I remember when the Academy Award-winning Everything Everywhere All At Once first came out, and it absolutely blew my mind.

What surprised me the most about the film: OTHER people were blown away by it, too. Because, similar to how I'm always surprised that my favorite author, Kurt Vonnegut, is considered a national treasure (Surprised because his writing is so WEIRD), I'm also still shocked at just how much audiences loved EEAAO, because like Vonnegut, the movie is so different from anything else out there.

So, if you’ll allow me, here are a couple of other reasons why I'm still amazed that EEAAO was such a hit.

I Love That Such An Unconventional Immigrant Story Was So Big

There are plenty of conventional immigrant stories. The Godfather (especially its partial prequel, The Godfather, Part II) is a sprawling, albeit simply told, immigrant story. The coolest gangster movie ever made, Scarface, is a simply told immigrant story, too. The Don Bluth classic, An American Tail, is an immigrant story featuring animals, which is unique in a sense, but also conventionally told.

Then, you have Everything Everywhere All At Once, which is probably the most unconventional immigrant story ever made. It's actually a story of three generations of Asians. Michelle Yeoh plays the matriarch and the middle of the Asian-American immigrant experience. She runs a laundromat and is being audited by the IRS, and soon goes on a multiversal journey to find the best version of herself…sort of. And that's the thing about this movie: since it’s an absurdist, martial arts comedy, it plays with several different ideas.

Her daughter, played by Stephanie Hsu, doesn't really care about the Asian-American experience. In fact, she doesn't really care about anything at all since she's a nihilist. Her mother, however, feels a bit confined by her heritage, as she feels she has to live up to enormous expectations set by her father, played by the legend, James Hong.

In the end, it's a story about the Asian-American immigrant experience…and everything else in between. I still blows my mind that so many people of different races vibed with it, given the fact that it's so weird and also so in tune with the Asian-American experience.

The Movie Is Also Further Proof That Creative Filmmaking Is Still Alive And Well

Another thing that utterly blows my mind about EEAAO is that people totally fell in love with a movie whose pure appeal was its creativity. With sequels and remakes feeling like the norm these days, it makes my heart glad that a movie as creative and bold as EEAAO could be embraced by so many people…for the most part anyway.

I know some people detest this movie; I feel like they detest it for the same reason that people detested my beloved Sinners, and that’s because they think it’s “super overrated.”

I love that it found an audience that is so passionate about the film that they’ll stand by it and say that it deserved the hype. A big reason for this passion is that it's so rare that a movie can be this creative, and this DIFFERENT, and still be a movie that won tons of awards like Best Picture.

Because in a landscape where so many studios seem not to want to take major risks, EEAAO still seems like an anomaly, as it feels like both a cult movie and a massive blockbuster at the same time, and I still just marvel at that fact. Even all these years later.

We're currently in the throws of Awards Season, with all eyes on who will take home the 2025 Academy Awards. Every year as its own historic wins, as well as folks who ended up disappointed that they didn't take home a trophy. When Jamie Lee Curtis won for Best Supporting Actress at the 2023 Oscars, that meant that Angela Bassett didn't win for her performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). And the legendary actress recently got honest about what it was like losing.

Despite her long and acclaimed career, the 66 year-old actress has only gotten two Oscar nominations. Some of the best Angela Bassett movies weren't recognized in this way, despite her consistently excellent performances. While speaking with Town and Country Magazine, the What's Love Got to Do With It icon spoke about not taking home an Oscar a few years ago, and going viral for her honest reaction. In her words:

She's got a point. Being disappointed or bummed out is a perfectly reasonable reaction to not winning an Oscar, especially considering it was Bassett's first nomination in many years. She wasn't disrespectful, she just had a human reaction ot the disappointment. As a reminder, you can watch that moment below:

While Angela Bassett remained mostly stoic, you can see that potentially winning an Oscar for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever meant a great deal to her. And her not winning did end up being one of the most surprising 2023 Oscar moments. In the same interview, she spoke about more about her reaction, where she didn't clap for winner JLC.

