As always, spoilers ahead!
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The main plot line of this movie is to retrieve a palette of gold in an airplane while in flight. But the movie doesn’t start when the plane lifts off. It starts with Cyrus and his crew at an auction in Italy and London where an expensive NFT created by N8 is being sold to the highest bidder. When Cyrus wins the auction, it immediately sets off Interpol agent Abby and her team who scramble to get to Cyrus.
After all is said and done, Cyrus is cornered by Abby in his apartment and given an ultimatum — help Interpol with a high-stakes mission, or go to prison for stealing one of Van Gogh’s paintings during the auction. Cyrus and his team accept and learn that they must steal a palette of gold bars from a plane en route to Jorgensen’s compound — a notorious criminal mastermind planning to hurt thousands through a hacker group known as Leviathan.
We get to see the team in action, putting together their respective parts to turn a private jet into an invisible target ready to help get the gold. Things go awry when Jorgensen’s men catch on and put the gold on the private jet after the plane lands on a Scandinavian airstrip, bringing it right to Jorgensen. The plane crash lands on Jorgensen’s compound after nearly being shot down by NATO planes, and with some clever maneuvering from some of N8’s cameras, Cyrus, Abby, and Camila can get Jorgensen arrested and fully pardoned.
Abby meets with her superior Huxley and learns that he sent the NATO planes to shoot down the aircraft knowing she and other civilians were on the plane, and decides to quit and follow Cyrus instead. This is when the clever part happens because we learn that Huxley never got the gold — Cyrus’ team did. With some switching in the plane and guidance to land by Luke, the movie ends with Abby helping get the gold out of a lake and Huxley realizing his mistake.
I do wish the movie was a little longer since some parts (building the stealth airplane and Leviathan’s demonstration) were rushed, but for the most part, I was entertained the whole time, and I didn’t see them stealing the gold coming. The best part for me though was stealing gold while in the air, because not many heist movies have this type of element in them.
40,000 feet in the air? For a heist? No problem for Cyrus’ team, and it does make for a very interesting setting in the film. Not many other heist movies have a plane that needs to be infiltrated. Most of the time, you see them trying to get into a bank or other barricaded building, or even underground. The air is a tricky setting because there are only a few ways to be in the air and still be alive. Planes are one of them, and it makes a great challenge to Cyrus’ team because they need to figure out the “impossible.”
I also like the range of settings around the world to show that this heist covers multiple countries. We start the movie off in Italy, then we jump around to Brussels and Jorgensen’s estate, and of course the airport and airplanes. It gives weight to the heist and shows how these so-called criminals must come together to stop some very bad people. I don’t think I would have changed anything with the setting.
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Cyrus has put together a team of five other people who each have their unique skills to master a heist. These include Magnus (the safecracker), Camila (the pilot), Denton (the master of disguise), Mi-Sun (the hacker), and Luke (the mechanic). I love that each of these characters has a distinct personality they bring to the table to make a heist successful.
I do wish there was a little more development on the background part of their stories, more than just a mention of it by Abby when she’s talking to Cyrus, but this could be explored in future films. My favorite character would probably be Magnus other than Cyrus due to Magnus’ high-energy personality, but I do like all of the other characters as well. They balance each other and make both the team and the film successful.
Officially, there has not been a green light for a Lift 2 — but there certainly is potential. From where the movie ended, we have loose ends with Abby’s future not being an officer, how each member of the team will react to their gold, and how Agent Huxley will retaliate after being conned out of the gold.
There is some hope from the filmmaker F. Gary Gray though, who thinks Netflix “may have an opportunity for a franchise” and if they do get the green light, then both Kevin and the cast could create something really interesting for the future.
If you enjoyed the action-packed scenes of Lift and the idea of stealing priceless art pieces, then watch some of these films. With Uncharted and Red Notice, each team is searching for lost artifacts and art pieces, trying to find them for their own goals while working against opposing forces. In Bullet Train, there is a priceless suitcase riding on a bullet train, but it also happens to be riding with several skilled assassins who all need the suitcase for various reasons.
No matter which film you choose, they are all action-packed and full of betrayal, adventure, and some great fight scenes.
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Overall, Lift is a breath of fresh air to the heist genre, and the new settings of both around the world heists and in the air elevate this film for me. Though I wish there was some more depth into the character’s backstories and the slowing of certain scenes, each scene was action-packed and filled with the anticipation of getting the gold. I also really enjoyed the comedic relief in the film, to give a little brevity to a tough situation.
I hope that Netflix and the producers decide to make more films with this crew because some new franchises would be welcome in the film industry where some franchises just need to be put to rest.
]]>With The Avengers arc well into phase 4 of the MCU, you might be looking for movies like Avengers that will knock your socks off with the battles, action, and suspense.
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When you think about The Avengers, you’re probably thinking of some kick-butt action superheroes that save the world, not Jim Carrey doing wacky things on screen. But if you’re a fan of the MCU and want something more light-hearted, then The Mask is for you.
The 1994 comedy film is also considered a superhero film directed by Chuck Russell and produced by Bob Engleman. It’s the first installment of the Mask franchise, which has two films, a TV series that lasted 3 seasons, and a slew of comics that the movies are based on.
The story follows Jim Carrey who plays a bank clerk, Stanley Ipkiss, who is incredibly insecure as he’s frequently ridiculed by everyone except for his coworker and best friend, Charlie Schumaker.
However, when Stanley possesses a strange mysterious mask, a whole new side of him comes out that’s confident and charming. It’s an incredible movie that is truly entertaining everyone should watch it at least once in their life. With a decent rating of 6.9 on IMDb, this is one of the best movies like Avengers.
Superhero movies don’t have to just be that, a superhero movie with the same cliches and premise. There is a wide variety of superheroes in the media world, and The Crow is one of the best examples of this.
This 1994 superhero movie is also in the supernatural genre and was directed by Alex Proyas and based on the limited comic book series sharing the same name in 1989 by James O’Barr.
Starring Brandon Lee, which was also his final film appearance, this is one of the best movies like Avengers that brings out a whole new side of superheroes. Eric Draven, played by Lee, is a musician who is resurrected from the dead to seek vengeance against the gang who murdered him and his fiancee, all while being pursued by a sympathetic police officer.
It’s gothic, it’s spooky, and it’s a beautiful reimagining of the superhero genre, and with a 7.5 IMDb rating, it’s one of the better examples.
One of the more recent films is this 2018 superhero drama, Fast Color, which was directed by Julia Hart and stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint, Saniyya Sidney, Christopher Denham, and David Stratharin.
A television series is said to be in development based on this film at Amazon Studios with Viola Davis’ JuVee Productions, and with a decent 6.1 IMDb rating, it sure has the fan base to support it.
The film is set in the future American Midwest where it has not rained in eight years. Ruth is a homeless wanderer whose seizures trigger supernatural earthquakes. But once her abilities are discovered, she’s on the run after years of hiding.
And unfortunately, after years of having abandoned her family, the only place she has left to hide is home. It’s empowering and original, one of the best superhero movies that will make you see the genre in a whole new light.
Another movie you might not think about when considering movies like Avengers, but Big Hero 6 is not only a phenomenal movie for all ages, but one that changes the idea of superhero movies.
Created by Walt Disney Studios, this 2014 superhero film is loosely based on the Marvel Comics team of the same name created by Man of Action. It was directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams and stars the voices of Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Daniel Henney, and many more.
The story follows Hiro Hamada, a young robotics prodigy, and Bayman, his late brother Tadashi’s healthcare-provider robot. They, along with some college peers, form a superhero team to combat a masked villain responsible for Tadashi’s death.
It’s heartbreaking, loveable, and creative, and as it’s directly inspired by MCU, it’s one of the best movies like Avengers that you can watch. With a 7.8 rating on IMDb, this is one movie you need to have on your watch list.
The first on the list here isn’t a superhero movie, however, one could argue that it still is. Not all heroes wear capes, as they say, and this hero wears a mask.
V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian political action film directed by James McTeigue as his feature directorial debut and is based on the 1988-89 DC Vertigo Comics carrying the same title by Alan Moore, David Lloyd, and Tony Weare. While DC is a superhero world, V for Vendetta doesn’t have the same feel.
The film is set in the future where a fascist totalitarian regime has subjugated the UK and centers on V, an anarchist and masked freedom fighter who attempts to ignite a revolution through elaborate terrorist acts.
Evey Hammond, portrayed by Natalie Portman, is a young woman caught up in V’s mission, while Stephen Rea portrays a detective leading a desperate quest to stop V. It’s thought-provoking, entertaining, and perfect for those who want movies like Avengers but with something a bit more edgy.
After that quick jump away from superhero movies, we’re back once again. The 2009 superhero film is based on the 1986-87 limited DC Comic series sharing the same name by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore.
Zack Snyder directed this movie and stars Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, and more. Watchmen centers on a dark and dystopian deconstruction of the superhero genre and is set in an alternate history in the year 1985 at the height of the Cold War.
A group of mostly retired superheroes investigate the murder of one of their own before uncovering an elaborate and deadly conspiracy, while their moral limitations are challenged by the complex nature of the circumstances.
A personal favorite of mine is Enola Holmes and one I had to add. Is this a superhero movie? No, but it does focus on an empowering character that helps save the day, so it’s close enough in my opinion. If you want a movie like Avengers but don’t care about the true superhero genre, then Enola Holmes is the way to go.
The 2020 mystery film stars Millie Bobby Brown as the titular character, the teenage sister of the already famous Victorian-era detective, Sherlock Holmes (played by Henry Cavill).
Directed by Harry Bradbeer, the movie is an adaptation of the first novel in The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer and follows Enola Holmes who discovers her mother is missing and is on the search to find her, becoming a super-slueth who can outwit even her brother and unravels a dangerous conspiracy.
We love seeing a strong female character who can even outsmart one of the smartest solvers in the world, a truly amazing film for those who enjoy seeing Blackwidow or Scarlet Witch kick-butt.
What about the ultimate superhero film? The Avengers set out to save the galaxy and create such a hilarious dynamic between each character. What about the Incredibles? Their family is hilarious, supportive, unique, and has the world in the palm of their hands.
The Incredibles is a 2004 animated superhero movie by Pixar and is one of the best-animated movies in Pixar’s lineup. The movie stars voice from Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Voxwell, Samuel L. Jackson, and more.
The story follows a family that leads a quiet suburban life but is secretly a family of undercover superheroes who are forced into action to save the world. Doesn’t this sound a bit familiar? Several characters in the MCU are just trying to lead a normal life, but all are forced into the Avengers to protect the world from destruction.
One of the best movies like Avengers is Ocean’s Eight, a 2018 heist comedy film directed by Gary Ross. The film is a spin-off from Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s series, as well as the fourth installment of it.
The film has an ensemble cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter and follows a group of women led by Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, who plan a sophisticated heist at the annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
It’s an empowering piece that showcases women at the frontlines once again and is truly remarkable for the ones who enjoy seeing women take charge as leads.
Think about the Avengers at a young age, exploring their unique powers amongst the rest. The competition, the embarrassment, and the overall school experience that they might have to deal with. Take that and make it a movie in 2005.
Sky High is a superhero comedy film directed by Mike Mitchell and written by the Kim Possible creators, Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle. The film stars Kelly Preston, Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Kurt Russell.
The story follows Will Stronghold, the son of two superheroes who is enrolled in an airborne high school for teenage superheroes where his powers kick in. He not only must deal with a growing distance from his old friends and get the girl of his dreams, but deal with a threat from a mysterious supervillain. Sky High has a 6.3 IMDb rating and is one of the best movies like Avengers that has a teenage spin.
One of the most recent movies on the list, the 2023 superhero film is based on the long-running franchise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which was created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.
This is one of the many renditions of the story and is considered a reboot by Jeff Rowe. The film stars several amazing voices from Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr. Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon as the four Tutles, and follows the group as they go on a hunt for a mysterious crime syndicate and face an army of mutants.
With themes that focus on family, conformity, and acceptance, this is a great film to put on your watch list that is like the Avengers. It’s incredibly entertaining, has a beautiful art and animation style, and comes from the great minds of Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Rowe.
The Old Guard is one movie like Avengers that keeps the action going. The 2020 superhero film directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood is based on the comic book sharing the same name by Greg Rucka.
The film stars Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Veronica Ngo and Chiwetel Ejiofar. The story follows a covert team of immortal mercenaries who are suddenly exposed and must now fight to keep their identity a secret as an unexpected new member is discovered.
While there was a new one in 2019, there’s no question that the best one was in 2004. Hellboy is a fictional superhero created by Mike Mignola and appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 in 1993, and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots, and intercompany crossovers.
The character was then adapted into three live-action feature films, with the first two starring Ron Perlman, and the most recent as David Harbour.
The 2004 film follows the demon-turned-investigator named Hellboy who works with the secret Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense to suppress paranormal threats, but a resurrected sorcerer seeks to make Hellboy fulfill his destiny by triggering the apocalypse. It’s full of action and is an incredibly unique experience for the superhero genre.
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If a group of teenagers teaming up to battle the big bad as giant robots gets your juices flowing, then Power Rangers should top your watchlist. We’d argue even more than any Transformers movie because let’s be honest, these are usually disappointing.
On IMDb, it earned a 5.9, which is lower than we expected. However, the premise for this movie is very much like The Avengers and it doesn’t actually watch as a 5.9-rated movie would. We can see why it received this rating as the acting is sometimes over-the-top and the creators didn’t really cater to fans of the TV series.
Mainly, we noticed that as compared to the TV show, the movie does actually take itself and its premise seriously. However, for someone wanting movies like Avengers with teenagers and robots, Power Rangers ticks the boxes.
You might be thinking what have Predators got to do with The Avengers? On the surface it is hard to compare this alien abduction meets Battle Royale, yet if you look beyond that, Predators is very much a similar story.
In the 2010 Predators, a bunch of mercenaries from around Earth are dropped on an alien planet and hunted by, you guessed it, predators. Effectively, this makes this movie a team-up versus big bad evil very much like The Avengers. To top it off, each of the mercenaries from around the world have combat skills, which are like superpowers. For example, being a great sniper is no different from Marvel’s Hawkeye.
Predator also has a sci-fi bag of tricks, including special armor, which heightens detection (like Spider-Man). Superhuman strength is also shown (like Thor) along with super agility to move through trees and leap further than humans. Lastly, advanced technology permits a variety of flexible, tactical options (similar to Iron Man). And best of all, the 2010 Predators is a pretty good action flick earning a 6.4 on IMDb.
Marvel fans will roll their eyes at this but there are huge similarities between The Avengers and The Force Awakens. From legacy characters meeting young heroes to saving a planet, these two movies share a similar action suspense and yet heart-warming feel.
For example, in The Avengers you have a band of heroes coming together to save Earth from destruction. In The Force Awakens, the heroes head to Starkiller Base to stop it from blowing up the Republic. There’s no doubt that The Avengers is a better movie than The Force Awakens and a much better start to a series.
However, if you’re looking for a movie where heroes save the day, big visual effects, and interesting characters, this Star Wars film is one of our top movies like Avengers. If you need further convincing, Star Wars: The Force Awakens earned a 7.8 on IMDb.
It might be cheating a little to include another Marvel series on this list, but X-Men: Apocalypse is too perfect to miss out on. It has a 6.9 rating on IMDb, which also shows its promise.
The X-Men franchise, like The Avengers, are comic book superheroes, but with a golden age feel. In X-Men: Apocalypse, our band of mutant superheroes defend humanity from a big bad who wants to rebuild Earth around mutants, not humans. This is an Avengers classic, or it at least sounds like it.
The big difference with the X-Men is that they try to operate in secrecy, unlike The Avengers. This secrecy is to keep their powers hidden so that people don’t get scared – yet at the same time, they defend humanity. So if you want The Avengers meet clandestine operations with that classic comic feel, X-Men: Apocalypse is perfect.
The HBO Max release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League finally gave DC Comics fans a movie that could compete with The Avengers. For anyone who has watched Joss Whedon’s theatrical version of Justice League, please know, that Zach Snyder’s cut is a longer, more rounded, and fully-formed story.
Justice League is top on our list of movies like Avengers because it features an expansive team of superheroes that must team up to save the Earth. The movie includes a battle against Superman, conflict within the team, massive invasions, and a big bad, who is trying to impress an even bigger bad behind the scenes.
It literally is a 1:1 match-up on the story arc. The only real difference is that Zach Snyder’s Justice League is darker in tone and that it features Batman and Co. It earned an 8.1 on IMDb, which is another reason why it fell to number one.
As you can see, if you are a fan of The Avengers and at a loss for similar suspense, these movies can help you rediscover why you fell in love with this type of heroic action movie in the first place. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is hard to top, we know you’ll enjoy these top five movies like Avengers and all they have to offer. Plus, fear not, because Marvel is always working on their next film, so another superhero movie in the MCU is probably in production already.
