this film. He is heartfelt, earnest, kind, sexy, and funny. But every time he was on screen, I yearned for more. Maybe if there is a Freakiest Friday, we could get a body swap for Jacinto's character, because that would utilize all of his skills that I believe were lacking here. In the words of Jason Medoza, I kept ‘waiting for the bass drop, and it never came.’ Freakier Friday is a sequel absolutely still worth watching, even if it is just to wholesomely gaze at Jacinto.

When I saw the documentary, directed by Penn Gillette and Paul Provenza, and featuring dozens of comedians and actors, it was the first, and to date only, time I’ve ever seen people actually falling out of their chairs laughing. It was, frankly, the funniest movie I’ve ever seen in theaters. So, without further ado, a family walks into a talent agent's office and tells the seven funniest versions of The Aristocrats.

Cartman Goes Way Off The Deep End On South Park

Without question, the funniest take on the Aristocrats, in my opinion, is the ridiculously over-the-top version that Cartman tells the other South Park guys. It starts with the traditional telling of a family walking into a talent agent’s office, but by the end, there are victims of 9/11 involved. I saw this movie in New York City, so I saw firsthand just how shocking and, honestly, hilarious everyone in the theater found it, in the one city where you might expect people to think it had gone too far. It didn’t, and it ranks up there near the top with the best episodes of South Park, ever.

Bob Saget Gets Really Dirty

It’s old news that the late, great Bob Saget was an incredibly dirty comedian, defying expectations from fans of his TV shows like Full House and America’s Funniest Home Videos. I’ll admit, at the time, I didn’t know just how filthy Saget could get in his standup. I certainly understood after seeing his version of the joke, which he tells, without getting to the punchline, just minutes before hitting the stage. He does give us all the disclaimer that he doesn’t endorse or condone anything that happens in his version of the joke.

Billy The Mime Quietly Cracks Me Up

One of the most interesting takes on the joke comes from Billy the Mime, played by comedian Steven Banks. As a mime would, he performs the entire joke in silence, acting out every dirty bit of the story on the street. By this point in the movie, everyone understands the joke, and so every position and mime that Billy does lands silently, but brilliantly. At that point in the doc, there is no sound at all; only the laughter of the audience makes up the soundtrack.

Gilbert Gottfried Is The GOAT

Gilbert Gottfried was so good at telling the joke that he got two versions into the movie. The first time audiences see Gottfried, he’s sitting at a table in what looks like an office boardroom, saying the most outrageous things. In true Gottfried fashion, he’s unafraid to be as disgusting as humanly possible. With no live audience, he kills it.

The second time we see the late, great Gottfried is when we learn that his telling of the joke on stage at the Hugh Hefner Friar’s Club Roast is quite possibly what inspired Gillette and Provenza to tell the story. It was incredibly rare (and still is) to see a comedian tell the joke on stage, but Gottfried goes for it, and it’s so wonderfully dirty and hilarious that, like the audience I saw the movie with originally, it has Rob Schneider literally on the floor in laughter. It very well may be the definitive version of The Aristocrats joke.

Kevin Pollack Channels Christopher Walken

I think sometimes people forget that before he became one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood with roles in blockbusters like A Few Good Men, The Usual Suspects, Casino, and Grumpy Old Men, Kevin Pollack started his career as a stand-up comedian. His impressions are well known from his appearances on talk shows, and one of his best is Christopher Walken. In telling The Aristocrats as though he were first told the joke by Walken himself, Pollack has one of the very best moments in the movie. It’s one of the shorter versions, but it’s outstanding.

Sarah Silverman Makes It Personal

One way to tell the joke is by putting yourself in the middle of the action, so to speak. That’s how Sarah Silverman does it. In her words, she was “an Aristocrat.” She’s not embarrassed by it, nor does she wish to make a big deal out of it, again, in her words. The things that are described as part of her own family’s act are just as outrageous as anyone else’s in the documentary, and her deadpan delivery is pitch-perfect. Her punchline, which I won’t repeat here, reportedly almost got her sued by Joe Franklin.

Eric Mead Lays His Cards On The Table

I’m a total sucker for card tricks and sleight-of-hand magic, so watching magician Eric Mead’s close-up magic version of the joke is really special. Sure, it’s not the funniest version of it in the film, but it almost certainly took the most practice. It’s brilliantly done, and it’s one I can watch over and over and still not understand how he does all the tricks.

It’s versions like Mead’s that make The Aristocrats such a great documentary, and not just a series of comedians telling increasingly dirtier versions of the joke. Like Steven Banks as Billy The Mime, or one telling I didn’t mention here, Rita Rudner telling her “clean” version (which ends with a dirty punchline), it’s the great variations that make the movie (and joke) so funny.

There are so many amazing moments in the movie I couldn’t even get to here, like Robin Williams telling it on the beach in Northern California, juxtaposed with Drew Carey telling a similar version. Mario Cantone’s impression of Liza Minnelli doing it is also amazing. There isn’t a dull moment in the whole documentary. The Aristocrats might not be for everyone, but it’ll always be one of my favorites.

Which is interesting, right? Because among Dwayne Johnson, Dave Bautista, and John Cena, I actually hold Cena in pretty high regard when it comes to wrestlers-turned-actors. Take the recent movie, Heads of State, for instance, which we gave a really good review. I would say that it's an objectively “better” movie than The Marine.

However, “better” doesn't necessarily mean I'll like it more. For example, critics will say Citizen Kane is better than Big Trouble in Little China, which I've rewatched endlessly, but I'll watch BTILC over Kane any day of the week. (Though I LIKE the latter!) So, here's why I adore Cena's first film.

The Marine Is Gleefully Ridiculous, And Revels In It

Do you know what's ridiculous? Professional wrestling. So, it makes little wonder that WWE Studios Inc. (formerly WWE Films) would produce a film like The Marine. Prior, they focused on movies starring The Rock, such as Walking Tall, and The Rundown, which is one of Dwayne Johnson's best movies.

For 2006, the company experimented a little bit, and made two movies. One was the horror flick, See No Evil, starring Kane, and the other was the Cena-led The Marine, which is about a discharged Marine whose wife is kidnapped, and he has to rescue her.

That's it. There's nothing deep about it. In fact, it's no deeper than what you might find in a typical WWE storyline. Cena has a certain set of skills, and he uses them against bad guys. In the opening scene, he could wait for reinforcements at an Al-Qaeda hideout, but then, all of the hostages would be beheaded.

What does he do? He goes in, guns-a-blazing, (Arrrgghh!!!) and saves the day. Guess what? The whole movie is like this! It's all gleefully ridiculous, and I love it with my full heart and soul.

The Action In It Is Really Intense

Another reason why I prefer this to other Cena movies is because the action in this one is really intense, like the car chase scene where Cena uses a bullet proof vest to deflect gunfire. Or, what about the fight in the meth lab where he is literally doing wrestling moves against a guy who's way bigger than him?

I just love this about the film, as it prioritizes action over anything else. Forget logic, or the fact that putting a bulletproof vest in front of your face isn't going to save your life. If it's cool, it's in this movie, and this movie is very cool.

Plus, it's not like Cena hasn't been in other enthralling action flicks. Like, I love him as Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad. As somebody who has been a loyal Fast & Furious fan since the very beginning (though, I consider Tokyo Drift to be peak Fast & Furious), his inclusion in the series as Dom’s estranged brother elevated the 9th and 10th movies for me.

Even so, I still can’t get over the action here. I think it might be because the star is usually in ensemble pictures these days, whereas The Marine and 12 Rounds (which also rules), are almost entirely carried by Cena. But, out of those two films, I prefer the former because the action never lets up for a single second. It’s just so cool!

You Can Tell Cena Was Hungry To Get Into Show Business When You Watch It

Here’s another interesting thing about his film career. He may be getting more ensemble pieces than leading roles these days, but I think this has actually boosted his cred more than if he had stuck with doing films like The Marine. After this one, there were actually five other movies in this franchise (mostly starring The Miz) that went straight to DVD and Blu-Ray.

Even so, you can tell that Cena was hungry to get into acting when he made this movie, because there’s an intensity here that you don’t really see in any of his other films. Now, yes, that might be because intensity is what was called for in the role.

Shots of him running full speed at enemies and lifting them up is reminiscent of what you’d see him do in the wrestling ring. However, I just get a feeling that Cena was trying to prove himself as an actor when he made this film.

By 2006, The Rock had made a few films, but the history of wrestlers-turned-actors wasn’t anything to boast about. Hulk Hogan had been in films like Rocky III and No Holds Barred, but those really played upon his wrestling persona. The Rock had fared better, but even he at this point seemed to lean more on being “The Rock” than Dwayne Johnson, the movie star. So, The Marine feels like Cena is trying to branch out from being just a wrestler, and I appreciate it for that reason.

Robert Patrick Is Always A Good Villain

Few movies have impacted me more than Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I mean, just the opening scene alone is worth the price of admission. In fact, when I first saw the movie at the tender age of 8, I remember being wowed by it, but also utterly terrified because of one actor, and his name is Robert Patrick.

As the terrifying T-1000, Patrick stole every scene he was in. Though he was much smaller than Arnold Schwarzenegger, he was several times more intimidating. That’s the power of Robert Patrick. Well, he’s also the main antagonist in The Marine, and he plays the gang leader, Rome.

Now, Rome is the kind of guy who can wear a suit and tie, but also walk out to the White Zombie song, “More Human Than Human,” and it feels completely legit. He’s also the kind of guy who has underlings who carry around rocket launchers and blow up police vehicles. In short, he’s a really bad dude.

At the same time, he’s got a great sense of humor. He’ll smirk while blowing up a building, but then comically frown when he realizes that the Marine escaped just before the building exploded.

My favorite part of the movie is when Cena is chasing him in a car, and one of Rome’s subordinates comments on how The Marine is like The Terminator, to which Patrick glances in the rearview mirror as a nod to his former character. In short, Patrick is a stellar villain, and he's a highlight of this film.

It's A Great Time Capsule Of Early 2000s Action Movies

Lastly, this is an amazing time capsule for the early 2000s, which is one of my favorite time periods when it comes to action movies. For example, take the Crank movies (my favorite Jason Statham franchise). These flicks were straight up balls to the wall action, and they still kick ass to this very day.

Well, I'd also put a movie like The Marine in that category, since they honestly don’t make action flicks like this anymore. I love the John Wick movies, but they're…I don't know. Too slick? Too…dare I say, artsy?

The Marine, like a lot of action movies from the early 2000s, was super shaggy. They were almost a return to form to the ‘80s action movies where big dudes with muscles laid waste to other big dudes, and I like to rewatch a film like this to take me back to that time period.

What do you think? Do you also love this 2006 John Cena gem? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

1980s Politics Played A Big Part In RoboCop

In the mid-’80s, the decline of Rust Belt cities was a big narrative in many movies. None were quite as over the top as RoboCop, set in the ‘80s poster-child for crime and decay, Detroit. Crime was seen as out of control in that decade, in Detroit and elsewhere, with politicians of all stripes promising to clean up the streets of America. In Reagan’s America, corporate deregulation was also a watchword of the day, with an increased reliance on private corporations doing the work that many people believed the government had failed to do.

These two things come together in RoboCop in a dystopian version of Motor City. Facing insane crime rates and roving gangs of criminals wrecking the city and terrifying the citizens, the city turns to a private mega-corporation, Omni Consumer Products, to help them police the city. The answer Omni Consumer Products comes up with is the titular RoboCop, a part-man, part-machine police officer played by Peter Weller, who found new appreciation for it later, just as I have.

Paul Verhoeven Is A Master Of Satire

Paul Verhoeven is a polarizing director. His satire is often lost on people, or, at least, some people don’t like the satire. I personally appreciate it. I don’t love all of Verhoeven’s films, but RoboCop and Starship Troopers, his two most darkly satirical films, are among my favorites. Verhoeven is clear in RoboCop where his politics are in the satire. The villain of the movie is ultimately not the roving gangs of criminals, but the suits atop a company you’d never want to work for, Omni Consumer Products. It's led by rogue executive Dick Jones, played by the great Ronny Cox.

While Weller’s RoboCop is the hero, and he was created by the corporation, the rest of what the company has done is, as portrayed, terrible. That’s clearly the political statement that Verhoeven and the film’s writers, Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, were going after. Corporations are evil, and giving them too much power guarantees corruption. It’s an argument that you see all the time today, almost 40 years after RoboCop was released. Say what you want about Verhoeven’s vision, he was spot on when he tapped into this sentiment.

Most action movies in the ‘80s avoided politics, or if they did make a statement, it was something safe. Take, for example, Rocky IV from a couple of years earlier. It does take a political stance, but it’s that America is great and the USSR is bad. It's not exactly a risky choice at the height of the Cold War. RoboCop’s stance is much riskier, yet far more prescient. Maybe we’ll get a new sequel one day, as Weller has said he’d be interested in doing.

Now, before I get into this, I want say that this is most certainly not going to be an article where I dunk on this film, because I absolutely love this movie. I first wrote about how it’s one of the best underrated Pixar films years ago, and recently I wrote about how it made me cry as an adult and really inspired me, as a cook, and how it’s continued to shape my life. I love this movie.

I’m not going to talk about why I love it today. I’m actually going to talk about the villain. No, not Ego, even if Ego is a great Pixar villain, but the second one that we all seem to forget about, but vehemently hate – Skinner – and how…he actually wasn’t really a villain. Let me explain.

Skinner Wasn't A Great Guy, But He Also Wasn't The Villain We All Saw Him As

So first off, I want to say that Skinner himself wasn’t a great guy. In fact, for lack of a better word, he was a jerk.

From the moment that we meet him, we can see that he’s not the kind of boss that anyone would really want to have. He was stingy with his money, profited off of others’ misery, and pretty much yelled to the point where you wondered if he was going to lose his voice. The way he treats Alfredo cemented the fact that he’s not the greatest person.

Is he really a villain, though? I would argue he’s not. Sure, he’s not a great person, as we’ll get into in the following sections, but I don’t think he’s as bad as some other Pixar villains. He wasn’t trying to send anyone into a massive ball of fire to burn to death like Lotso in the Toy Story movies, or literally remove a child from existence like de la Cruz in Coco.

Skinner was just…a businessman. Which, I suppose, in this day and age, can be villainous, but in comparison to many other Disney villains? He’s just doing his job.

Truthfully, He Was Trying To Maximize Profits, Something Most Restaurants Do Nowadays

I think one of the most significant instances that people point to for Skinner being a villain is that he’s selling out Gustave’s name in Ratatouille after he passed, and creating these frozen meals in order to turn a profit. Yeah. And?

I’m not saying that I necessarily agree with the practice – I think the moment that most chefs tend to do that, you’ve officially put your name on something that is, no doubt, going to be of lesser quality than anything you could ever make yourself. However, this is what many chefs and restaurants do nowadays.

I can think of two prominent examples that happened in real life. One would be Rao’s. The restaurant chain had a few storefronts in the United States, with the New York one being the most exclusive, and the restaurant was known for its sauce. At some point, the company was bought by Campbell's, and all of a sudden, we’re seeing all different kinds of Rao’s sauces and also branded dried pasta, and meals in the freezer section – you name it.

Another big one is from one of the most prominent chefs alive, Gordon Ramsay. While I’m just as much of a fan of all the Gordon Ramsay Fox shows as anyone else, I’m also aware of the fact that he released a whole line of frozen foods a little over two years ago that mimic his most famous dishes. This is not a new thing. This is something that is becoming the new normal.

Also, a bigger thing is that I don’t think Skinner did it just for financial gain. Sure, he would have made a killing if all those deals went through, but it’s also the fact that these do bring in a lot of money and, as we heard at the beginning of Ratatouille, the restaurant was in trouble. They were losing money. They had already lost a star.

This could have helped them at least get back on their feet financially and helped rebuild their reputation. Still, it's a pretty big thing.

Let's Be Honest — If We Found Out Rats Cooked In Our Restaurants, We'd Want To Expose Them Too

I think we also need to acknowledge the elephant in the room – that if we all saw those rats, we would freak out too.

Out of everything Skinner did, trying to get the health inspector to shut down the place isn’t a heinous crime. If anything, I would think we would be thankful that someone would care so much that they would make sure rats did not infest the food that we made.

The same premise of the movie stands – that anyone can cook, and I do believe that. Really looking at the reality of the situation, though, there were hundreds of rats cooking in that kitchen, and no matter how many times they washed their little paws, they were carrying bacteria that could have been carried over to the guests.

At the end of the day, as much as we hate to admit it, what Skinner did was ultimately right and what most people should do. But, because this film paints Remy in a good light and him as the villain, he is left with the short end of the stick.

I Still Love The Movie; However, We All Owe Skinner An Apology

Look, again, Skinner isn’t a great person. I don’t think he’s even a decent person. I’d say he’s about an average greedy businessman, but I don’t think he should have gotten the hate he's received over the years.

Skinner was looking out for himself, for his money, and at the end of it all, for the restaurant that made the money. We’ve all just been crapping on him for years because of that. He’s not the best, but he’s also not the worst, and I think it’s time we really acknowledged that.

With any upcoming Pixar film, I’m always curious to see where they go with the villains. For now, I’ll stick to my guns on how I feel about Skinner.

I’ve been a Primus fan for longer than South Park has been a show. Now that Season 27 of the legendary cartoon has started on the 2025 TV schedule (and started in true South Park fashion with a controversial episode), I’ve been seeing a lot of clips come up in my social media feed, and one of those features Primus’ fearless leader, Les Claypool, talking about the recording of the theme song. It turns out, the version at the end of each episode was supposed to be the opening theme. Here’s what happened.

The Original Idea Was The Slower Version

Recently, Claypool sat down for an interview with YouTuber Rick Beato, and while the full interview has not yet been released on Beato’s channel, the record producer did drop part of it as a YouTube short. In the video, Beato asks Claypool how it came about, and Claypool tells him,

That slower, more plodding version of the song heard as the end credits roll is the version Primus recorded. The crazy thing is, that’s the only version they recorded. Claypool explains that Comedy Central thought the theme song was too slow. Rather than re-record the song, which Claypool says Primus didn’t have time for, he told them to “speed it up.”

