https://collider.com Examine the past, present, and future of film with in-depth writing on classics, overlooked favorites, blockbusters, and the filmmakers behind the movies you love. Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:30:18 GMT en-US hourly 60 Fan-casting and uproarious public support gave us John Krasinski's brief cameo as Mr. Fantastic in Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, and Jessica Chastain's portrayal of an adult Beverly Marsh in IT Chapter Two. With the massive slate of characters new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the way, whether it's the Mutants of the X-Men or Fantastic Four-adjacent players yet to arrive, speculation and rumors surrounding casting are already bubbling to the surface. With swiftly rising A-lister Jenna Ortega recently free of her Scream franchise duties, you might think she's ready to make her MCU debut, a prime fit for any number of the yet-to-be-filled hero or villain roles, but Ortega has already made her MCU debut — over a decade ago.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 19:01:18 GMT https://collider.com/jenna-ortega-iron-man-3/ There's something fascinating about failed art, and there's no question that 1992's Frozen Assets, starring Corbin Bernsen and Shelley Long, was a failure. It was universally panned by critics and audiences alike and completely flopped at the box office, bringing in only $376,000 on a budget of $5 million. And unlike other bad movies that have since gained cult followings, like Tommy Wiseau's The Room (or my personal favorite guilty pleasure, The Core), Frozen Assets has been largely forgotten in the three decades since its release. Yet its existence raises interesting questions about what distinguishes a bad movie that's fun, like The Room, from a bad movie that's just bad, and whether there’s any value in preserving objectively terrible art.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 23:31:18 GMT https://collider.com/roger-ebert-gene-siskel-frozen-assets/ Sam Esmail's psychological thriller Leave The World Behind is now on Netflix, and it has one hell of a cast. Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke are set to star alongside Mahershala Ali, who is showing once again that there is no role that he can't handle. The versatile performer has already established a filmography filled with diverse and unique characters ranging from an Oscar-winning turn as a drug dealer in Moonlight to another Oscar-nominated film Green Book, where he plays a talented jazz artist named Don Shirley touring the southern United States during the height of racism in the 60s with a white Chauffeur played by Viggo Mortensen.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 16:31:18 GMT https://collider.com/mahershala-ali-swan-song/ When you think of Studio Ghibli, it's likely that flashes of Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and if you're cool, avian pigs fill your brain. They've repeatedly created some of the most iconic animated films in recent decades, and have built up various worlds and mythologies that will likely continue to convert casual viewers into lifelong fans for years to come. There's a sea of artists behind the scenes who have had a hand in crafting these classics, but one man is found at the center of almost every one of the studio's best movies. That man is Hayao Miyazaki. You probably know him by now, but there was a time when he was just another filmmaker making animated fantasy movies. Great animated fantasy movies, but nothing groundbreaking. That is... until Castle in the Sky, Studio Ghibli's first full-length feature.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 07:15:17 GMT https://collider.com/studio-ghibli-miyazaki-castle-in-the-sky/ The vibes in The Polar Express have always been off — well, at least for a so-called "wholesome" Christmas movie aimed mostly at children. The thing is, between the creepy Sims-like animation and mildly terrifying side plots, Robert Zemeckis' film would've worked a whole lot better had it been an outright Christmas horror film rather than a regular holiday movie verging on creepy territory. There's nothing warm about The Polar Express: as the viewer, you're almost always on edge while watching it, which is why it's a little shocking that so many people have deemed it to be their favorite, wholesome holiday movie. The overall message of the film might be sweet and charming, but the route taken to arrive at that point is definitely far from wholesome. There are tons of moments in the film that could have definitely been spun with a deeper horror angle to really drive the point home that this was bordering more on a horror film than a family movie.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 20:15:18 GMT https://collider.com/polar-express-horror-movie/ Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions has produced many fan-favorite movies for over two decades. Founded by the SNL alum in 1999, the company's projects feature Sandler in some of his most beloved comedies, where he typically plays a buffoonish character with a heart of gold. Although many of these Sandler movies were hated by critics, from the likes of Grown Ups to Mr. Deeds, the production company has brought to life many feel-good comedies that audiences love. Its name was also inspired by two of the actor's earlier box office hits, Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, in a satisfying nod to two of his quintessential comedies. But the man in the Happy Madison logo, who can be seen after hitting a golf ball into the shattering screen, is of an even more personal origin than you might think.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 12:45:20 GMT https://collider.com/happy-madison-productions-logo/ Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Boy and the Heron.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 23:34:41 GMT https://collider.com/boy-and-the-heron-ending-explained/ Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood's magnum opus, continues to stand the test of time as one of the finest films in the history of cinema. The picture, which is credited for ending the romanticization of the Western, as well as subverting the genre on its head, had a lot of things going for it. It was more than just a eulogy for the endless men with no name that Eastwood portrayed. It was also one of the most acclaimed projects that the filmmaker ever made, and the story of its production is filled with fascinating tidbits that made the finished product as great as it is.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 01:01:19 GMT https://collider.com/unforgiven-clint-eastwood-production-history/ We are now in the first full week of December. Do you know what that means? Many holiday movies are now going to be streaming. Oh, and also two of the best movies of the year as well. Whatever you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered in our weekly roundup of everything coming to streaming this week.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 22:39:00 GMT https://collider.com/streaming-movies-new/ With Christmas just over two weeks away, what better time to look at the beloved holiday classic Die Hard? Even if you don't buy the film as festive Christmas fare - hey, no judgment (there's total judgment, by the way) - one has to admit that it is among the great action films of all time. But it doesn't mean that every moment in the film makes sense. In fact, there's one in particular that is enough to make a guy wanna lose his shit. Is it dropping the dead terrorist down the elevator shaft with "Now I've got a machine gun ho ho ho" written on his chest? Nope. How Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his dishonest host could have cut the power to the building themselves rather than wait for "standard hostage negotiation procedures"? Nada. It's the shoes, dammit. And in a film that isn't short of plot holes, John McClane (Bruce Willis) not having shoes is by far the most maddening. With Die Hard's theatrical rerelease bringing John McClane back to our theaters, let's take a look back at this plot hole.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:30:18 GMT https://collider.com/die-hard-plot-hole-explained/ It's no secret that The Flash movie under-delivered on a massive scale, crashing faster than, well, the Flash. There are many reasons, of course, not the least of which is how the film is clearly in the DCEU, the same DCEU whose fate was decided before the film was even released. One of the more prevailing ones, however, has nothing to do with the character and everything to do with who is playing him: Ezra Miller. Their well-documented recent history has turned people off, but even before that, Miller was never the best choice, with arguably only one truly great (and decidedly funny) DCEU moment, a brief cameo in DC's Peacemaker series. But on TV? Grant Gustin's Barry Allen/Flash in The CW series The Flash is way, way better. Strike that. He's the best.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 03:15:18 GMT https://collider.com/arrowverse-grant-gustin-best-flash/ Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for May December.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 17:17:05 GMT https://collider.com/may-december-ending-explained/ Ridley Scott has proven to be a prolific filmmaker for over forty years, and he continues to release major films epic in scale yet still retaining intimate moments. Some of his efforts tend to underwhelm regarding box office or audience acceptance, but he is one artistic voice people still take seriously. Scott's range can be seen in historical epics or character dramas, which all have a sense of urgency, regardless of the quality. However, there are certain hallmarks Scott continues to revolve around in his films, and one film in particular manages to cover all the bases. Prometheus is an ambitious piece of cinema by a true artist, who manages to inject critical thinking into an entertaining blockbuster.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 12:01:19 GMT https://collider.com/prometheus-ridley-scott-good/ Based on Adam Nevill's 2011 novel, The Ritual has all the makings of a great horror film. A group of friends set out for a hiking trip in Sweden after the recent loss of a friend to a tragedy — it already sounds like a disaster in waiting. While the setup may make The Ritual seem like another low-budget survival horror film, the film presents more than it offers with its chilling atmosphere, sound effects, and ability to hold tension. Directed by David Bruckner and written by Joe Barton, The Ritual places its different elements artistically to provide a fascinating and terrifying, underrated horror movie. It also has something to offer all kinds of horror film fans as it successfully plays with the ropes of both survival films and cult horror.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:31:18 GMT https://collider.com/the-ritual-horror-movie/ Hollywood has a history of indulging itself, and many of the most stunning films of all-time are the result of incredible budgets. With adjustments for inflation, classic historical epics like Ben-Hur and Cleopatra are just as pricey as the blockbusters of today. A film’s budget and box office performance can change the way that the industry operates and inspire new trends. In the case of Ben-Hur, Hollywood saw a future in epic storytelling with elaborate sets and set pieces; in the case of Cleopatra, the film’s failure marked an end to this fruitful period of movie stars and signified the dawn of the New Hollywood era.