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You may remember that Mattel already tried to make a live action American Girl doll movie in 2019 with production company MGM. After a little time trying to put together the movie, the plans fizzled out and nothing was done for years afterwards.
The main thing that changed for Mattel was their recent success with the 2023 Barbie movie, starring Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie. Becoming an instant success, Mattel was revitalized to start plans anew for the American Girl doll movie, officially announced in mid-December 2023.
Titled “American Girl,” the movie will be produced by Mattel Films, Paramount Pictures, and Temple Hill Entertainment. The scriptwriter and producer slotted to create the film is Lindsey Anderson Beer, who you might recognize as the writer of both the Pet Cemetery: Bloodlines (2023) and Sierra Burgess is a Loser (2018) movies.
When asked about her feelings about creating an American Girl live-action movie, Beer said “[she] is so excited to tell a story that tackles the issues of girlhood in a real compelling way” with “historically accurate toys and accessories that feature elaborate and immersive backgrounds.”
Some of you may be wondering why this particular American Girl film is getting so much attention, especially since there have been live-action movies created for singular dolls, such as Grace, Samantha, Lea, and many others. Each of these films only focuses on one character in their respective period, whereas the new live-action movie may focus on bringing them all together, just like the Barbie movie did.
There also was an SNL script created for a few of the American Girl dolls, with the actors portraying different dolls and the hardships during their time. Though quite funny, there is some truth to the skit about the applicability to a live-action American Girl doll movie, and portraying these diverse characters in a new light.
If you’re interested in watching some of the original films to include American Girl doll characters, make sure to check some of these out, though there are several others not mentioned here:
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Along with creating an American Girl doll live-action movie, Mattel is aiming to create a pipeline of some fourteen different live-action movies featuring their products. A few of these ideas include Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Polly Pocket, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em, and UNO.
I’m not completely sure how they would bring some of these ideas to light, but if they did they could create a monopoly of live-action movies based on toys, and possibly usher in another genre of movies — all based on toys. These movies could apply to older and younger generations, as each of these toys has been around for decades.
Though I haven’t seen the Barbie movie yet, there is real genius behind creating a movie that is based on a beloved children’s toy. This allows the industry to gain an audience from all those who played with the toy as a kid, which now includes adults and children. Similar to the Mario Brothers Movie that also came out in 2023, it reaches into the nostalgia of childhood to bring us back for a couple of hours.
I loved playing with American Girl dolls as a kid, and I am interested to see which direction they take the American Girl live-action film, who knows, maybe I’ll even go out and watch it too.
]]>With the best combination of action and humor, the show has amazing pacing to keep you invested. If you’ve been seeing the show headlines around the internet and social media and want to know more about the series, read more to learn about The Brothers Sun on Netflix.
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The Brothers Sun is an action comedy-drama that was created by Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu for Netflix. The story follows the life of Bruce Sun, an average Californian whose life turns upside down when his older brother, Charles Sun, comes to visit Los Angeles from Taipei, Taiwan.
Bruce has no recollection of his time in Taiwan, but will soon learn more about his family as the days go on. Soon, he finds out that his family is Taipei’s most renowned gangsters, with his brother being a hardened criminal raised by his late crime boss father.
When their past starts to creep up, Charles and his family must not only protect themselves from the criminals that are after them but teach Charles how to adapt to the life of a gangster. It’s funny, fast-paced, and has some of the most brilliant scenes that show hand-to-hand combat that will really have you sitting on the edge of your seat.
As of right now, The Brothers Sun is only on Netflix as it was made for that specific streaming platform. The show premiered on January 4th of this year and released all eight episodes that same day.
If you’ve been seeing The Brothers Sun around social media, you should know that there is so much talk about the casting. One such name that seems to make headlines is Michelle Yeoh, with everyone praising her empowering, badass role as Eileen, or Mama, Sun.
There’s something so refreshing and empowering to see a woman as the head of a family that not only knows how to protect herself and her beloved children but leads an empire. A role that usually is given to the male counterpart, however, The Brothers Sun did well in choosing a prime candidate for the parental crime boss role.
Michelle Yeoh didn’t just start her empowerment here, however. Over the years, the “icon of Hong Kong martial-arts cinema has reshaped a tired archetype” with her roles ” thanks to her amazing roles. From her performances as Eleanor Young in Crazy Rich Asians to her Oscar-winning role in Everything Everywhere All At Once, Yeoh “isn’t just playing mothers; she’s reinventing the matriarch”.
In The Brothers Sun, we once again see Yeoh in the position of a mother, yet she truly steals the show in this series. Her performance and character are what drive the show, not the titular sons.
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While Michelle Yeoh snagged the headlines with not only her performances but her stunning work in rethinking stereotypes, there are so many great names in the show that should be noted. One such name is Sam Song Li who plays the youngest son, Bruce Sun.
This sheltered character has several roles in some of the biggest names, with guest starring in Netflix’s Never Have I Ever, Better Call Saul, American Carnage, Women is Losers, and Take the Night, but The Brothers Sun is his breakout role. Sam Song Li does an amazing job at convincing us of the character’s naiveness that makes him so relatable and is an outstanding performance for his first major role.
But if we bring up Bruce Sun, we have to talk about Charles as well, played by Justin Chien. Before Justin got a spot in The Brothers Sun for Netflix 2024, he honed his talents at USC’s School of Dramatic Arts where he also worked on several stage productions.
Thankfully, his work on a “version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream” ultimately got him signed. But his schooling isn’t the only thing that has helped him on the set of the show, as he also is a practicing martial arts master with a background in Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu, which made some of the action scenes on set a bit easier.
And let’s not forget about Alexis Kong. The smart and ambitious woman who works as an assistant district attorney in Los Angeles who bumps into Charles Sun while investigating a case.
This might not be the first time you’re seeing her, as she’s played by Highdee Kuan, who started her acting in 2016 and received roles like Luna in You season 2, as well as a Quantum Leap episode as Mallory Yang, and Sasha in This is Us.
TK Lee is yet another amazing role that we have to bring up played by Joon Lee. TK is a stoner and devoted gamer who wants to a feared gangster just like Charles, but unfortunately lacks the skills required for that job. While Joon Lee has appeared in several short films, The Brothers Sun is his first major TV role.
There are several amazing actors and actresses in the Netflix 2024 show The Brothers Sun, with many having their first major role in television.
Have you binged the first season already and are just wondering if there will be more? Unfortunately, with it being released only this past week of writing this article, there hasn’t been any information on whether the show is renewed for a second season.
However, with the positivity surrounding the show already, I do not doubt that more will be coming. The show creators seem very interested in continuing the story for the audience, and the season 1 finale shows a post-credit scene featuring Big Sun’s right-hand man sitting at a desk scheming, so I have no doubt they’re planning to show more of the Sun family.
Don’t fear, there is more action comedy love to watch if you need something to get you through the post-show depression.
Bloodhounds is a 2023 show that is available on Netflix as well and follows three daring youths who jump into the money-lending business to pay off their debt.
Warrior is a show on Max that ran from 2019 to 2023 and follows the Tong Wars in the late 1880s. Ah Sahm, a martial arts prodigy from China, immigrates to San Francisco and becomes a hatchet man for the most powerful tong in Chinatown.
Who is Erin Carter is yet another 2023 show available on Netflix and follows a titular character who is a British teacher in Spain who finds herself caught up in a supermarket robbery. When one of the robbers claims to recognize her, her life threatens to unravel.
Succession is a 2018 to 2023 show available on Max that follows the Roy family who are known for controlling the biggest media and entertainment company in the world. When their father decides to step down, the battle for control among the heirs takes place.
]]>It’s been over 6 months since the password crack down was rolled out, and it’s about time we update reports. The new year brings in new information, as well as some priceless reactions from streamers. Let’s dive into what has been happening, what more we know about this Netflix password crack down, and any other information we can scrounge up to inform you on how your 2024 streaming enjoyment will go?
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For years Netflix had pretty much not cared about password sharing. They even tweeted back in 2017 that “love is sharing a password.” You would think that with that statement, they are more lenient about it all.
But, as of this year, Netflix figured out that they were losing money with the amount of password sharing happening. They tried to support a cheaper subscription plan so people could pay for a membership and not share as much, but it still didn’t change much.
The Netflix password crack down states that if there are other members on your account, it will cost $7.50 more a month in most countries. These rules vary depending on where you live and so far, it has been active in places like Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru, where it was tested in 2022.
If you remember, they accidentally released the sharing password charge article last year, and everyone in the U.S. went berserk over it. This was when they were doing the testing, and they didn’t clarify that they were doing it in those three countries.
As of late May, the plan is officially launching in the United States, which is making many people angry. We can officially confirm that in America, extra profiles will cost $7.99 more per month.
They made it pretty complicated for those who want to add a member. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as having any old membership and just adding friends to your account. If you’re wanting to add someone to your account, you’ll need one of the Ad-Free Standard or Premium memberships, but even those have restrictions.
If you have an Ad-Free Standard account, you can only add one person outside of your family to the account. And if you have a Premium account, you can only add two.
Not only do you need to spend extra money just to add friends, but you have a limit on how many. It’s obvious that Netflix is doing this to force others into just creating a membership. Plus, adding members costs more than just a standard membership with ads.
For a specific look at their memberships and what they include, check out the table below for everything you need to know.
Netflix Plans | Features | Price |
Standard with Ads | – Watch with ads – Watch on 2 supported devices – Watch in Full HD – Download on 2 supported devices at a time | $6.99/month |
Standard | – Unlimited ad-free movies, TV and games – Watch on 2 supported devices – Watch in Full HD – Download on 2 supported devices at a time – Option to add 1 member who doesn’t live with you | $15.49/month |
Premium | – Unlimited ad-free movies, TV and games – Watch on 2 supported devices – Watch in Full HD – Download on 2 supported devices at a time – Option to add 2 extra members who don’t live with you | $22.99/month |
Addition Members | Allows someone from another household to watch your account | $7.99 each/month |
If you’re an extra member of someone’s account, you do have some benefits and restrictions. The benefits are you have your account and profile, but the main differences are that you can only watch on 1 device at a time, and can only download one title at a time.
You can also only create one profile, no more. A big restriction is that a member can not activate their account in a different country associated with the owner. So if the owner lives in the United States, they can’t have a member who lives in Canada, Costa Rica, or any other country. Which is a shame for our traveling buddies or families across the country.
In the second week of February, Netflix launched a fee for account sharing in the first wave of countries. The countries it is currently in are Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain. It seems crazy for this to happen because, in one household, plenty of people use one account. Why should there be a fee for extra members? Between parents and siblings, passwords get shared within one family, and apparently, Netflix will not allow two different households to use the same account information.
This means that if you aren’t living under the same roof, you could have to pay more each month on top of your subscription unless the other people signed in get their membership.
Using a combination of IP addresses, device IDs, and “account activity from devices signed into the Netflix account”, Netflix will be able to determine if an account is being used in the primary account holder’s household. However, we do know that they will be looking at IP addresses, devices, and account activity, which is pretty much guaranteed to give away any password sharing on its own.
The United States isn’t the only new country affected by Netflix’s password crack down. More than 100 countries were added to this second roll out. Hoda Kotb joked on The Today Show recently that with the “pay to share” policy rolling out, she’s going to “Netflix jail.” While she’s making a joke, I think many Americans already feel this way. There are going to be tons of attempts to get around these new rules and people are not responding positively so far.
Now that we know it is hitting the U.S., I can’t help but wonder if it will be the downfall for Netflix. If other streaming platforms don’t do this, Netflix will probably lose tons of subscribers.
Going into 2024, many of us have been dealing with the password crack down for a while, and for many, it’s frustrating, to say the least. But is it working? Has Netflix managed to achieve its goal? Sadly yes. While I’m a big believer that
Back in October 2023, Netflix announced that it added 9 million new subscribers globally following the crack down on password sharing starting in the U.S. They also reported that revenue has gone up 8% compared to 2022 with $8.5 billion.
But this also saw a boost in members switching to the basic plan thanks to the jump of pricing from the additional membership, showing that many of us can only afford, or want, the basic plan, showing that 70% of its members moved to the cheaper plan.
Thankfully for Netflix, and unfortunately for those who are putting a stand against Netflix, the new memberships outnumber the cancellations, so those who are throwing away Netflix to prove a point, don’t seem to be worried.
But Netflix didn’t stop there. In October, they went on to raise the price of memberships that are ad-free, making the Standard $15.99 and the Premium $22.99. It looks like the 8% jump in revenue just wasn’t enough.
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What are your reactions to this? Many of us worked on canceling our membership right away when we heard the news. Some of us changed over to our other several streaming platforms when we got the notification we were kicked out.
Even The Jason Show was getting heated with the topic, talking about how streaming services were meant to be convenient, however, the Netflix password-sharing shutdown contradicts the whole premise of the platform.
@fox9mn Netflix’s new password sharing rule has @thejasonshowtv HEATED. People pay for convenience…think about long term work, study abroad, second homes, college students etc. when it comes to household password sharing to stream tv. #netflix #passwordshare @netflix ♬ original sound – FOX 9 | KMSP
But one of my favorite reactions is from UNO, who didn’t waste time putting an absolute gem in the comment section of the “Love is sharing a password” which was tweeted by Netflix in 2017.
— UNO (@realUNOgame) February 2, 2023
Leave it to our generation to deal with greedy companies by posting memes, like these classic vines. Is this why we all have trust issues?
— Jonathan Rizk 𖤍 (@OfficialRizk) February 2, 2023
— b (@Brew_Stew) February 2, 2023
Are we being dramatic? Absolutely not.
Now that Netflix has boasted about their winnings, many viewers are looking to other platforms in anticipation. And sadly, it seems like this has become the future, at least for Disney+ right now.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said that they can monitor password sharing on the streaming service, and is hoping to also implement a password crack down in 2024. Disney has remained very quiet about it, but they do hope to gradually roll it out before expanding to larger countries like the U.K. and the U.S.
But I believe that once Disney rolls this out, it’s only a matter of time for the rest to follow. While Netflix has quite the follower base, many streaming platforms are still new and are coming up. But I do believe streaming services like Max, Hulu, Paramount, Peacock, and more will work on keeping the accounts within a household to bring in more money.
Either way, it seems as though sharing is a thing of the past, and the convenience we receive from these platforms is long gone. Once again many companies we cherish are going back to their roots at doing everything they can to get more money.
Keep checking back here to see if there’s any new information on the upcoming changes to either Netflix or other streaming services.
]]>As big pop culture fans and nerds, we are always undecided on what to stream and love a little help from friends. We’re here to help you and deliver our top picks of what to stream this weekend.
READ MORE: Saltburn Review: A Dive into Pathological Obsession
Created by Seth MacFarlane for Peacock, Ted is coming back to our screens as the loveable, chaotic teddy bear. This is the third installment in the franchise and is based on the two movies starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and MacFarlane voicing Ted.
The miniseries is set in 1993 and follows the early life of the sentient teddy bear and his life with John Bennett and his family in Massachusetts. The miniseries will premiere on January 11th and is a comedy series, a perfect watch for those who want to know more about their relationship and how it began.
Leaping away from the comedy, let’s check out the upcoming documentary film directed by Joe Brewster and Michele Stephson.
If you’re like me, you’re probably a big fan of poetry. Nikki Giovanni is an American poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator. She’s also the world’s most well-known African-American poet, and for fans everywhere, you can now dive into the film that describes her life and the historical periods that she lived through from the Civil Rights Movement and Black Arts Movement to Black Lives Matter.
If you’re wondering what to stream this weekend and you’re a huge fan of adult animations like Family Guy, American Dad, and Bob’s Burgers, then this is the show for you. The Great North has a similar animation to Bob’s Burgers and was created by Wendy Molyneux, Lizzie Molyneux, and Minty Lewis.
The series features amazing voices from Nick Offerman, Jenny Slate, Will Forte, Dulce Sloan, Paul Rust, and Aparna Nancherla. The story follows Beef Robin who is a single father living in the fictional town of Lone Moose, Alaska, with his four children, Wolf, Ham, Judy, and Moon, as well as Wolfe’s wife Honeybee.
Boy Swallows Universe is a coming-of-age limited series on Netflix that is coming out on January 11th. The story is based on the semi-autobiographical novel sharing the same name by Trent Dalton.
Written by John Collee, the story revolves around Eli Bell, a working-class youth who enters Brisbane’s underworld along with his selectively mute brother to save his mother from danger. The story revolves around love, redemption, and retribution.
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While not a new one, Killers of the Flower Moon is finally coming to Apple TV. The movie premiered in theaters in October, but as of this weekend, Apple TV viewers will be able to get their hands on this riveting film.