Of course, it’s not like the song sounds like the Chipmunks singing, so Claypool did have to re-record the vocals. So Parker and Stone went to a Primus show and had Claypool record it on the spot, as Claypool explains,

Before doing the recording, Claypool and the other guys in Primus weren’t convinced the show would work anyway, hence their reluctance to let it take too much of their time, but it turns out that speeding it up was the best thing they could have done, as the driving twang is perfect for the subversive comedy.

Primus Was The Only Music Trey Parker And Matt Stone Could Agree On

The whole reason Primus was even asked to do the theme was, according to Claypool, because the quirky trio was the only band that Parker and Stone were both happy listening to. Claypool tells Beato,

It’s hard to imagine any other band fitting the vibe of South Park, and its many outrageous episodes, quite like Primus and their weird, unique, off-kilter sound. The theme song has even become a fan favorite among Primus fans, which isn’t always the case with artists who do theme songs. The show, like the band, is not like anything else, and it’s truly a match made in South Park hell, in the best way. After a short break, South Park is back with more from its latest season.

I know that I’m in the minority here, but Batman Forever has always been one of my favorite superhero movies. Sure, it always ends up near the bottom of the live-action Batman movie rankings, is campy, and is remembered more for its on-set beefs and that iconic Seal song than progression of the Caped Crusader’s story, but I’ve always had a soft spot for it. There’s just something I love about the campiness, the eccentric production design, and that wild version of the Batmobile.

Recently, I found out about a new Batman Forever Batmobile LEGO set that captures the flashy, sleek, and eye-popping look of Val Kilmer’s whip, and you know, I think it was made just for me. As someone who loves spending hours putting together the latest and greatest pop culture sets with my kids, this 900-piece nostalgia-inducing throwback is making me want to yell: I'm Batman!

This Batmobile Lego Set Is Giving Me Some Serious Nostalgia

I saw Batman Forever in theaters the summer between first and second grade, and I couldn’t get enough of the movie. I had so many of the toys (including the original Batmobile), that terrible video game adaptation on Sega Genesis, and even had my grandparents buy me a VHS copy when they watched me one weekend. It’s safe to say that I have a lot of nostalgia for the movie that was so ahead of the curve.

Though I can’t go back to being seven years old, this LEGO set is bringing me back! The way this 909-piece recreation channels the style, sensibilities, and design of Joel Schumacher’s first Batman movie is something else. And since I'm no longer in a spot where I have to beg my parents (or grandparents), I'm going to have to snag this.

It's Sleek, It's Flashy, And It Looks Like It's Right Out Of Batman Forever

I mean, just look at this outrageous set. The way the blue light pours out from under the front and from behind the wheels, the bat accents, and the ribbing along the sides make this a remarkable recreation of the iconic ride. Just like all of Batman’s epic entrances from over the years, the thought of gazing over this set just sitting on the bookshelf across from my desk has me bouncing around like Jim Carrey’s Riddler.

Though the minifig that comes included in the set looks more like something out of the LEGO Batman Movie than the late Val Kilmer, it still looks pretty awesome. If worst comes to worst, I could always swap in my Dick Grayson minifig and recreate that outrageous scene where he tries to act like Batman and fights those goons covered in glow-in-the-dark paint.

I May Have To Rob Gotham Bank To Buy It, But This Upcoming Arkham Asylum Also Has My Attention

People are quick to point out all of Batman Forever’s flaws, but there were also some great things about the 1995 movie, including a brief glimpse into the world of Arkham Asylum. The iconic hospital for the criminally insane has been a major part of Batman’s universe over the years, and so it was cool to see it show up on screen all those years ago. What’s even cooler is the new Arkham LEGO set that’s about to come out in September 2025.

In order to get this on my shelf, I’ll probably have to resort to robbing Gotham Bank in order to buy this 2953-piece set, but I think it’d be well worth it. This thing is MASSIVE, includes exterior playsets, interiors, and most of Batman’s most legendary foes, and I need it!

I know I said I was above begging for expensive LEGO sets now that I'm an adult with kids of my own, but Mom and Dad, if you're reading this, you know what to get me for Christmas this year.

However, though I’m extremely excited to dive back into the world of this mammoth social media company and all its big controversies, I am also a little worried about the movie that seems like it won’t see the return of its original cast or director, David Fincher. Here are a few thoughts I have about The Social Network Part II.

Nothing Against Aaron Sorkin As A Director, But I Don't Think It'll Match What David Fincher Did

Don’t get me wrong, I think that Aaron Sorkin is one of the greatest screenwriters, playwrights, and TV creators of the past 25-30 years (and possibly of all time). I consider The West Wing and The Newsroom two of the best TV shows of all time, his plays like A Few Good Men and To Kill a Mockingbird (his adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel is outstanding) are in a league of their own, and his movies like The Social Network and Moneyball show off his incredible skill as a writer.

However, he’s no David Fincher when it comes to directing. Yeah, there are few that come close to touching Fincher, at least when discussing living filmmakers, but the acclaimed director, with his signature style, made The Social Network into a damn-near perfect film. That said, I have faith in Sorkin as a filmmaker, but I really hope that the nuance and punchiness of Fincher’s 2010 directorial effort isn’t lost with someone else sitting behind the camera. We shall see…

However, I Am Excited To See How Sorkin Approaches Facebook From A Different Angle

Though the last courtroom scene in Trial of the Chicago 7 was a little cheesy, Sorkin has shown us over the years that he’s more than competent as a director, especially in detail-oriented films with a lot of moving parts. So, I’m excited to see what he does with a movie that takes a deep dive into the complexities of a social media platform like Facebook and a CEO like Mark Zuckerberg.

One thing that has me excited about The Social Network Part II is that, according to Deadline, the sequel will take a different approach to Facebook and will instead be on the outside looking in opposed to focusing on its creation and early days. When covering the film in June 2025, the outlet reported that it will explore the story behind Jeff Horowitz’s articles titled “The Facebook Files,” which were first published by the Wall Street Journal in October 2021. The bombshell report exposed all kinds of stories from the inner workings of Facebook at the time, as well as all the harms caused by the company on a global scale. This makes it seem like Zuckerberg won’t be the lens through which we see the story unfold, which is really promising.

It Doesn't Sound Like Jesse Eisenberg Is Coming Back, But His Rumored Replacement Is Promising

The Social Network was a Best Picture loser that should have won, and its star, Jesse Eisenberg, should have taken home the Best Actor Oscar at the Academy Awards way back when. However, it sounds like Eisenberg won't get a chance to play Zuckerberg and get an Oscar nom this time around, as the role is reportedly being recast. That said, the name that keeps coming up has me a little more intrigued about the upcoming sequel.

In July 2025, Variety reported that Oscar nominee and Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor Jeremy Strong was being eyed to play Zuckerberg in the sequel. Over the years, Strong has proven that he’s more than capable of handling intense and powerful figures, whether it’s his take on Kendall Roy on HBO’s Succession or Donald Trump’s mentor Roy Cohn in The Apprentice. If the Facebook founder is going to be presented in not the best light and not really be the protagonist, then I think Strong is a perfect choice for the part, even if I’m bummed this might mean we won’t see Eisenberg play Zuckerberg again.

I'm Also Curious To See How Mikey Madison And Jeremy Allen White Do In This

Scott Cooper’s Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere may not be the only place we see Jeremy Strong and Jeremy Allen White, as the two could be sharing the screen again soon after the upcoming music biopic lands on the big screen. In July 2025, Deadline reported that the Emmy-winning star of The Bear was being eyed for a role along with Oscar-winning actress Mikey Madison, who is coming off a career-defining role in Anora.

Though their characters’ identities have not yet been confirmed, the outlet reported that these two up-and-coming actors were Sorkin’s picks for The Social Network Part II. There could be a situation where White stands in for Jeff Horowitz at the Wall Street Journal, with Madison taking on the role of a Facebook whistleblower, which could add another dynamic to the movie.

What's The Over/Under Going To Be On 'Walk And Talks' In The Social Network Part II

Every writer, director, and producer has their own signature touch that they insert in all of their movies, shows, and other programs. That’s more true for Aaron Sorkin than pretty much everyone else, specifically when it comes to his “walk and talks:” scenes where people have intense conversations while walking through the White House in The West Wing, a TV studio in The Newsroom, or the bowels of the Oakland Coliseum in Moneyball.

One thing I want to know, and I guess I need to check with some oddsmakers for this, is what the over/under will be for “walk and talks” here. Depending on the runtime, we could see at least four or five of these scenes, but I’m willing to take the over.

Though I have some concerns, am apprehensive about a few things, and don’t know what to expect, I’m extremely excited for The Social Network Part II, and I can’t wait to see how this shakes out.

In the case of the hotly-anticipated Fantastic Four reboot, some might be satisfied with merely asking for sequels. I’m not one of those people though, as I recognize a special potential this pretty standalone movie could realize.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Should Start A Parallel Universe Of Movies

As my friend and CinemaBlend colleague Dirk Libbey pointed out, First Steps takes advantage of the Marvel multiverse in a way that should have happened way sooner. Director Matt Shakman’s super-story revels in the retro-futuristic ‘60s of Earth-828, and it’s an artful contrast from what we’ve come to expect from most Marvel movies so far.

The closest analog I can think of is when Captain America: The First Avenger brought us back to the ‘40s of Earth-616. We haven’t seen that sort of gorgeous throwback given the feature-length treatment in some time;\, and the possibilities are too beautiful to let go.

Part of the reason is probably because the mainline MCU universe is preoccupied with the contemporary present, save for some flashbacks. Setting The Fantastic Four: First Steps in an alternate version of the past is pretty brilliant, and it’s a choice that I think should start a series of Earth-828 movies that exceed just sequels to one of my favorite movies of the summer.

More Retro-Futuristic Adventures In Earth-828 Would Be A Plus

If you need a brief crash course on the Marvel multiverse, we’ve covered that business elsewhere. Just know that with a new universe comes new opportunities to see characters realized in a new light. It's one that, in the case of First Steps, would look more like Walt Disney's Tomorrowland - a.k.a. "the future MCU I'm dreaming of."

Seeing as the team of Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby's Sus Storm, Joseph Quinn's Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Ben Grimm are considered the first superheroes of their home universe, there’s room for so much more to unfold. Like, say, an entire movie about Paul Walter Hauser’s scene-stealing Harvey “Mole Man” Elder.

In one of the several parallels between Iron Man and First Steps, it’s like Marvel Studios stepped back into 2008 with a fresh MCU to develop as it sees fit. If the ‘60s were this much fun, imagine how alternate versions of other decades in Earth-828’s history could play out? Also, with the Multiversal Theory requiring an “anchor being” to keep a certain world alive, figuring out who that is in this pocket of Marvel magic would only add to the fun.

Marvel Adopting DC's Elseworlds Model Could Fight "Superhero Fatigue"

As seen with DC Studios’ creative force/co-CEO James Gunn, the concept of Elseworlds is alive and well. While Superman is the cinematic kickoff for the DCU's Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, Matt Reeves’ The Batman Crime Saga is allowed to exist concurrently due to it being an Elseworlds property.

That advantage could allow Kevin Feige and his team to explore the major phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You could also potentially eliminate one of the biggest criticisms Marvel Studios seems to incur, allowing fans more time to “do the homework” with their Disney+ subscription.

Playing with other worlds that aren’t necessarily connected is kind of a clean slate to do anything that would go against the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s spirit. Three seasons of the Disney+ original What If… is a proper test case for being allowed to do such a thing.

Now take that thinking and use it to infuse unlimited creativity that operates on a scaled back budget. Marvel can follow all sorts of threads, like the long defunct Damage Control adaptation, while letting us have time to miss the MCU’s brand of adventure.

Adapting The Movies In The Fantastic Four's World Wouldn't Hurt Either

I can’t be the only person who wants to know more about films like The Emperor’s Twin, Attack of the Fungi and, of course, the potential Captain America easter egg that is Subzero Intel. Knowing that we were watching another universe in The Fantastic Four: First Steps had me questioning what the pictures of that world would look like - or what their stories would cover.

The upcoming Marvel TV show Wonder Man almost sounds like it’s covering similar ground, as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Simon Williams is going to be shown as acting in his own superhero series. That cleverly meta-approach shouldn’t be reserved for Earth-616, as there’s some fun and original paths to be taken in the Marvel Cinematic Universe presented in these titles.

The MCU Would Have More Time To Rest Between Mainline Entries

Imagine if The Fantastic Four: First Steps had premiered in the post-Avengers: Endgame slot that Spider-Man: Far from Home had. Audiences could have had a break in-between The Infinity Saga and The Multiverse Saga, while also seeing some comic movie action in theaters.

That sort of breather could have allowed the Marvel Studios writers room to take a little more time to plot out where to go next, instead of basically using a marquee superhero’s next picture as a feature-length post-credits sequence.

With projects of this variety providing gaps in-between main events, The Multiverse Saga’s course corrections (like the change that saw Avengers: The Kang Dynasty morph into Doomsday) would have had extra time to truly develop. Even the bittersweet rewrites of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could have benefitted, removing Team Marvel’s seemingly relentless march of progress from the equation, and allowing everyone time to properly grieve.

Back in 2014, Kevin Feige’s MCU wall chart was an innovation that changed the game in Hollywood. Several failed Hollywood cinematic universes, and some perceived whiffs from Marvel Studios, later, it feels like time to move on. That doesn’t mean massive shared stories need to go away, but rather we should be trying out hybrids that maintain serialization, while also allowing creativity to slip the leash and run wild.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps saw the First Family of Heroes save the day against Galactus. Should Marvel heed the lesson in this hypothetical scenario, they could rescue an entire cinematic money maker in the process too. Form your own opinions by seeing this fantastic movie, which is currently showing in theaters.

Which MCU Franchise Deserves An Animated Offshoot Like Eyes Of Wakanda And Why?

Although there are plenty of superhero-based franchises within the MCU, I’d argue that there are only a handful that have truly established distinct lore that’s worth excavating. One of those is the Shang-Chi property, which kicked off with 2021’s The Legend of the Ten Rings. That story squarely focuses on the eponymous kung fu savant and his attempts to confront his past. However, director Destin Daniel Cretton and co. also managed to introduce some other cool characters and developments into the narrative.

Marvel Studios’ first film to feature a predominantly Asian cast thrusts viewers into the history of the Ten Rings organization, which is led by the immortal, ten ring-wielding Wenwu a.k.a. The Mandarin. An animated limited series could center on Wenwu’s exploits, which span a thousand years. Writers could also theoretically dig deeper into Ta Lo, the mystical dimension that Shang-Chi’s late mother helped safeguard against outsiders. Surely, there are wondrous tales that can be told about that visually stunning land and its inhabitants.

All in all, what I’m saying is that this is a culturally rich IP we have here, and a beautifully animated show would be a great way to expand upon it. Not only that, but the corporate pieces could be in place for it to happen. Cretton now seems to be very tight with the creatives at Marvel, given he’s directing Spider-Man: Brand New Day and is a producer on Wonder Man, which hits the 2025 TV schedule later this year. Still, given the current state of his martial arts franchise, a show may just be a pipe dream.

What’s Going On With The Shang-Chi Franchise?

There’s been a lot of speculation about the next chapter in the Simu Liu-led MCU franchise. It’s long been known that a Shang-Chi sequel is in the works, but work on that has seemingly been slow. While the titular character headlined a 2024 episode of the animated series What If…? internet users have commented on his lack of visibility since his solo film. Liu has been shutting down rumors regarding the sequel being canceled, but I, along with other fans, remain anxious for more concrete updates.

Something that is known is that while Cretton oversees Tom Holland’s fourth Spider-Man movie, Simu Liu is reprising his superhero role in another project. Liu will play the character again in the upcoming team-up film Avengers: Doomsday alongside a number of other power players in the cinematic universe.

Despite that, the Shang-Chi franchise has been without a new installment for far too long. So, even if it doesn’t continue right away in the form of another live-action film, why not greenlight an animated prequel series to whet fans’ appetites? After all, Eyes of Wakanda does also serve as a nice bit of storytelling to tide viewers over ahead of the now-in-development Black Panther 3. It may be foolish to do so, but I’ll be holding onto hope that Marvel expands upon the lore of its resident martial artist using an awesome cartoon.

In the meantime, stream all episodes of Eyes of Wakanda and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as well as other MCU movies and TV shows using a Disney+ subscription.

After being in hibernation for for nearly a decade and a half, Final Destination: Bloodlines brought back one of the greatest horror franchises of all time with yet another lesson about the consequences of cheating death. The 2025 movie, which has some of the franchise’s gnarliest and most intricate deaths, introduces and kills too many characters to count. There is one, however, whose death was so hilarious I kind of feel bad about it.

Before I get much further, I have to stress that, as a parent, I feel terrible about what I’m about to say, but I have to say it nonetheless. That said, that little brat in the movie’s insane opening sequence had it coming, both in the premonition and later in life.

Don't Judge Me, But The Penny Kid Deserved To Get Crushed By A Piano

As soon as that little kid (played by Noah Bromley), later revealed to be Alfred Milano, was introduced in Final Destination: Bloodlines, I thought to myself, “surely, they’re not going to kill a kid here.” However, as the scene went on and I saw just how much of a shit the kid was being to everyone at the Sky View, I wanted to see this little brat with that shit-eating smirk get taken out by death in spectacular fashion.

Again, as a parent I feel bad saying this, but seeing the troublemaker have his comeuppance by getting crushed by a piano near the end of the opening disaster cracked me up more than anything else in this movie. It was so well deserved and pulled off remarkably. I didn’t catch Bloodlines on the big screen (I’m kicking myself for that one), but I am willing to bet that moviegoers around the country were also laughing hysterically in this crushing moment. Basically, this wasn’t one of those movie deaths that broke our hearts.

Though He Survived The Disaster In Real Life, Death Has A Funny Way Of Getting Even

Shortly after the penny kid gets his in the opening scene, it’s revealed that it was the franchise’s latest mysterious premonition sequence that was all a psychic vision of Iris Campbell (Brec Bassinger), the grandmother of the movie’s protagonist Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana). As is the case in other entries in the franchise, Iris saved countless lives that day back in 1969, but as is also the case with the earlier movies, death came back for everyone who cheated it.