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 20:30:21 GMT https://collider.com/most-expensive-movies/ Many of the 62 films making up the Walt Disney Animation Studios canon have become household names, but the allure of the Disney brand name has even given some weight to motion pictures that this division never ended up making. Over the years, countless projects were proposed for creation at Walt Disney Animation Studios only to never go forward for a multitude of reasons. These productions have included everything from a take on Don Quixote that was set up in the 1940s to a version of A Catcher in the Rye that would’ve starred German shepherds and been called Dufus to Barry Cook’s passion project My Peoples, among many others. So many projects in the halls of Walt Disney Animation Studios have gotten pretty far along in production before getting canned…including the mid-2000s project Fraidy Cat.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 17:01:19 GMT https://collider.com/fraidy-cat-abandoned-disney-movie/ It would be a great disservice to confine the image of Sir Sean Connery to merely being the star of seven James Bond films. While portraying the iconic British Secret Service agent solidified his name as one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, there is more to his acting prowess than having to repeatedly ask his drink to be shaken, not stirred. Connery needed to move on from the part that made him a star, and Brian De Palma's Chicago-as-Chicago-can The Untouchables was the pinnacle of his career resurgence.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 09:00:30 GMT https://collider.com/the-untouchables-sean-connery/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball franchise is easily one of the most popular anime in the world, with fans spread across the globe. And now, Dragon Ball fans can finally watch all the shows within the series online (except Dragon Ball Z Kai, which, let's face it, doesn't really count as its own show). In case you don't know what the series is all about, the Dragon Ball franchise follows the adventures of Son Goku, first introduced as an orphan with a monkey's tail and strange martial arts powers. With the help of allies like Bulma, Krillin, and Master Roshi, Goku protects the world by stopping people from gathering together the seven titular Dragon Balls. When brought together, the Dragon Balls allow one to summon the Eternal Dragon Shenron, who can grant whatever you wish for when summoned.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 02:46:18 GMT https://collider.com/how-to-watch-all-dragon-ball-shows-streaming-online-z-gt/ While The Fourth Kind has garnered a bit of a cult fandom in the years since its premiere, its secret weapon turned out to be how sneakily it flew under the radar when it first arrived. Written and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, The Fourth Kind details paranormal events purported to have taken place in the small, secluded town of Nome, Alaska — events related to close encounters of the fourth kind, but what is the fourth kind, exactly? Most moviegoers would be familiar with the third, thanks to Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but the various types of alien interaction get a lot more specific and vastly more interesting.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 15:45:18 GMT https://collider.com/the-fourth-kind-movie/ Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for The Burial.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 23:10:20 GMT https://collider.com/the-burial-movie-true-story/ The name Godzilla is synonymous with the concept of gargantuan beasts, capable of crushing cities. Godzilla is the quintessential kaiju, the most recognizable among giant monsters in entertainment, with decades of films entrenching it in the cultural zeitgeist. One of the most integral aspects of Godzilla is that it is utterly enormous — capable of destroying entire skylines — effectively illustrating the catastrophic strength that earned it the title of King of Monsters. The most recent addition to the Godzilla franchise, Godzilla Minus One, differentiates itself by featuring a titular monster that doesn't quite reach the level of titanic stature that many of its predecessors do. While it is still incredibly imposing and destructive, it's noticeably smaller than other depictions of the character. This creative decision to use a Godzilla that is more compact and younger than others is firmly one of the film's greatest strengths.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 15:00:19 GMT https://collider.com/godzilla-minus-one-smaller-kaiju/ There are movies that gently tug at our heartstrings, and then there are those that mercilessly shatter our emotional defenses. And Billy Ray's Secret in Their Eyes, a heart-wrenching mystery drama, falls squarely into the latter category. The movie is a remake of an Argentinian film from 2009, which, in turn, is an adaptation of a novel. The story has indeed gone through numerous retellings, adapted across different mediums and cultures. But its emotional core has always remained the same. And this unchanging essence has allowed the story to remain a delicate, touching piece to be told with different characters and contexts for different times and audiences. As a result, the American version of Secret in Their Eyes, which stars Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman, has achieved much the same while adding more in terms of an amazing cast and fresh cultural context.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:31:18 GMT https://collider.com/secret-in-their-eyes-julia-roberts-nicole-kidman-chiwetel-ejiofor/ Tom Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2022. Who could have predicted that a sequel to a thirty-six-year-old film would become one of the most commercially successful films at the box office, let alone one that also scored a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and was named the Best Film of the Year by the National Board of Review? The notion of Tom Cruise being the last true movie star has gained immense traction recently, and considering how much of Maverick plays out like an impassioned plea for what blockbuster films can and should be, it’s a title that fits him with absolute perfection. However, there is one thing that fans of the original Top Gun have been curious about since the film’s announcement: where is Kelly McGillis? Two possible explanations have been provided by sources close to the matter, but depending on which you choose to believe, the answer might be rather disheartening.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 22:00:21 GMT https://collider.com/why-isnt-kelly-mcgillis-in-top-gun-maverick/ It's that time of year again when everyone starts watching Holiday movies. Whether it be a romantic Hallmark, Home Alone, The Grinch, Elf, or Die Hard, there's a little something for everyone. But this year is a little different. This year, we have a holiday miracle! Eddie Murphy has returned to grace us with his presence in a Christmas movie for all ages to enjoy. It might just fit into the holiday classics people enjoy year after year. Candy Cane Lane has the perfect holiday twist and is filled with magic, mayhem, and an evil elf on the shelf named Pepper (Jillian Bell), or Peppermint, as Santa (David Allen Grier) calls her. The trials the Carver family are put through make them stronger as they band together to take down the evil elf and figure out the true meaning of Christmas.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:30:18 GMT https://collider.com/candy-cane-lane-ending-explained/ Fairy tales have long captured the imaginations of animators both in the Western and Japanese film industries, providing a unique avenue to explore fantastical heroes, menacing villains, and moral dilemmas. However, Studio Ghibli remains distinct in style and thematic exploration, with each film resembling a series of vividly detailed paintings as the focus on natural settings remains eminent. Blending Western stories with Japanese folklore, Hayao Miyazaki imbues his films with his sensibilities that illustrate his fascination with magical realism, child-like wonder, and the sublimity of nature. Independent female heroes are often the focal point of Miyazaki’s films, rather than turning them into victims or designated love interests. His preoccupation with environmentalism is conveyed both through his artistic style and overarching themes. As such, he forgoes traditional, fairytale villains and instead explores how modernization and industrialization pollute society both literally and figuratively. Ponyo, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle are three such retellings of Western fairytale tropes, inscribed with Miyazaki’s whimsical touch.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 23:15:17 GMT https://collider.com/studio-ghibli-hayao-miyazaki-fairytale/ Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Godzilla Minus One.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 01:45:18 GMT https://collider.com/godzilla-minus-one-humans/ From Spirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service to Howl’s Moving Castle and Princess Mononoke, the films of legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki run the gambit of wholesome slice-of-life portraits to full-fledged historical epics, all of which are infused with fantastical elements peppered throughout. One storytelling element that is prevalent throughout more than a few of his works is romance, or rather, the casual allusion to or near omission of it. Miyazaki's work is famous for being highly romanticized and lovingly sentimental, but traditional romance itself is not the driving force of the narrative, despite being a clear and present element in the likability of some of his most popular stories.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 14:01:18 GMT https://collider.com/hayao-miyazaki-movies-romance/ And with a mighty roar, Godzilla proclaimed "That's how it's done, Hollywood." History has always shown that no matter how popular certain trends and practices may be, everything is subject to change. With the release of Godzilla Minus One, Toho's first Godzilla film in seven years, and the struggle that many recent bloated budget blockbusters have faced, something just might be in the water. A sea change, perhaps! Despite being a mega-franchise movie with city-sized explosions and a giant monster, Minus One has a reported budget of a measly $15 million. In a part of the world where these kinds of movies typically track for a ballpark cost of $100-$250 million, how could this possibly have been accomplished? Not only that, it has already more than doubled its reported budget, having grossed $35 million after its first weekend playing in the worldwide market. Did Godzilla Minus One just school Hollywood?