This epic Western crime drama film was directed and produced by Martin Scorsese and is based on the 2017 non-fiction book by David Grann set in 1920s Oklahoma. The story focuses on a series of murders of Osage members and relations in the Osage Nation after oil was discovered on tribal land. Starring big names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, and more, this is a film that you surely do not want to miss out on.
Coming to Apple TV on January 10th, Criminal Record is a British crime thriller created by Paul Rutman.
The story follows two brilliant detectives in a tug-of-war over a historic murder conviction, dealing with issues of race, institutional failure, and the quest to find common ground.
If you want more action, then check out Skymed. This is a great show to try out if you’re wondering what to stream this weekend. Skymed is a Canadian medical drama series that premiered in 2022 with a second season preparing to premiere this January 11th.
The story follows the intense characters’ journey through rescues, heartbreaks, and tribulations of budding nurses and pilots flying air ambulances.
There’s never enough Marvel in the world, and Echo is here to bring yet another series to fans who can’t get enough of the franchise.
Echo is a miniseries that is premiering January 9th and will focus on Maya Lopez, who must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots, and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward. Created by Marion Dayre for Disney, this is intended to be the tenth television series in the MCU sharing continuity with the film of the franchise, and a spin-off of the series Hawkeye.
]]>Here are the 15 best 90s movies you can nostalgia-binge on, all on Disney Plus — ranked in order of Rotten Tomatoes audience scores. This list does not include classic Disney animations, Marvel, Star Wars, or movies from Pixar.
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Rotten Tomatoes audiences are cruel. It’s no Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, but 24 percent is harsh. Rick Moranis alone deserves 25 percent. Say what you want about its simple plot, ’90s visual effects, and cheesy one-liners — it sums up the ’90s perfectly. Big, messy, and full-on ridiculous.
C’mon, Flubber is better than this. It has slapstick comedy, decent effects for a 90’s flick, and most importantly, Robin Williams. Even though he’s not at his best in this film, you can’t take your eyes off him. It’s got all the ingredients a fun family movie needs — and a flying Alexa.
If you enjoy puppies and sports, Air Bud is a great 90s movie to put on. In this Air Bud film, a young boy becomes friends with a talented stray dog who becomes his best friend and knows how to play basketball. When Josh gets accepted onto the school team and Buddy becomes the Team Mascot, everything seems to fall into place. That is until Buddy’s former owner Norm Snively comes along to cash in on Buddy’s new celebrity status.
Jump into the world of science fiction with Zenon as she tries to save her home. Living on a space station in 2049, Zenon is trouble-prone and gets in trouble with the station’s owner Parker Windom. Her punishment? Get sent down to Earth for her exile, where she must make new friends and figure out a way to find her way back to her “real” home.
The Rocketeer is as cliche as they come. If you’re after a simple ’90s boy-saves-girl storyline then look no further. A young pilot finds a rocket pack and the rest is 1930s B-movie-style action, including gangsters, Nazi spies, and some cutting-edge effects (for its time).
There’s something about a Reno lounge singer hiding out with nuns that makes me happy. Could it be the uplifting songs, bumbling gangsters, or Whoopi Goldberg’s smile? No. It’s all down to my sister, who “encouraged” me to sing along as a teen. I’ll leave that for therapy and just say, it’s a feel-good movie that each year, by chance, ends up on my screen.
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Iron Will is an inspiring story about a boy trying to save his house and his land after his father passes, by enlisting in a cross-country dogsled race. If you enjoy feel-good movies that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this movie is perfect for you. Watch as Will Stoneman gathers his courage and a strong will to compete in the race, trying to win for his mother and his home.
Who could have predicted the trajectory that the late Heath Ledger was on when watching this movie? Regardless, 10 Things I Hate About You is a great teen comedy, packed with fun characters —Bogey Lowenstein definitely included. Many of the main cast went on to do great shows and movies, including Numb3rs, Gotham, and The Dark Knight. How this movie only gets 69 percent is beyond me. It should be on every teen’s watchlist.
A remake of the Spencer Tracy classic, Father of the Bride focuses on George and Nina Banks, who are the parents of young wife-to-be Annie. George isn’t sure he is ready to let Annie go and face that she is a woman, which combined with preparations for the wedding leads to hilariously comedic moments.
Cool Runnings is based loosely on true Olympic events and tells the story of the first Jamaican bobsleigh team. Starring John Candy, the movie is a non-stop barrel of laughs and ends with one of the most memorable scenes in movie history. If you’ve never watched it, or just need a pick-me-up, make sure to check it out on Disney Plus now.
Having a hopeless crush on a handsome commuter who passes by her booth, Lucy is a loner and Chicago Transit ticket booth operator who is about to have quite the life change. When her crush falls off the platform Lucy jumps into action, saving him and being mistaken as his fiancée at the hospital. Now, Lucy must weave through his questioning family and figure out a way to save herself.
Based on the true story of young Ruby Bridges, watch as she becomes one of the first African-American children to attend an integrated school in the Deep South. Though several people are in an uproar about Ruby joining an all-white school, some people decide to help her — teacher Barbara Henry and Dr. Robert Coles, a child psychiatrist.
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Splash stars Tom Hanks (Big) and Darryl Hannah (Roxanne) and is a romantic fantasy that’s family-friendly. If anyone you know loves mermaids, or love stories, then this is a movie for them.
One of many Cinderella variants Ever After is a frame story where a wealthy Grand Dame talks about the “true” story of her ancestor to the Brothers Grimm. Enter Danielle, a young girl who loses her father and must live with her step-family, getting treated like a servant. She encounters Prince Henry who is fleeing an arranged marriage and the rest is history.
Tim Burton’s fantastical style and a wonderfully creepy stop-motion animation come together in The Nightmare Before Christmas to create a morbid fairy tale suitable for adults and kids alike. It’s a brilliant blend of style and motion that delivered a massive 90’s hit, that to this day remains part of pop culture for all the right reasons.
Disney has a plethora of enjoyable movies, and there’s something especially nostalgic about 90s Disney movies. Whether it’s based on a true story, comedic, romantic, or creepy, there is a 90s Disney movie for everyone on this list, just choose from one of our fifteen great selections.
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The main plot line of Saltburn is the connection between “downtrodden” Oliver and rich Felix, and how this relationship takes an obsessive turn that eventually leads to the deaths of all four Cattons. Oliver meets Felix for the first time when he peers out of the window of his Oxford rooms and realizes the power and attraction he has for him. They officially meet when Felix has a flat tire and Oliver offers his bike to him, setting them on a whirlwind friendship that pulls Oliver into the cool crowd and gets him invited to the luxurious Saltburn grounds to spend the summer.
Oliver spends his days getting to know each family member and their machinations, playing upon each one to keep himself at the house and drive others away, such as Farleigh and Pamela. As Oliver and Felix become inseparable, Oliver’s birthday rolls around and Felix decides to surprise him with a visit to his mother.
It turns out that Oliver lives in a middle-class neighborhood with a kind (non-alcoholic) mother and a caring father (who is actually not dead), and of course he has sisters (claiming he was an only child). We gets hints of Oliver’s intelligence and psyche from his mother, who claims he is extraordinarily smart and wanted to be an only child, foreshadowing what’s to come for both Oliver and the Cattons.
Felix is beside himself with anger and the two break apart. Still being a good friend, Felix allows him to stay at Saltburn for his party and to leave the next day. But when morning arrives Oliver is still there, Felix is dead, and we have officially set off the whirlwind events that will leave Venetia dead not long after, Sir James dead years later, and Oliver sitting on Elsbeth’s bed in Saltburn as he pulls out her breathing tube.
If this isn’t shocking enough, Oliver gets to stay at Saltburn earning his place as “one of them” and ends the film dancing around naked in the house as he proclaims his triumph. Needless to say, I was slack-jawed by the end of this film.
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There are two main settings in Saltburn — Oxford University and Saltburn itself. While Oxford University is chaotic and typical of a popular college setting with alcohol, parties, and students everywhere, Saltburn is vastly different. Though the Cattons held a birthday party for Oliver with hundreds of people there, that was the only time Saltburn was filled with people. The rest of the time the large estate was only home to the Cattons, Farleigh, and Oliver.
You could include the staff in the setting of Saltburn too, for they were all mysterious and hidden amongst various passageways in the estate. I think this is what increases the gothic feel of the movie since there is so much history and architecture in the building, but for the most part, all the Cattons see is somewhere to lounge around. Perhaps this is another reason why Oliver takes the Cattons out of the picture, to preserve Saltburn in his image, and keep alive the “persona” of the estate.
Of course, we can’t forget Oliver’s house either, as it becomes an important setting only because it proves to Felix that Oliver has been lying the whole time about where he lives, who his parents are, and the siblings he has. It gives a stark contrast to everything we have believed about Oliver so far in the movie, and propels the downward spiral of both Oliver and the Cattons.
Following the idea of the relationship between the Cattons and Oliver, there are some clever details interwoven into the whole film that instill this idea of “fakeness” and how none of the characters are true to themselves or the people around them. Oliver lies throughout the whole film, yet he portrays an immense honesty for the way he feels about Felix, and how he is his only friend. This is why Oliver claims he lied — to be Felix’s friend.
The real “fakeness” emerges in the Cattons though. Each family member seems a little off compared to normal people, and it’s interesting to see whether people point this peculiarity to their wealth or their relationships with each other. To me, Felix is the most normal of the group acting effectively as the glue, so when he dies the whole family falls apart. He tries to be a good student, but the reality is Felix already has money and popularity so he doesn’t need to try hard at anything. This leads to Oliver’s obsession with Felix and his eventual doom.
By comparison, Felix’s sister Venetia is quite broken, having an eating disorder and a competition with Felix about his “toys” and who gets to keep them. Oliver has to make her eat, and after Felix’s death, she is completely shattered, slashing her wrists in the bathtub not long after. However, this was prompted by Oliver, who placed the blades on her bathtub.
The two most “fake” people though are the parents, Elspeth and Sir James. After Felix’s death, they pretended everything was normal, and I was shocked at the way they acted. It was as if they had never had a son in the first place, and it was very similar after Venetia’s death too. They claimed it was because they were cold-blooded, but maybe the real truth is that they didn’t care enough about their surroundings to even care about their children. It all seemed like a performance for an unknown audience, and I kept waiting for the shoe to drop.
Finally, going back to Oliver, his character was the most fascinating. The most real character out of the group, he was also the most manipulating, obsessive, and pathological. Lying about who he was, Oliver created a persona that was harmless and beaten down, perfect for Felix to attach himself to and make friends with. After effectively fitting himself into the Catton family, Oliver broke them down from the inside out, finally eliminating all of the Cattons so he could have Saltburn for himself.
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Saltburn is based on neither a book nor a real-life story, rather it is an original concept by the writer and director Emerald Fennell. In an interview with Another Magazine, Fennell explained that the inspiration was drawn from several things, including some gothic books — LP Hartley’s The Go-Between, Ian McEwan’s Atonement, and Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. Fennell also commented on her own experience at Oxford, but the main exploration she wanted was the idea of obsession filtered through a gothic-horror lens.
Saltburn aimed to explore the idea of desire in some of its rawest forms to show how destructive desire can be, especially in Oliver’s case when it intertwines with pure obsession. Right from the beginning of the movie, you can see Oliver’s entanglement with Felix as his voiceover talks about the power Felix had over everyone, including him.
It also shows how lies and deceit can eat away at a family. Each member of the Catton family was manipulated by Oliver, as he used carefully constructed answers and leading explanations about other family members to induce doubt. You could also mention the money piece of the film, where none of the Cattons seem “real” compared to Oliver, a comment made by Venetia towards the beginning of his stay at Saltburn. This increases the lies and deceit, because if the Cattons are all “fake” then how could they ever know the truth about each other?
I’m not sure if I’ve ever watched a film like Saltburn before. Its gothic atmosphere and obsessive nature draw you into the film but also push you away with graphic and horrifying images of what can happen when desire goes too far. There were times when I was confused and horrified, and yet there’s still something about this movie that is memorable in a good way.
If you want to take a step out of your movie comfort zone and try a film that doesn’t truly fit in any box, make sure to check out Saltburn.
]]>From sports, action, dysfunctional families, and coming-of-age stories, there’s a show for everyone listed below. To check out the best dramedies streaming right now, check out these top selections.
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Ballers is a unique one on the list and is one of the best dramedies streaming right now. The sports dramedy was created by Stephen Levinson and stars Dwayne Johnson as Spencer Strasmore, a retired NFL player who must navigate his new career of choices as the financial manager of other NFL players.
It’s entertaining and tense, and the perfect option if you want some great drama in the sports department.
Everything Sucks was created by Ben York Jones and Michael Mohan that parodies teen culture in the mid-90s. Ten half-hour episodes for Netflix were released in 2018.
The story focused on the real town of Boring, Oregon in 1996 where a group of teenagers attended the fictional school, Boring High School, as they proceeded to make a movie together while dealing with issues such as finding their sexualities, mental health and just growing up.
One of the newer dramedies streaming, Ginny & Georgia was created by Sarah Lampert and released on Netflix in 2021. With currently 2 seasons, more is to come.
The series follows the Miller family which includes a 30-year-old free-spirited mother and her 15-year-old daughter Ginny as well as her 9-year-old son Austin as they move into an affluent town in Massachusetts for a fresh start. And with it comes a lot of complexities. Between grief, strained mother-daughter relationships, and having the past catch up to them, there are several problems that they have to face.
Going a little darker, we have The White Lotus, a dark comedy-drama anthology created by Mike White for Max.
The story follows the guests and employees of the fictional White Lotus resort chain, whose interactions are affected by their various psychosocial dysfunctions. Supposedly with each day that passes, a darker complexity emerges.
Never Have I Ever is one that I thoroughly enjoy. The comedy-drama stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and was created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher and is said to be loosely based on Kaling’s childhood experiences in the Boston area.
The series follows the complicated life of a first-generation Indian-American teenage girl who is dealing with the loss of her father, all while pursuing her crushes and discovering her true self. It not only talks about some heavy topics but goes into the mind of a teenage girl struggling to fit in with the rest of the world while figuring out her emotions.
Looking at a little bit of a darker comedy-drama, we have End of the F***ing World which can be found on Netflix. The show is based on Charles Forsman’s mini-comics which were collected into a book in 2013.
The story focuses on James, a 17-year-old who believes himself to be a psychopath, and Alyssa, an angry classmate of his who sees in James a chance to escape her tumultuous home life. The two make a connection and she persuades him to embark on a road trip to search for her real father, and James sees this as an opportunity to kill her.
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Shrinking is a new series in 2023 and stars amazing names like our beloved Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, and more. The comedy-drama was created by Bill Lawrence, Segel, and Brett Goldstein. The story follows Segel who is playing a grieving therapist who decides to become drastically more involved in his patients’ lives.
Not only does he ignore his training and ethics, he tells his patients exactly what he thinks and finds himself making huge changes in people’s lives, including his own. Even though it’s a newer show, this is one of the best dramedies streaming right now.
Atypical is one of the best shows recently, even though it concluded in 2021 with the fourth and final season. The comedy-drama was created by Robia Rashid for Netflix and takes place in Connecticut. The story focuses on the life of 18-year-old Samuel Gardner who is on the autism spectrum.
When Sam decides to try and get a girlfriend, things get a little bit crazy, and even his mom has to work on dealing with these life changes as her son seeks independence.
A personal favorite of mine is The Good Place, a fantasy comedy-drama that was created by Michael Schur and premiered in 2016. The show lasted four seasons, concluding in 2020 with over 50 episodes.
Starring Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, Ted Danson, and Manny Jacinto, the story follows four people who have died and have made it to the afterlife in the “Good Place”. Kristen Bell played Eleanor Shellstrop, realizes she was sent there by mistake and must hide her morally imperfect past behavior while becoming a better version of herself. It’s hilarious, unique, and full of chaos.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a period comedy-drama series that was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and premiered on Prime Video in 2017. The story takes place in the late 50s and early 60s with flashforwards to alter decades in the final season.
Starring Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam “Midge” Maisel who is a housewife in New York who discovers she has a talent for stand-up comedy and pursues a career in the field. It’s an incredibly entertaining and empowering series that went on for five seasons, ending in 2023.
Known for being one of the best dramedies, Shameless follows a scrappy and feisty Chicago family that deals with hard topics like a dysfunctional family, drug addiction, domestic violence, and more. Due to an alcoholic father, Frank and an absent mother, Fiona, the eldest daughter takes the role of parent for her five brothers and sisters.
As Fiona tries to find balance in her life between her siblings and personal dreams, Lip, Ian, Debbie, Carl, and Liam all deal with their own issues, making each episode a funny, dramatic, and chaotic journey with the Gallagher family. The TV dramedy series has 11 seasons, making it the perfect bingeable show to start. It’s available on Hulu, Netflix, and Showtime.