However, Death has a sense of humor in Bloodlines, as it is revealed later in the movie that the penny boy, whose name is Alfred Milano, ended up dying in a manner that was painfully similar to that premonition. In the sequence where Stefani puts up the newspaper clippings about the deaths of the Sky View survivors, it’s revealed that Alfred died after being hit by a piano-moving truck while trying to pickpocket someone. A fitting, and hilarious, way of going out, if I don’t say so myself.

Though his death isn’t shown on screen, and we’ll never know how it stacks up against the Final Destination franchise’s best kills, I’m sure it was as great as it sounds. Who knows, maybe with talk of a Bloodlines sequel, we’ll get to see it for ourselves.

There was plenty of competition at the box office this weekend, as Weapons did battle with fellow new release Nisha Ganatra's Freakier Friday and holdover blockbusters including Matt Shakman's The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but audiences were hungry to get scared this weekend, and it led to big ticket sales numbers. You can check out the full Top 10 in the chart below and join me after for analysis.

Riding High On Great Buzz, Weapons Surpassed Expectations For Its Box Office Opening Weekend

In the past week, trades published predictions that said Weapons would make somewhere in the range of $25-30 million during its first weekend in theaters... and it's always a healthy sign for the industry when a particular title manages to exceed expectations. Zach Cregger's follow-up to Barbarian spent weeks developing hype, and the end result is that the feature has already made back its reported budget.

According to The Numbers, audiences have shown up in droves for Weapons since it arrived in cinemas at the end of last week, and it managed to bring in $42.5 million domestically – more than enough for it to secure first place at the box office. During a blockbuster major horror movies, it had the third best opening weekend for the genre, lagging just behind the arrivals of Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein's Final Destination: Bloodlines ($57 million) in May and Ryan Coogler's Sinners ($48 million) in April. Those two titles finished their respective theatrical runs making $285.3 million and $365.8 million, so one can definitely say the newest horror movie is in a good place at the start of its time on the big screen.

Of course, a major contributor to this success is all of the positive word of mouth that has surrounded the title in recent weeks. Audiences ended up loving the surprises of Barbarian (which shocked the world with its debut at number one at the box office in 2022), and excitement for the new Zach Cregger has built recently with overwhelmingly positive reviews and promises that the surprises packed in are even better than its predecessor (I was personally part of that wave with my five-star Weapons review for CinemaBlend). Movie-goers properly recognized it as a title to see as early as possible, and that has paid off in a major way.

In addition to getting an overwhelmingly acclaim from professional critics, Weapons is fortunately also getting a matching response from audiences. For example, the new release received an "A-" grade from CinemaScore surveys (which is lower than the "A" grade that Sinners got, but higher than the "B+" that Final Destination: Bloodlines got. If all goes according to plan, everyone who saw it and loved it over the past three days will tell all of their friends about it, and that will result in a minimal weekend-to-weekend drop when I'm reporting on box office results next Sunday.

Per Deadline, Weapons cost $38 million for New Line Cinema to make (that number including both the budget for the production and the cost for acquiring the script), and while there are still publicity and advertising costs to consider, the film is obviously in a very positive place financially right now. In addition to the $42.5 million earned domestically, it has also made $27.5 million from overseas markets thus far, which equates to a $70 million total after just three days. That's pretty damn impressive from a non-IP title, and it already puts it in the ranking of Top 35 highest grossing movies of the year.

How the industry will react to this will ultimately be fascinating, as Weapons was certainly not a guarantee to be a hit when one considers all of the factors that play into the market right now. Original horror is already in the midst of an awesome boom, and how this release raises the ceiling for the genre's perceived potential in the coming years will be fascinating to watch.

Freakier Friday Easily Lands In Second Place As The Fantastic Four: First Steps Takes Another Tough Tumble

The aforementioned Weapons, Final Destination: Bloodlines and Sinners are all Warner Bros. releases, and the studio's big year has further been bolstered by the box office numbers for Joseph Kosinski's F1 ($570.7 million globally to date )and James Gunn's Superman ($578.8 million so far). But not doing so hot recently are titles that have arrived from Disney – the big and obvious exception being Dean Fleisher Camp's Lilo & Stitch remake. The past three days extended that trend, as neither Freakier Friday nor The Fantastic Four: First Steps managed to have the weekends they were hoping for.

Going into the weekend, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that both Freakier Friday and Weapons were going to perform in the $25-30 million range, with the former tracking a bit ahead, but the horror title ended up trouncing the comedy sequel starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. The Disney title had to settle for a $29 million take and a second place finish for its opening weekend – which certainly isn't a disaster, but it also isn't ideal (per Variety, it was made with a $42 million budget)

That result is pretty mediocre, but it's a silver lining compared to what is currently happening with the new Fantastic Four movie. With its late July release date and August usually being a very slow month for blockbusters, the expectation going into this summer was that the Marvel Cinematic Universe title would dominate for the last month of the season, but that's definitely not happening. Despite getting good reviews and mostly positive responses from audiences, the ensemble feature starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is fading quickly at the box office.

It suffered a devastating 67 percent weekend-to-weekend plummet last Sunday following its very successful opening weekend, and the distraction of both Weapons and Freakier Friday hasn't helped it. Ticket sales dropped another 60 percent compared to last weekend, and it only made $15.5 million over the last three days. That brings its domestic total to date up to $230.4 million, and it has made $434.2 million worldwide. It's far from a bomb, but definitely not the success that folks at Marvel Studios were hoping for.

How will the Top 10 change with the arrival of both Timo Tjahjanto's Nobody 2 and Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest on Friday? Be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend next Sunday for our analysis.

The husband and wife duo are far from the first real-life couple to star in a horror movie together, and, because of the genuine onscreen chemistry they bring to the new 2025 movie, I sure hope they are not the last. In fact, let's begin my little breakdown of notable Hollywood power couples who made some great scary date movies over the years with the stars of Together.

Dave Franco And Alison Brie (Together)

Recent releases like the Oscar-winning The Substance and The Ugly Stepsister have paved the way for a golden era of body horror movies that continues with writer and director Michael Shanks' Together. The new horror movie stars the aforementioned Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, who find themselves growing too close for comfort when a mysterious force causes them to be involuntarily bound by flesh.

Echoing Eric Eisenberg's Together review, Franco and Brie portray the troubling circumstances of their characters' relationship, even those existing before the supernatural starts to make things worse, so flawlessly that you can't help but wonder about the state of their actual marriage. Of course, by the end, it becomes clear they possess more than enough chemistry to make this bizarre and unsettling, but also funny and even heartwarming thriller a satisfying and touching experience.

John Krasinski And Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place)

I believe 2018's A Quiet Place boasts one of the most astonishingly unique concepts for an alien invasion movie I have ever seen: a world overrun with malevolent, non-seeing extra-terrestrials, forcing the remains of humanity to live in silence. However, I also believe the key to its unnerving effectiveness lies in the lead performances by John Krasinski (who also co-writes and directs) and Emily Blunt.

As Lee and Evelyn Abbott, the beloved power couple, who wed in 2010 and have since had two children, deliver a compelling and authentic sense of devotion to one another and desperation to protect their family at all costs. Had Krasinski not cast his own wife to play his onscreen partner, the film's man-versus-monster suspense could have easily lacked the breathless urgency that made it an instant sci-fi movie classic.

Jeff Goldblum And Geena Davis (The Fly)

Together is not the first body horror flick to star a real-life couple, but it might be the first to involve both romantic leads experiencing the same grotesque situation first-hand. In David Cronenberg's 1986 version of The Fly, Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Seth Brundle slowly becomes a half-human, half-insect hybrid while the love of his life, Ronnie Quaife (Geena Davis), only witnesses the dehumanizing process in shock and heartbreak.

Goldblum and Davis were engaged at the time they shot the revered horror movie remake, having actually met on the set of a 1985 horror-comedy movie called Transylvania 6-5000, and tied the knot the following year, only to split in 1990, according to People. Their genuine affection for each other, which appears to have survived their divorce, based on their 2024 SAG Awards appearance, explodes on the screen, cementing The Fly as one of horror's most unforgettable romantic tragedies.

David Arquette And Courtney Cox (The Scream Movies)

Watching the Scream movies in order is fascinating in the way the cleverly meta slasher franchise traces two notable timelines in pop culture. The subsequent films not only illustrate the modern evolution of the horror genre, but also that of the relationship between two of its most famous stars, David Arquette and Courteney Cox.

The Friends cast member, playing journalist Gale Weathers, and the Dewey Riley actor met on the set of the 1996 original, were dating while they shot the sequel (after some encouragement from Wes Craven), and were married during the third one, but had split before reprising their characters as husband and wife in 2011's Scream 4. However, Cox has since referred to Arquette as her "best friend "(according to People), and that shows in their willingness to reunite and play their roles as divorcees in 2022's Scream, which saw Dewey succumb to Ghostface's knife. However, Arquette has somehow been cast in Scream 7, so it looks like the reign of Dewey and Gale is, thankfully, not over just yet.

Freddie Prinze Jr. And Sarah Michelle Gellar (I Know What You Did Last Summer)

Scream is not the only '90s slasher movie favorite from which romance bloomed behind the scenes. In I Know What You Did Last Summer, Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Ray Bronson may have been dating Jennifer Love Hewitt's Julie James, but the actor really had his eye on their co-star, Sarah Michelle Gellar.

After falling in love on the set of the 1997 thriller, they would later wed in 2002, which is the same year they shared a kiss as Fred and Daphne in the first live-action Scooby-Doo movie. Since Gellar's Helen did not survive the first Summer, the couple was not able to reunite for the arguably more fun 1998 sequel, but she would make a surprise cameo in the 2025 reboot, achieved through a dream sequence, that also allowed her and Prinze the opportunity to have a fun family trip in Australia, where the legacyquel as filmed, as she shared with the country's iteration of Today.

Eli Roth And Lorenza Izzo (Aftershock)

Until their divorce in 2018 after four years of marriage, horror multi-hyphenate Eli Roth and actor and model Lorenza Izzo were one of the genre's top power couples, collaborating on projects like Netflix's Hemlock Grove, The Green Inferno, Knock Knock, and The House with a Clock in Its Walls. Their personal and professional relationship began with a disaster thriller from 2012 called Aftershock.

In addition to co-writing and producing the thriller from director Nicolás López, Roth stars alongside Izzo as survivors of a deadly earthquake in Chile struggling to make it out of the ruined city safely. The Chilean-born actor shared with WWD that she was cast in a leading role when Roth discovered she could speak English and, after spending the entire shoot together and boasting a chemistry that comes through effectively in the film, they became more than scene partners.

It is celebrity couples like these, in addition to the likes of Stranger Things' Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer, who prove to me that sometimes the key to a great horror movie, especially ones in which romance plays a pivotal role, is casting two people whose love offscreen is so strong, it's scary.

So, of course, when I had the chance to go to a screener to see Weapons, I had to take the opportunity. I’ll get into my praises about the film down below. Still, in reality, there’s one little element that really made it unforgettable – besides that vegetable-peeler scene that will make me never look at one the same again. Let’s get into it.

As Someone Who Loves Horror Movies, Weapons Stands Out

If you know me, you’d know I’m a huge horror movie fan. I love the best horror movies and have for years. I’ve talked at length about the best A24 horror movies, about how I have an intense adoration for the Halloween films, and everything else under the sun. So Weapons was going to be a clear-cut winner for me.

And it was, right from the beginning. The moment you sit down in this theater, you are driven straight into the story. Every Weapons trailer that you have seen, with those kids running so weird that even Josh Brolin was freaked out – you get all of that in the first few minutes. You are thrown right into the mystery, and it’s up to you, the audience, to look at the different POV’s that you are presented with in order to figure out what the heck is going on.

CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg commented that Weapons is one of the best horror movies yet for 2025, in a year where we have been graced with some epic horror films. And I can’t help but agree. As someone who prides herself on not getting scared or freaking out that often, this is one of those films that got me pretty intensely. But there’s one aspect that made it even better.

What Really Makes It Excellent Is Its Score

Ya’ll. The score of this film is killer. Literally.

Adding in some backstory here, I come from a musical family. My dad toured around the world in a band, and my mom worked at Radio City for more than a decade with musicians, so music is pretty much in my blood, and I’m the kind of person who will listen to a movie score and then download it the moment I leave the theater.

Horror has always been a place where I don’t usually think music shines. I believe that many horror films tend to use the typical suspenseful sounds that would make the audience jump in surprise. To me, only a few scores from horror films of the past have stood out.

Anything really by John Carpenter is a great example. The Halloween theme is iconic, and I’m pretty sure it just makes nonhuman Michael Myers that much creepier. I could also point to “Tubular Bells” from The Exorcist as an iconic piece of work.

Heck, even Sinners, composed by Ludwig Göransson, has some of the best music I have seen in a horror film. There was one moment where the music literally reminded me of why I loved movies in the first place. It takes an excellent horror movie to evoke a score that truly sets the tone, but is also something you would listen to just out of the blue.

Weapons hit that and more. It’s nerve-wracking, heartwrenching, but the best of all – it doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It’s actually better.

It's Not Like Any Other Horror Score Out There -- It's More Techno In Nature

The thing with the Weapons score is that it’s not really like most other scores out there. In fact, it’s almost…techno in nature.

Now, I don’t want you to think of the typical techno music out there because it’s not that. What I mean by techno is that the score doesn’t include any super intense violins or cellos or anything crazy that’s going to hurt your ears the moment those harsh strings are strummed.

What makes this score better is that it’s sort of a series of harsh thrums, as if they were made on a music machine, which they most likely were. They’re beats of music that might remind you of being in a club, but are composed so well that they don’t overtake the suspense of the scene.

And then, when it builds up to a moment where something big is going to happen, the beats get quicker and better, and you feel it. You feel it through your entire body, and it makes you shiver in anticipation and fear of what is going to happen. That kind of score is something that can’t be taught – it’s something you have to feel when making the movie and filming the scene, truly, and then you realize that’s the kind of music that you need.

The music itself was composed by Zach Cregger, as well as Ryan and Hays Holladay, and honestly, they did it in such a way that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to listen to music the same again. Sure, some pretty big moments of intensity are included in the soundtrack, but the main beats, those steadily increasing staccato feelings, are what really get you.

I Wish More Horror Movies Did Scores Like This, Where It's Not As Intense -- Just Suspenseful

Honestly, this is the kind of music that I’d love to see more of. I think when it comes to horror films, especially any upcoming horror movies over the next few years, accurately conveying horror and suspense through music is so important. It sets the scene. You can’t really be playing a love song at the same time someone is getting devoured.

The music in Weapons does it right. It’s not too complicated, it builds suspense in the best way, and it’s memorable. That is literally all you can ask nowadays in the world of horror. And I genuinely hope other horror movies move in that direction.

Weapons is out now in theaters, and I recommend seeing it. Trust me, you will never be the same – and yes, it is just as ‘messed up’ as critics have said, with a great soundtrack.

There have been so many teases and hints of what’s to come, but after the trailer finally dropped and I’m left wanting so much more and counting down the days until its release, there are two aspects I can’t wait to see as a game fan. Two that I have to talk about.

As A Game Fan, I Cannot Wait For The Idea Of Using The Mask To Keep Himself Safe

As a former FNAF player, there was always one concept that I really did enjoy, and that was using the mask to hide from the animatronics. It was used in the games pretty often in later iterations, in specific ways. I always thought it was so creative, but in reality, I don’t think it would really work that well unless the animatronics are really dumb.

We did, however, see the most petite tease of that in the trailer, as Mike shines a light at the mask, saying "there's no way that'll work." Stop it, that's such a tease. It’s something that got me so hyped.

There have been a few casting choices that have been announced for this film, like Skeet Ulrich joining and that whole Scream reunion that we have been waiting years for. This is the kind of stuff I am excited to see, and something that I know fans of the game will love to watch.

I'm Also Eager To See How They Incorporate The Idea Of Them Being Out In The Wild

This is also something I can’t wait for – watching the animatronics out in the wild. That’s wild.

In the games, we really don’t see the animatronics anywhere else but the central pizza place – and a few other locations, like a home. We’ve never really had to deal with them walking around other people in their most threatening form. That is a new take that I’m honestly really curious to see.

We only get a little bit of that in the trailer, but it was enough to fans realize that this sequel looks 100x more fun than the first FNAF, and honestly, I’m here for it. I’m here for the changes.

I’ve learned that when it comes to FNAF, you really have to be flexible with what happens in these movies. The storyline is so messy and complicated at times that it’s hard to keep track. If the filmmaker is deciding to switch things up on the lore and add in new mechanics while also honoring some old ones, I’m here for it. All I need is some pizza and some animatronics, and I’ll be a happy camper.

While Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 won’t be releasing until later this year, alongside so many other fun upcoming horror movies, I think it’s time to check out the original again. Time for a bit of a horror movie night.

Yes, I know. The ‘70s were the decade of Coppola. I mean, most of his best movies came from that decade. I'm also aware that we got Jaws, Star Wars, and Taxi Driver in the ‘70s.

All of this is true. Yet, I STILL believe that Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon is the best movie of the decade (and this is coming from somebody who loves The Warriors, the quintessential ‘70s movie). So, here's why I think that Dog Day Afternoon is the best movie that the ‘70s has to offer.

First Off, It's Based Off Of A True Story, But It's Still Incredibly Enthralling

I typically like movies based on true stories, but one issue that I have with some of them is that they can be sooooo sloooow. This is of course not always the case, and I like most biopics. However, some movies based on true stories have a tendency to have rough patches where we’re learning a bit too much about the event rather than giving us the most interesting details.

Well, Dog Day Afternoon, which is based on the real-life bank robbery by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore “Sal” Naturile doesn’t have that problem. In fact, for its 125 minute runtime, the movie never lets up. It might be because what really happened is stranger than fiction, and it makes for an amazing story.

Pacino plays Wojtowicz as Sonny Wortzik, and he’s the “leader” of the bank robbery. However, things almost immediately go south when one of his two partners, Stevie (played by Gary Springer), loses his nerve and bails. That leaves only Sonny, and his friend Sal, played by the magnificent John Cazale, in the bank.