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 22:45:24 GMT https://collider.com/godzilla-minus-one-budget/ In an alternate universe, the first animated adaptation of Astrid Lindgren’s beloved children's character Pippi Longstocking might also have been one of the first Studio Ghibli films. Years before they founded the world-renowned animation studio and created masterpiece after masterpiece of the medium, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata once dreamed of adapting the Pippi Longstocking book series into a feature-length film. (Since Ghibli wasn't yet a twinkle in the duo's eyes, this Pippi movie would have technically been Studio Ghibli-adjacent). The pair were so passionately invested in the idea, they created intricate, lovingly detailed artwork and scouted locations in Lindgren's native Sweden. But what seemed on the surface like a perfect combination — that of Hayao Miyazaki and a spirited heroine — never evolved beyond that artwork. What happened to prevent a Studio Ghibli Pippi Longstocking from taking flight?

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 23:45:19 GMT https://collider.com/hayao-miyazaki-pippi-longstocking/ Urban legends and horror movies go hand in hand, whether they are real-life tales or completely made up. Films like Candyman, The Hitcher, The Ring, The Mothman Prophecies, and The Blair Witch Project all play into urban legends. Heck, there's a horror franchise called Urban Legend. Sometimes, more than one film will use the same urban legend as the backdrops for their plots. 1974's Black Christmas and 1979's When a Stranger Calls both dig into the urban legend involving strange calls coming from a killer already inside the house, which they both use to great effect. This urban legend, particularly for When a Stranger Calls, is based on more than just passed-down fiction. When a Stranger Calls' frightening first scene is based on a tragic true story about a babysitter stalked by a killer inside a dark house at night in the spring of 1950.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 18:00:18 GMT https://collider.com/when-a-stranger-calls-true-story/ The Harry Potter films included many talented actors, even some in small roles, but few are as underused as Emma Thompson. The renowned actress takes on the minor part of Professor Sybill Trelawney, who teaches divination to the students of Hogwarts. But the character appears in only three of the eight Harry Potter films; even then, she is never in the forefront. With such a large cast, several phenomenal actors don't get the time they deserve in the film series. From the brief appearance of Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh) to the lack of focus on Tonks (Natalia Tena), many great characters appear less often than they should. But even among these, Thompson's situation is the most severe as her character is both unique and significant to the plot in ways the films didn't explore.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 18:30:19 GMT https://collider.com/emma-thompson-harry-potter/ The year is 1974. Francis Ford Coppola would go on to make history with two films from this year nominated for Best Picture. George Lucas just finished American Graffiti and is deep in pre-production for Star Wars. Chinatown is this year as well. Most film historians mark 1974-75 as the peak and perhaps also the end of a period known as "New Hollywood", when young directors broke away from the studio system and rose to prominence with independent film. At the heart of this phenomenon were two filmmakers closely affiliated with both Lucas and Coppola, but have unfortunately faded away from the public consciousness. Their names are Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, and in 1974, before they went on to join Coppola's American Zoetrope and the eponymous Lucasfilm, they made their directorial debut with a little horror film called Messiah of Evil.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 17:30:19 GMT https://collider.com/messiah-of-evil-huyck-katz-lucasfilm/ Horror, despite not being the most universally beloved genre, is one of the most reliable genres to bring folks into theaters and rake in boatloads of cash, but which one stands tall as the highest-grossing movie in its field? In all of film history, many things have changed, but spooky movies making a big splash at the box office has pretty much remained. People love going out to the theater to be terrified in a massive crowd of people, feeding off of each other's fears and screaming their heads off all in unison. But has a killer clown brought the biggest crowd or a giant shark? Maybe a demon-possessed little girl? Well, depending on whatever metric you want to go off of, finding the answer can be a little bit hairy.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:15:19 GMT https://collider.com/highest-grossing-horror-movie-of-all-time/ It’s the holiday season, and that means it’s Christmas movie season: the time of year when we gather around our televisions and watch films that are filled to the brim with holiday cheer — or at least ones that make us feel all fuzzy inside.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 13:00:20 GMT https://collider.com/best-christmas-movies-on-hbo-max/ Any movie fan not living under a rock is well aware of Tom Cruise's affinity for aviation. Having attained a pilot's license in 1994, the 60-year-old actor has put his skills to jaw-dropping use in several films, most dangerously in the Mission: Impossible films and Top Gun: Maverick. While his role as Pete Mitchell in the latter film and its predecessor remain iconic portrayals of a pilot, his performance as a flying daredevil in another film – American Made – also deserves praise.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 12:01:18 GMT https://collider.com/true-story-tom-cruise-movie-american-made/ To say The Flash is a big movie is an understatement. Not only is it the Scarlet Speedster's solo film debut, but it also crosses time and space as Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) races to fix an alternate timeline he created. Said timeline features a world without metahumans and one that is in the grip of General Zod (Michael Shannon), forcing Barry to recruit Batman (specifically Michael Keaton's Batman) and Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle), aka Supergirl. You don't get much bigger than that!