Streaming on Netflix, Sex Education is one of the best dramedies and coming-of-age stories out right now. Following socially awkward Otis (Asa Butterfield), a teenage boy who has a sex therapist as a mother. Because of this, Otis receives several open talks about sex and is surrounded by videos and manuals.
He uses these skills to open a secret sex therapy clinic at school to boost his social status and help his classmates’ problems, all while trying to figure himself out as well. It’s one of the best dramedies set in a school that also talks about some real topics like individuality and first-time experiences.
Available on Max, The Righteous Gemstones is a great TV dramedy series with four seasons. It follows a world-famous and dysfunctional family of televangelists with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work.
With heavy-hitting names like John Goodman, Danny McBridge, Adam Devine, and Edi Patterson, The Righteous Gemstones is one of the best dramedies streaming right now.
Sports shows make some of the best dramedies, and Ted Lasso is no different. Available on Apple TV, Ted Lasso follows an American college football coach (Jason Sudeikis) who heads to London to manage AFC Richmond, a struggling English Premier League football team.
While Lasso is optimistic and cheery, his team is quite bitter and rude, making for some funny moments. There are also some deep topics like struggling relationships, whether romantic or parental and never feeling like you’re good enough for what you’re doing. It’s a great, lighthearted dramedy that is also a feel-good show.
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Set after the iconic TV series, Sex and the City, And Just Like That follows Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as they navigate the journey from their 30s to their 50s. Following the protagonists through their everyday life and relationship struggles and bringing fans the nostalgia of one of the best shows.
Max has both Sex and the City as well as And Just Like That for those who are interested in watching both. Season two of the next chapter is currently streaming.
Amazon Prime Video has some of the best dramedies, whether it’s TV series or movies, but this one takes the spot for best. The Boys is set in a universe where superpowered people are considered heroes and are loved by the general public. They are also owned by a powerful corporation, Vought International, which makes these superheroes are marketed and monetized. Outside of these personas, though, they are corrupt and arrogant.
The series follows two main groups, the Seven, which are Vought International’s premier superhero team, and The Boys, vigilantes looking to keep the corrupt heroes under control. Conflict ensues between the two groups, creating an intense and entertaining series of events. With four seasons and counting, this is one of the best dramedies streaming right now for those who are interested in some action.
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Available on Max, this dramedy follows the Roy family, who is known for controlling the biggest media and entertainment company in the world. When their father steps down from the company, their whole world changes as they fight for control of the company.
As each family member fights for their spot in the company, lack of morals and values are exposed, and each one sees just how ruthless and terrible the others can be. Succession ran for four seasons and is the winner of 13 Emmys, making it one of the best TV dramedy that you can stream right now.
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Considered one of the best dramedies, Suits follows Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), a brilliant college dropout who is on the run after a drug deal gone wrong. After slipping into a job interview, he finds himself working with one of the best lawyers in New York City, Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), making them a winning team.
And although Mike is a genius with a photographic memory, he still has a lot to learn about the law. Each character helps the other out, making them an irrepressible duo and invaluable to the practice. The series has 9 series which you can find the entirety on Peacock, and only eight on Netflix.
Available on Hulu, The Bear is an amazing series that received a lot of love quickly. This series follows a young chef, Carmen Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) who returns to Chicago after dealing with the fine dining world to run his family’s sandwich shop.
Carmen experiences the struggles of trading in his life at a Michelin star restaurant for a small business with strong-willed staff and strained family relationships, all while dealing with the grief of a family death. It deals with hard topics all while bringing in lighthearted comedy, making it one of the best dramedies streaming right now.
Another Hulu addition, this TV series is one of the best dramedies out there right now. Starring Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers who live in the same apartment building in New York City and share an obsession with true crime.
Their world turns upside down when they get thrown into a murder case. Using their podcast, they try to uncover the truth, but soon, they feel as though their lives are in danger as they get deeper into the case. Currently, in the third season, this is a fun and thrilling dramedy to watch for true crime lovers.
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Our first Stephen King movie is the 1989 Pet Sematary, written by Stephen King himself. This is a zombie film that provides an interesting take on the walking dead and how someone could take advantage of it. Gory, unsettling, and still creepy to this day, it doesn’t matter that this movie is rated 20th because you should still check it out.
You might want to think twice about certain bedroom activities after watching Gerald’s Game. A couple trying to reignite their failing relationship drives to a remote lake house for a short vacation. When the woman accidentally kills her husband during foreplay though, she is trapped — handcuffed to the bed with no way to get off. The woman must figure out how to get out of her predicament, all while battling her deliriousness.
When a novelist realizes a vampire has taken up residence in his New England town and starts to turn his neighbors into vampires as well, it is up to him and a young horror fan to try and save the small town in Salem’s Lot. I read this book a couple of years ago and I enjoyed it, especially with the constant feeling of a vampire being just around the corner and the growing sense of doom in the novelist’s mind.
Christine takes the idea of a killer car to new lengths when unpopular nerd Arnie buys a 1958 Plymouth Fury, naming it Christine. When Arnie becomes increasingly obsessed with the car, his jock friend Dennis worries, and rightfully so. When bully Buddy defaces Christine, the auto restores itself and then goes on a killing rampage. It’s up to Dennie and Arnie’s girlfriend Leigh to stop Christine before anyone else gets hurt.
Made in 2007 and starring John Cusack, who plays a paranormal debunker taunted into staying in the haunted hotel room, 1408. What follows is a psychological horror that isn’t the best Stephen King adaptation, but one much better than the 61 percent given on Rotten Tomatoes.
The fifteenth choice of our best Stephen King movies and TV shows is Hearts in Atlantis. In the film, a mysterious man enlists the help of a brilliant young boy to save his life. Their resulting friendship will forever change the way the boy sees the world, and makes for a pretty impressive drama.
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The Mist (movie) has an ending most won’t see coming. It breaks from the norm and leaves a lasting impression. Like with most Stephen King adaptations, the characters are interesting beyond plot devices, and The Mist delivers more than most, and all within the confines of a store.
The largely popular Stephen King novel The Stand was turned into a television miniseries in 1994, presented in four distinct parts. In part one, “The Plague” a super-virus leaked from a lab kills most of the population, while in part two the survivors share “The Dreams.” Divisions start to split the population apart into good and evil in “The Betrayal” — part three — and “The Stand” between good and evil is the final part of the series.
The Dead Zone pilot is based on the book by Stephen King. Despite further episodes veering off on their own, the show remains true to its origin about a man who wakes from a coma with psychic powers. The show ran for six seasons and despite being a mixed bag, it remains one of the better Stephen King shows made.
The original IT movie was good but the kids in the 2017 remake (Chapter One) are better. They have an on-screen friendship and togetherness that the original couldn’t match. Plus, modern effects allow Pennywise the Dancing Clown to be bigger and scarier. If you want jump scares and some great one-liners, IT Chapter One is a must-watch adaptation.
One of the more recent Stephen King adaptations is Doctor Sleep, a continuation of Dan’s story in The Shining. Now an adult, Dan struggles with alcoholism and is still traumatized by the sinister events that happened in the Overlook Hotel. Trying to live a peaceful life, Dan gets thrust right back into chaos when he meets Abra, a teen who shares his gift of the “shine.” They must come together to battle the True Knot, a cult whose members try to feed off the shine to become immortal.
Some murder cases aren’t just open-and-shut, which is very true in the film Dolores Claiborne. Dolores, a housekeeper, works for rich and heartless Vera Donovan until she turns up dead, painting Dolores as the main suspect. To help save her mother, estranged daughter Selena visits and tries to investigate the murder herself. What she discovers though will change her thoughts about the murder and her childhood.
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Directed by Brian De Palma, this King adaptation is memorable and deserves much more than the 77 percent given on Rotten Tomatoes. The mother-daughter face-off in Carrie is gripping, and the movie is full of iconic scenes, including Sissy Spacek covered in pig’s blood. If you’ve never seen it, stream it now.
Castle Rock is not an adaptation of a book but a homage to King’s worlds. It’s a reimagining that explores King’s canon with new stories that are both big-budget and fantastically made. What makes this a must-watch show is that everything comes together in a way that unifies Stephen King’s work, and it’s unmissable television because of it.
The Outsider was one of the best shows of 2020. The only negative is that it forces you to watch multiple episodes back-to-back — it’s that good. This single-season show is gripping, with fantastic performances and a supernatural tale that’s not to be missed. If you have HBO Max, make sure you add it to your watchlist now.
Misery is easily one of the best Stephen King thrillers ever. Its brilliance can be summed up in two words: Kathy Bates. The actress’s performance is the reason to watch this Stephen King adaptation. It’s so good she won the Best Actress Oscar for it. To this day, Misery is the only Stephen King adaptation to ever win an Oscar.
Without a doubt, with the exclusion of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, Stand by Me is the best Stephen King movie or show. It has chemistry, a simple premise, and is the best growing-up kids’ movie ever made. If you only watch one King movie on this list, Stand by Me should be it — unless you want something scary, of course.
One of the most recognizable Stephen King films, The Shining is both an incredible book and movie, focusing on the Torrance family as they become caretakers at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Jack, a burnt-out writer, hopes he can rekindle his creative flame while his wife Wendy and son Danny are just along for the ride. But, when Danny starts getting increasingly disturbing visions and Jack’s writing goes nowhere, a dark presence takes over Jack and turns him into a homicidal maniac.
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A heartbreaking and eye-opening film, The Green Mile is most certainly one of the best Stephen King films and one of the best films of all time. Prison guard Paul has seen a variety of cons but has never encountered someone like John Coffey, a massive black man convicted of killing a pair of young sisters. Though his body could easily kill the sisters, Coffey’s demeanor is the farthest thing from a killer. When Paul realizes Coffey may possess a supernatural gift, he begins to question whether he killed anyone.
Our final best Stephen King movie rightfully earns its top spot and is also coincidentally about men in prison. The Shawshank Redemption focuses on Andy Dufresne, who is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and lover which he didn’t do. While in prison Andy becomes friends with Red, experiences the brutality of prison life, helps the warden, and adapts in nineteen years.
Though I love reading Stephen King, there is something innately terrifying about watching them transformed into films or television series. If you’re a lover of King or just love horror movies make sure to add some of these best Stephen King movies and tv shows to your watchlist.
]]>Willy Wonka has traveled the world for seven years, perfecting his craft and collecting all the wacky and wild ingredients he will need to make his signature chocolates. Landing in Europe, he plans to make a fortune selling chocolates at the Galeries Gourmet but instantly falls into a bit of trouble.
Due to having no shop, Wonka isn’t allowed to sell chocolate on the streets, and to make matters worse the boarding house he chose to stay in his first night swindled him into a large amount of debt. Wonka is condemned to work in the washroom until his debts are settled, but of course, the story doesn’t end there. Wonka instead enlists the help of Noodle, an orphan that Mrs. Scrubitt (the owner of the boarding house/laundromat) has taken in at a cost, of course.
Combining forces with the others trapped in Mrs. Scrubitt’s grasp, Wonka starts selling chocolates again on the street and eventually earns enough money to buy a shop. Throughout this whole exchange, we get a glimpse into the chocolate empire of Slugworth, Prodnose, and Fickelgruber and the lengths they go to bribe and swindle their way to the top.
It all seems to be going well when Wonka opens his store and customers flock in, but an unknown poisoning of the chocolates by Mrs. Scrubitt causes the customers to retaliate against Wonka, destroying his store and his dreams. It is only when Wonka figures out that he must reveal the sneaky actions taken by the cartel that he can liberate his friends, sell his chocolate, and get rid of the cartel for good.
Now if you thought the plot was colorful and crazy, the setting balances some of this out. The buildings are all made of brick and stone, but allow an intimate glimpse into the Galeries Gourmet and the many sides of a city. But, it’s not a Dahl movie without some unique additions, and this appears in the form of exploring a zoo at night, the intricate vault of the chocolate cartel, and the dreams that both Noodle and Wonka have about their future lives.
The best piece of scenery comes at the end of the film when Wonka and Lofty the Oompa Loompa explore the abandoned “castle” that will soon turn into Wonka’s factory. As they walk around, Wonka’s imagination conjures the finished factory, and it is stunning. I enjoyed the balance of an explosion of the rainbow with the duller tones of beige and grey because it gave those moments of imagination that extra punch.
This may seem like a weird statement, but Noodle’s advice to Wonka represents the class differences that appear throughout the film. Noodle and Wonka are at the bottom of the food chain, unable to pursue their dreams due to debts and skewed guidelines they must follow. But, there is always a way to get where you need to be, which Noodle and Wonka achieve by finding Noodle’s mother and getting rid of the cartel so Wonka can sell his chocolates.
The cartel of course represents the “greedy,” along with the priest, chocoholic monks, and the chief of police. They all are so blinded by profit and chocolate that they will do anything to achieve their ends. This means that the chief of police has no problem driving away any competition and even causing an “accident” to the competition, just to get his hands on more rich chocolate. That is until Wonka and Noodle reveal their misdeeds over the years, and all of them fall off their pedestal.
I love that each of the characters had to learn to grow in a certain way to stake their claim in Galeries Gourmet and that Wonka learned how to enjoy life truly after losing his mother so young.
Wonka and its counterparts Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) are all based on the same book by Roald Dahl in 1964 – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Though the 2023 version was transformed into a musical play by screenwriters Paul King and Simon Farnaby, it still holds elements of both the novel and the 1971 version of Willy Wonka.
Though I really enjoyed seeing a new perspective of the famous chocolate maker, there is something intimately special about the 1971 original film. I love watching five children get chosen to visit the factory, and how Willy’s quirkiness often sets him apart from the rest of society. Wonka might have shown Willy’s difficulties as a budding chocolatier, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory provides the foundation for all of the subsequent movies made in this universe.
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Right now you can watch Wonka in theaters, but the other two movies are old enough to be streaming. The 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is available to stream on MAX and Sling TV, while the 2005 Charlie and the Chocoloate Factory can be streamed on MAX and Hulu.
There are so many fantastical elements in this film that I think it truly embodies the story that Roald Dahl created. I will say I was surprised when Chalemet started singing in the opening scenes, but since all of the other Wonka movies contain singing portions, it only made sense that this one would too.
I loved the characters and the storyline, and even though Wonka was confident of his chocolate-making abilities, he didn’t know how to read, showing that vulnerability in a character that I prize in films. The final thing is the hints to the original movie, from certain chocolate creations to the factory at the end. It was super nostalgic to step back into my childhood for two hours and enjoy myself in the world of candy, so ultimately I’d recommend a watch based on my Wonka review.
]]>First, let’s do a quick introduction of each Southern Charm season 9 cast member and how they relate to each other in the friend group this season.
A veteran on Southern Charm, Craig is everyone’s favorite person to make fun of. But, he actually has his life together in season 9, which gives him the upper hand. After founding and running Sewing Down South, Craig is thriving in Charleston and happily dating his long-distance girlfriend, Paige.
Austen is usually the slightly immature, but friendly bachelor. This season, he is a source of drama and is stuck between two best friends: Taylor and Olivia. His friends with others in the group are also put at risk based on this dynamic.
Speaking of bachelors, Shep is the original bachelor on the series. He gets older every year and yet still acts like a 20-year-old living on his own for the first time.
Olivia is arguably the main character of Southern Charm season 9 as everyone rallies around her and the hard times she experiences. She’s searching for a relationship, but won’t settle for anything less than what she wants.
Taylor is in her post-break-up era, which means leaning into her female friendships and trying to find purpose in her new single life in Charleston. However, she still seems to be struggling with her heartbreak and makes poor choices as a result.
Madison was a long-time single mother but is newly married as of this season. Her relationship with the friend group has changed over the years. She went from being labeled as “Austen’s ex” to becoming the surrogate mother of everyone on Southern Charm this season.
Venita is the classy friend that everyone aspires to be, but she’s also slightly removed from the group. As a busy influencer and girlfriend, she never takes any backtalk from the Southern Charm cast.
JT is another bachelor who was friends with Shep, Craig, and Austen before he joined this larger group. As a divorcé, he is a bit immature, but looking for a new, more stable relationship in his life. He’s Taylor’s biggest cheerleader.
Another kind of mother figure, or at least a mature friend in the franchise, is Leva. She is the owner of several popular Charleston bars and restaurants, but at the end of the day, she’s a girl’s girl in this friend group.
Rod is the sweet boy of the friend group and actually knows Leva the best out of anyone. He is looking for a girlfriend (Olivia) but also respects the complicated dynamics of this friend group.
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Now that we’ve all been acquainted, it’s time to dive in and recap season 9. This is no small feat because the infamous friend group went through several trials and tribulations this year.
It’s important to recall the end of season 8 because, at that point, Shep and Taylor were still happy together and about to travel to Europe. Fast forward to season 9 where the show opens with Shep and Taylor recovering from their tumultuous breakup, which worsened due to Shep being unfaithful. The very first episode of season 9 is meant to celebrate Madison’s marriage to her new boo, Brett, but also happens to be the first reunion of Shep and Taylor since the breakup and “cool down” period.