Neither of them know what they’re doing, and the robbery turns into a hostage situation. The rest of the film consists of them negotiating their escape, and, much like Spielberg’s hidden gem, The Sugarland Express, there’s a fatalistic quality to the story, where you know the criminals won’t get away with their crime, but you somehow root for them anyway. It’s great stuff.

Also, Since It’s Based On A Man Who Wanted A Sex Change, It Still Feels Incredibly Modern

Now, if you read deeply into the actual story of John Wojtowicz, you might hear conflicting stories. For example, in an article from The Village Voice, there’s mention of how the Mafia was somehow involved in the botched robbery. But, the initial story that came out was that Wojtowicz’s boyfriend wanted a sex change, and that’s the story that we get in the movie.

It’s about midway through the film where we learn about Sonny’s true intentions, and it’s through his boyfriend, Leon (played by Chris Sarandon), who wants a sex-change surgery. Similar to how Pacino and Cazale are based on real people, so is Leon, as the real person Sarandon’s character is based on was a transgender woman named Elizabeth Eden.

As somebody who is firmly behind trans rights, I find this incredibly modern for a film from the ‘70s. The film was fascinating up to the point where we’re introduced to Leon, but was made even more engaging when we got an actual reason for the robbery.

And, even though I consider myself one of the few Emilia Perez apologists (as yes, I’m well aware of its many glaring issues), I still somehow think that Dog Day Afternoon feels even more modern than that film. Because again, this is a movie from the ‘70s!

John Cazale Starred In Five Academy Award Nominated Films, And This Is Arguably His Best Role

You ever hear of “The Fredo Kiss”? It comes from The Godfather Part II, and in the scene, Michael Corleone (Pacino) kisses his brother, Fredo (Cazale) on the lips, and tells him, “I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!” It’s one of the most memorable scenes in all of cinema history, and it might be the best scene Pacino has ever been in.

That said, I wouldn’t say the same for poor John Cazale. He played the middle Corleone son masterfully, but, much like his character, he often gets overlooked in the Godfather movies. His death is probably his most memorable moment. The crazy thing is, Cazale starred in only five feature-length films, and all of them – Godfather 1 and 2, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter – were nominated for Best Picture.

Even so, with this third pairing of Pacino and Cazale, I genuinely feel that he steals the spotlight this time around. In this film, Cazale is the polar opposite from his co-star. Pacino is loud and blustery (not quite Scarface blustery, but blustery all the same), while Cazale is quiet and sympathetic.

However, it’s in being the quiet one that he steals every scene that he’s in. There’s a sadness to his performance that sticks with you throughout the entire movie, and by the end of the film, his is the face that you remember the most.

There’s Probably Never Been A Movie That Physically Felt Hotter Than Dog Day Afternoon

Lord have mercy, this is the hottest film you will ever watch. I mean, movies where the sun plays a central role in the story don’t even feel as hot as Dog Day Afternoon does, which is really saying something.

This makes perfect sense, too, given the title. Because even though the Life magazine article, “The Boys in the Bank,” is a fitting description (it’s what the movie’s screenplay was based on), it more covers the people involved with the crime rather than the event itself. However, the movie feels like it’s focusing more on the hot summer day in which the crime took place.

This really makes it stand out, because I can only imagine how hot it must have been inside that bank, or even outside the bank, baking on the street. You know, I often criticize movies for not making me feel anything, be it emotionally or physically, but this one does both!

I feel for everybody inside the bank – both the criminals, and their hostages – but I also feel incredibly hot! Like, physically hot. The sweat practically leaks from your screen, which is something I don’t think I can say for any other movie. This one literally makes you want to take a cold shower, which I love.

The Ending Will Stick With You For The Rest Of Your Life

Finally, the ending is one of the most depressing you will ever watch. Now, I’m not going to spoil it here since I want you to watch it for yourself if you haven’t already, but the film’s conclusion has stuck with me ever since I first saw it (much like the ending to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre), and I think it will stick with you, too.

It’s honestly the reactions from the characters that do it. The look on one of their faces says it all, and it leaves you feeling depressed all the way into the credits.

It kind of reminds me of the conclusion to Midnight Cowboy, where we see Dustin Hoffman’s dead face on the bus, and Jon Voight just holds him closely as you hear that haunting harmonica fade the film into darkness.

Yes, the ending is on that level of sadness, and it’s a conclusion that will stick with you for the rest of your life if you let it.

My job is weird. One of the reasons my job is weird is that watching new movies is one of the things expected of me. While I don’t see as many movies as I used to, due to having small kids that require constant attention, I still as many movies as I can, and while it’s great when a movie I’m really excited about comes out, it also means watching movies I’m not sure I want to see, as was the case this weekend with the new horror movieWeapons.

To be clear, it wasn’t that I didn’t think Weapons would be a good movie. It’s actually been one of the more intriguing movies on the release calendar this year, and its premise is one I found awfully compelling. However, as a dad of a school-age kid, that same premise also made me slightly afraid to see Weapons, for fear that the movie would make me want to cry and scream in personal agony throughout its runtime.

Weapons' Trailers Were Really Disturbing

From the first trailer I saw for Weapons, I was immediately interested in it, and immediately sure that I didn’t want to see it. The idea that an entire elementary school classroom disappeared, with seemingly no cause or reason, was a creepy idea. The film’s promotion focused on the disappearances without giving much additional detail about the various characters or how the rest of the movie would play out. It was all very mysterious.

The problem was that one of the things I have discovered about myself since becoming a father is that I now have a real problem watching movies where children are put in jeopardy. Any story where a child might die, where a parent is trying desperately to get back to their child, absolutely destroys me emotionally. So an entire movie that is about that, times 17, I was sure would be a movie that would hit me right in the heart.

But at the same time, as somebody who absolutely loved the insanity that was Barbarian, director Zach Cregger’s previous film, I was also very curious to see just what Weapons would be. I wanted to see it, but I was afraid I wouldn’t enjoy the experience, and with that conflicted mindset, I sat down in the theater and waited for the lights to dim.

At First, I Breathed A Sigh Of Relief

I didn’t realize how tense I was as Weapons began until I started to feel that tension dissipate. Almost immediately, the movie put me at ease. The actual disappearance of the children in the film is dealt with as a narrated prologue. It’s an event that happens, but we’re told, rather than shown, what happened. This is because Weapons isn’t actually about the disappearance, it’s about what happens after.

But more importantly, this setup means you never really get emotionally invested in the children. You never get to meet them. Only a couple of them are ever given names. They’re not characters in the film. They’re a plot device. This isn’t a bad thing, for the plot or my nerves.

I fully expected to spend the entire runtime of Weapons afraid these kids were going to be eaten by monsters, or that they would be transformed into monsters and start eating other people. But as the movie went on, I began to realize neither fate would have mattered a great deal. The reason children in jeopardy bother me is that I often get emotionally attached to them, because that’s what the movie wants, but that’s not what happens here.

Weapons One Child Character Doesn’t Need My Sympathy

There’s one child character of any note in Weapons, Alex (played by Cary Christopher ) is the only child in the classroom to not disappear. The movie's vignette style structure mostly ignores him as much as it does the rest of the children, but even when he does become important to the story, even considering the wild things that happen to him, I never felt the terror I often feel when children have to experience horrific things in movies.

I think the main reason I never broke down over Alex’s situation is that Alex himself never does. He finds himself dealing with extraordinary circumstances, and he simply deals with them as best he can. He's clearly afraid, but he never lets it overwhelm him.

I won’t say I was ever sure Alex was entirely safe, and at one point, I wondered if he was somehow behind all the terrible things that were happening, but the movie never gave any real indication that Alex was in over his head, and so I never felt the need to worry about his fate.

Weapons Was Much More My Speed Than I Expected

As I mentioned earlier, I was a big fan of Barbarian, and while the marketing for Weapons certainly pointed out that the new film was from the same director, nothing in the early trailers gave the impression that Weapons would be quite as unhinged, as darkly comedic, as that movie. Needless to say, Weapons goes arguably even more off the deep end than a movie about finding a monster living under your Airbnb.

I certainly had those moments when I got apprehensive about some terrible thing that I was afraid was about to happen. But I found myself laughing, or laugh-screaming, just as often. Sometimes the horror is so extreme that it goes beyond being scared, and you just find yourself thinking, “What the fuck?” It’s a sentiment several characters in the film share as well.

Barbarian balanced its tone remarkably well, and Weapons, dealing with a subject matter that, at least to me, could have been even darker, does an even better job. I can’t remember the last time a horror movie finale had me smiling/laughing/cheering at such a gruesome spectacle, but here we are.

In the end, I came home to sleeping children not completely strung out over a movie where terrible things had happened to kids, as I had previously feared. I'm in full agreement with our own Weapons review that it's one of the best movies of the year. Julia Garner is now one of my favorite actresses. Weapons isn't at all what I thought it was, it's so much better.

If you’ve been following Netflix’s Top 10 charts, some pretty big titles in 2025 movies have topped the roster. Both Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding and Adam Sandler’s fan pleasing Happy Gilmore 2 shot to the top upon release, only to eventually see Netflix's record setting KPop Demon Hunters once again become head of the pack.

With recent reports that Sony Pictures Animation and the streaming studio are looking to expand with a stage show and sequels, this is good news for Huntr/x fans worldwide. Thanks to KPop’s obsession-worthy deleted scenes, there’s already story beats fans are hoping will be integrated into the fold. I think one above all others is the most important, and no, I’m not talking about Rumi and Jinu’s aquarium date.

KPop Demon Hunters’ Sequels Need To Address Celine’s Role In Rumi’s Life

Thanks to a recent story by The Wrap, sequel mania has kicked into overdrive throughout the KPop Demon Hunters fandom. That plan includes, among other things, two sequel movies. One of those could offer an opportunity to dive into the fractured relationship between Rumi (Arden Cho) and her aunt Celine (Yunjin Kim). Especially because, according to some deleted scenes and details released online, we learn that Celine killed her own sister.

Yes, Celine Killed Rumi’s Mother (With Caveats)

There’s not a lot said about Rumi’s mother and father, namely how they died. All we know is that they died in their daughter’s younger years, leaving Rumi's mother's sister Celine (fellow demon hunter/member of The Sunshine Sisters) to care for her.

However, visual development artist Simon Baek shared some unrealized work from the project on Instagram. A piece of particular interest, shown below, provides insight that even Netflix subscription holders didn’t get:

Celine’s “guilt” indicated in one of the slides, to me, feels like it harkens back to this excised flashback, in which we learn that she (presumably) killed Rumi’s parents. The plot continues to thicken in the material seen below from this supposedly scrubbed post from Mr. Baek a fan managed to capture:

Just in case that disappears, KPop Demon Hunters had a moment where Rumi flat out asks Celine why she’d kill her mother? Accompanying that image was this comment, again from Simon Baek:

Rumi and Celine’s relationship needs to be explored more in KPop’s potential sequels, especially with this “accidental” death in the air. However, movies such as this take time, so we’re not getting KPop Demon Hunters 2: Jinu’s Return anytime soon. As luck would have it, there’s another storytelling engine Netflix and Sony are considering that could, at the very least, help deliver more context to this story.

KPop Demon Hunters’ Early Sequel Talks Have Already Opened A Door To Making This Happen

Per the report cited above that lays out KPop Demon Hunters’ potentially bright and beautiful future, there’s a type of project that shows great potential in filling in some of these gaps. With co-writers/directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans sharing some pretty ambitious plans from the start, the story of this would-be franchise has plenty of corners left to explore. Which makes this last note on KPop’s future most exciting:

Seeing as Celine and Rumi’s relationship has scenes that were already written and boarded, KPop Demon Hunters has its first potential test case for the shorts formula. Alas, all of this is still pretty up in the air. So if you want to help push for that sequel, you can keep watching the original - only on Netflix.

Said couple from the 2025 movie release is played by real-life husband and wife Dave Franco and Alison Brie, who also produce Together, but actually previously collaborated on another horror flick from several years ago that I had always been curious to check out. It turned out to be yet another example of a movie that I regret not giving a chance sooner, and one I would recommend to any horror fan who enjoys Franco and Brie’s work in Together – which we reviewed well – but, mostly, for different reasons. Allow me to explain, WITHOUT SPOILERS…

The Rental Is An Unsettling Vacation Thriller

The movie in question is 2020’s The Rental – the directorial debut of Dave Franco, who also co-produces and co-writes with Joe Swanberg, who is known for the found footage horror favorite V/H/S and the insane home invasion thriller, You’re Next. Franco does not appear in the film, but it does star his spouse, Alison Brie, alongside underrated Scream King Dan Stevens, future Emmy-winning The Bear star Jeremy Allen White, and Sheila Vand of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night fame as two couples spending a weekend away at a vacation rental home that soon proves to be a nightmare of life-changing and life-threatening proportions.

For his first feature, Franco proves to have a competent handle on crafting a strong slow-burn horror movie with The Rental (available with a Shudder subscription), with its ominous pacing and excellent character-driven suspense, elevated by a cast that captures their roles’ desperation perfectly. While not quite as original in concept, I would go so far as to call this a more haunting tale of Airbnb horror than 2022’s Barbarian, as it depicts a more frighteningly grounded situation and is portrayed in such harrowing and heartbreaking ways that I might now be convinced to only use hotels for the rest of my life.

The Rental Boasts A Few Similarities To Together

While Together is a supernatural thriller and dramatically different in tone, I noticed a few ways that it does relate to The Rental, outside of the involvement of Franco and Brie. Most notably, both films incorporate troubled romance and codependency as prevalent themes, as each of the main couples in the film is threatened by secrets that develop from either repressed dissatisfaction or a lack of self-assurance. These details have no allegorical connection to the film’s more overtly horrific moments, unlike what Together achieves with its body horror elements, but they would prove to be even more heart-wrenching in some respects.

Also, both films prove to me that Franco and Brie, as a creative team, are not above using domesticated animals to tug at your heartstrings. Together’s opening sequence, without giving too much away, involves two dogs experiencing a very disturbing situation, and there is also a dog in The Rental, named Reggie, who proves to be a potent source of trauma in the story when he suddenly goes missing. I will just say, his ultimate fate is nothing to be too worried about, especially when compared to the poor pooches in Together, but I felt I should warn pet lovers about the suspense that comes with his absence.

I have heard very little about The Rental since it came out, but I hope to see its popularity surge following the release of Together. If you have yet to see it and you have Shudder, I recommend you stream it, or even rent it on Amazon. You might end up agreeing with me that it is one of the best horror movies you waited too long to see.

I can’t let this slide, but rather than read the world its rights (I don’t have a big enough megaphone), I’ll instead write my case for why audiences need to start stoking the fires in the engine known as “the Pamaissance.” (Name pending, but I'm open to pitches!)

Pamela Anderson’s Comedy Chops Finally Got Their Due With The Naked Gun

In recent years, the world has come to appreciate Ms. Anderson all over again. Fully dropping her label as a Baywatch sex symbol, the Canadian-American actor peeled back the veil of her life and times in 2023 - through both a memoir and the eye-opening Netflix documentary Pamela, a Love Story.

However, Pamela Anderson has always had sharp comedic timing, and she’s shown that to the world for at least 20 years. One could say that the first clue that should have tipped us off was her appearance in the cold open for 2003’s Scary Movie 3 - which you can watch below:

By the time Anderson’s story about her Borat cameo made the rounds, there was no way around the conclusion that the VIP star knew how to walk the fine line of parody. People are finally starting to recognize what I highlighted in our Naked Gun review as a talent that Hollywood wasn’t giving her a chance to fully indulge in.

With that particular door opened, I need to also recognize a couple of projects Pamela Anderson had landed over the past year. Through these other highlights, the case for her career renaissance blossoms into something open for further diversity in opportunities.

The Last Showgirl And Her Criterion Closet Video Are Further Proof Of Pamela Anderson’s Multifaceted Talents

If we really want to talk about where the buzz around Ms. Pamela started, we should be looking back at 2024’s The Last Showgirl. A drama in which Anderson plays a Las Vegas showgirl on her way out of the business, critics heralded this bittersweet drama as basically a revelation (one that you can, thankfully, stream through a Hulu subscription).

Something else I think more people need to experience is Pamela Anderson’s trip to the hallowed Criterion Closet. Through the clip I’m about to drop below, you can see the breadth of her cinematic knowledge, right down to her choice of passion project she’d love to remake:

Breaking down David Lean’s Summertime to a basic premise, as she does, it’s a single woman’s journey through Venice, in which she stumbles into romance. Hearing the author of Love, Pamela say “I don’t know if anyone would ever think of me for that,” breaks my heart each time.

That moment, arriving right after she beautifully proclaims her love for that picture, only further proves to me that a Pamela Anderson-led remake of Summertime needs to happen. As The Naked Gun’s campaign to “save comedy” continues to attract audiences into theaters, I hope that the world helps champion Ms. Anderson’s dream project and any other opportunity she wants to branch out with.

In an age where “sex symbols” of yesteryear have become better appreciated for their performing talents, that wish coming true would truly be another milestone in “The Pamaissance.” (It’s not the catchiest name, but I’m working with the folks in R&D to come up with something better. “The McConaissance” didn’t happen overnight?)

One of my favorite games, for many years, was Until Dawn. It was one of the horror games that I played back in high school that defined me as a gamer, along with The Last of Us. I always thought that the game could become a major adaptation if it happened, and then a film version was released as part of the 2025 movie schedule. And I…I have a lot of thoughts on it, mainly about its title and how this…isn’t Until Dawn. Let’s talk about it.

I've Been The Biggest Supporter Of Until Dawn For Many Years

The new film and game feel very different, so I’m going to give you a simple explanation of the story. The original game follows several young adults as they travel to a cabin in the woods that, of course, gets snowed in. At this cabin, two twin sisters went missing, who were friends of the group.

As the night goes on, they are hunted down by a masked killer and various other creatures, and the choices of the player determines how the story goes In reality, it’s really just one significant butterfly effect. It’s the kind of game that I sink my teeth into, because you really can play it over and over again and get a different ending each time.