]]> Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:45:17 GMT https://collider.com/the-flash-movie-supergirl-superman-story/ Martin Scorcese's most recent film, Killers of the Flower Moon, has been met with positive reviews on many fronts, from the directing to the acting. The story is adapted from the 2017 novel of the same name by David Grann and stars Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert De Niro. The crime drama and true story follows the murders committed against the Osage Nation by white invaders in the 1920s after a vast amount of oil was found to be present within the land belonging to the Osage people. So, how is the plot represented by the title, Killers of the Flower Moon? It is not yet clear how in-depth the film will go in explaining its meaning, but Grann's novel gives clarity behind the name that describes one of the most horrific events in American history.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 16:49:06 GMT https://collider.com/killers-of-the-flower-moon-title-meaning/ After years of Riverdale putting the craziest spin possible on the Archie franchise, 2023 finally delivered a more traditional approach to the beloved characters created back in 1941. Or, well, sort of: directed by Zoya Akhtar, Netflix's newest musical, The Archies, takes Archie Andrews (Agastya Nanda) and the gang back to the era they are most commonly associated with, the 1960s, while also taking us all the way to India for a Bollywood take on this classic American property. Set in the Anglo-Indian community of Riverdale, in 1964, The Archies is, despite all the controversy surrounding nepo-babies, a bubbly movie devoted to topics as diverse as love, politics, community, economic changes, and the importance of art. All of these themes collide with one another in the arena of adolescence, creating a narrative about how growing up means a lot more than simply changing the size of your clothes.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 20:31:31 GMT https://collider.com/the-archies-ending-explained/ Very rarely does an indie film convince large numbers of people to become online sleuths to figure out something that happens at the end of it. Sure, for science-fiction, horror, or other genre films, this kind of behavior is fairly commonplace, as those genres tend to attract obsessive and investigative types. But a low-key character drama that does not have much of a plot? That film must dig deep into someone for them to go on the hunt for answers. Such is the case with Lost in Translation, the 2003 Oscar-winning sophomore feature from Sofia Coppola, which concludes with an ending that has caused many folks online to put on their audio engineer hats to determine what has been said in a muffled whisper between the two main characters.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 19:45:19 GMT https://collider.com/lost-in-translation-ending-explained/ Editor's Note: The following includes graphic references to physical assault.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 13:30:17 GMT https://collider.com/a-few-good-men-true-story-aaron-sorkin/ Art is such a pivotal piece of life, not just from an entertainment standpoint, but also from a personal one. And perhaps one of the greatest examples comes from 1989’s Dead Poets Society, a film that showed the beauty and importance of poetry and chasing your dreams. It won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, along with scoring nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director. The film also acted as a launching pad for a lot of its younger cast, specifically Ethan Hawke, who played Todd Anderson; a shy and reserved boy who is among the group of boys taken under the wing of John Keating (Robin Williams). The role was Hawke’s second-ever film role, and it secured him as the star we see him as now. But while his talent and charisma as an actor certainly helped him to get where he is today, Robin Williams played a huge part in getting his career off the ground.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 07:01:12 GMT https://collider.com/ethan-hawke-robin-williams-dead-poets-society/ Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 15:00:20 GMT https://collider.com/indiana-jones-dial-of-destiny-mutt-shia-labeouf-explained/ The intensity of production for Stanley Kubrick's films has been well documented. With hundreds of takes, attention to detail down to the smallest imaginable thing, using lenses from NASA to film in candlelight for Barry Lyndon, Kubrick was a perfectionist. None of his films were more of a nightmare to make than his final one, Eyes Wide Shut, starring then-couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The film set the record for the longest film production at 15 months, including 46 consecutive weeks. Why was this?

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 01:31:18 GMT https://collider.com/eyes-wide-shut-production-drama/ Among the slew of Netflix's new holiday films is a gem that pays tribute to the iconic body swap trope, Family Switch. Featuring three separate body swaps, the film offers laughter and Christmas magic, leading to a heart-warming, gift-wrapped conclusion. By the end of the film, each member of the tumultuous Walker family returns to their own body and understands their loved ones a bit more than before. Facilitated by a mysterious woman that keeps popping up everywhere, the body swap, like always, is a reification of the idiom: "to walk a mile in another's shoes."

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 18:00:19 GMT https://collider.com/family-switch-ending-explained/ 2007 was an incredible time for Elliot Page. The up-and-coming Canadian actor had a string of massive hits that garnered huge critical and awards attention, warming up with the deliciously twisted Hard Candy in 2005 and knocking it out of the park with Juno. It was the big movie of the year that everybody was talking about, first in terms of its greatness, and later in terms of its supposed effect on young viewers. Page received no fewer than thirty-five nominations for the role and took twenty of them. For a while, you simply could not escape the Juno effect, and Elliot Page was rightfully the new young star to be reckoned with. But among all the very well-earned praise for Page’s electric performance, others weren’t quite getting the recognition they deserved for their work on the film — particularly Jennifer Garner.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 19:00:19 GMT https://collider.com/jennifer-garner-juno/ Not everyone is ready to start the holiday movie binge just yet, and that’s okay, especially because there is a cornucopia of movies that are holiday-adjacent and deserve a chance to shine. Some have just a little tinge of magic, some are set in the holiday season without really talking much about it, and some just have a scene or two that give it a special holiday quality. So, if you’re getting ready to get in the holiday spirit and need a little something to ease your way, check out one of the movies below and feel the Christmas spirit percolate in your soul.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 19:40:30 GMT https://collider.com/best-christmas-movies-not-about-christmas/ At this point, every part of The Notebook has become famous enough that you don't even need to have seen the movie or be that much of a fan to know its ending. This touching conclusion involves the reveal that the young couple in the 1930s (played by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) that we've been following this whole movie is not what they seem. These two are also the elderly couple in the movie's framing device, who’d been previously reading the period-era exploits of the film’s younger leads as if they were different fictional beings. However, did you know that a The Notebook alternate ending also exists?

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 23:15:17 GMT https://collider.com/the-notebook-movie-ending-different-explained/ The cast and crew of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune have been open about the fact that this single movie isn’t meant to be a whole adaptation of Frank Herbert’s original novel. In fact, this project is part of a larger two-part adaptation of this text, with the second part’s existence contingent on the box office of the first Dune. It’s a bold plan that recognizes Dune is such a massive piece of source material that it could never properly fit into a single motion picture. Still, while it’s the right move for adaptation purposes, it’s certainly a risky move to split one book across multiple movies that haven’t been filmed simultaneously. It has obviously worked well with Dune, with the second movie's cast lined up and a synopsis of the plot recently released.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 03:15:17 GMT https://collider.com/what-happened-to-last-divergent-movie-cancelled/ In a taut exchange from 2016’s Suicide Squad, an awe-struck Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) asks “Are you the devil?” “Maybe” replies a stoic Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), in a display of apathy that will send shivers down your spine. In a universe inhabited by superheroes and supervillains, it’s easy to see the world in black and white; good and bad. The baddies have outlandish plans for taking over the world, causing chaos, mayhem, and death, and the do-gooders must try everything they can to stop them and save the world. However, there are some characters that live in the grey, whose actions and motivations are less clear-cut, and no one embodies this shady area more than Viola Davis’ merciless Amanda Waller.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 22:45:18 GMT https://collider.com/viola-davis-amanda-waller-dc-villain/ Before we really dive into award season, a few mid-tier hitters and smaller titles are coming out this weekend to properly gear us up for the Christmas season. You're probably already aware of this week's biggest release: The Boy and the Heron, from legendary animation studio Studio Ghibli. This is rumored to be director Hayao Miyazaki's final film, and if so, you'll want to say you were there to see it on the opening weekend, right? Besides some new Miyazaki, the holiday season-set psychological thriller, Eileen, will also be hitting theaters. It stars Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway. Nothing like a little bit of a brain buster to get you revved up for Santa!