From there, we see the friend group divide between Shep and Taylor and then again between Taylor and Olivia. If you’re not familiar with Taylor and Olivia’s relationship, all you need to know is that they became very close until Taylor used Olivia’s sort-of-ex-boyfriend to comfort her after Shep broke it off.
It wouldn’t be a Bravo show without several trips throughout the season contributing to the friend dynamics and drama. As a result, let’s look at each location from the season paying particular attention to the two trips that led to new revelations.
When this group is at home in Charleston, they seem to find common ground with each other and remain grounded. This keeps some of the more volatile drama at bay until the vacations come into the mix.
This season in Charleston, both the boys and the girls make an effort to hang out in groups. The key relationships at home in season 9 are Taylor and Olivia, Austen and Olivia, and Shep and Taylor. Without these one-on-one relationships, there would have been far less drama this season.
Right off the bat, we can see that Taylor acts differently than she did in the past. For years, she was known as Shep’s fun and bubbly girlfriend. However, in Southern Charm season 9, she appears resentful, upset, and lonely. She and Olivia became best friends because they were both navigating being single after past relationships. What shakes this group to the core is that Taylor confides in Shep’s close friend, Austen, who also happens to be Olivia’s ex.
The secrecy is apparent as Taylor and Austen continually hang out alone and don’t share that with the others. As soon as word leaks to the group, Olivia feels completely betrayed and the group rightfully sides alongside her after Taylor’s sneaking and lying. Not to mention, shortly after, Olivia’s brother suddenly dies from an overdose and the group comes together to mourn the tragedy.
Things between Taylor and Olivia and Shep and Taylor come to a head in Linville.
Olivia visits Taylor and her family in good faith after they have barely spoken since the information about Taylor and Austen came out. During their conversation, Olivia can’t get past the lies, so she does not accept Taylor’s apology. Even though they hoped it would be a makeup, their chat was awkward and I wanted to escape just as much as the two of them did afterward.
Originally meant to be a boys’ weekend at Shep’s family mountain house in Linville, Taylor and Olivia decide to crash. While the whole group is together and drinking, Shep starts picking a fight with everyone, particularly Austen and Taylor. Shep’s infidelity is brought up leaving Shep to admit that cheating on Taylor “was fun.” This tense moment erupts in a huge fight where Taylor makes it clear that she can’t get their breakup out of her head.
After all the betrayal and tragedy in season 9, the series ends with a group trip to Jamaica. This trip is mostly full of good times, but also awkwardness between Taylor and Olivia as they still haven’t worked things out. Also, this is the first time Shep honestly confronts Austen about going after Taylor soon after their break up. As Craig kept saying, “Friends don’t hook up with friend’s ex-girlfriends.”
The fighting and pent-up aggression go to show that regardless of Austen being in therapy and trying to work on himself, he still made a sneaky decision and never owned up to his friend about it. Shep, on the other hand, needs to look in the mirror and try to work on himself. On this trip, you can see that he is still manipulating Taylor emotionally even though they aren’t together. Their connection still appears strong, which is why Shep is so upset with Austen and why Taylor remains distraught.
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To sum up my takeaways from season 9, here is one question: Why are we blaming women for men’s behavior?
At the heart of this Southern Charm season 9 recap, we can see that Taylor and Olivia are struggling the most and being blamed for choices that were also made by the men. Shep and Austen are responsible for everything that is happening. Shep is a cheater, has a lack of empathy, and refuses to distance himself from Taylor or change his behavior. Austen lies, refuses to confront issues head-on, and can’t decide which woman he’s in love with.
While Taylor should try to move on from Shep and should not have lied to Olivia when Austen asked her to, it’s not fair to blame her alone. Clearly, she is emotional after her relationship and recognizes her mistakes, but no one can start to move on because Shep and Austen never have to answer for their actions.
Austen betrayed Shep just as much as Taylor betrayed Olivia. Plus, Shep actively hurt Taylor by asking her to quit her job and go away with him while he was cheating on her and did not know if the relationship would last. Worst of all, he doesn’t feel remorse for his behavior and doesn’t see why he and Taylor can’t be as close as they were before. His entire presence in season 9 was off-putting and this should be what we’re talking about. As the saying goes, “Cheating is impossible to take back.”
There was a lot of drama that needed to be unpacked in the Southern Charm season 9 recap. But now, the question is, who will be back for season 10, and what will happen then?
As a Bravo and Southern Charm fan, I think that all cast members will return except for Rod and Madison. I don’t think Rod meshed with the group well enough to stay and I think Madison will be too busy trying to become a second-time mother. I wouldn’t be surprised if Olivia pulled out of season 10 to explore her new life on her own, but I do think she’ll give us the comeback she deserves.
Another prediction is that Paige, Craig’s long-distance girlfriend, will make more appearances in season 10. She may not move to Charleston full-time, but it’s very clear that she added a refreshing honesty to the group and the audience adores her.
I do not think that Shep will grow up or change his ways, which will make it harder and harder to watch him sit alongside Taylor. Next season will be Taylor’s moment to move on and show off a side of herself that can reclaim the reputation she earned in season 9.
Until then, cue the Southern Charm theme song: “Ba ba doo, Ba ba dee.”
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Starting our list strong is Grown Ups, one of my favorite comedy movies that has Adam Sandler in it. Also starring comedic giants Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider, your stomach will be hurting by the end of the film. In the movie, the five friends get together with their families after the death of their basketball coach, and end up hanging out together for the Fourth of July weekend, learning more about themselves and each other along the way.
This movie is great to watch with friends, because of the comedic elements and the fact that even though time has pulled these friends in different directions, they still are incredibly close.
If you’re planning a murder mystery-themed movie night, add Amsterdam to the list. Based on the Business Plot that occurred in the United States in 1933, the movie focuses on three friends who witnessed a murder. They later become suspects themselves, which leads them to try and find the actual killer all while uncovering one of the most outrageous plots in American history.
Not even a murder could separate these friends apart, proving that this movie is perfect for friends to watch together. Why not add in a little mystery too?
What if your friends weren’t actually your friends? In Bodies Bodies Bodies, supposed “friends” turn on each other the second something goes wrong in their self-absorbed worlds. When a group of friends in their 20s get stuck in a mansion, they start to play a murder mystery game with the lights off. But, when an actual dead body appears on the ground, relations split as the survivors frantically try to find the killer among them.
Perfect for horror or thriller fans, trust that your friends wouldn’t treat you the same way.
If you want a raunchy yet clear view into the struggles of high school, look no further than the new movie Bottoms. When unpopular best friends PJ and Josie start a high school fight club to meet girls and lose their virginity, they start to regret their decisions when the most popular students start beating each other up in “self-defense.”
I’ve heard a lot of good things about this movie, and if you and your friends want to dive back into the world of cringy high school behavior, then you should check this movie out.
Smothered in pink? Absolutely with the new Barbie film. Though all characters are either versions of Barbie or Ken, there is a real friendship between all of the dolls in Barbie Land. But, their friendship is put to the test when Barbie and Ken dive into the real world and realize that everything isn’t always as perfect as it seems.
If you loved Barbie dolls as a kid, or just want to watch a feel-good nostalgic movie with your friends, try out Barbie.
Back to the murder mystery genre, Glass Onion is within the Knives Out franchise with the same Detective Blanc and a whole new mystery for him to untangle. In this film tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends to his private Greek island for a short getaway. Things go awry though when someone turns up dead, and Blanc must sift through their past lives to find the true culprit.
I enjoyed this movie, especially because the twists and turns were throughout the movie, not just with who the killer was. If you want to elevate your Clue game, watch this movie with your friends to figure out the killer before they strike again.
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Though I have never personally watched this movie (shocking, I know), I’ve heard great things about the iconic movie Mean Girls. Wednesdays we wear pink? Sure, and movie nights with friends must include this film. Dive back into the world of high school with Cady Heron who moves to the suburbs of Illinois to experience public school. Unintentionally falling in with the cool students known as “the Plastics,” she soon realizes the truth about her group of “friends.”
Mean Girls brings to light the struggles of finding a place in the world, and how high schools are constantly dominated by cliques and popularity contests. This is perfect for those friends who don’t need these labels to hang out together and enjoy each other for who they are.
Music lovers come close, for the next movie on our list will get you and your friends singing along to every acapella song. Pitch Perfect focuses on the main character Beca who is a freshman at Barden University and is thrust into the world of acapella groups when she joins the Barden Bellas. Even though their group is filled with misfits who don’t like each other, the girls know that when they sing everything else falls away. To win their college competition, the Bellas must overcome their differences and mesh in harmony.
I love this movie, and it’s a great choice for friends because you can sing along with the groups, and realize that everyone’s differences are a strength to make the bond between you even stronger.
Next on our list is another horror movie, and one you should recognize as there is a whole franchise surrounding this masked killer. In the 1996 version of Scream, a group of high school students who live in middle-class suburbia are being terrorized by a masked maniac. But, there’s a twist that’s present in all Scream movies, and that is the victims aren’t always the ones you’d expect.
Cuddle with your favorite friends on the couch for this horrifying film, and be glad they will always have your back.
One of my favorite movies of all time, The Goonies is a great adventure-filled film that shows friendship is super important, no matter what age you are. When a group of kids that are about to lose their houses find a treasure map for One-Eyed Willie’s ship, they embark on a crazy adventure that will bring them all together, all while a group of convicts are trying to get to the treasure too.
If you don’t mind an older movie, show this film to your friends and treasure the bond that is between you.
Though you should only watch this if you’re 18+, this side-splitting film is perfect for a group of friends who want to laugh until their face hurts. The Hangover features a group of friends that take a weekend trip to Las Vegas for a bachelor party and wake up the next morning with the bachelor nowhere to be seen. It’s up to his three friends to figure out what happened that night, and where they misplaced their best friend.
Anyone who enjoys the phrase “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” will enjoy watching this movie with their friends.
Maybe adventure, horror, or comedy isn’t what you were planning for your movie night. If you want to finish the movie in tears, throw on The Notebook, based on the famous novel by Nicholas Sparks. It’s 1940s South Carolina where mill worker Noah Calhoun and rich girl Allie fall desperately in love. When Noah goes off to serve in WWII, it seems like their love has died and Allie becomes involved with a new man. When Noah returns on the cusp of Allie’s wedding, they realize that the romance is anything but over.
Grab those tissues and cuddle in close to your friends for this film — trust me.
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“Who ya gonna call…ghostbusters!” This friends movie list would be incomplete without including some paranormal mischief, and a group of friends trying to save New York City. Ghostbusters is a movie that pits supernatural beings from another dimension against a team of ex-university scientists for the ultimate battle.
There are so many memorable moments in this film, and you and your friends are sure to love it…just maybe not the ectoplasm.
I watched this groundbreaking film for the first time with my friends at college, so it only makes sense to add it to our list. Avatar delves deep into the world of Pandora, where the Na’vi live and thrive. Humans have come to their planet to harvest precious material underneath the surface, and this increases the tensions between Na’vi and humans. It’ll take the mindset of a disabled former Marine to find peace between the two or risk the Na’vi’s world being torn apart.
Science fiction and fantasy lovers will thoroughly enjoy this movie, as well as your friends on movie night.
Last but most certainly not least on our list is Guardians of the Galaxy, a film that resides in the Marvel Universe and is now part of an amazing trilogy. The funniest thing about this movie at the start is the main characters hate each other but have to grudgingly work together to break out of intergalactic prison. When they realize there is a much bigger threat to work against, the group bands together, naming themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Marvel and superhero lovers should enjoy this movie, and realize how powerful friendships can be, whether they are new or old.
Sometimes a movie is the best option when you want to hang out with your friends. It’s even better when the movie itself also prizes friendships the characters make over time. If you’re planning a movie night soon, make sure to add some of these films to your to-be-watched list.
]]>Played by David Matthew Macfayden, Tom is married to Shiv Roy, who is part of the Roy family that the show focuses on. For some of the best Tom Wambsgans quotes, then check out this amazing list complete with the funniest and most heartbreaking lines, giving you a full insight into who he is, and why he is one of the best characters in the show.
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It’s pretty obvious from the start that Shiv and Tom are not a good match. She’s a mess and even admitted it on their wedding night. Several fans even question if she even loves him. While Tom adores her, Shiv seems like she just wants control.
There are several quotes between the two that showcase this, but one that is heartbreaking is “It’s good to know we don’t have an unbalanced love portfolio”, which just shows that Tom, a child of a lawyer who owes everything to his marriage, and Shiv, who has no power inside the Roy empire but still has control over her husband, is just wildly toxic and confusing.
Their relationship is intertwined with the Roy empire so severely, that if separated, their marriage would most likely fall apart.
There are several people in the show that ship Greg and Tom. While Tom is married to Shiv Roy, it’s obvious that their marriage is in a rough spot, and several believe the chemistry between Greg and Tom works better than his current choice.
That being said, there are a lot of moments within the show that show off this chemistry, as well as showcase who Tom is in very minute moments. One instance, for example, is when Tom and Greg are out for a meal and Greg is confused about the prices not being written on the menu for wine.
Tom has a small monologue about being rich and how amazing it is. This not only represents who Tom is, as he’s been known to talk down to the lower classes and focus on the status quo.
After four seasons, Tom has stepped farther away from Shiv emotionally. Their relationship seems more business, now than ever, and it shows when this line is brought up. Shiv is said to be pregnant with his child, although Tom is reluctant to believe that due to her infidelity record.
So when Greg informs Tom about Shiv and Matsson’s secret alliance, Tom produces one of the best lines that not only show off his personality but show that he’s ready to use any information against his wife when it’s the right time.
“it’s a nice safe space where you don’t have to pretend to like hamilton.” “well, I like hamilton.” “sure, you do. we all do.” pic.twitter.com/sT4HC4GKel
— succession clips and reaction videos (@successionreact) November 23, 2021
Tom is hilarious and makes some amazing comments, like when he reassures Greg while they’re at a gathering. Greg feels a little out of place and mentions that someone called him a name regarding the demographic attending the Future Freedom Summit.
Tom replies that this is a safe space where “you don’t have to pretend to like Hamilton”. This not only shows off Tom being a culture warrior, but talks about how everything is political. It’s hilarious when Greg responds with “But I liked Hamilton” and Tom responds with “Sure you do, we all do”.
This is a personal favorite of mine. There are some great Tom Wambsgans quotes out there, but I love where Tom really is in his element and insults people who are just breaking the status quo and gets sassy with it.
Greg brings a date which creates a faux pas, and when Greg asks what’s wrong, Tom breaks out a great line saying that she’s brought a “ludicrously capacious handbag”, and then goes down the list of things that could possibly be in such a large bag.
I mean this is just too funny not to say when you’re going about your day-to-day. Tom is at an underground party where a bunch of powerful business and media figures are mingling, and Greg is tasked with keeping track of Logan as he deals with his drug abuse problems.
When Greg takes a ton of cocaine during this party, Tom produces one of the best Tom Wambsgans quotes by saying “Buckle Up”, which can be seen in the video above. An amazing quote that should be said more throughout Succession.
The idea of going to prison is terrifying, and something many of us will never experience. But Tom brings out how haunting and dejected he feels when the time gets closer and closer.
One of the best Tom Wambsgans quotes is during the diner scene with Greg and Tom where he says “What’s good is to eradicate hope”, which is just heartbreaking. Of course, it’s true, that if you go in with no hope, they can’t kick you down further, but it’s a sad way to live for sure.
If there’s one thing I love about Tom is that he has some of the best sass in the show. The delivery, the exaggeration, the amazing Greg just continuously being a punching bag (except the small little “shut up” and looking terrified after it left his mouth), it’s funny, and fans loved it.
The best Tom Wambsgans quotes happened in season 2 episode 7 where Greg offered Tom an envelope that said “receipts” in hopes of finding some secrets, and Tom feigned astonishment with his intellect.
Spending the weekend with another family is rough, especially if things get tense between the two. The Roy family has their issues, but it’s clear that the Pierce family also has issues, which creates an interesting episode. During these tense moments, most of us try to change subjects to keep things civil or prevent from diving into deeper topics.
One such moment provides one of the best Tom Wambsgans quotes in the series, with Tom joining in on the King Lear quoting that is happening by saying “King of edible leaves, his Majesty the spinach”, a hilarious addition to the conversation.
Several fans hope that Greg and Tom will end up together by the end, while others believe that the advances are just a way for Tom to gain control since he has no control in his current marriage. Either way, this line creates some tension.
This line can be seen as a power dynamic, forcing Greg to play the doting housewife that Tom is usually seen as through Shiv, or it could be seen as though Tom actually has some romantic attraction to Greg. Either way, you spin it, this is a line that creates several different ideas that can be hard to clearly define.