The game has so many different endings, so of course, the idea of adapting that was daunting. I’ve always been the kind of person who has stood up for games like this, where there’s always one ending that rules above them all, and that’s usually the ending that people end up leaning towards. I thought the movie would be more like that.

The New Film IS Fun — But It's Just Not Until Dawn

I do think Until Dawn is a fun movie. There are a lot of things about it that work, but this is not the same story as the game.

The thing with video game adaptations is that sometimes, if you break away from the mechanics and the storyline of the original, it can work out, and then other times, it ends terribly.

The idea of an adaptation working out well for a video game instantly reminds me of Bill and Frank in The Last of Us. We were given next to no story about them in the game, and having their love story painted out in such a beautiful way in the show really enhanced the overall story.

As for a new concept not working out well, there are tons of examples I could point to. Many of the Resident Evil movies are like that, where the overall story of the game feels entirely left behind. Some older Mortal Kombat adaptations aren’t super great. Either way, when things are changed, they often don’t work out for the better.

The issue with Until Dawn is that the concept they put in the movie works, but it’s not what we saw in the game. It shouldn’t have the Until Dawn title attached to it.

The Overall Concept Works, Which Is A Shame, Because The Game Isn't What It Connects To

There are similarities between the movie and the game. That is something I won’t deny. There is a group of teenagers who go out to a cabin where they have to survive as things hunt them.

Some moments are connected to the game, such as a mask the killer wears that is reminiscent of the killer in the games. There are…versions of Wendigo, even if they don’t look at all like the ones in the game. There are even some references to specific towns and names, which I appreciated.

But this isn’t the same IP. This is something completely different. This leans more towards a horror version of Groundhog Day, where they are doomed to try and survive the night every single time, all five days, until they somehow make it out when dawn breaks. That’s not the game, in any sense.

This has a lot more paranormal/witchy vibes because of the stuff they go through, whereas Until Dawn actually felt surprisingly grounded aside from the Wendigos that started to appear at the end. The movie concept is fun – the idea of trying to survive a killer to break the chain once dawn comes around. That's not the game, though, and this should be separated.

The Gore Is Honestly Better Than The Games, Which Also Further Separates It

You know, maybe it’s because I haven’t played Until Dawn in a long time, but to me, the gore in this film is twenty times worse than the games. Like, I was reminded of some of the Saw films watching this.

With that being said, that means it’s honestly better in specific ways. I think that the game certainly had plenty of gory moments, but it often favored suspense and jumpscares over intense, super gory moments – aside from a hand getting cut off or someone getting sawed in half. Honestly, this film had people exploding from the inside out, so forgive me if I think the gore is just a little better.

Even so, that’s also something that further separates it from the IP of Until Dawn. It’s not the same kind of gore because it’s not the same kind of story, and that in and of itself leads to its demise.

I Think If This Weren't Connected To Until Dawn, It Could Have Been A Big Hit

This is the tricky thing – I really think this movie could have been good. I don’t think it would have ended up becoming one of my favorites, or surpassing my all-time favorite horror movies – both Ari Aster horror films – but I think it could have been fun. I believe it might have been successful, but only if Until Dawn was not attached to it.

The moment that name was stamped onto the screenplay of this film, it was doomed from the start. The fanbase for this is mighty – it’s why there was a whole PlayStation 5 remake for the game years after it was released. If you want to make a movie with that title, you have to at least cater to the games in general, and this didn’t do it.

If this movie had any other title aside from Until Dawn, it could have been great. It might have become a massive hit on a popular streaming service. However, I fear it’s going to just be forgotten amongst the slew of other, incredible horror movies that have come out. And, that’s a shame.

Either way, there are plenty of other upcoming horror films to look forward to. I, for one, can’t wait to check them all out, even if Until Dawn left me wanting more.

But honestly, it’s been a bit since I’ve watched every single one of Guillermo del Toro’s movies in succession. Like, a long time. I have watched his new releases and occasionally revisited all the old ones, but it has been ages since I did an entire Guillermo del Toro marathon. So, I decided to check it out over the last few weeks. And I’m honestly shocked at the movie I ended up loving the most.

A Lot Of His Earlier Films Are Great

It’s rare that we talk about a famous director and say that his most recent work is his best work. I feel as if we always relate to the classics. For any of the Christopher Nolan movies, people will often cite The Dark Knight as his best, or Inception, or maybe even Interstellar. Some might say Oppenheimer which is good, but I still think some of his past work is the best.

Maybe for the best Steven Spielberg movies, they’ll talk about Jurassic Park or Schindler’s List. But for Guillermo del Toro? I actually think his movies got much better as he kept making them. I don’t think his past work is his best.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s still good. He wouldn’t have become a master of horror and fantasy if it weren’t. His two Hellboy films are still some great superhero movies that have nothing to do with any modern superhero universes. Blade II is still iconic. Pan’s Labyrinth is fantastic as well. If anything, I would say that it is the film that made Guillermo del Toro. And for a long time, it was my favorite one he had done. But there’s one movie that surpassed all of that – one I have to talk about.

However, Nightmare Alley Became My Favorite By Far, And Is Even Better A Second Time Around

I bet you weren’t expecting that, but yeah, Nightmare Alley is legit one of Guillermo del Toro’s best films – and one that I actually ended up loving so much.

You’d think by the name it would end up becoming one of the best horror movies out there, but Nightmare Alley isn’t really a horror film. In fact, it’s a neo-noir psychological thriller. It’s the type of film that not a lot of people would connect del Toro to because he’s mainly known for fantasy and horror (as well as some dips into heroes). But this movie, based on the 1946 novel of the same name, hits.

The premise of Nightmare Alley, if you haven’t seen it (like many others haven’t), is simply surrounding a carnival worker who takes some dangerous risks in order to make a buck and boost his career to a higher status, but as time goes on, these jobs turn more sinister, and his life is turned upside down.

This movie takes the thriller genre and turns it on its head. It’s not like a David Fincher film, where you’ll be scratching your head by the end of it, wondering what was right and what was wrong. This film is essentially the definition of “thriller.” It is thrilling because you truly never know what you are going to see next.

I Still Love Pinocchio, But Nightmare Alley Is So Creative

I once wrote an entire article back in 2022 when Pinocchio was released about the feelings I had watching that film and how it surpassed every other del Toro film. That movie came out after Nightmare Alley, and I think, because it had been some time since I saw Nightmare Alley, I didn’t appreciate it as much. That being said, Pinocchio is still one of my favorite del Toro films, and it made me so emotional.

But when I watched Nightmare Alley, I realized that a lot of the emotions I felt during Pinocchio were carried over into Nightmare Alley. They are two very different films, for two very different audiences (unless you’re like me, a pure cinephile), but I often found myself feeling the same amount of thrilling pleasure and intensity watching Nightmare Alley as I did Pinocchio, because del Toro was able to craft what happened in the film in such a way that I was on the edge of my seat.

It was then that I realized Nightmare Alley had surpassed my top spot. To create a good thriller, you have to dive deep into the mental state of the viewer. You, as a writer and director, must discover what makes the brain tick. And when I realized I was feeling a lot of the same feelings I felt during Pinocchio as I watched this film, it really did shift my perspective.

The Nightmare Alley cast was a big reason as to why. They did such a good job portraying these characters that now, I find it almost hard to separate them from their real-life counterparts. The story hooked me instantly, and the feelings were everywhere. Just an utter amount of craft poured into this film. I might be crazy comparing it to Pinocchio, but hey, it’s what I felt.

It's A Shame That It Came Out During A Time Where Not As Many People Saw The Film In Theaters

This is the biggest tragedy of them all. This film came out during a time when hardly anyone was going to the theaters, back in December 2021. The only thing that really came out during that time that made a serious splash was Spider-Man: No Way Home and all its fan service.

Nightmare Alley was part of a slew of Academy Award-winning features that came out, which were not as widely seen because they were in theaters. This included Steve Spielberg’s West Side Story, Licorice Pizza, and more. Some great ones were released on streaming that earned a lot of praise, but it makes me sad that Nightmare Alley never got that same amount back then, due to the theater situation post-COVID-19 pandemic.

Either way, at least now it’s available to watch online, and it’s one of those films that I must recommend you watch. It’s really not scary, and features some incredible moments of cinematography and acting that I really think deserve way more love and attention.

Honestly, del Toro has another film releasing in 2025, Frankenstein, so you might as well check out his last live-action film in the meantime. I’m going to go and rewatch it for fun, if you don’t mind me.

Freakier Friday has finally made its debut on the 2025 movie schedule, and as someone who recently rewatched Freaky Friday for the first time in a long time, I couldn’t wait to watch. It didn’t disappoint either. As our Freakier Friday review states, it’s the best time. Plus, it’s full of fun callbacks to the original that are irresistible. However, while I adored those moments, there were two callbacks related to two other Lindsay Lohan films that I loved even more.

The Girls Screaming Into The Mirror And Running Into Each Other

When I think about Freaky Friday, I picture Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis screaming while looking in the mirror after they realize they’ve switched bodies. So, I loved that they did that again in Freakier Friday. However, I was also a fan of how they put a new spin on it. Instead of Anna in Tess’s body yelling, “Oh, I’m like the crypt keeper!” Lily in Tess’s body yells about feeling like she’s “bloody decomposing.”

Along with that callback, Harper and Lily also try to run into each other’s bodies, much like Anna and Tess did the first time. And it’s cute too, because Anna and Tess are quick to tell the teens that that didn’t work the first time.

The Original Women Who Caused Freaky Friday's Switch Showed Up

As I’m sure you remember, in Freaky Friday, the body swap is initiated by Pei-Pei (Rosalind Chao) and Pei-Pei’s mom (Lucille Soong) while Anna, Tess, Ryan and Harry are out for dinner.

In Freakier Friday, the switch happens after Anna, Tess, Harper and Lily all interact with Vanessa Bayer’s Madame Jen. So, Pei-Pei and her mom don’t have anything to do with it this time. However, they are present when it happens, because they’re guests at the party where this whole thing went down.

So, hilariously, when Anna and Tess realize what might happen, they immediately try to blame the women who caused it the first time. However, this time around, they truly had absolutely no involvement in the shenanigans.

The Use Of 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' In The Record Store

Arguably, one of the funniest scenes in Freaky Friday is when Chad Michael Murray’s Jake sings “...Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears at the top of his lungs outside Anna and Tess’s house. He sings it incredibly off-key and makes quite a fool of himself. It’s hilarious.

Then, in Freakier Friday, when Harper (who's in Anna's body) and Lily (who's in Tess's body) go to woo Jake at his record store, the scene is scored by the same Britney Spears song. However, instead of Jake making a fool of himself, the roles are reversed as Harper attempts (and fails) to flirt with him as Anna in an effort to break up her mom and Eric.

Anna's Little Brother Showed Up To Give A Toast

As an older sister with a younger brother, I always got a kick out of Anna’s relationship with her younger bro, Harry, in Freaky Friday. So, I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled when Ryan Malgarini showed up in the sequel all grown up.

While he wasn’t a major part of the movie, he did show up for some of his sister’s wedding festivities and gave a toast. So, it was a nice little nod to the siblings’ relationship in the first movie.

Two Of Pink Slip's Classic Songs Were Prominently Featured

Obviously, this wouldn’t be Freaky Friday without some Pink Slip. While I’m glad they played a new, emotional song, I’m even happier they brought back some of the classics from the original.

During the final concert, Anna and co. played “Take Me Away” and absolutely rocked the house. Then, during the credits, the track “Ultimate,” which is also played at Tess’s wedding during the credits of Freaky Friday, was featured.

I was dancing in my seat at the theater when both these throwbacks played; I couldn’t help it.

October 3rd Is Not Only Anna's Wedding Day, But Mean Girls Day

Did you clock the wedding date for Anna and Eric? I certainly did. It was hard not to, as a huge fan of one of the best movies of the 2000s, Mean Girls. That’s right, Lindsay Lohan’s character got married in Freakier Friday on the same day that Aaron Samuels asked her character Cady what day it was in the 2004 comedy. Talk about serendipity.

And it really was that, too. During an interview with Perri Nemiroff, Lohan admitted that the date was a total coincidence, explaining:

She went on to say that “no one did anything about it,” so she just accepted it as an Easter egg. The film’s director, Nisha Ganatra, apparently didn’t want to do Easter eggs when she learned about this; however, at that point, this one was unavoidable.

So, not only is October 3rd Cady’s favorite day, it’s now probably one of Anna’s favorite days too, which I love for Lindsay Lohan, who plays both of them.

Elaine Hendrix, AKA Meredith Blake From The Parent Trap, Made A Cameo

While there are plenty of cameos from Freaky Friday that we’ve already discussed, my favorite one actually involved a member of The Parent Trap cast.

Yep, Elaine Hendrix, who played the almost-evil stepmother Meredith Blake in The Parent Trap, showed up in Freakier Friday. She played Blake Kale in the movie, a woman who worked for the magazine that Anna’s client, Ella, was doing a photoshoot for.

However, that’s not where The Parent Trap fun ends. At the premiere for the movie, Hendrix brought along Lisa Ann Walter, who played Chessy in the comedy. They took a photo with Lohan, too.

So, all around, both on and off screen, there was an iconic Parent Trap reunion happening thanks to Freakier Friday.

Well, as you can see, Freakier Friday is full of callbacks to both the original 2003 film and some of Lindsay Lohan’s other fantastic flicks, which makes it all the more fun. However, it’s also such a fresh take on this classic tale, making for a great time at the movies.

To see it for yourself, you can catch Freakier Friday in theaters right now, and to draw all the parallels, you can stream Freaky Friday with a Disney+ subscription.

But then the marketing for Together became a constant in my life, and I knew somewhere deep down in my soul that I was going to end up seeing it in theaters. And I did. I mean, it’s Dave Franco and Alison Brie. I love them, and the fact that they’re in this body horror film together boded so well for me. However, I didn’t walk out of this movie severely grossed out – I actually walked out with a different feeling, and here’s what it was.

The Film Itself Had Some Great Body Horror

Before I say that, the film did have some excellent body horror. I think I’ve slowly gotten used to it, with films like The Substance giving me nightmares and movies like Bring Her Back creatively using cantaloupes to make me never want to eat one again. But body horror is riding a wave right now that can’t be stopped.

Together was also a part of that and had some moments where I was truly turning away from the movie screen because the cracking sounds and so much more were getting to me. It all culminates in that final shot of Together, which is wild and crazy to think about, but while the body horror was intense, it wasn’t what truly made me love this film.

However, Dave Franco And Alison Brie Had Me Reeling With Their Line Delivery

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

I laughed a lot during this film. Like, to a point where I wondered if I was honestly okay or if I was losing my mind like these two were. But honestly, it was just the delivery of these two.

There were so many moments that were truly terrifying, but were delivered with some grandiose and hilarity that made me snicker every single time. For example, when Millie was trying to grab the drugs to try and stop their bodies from morphing together, she was screaming about the child lock on them, and I don’t know what it was, but I was snorting laughing during it.

Another part that I couldn’t help but laugh at was when Millie was sawing through their arms, and she was trying to remain so calm, and Tim was freaking out, and it felt like a couple who was just on the edge of losing their minds together. They felt like such a real couple there, which, obviously, makes sense due to the actors’ real-life marriage. But sometimes that doesn’t translate to the screen, and this time, it was perfect.

And Even The Ending Felt Almost As Cheesy As A Rom-Com Despite It Being Horrifying

Even the ending of this movie was hilarious in specific ways. The fact that it almost ends with a horrifying twist on a rom-com, where they just give in and combine while listening to “2 Become 1” as they dance and make out, was hilariously terrifying to me, and I was just shaking my head at the audacity. They were legit so in love, and yet there’s this horrible moment happening, and I was crying laughing because it’s so morbid in the best way.

I feel like there have to be more horror movies out there, ones that are more comedic to ease people like me into body horror. Not necessarily a horror-comedy, but leaning more into the joke of it to relax viewers before traumatizing them moments later. I feel like the ones that I’ve seen in the past have almost been too much for me to handle, but this one was just right. And truthfully, if I saw Together again in theaters, I’d probably continue to laugh just as much.

I recently took my kids to see the new animated movie about a group of former thieves trying to make it in society as law-abiding citizens, and while I was expecting some of that great DreamWorks animation magic and a good story, I didn’t have any idea that a series of fart jokes would have everyone going wild. Let me spill the beans…

The Bad Guys 2 Has Multiple Fart Jokes, And The Kids In My Screening Couldn't Get Enough

I’m not going to give too much away about The Bad Guys 2 plot because this is a movie that I think everyone should see, whether they have kids or not. I will say that the new kids movie has multiple fart jokes, all centering on Anthony Ramos’ Mr. Piranha, a character prone to let one out whenever he gets nervous. If you’ve seen the movie’s trailer, then you know what I’m talking about here.

Whenever the “muscle” of the group of titular reformed thieves gets nervous, he expels a green cloud of farts, and how he does this is so simple, so subtle, and so hilarious. Seriously, whenever that little dude would toot, every kid in my screening would lose their minds. Even the parents were laughing as the fart jokes kept going.

Farts Are Used Like Chekhov's Gun, Culminating In One Of The Funniest Gags I've Seen In Years

You’re familiar with the storytelling device of Chekhov’s Gun, right? Well, it basically suggests that every element introduced into a story serves some kind of purpose before things come to an end. In the case of The Bad Guys 2, we have farts in place of a gun, knife, or other item.

Again, I’m not going to spoil everything here (seriously, go see this movie), but when Mr. Piranha started farting early in the movie, and then again later on, I had a feeling this would culminate in an explosively funny scene even later. It does just that with a scene that’s just as funny as The Lion King’s signature fart moment. I’ll let it slip out a bit and say that it involves a fart where you don’t want to smell gas…

It's Safe To Say Kids (And The Young At Heart) Still Love On-Screen Flatulence

As has been a tradition ever since I started taking my kids to the movies, I asked each of them to tell me what they liked most about the animated sequel. To the surprise of no one in the car, all three said the fart scenes. It’s safe to say that kids still love on-screen flatulence, and I don’t think older generations are opposed to some good pooting bits now and again.