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 15:38:18 GMT https://collider.com/what-to-watch-this-weekend/ Although the mainstream audience might not have seen Thomasin McKenzie until her starring role in the Taika Waititi-helmed war dramedy Jojo Rabbit, where she played a young Jewish hideaway escaping the Nazis, the budding actress gave a heartbreaking and powerful performance in Debra Granik's 2018 film Leave No Trace. With many favorable reviews across the board, the film achieved near-universal acclaim, focusing on McKenzie and her co-star Ben Foster's performances. For those that are excited about seeing her in future projects, Leave No Trace is essential viewing to grasp the acting prowess that Thomasin McKenzie is capable of.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 17:45:18 GMT https://collider.com/thomasin-mckenzie-leave-no-trace/ In addition to making some of the most iconic ‘80s teen comedies like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, John Hughes was also behind many of the major holiday classics that we all watch annually. Hughes' first holiday classic came in 1987 with the beloved Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and in the following years, he would bring the world the Griswold family Christmas, Kevin McCallister as he attempts to outsmart the Wet/Sticky Bandits, and remake a holiday classic for a new generation.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 21:15:19 GMT https://collider.com/best-john-hughes-holiday-movies-ranked/ To say that the last decade has been a rough one for the folks at DC Studios would be an understatement. Despite the success of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, DC has struggled to create a cinematic universe that attains the same level of critical and commercial success at the level of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ironically, two of DC’s most successful recent films, Todd Phillips’ Joker and Matt Reeves’ The Batman, were set within their own continuities outside the larger DC Extended Universe. Now, James Gunn is working to revive the DC Universe and shepherd in a new slate of films, beginning with Superman: Legacy in 2025. However, with Superman: Legacy set to begin filming in early 2024, Gunn and his creative collaborators must remember to put their hero first in this new adaptation.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 10:30:17 GMT https://collider.com/superman-legacy-dc-mistake/ Did you know that a Bryan Cranston character from an Oscar-winning movie also appeared in Fargo? That's not to say Bryan Cranston himself appeared in Fargo, but a character of his certainly did, 10 whole years before Cranston even played the role. The role in question is a double-crossing businessman named Stan Grossman, who ignores the feelings and desperation of his films' respective protagonists to better focus on his business ambitions. Stan Grossman was played by Larry Brandenburg in Fargo and then later by Cranston in 2006's Little Miss Sunshine. Understandably confusing, given their unconnected universes, but here's how it all happened...

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 20:15:18 GMT https://collider.com/fargo-easter-egg-little-miss-sunshine/ 28 Days Later, director Danny Boyle’s terrifying vision of London in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, immediately sparked renewed interest in the genre when it debuted in 2002. Boyle’s fly-on-the-wall perspective, released during the dawn of digital innovation, became an instant classic because of its humanist drama and biting political allusions. All zombie movies have to live in the long shadow of George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead, but Boyle's innovative take on a 21st-Century post-apocalypse emerged as a worthy contender. Understandably, expectations were high for the follow-up, 28 Weeks Later. Boyle was out, choosing instead to work on the sci-fi epic Sunshine, another collaboration with screenwriter Alex Garland. Filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo stepped in as director, but his script—co-written with Rowan Joffé, Enrique López-Lavigne, and Jesus Olmo—would follow an entirely different cast of characters. However, 28 Weeks Later is a perfect conclusion to a terrifying double feature, retaining the same frantic pacing and distinguished style of Boyle’s work while expanding the searing commentary of government and military responses to a global health crisis. Like 28 Days Later, it feels all the more prophetic in the post-pandemic era, boasting its own set of memorable characters and terrifying set-pieces.

]]> Mon, 11 Dec 2023 03:46:19 GMT https://collider.com/28-weeks-later-is-good-reasons-why/ To this day, it's one of the most frequently quoted films in modern cinema history. Anyone who's ever heard the line, "Say hello to my little friend," or, "For a green card, I gonna carve him up real nice," knows they come from the 1983 masterpiece Scarface, director Brian De Palma's paeon to the gangster genre. The movie chronicles the rise and fall of Tony Montana, a refugee from the 1980 Cuban Mariel exodus who ascends the blood-stained rungs of the drug underworld to become Miami's "Cocaine King." Al Pacino, whose unhinged and frenzied performance as the maniacal Montana earned him a 1984 Golden Globe nomination, was so convincing that some moviegoers believed the story of the horrifyingly lethal narcotic kingpin was about a real person. And it actually was.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 21:30:19 GMT https://collider.com/scarface-movie-true-story-al-capone/ On its 50th anniversary, The Wicker Man is still cited as an icon of horror cinema, often high up on lists of the best and most influential horror movies, alongside the likes of The Shining and The Exorcist. Considering the long-running feud between writer and director, the cheap, drunk, and thoroughly uncomfortable production process, the lost footage and multiple cuts, and the minimal impression it made upon release, the movie’s masterpiece status is quite incredible. But beyond its own legacy, The Wicker Man realized new possibilities when it came to making scary stories for the screen; possibilities that generations of filmmakers have since embraced.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 15:45:17 GMT https://collider.com/the-wicker-man-1973/ Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Nowhere. Article was updated as of 12/1

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 18:35:19 GMT https://collider.com/nowhere-ending-explained/ Transformers: Rise of the Beasts burst into theaters and streaming services this year, bringing the robots in disguise back for a thrilling adventure inspired by the fan-favorite Beast Wars storyline. As expected, Rise of the Beasts introduces a fair share of new Transformers as allies and enemies, all of which take part in breathtaking combat set in New York City and Peru. However, Rise of the Beasts has much more to offer fans than pretty explosions and high-octane set pieces. As the first chapter of a new trilogy, the latest Transformers movie dumps a lot of information about mystic artifacts, deadly enemies, and potential crossovers. And just before the credits roll, Rise of the Beasts reveals the robots in disguise are not alone in their fight against darkness. So, let’s break down that ending and explain what it all means for the franchise’s future.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 02:15:19 GMT https://collider.com/transformers-rise-of-the-beasts-ending-explained/ While many DC fans have eagerly been awaiting the release of The Flash, it's tough to deny that many audience members went to see the film solely to view the return of Michael Keaton as Batman. A historic return that many fans never thought they'd see, and Keaton's role in the film is far more than a nostalgic cameo. His Batman is a massive part of Barry Allen's (Ezra Miller) journey, and he is instrumental in the fight against Zod (Michael Shannon). While Keaton's version of Bruce Wayne does meet a bittersweet end, seeing the beloved actor take on the mantle of Batman again was a sight to behold.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 01:31:19 GMT https://collider.com/the-flash-george-clooney-batman/ Brian De Palma's Scarface is as unapologetic as it gets and has grown to be one of the most iconic and over-referenced mobster flicks in film history. With a narrative focusing on drugs, violence, and the tempting life of crime, it was expected to receive some form of regulation from the film censorship authorities. However, it was initially slapped with an X-rating, a classification usually reserved for pornographic films. This decision by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) kickstarted a protest, one that continues to be a point of discussion regarding film censorship, authorship, and what should and should not be presented on screen.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 01:01:19 GMT https://collider.com/scarface-x-rating/ In 2007, director Ridley Scott joined forces with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe to create one of the greatest crime movies of all time: American Gangster. Scott retold the shocking tale of notorious Harlem crime boss Frank Lucas, played by the peerless Washington. Russell Crowe played Richie Roberts, the detective fundamental to the downfall of Lucas, who later befriended the feared kingpin. However, it was not the dramatized elements that proved most horrifying, but the truth itself. The real story behind the terror will only enliven the story and give light to how one man once ruled New York's heroin industry.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 09:31:18 GMT https://collider.com/american-gangster-true-story-explained/ Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Nowhere.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 17:16:18 GMT https://collider.com/nowhere-netflix-true-story/ Killers of the Flower Moon, the latest crime epic by renowned filmmaker Martin Scorsese, recounts the real-life murders of Osage Native Americans in 1920s Oklahoma. These deaths formed the bloody underbelly of a scheme engineered by the tribe’s patronage, William King Hale (a quietly haunting Robert De Niro), to steal their headrights after oil was discovered on their land. Aided by his nephew Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) – who had been persuaded into marrying Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), a key member of the Osage Nation – Hale authorized the killing of several Osage for his twisted benefit, content that the biased justice system would guarantee no harm came his way. The event would be dubbed the “Reign of Terror” by local newspapers, and if not for Bureau of Investigation agent Tom White (Jesse Plemons), it would unquestionably have been worse.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 23:00:21 GMT https://collider.com/killers-of-the-flower-moon-jesse-plemons-character-true-story/ Deemed the greatest villain in cinematic history, Darth Vader is the iconic antagonist of the Star Wars galaxy. The ruthless Sith Lord made his first appearance over four decades ago in Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977) and has since become one of the world's most feared, loved, and treasured characters of all time! Despite his ultimate end in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader continues to grace the beloved franchise in spin-off series like Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Fans might be familiar with the Japanese influences within the Star Wars universe, but most are unaware of the historical samurai that inspired the creation of Darth Vader – the legendary warrior Date Masamune, the "One-Eyed Dragon of Ōshū".