We all hold grudges, and Tom is no different. He might hold grudges a bit longer than most. One of the best Tom Wambsgans quotes is during the third episode in the second season when the Waystar team is trying to figure out how to ask Logan if he is planning to acquire Pierce’s Media Company without facing his wrath.
While the family is deciding, some are trying to persuade Tom to do it for them. Gerri reassures Tom that he’ll be fine since he is family. But Tom comes back with this amazing line, pretty much saying that he’s not convinced that it would go well.
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Some of the best Tom Wambsgans quotes are the most awkward ones, like when the Roys were at the Argestes for a tech conference and had the chaos regarding the cruise scandal closing in on them.
As they were going around the event, Logan noticed rival Sandy Furness during pre-drinks, in which he tells Tom and Greg both that he’s suffering from a certain STI. Tom, of course, responds in the most Tom-like fashion by saying that you don’t hear “much about syphilis these days”, as if that’s the best response he could find.
Tom is hilarious when it comes to insults, having some of the most absurd lines, which also creates some of the best Tom Wambsgans quotes. In the Roy empire, it’s all about making your way to the top of the ladder, and for Greg, he’s well below the bottom.
As the newest member of the group, and technically an outsider altogether, Greg is pretty much a punching bag. Even though Tom takes him under his wing and they have a pretty strong bond in the later seasons, it’s still funny to look back at some of the best insults, like when Tom talks about Greg’s shoes on the first day at the job.
As the second best Tom Wambsgans quote, we have yet another quote that portrays how miserable Tom is in his marriage.
The second season and tenth episode have the Roys spending their vacation on their yacht, and there is a moment when Shiv and Tom have some time together where Tom questions his sadness focusing on the relationship, wondering if he’d just be happier if they were separated. It’s heartbreaking hearing it, and
One of the best Tom Wambsgans quotes is during the second season in the second episode. As the new head of the ATN news, Tom is trying to prove his authority, especially with Greg, who isn’t comfortable with being part of the network due to them spreading fake news.
But Tom has an amazing line, not only showing that he will do what it takes to move up in the world but also reassuring Greg a bit by saying that now isn’t the time for morals. The Roy family is harsh as is, but sometimes it takes you doing morally bad things to get farther up on the ladder, and that’s exactly what they’re working on doing.
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Succession focuses on the Roy family who are known for controlling the biggest media and entertainment company in the world.
However, their world changes when their father steps down from the company, having all their siblings fight for their chance to control the company.
There are only four seasons with a total of 39 episodes. The first season premiered in June 2018, with the final episode airing in May 2023.
You can watch Succession on Max.
Max is one of the best subscription services that you can find today, with several different options when it comes to memberships.
If you want the cheapest option that includes ads, then you’ll pay $9.99 a month, or $99.99 a year. This gives you the ability to stream on 2 decides at once and full HD 1080p.
Ad-free is a bit more expensive at $15.99 a month or $149.99 a year. This gives you everything the basic membership gives, except no ads.
And then ultimate ad-free is the most expensive option at $19.99 a month and $199.99 a year. This gives you the ability to watch on 4 devices at once, with 4K UHD with Dolby Atmos on select titles and 100 downloads to watch on the go.
If the four seasons aren’t enough for you, and you need some more comedy-drama with a hint of dysfunctional families seeking control, then check out some of these great shows like Succession.
The Sopranos (1999-2007) follows a New Jersey mob boss, Tony Soprano, who deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life that affect his mental state, leading him to seek professional psychiatric counseling. Available on Max.
Yellowstone (2018-) follows a ranching family in Montana who faces off against others encroaching on their land. Found on Peacock.
House of the Dragon (2022-) follows an internal succession war within House Targaryen at the height of its power, 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. Available on Max.
The Righteous Gemstones (2019-) follows a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work. Available on Max
There are several movies like No Strings Attached if you’re a fan of romcoms or enjoy this type of trope. From pure romcoms to dramas and even war dramas, these are the best options like No Strings Attached that will put you in a loving mood.
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A great movie like No Strings Attached which is a personal favorite of mine is Me Before You, a 2016 romcom directed by Thea Sharrock in her directorial debut and adapted by author Jojo Moyes from her 2012 novel sharing the same name.
Starring Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer, Charles Dance, and Brendan Coyle, the film follows a girl in a small town who forms an unlikely bond with a recently paralyzed man she’s taking care of. It’s a beautiful story, incredibly heart-warming, and one that I’ve watched several times throughout the years.
Two Night Stand is a 2014 romcom directed by Max Nichols and written by Mark Hammer starring Miles Teller and Lio Tipton. The story follows the two who wake after an extremely regrettable one-night stand and find themselves snowed in after sleeping through a blizzard that put all of Manhattan on ice.
They’re not trapped together in a tiny apartment, forced to get to know each other way more than any one-night stand should. The awkwardness creates some great interactions but turns out to be a romantic and adorable moment between the two.
We love awkward moments, and The Switch has plenty of them. Starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, the movie follows Kassie and Wally who are best friends. Kassie has been unlucky in love and decides to have a kid using artificial insemination.
Wally realizes that the donor that Kassie used is his own that he donated. Now, after 7 years of Kassie and her son being away, they’re finally back, and Wally has to come to terms that her son is also his own.
Adam Sandler has created some wonderful romcoms, and one that he has produced is Just Go With It, starring himself as well as Jennifer Aniston.
The 2011 romcom follows Danny who goes on a weekend trip to Hawaii and drags along his assistant, Katherine, to pretend to be his soon-to-be ex-wife. Danny hopes that their pretending attracts his dream girl, Palmer, to get back with him. The shenanigans bring the two closer, which creates some sparks.
Another movie starring Adam Sandler is a great movie like No Strings Attached. 50 First Dates is a 2004 romcom directed by Peter Segal and follows Henry, a womanizing marine veterinarian who falls in love with an art teacher named Lucy.
When he discovers she has amnesia that makes her forget the day when she falls asleep every night, as well as him, he resolves to win her over again and again each day.
One of the best movies like No Strings Attached is Crazy Stupid Love, a 2011 romcom directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and more.
The film follows a middle-aged husband’s life that changes drastically when his wife asks him for a divorce. He seeks to rediscover his manhood with the help of a newfound friend, Jacob, learning to pick up girls at bars.
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Easy A is a great movie, one of my favorites, and is one of the best movies like No Strings Attached. While No Strings Attached talks about a friends-with-benefits situation, Easy A is something similar.
The teen rom-com was directed by Will Gluck and stars Emma Stone, following her as she plays Olive, a clean-cut student who creates a white lie about losing her virginity. When people start talking behind her back, she does shy away, but instead marks herself with a red A, paralleling Hester Prynne’s “The Scarlet Letter”, and decides to use the rumor mill to her advantage.
Dear John is one of the classic romcoms that everyone should watch at least once and is a great movie like No Strings Attached.
The 2010 rom-com war drama was directed by Lasse Hallstrom and is based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film follows the life of a soldier after he falls in love with a young woman. They decide to exchange letters with each other after he is deployed to the war.
One of the best cliches in romcoms is when two people fake a relationship and then eventually fall in love. The Proposal is another movie like that and is one of the best movies like No Strings Attached.
The 2009 romcom directed by Anne Fletcher stars Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds and follows Andrew Paxton, who has slaved as the assistant to Margaret Tate, a hard-driving editor at a New York publisher. When Margaret faces separation for an expired visa, she schemes to marry Andrew to protect herself.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is a 2003 romcom directed by Donald Petrie starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey and is based on the picture book sharing the same name by Michele Alexander and Jeannie Long.
The story follows advertising executive Benjamin Barry who makes a bet that he can make any woman fall in love with him, while women’s magazine writer Andie Anderson plans to write an article about how she led her boyfriend to dump her, putting them at cross-purposes after they choose each other as their romantic partners.
Life as We Know It is a 2010 romcom directed by Greg Berlanti and starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. The story follows Holly and Eric who were set up on a blind date by their married friends Peter and Allison, but it didn’t go well.
After Peter and Allison are killed in an accident, Holly and Eric learn that they have been named as the guardians of their late friends’ infant daughter, Sophie, so they move into their house and try their best to honor their friends’ wishes.
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Directed, produced, and co-written by Edward Zwick, this 2010 romcom drama is based on Jamie Reidy’s 2005 non-fiction book Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman.
Love & Other Drugs stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria, Josh Gad, and Gabriel Macht and follows the story of a medicine peddler in the 1990s who starts a relationship with a young woman suffering from an illness that leads to Parkinson’s disease.
One of the best movies like No Strings Attached is What Happens in Vegas, a 2008 romcom directed by Rom Vaughan starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher.
The movie is set in Sin City and revolves around two people who discover they’ve gotten married following a night of debauchery, with one of them winning a huge jackpot after playing the other’s quarter. The unhappy couple tries to divorce and split the money but ends up falling in love instead.
Directed by Robert Luketic, the 2009 romcom stars Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler.
The Ugly Truth follows a romantically challenged morning show producer who is reluctantly embroiled in a series of outrageous tests by her chauvinistic correspondent to prove his theories on relationships and help her find love. His clever ploys, however, lead to an unexpected result.
One of the best movies like No Strings Attached is Friends with Benefits, playing on a very similar idea. The 2011 romcom was directed by Will Gluck and stars Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.
The plot revolves around Dylan Harper and Jamie Rellis who meet in New York City and naively believe adding sex to their friendship will not lead to complications. Over time, they begin to develop deeper feelings for each other, only to deny it each time they are together.
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The 2011 romantic comedy was directed and co-produced by Ivan Reitman and stars Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher.
The film is about two friends who decide to make a pact to have a “no strings attached” relationship without falling in love with each other.
No Strings Attached is currently available on Paramount Plus and Prime Video.
If you want to find more great romcoms, then check out Prime Video, as they have the biggest selection of the genre.
Amazon Prime is one of the best and most popular streaming platforms that people subscribe to because it provides so much more than just movies and shows, and it’s pretty affordable. For the monthly membership, you’ll only pay $14.99, unless you’re a student then it’s $7.49.
This membership gives you free delivery with two-day, one-day, same-day, and even Grubhub delivery. It gives you movies, shows, music, and even gaming, as well as any early deals.
If you are fascinated by “old Hollywood,” then you’ll absolutely enjoy these 15 iconic old movies on my round-up. The purpose of this film list is to give you a place to start when it comes to learning about films from the 1940s and 50s. These movies can be a much-needed break from new Hollywood and teach you a lot about history whether you realize it or not. Trust me, they’re just as entertaining as they are educational. These iconic old movies will tug at your heartstrings and make you fall in love with the characters they create. You’ll forget all about the explosives and the high-definition camera when you see Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn on screen.
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My first pick is Let’s Make It Legal, which is a 1950s romantic comedy unlike any other. Miriam Halsworth couldn’t be happier to be divorcing her husband, Hugh. However, one thing hasn’t changed throughout the decades since this film came out: a man doesn’t know what he has until it’s gone. Once her old flame, Victor, comes into town, Hugh suddenly can’t believe another man would take his ex-wife.
This movie highlights the importance of marriage during that time but also makes fun of how nonchalant and comical the Halsworths’ divorce is. Miriam is clearly a powerful woman who knows just how much she is worth and as a result, to remain a lady, she spends the entire movie weighing her options but also trying to “make it legal.” You’ll even recognize another famous female force in this movie who risks taking the man Miriam turns down: Marilyn Monroe. The film’s trailer says it best, “This film is 10% improper, 40% illegal, and 100% hilarious.”
Chances are you’ve heard of Creature from the Black Lagoon before, but never seen the movie. This is one of the most famous original horror and sci-fi films out there. In fact, most of the underwater shots were new to the film industry, so this movie was particularly scary and in-depth for the time.
Picture this: a creature that resembles part man and part fish lives beneath the water of the Amazon and attacks everyone who comes near it. The creature is said to be from prehistoric times and therefore, seems alien-like in its appearance and ability to survive. Scientists go down to explore and remove the monster, but there is never a moment free from terror and shocking twists. This film is an incredible watch whether you like horror or not. Compared to the genre today, it feels more historical and educational about the industry rather than scary.
Auntie Mame is an iconic 50s character that can’t be described as anything other than controversial, boisterous, and eccentric. She takes in her orphaned nephew, Patrick, after her brother dies in order to hopefully raise a boy suffering from loss and also growing up amidst the Great Depression.
Mame is a wealthy, Manhattan socialite who desperately wants to teach Patrick how to live life as largely and happily as you can. She proclaims this exact sentiment to Patrick in the movie when she shouts, “The message is LIVE!” While you can’t always justify her parenting skills and laugh at her luxurious attitude, you realize she is just a kind person who wants to do right by her nephew. As the production states best, you can’t help but root for “wacky, warm, wild, and wonderful Auntie Mame” and love every minute of her on screen.
Originally named Venetian Bird and now known as The Assassin, this 1950s film is another iconic old movie to try out and treasure to get a sense of the period. In the post-World War II world, a detective, Edward Mercer, heads to Venice, Italy to reward an unrecognized war hero. He was hired by a French insurance company, so he believes this is an allied effort. It doesn’t seem suspicious at the time, but then he quickly realizes that an unknown enemy has set him up.
As a result, Mercer has to speed through the winding streets of Venice while ducking possible threats and tracking down the right informants. Once his informants are found dead and the police refuse to help him, he must seek out honest confidants to escape with his life. I find this story compelling because of its fast pace and high intensity. This movie gives me the same thrill that I feel when I watch current James Bond movies. Plus, you’ll catch an incredible glimpse of historic Venice with the perfect backdrop for a sneaky crime drama.
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While watching Peyton Place, you’ll feel like you’re in a different world. And you sort of are due to the cultural and societal differences during the 1950s. Namely, the town was ruled by Christian values and the threat of consequences for immoral behavior. However, the town in New England is meant to seem off to the audience. As events unravel, this feeling makes the viewers wonder what secrets will be exposed and which neighbors will show their true colors.
This story is a dark coming of age and demonstrates the hypocrisy of adults leading by words, not examples. When the youths of the town are tempted by relationships and scandalous acts, they seem to live by their own rules and sneak around just as much as their parents. That is until a murder takes place. This film is an incredibly entertaining watch and I adore the inexplicable eerieness that you will feel while watching it, especially in our present day.
My next pick is The Philadelphia Story, which stars Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart who are all very famous actors from this period. You might be wondering if Katharine Hepburn is related to Audrey Hepburn, but they’re actually not. Also, might recognize James Stewart from his most famous role as George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life.
In a classic love story, there’s always the discussion of marriage and wealth. This story is no exception since Tracy, played by Katharine Hepburn, is from one of the most prominent families in Philadelphia. Her wedding is coming up, but we learn it’s actually her second marriage, and her fiancée, George is originally from a lower-class family. Her ex-husband, C.K. Dexter Haven shows up and questions her decision. Plus, the tabloids enter the picture to report on her upcoming marriage. This is when everything starts to come into question as she acts upon her new feelings for the reporter, Mike, and her suppressed feelings for her ex-husband.
A funny line you may have heard from this movie is “Where’s my wandering parakeet?” The film is full of quick wit and one-liners just like this one.
You’ve probably heard of The Snows of Kilimanjaro in reference to the short story by Ernest Hemingway. You may have also heard references to a leopard climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, which comes from a quote used by Ernest and finds its way into the film.
This film adaptation stars Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward, and Ava Gardner. Harry Street (Gregory Peck) is a writer on safari who gets injured while hunting. Helen is accompanying him and cares for him back at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. As his body shuts down from gangrene, he hallucinates, remembering the true love of his life, Cynthia (Ava Gardner), among other pastimes.
This tragic tale is a true classic and features many flashbacks and life reflections. Harry is charismatic and attracts many beautiful women in his day, but he spends his last moments coming to terms with the decisions he has made. If you like Ernest Hemingway or thoughtful dramas, you’ll enjoy this film adaptation.
If you’ve heard of Orson Welles, you’ve probably heard of this iconic old movie, Citizen Kane. It was the first feature film he starred in. He also co-wrote the screenplay. It’s often referred to as the “greatest film ever made” and has been studied in film classes for decades. The quote, “If I hadn’t been very rich, I might have been a really great man” comes from this movie.
In this drama, Charles Foster Kane is a powerful, rich newspaperman, but his health begins to fail. Before he dies, he utters a unique last word: “rosebud.” After his death, the world is shocked by the news and wants to know what “rosebud” means, but they’ll never truly know. Those close to Kane come forward to tell the story of his life, but it’s not as happy or successful as one might think.
This film depicts what it’s like to be a powerful man in America and how brutal it can be at the top. Kane’s rise and fall are fascinating in and outside of the film as the audience watches flashbacks from many points of view.