I didn’t ask any of the other parents what they thought, but I’m convinced that they had the same response to all those fart clouds in this book-to-screen adaptation.

So, if you like fart jokes, have an immature sense of humor, or just like incredible animation (DreamWorks is on a wild run right now), then The Bad Guys 2 is going to do the trick.

If you had told me The Naked Gun movie would be one of those memorable 2025 movie releases for me a few months ago, I have to say, I would be rather surprised. But, here we are. I had so much fun going to see the Liam Neeson comedy during opening weekend with a packed crowd, and the experience is actually making me rethink my rather low view of spoof movies. Let’s get into it.

I Had A Blast At Going To See The Naked Gun In Theaters

After a memorable pre-release campaign and seeing the rave response from critics (including through our The Naked Gun review), I decided to check out the new release in its first weekend. And for context, yes, I’ve seen spoof movies like the original The Naked Gun, Airplane! and so forth growing up, but they never really landed any strong impression on me prior.

This movie is so popular, I actually had to trade my tickets for another showing the day I saw it because someone took my seats and it was too packed to go anywhere else but the front row. Anyways, once we were seated, I found myself really enjoying the experience of seeing it on the big screen. Not because there’s some crazy big set pieces to enjoy, but because it was so dang fun to see how audiences would react to the myriad of jokes throughout the movie. Some would get an overwhelming amount of laughter, but what really got me was when a single person would laugh about one joke that went over the rest of our heads, or just louder than everyone else.

It was a really communal experience at the movie theater that took me by surprise because I realized it was a rare one for me. Usually when I go and watch big movies in theaters, it’s more about the thrills, but there’s so many wild jokes that a big part of the fun was through the specific energy from those sitting around me. And, I think it’d be good for repeated viewings to see what each crowd is like.

I’ve Never Gone Out Of My Way To See A Spoof Movie, But The Experience Has Changed Things For Me

If I had seen The Naked Gun for the first time at home, I’m sure I would have still had a good time with it, but I would be missing that element of the experience that really added a little something else. With that in mind, it made me realize that the spoof movies I’ve watched have generally been viewed at home, and I didn’t understand a major element of value they have when they are initially released. And hey, I didn’t grow up in a generation where comedies were widely watched in theaters like they were in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

There’s a shock factor of spoof movies that haven’t appealed to me, but guys, I get it now! It’s really entertaining to see what jokes one person gets and really puts off another. (For example, my partner was dying laughing at the sparkling water joke in The Naked Gun, whereas I was a goner for the whole chili dog scene). Now, I’m wondering if I actually want to give them another try, such as going back to the original The Naked Gun or actually giving the Scary Movie franchise another try when the movie hits theaters next year.

Look, I get some people reading this will be like ‘Duh!”, but the fact that I went to see a spoof movie on opening weekend after having a disinterest in them and my whole realization shows the power of The Naked Gun’s campaign. I hope its success and conversations like this could help bring back theatrical comedies into the fold after they’ve been greatly sidelined to streaming in recent years, because as a movie fan, I want more experiences like this in theaters.

Spoiler alert! This story discusses the first six episodes of Perfect Match Season 3, which are available to stream with a Netflix subscription if you’re not caught up.

I think it’s safe to say that most of us don’t like having the endings to movies, TV shows or books spoiled. Personally, I avoid spoilers as much as possible, but there’s also something to the theory that if you know what happens beforehand, you know what to pay attention to. Whichever side you fall on, Netflix didn’t really give us a choice with Perfect Match Season 3, currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule.

Months ahead of Perfect Match's release, it was revealed that Amber Desiree “AD” Smith from Love Is Blind Season 6 and Ollie Sutherland from Love Is Blind UK Season 1 had not only met and coupled up on the upcoming Netflix series (which filmed in September 2024), but that they were still together. I didn’t understand why the streamer would do this, but after watching the first six episodes, I actually think knowing the spoiler is making the watch more enjoyable.

AD And Ollie’s Relationship Was Revealed On Love Is Blind Season 8 Reunion

This season of Perfect Match pulls former reality TV contestants from multiple shows from both within the Netflix Reality Universe — like The Ultimatum and Too Hot to Handle — and outside of it, dipping into the past casts of shows like Love Island and even The Bachelor. However, it’s especially a blast to watch if you’re a fan of Love Is Blind, and back in March, Netflix couldn’t help but give that audience a taste of what was to come.

During the Love Is Blind Season 8 reunion, AD Smith and Ollie Sutherland made their debut, announcing then and there that they’d gotten engaged after falling in love on a show we had not yet had the opportunity to see. Ollie said:

If it wasn’t surprising enough that these two reality TV contestants from different countries had met on a different reality show and gotten engaged, just a couple of months later in May, AD and Ollie announced they were expecting a child together! So now that Perfect Match Season 3 has finally arrived, does knowing all of this take some of the suspense out of the current episodes? Absolutely not.

We’re Getting To See How AD And Ollie’s Love Story Developed

Knowing that Ollie Sutherland and AD Smith are endgame has really only made the viewing experience better, at least through the first six episodes. When the two Love Is Blind contestants hit it off immediately, there was definitely a sense of, “Oh my god, it’s happening!” Their chemistry was instantaneous and undeniable, and it wasn’t long before Ollie was telling AD that he felt closer to her than he had with his fiancée on Love Is Blind UK.

(To refresh our memories, Ollie Sutherland got engaged to Demi Brown, who said, “I do not, for now,” at their wedding. AD Smith, meanwhile, was engaged to Clay Gravesande, and while she said “I do” at the altar, he did not.)

Knowing from the beginning that AD and Ollie make it out of Perfect Match together (or at least that they end up together when it’s all over) allows us to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Knowing They End Up Together Has Made Some Parts Of Perfect Match Less Stressful

If AD and Ollie’s ending weren’t spoiled for me, I’m not sure I’d believe this is a relationship that works out. Despite the connection between the two being nothing short of electric, it also seems obvious that Ollie went on Perfect Match looking for a good time. So it’s actually pretty fun to see him catch feelings so fast and get a bit territorial.

Knowing they’re together also allows me to find the humor in situations that would otherwise have me worrying about the couple. When AD and Ollie got to go to the boardroom, it was hilarious to see her call him out for wanting to bring in Alex Zamora from Temptation Island.

Then, AD got sent on a date with The Ultimatum alum J.R. Warren, and while we got to see Ollie sweat a little bit when they came back holding hands, I was never stressed out about who she’d end up matching with that night. However, when it was Ollie’s turn to go on a date, that tension came flooding back.

Some Parts Of Perfect Match Are More Stressful Because The Stakes Feel Higher

AD’s little flirtations with J.R. and any other guy on Perfect Match felt frivolous to me, because I know how it all turns out. However, Episode 6 “Double Trouble” made me realize just how high the stakes are for the couple. After Ollie and AD were picked as the strongest match, Ollie was sent on a date with two bombshells, while AD was sent home. EXCUSE ME????

I was practically as inconsolable as AD, because this was not the love story I was promised back in March. What do you mean she has to leave? Ollie looked pretty broken up about having to say goodbye to her too … until he realized he’d be going on a date with both Justine Joy Ndiba from Love Island USA and Olivia Rae from Temptation Island.

Ollie looked like a kid in a candy shop, and I absolutely hated watching him flirt and hold hands with these women. It was especially painful to hear him talk to Justine about having children, theorizing with her if they’d want boys or girls. If I was nauseous watching that, I can’t imagine AD was too thrilled.

Luckily, AD returned as one of the “singles” for the mixer at the end of Episode 6, reuniting her with Ollie. If the previews are any indication, things may get worse for them before they get better.

Having Their Relationship Spoiled Doesn’t Ruin The Experience At All

Even if AD Smith and Ollie Sutherland were the only couple on this show, knowing that they will go on to get engaged and have a baby has not ruined my experience. Perfect Match is chock-full of other couples and wonderful drama that hasn’t been spoiled. We also don’t know which couple will pull out the win in the end, so even if you are staunchly against spoilers, there’s still plenty to enjoy.

Now, with AD due to give birth to her and Ollie’s baby in November and the couple planning to get married by the end of the year, Perfect Match has restored my faith in reality dating shows by proving that they can both be entertaining and actually form lasting connections. So I’d say that having this relationship spoiled has definitely not ruined the viewing experience and actually made it even better.

Episodes 7-9 are available to stream on Netflix now, with the finale dropping Friday, August 15.

Among the upcoming Marvel movies is the first Avengers movie since the universe-shattering Avengers: Endgame, and I’m sad to say that my hype for Doomsday is a lot more lowkey than I wish it was. And I think one big reason why actually has to do with the latest of Marvel post-credits scenes. I don’t think it had a big enough impact, and the missed opportunity has been eating at me.

I Found Doctor Doom’s Debut In Fantastic Four: First Steps Rather Underwhelming

Fantastic Four’s tease for Avengers: Doomsday takes place four years after the events of First Steps. The scene, which was actually directed by the Russo Brothers, involves Sue Storm and her son Franklin hanging out at home. She turns her head for a moment and goes to the other room before returning and seeing Franklin face-to-face with Doctor Doom.

Marvel fans have known for some time that Robert Downey Jr. will play Doctor Doom since he made a surprise appearance at Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. But, after seeing this post-credits scene, it’s clear to me that we’ll have to wait to see his take on the Marvel villain until Doomsday. While I understand why Marvel Studios would do this, seeing the back of Doctor Doom’s head didn’t necessarily make me anticipate Doomsday anymore.

The scene does perhaps suggest that Franklin and his amazing powers could have something to do with how the Fantastic Four and the Avengers link up, but it feels too vague for me to latch on to anything specific about it. I wish the scene had involved RDJ introducing his villain a lot more, and perhaps saying some memorable line that would stick with me for the next year and a half, but instead, I’m left with this feeling of what could have been.

I Can’t Stop Thinking About How The Infinity Saga Built Up Its Big Villain Better

Now, if you’ve been following what’s been going on with the MCU behind the scenes, you know that RDJ wasn’t always the plan for the big bad in the Multiverse Saga; it was Jonathan Majors’ Kang, who got fired after getting mixed up in some legal issues. That being said, I still can’t help but contrast how Doctor Doom is being teased after the previous saga built up the threat of Thanos across movies over the years.

By the time we got to Avengers: Infinity War, we had seen Thanos’ face, and some of the damage he could do through the Infinity Stones and so forth. But, I’m walking into Avengers: Doomsday not feeling any fear at all about Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom. And I’m honestly a little worried about how the actor is going to portray a completely different character in the universe after being so beloved as Iron Man in the Infinity Saga.

I would have thought Fantastic Four would be the perfect place for the MCU to establish what to look forward to in the next Avengers a bit more, but I’m going to have to wait for the Avengers: Doomsday release date in December 2026 instead. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still very excited, but I wish Fantastic Four had me leaving the theater absolutely hyped and on the edge of my seat for what’s next.

I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting going into this Netflix subscription-exclusive offering. As someone who considers herself a book girl, I always love a good romance like this one, but I think I was expecting a little more. Either way, there was one character I actually ended up loving more than the main ones. I'm here to talk about them and why they were actually the best part of the film.

The Movie Itself Is Enjoyable

First off, this isn’t going to be an article about me hating on the movie because I did enjoy it in retrospect. I watched it from beginning to end and even had a couple of tearjerker moments at the end. I won’t say what happens if you haven’t seen it or read the book, but it’s a decent one that certainly hits notable beats with couples.

But when I went into this, I was expecting a little more of the classic enemies-to-lovers arc that I was used to before. I wasn't expecting them to have a knife at their throats and want to kill each other like in most romance/fantasies that I've read, but they didn’t start on the best foot. It felt like in the movie, they fell for each other very quickly, whereas in the book, felt a little more realistic. There's also the idea of student-teacher relationships which isn't necessarily alright in any sense.

Because of that, it usually makes me believe the love story just a little less. However, they had good chemistry. Sofia Carson was great (as always) as Anna, and Corey Mylchreest was great as her co-partner, Jamie. But I’ve been a fan of his since his part in the Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story cast.

Even so, there’s one other character who I absolutely adored – and I began to realize just why exactly.

However, Harry Trevaldwyn Was The Scene-Stealer

I could not get enough of Harry Trevaldwyn. Oh my god, he was hysterical. In My Oxford Year, the actor plays Charlie Butler, a fellow student in the graduate program that Anna is attending and someone who makes himself known to her on her first day. In fact, he makes himself known by commenting on her shoes and saying how terrible they were.

Yeah, what a way to start a friendship.

But over time, he did end up having some hilarious scenes and moments that made me chuckle. I think it was just the fact that he was so blatantly honest in his delivery, whether it was how he felt about Anna’s choices surrounding Jamie,, how he thought about a specific costume, or how he felt about relationships. I just wanted to be his friend.

He Really Brought Anna's Whole Oxford Friend Group Together And Was Hilarious

There’s always this sort of struggle when you’re first traveling to a new place to find friends. I think anyone who has gone to college has experienced that sort of nervousness where we don’t really know where to start to see our group. Charlie was that opening for Anna, who, in all honesty, was in an entirely different country and needed those companions to help her.

Charlie, being not only her friend, but her neighbor at Oxford (in his room, of course), was something that really tied her friend group together. From there, they just blossomed. I know that the main idea of the story was obviously the relationship between Anna and Jamie. As I said, there was no denying their chemistry, even if it wasn't entirely believable.

However, watching Anna’s friends also find love was something I didn’t know I needed. Well, maybe not as intensely as Anna and Jamie, but it was still there. The best part of that was Charlie and how he actually did end up going on a date by the end of the film, despite not having any faith in relationships. I think being in this friend group with Anna brought him back around to the idea of it.

Sometimes there are just movies where not only the romance is nailed, but the friend group is as well. This was one of those because I really enjoyed their presence on screen, especially Charlie. And, of course, there was watching him and Anna grow closer as friends when at first, he believed her shoes to be horrible. Now that’s the kind of friend I want.

With The Actor's Appearance In How To Train Your Dragon, I Think We Might End Up Seeing More Of Him

It was funny because, as I was watching this film, I started to realize that I had seen Trevaldwyn before. When I looked him up, I snapped my fingers upon realization of what it was. He was in the How to Train Your Dragon live-action cast, where he played Tuffnut; who, arguably, was one of the best side-characters in the live-action and one I really liked.

While there’s no official cast confirmed for the upcoming How To Train Your Dragon 2, there are plenty of ppeople fans can expect to see, and I’m sure Trevaldwyn is one of them in a return as Tuffnut. But honestly, this makes me even more excited for the sequel, as it means I’ll be able to see him again.

If it’s not in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, it’ll probably be on some other streaming project. Trevaldwyn has appeared in different projects from the streaming platform, including The Bubble, and he also held a role in the Amazon Prime series Ten Percent. So it’s not like he hasn’t appeared in other things.

Honestly, I’m pleased about My Oxford Year. While I don’t think it was the best romantic comedy movie I’ve ever seen in my life, it introduced me to the range that Trevaldwyn has and that he’s been in a lot more stuff than I thought he was. Now I have more movies and TV shows to look forward to.

If you haven’t seen My Oxford Year, I would highly suggest it if you want a lovely palette-cleanser film for an afternoon, and if you want to laugh your butt off at Trevaldwyn’s delivery. Because I can assure you, you won’t be let down.

All of those 3D films and CGI-animated features trickled down from Shrek. Now, decades later, the Shrek movies are iconic for many reasons, whether its their comedy or through the constant stream of memes that have amassed online. Of course, a studio can’t let a good franchise die, and the movies are being revived it with the upcoming Shrek 5.

However, it’s officially been confirmed that after Shrek 5, a spinoff Donkey film is in the works. After really thinking about it, I don’t believe Donkey can actually carry his own movie, for a couple of reasons.

I Love Donkey Just As Much As The Next Person

I’m not going to be cursing out Donkey this entire article because I do love him. I mean, it’s Donkey. When people think of Eddie Murphy’s best movies, it’s almost a guarantee that Shrek will come up because he voices Donkey so well.

The character is funny and has had some crazy, wild moments in the franchise that stand out, namely his relationship with that dragon, which still confuses me years later. I’m not entirely sure I want to know more, either. Even so, he’s a fun character…But as the lead of a whole movie?

The Main Crux Of Donkey Is His Interactions With Shrek And The Main Gang. Could That Hold For A Whole Movie?

Here’s my first reason — Donkey is fun, sure, but if we’re being truthful, the main reason we enjoy him is that he’s a part of the prominent gang. His interactions with Shrek, Fiona, Puss, and everyone else are what make him tick. If we don’t really have those characters for a spinoff film, then I don’t really see how he’s going to fit into his movie when most of his story tends to revolve around them.

A second reason is that I don’t think he really can carry his own story. I mean, I think a lot of people thought Puss couldn’t carry his own story, and then Puss In Boots: The Last Wish came out and critics loved the spinoff sequel – but I think there’s a lot more you can do with that character. He’s Puss. He’s suave, loves to fight, and had a whole past before he met Shrek and the gang. With Donkey, he’s, well…Donkey. He doesn’t really have a special past we can dive deep into unless they’re coming up with one for this movie.

At the end of the day, the biggest reason is, do we really want to know more about Donkey? About why he’s able to speak? About where he comes from? It’s not something he really talked about, just that he didn’t have friends when he was younger. Is that enough to carry a movie?

I don’t know. I really don’t. Donkey is a beloved character – he has his kiosk at Universal Studios and everything – but for his film, I’m not sure. I feel like it would work better as a TV special or maybe something special that could premiere on one of the best streaming platforms, but a big-screen outing might be too much. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.

Things happen, and I wasn’t able to get to the theater to see the film. Thankfully, I had a night at home alone and decided to rent it because I was aching to watch this new film. And it was…fine. That ending, though — I don’t believe it, and now, I’m not so sure where Song was going with how John and Lucy’s story concluded.

The Movie Overall Was Fine, And Enjoyable For The Most Part

I want to start by saying I didn’t hate the movie. I actually enjoyed most of Materialists. As Dakota Johnson said, it’s more than a “rom-com” and has a lot of poignant lessons on love and life, and it’s something that I can see a lot of people enjoying. Marketing it more as a rom-com, as if it was going to become one of our best rom-coms, was a mistake, in my eyes.