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 03:46:20 GMT https://collider.com/darth-vader-samurai-inspiration-date-masamune/ 2023 saw the release of Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie but this isn't the first time that the Brooklyn plumbers jumped from video game screens onto movies screens. Their first outing was, in a word, bad. Not only is 1993's Super Mario Bros. starring John Leguizamo as Luigi and Bob Hoskins as Mario nothing like the games it takes its name from, but the movie has a dark and bizarre tone that did not sit well with hardcore Mario fans and casual moviegoers. The backlash the film received from both audiences and critics was so severe, that it prevented Nintendo from trying to adapt their other popular franchises into film and TV projects for many years.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 18:00:20 GMT https://collider.com/super-mario-bros-movie-1993-history-explained/ There are many ways to tell a story like Peter Pan. Perhaps most importantly, there are many ways to finish a story like Peter Pan. In his original 1911 novel, J.M. Barrie ended the adventure of the boy who wouldn’t grow up by having Peter return alone to a Never Land free of Captain Hook. The pirate captain ends the book being eaten by the crocodile that hunted and haunted him for years on end. In the 1953 classic animated Disney film, Peter Pan (Bobby Driscoll) returns to Never Land with his Lost Boys. Hook (Hans Conried) is chased off by the crocodile. It is unclear whether he survives. Now, in the newest live-action Disney remake, Peter Pan & Wendy, Peter (Alexander Molony) leaves the Lost Boys with the Darlings and goes back to Never Land to rescue Hook (Jude Law) after sinking his ship.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 14:01:19 GMT https://collider.com/peter-pan-and-wendy-ending-explained/ DreamWorks Animation has delivered no shortage of fantastic villains over its decades-long career, particularly from the Shrek franchise with Lord Farquard (John Lithgow), the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders), and Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn). There are of course examples from their other films as well, like the complex Ramesses (Ralph Fiennes) from The Prince of Egypt and the deranged Lord Shen from Kung Fu Panda 2. The acclaimed studio's hit Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is already worthy of being called a modern animated masterpiece for its gorgeous art style, hysterical sense of humor, and surprisingly mature themes on mortality, but the foes that Puss (Antonio Banderas) and his friends face push the sequel into a whole other tier altogether. The variety of the antagonistic forces is also a big plus, with the sympathetic Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and her crime family of the Three Bears, the power-mad and irredeemable Big Jack Horner (John Mulaney), and one final main villain who completely steals the show.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 17:46:19 GMT https://collider.com/puss-in-boots-the-last-wish-wolf-villain/ Hayao Miyazaki is a filmmaker whose entire career is made up of many movies one might call his masterpiece. Whether you are partial to the engrossing beauty and simplicity of My Neighbor Totoro, the complexity of morals in The Wind Rises, or the epic stakes of Princess Mononoke, the case can be made for most of the entries in his filmography. One of his most popular films, the one that was the biggest breakthrough with Western audiences is Spirited Away. This coming-of-age story of a young girl who gets tangled up in the world of spirits while trying to save her parents from becoming pigs went from being a huge hit in Japan upon release, becoming the highest-grossing film in Japanese history for nearly 20 years, to winning the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in the United States (and remains the only foreign language film to do so.) Unsurprisingly, it was not an easy process bringing Spirited Away to the United States, and only succeeded in spite of its release.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 19:30:18 GMT https://collider.com/spirited-away-disney-us-release/ As a famous crustacean once said, "The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake," and so is all the money that Disney's 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid made in its theatrical run. While many of Disney's live-action updates of their classic animated films, including Tim Burton's Dumbo from 2019 with Michael Keaton and Colin Farrell, Robert Zemeckis' Pinocchio with Tom Hanks, and Guy Ritchie's Aladdin with Will Smith as the Genie (the beloved character made famous by Robin Williams) have been extremely hit-and-miss, Rob Marshall's The Little Mermaid has been praised by critics as one of the better remakes from Disney. Not only are there some great vibrant visuals that stay true to the original, but the movie is also packed with outstanding performances, including a flawlessly cast Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and a sensational breakout role for Halle Bailey as Ariel.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2023 01:30:19 GMT https://collider.com/the-little-mermaid-ending-explained-live-action/ Ed Helms is among the many stars of the American reboot of The Office that used the sitcom’s popularity to launch a successful career in comedy films. Andy Bernard was among the most likable characters on The Office because of his completely earnest lack of self-awareness, and the sheer goofiness that Helms brought to the role made him one of the wackier figures on a show that already had its fair share of exaggerated characters. While his knack for eccentricity signified his comedic talents, Helms is also a more talented dramatic actor than he is given credit for. Helms proved in Mark and Jay Duplass’ 2012 independent comedy Jeff, Who Lives At Home that he could bring both humor and pathos to a flawed character in a “slice of life” dramedy.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 10:15:17 GMT https://collider.com/ed-helms-jeff-who-lives-at-home/ Killer toys are nothing new in the horror genre. From the simple clown in Poltergeist to the advanced robotics of M3GAN, horror has always given us a reason to fear these inanimate objects. It seems the audience can't get enough of them with killer toys fronting the hugely successful Chucky franchise and The Conjuring spin-off series, Annabelle. There is something so terrifying about the childhood innocence associated with toys being contrasted with the brutality of horror. However, these huge box-office successes often focus on the mass assembly often seen in toy production and the constant consumption of new toys. 2019's Benny Loves You takes a different track, instead looking at the intimacy between a childhood favorite toy and its owner. It replaces the cold replication of the toy industry with a charming, unique lead whose desire for destruction stems from the need to give back all the love he was given when Jack (Karl Holt) was a boy. This leads to an inexplicable urge to root for Benny, as well as empathize with Jack about his inability to let Benny go and accept his adulthood. Benny Loves You has been handled with care and the resulting feature is an endearing gem within the horror genre.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 07:00:18 GMT https://collider.com/benny-loves-you-killer-toy/ Last year’s Sundance Film Festival saw the premiere of some of the best films of 2023. Be it Raven Jackson’s emotional epic of small moments that is All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt or Celine Song’s tremendous debut Past Lives, it was truly a stellar showcase of talent. There was also Erica Tremblay's magnificent Fancy Dance starring the great Lily Gladstone of Killers of the Flower Moon that, bafflingly, hasn’t even gotten picked up for distribution yet which someone really ought to remedy as that is set to be one of the best of whatever year it comes out. As for this latest incarnation of the festival, the full lineup was released today and already looks to have some potential gems that we’ll be talking about into 2024 as they hopefully challenge us with new visions all their own. Thus, here are the initial films we’re looking forward to most from the Premieres to the Midnight section and beyond.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 21:41:39 GMT https://collider.com/sundance-2024-anticipated-movies/ In the movies by director Emerald Fennell, a woman manipulates one-night stands into a trap for 2022's Promising Young Woman and a man preys on a wealthy family in Saltburn. While these are glossy psychological thrillers, Saltburn in particular dials up the darkness to prowl into disturbing areas. Her movies may not be part of the horror genre yet, but Emerald Fennell includes tropes horror fans could easily spot, from nail-biting dread and creepy imagery to a spin on classic supernatural monsters. A legitimate horror film should be something Fennell works on next, and from what she does in her two movies currently, she’s getting close to it.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 15:45:18 GMT https://collider.com/emerald-fennell-horror-movie/ Now considered a pioneering example of the modern action blockbuster, Die Hard was an underdog. None of the now-household names were stars, groundbreaking techniques were invented on the fly, and a musical crooner was offered the leading role. Celebrating its 35th anniversary with a December 2023 theatrical rerelease, the film's humble journey lies primarily with two men: Jeb Stuart, a husband and young father whose screenwriting career desperately needed a win, and Lloyd Levin, the development executive at 20th Century Fox, a studio needing a guaranteed summer hit.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 19:30:18 GMT https://collider.com/die-hard-bruce-willis-true-story-explained/ Within the plethora of modern franchises, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies feels like an outlier. While there have been many animated film franchises and comic book sagas intended for general audiences, live-action movies geared specifically toward children are few and far between. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid didn’t need any sensationalistic elements to hit its target demographic, as Jeff Kinney’s series of blockbuster children's books had already become highly popular among young readers.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:00:20 GMT https://collider.com/diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-steve-zahn/ A film maligned upon release, Scarface was perhaps ahead of its time in 1983. It captured the glossy neon aesthetic and overbearing capitalist hunger of the 1980s, but perhaps it was just too bloated and immersed in excess for audiences to consume. As our understanding and fascination with the criminal underworld expanded, along with its reappraisal in the hip-hop community, Scarface, like its protagonist, indelibly played by Al Pacino, Tony Montana, rose from the bottom and ascended to modern classic status. However, the Brian De Palma remake will never rise to the same greatness as the original Scarface from 1932 by Howard Hawks, a timeless and formative classic of the gangster genre.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 15:46:20 GMT https://collider.com/scarface-1932/ Despite the fact that fans are begging for his return, George Lucas was torn down by these same people for his Star Wars prequels and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, both of which have taken on a newfound appreciation that is treated as if this has always been the case. It's simple, we owe this man an apology. With the release of James Mangold's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, fans are once again singing Lucas's praises for the creative choices that he made back in the late '90s and early 2000s, choices that these same fans were way too critical of initially. Dial of Destiny is already criminally underrated, and given its emotionally charged story and fantastic Harrison Ford performance, it's likely to see a resurgence in adoration in the coming years... much like the Star Wars prequels and Crystal Skull both have. Movies aren't bulletproof, not by any means, but maybe now that Indy's fifth outing has arrived on Disney+, we should take notes on appreciating the films and the filmmakers that we have while we have them.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 16:30:20 GMT https://collider.com/george-lucas-indiana-jones-apology/ On the surface, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro doesn't seem particularly unique or innovative--until you realize that the film is almost 45 years old. A full two years before Raiders of the Lost Ark and decades before anime as a medium would be taken seriously by anyone in the film industry or was commonplace in American culture, The Castle of Cagliostro introduced plenty of tropes and inventive action set-pieces to North American audiences, even if they didn't quite understand the breadth of its innovation. Having been screened in the early '80s at various science fiction and film festivals and conventions, The Castle of Cagliostro was generally dismissed as a little more than a cartoon, as it was usually the only animated film being shown at these events. Hayao Miyazaki had not yet become a household name that transcended the medium as this was his first feature film and Studio Ghibli wouldn't be founded for another six years.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 17:15:18 GMT https://collider.com/the-castle-of-cagliostro-miyazaki-steven-spielberg/ The Oscars are some of the most prestigious honors in film, with the gold Oscar trophy being ubiquitous with critical acclaim and success. The near century’s worth of history for this award ceremony has seen a plethora of different winners and nominees, some of whom were much younger than the rest of their competition. Of all the youngest Oscar winners to date, the trophy holder who won her award at the earliest age was Tatum O'Neal for Paper Moon. Let’s take a look at the five most popular and competitive categories at the Academy Awards – Best Director, Best Actor/Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor/Actress in a Supporting Role — and see who took home the trophy in the earlier years of their lives.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 23:15:18 GMT https://collider.com/who-is-the-youngest-oscar-winner-tatum-oneal/ The early ‘80s were a hotbed of moral panic. Still feeling the hangover of obscenity charges leveled at the suddenly-mainstream porn industry during the 1970s, many media outlets and political groups were facing a new foe: the video nasty. The advent of home video entertainment brought about a period of largely ungoverned film distribution, with lawmakers struggling to catch up with the slew of unrated movies that had already been put out. The fear was that home viewing would not afford the same kind of regulation that cinemas did, meaning that innocent children could have their minds warped by films that were graphic in violent and sexual ways. And one movie, in particular, was caught in this censorship storm: Meir Zarchi’s Day of the Woman, a.k.a. I Spit On Your Grave.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 15:45:18 GMT https://collider.com/i-spit-on-your-grave-controversy/ Spartacus, the historical epic produced by Kirk Douglas' Bryna Productions, can be considered an anomaly in the iconic filmography of the famed filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. For one, he didn't have total creative control over the picture, given that he was a replacement for its original director, Anthony Mann. This eventually led to him virtually disowning the finished product, despite Spartacus' cinematic brilliance. Would it have been better under the complete command of Stanley, the infamous perfectionist? It could have been, but its battles with other factors, most of which were issues with censorship, made the final picture what it was for better or for worse.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 06:16:19 GMT https://collider.com/spartacus-stanley-kubrick-censorship/ Julia Roberts is to rom-coms as pepperoni is to pizza, which is why it's easy to forget that she's actually had just as successful a career within the thriller genre as she's had in romantic comedies. She's been the girl slinging pizza behind the counter in Connecticut in Mystic Pizza, and, of course, she's been the pretty woman in the appropriately titled Pretty Woman. But at the same time, she's also had to fake her own death to get away from an abusive husband in Sleeping With the Enemy and stay one step ahead of being killed seemingly by her own government with The Pelican Brief. Basically, Julia Roberts has done it all, but when it comes to thrillers, there's no stopping her, as evident in Sam Esmail's Netflix thriller Leave the World Behind, which she stars in with Ethan Hawke and Mahershala Ali.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 14:15:18 GMT https://collider.com/julia-roberts-thrillers/ Editor's note: The following article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 01:10:19 GMT https://collider.com/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-spider-man-2099-miguel-ohara/ Studio Ghibli films are known for being saturated with some of the most creative characters in all of cinema. Coming to theaters in the U.S. on Dec. 8, Hayao Miyazaki's newest comeback film, The Boy and the Heron, tells the story of a 12-year-old boy, stricken by the grief of his mother's sudden death, who moves to the countryside where he is taunted by a strange and exotic Grey Heron. The heron, voiced by Masaki Suda and dubbed by Robert Pattinson, guides Mahito into a surreal fantasy world where he must search for love and meaning without the presence of his mother, but the mysterious, cranky, and deceitful heron has plans of his own.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 16:31:18 GMT https://collider.com/calcifer-best-miyazaki-sidekick/ Does Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem have an extra slice of footage during the credits? Shell yes it does! While the latest (and possibly greatest) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles doesn't have a post-credits scene, it does have a mid-credits sequence, and a reasonably lengthy one at that.