To Catch a Thief is an iconic old movie because Alfred Hitchcock directed it, so you know it is going to be good. Hitchcock is known for mysteries and critically acclaimed films like Psycho, Vertigo, and North by Northwest. Cary Grant is also known for his acting in mystery films and he stars in a few of Hitchcock’s classics.
Cary Grant plays John Robie, a notorious and dangerous jewel thief, who was known as “The Cat” in France. However, he claims he is retired. The police do not believe him, so he must clear his name by catching a new suspect who is stealing from hotels and villas along the French Riviera. Frances (Grace Kelly) teams up to help him even though he resists. She’s an heiress, so her jewelry could very well be up for grabs.
This movie is a mysterious chase, so the anticipation will keep you locked in. The scenery is also incredible as it takes place along beaches in the French Riviera.
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If you like musicals, you should definitely check out this iconic old movie and musical from the 50s. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, and Nina Foch, this movie was advertised as a “technicolor” musical, which fits its aesthetic perfectly. The song “I Got Rhythm” is a tune you may have heard before.
Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is an American living in Paris after World War II, which is certainly an interesting time and place to be alive. Everyone is looking to repair themselves and their work after this difficult time. Being happy is also at the forefront of the mind. Jerry is trying to sell his paintings, which is a struggle until Milo Roberts (Nina Foch) sees his work. As a rich art-lover, she can help him succeed. However, he ends up falling in love with a younger French woman, Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron) whom his good friend is also courting. What will happen in this group and who will end up with who? You’ll have to watch to find out.
Have you ever heard the expression “his girl Friday” in relation to business or an office environment? That expression applies perfectly to this movie as it means that someone is an extremely capable sidekick or assistant and works on many different tasks. It’s similar to “right-hand man,” but about a woman.
This film stars Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell as two top reporters working at “The Morning Post” in New York City. Hildy (Rosalind) tells her boss (Cary Grant) that she is quitting and getting married. However, the twist here is that she used to be married to Walter before he was absent and she asked for a divorce. She loves working at the paper and Walter doesn’t think she should quit to be married. He assigns her a big story that features the corruption of the mayor and an upcoming election to get her to stay. Ultimately, she can’t resist the draw of the news.
The references, tension, and conversation are incredibly fast-paced and interesting. One of the most famous quotes is “When you walk out that door, part of me will go right with you.” After watching, you’ll realize how quippy Hildy, or His Girl Friday, really is.
This is an iconic old movie that is often studied today as a part of film degrees. It’s another mystery thriller from Alfred Hitchcock and it follows L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart) as he recovers from an injury in his small, Greenwich Village apartment. Like many people living in New York City, he has a view of many other apartment buildings across the courtyard.
While L.B. may seem to spy on his neighbors, he sees skeptical behavior and actually witnesses what he believes to be a murder. He must ask his girlfriend, Lisa (Grace Kelly), for help and investigate from afar.
Rear Window is a very unique movie based on its point of view. You, as the audience, can look at the neighbors in the same way that L.B. is. It’s suspenseful even without a lot of action, which makes this movie a great introduction to the 50s era of film.
North by Northwest is yet another Alfred Hitchcock film, making it an iconic old movie and intriguing mystery. Cary Grant plays Roger Thornhill, an advertising executive who is mistaken for another man and government intelligence operative. He must run from spies who want him killed. On his way to safety, he meets a gorgeous blonde woman named Eve (played by Eva Marie Saint) who becomes his helper and fends off the spies. But, who is Eve and why does she want to help someone who is suspected of murder? She just might be more connected to the spy world than he is.
Be sure to watch this film to see a truly wild mystery unfold. This thriller is full of suspense and that’s what Cary Grant does best. One of the most famous quotes is “In the world of advertising, there’s no such thing as a lie. There’s only expedient exaggeration.” If you enjoy spy movies, there is definitely a James Bond feel to this movie that will resonate with you.
Sabrina is one of my personal favorites. Directed by Billy Wilder, it is described as a “Long Island Cinderella story,” which couldn’t be more of a bittersweet and realistic fairy tale. Since it takes place on Long Island and in New York City when businesses started popping up on Wall Street, there is a beautiful scenery of estates on the water and old Manhattan.
In terms of the plot line, Audrey Hepburn plays Sabrina who is a chauffeur’s daughter and is expected to become a cook and live out a working-class lifestyle. She dreams of falling in love and has an unhealthy crush on David Larrabee (William Holden) who is the rich son of the Larrabee fortune. After attempting suicide, she travels to Paris and re-discovers the beauty in the world and inside herself. This elicits one of the most incredible quotes as Sabrina reclaims her life:
“I have learned how to live, how to be IN the world and OF the world, and not just to stand aside and watch. And I will never, never again run away from life. Or from love, either.”
You’ll have to watch this romantic film to see what happens when she returns to the Larrabee estate as a well-traveled woman with a complete makeover.
The most iconic old movie of all time is arguably Casablanca. Starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, this plot line drives a mysterious love story between two Americans while they try to escape the chaos and fear of World War II. Rick, owns a café in Casablanca, which was protected by French rule in Morocco. As the Nazis take over more of Europe, people flock to Casablanca in the hopes that they can then get to America for refuge.
Rick’s Café is known to help people get plane tickets to the U.S. (for a very high cost), which brings someone from his past (Ingrid Bergman) and her husband, Victor Lazlo, to his establishment. Lazlo also happens to be the leader of the Czechoslovakia resistance and the Nazis are after him.
This movie is set against the backdrop of an extremely devastating historical event but still manages to pull you into the romance of it all. The most fascinating thing about Casablanca is that it was actually released during World War II, so the movie represents the reality of the moment. Few other productions have been able to do so.
Along with the best movie comes the best quote that is referenced in tons of modern-day TV shows and movies: “Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.”
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Whether you’re reading this movie round-up to see what classic movie you’ll watch next, or you’re just curious which black-and-white movies you could see for the first time, there is a story here for everyone. Some of my choices are more historical like Citizen Kane and Casablanca while others are more romantic like An American in Paris and Sabrina.
These iconic old movies will give you the perfect glimpse into old Hollywood glamour, film, and culture. Many motifs and quotes from these movies are referenced in our everyday lives. You’ll pick up on it soon enough and see how they’ve influenced movies and TV today. Ultimately, these movies are here to entertain, but maybe this list will even inspire you to learn more about the 40s and 50s in film.
]]>Even though it’s easier to explore uncomfortable topics today, writers and viewers alike are still drawn to strange alien worlds to hold up a mirror to ourselves and our humanity. Here are ten examples of retro sci-fi shows with deeper meanings that did just that.
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The first retro sci-fi show on our list is The Prisoner, an allegory about a retired spy named Number Six. He is currently trapped in a place called the Village and earned his mysterious name from his captors. Supposedly wanted for the top-secret information he knows, Number Six tries to escape but is trapped inside the village by the land (mountains and the sea) and “rovers” which are mysterious balloon-like devices.
Number Six’s captors are the real underbelly of the show though. All named Number Two, these interchangeable superiors try to break Number Six in a variety of different psychological experiments that test his humanity and his sanity. The show itself is visually striking yet bleak, showing that not all “paradises” are what they seem in the beginning.
In May 1983, NBC viewers were treated to the arrival of “The Visitors,” a humanlike race that supposedly needed a chemical only found on Earth to deal with an environmental crisis. In return, they said they would be happy to provide humans with all the benefits of their superior technology, including cures for diseases such as cancer.
It was an offer humans couldn’t refuse. Then, one by one, the world’s leading scientists began to either confess to involvement in a conspiracy against Earth’s new friends or simply vanished. After infiltrating the mothership, the truth was revealed: the aliens were not humanlike at all, but rather giant lizards wearing well-constructed human suits. And what did they want for food? Us! Before they could tell the world what was discovered, the visitors took over the media and declared a state of martial law.
Although the series looks incredibly dated by today’s standards, it did have some important messages about helping others who are being wrongly persecuted by the powers that be, even if it means risking your life. It’s portrayal of America under alien rule shares similarities with Nazi-era Germany. For example, when a man refuses to help a persecuted scientist and his family hide, his Jewish grandfather insists they must help, stating, “We have to help them, or else we haven’t learned a thing.”
Similar to The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits features episodes draped in sci-fi and horror that probe at the deeper machinations of the human mind. Opening with the line “There is nothing wrong with your television set” for every episode, the show immediately puts you on edge and will not let go. Some episodes may include more of a “scary monster” motif while others zoom in on the sci-fi, there is an episode for any sci-fi-loving viewer.
Underlying themes could be anything since the anthology series was staffed by young writers, directors, and technicians who were allowed to stretch their creative boundaries. Some of these writers include Leslie Stevens and Harlan Ellison, one of whom is the creator of the show (Leslie Stevens). If you’ve already watched all of The Twilight Zone and want more, then try out The Outer Limits.
This next retro sci-fi show, adapted from the 1988 movie of the same name, focused on a group of aliens known as the Tenctonese who crash-landed in the Mojave Desert. The Tenctonese were passengers on a slave ship but were accepted by the United States as immigrants. The transition does not always go smoothly as we witness one alien family having to adapt to the melting pot that is America.
Alien Nation tackles issues such as racism and homophobia through the lens of science fiction. Although it was canceled after one season, the push from fans was so strong that it eventually spawned a comic book, a series of novels and five made-for-TV movies. Alien Nation has also developed a cult following and was included in TV Guide’s list of shows that were canceled too soon.
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Not to be confused with the new show by the same name, Quantum Leap aired in 1989 with the main character Sam Beckett, a former scientist trapped in time due to a failed experiment. Deposited into the body of a different person each week, all in different branches of time, the only companion Beckett has is The Observer (aka Al Calavicci) who gives him guidance on his new body and how to help those around him. The best part about this situation? Beckett has little memory to guide him, so he is often bluffing his way through helping each group of people.
The deeper meaning present in this show is the idea of going back in time. If you could go back in time, would you? And would you change anything? This can be problematic because events often correlate and affect each other, so changing one thing might lead to another more dangerous event. It also begs the question should we be changing the past? These are just some of the deeper insights that the main character will have to go through as he jumps in time.
This short-lived series, Space: Above and Beyond, ran from 1995 to 1996 and followed a group of young, untrained soldiers who are called to fight after the majority of Earth’s military is defeated by a group of aliens known as Chigs.
Most of this show is about young people experiencing the horrors of war, but it dealt with other heavy subject matter such as xenophobia, technophobia and the moral issues around human cloning. The show was well-loved among fans but ultimately met an early demise due to Fox moving its time slot. It is unavailable to stream today, but you can go old school and purchase the DVDs on Amazon or try to watch on Youtube.
There’s something about exploring the dark reaches of space that puts into perspective how small our world is. Though not factual, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is about Arthur and his friend Ford who escape the destruction of Earth and go on an odyssey of epic proportions in the void of space.
Once in space, the pair must face incredible trials, tribulations, and adventures while traveling, and learn more about themselves too. This profound series reveals what it means to be human after you’ve lost the only home you’ve ever known. I love shows or books like this because they reveal who humans are when they are stripped from the Earth.
Created in 1966, this is one of the retro sci-fi shows with deeper meanings that has never gone away. It was canceled after only three seasons in 1969 despite a huge letter campaign by fans, but it did something canceled shows rarely do: stuck around. With syndication, it found a bigger audience than it had during its original run. It became a cult classic and soon, fans of the show began to organize themselves into gatherings called “Star Trek Conventions.” If you like cons, you have Star Trek fans to thank. The movement eventually became so strong that the series came back as a string of major motion pictures and the release of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Could Gene Roddenberry, a former traffic cop-turned-freelance writer, have imagined the success it would become when he first sat down to write it? Probably not. Star Trek’s message still shines through in its many re-imaginings – it shows we are all more alike than we are different, there’s a place for everyone no matter your race or gender, and you’re stronger than you think. Furthermore, integrity doesn’t have to be sacrificed for you to be great. These are only some of the many takeaways from a show that inspired generations of kids to go into the sciences to become doctors, researchers, or astronauts.
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This show was an anthology as opposed to a serialized program, allowing viewers to tune in from week to week without having to worry about being left behind if they missed an episode. Running on CBS from 1959 to 1964, it was another series that led to a successful franchise. Spanning from straight sci-fi to horror to suspense, there was always something new on each episode, and often the ending would leave you baffled.
In its varied stories, the show served as a warning against racism, government, war, and inhumanity toward others. The Twilight Zone is a classic that still holds up when watched today, and its message is as relevant as it was when it first aired 60 years ago.
Otherworld premiered in 1985 and consists of only eight episodes. The adventure begins when the Sterling family gets sucked through a pyramid and deposited into an alternate world called “Thel.” In Thel, there are no actual countries, only zones, and people are forbidden to travel outside their zone.
The residents of each zone know nothing about the lives of others, and the major religion involves only the worship of robots. It was your typical ‘80s cheese, but the warning here is about the dangers of dictatorship and isolation between nations that can lead to misinformation and distrust among citizens.
Science fiction shows are based in somewhat unrealistic worlds, but the most important thing to know about the genre is that real truths are hidden beneath the surface, often about the human condition. Whether it’s about race, gender, class issues, or the difficulty of accepting outsiders, there is always something to explore in a new world like science fiction. If you enjoy exploring science fiction, add these ten retro sci-fi shows to your to-be-watched list.
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Disney often creates movies that feature outcasts, but oftentimes, this is what ends up making them a hero. These stories teach young children, but really everyone, that it doesn’t always benefit you to fit in. People who are different can make a difference in the world, so it only makes sense that we feature some of those movies in our movie round-up.
Our first Disney outcast selection is The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where the main character Quasimodo is disfigured and thus shunned from society, locked away in a tower as the bell ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral. His only friends are the gargoyles until a chance meeting with Gypsy Esmeralda lifts his spirits. When Quasimodo’s sinister guardian Frollo sets his sights on Esmeralda, Quasimodo must try to keep her out of his clutches.
Our next selection, Encanto, may sound a little weird at first since this movie is all about family, but serious rifts are hiding under the surface. The main character Mirabel is the only member of her family who doesn’t have powers, and she gets shunned by her grandmother and family members. When the magic surrounding the Encanto falls into danger though, it’s up to Mirabel to save her family and bring them back together again.
One of the most classic Disney films, Dumbo is about a circus elephant that unfortunately has comically large ears that make him a laughing stock to both humans and elephants alike. When his ears cause an accident that injures the other elephants, he is made to dress like a clown. But when he realizes his enormous ears allow him to fly, Dumbo finally regains the love of the fans and elephants he always wanted.
One of my favorite animated outcast movies is Wreck-it Ralph, where Ralph is the bad guy in his video game and is ostracized by his game-mates because he is labeled the “bad guy.” When he becomes tired of the act, Ralph decides to take matters into his own hands and infiltrates another game to prove he is a hero. When he unleashes a deadly bug on another game though, Ralph must become a hero to save everyone in the arcade.
Our best selection for the movies about outcasts from Disney is The Lion King. Simba gets wrongly blamed for the death of his father Mufasa, and must disappear into the wilderness instead of being caught. For years Simba grows up away from his pack, while his uncle Scar decimates the lion’s hunting grounds and lands. When Simba meets Nala again, he realizes that the only way to prove himself is to head back to Pride Rock and take what was rightfully his all along.
If you went to high school, you can understand what it’s like to be an outcast or watch certain people struggle to fit in. Usually, this is the biggest motivator for people to make new friends or try new things because they are seeking ways to feel like a part of the core group. In all five movies we selected, you can see more of a humorous look at what it means to be an outcast and how these characters combat their social labels in high school.
Our first selection of high school movies about outcasts is American Pie, a raunchy and hilarious view into the rise to adulthood and losing one’s virginity. A group of friends seems like they are the only ones who haven’t lost their virginity, and it pushes them away from all of their other classmates. In order to prove themselves, they take action to lose their virginities and the results are quite shocking.
Napoleon Dynamite is another classic that deserves a spot on our list, because the main character Napoleon has trouble fitting in, and it only gets worse when his uncle Rico shows up to keep an eye on him after his grandmother gets injured. With no allies at home or school, Napoleon befriends the new kid Pedro and together they launch a plan to run for class president.
Awkward high school junior Nadine already struggles to make friends and figure out her social groups in The Edge of Seventeen. Still, when her all-star brother starts dating her best friend, she becomes inexplicably alone in the world. But, an unexpected friendship with a thoughtful teen will give her the glimmer of hope that she needs to see that her life isn’t so terrible after all.
You may think that this movie is a little odd for an outcast list, but even though the two main characters are thick-as-thieves they are still separate from the greater high school population. In Superbad, these two friends are invited to a house party and try to score alcohol and girls to finish off their high school career. But, when one of them falls in with two inept cops, things get a little complicated.
Our last choice in the high school movies about outcasts list is The Perks of Being a Wallflower, one of the best adaptations from book to film. Socially awkward teen Charlie doesn’t fit in anywhere and is a wallflower until two charismatic students come along to help him learn about friendship, first love, and all the joys of high school. But, as the day draws closer to when they will leave for college, Charlie’s inner sadness will threaten all that he has gained.