The first 75% of the film was excellent. I actually did like the idea of a matchmaker having this pessimistic view of love and then struggling to connect with someone, only for her to communicate with a person from her past. That’s prime material right there. However, I think it’s just the ending that really got to me, because I don’t believe it.

I Just Can't See Lucy And John Staying Together Very Long

I’m all for second-chance romances. There’s a whole book sub-genre dedicated to it. In order for me to truly enjoy it, though, I have to believe it, and I just didn’t with these two. I honestly think it’s because of a combination of a couple of things.

One, money issues are a significant hurdle in most relationships. While John did express he was going to start taking catering and similar responsibilities more seriously, I don’t think Lucy showed enough growth in her understanding of finances for her to connect with John over that truly. I still believe that by the end, she would be cynical of him not having money to provide for her, mainly because of her past and their former connection.

Two, we didn’t really see a lot of them. I think them getting married in that end-credits scene at the courthouse is cute and all, but I don’t get their relationship. We saw the moments that they fought, sure, but where’s the romance? The flashbacks to the good times? What were the instances that made these two want to get back together? As a viewer, that’s valuable.

Think of it like reading a book – if you show the bad times from a past relationship, of course, you’re not going to want the main character to get back together with him.

I would have been fine if she ended up with someone completely different. It didn't even have to be Pedro Pascal’s character. It could have been some random Joe Schmo on the street. Because we were only fed the bad moments of their relationship rather than the few good times, it feels… unbelievable.

They Don't Feel Like They're In Love, And That's The Big Thing

The biggest issue is that I don’t feel their chemistry. I don’t. Critics called Materialists a cynical film in many ways, and it is. I think the bigger issue is that Lucy doesn’t feel connected to John. It feels like her chemistry is atomic with Harry (Pascal). Which is an issue, considering she told him she didn’t love him, and vice versa.

So, how am I, the viewer, going to walk away from this film thinking that Lucy and John were the endgame when their sparks were equivalent to a four-dollar sparkler from Walmart? How am I supposed to feel, when Lucy and Harry were like the super expensive fireworks you get when you travel out of town to visit that special store?

I don’t know. Maybe I’m the issue with this film. Perhaps I’ve been scorched by love too much in the past. If you’re going to write a romance movie, please, for the love of all things good, make the endgame couple actually feel like they genuinely love each other and they’re not just settling. Gosh. I need a palate cleanser now.

If you’ve been on the fence about starting The Hunting Wives because you think it’s just a normal Netflix drama about murder in the Lone Star State, throw those preconceptions out the window and start watching this over-the-top exploration of politics, romance, and trauma.

Don’t worry, I won’t be spoiling anything big…

There's A Big Murder Mystery Teased In The First Scene, But Things Take A Wild Turn From There

When I first pressed play on The Hunting Wives, I hadn’t watched the show’s trailer, hadn’t read into the premise too much outside of the brief description on Netflix, and pretty much had no idea what to expect other than that there was a murder of some sort. Boy, I totally misjudged this show.

Sure, someone does get murdered in the middle of the woods in the opening sequence, and knowing that one of the characters will get killed in brutal fashion hangs over the entirety of the first episode, but the show takes a wild turn from there. Instead of being a super-serious, restrained, and formulaic drama about big personalities (don’t worry, they’re there) and vicious crimes, The Hunting Wives turns into something wild, something fierce, and so much fun to watch.

Between The Culture Wars, Sexual Escapades, And Crime, There's A Lot Going On

Let me tell you something: The Hunting Wives takes the most risque moments from those sexually explicit movies on Netflix and turns them up a few notches. The first episode has so much nudity, so much sex, and a certain scene involving a main character and one of her best friend’s sons that I’m afraid to type out in full detail in fear of getting shut down. Fan of over-the-top belt buckles being removed in moments of passion? Down for wild sexual escapades? All about culture wars involving Texas-sized personalities and quiet and mysterious northerners? This show has it all.

This Could Very Well Be The Most Absurd Show On Netflix (And TV In 2025)

Like I said earlier, there’s been a lot of great TV shows so far this year, and there have been nearly as many absurd programs on the best streaming services and various traditional channels. However, The Hunting Wives could very well take the prize of being the most ridiculous show you can watch with a Netflix subscription or any other.

At times, it feels like a crime drama, while at others, it has certain elements of soap operas, soft-core pornography, and parody. I know, I know, this sounds like a big and messy mix-match of genres and tones, but it oddly works. I can’t wait to see where this goes…

Every episode of Netflix’s latest book-to-screen adaptation is streaming right now, so now that you’re finished reading this, go check it out!

I Feel Like Death Of A Unicorn Wants To Be An Endearing Father-Daughter Movie, But It Is Not That

Look, I’m all for nuanced characters, but Death of a Unicorn didn’t exactly check those boxes for me, especially considering the relationship at the center of the twisted horror-comedy. Now, I’d read CinemaBlend’s 4-star Death of a Unicorn review and some meddling critic thoughts about the Jenna Ortega movie, but nothing prepared me for the odd experience of the film itself.

The movie starts off with Rudd and Ortega’s characters of Elliot and Ridley heading over to the Canadian Rockies to visit the estate of Elliot’s boss, but in its inciting moment of conflict, the dad character runs over a unicorn and then proceeds to beat it up?!! Why? I have absolutely no idea. He then decides to store the poor thing in his SUV and take it with them to the estate, so that he can bury it later or something like that? However, what happens instead is he successfully angers the baby unicorn's family, and his bosses decide to bleed it dry after they figure out unicorns have mystical healing powers.

At the same time, Death of a Unicorn is attempting to weave in a plotline about the dad/daughter who seem like they’ve been going through a rough patch since the death of Elliot’s wife and Ridley’s mom. That’s all well and good, but there’s a difference between having a flawed dad who doesn’t know what to do with a unicorn and the straight-up psychopath Rudd ends up playing here.

I'm Sorry But There’s No Way I’m Forgiving Paul Rudd’s Character In Death Of A Unicorn

Elliot proceeds to completely ignore his daughter, who is being completely fair and logical over the idea to perhaps not torture this poor animal further, and he’s more worried about finding stability in his career. Look, I know that being a single dad is hard, but later in the movie, he proceeds to stab and kill Will Poulter’s character, who was very much a highlight of the movie as the son of his boss. And, that's definitely not an action that's going to help with that objective...

The movie ends with Elliot and Ridley being hauled away by the police and probably going to jail, but they are all laughs and giggles about the whole thing. The end seems to suggest the unicorns are going to save them, but that makes zero sense, considering Elliot is the one who started this unicorn war to begin with. I honestly would have been more satisfied if Ridley had gotten very far away from her father.

Anyways, I needed to vent about this bonkers movie! While I guess I appreciate Rudd going against type, his character just felt like it only existed to cause chaos, and I wasn’t here for it.

On top of being funny and topical, and Mike Judge once again having his finger on the pulse of small-town Texas, the King of the Hill premiere also had what I can describe as the most wholesome TV moment of the year. Allow me to explain…

The Girl Scout Cookie Scene In Front Of The Mega Lo Mart Nearly Brought Me To Tears

For much of the first episode of King of the Hill’s return, Hank and Peggy Hill attempt to come to terms with moving back to Arlen, Texas, after spending the past decade or so living in Saudi Arabia. Just when the distress reaches a boiling point and the Hills consider taking a job back in the Middle East, they go to Mega Lo Mart so Hank can buy a spanner wrench, where they encounter a group of Girl Scouts selling cookies.

The feeling of joy, reassurance, and peace that washes over Hank and Peggy as they talk with the young girls and learn the meaning of “it’s nice to be nice” nearly brought a tear to my eyes. All of their distress and fears were washed away, and they realized why they called Arlen home for so many years. The world, though confusing and maddening at times, is still full of good people, which was evident as the scene continued, as Hank had an interaction with a friendly contractor buying a sawzall.

There Was Something So Kind And Sincere About The Scene, And I Wasn't Expecting That

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting such a kind and sincere scene this year in King of the Hill’s return. I mean, the show has had its fair share of touching moments over the years, but this one caught me by surprise. The way the Hills’ whole worldview changed after one trip to the Mega Lo Mart was nothing short of magical and something I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since.

If the remaining episodes of the 10-episode run are just as poignant (at least partially, because I need some dang old hilarious moments as well), then Mike Judge has done the series right and shown this longtime fan that he still has it. The only way to find out is by watching it all and hoping that this isn’t the end…

All episodes of King of the Hill (both the revival and the original 13 seasons) are streaming on Hulu right now. If you’ve never watched what many consider one of the best sitcoms of all time, now is the perfect time to take a trip down to Arlen.

How best to breakdown the purpose of this crossword puzzle... Well, the meaning of this puzzle is threefold: 1) It gives you time to think about Friends quotes, 2) It proves how much you care about Friends, and 3) It's fun!

If you got the above reference, you're very prepared for the clues in this crossword puzzle. Just fill in the blank with the word or phrase for each quote.

Insight regarding the extreme exercise on the set of the new Francis Lawrence-directed film is the lead headline of this week’s edition of The King Beat, but for those of you who are looking for something to watch more immediately should check out Stephen King’s latest social media-posted movie recommendation. There is a whole lot to discuss, so let’s dig in!

The Long Walk Stars Trekked An Estimated 300 Miles In The Making Of The Movie

In addition to being a Stephen King fanatic, I enjoy running as another one of my hobbies. I do a five mile loop around my neighborhood most mornings, with life, work, and recovery time sometimes leading me to skip days, and in a good month, I’ll run about 100 miles total. All this is to say that I can appreciate a healthy cardiovascular workout – and I am thusly wowed by the commitment of the actors starring in The Long Walk.

In the long journey to adapt the Stephen King novel for the big screen (which has included multiple failed attempts by immensely talented filmmakers), the principal focus of the “unfilmable” commentary has been the extreme content of the book, but I’ve long questioned how the movie would be made without taking an extreme physical toll on the actors. It turns out, the answer is that it can’t. CinemaBlend’s Mick Joest spoke with the cast last week during San Diego Comic-Con, and Garrett Wareing provided some impressive numbers when discussing The Long Walk’s titular activity:

I had two instant reactions to reading that quote for the first time: 1) That is a serious number of miles, and 2) It seems almost cruel that the actors had to walk back to their original marks instead of, say, taking a ride on one of the military trucks. In regards to the latter, perhaps everyone was so dedicated to their roles that they didn’t want to break the “reality” of the movie by doing something that their characters could never do?

Based on the very first novel that Stephen King ever completed (but ultimately published five years after Carrie under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman), The Long Walk is a dystopian story that sees the United States organize what is a rather sadistic competition in the name of patriotism and demonstration of the American will. Teenage volunteers participate in what is essentially a death march, with the last boy standing being declared the victor and winning both a heap of cash and any prize of his choosing. They have to maintain a three mile-per-hour pace and receive warnings if they slow down or stop. If anyone collects three warnings within an hour or tries any kind of escape, they are killed by soldiers overseeing the “game.”

Of course, these rules and plot developments have a notable impact on the cast: not everyone could have walked Wareing’s quoted 300 miles, as the earlier a character dies in the story, the less walking the actor had to do on set. But for the performers who make it into the third of The Long Walk? The single word that comes to mind is “Wow.” I’m imagining very sore feet but also very toned calves.

An added benefit of all the walking? It meant that the stars entered into a “no acting required” situation. Or as Garrett Wareing phrased it,

I know that The Long Walk wasn’t made with an outrageously big budget, but I am hoping that the wrap party involved foot baths and massages. And maybe some therapy to process the intense themes of the work.

Featuring the talents of Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Joshua Odjick, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill in addition to the aforementioned Garrett Wareing, The Long Walk will be the fourth Stephen King adaptation of 2025 thus far (following Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey, Mike Flanagan’s The Life Of Chuck and the MGM+ series The Institute). It will be arriving in theaters everywhere on September 12, and while I expect it will be a painful watch, it is one of my most anticipated movies set to be released this fall.

Stephen King Shares Love For Together, Highlighting The Characters And “Brave” Performances By Dave Franco And Alison Brie

There are a lot of things that make the works of Stephen King particularly exceptional, but if I had to choose just one to highlight, it would be his gift for developing characters. The way in which he provides depth and personality to his protagonists and antagonists is ultimately the key to the stakes in his stories, as you become invested in what’s happening because you care about the fates of everyone tangled in the (frequently frightening) web. It’s an important part of King’s sensibilities as a writer, and it’s why I’m hardly surprised that he is a big fan of the new body horror feature Together starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie.

The movie is now playing in theaters everywhere following its critically acclaimed premiere earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival. Stephen King recently saw it, loved it, and posted his thoughts about it on social media, taking to his account on Bluesky to write the following:

Written and directed by Michael Shanks, Together sees the betrothed Dave Franco and Alison Brie play Tim and Millie – an unmarried couple that makes a big commitment when they move out of the city to a home in a rural community where Millie has landed a teaching job. The move puts a big strain on the relationship, but things go from stressful to horrifying when the characters go out for a hike in the local woods and get lost. Staying in a cave overnight and drinking from a mysterious pool, they find themselves in the following days literally physically and mentally drawn to each other, leading to fused body parts and abundant psychological terror.

Together has a wild ending, and some terrific special effects (one scene brought to life with the aid of a shoebox full of sex toys), but what really makes the movie impressive is the dynamic between its stars. The movie uses body horror as a venue to discuss co-dependency, and the reason why Stephen King calls the performances by Dave Franco and Alison Brie “brave” is because the relationship between Tim and Millie gets super raw – and it seems impossible that the material didn’t have them doing at least some introspection about their marriage. Both characters are relatable and flawed, and it’s appreciation of their humanity that successfully draws you into the story.

Like both The Monkey and The Life Of Chuck, Together has arrived in theaters courtesy of Neon, which picked the movie up for distribution following its world premiere in January and gave it a wide release starting at the end of last month. Buzz landed the low-budget film in sixth place at the box office during its opening weekend, and you can check Fandango to find a theater near you where it’s playing.

That wraps up this week’s edition of The King Beat, but I’ll be back here on CinemaBlend next Thursday with another new roundup of the biggest news out of the world of Stephen King. In the meantime, you can learn about the exceptionally long and varied history of King’s stories and books in film and television via my series Adapting Stephen King.

The Fisher King Is A Classic Example Of The Hero's Quest

If you don’t remember The Fisher King (or haven’t seen it), the movie is about a New York City radio shock-jock named Jack Lucas, played by Bridges, who inadvertently inspires a mass shooting and retreats from the public, ashamed and disillusioned by his actions. Williams, whose loss we all still feel, plays a man whose wife was murdered by the shooter and has lost all grip on reality in the aftermath. A seemingly random meeting brings the two together after Williams’ character, Parry, saves Jack from some would-be muggers.

From there, the story plays out with a heavy dose of magical realism, as one would expect from any movie directed by the great Terry Gilliam. Parry is a broken man, living on the streets and caught in an alternate reality of his own making to help him forget the tragic events that led to the death of his beloved wife.

He believes himself to be a knight in medieval times, trying to earn the love of a woman (Amanda Plummer) he only sees during her commute to and from a train station. To earn her love, he must retrieve the Holy Grail (a fun callback to Gilliam’s time with Monty Python) from a "castle" near Central Park in Manhattan... at least, in his own mind.

Williams Brings Every Ounce Of His Immense Talent To The Movie

Parry’s mental breakdown gives Robin Williams so much to work with. He is manically funny, as Williams was so good at being, but he also has that broken side, which Williams was a master at tapping into. Parry has to be tender at times, because as a chivalrous knight on a quest, he helps as many people as he can, including and especially Jack. The role draws on all those talents that Williams possessed, and I can’t imagine any other actor being able to pull it off nearly as well as the late Williams does in the film.

Playing the high points and the low points of a man in deep manic depression is daunting for any actor, but Williams pulls it off so well here, you almost forget the actor completely. That is, until he strips naked in Central Park and runs around the park in the buff… a very hairy buff, at that. I’m hard-pressed to think of another movie where Williams goes back and forth so quickly between comedy and tragedy. It’s a truly brilliant performance.

As a viewer, I felt everything Parry feels, the humor and the pain, so viscerally. It explains why I never revisited the movie, despite being blown away by it the first time I saw it all those decades ago. It was one of those movies that you love, but don’t think you can watch more than once. Well, now I’ve seen it twice and I’m sure glad I have.

I have been reliving my early tweens and teen years, swooning over this reunion. I will be waiting at the theater when these Happy Hours movies are officially released. Since we have absolutely no clue when that will happen, because they’re still being filmed, I decided to instead watch a few of my favorite Dawson’s Creek Joey and Pacey episodes.

They made me even more excited for these Jackson and Holmes reunion movies.

Rewatching A Few Of My Favorite Pacey And Joey Episodes Reminded Me How Electric Josh And Katie’s Chemistry Is

Some of the best Dawson’s Creek episodes are those with Pacey and Joey at the center. There are so many entertaining ones about them throughout the show’s six-year run. However, most of the peak Joey and Pacey episodes happen in Seasons 3 and 4. So you would expect me to watch one of those episodes, right? Correct, but I didn’t.

The first Pacey and Joey episode I rewatched was Dawson’s Creek Season 6, Episode 15, “Castaways.” I chose to watch this one because it was one of the rare episodes that completely focused on Pacey and Joey. It’s 42 minutes of just Jackson and Holmes' on-screen chemistry. I also remember being completely floored when they kissed during it. We hadn’t had romantic Joey and Pacey for nearly two devastating seasons.

I was delighted with this shocking moment. Additionally, “Castaways” feels reminiscent of classic romantic movies, where it’s all about highlighting the two leads. I immediately reverted to my teen ways, watching them again skirt around the undeniable chemistry. I was kicking my feet and twirling my hair.

Like many great romantic pairings, Jackson and Holmes just have it. There is just something — at least for me — magical about seeing them on screen together. They are two stars whose on-screen chemistry feels everlasting.