]]> Mon, 11 Dec 2023 07:01:17 GMT https://collider.com/does-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-mutant-mayhem-have-end-credits-scene-post-after/ Who doesn't love The Dirty Dozen? The original 1967 classic has lived on for decades now as one of the most badass WWII movies ever made. Its influence was immediate, seen in movies like 1978's The Inglorious Bastards, and still seen in big-budget movies like Suicide Squad. But what if you don't want a movie that's inspired by Robert Aldrich's original, and you'd rather have another true blue Dirty Dozen movie? I know that I'm not alone in thinking it's a shame that we never got a big-budget sequel, following Major John Reisman (Lee Marvin) as he ropes together another band of criminals to fight filthy Nazi scum. Well, much to the surprise of myself and fans around the world, we actually did get that sequel. We got three of them in the mid to late '80s! Now, immediately lower your expectations.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 00:16:18 GMT https://collider.com/the-dirty-dozen-sequels/ Al Pacino’s most commended role might have been as Michael Corleone, but his loudest and most unforgettable performance arguably comes from Brian De Palma’s Scarface. The movie’s spirit drifts alongside Pacino, who delivers an unforgettable performance as Tony Montana, peaking and plummeting Though the movie was reviewed harshly at the time of its release, it was catapulted into a cult status with passing years, frequently topping the charts of gangster movies. Pacino’s performance, a compelling story and grand set designs are all a part of its charm, but what truly leaves a lasting impact is the movie’s hypnotic ending.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 19:30:19 GMT https://collider.com/scarface-ending-explained/ Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for The Last Voyage of the Demeter