What does it mean to be a social outcast? Someone who isn’t accepted by society or more specifically, a particular social group.
Characters who feel like social outcasts often end up embracing their label and becoming stronger in the end. Other characters, however, are written to be evil and antagonize the hero of our story. In that case, their social outcast label is the first sign of the pain that is to come. We only enjoy watching the latter example on screen because, in life, you have to push through your hardships or things will get pretty messy.
Two social outcasts take the form of teen misfits Gary and Wyatt, who accidentally design the ideal woman brought to life with a freak electrical accident. Lisa brings newfound confidence to the two outcasts, giving them new clothes, cars, and the ability to stand up to jerks like Ian and Max. Weird Science is a journey of two friends trying to find a place in the world with a little help from the supernatural and is one of my favorite 80s movies.
The first time I watched Shazam! I loved how they took a band of misfit foster children and turned them into superheroes. It’s a perfect match for our outcast movie list and shows that a family can be found anywhere, even in places you don’t expect it. When Billy Batson is chosen to become the new superhero Shazam, he must navigate his newfound powers before the evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana can get to them first.
A classic superhero series all started with the first film X-Men in 2000. Even though they are still human, the next chain of human evolution causes each to be born with powers that manifest themselves at puberty. In a world filled with hate and prejudice, they must navigate the world as social outcasts, while other mutants believe that humans and mutants should never co-exist. It’s the perfect social outcast movie where two sides of the same group are shoved apart by differing beliefs, showing that there are many sides to an outcast.
Stephen King’s first horror novel-turned-movie Carrie is next on our outcast list, where withdrawn and sensitive teen Carrie constantly faces taunting from classmates and abuse from her mother. When strange occurrences start happening around her, she believes she may have supernatural powers, but things take a happier turn when she is invited to prom…or does it?
Our final choice on our movies about outcasts list is Joker, a newer movie about the famed villain that brings a new light to the societal hardships he had to endure before becoming Joker. Failed comedian Arthur Fleck tries to portray a normal life while also working a day job as a clown. Increasingly isolated and bullied by society, Fleck begins his descent into madness and becomes the smiling character we all know so well.
Being an outcast is not always a bad thing. Many times, outcasts are created because they do not fit the “norm” whether that be in physical appearance, high school age, or social culture. These norms are often established by an outcast’s peers, so it’s interesting to watch how the stories evolve. On one hand, you see Disney movies that teach valuable lessons about kindness and believing the best in people. You see young adults grow into themselves. However, on the other hand, you see people who blame their horrible behavior on the fact that they grew up as an outcast.
Either way, these movies about outcasts shed a harsh light on our current society and how treating people in groups can impact others deep down. These stories are entertaining, especially as these outcasts must learn to fit into their world without complete acceptance, or choose to let it change them for the worse.
]]>Whether it’s absurd characters who are somehow surviving in a world full of zombies, or just over-the-top dramatics and action, these comedy zombie movies do put you on edge while also letting you laugh at the absurdity of it all. So if you want a great combination of this subgenre, read more to learn about the best zombie comedy movies.
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Cockney vs Zombies is a 2012 British zombie action comedy directed by Matthias Hoene and written by James Moran and Lucas Roche and is one of the best comedy zombie movies.
The plot focuses on a group of Cockneys who arm themselves to rescue their grandfather and his friends from their retirement home as a zombie apocalypse takes place in the East End of London. It’s an absurd movie with exceptionally funny characters.
My Boyfriend’s Back is a 1993 zombie film directed by Bob Balaban that follows the story of Johnny Dingle, played by Andrew Lowery, who is a teenage boy who returns from the dead as a zombie to meet Missy McCloud, played by Traci Lind, the girl he’s in love with, for a date.
While the movie did receive some negative reviews, it still is one of the best comedy zombie movies if you want a great laugh.
This buddy cop action zombie comedy film was released in 1988, directed by Mark Goldblatt and stars Treat Williams, Joe Piscopo, Darren McGavin, Lindsay Frost, and Vincent Price.
Dead Heat follows an LAPD officer who is murdered while attempting to arrest zombies who have been reanimated by the head of Dante Laboratories to carry out violent armed robberies and decides to get revenge with the help of his former partner. If you’re looking for absurd content with some decent action, this is the movie to check out.
Now Overlord is not tagged as comedy, but this is one of the films that go a bit overboard, making it just a funny experience. While there are some freaky elements, and some spots where it can get spooky, all-in-all the dramatics make it a great comedy zombie film.
The 2018 film is an alternate-history action horror film directed by Julius Avery and written by Billy Ray and Mark L. Smith. The story follows several American soldiers who are dropped behind enemy lines the day before D-Day to discover terrifying Nazi experiments.
Also known as Braindead, Dead Alive is a 1992 New Zealand zombie comedy splatter film directed by Peter Jackson and written by Stephen Sinclair, Fran Walsh, and Jackson. The story follows Lionel, a young man living in South Wellington with his strict mother Vera.
After Lionel becomes romantically entangled with a girl named Paquita, Vera is bitten by a hybrid rat-monkey creature and begins to transform into a zombie, while also infecting swathes of the city’s populace.
Juan of the Dead is one of the best comedy zombie films that everyone should watch. The 2010 Spanish-Cuban film was written and directed by Alejandro Brugues and is about Juan, a lazy man in his forties who lives a carefree life in Cuba.
But when they come across a corpse that isn’t quite dead, and the media and government believe that the zombies are dissidents revolting against them, Juan begins a business where they kill zombies for people to earn a decent profit.
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What if comedy zombie films aren’t enough and you want some romance as well? Night of the Living Deb is a great choice.
This romantic comedy zombie film was directed by Kyle Rankin and follows an awkward woman who, after a one-night stand, realizes that she has awoken to a zombie apocalypse.
Brain Dead is a 2007 comedy horror film directed by Kevin S. Tenney and follows a meteor strike that hits a man on the head.
Alien slugs take over his brain and turn him into a ravenous zombie. And when a group of sorority sisters, born-again Christians, and escaped convicts converge in a remote area where he lives, he attacks them all.
One Cut of the Dead is definitely one comedy zombie film that you don’t want to miss. This gem comes from Japan and is a 2017 zombie comedy film written and directed by Shin’ichirō Ueda.
The film follows a team of actors and filmmakers who are tasked with shooting a zombie film for live television and must do so in a single take, even when actual zombies are endangering them.
This 2019 romantic comedy horror film was directed by Rodman Flender and is based on the 2013 book sharing the same name by Jeff Hart.
Eat, Brains, Love follows two high school opposites, stoner Jack Stephens and popular cheerleader Amanda Blake, who become infected with a virus that turns them into zombie-like cannibals, making them travel across the country looking for a cure.
A boy tells his girlfriend he loves her, only to die that night. His mother brings him back to life as a flesh-craving zombie.
The boy has an uncontrollable desire to eat his girlfriend. Boy Eats Girl might just be the perfect undead comedy to get you through a breakup.
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Warm Bodies is about an unusual zombie who saves a living girl from being attacked. The two form a relationship that sets things in motion that might transform the lifeless world.
Dan discovers his girlfriend Aubrey has returned from the dead. He is happy, but his joy turns to horror as she slowly undergoes a horrible transformation. He must figure out what to do with Life After Beth.
Burying the Ex is about a guy’s regret when he moves in with his girlfriend, and she ends up dying and then comes back as a zombie. She now thinks they can be together forever, while he thinks he needs to devise a plan to get rid of her.
American Zombie documents the daily lives of a community of zombies who make their home in Los Angeles. It keeps others who are alive and well up-to-date on what is happening with the deceased.
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Aaah Zombies is about four friends who accidentally become zombies and try to reverse the transformation. This is an oddball comedy, but it is a good watch if you like quirky.
On prom night, the unpopular teenagers come out on top, as the dateless save the day. Dance of the Dead is one of those stupidly funny movies where you wonder how the characters are still alive.
When a nerdy sorority girl falls in love with a zombie during a campus zombie apocalypse. However, she soon discovers the cure (you might guess it from the movie title). The Coed and the Zombie Stoner is a funny movie for the Dude Where’s My Car audience.
Doghouse is about a group of men who go to their friend’s place, where he lives in a remote village, to help him through a divorce. They figure out that all women in the town have been infected with a virus turning them into man-hating zombies. This movie is a must-watch.
Go Goa Gone is about a group of friends who get invited to an underground rave party planned by the Russian mafia on a remote island. However, they don’t expect to find out the island is crawling with zombies.
Two coherent zombies awake during a zombie attack. They decide to take a road trip to find their lost loved ones and end up being chased by agents who have a different agenda of their own. Deadhead is a unique movie where there are already zombies, and no one is left living in the world.
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Dead Snow 2 is about Martin, who is on the run from Nazi zombies. He doesn’t think anything can get much worse, yet it does. If you want a ridiculous zombie horror that’s gory and over the top, Dead Snow 1 & 2 is perfect.
Little Monsters is about a sudden outbreak of zombies at a school, and the teacher is trying to protect the young children from being eaten. It is a different take on a zombie movie and is hilarious at the same time.
Dead Snow is about a group of medical students taking a ski vacation, which turns horrific. They find themselves in an unimaginable fight against Nazi zombies. They thought they were in for a fun, relaxing weekend. They didn’t expect to have to fight World War II zombies.
Goal of the Dead is about a professional football team arriving at the stadium only to discover that the fans have turned into zombies. The fans aren’t the only ones who are undead. The opposing team is zombies, so instead of a game, it is a battle for survival.
Zombieland: Double Tap is about zombie slayers Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita, and Little Rock who leave the comfort of the White House and travel to Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. While traveling, they encounter other post-apocalyptic warriors and a group of survivors.
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Two employees are at a medical supply warehouse when they accidentally release a deadly gas into the air. It causes the dead to rise again as zombies. The Return of the Living Dead has incredible special effects, even though it is an 80s movie. This is a must-watch movie.
Fido is about the dust that comes from outer space that turns the dead into zombies. A teenage boy tries to handle this new world and finds a best friend that he can control with a collar. If you love dogs, this is the zombie comedy for you.
A virus turns most people into zombies, but the rest go on lockdown in their homes to keep the undead from getting to them. Columbus, a shy student, is trying to get to his family in Ohio but ends up fighting many battles to get to them. In Zombieland, you are either one of the zombies or trying to survive, This is a must-watch movie for comedy zombie fans.
Shaun of the Dead is a classic, must-watch movie and easily the best comedy zombie movie ever made. Shaun is a 30-year-old who has a dull existence. However, when England takes an unexpected turn and zombies overrun it, Shaun rises to save the day (sort of).
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Amazon Prime Video seems to have a larger selection if you want to get ahold of the best zombie comedies.
Amazon Prime is one of the best and most popular streaming platforms that people subscribe to because it provides so much more than just movies and shows, and it’s pretty affordable. For the monthly membership, you’ll only pay $14.99, unless you’re a student then it’s $7.49.
This membership gives you free delivery with two-day, one-day, same-day, and even Grubhub delivery. It gives you movies, shows, music, and even gaming, as well as any early deals.
If you want a bit more content than just an hour or don’t have time to commit to a full movie, then let’s check out some of the best zombie TV series that you can start.
The Walking Dead (2010) is a zombie action show that has 11 seasons and follows Rick Grimes, a sheriff deputy who awoke from a coma and found the world in ruins from a zombie apocalypse.
Fear the Walking Dead (2015) is a spin-off series from the previous listing is set in Los Angeles, California, and follows two families who must band together to survive the undead.
The Last of Us (2023) is based on a video game with the same name and follows a hardened survivor and a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope during a global pandemic.
Game of Thrones (2011) might not have zombies like we’re used to, but they do have an army of frozen creatures (like zombies) that are coming to take over the continent where nine noble families fight to control the land.
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Based on the bestselling novel by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde dives into the life of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons, Marilyn Monroe. Starting with her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane through her stardom and subsequent romantic entanglements, Blonde blurs fact and fiction to explore Monroe’s public and private selves.
You’ve probably never heard of Bayard Rustin, but he was a huge part of the civil rights movement. In Rustin, learn about the advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. who dedicated his life to the quest for racial equality, human rights, and worldwide democracy. But because Rustin was an openly gay man, he gets all but erased from the movement he helped build. Explore the world of Bayard Rustin in this film.
Another hidden story emerges in A Call to Spy, a film that takes place at the dawn of World War II. Winston Churchill ordered his new spy agency to train women for covert operations. These female agents will help undermine the Nazi regime in France, and will also leave an unmistakable legacy in their wake.
Our next selection in the best historical movies on Netflix list is 22 July, a date that will be recognized for all those who live in Norway. In the three-part story learn about July 22, 2011, when right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik murdered seventy-seven young people attending a Labour Party Youth Camp outside of Oslo. The film goes over the survivors of the attacks, the political leadership of Norway, and the lawyers involved in the event.
Dive back into the past by centuries in the Outlaw King. After being crowned King of Scotland, warrior Robert the Bruce was forced into exile by the occupying English Empire. Now, he must bring together a band of outlaws to reclaim the throne in a “true to historical events” journey.
It’s September 1944, and The Allies have captured the port of Antwerp but the Germans still control the Scheldt estuary in The Forgotten Battle. Operation Market Garden was created, hoping to penetrate the German forces through Arnhem in Holland. A glider in the operation is forced to crash land behind enemy lines, and stories unravel that you may have never heard during this WWII film.
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Dive into a piece of micro-history in Woman in Gold, where a woman tries to reclaim part of her family history through many difficult barriers. After Maria Altmann flees Vienna, sixty years pass until she attempts to reclaim family possessions taken by the Nazis. One of these pieces was Gustave Klimt’s “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I.” With the help of a young lawyer, Maria will embark on a lengthy battle to reclaim her family’s history even when Austria considers it a national treasure.
If you enjoy the reigns of Kings and old politics, you might want to watch the movie The King. Hal, wayward prince and heir to the English throne must come back to the world he hates after his tyrannical father dies, and is crowned King Henry V. As the young king tries to navigate the palace politics, he must also figure out the pieces that his father left behind, including a relationship with his closest friend and mentor John Falstaff.
One of the best historical movies on Netflix is 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, which transports viewers back to September 11, 2012. When Islamic militants attacked the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, they killed both Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith. A six-man group, part of the Annex Security Team, must fight out the militants with gun fire to rescue the remaining Americans and save the day.
Winston Churchill was a huge part of World War II, and it only makes sense that there would be a movie created about his exploits. In Darkest Hour, the newly appointed British Prime Minister must decide whether to negotiate with Hitler or fight against incredible odds. Set in 1940, Churchill will cement his presence over the next four weeks as one of the most important leaders in world history.
Charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is set in 1969, arising from the countercultural protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The trial transfixed the nation when it occurred, and sparked a conversation about mayhem intended to undermine the U.S. government.
Our top four choice in the best historical movies on Netflix list is All Quiet on the Western Front, which follows teenagers Paul Bäumer and his friends Albert and Müller who voluntarily enlist in the German army, riding a wave of patriotism that fades once they encounter the brutality of war. Even though Paul’s preconceptions about the enemies and right vs. wrong crumble, he must continue to fight in order to satisfy the top brass’ desire to end the war on a German offensive.
If you enjoy actor Benedict Cumberbatch, then you will certainly enjoy his performance in The Imitation Game. It’s 1939, and the newly created intelligence agency M16 recruits Cambridge mathematics alumnus Alan Turing so he can crack Nazi codes, including Enigma, which cryptanalysts have previously thought to be unbreakable. He is joined by Joan Clarke to analyze the Enigma messages, building a machine to decipher them and finally does so in 1952. But instead of hailing him as a hero, authorities figure out he is gay and instead send him to prison.
Our top two choice for the best historical movie on Netflix is Farha, which is a historical account of the Palestinian Nakba (aka catastrophe). A teenage Palestinian girl named Farha wants to further her education, but when armed troops enter her village amongst others, threatening to kill them unless they leave, she must endure a life of upheaval and uncertainty. This film aims to tell the story of inhumane occupation and how it started, as well as how it is still happening today.
Finally, our top choice for the best historical movies on Netflix is Hacksaw Ridge, which explores the true story of Pfc. Desmond T. Doss who won the Congressional Medal of Honor despite refusing to bear arms in WWII on religious grounds. Ostracized by fellow soldiers due to his pacifist stance, he went on to earn respect for his bravery, selflessness, and compassion after risking his life to save seventy-five men in the Battle of Okinawa, all without shooting a single bullet.
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Historical movies can highlight certain points in time, but they can also bring to life forgotten heroes. I enjoy movies that give another glimpse into our history, and if you do too, make sure to watch these fifteen best historical movies on Netflix.
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