I Am Looking Forward To Seeing How That Translates 20+ Years Later

I will admit, I am a tiny bit nervous about seeing Holmes and Jackson on-screen together after 20+ years. What if the magic is gone? What if it feels forced? Teen me will never recover if they can’t recapture the spark in these movies. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic, because the photos from the set automatically give me that giddy teen feeling. Yes, I am way too old to be excited about this, yet here we are.

I have also been following Holmes and Jackson’s careers since Creek ended. Therefore, I know both have just become more talented with age. Therefore, I expect them not only to reignite their spark but to showcase some very compelling acting. These upcoming movies are romantic dramedy, so I am very excited to see what angst they bring to their performances.

These Dawson’s Creek Episodes Remind Me How Much I Miss Seeing Joshua Jackson As A Romantic Lead

Jackson has been in a few movies, but has mainly stayed within the television universe since Dawson’s Creek. I have seen almost every television show with him as the star. Almost every time, he does an amazing job convincing you that he’s madly in love with his co-star. I was glued to the Peter (Jackson) and Olivia (Anna Torv) romance on Fringe. Unfortunately, I wasn’t that into Max and Avery’s (Phillipa Soo) romance on the now-canceled Doctor Odyssey. In fact, this show made me a bit nostalgic to see Jackson return to his romantic leading man roots in a way I enjoyed.

I need to see Jackson deliver lines so beautifully poetic, just because he said them. I need to see the way Pacey looks at Joey return in this movie. I need Jackson to channel the romantic leading man he always was and is meant to be in these movies.

Romantic movies seem to now be geared towards a younger generation, so this probably won’t be the birth of Jackson’s romantic movie career, but it will serve as a reminder of how he used to deliver romantic-lead gold. It will also show us what we lost by not having him star in more romantic movies.

I Got A Big Hit Of Nostalgia Rewatching Them, And I’m Curious How These Movies Will Affect That Feeling

There have been a lot of great remakes and reboots, and a few of them have been duds. These movies or TV shows haven’t changed my opinions of the original, but they can anger me. For example, I am quite nervous about the Buffy the Vampire Slayer continuation series. There are so many things that can happen that potentially will make me mad that they couldn’t let the show rest in peace.

Fortunately, these movies are not Dawson’s Creek reboots or continuations. I can live in peace knowing the perfect Creek finale will remain untouched (which were also some of the Pacey and Joey episodes I rewatched). However, Jackson and Holmes on screen together has a nostalgic quality to it.

Therefore, watching them together could make me more nostalgic and rewatch even more Pacey and Joey episodes, or it could make me not want to see them on screen together ever again. The latter would probably never happen, even if they lost all of their previous magic. I am fully committed to the Happy Hours trilogy, whether it’s good or bad.

However, there is a chance these films will haunt me if they’re not actually good, or if it becomes like one of those heartbreaking breakup movies. These things could kill my nostalgia buzz.

The Dawson’s Creek Episodes Made Me Mentally Develop A Checklist Of What I Need To See In These Movies

I don’t know if this movie will just randomly include some Dawson’s Creek references and Easter Eggs, but that’s a possibility. I would love to see a few nods to the WB series. I also need Jackson’s character to give us an epic speech, similar to the one he delivers in the Creek finale.

I also need their characters dancing, some intense fighting, maybe a scene on a boat, them being parents, and the list goes on. These are some of the upcoming movies that I cannot wait to see. My Pacey and Joey-loving heart is finally getting a sort-of reunion all these decades later, and I couldn’t be more excited.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers about a particular scene in writer/director Michael Shanks’ Together. If you have not yet seen the film, you can ready my spoiler-free CinemaBlend review; otherwise, proceed at your own risk!

Being a very proud new entry to the body horror subgenre, Together is a movie with plenty of nastiness and extremes, and easily one of the best examples is what can casually be called the “bathroom stall scene.” When Dave Franco’s Tim is meant to be going away for rehearsal with a band that wants him to tour with them, he instead finds himself supernaturally drawn to the school where Alison Brie’s Millie works. A mix of uncontrollable urges and a chance to end their sex drought as a couple leads them to hook up in a public toilet – but things go from passionate to panicked as Tim disturbingly can’t seem to... disengage.

It’s a complicated scene: it’s both humorous and horrific, it features some of the movie’s most graphic material, and you can tell just from watching it that it must have been supremely difficult to film. So, of course, I felt compelled to ask about it last month when I interviewed Michael Shanks, Alison Brie and Dave Franco during the new horror movie’s press day in Los Angeles.

Alison Brie And Dave Franco Love The Bathroom Stall Scene, But It Was Exceptionally Uncomfortable To Film

For actors, there is surely a natural expectation of awkwardness that comes with filming a sex scene. That’s true for sequences where two characters are getting intimate on a comfortable mattress covered in silk sheets – but now swap out that comfortable setting in your mind for a stall in a public bathroom, and you can understand why the sex scene in Together was a special challenge.

The sequence is one of the best in the film, and Alison Brie identified it as her favorite moment in the script when she first got the chance to read it, but she also totally underestimated just how grueling it would be to perform. She loves how it turned out, but both the physical and emotional aspects of it ended up being tremendous. Seated beside her co-star/husband Dave Franco, Brie said,

As captured in the video at the top of the article, the two actors detailed how their closeness in filming the sequence got a bit gross even without any supernatural forces trying to fuse them together. Because Tim is basically a slave to his urge to be with Millie in the moment, Dave Franco was given spritzes of fake sweat to suggest a sickness caused by being without her, and that combined with real sweat he was producing as a result of physical exertion/close quarters in the stall. It was not comfortable.

Director Michael Shanks estimated that it took somewhere in the range of eight hours to shoot the sequence in the bathroom stall, and Dave Franco acknowledged that there was a level of claustrophobia that colored things:

It was tough to shoot, but shooting the sequence also had some surprising wins – like lucking into a box of sex toys that the effects team was able to use for what is arguably the most shocking shot in Together.

Facing Budget Problems, Together Lucked Into ‘A Shoebox Full Of Genitals’

Alluded to above, the Together sequence in discussion here ironically doesn’t reach its climax as the characters are having sex, but instead in the immediate aftermath. For a brief moment, Tim and Millie and giggly and happy, but those positive emotions evaporate as the former is physically unable to separate himself from the latter. Initially, it seems that the audience is only going to register the drama via the fear expressed by the characters, as they are only framed from the waist up – but then there is a shocking angle that goes between them, and we see what I’m going to politely refer to as the compromised circumstances of Tim’s penis.

It’s graphic, and you probably would not expect the title that Michael Shanks used as a reference point:

As far as actually getting the shot, however, there was a practical issue: money. Released into theaters this past week by Neon, Together was made an independent production shot in Australia, and budgetary restrictions meant that not every part of the vision for the movie could be realized. But for the graphic shot of Tim’s stuck penis, luck ended up winning out over frugalness.

Michael Shanks told me that there wasn’t room in the budget for the practical/visual effects required to get the shot, but he ended up being fortunate in that his partner at the time was working for a sex toy company and was able to supply the production. Said the writer/director,

In most workplaces, someone showing up with a shoebox full of sex toys would probably be grounds for dismissal, but I suppose that’s why you have to love the specialness of the film industry.

This Is Where A Married Couple Acting Together Is Super Helpful

The sex scene in Together is graphic, and shooting it was immensely uncomfortable for the stars, but getting free dildos via the director’s partner wasn’t the only “organic” benefit the production had: filming would have been much more awkward if the two stars were relative strangers, but Alison Brie and Dave Franco have been a romantic couple since 2012, and they have been married since 2017.

Working with a spouse isn’t necessarily always a boon, and one watches the romantic drama of Together wondering if the on-screen conflict between the characters had the actors reflecting on their own relationship – but in the case of the bathroom stall scene, their shared history allowed Alison Brie and Dave Franco to be a bit more emotionally free. Discussing how shooting the scene with her husband made it different than it would have been with a different co-star, Brie said,

Adding to her comments, Franco noted that they were both able to make certain choices and take certain chances that they otherwise may not have been able to make because they had the inherent trust and support of their scene partner:

It’s a special working relationship, and one that helped yield one of gnarliest big screen moments of 2025 so far.

Also starring Damon Herriman, Together premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival and is now playing in theaters everywhere – the low-budget, critically acclaimed feature landing in sixth place at the weekend box office.

South Park ranks up there relatively high when it comes to the 2025 TV shows that I happen to love the most. I didn’t always watch it, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed a profound respect for the series since somehow, despite so many shows getting cancelled, South Park continues its twenty-seven season-long reign – and most likely will continue beyond that.

But a part of me is beginning to think that South Park is seriously trying to get itself cancelled with some of its takes lately. I’m not going to go into the absolutely obvious because I’m sure everyone and their mother has seen it. Still, there’s one other take in the first episode of Season 27 that I really want to talk about – and it’s one I have personal opinions on. Let’s get into it.

The Latest Season Of South Park Has Been Funny

So while there’s only been one episode of South Park Season 27 so far, I can already tell this is going to be a hilarious stint just from the first episode. I mean, we have to talk about the elephant in the room – addressing the current President of the United States in that matter sort of harkens back to the older days of South Park.

That’s right, I’m talking about the most outrageous South Park episodes ever. This is undoubtedly going to be an interesting season.

That’s really besides the point, though. I feel like this season is going to be funny for a myriad of reasons. The creators – Trey Parker and Matt Stone – not only took a break this past week, but really this past year. They didn’t even bother to release a season during the 2024 Presidential cycle because they saw what happened to the series during the 2016 and 2020 runs and decided not to participate in that nonsense again.

And honestly, good for them. I would be the same way. That kind of stuff always drives people bonkers. But now, they’ve been ruminating on this new material for a year, and I can only imagine what is going to happen in this upcoming season because it’s going to be hilarious and epic and everything else you can imagine under the sun.

However, there is one aspect of the first episode that I think they did a hilarious take on – and one that’s a little harrowing as well.

But The Show's Take On How AI Has Become More Of A Chatbot Rather Than A Resource Is Frightening - And Hilarious

So the central premise of the episode is that Jesus is being placed back in schools, literally placed back inside school buildings. The actual figure of Christ is a character once more this season. Randy, confused about why Jesus is being left in schools, asks an AI assistance app on his phone – most likely referencing ChatGPT – if Jesus is supposed to be in schools.

Obviously, the Chatbot gives him the AI answer he was looking for, and then he goes on to say how thankful he is to have someone to talk to about this when his wife is literally right there in bed next to him.

I’m going to be honest, I burst out laughing watching this. As someone who has seen the constant rise in AI, I was not expecting South Park to portray how people view specific AI bots online so accurately.

It is almost like an epidemic. I have also been prone to sometimes randomly ask ChatGPT questions about things I have – like how to cook a certain steak to the right temperature, because I was too lazy to look up a recipe on the best cooking channels. Or, you know, read a recipe book.

But I’ve also heard of a lot of people who have moved towards ChatGPT and some of these other AI assistant tools, almost as therapists, talking about their problems to them, and seeing what they say. The bots are just a conglomeration of the entire internet. I’m sure they’re pulling actual resources from therapists or websites.

However, it’s a fact that these bots write and sound like some humans would, and sometimes, they sound like they make sense. So, of course, some people would get attached and feel as if they have “someone” to talk to when in reality, it’s making humans more separate than ever.

It was such a quick moment in the episode, when the entire new season has been focused on the president and woke culture. But Randy showed the rise in it perfectly.

Out Of Everyone That Could Get Attached, Randy Is Who I Most Likely See

There are a few other people I could see getting attached to a chatbot like ChatGPT in South Park, but Randy does stand out as the victor.

Cartman could, if we’re being truthful. Cartman has been a nice guy a few times in the past and has had his moments, but he also speaks to his Alexa pretty consistently. I could easily see him getting addicted to ChatGPT or something like that. Maybe even Butters because he’s so vulnerable. But Randy? Oh yeah, that hits.

He’s the kind of person who, even though he has a wife to speak to, is pretty alone and often doesn’t listen to others, and is quite stubborn. Of course, he would cater to a chatbot that will lean his way no matter what unless he programs it not to be. Which Randy won’t do, let’s be real here.

Heck, this is lasting as long with him as this whole Tegridy Farms nonsense has. We could see Randy falling for a chatbot.

It Reminds Me Of The Movie Her In A Way - And I'm Curious About Where The Season Will Go From There

That one scene actually got me excited, because it reminded me of the movie Her, starring Joaquin Phoenix. The film is literally about a man falling in love with a chatbot, and it feels like we’re getting eerily close to that becoming a reality.

But hey, if South Park wants to make a joke out of using Randy, I’m here for it. I think in order to deal with the constant changes of our environment and the world around us, laughter is the best medicine. And I, for one, am going to laugh my head off watching Randy and seeing how he interacts with these bots as the season progresses. I’m all here for it.

With a new episode of South Park coming out today, I’m eager to see what they have up their sleeve next, as long as I don’t have to see a tiny, ah…human appendage again. That was enough for one episode.

Anyway, as an apologist for the 2021 film, it does my heart glad to hear that test screenings for this upcoming Mortal Kombat have gone swimmingly. Because even though I've come around on the 2021 flick, I still want a MK movie that can get me as pumped up as the first one did back in 1995.

I still consider that to be one of the best video game movies of all time. And, if Mortal Kombat II can do five things for me, then I might have to update that list. So, here are those five things!

If Cole Gets Killed Off In The First Few Minutes, I'm Gonna Scream

Look, I have nothing against Cole Young. In fact, now that I've come around on the 2021 film, I actually kind of like his character. He's scrappy and unlike any other character from the series.

Even so, dude needs to go ASAP for the sequel. With Johnny Cage looking to be the star of Mortal Kombat II, all signs point to Cole either having a much smaller role or, catching a FATALITY. Personally, I'm hoping for the latter.

Longtime MK fans know that this very scenario happened to Johnny Cage in the so-bad-it's-good sequel, Mortal Kombat Annihilation. In just the first few minutes, Cage is killed off by Shao Khan, and he never comes back.

I would scream my head off if there's a callback to that in MKII, where Cole is killed in the same manner. Really, this is one of my biggest requests. If they just give me this, I'm pretty sure the movie would be an automatic 8 out of 10 for me, because how great would that be? It would be perfect, that's what it would be.

I Need Liu Kang, Raiden, And Sonya Blade To Play A Bigger Role In This Movie

One of my biggest complaints with the 2021 movie is that Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, and Lord Raiden were barely in it. I mean, they were, but they didn't really play much of a role.

This felt like a missed opportunity since they are the cornerstones of MK, right alongside Scorpion and Sub-Zero, who played a much bigger role in the 2021 film. Even so, the movie just felt off, and Kano pretty much stole the show. It felt weird, is what I'm getting at.

Thankfully, with the story centering around Johnny Cage this time, I have high hopes that the old gang will be much more prominently used, because they NEED to be used for this to truly feel like Mortal Kombat to me.

Though I love Johnny (he's one of my favorite characters!), I don't want this movie to just be focused on him in the same way that the recent film was focused on Cole. No, I want Liu, Sonya, and Raiden to also have interesting arcs, just as they did in the ‘95 film. Is that too much to ask?

Goro Felt Wasted In The Last Film. Bring On Kintaro!

Is Mortal Kombat II the best MK game ever? Well, there's definitely a case to be made. Personally, I'd go with MK X, but I've heard people from the Fighting Game Community (FGC) say that MK2 is the game's peak.

Cool. I can dig it. That said, one aspect that I always felt was kind of lame about the second game was the sub-boss, Kintaro, who really just felt like a less interesting version of Goro. Another member of the four-armed Shokan race, Kintaro was the character you faced right before the final boss, Shao Khan, and he was nowhere near as cool as Goro.

Be that as it may, I still want to see him in the MK II movie, because Goro was absolutely WASTED in the first flick. I mean, just think of the 1995 movie, and how awesome (and intimidating!) he was.

Honestly, if you ask most fans of the first movie what was their favorite part, they’ll likely either say the Johnny/Scorpion fight in the woods, or, the Johnny vs. Goro battle. So, I want something similar to that with Kintaro. Sure, I kind of consider him to be like Temu Goro (I’m sorry, but it’s true), but I want him in the film, just so we can get a PROPER Goro fight this time around.

I Want To See Stages From The Mortal Kombat II Game, With Secrets Galore!

Do you know how many times I’ve watched the Mortal Kombat II trailer? A lot, and one thing I will say is that it looks like some of the stages from the second game somehow snuck their way into the movie.

For example, there’s a scene in the trailer with a portal that looks similar to the stage with the floating monks in the game. There's also a shot of a forest, and that can very well be the living forest from the game, which is one of my favorite stages ever.

Seriously, give me all of the fan service, and all of the stages! I remember the first time I went to the arcade and saw that beautiful MK2 cabinet. The first thing that struck me were the stages, like the double pit (with the guy literally on fire in the background, who we'd later learn is Blaze), the bridge over the acid pool, and my favorite stage, the one with Sonya and Kano tied up while Shao Khan watches you fight.

Give me all of that, and also secret characters. (I mean, we already see Jade and Noob Saibot in the trailer, so now we just need Smoke and Ermac!) Plus, bonus points if they include Dan Forden popping in at the bottom of the screen and singing, “Toasty!” when somebody delivers an uppercut. Oh, man. My heart would explode if that happened!

No MK Movie Has Surpassed The First One From 1995, And I Want This Movie To Blow It Away

A while ago, I wrote about how I'd rather watch the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie over the recent film, and I stand behind that comment. The thing is, the first movie isn't even that good (I mean, when it comes to the first Street Fighter movie, and MK, I'd say that they're about neck and neck).

Now, don't get offended. I LIKE the original, but mostly because I liked it as a kid, and it was relatively faithful to the games at the time. In other words, it's a video game movie in a time when video game movies were historically terrible.

My final wish, then, to make this the “perfect” MK movie is for it to just be better than the first flick. That's really it. All of the things I listed above could push this sequel over the finish line, but that's what I truly want - A Mortal Kombat movie that is better than the one from 1995.

What do you think? Could this sequel be the one? I'd love to hear your thoughts.