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 16:01:20 GMT https://collider.com/the-last-voyage-of-the-demeter-ending-explained/ The Expendables franchise is centered around bombastic spectacle and paying tribute to the blockbuster action movies and stars of the '80s and '90s. The film series, which saw its fourth installment released earlier in 2023, continues to be a fan favorite for viewers that enjoy old-school movie action updated for the modern day. However, like the titular team's efforts to accomplish their missions, the production's commitment to practical effects was not without its risks. During the filming of The Expendables 3, an on-set malfunction almost led to a deadly accident. During a chase sequence, one of the film's stars, Jason Statham, almost gets trapped in an incredibly dangerous situation several meters under the water. Fortunately, Statham proved his mettle as an off-screen action star, surprising even the production crew with his adept skills that helped him survive the almost fatal accident and making him look like a bona fide member of the Expendables.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 04:16:18 GMT https://collider.com/expendables-3-stunt-accident-jason-statham/ 1973's The Wicker Man, based on David Pinner's 1967 novel Ritual, is not an easy film to pigeonhole into a specific genre. At times, it's a crime thriller, a musical, a cerebral statement on religion and the masses, and, the one it fits closest to, horror. There's no gore, no jump scares, no boogeymen, and yet it earns its title as a horror, folk horror specifically, cult classic. 50 years after its release, Its influence can still be felt in today's horror movies. It poses several questions. How do you find a missing girl if there's no missing girl to be found? How do you know what's real and what's not? Can one man stay true to his faith in the face of those who openly defy it? The horror of The Wicker Man isn't even necessarily what's on screen, but what stays with you afterward.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 20:15:18 GMT https://collider.com/the-wicker-man-review-1973/ Few filmmakers have such a knack for building clever plot twists as M. Night Shyamalan. The man has kept us on the edge of our seats all through his decades-spanning career with his thrillers and horror movies alike, and some of those are so iconic, that they've pretty much become a rite of passage for movie fans. You've never watched The Sixth Sense? We're not telling you what happens, but, if you haven't watched it, then you've yet to experience a proper plot twist. But it turns out that one of the biggest plot twists in Shyamalan's career didn't happen on-screen. It turns out he wrote two of 1999's greatest hits: The Sixth Sense and She's All That. Yes, the classic teenage rom-com with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook. There's a lot of debate around those writing credits, and Shyamalan had a hand in making Zack Siler and Laney Boggs' love story come to life.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 15:45:18 GMT https://collider.com/m-night-shyamalan-shes-all-that/ You may have heard that Lilo & Stitch was forced to re-animate its ending in the wake of a national tragedy, but in the case of The Emperor’s New Groove, its ending was entirely rewritten because a certain rock star composer didn’t agree with it. That rock star was the original Dune-star Sting and, well, didn’t agree with it is putting it lightly. In response, Sting wrote a vehement letter touting his activism and raging over the fact that the film’s story was seemingly going against everything that he ever stood for as an icon and a musician. Against all odds and in spite of its absolutely disastrous production history, The Emperor’s New Groove is viewed today as a modern classic. For that, we genuinely have Sting to thank, as the original ending would have made it much more difficult to enjoy in retrospect.

]]> Fri, 08 Dec 2023 03:31:18 GMT https://collider.com/emperors-new-groove-alternate-ending-sting/ The final few months of 2023 have been quite fruitful for Godzilla, one of the most prolific monsters to ever grace the silver screen. Not only has this gigantic lizard anchored the acclaimed hit movie Godzilla Minus One, but this character has also been at the center of the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters show and even headlined the first trailer for Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire. With all these high-profile pop culture entities anchored by Godzilla making waves throughout the world, it can be hard to remember now a darker time for Godzilla fans at the end of the 1990s. This is when Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla stomped into theaters and delivered an incredibly unpopular iteration of this famous lizard.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 22:15:20 GMT https://collider.com/godzilla-movie-1990s-jan-de-bont/ Almost 25 years after its theatrical debut, The Iron Giant stands tall among cult classics. Despite a disappointing box office haul, household name and animation innovator Brad Bird's first feature-length film earned itself a sterling reputation through word of mouth and time. It's natural to wonder why a sequel never emerged, especially when franchise culture has made continuing a story expected if not instinctive. Hope and rumors periodically have swirled about a second The Iron Giant; arguably, there remains enough love for the product to warrant a green light. But any Iron Giant sequel wouldn't involve Brad Bird. Without the film's architect, a chance of a sequel is unlikely — but nothing is ever truly impossible in Hollywood.

]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 04:16:18 GMT https://collider.com/the-iron-giant-sequel-explained/ Money makes people crazy, particularly with three million bucks on the line. Vera Cruz reinvents the story of the politically charged Mexican Revolution with illustrative aspects that blur its historical correctness. Starring Gary Cooper as Benjamin Trane, an honorable ex-Confederate, and Burt Lancaster as Joe Erin, a lawless gun-slinging thief, they make the best unconventional duo in the movie. Cooper and Lancaster's unpredictable antics led to Vera Cruz's improvisation, which in turn contributes to themes of betrayal in the Western genre.

]]> Sat, 09 Dec 2023 00:16:19 GMT https://collider.com/burt-lancaster-gary-cooper-vera-cruz/ In addition to his legendary and invaluable contribution to cinema, Stanley Kubrick left behind plans for a slew of unmade films upon his sudden death in 1999. From a historical epic about Napoleon Bonaparte to ambitious science-fiction fare, these passion projects failed to materialize for various reasons, including financial woes and technological limits. Among those that never made it to the screen was an adaptation of Louis Begley's 1991 novel Wartime Lies, an account of Jewish survival during World War II. Securing rights to the novel and planning to film it under the title Aryan Papers, Kubrick went to work, devoting painstaking efforts to researching the sprawling history of Nazi-occupied Europe. But after a lengthy preparation process in which he read, observed, and studied everything he could get his hands on regarding the Holocaust, Kurbrick abandoned Aryan Papers, effectively deeming the cinematic medium inadequate for capturing the horror and scope of the Holocaust.

]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 20:46:19 GMT https://collider.com/stanley-kubrick-aryan-papers-unmade-movie/