In the end, Everything Everywhere All At Once (which is streaming with a Max subscription) ended up taking most of the major Awards during the Oscars that year. That included Jamie Lee Curtis' victory, which Bassett confirmed was a bit surprising. She offered:

In the end, Bassett be given an honorary Academy Award the very next year for her decades of powerful performances. She certainly wasn't wrong about paying her dues, and it's nice to see that the Academy rightfully gave the actress her flowers after her Best Supporting Actress loss. Indeed, she was one of the emotional cores of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Given her character's death in the sequel, we might have seen the last of Angela Bassett's Queen Ramonda. But given her popularity, there are still folks who are holding out hope she turns up in upcoming Marvel movies. Although we shouldn't expect that in any of the titles of the 2025 movie release list.

Hollywood is supposed to be a magical place where dreams come true. Sometimes, for some people, it truly does, but for the vast majority of people, that’s not the case. Or, at least in the case of Ke Huy Quan, sometimes it takes four decades. Ke Huy Quan had his first movie role in 1984 with Indiana Jones and the Temple Doom, and now over 40 years later, he finally has his first starring role in Love Hurts.

I’ve been excited to see Ke Huy Quan’s debut as a lead since I heard Love Hurts was on the way. While I’m not going to argue that the lighthearted film is some masterpiece of cinema, I enjoyed the movie overall. Unfortunately, my enjoyment was tempered by an incredible frustration, because we could have had movies like this for decades if Hollywood had been smart enough.

Ke Huy Quan Quit Acting Due To A Lack Of Opportunity

When Ke Huy Quan joined the cast of Everything Everywhere All At Once, it was heralded as a return to the screen for the child actor that my generation remembers fondly from both Temple of Doom and The Goonies. We all wondered where he’d been all this time. Well, he was behind the scenes because it was the only place he could find work. Quan was open about the fact that roles simply didn’t come his way as often as he thought they would, saying…

It was certainly proof of Ke Huy Quan’s talent when he went on to win an Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once. On the strength of that, new offers came in. He had a strong supporting role in Loki Season 2 and a heartfelt part in the excellent American Born Chinese that I wish you could watch, but you can't because Disney+ killed it. Now we have the new movie Love Hurts. It’s the first time Quan has led a major studio film, and it’s all the proof we need that we screwed up 40 years ago.

Love Hurts Shows Us What We Missed

Love Hurts is a simple movie about a former mob enforcer who tries to go straight, only to be pulled back in by a woman he loves. The story is a bit on the weak side, but the action scenes are solid and the comedy works. I agree with most critics that there are plenty of flaws that keep Love Hurts from being great, but I certainly didn’t feel like I wasted my time watching it.

But the most important thing about Love Hurts is that it shows that Ke Huy Quan can lead a movie, and all that says to me is that we’ve missed out by not allowing him to do that for the last four decades. Imagine just how many movies we could have had, but will never see because Hollywood had decided on its own that this wasn’t something that we would want to see.

In many ways, Love Hurts feels like just the sort of movie we've seen in the last few years where older action heroes come back for one last job. But in those cases, they're playing off the nostalgia for their previous work. Here, we're missing the career that came before.

You screwed up, Hollywood. Ke Huy Quan is a movie star, and he could have been one for years. I'm sure studios don't care that they stalled a man's career, but they also left a lot of money on the table. I hope they at least feel bad about that.

Digital visual effects have been an integral part of the filmmaking process for decades but their increased use over the years has had some moviegoers convinced that Hollywood is far too reliant on creating worlds with a computer. Well, allow us to prove to you that practical effects do still exist by highlighting some modern classics that have honored the old-fashioned ways of creating movie magic.

The Substance (2024)

As an eye-opening behind-the-scenes featurette for The Substance proves, director Coralie Fargeat went to great lengths to use as little CGI as possible to realize her vision for the film, which received five 2025 Academy Award nominations, including Best Makeup. Some of the most bizarre and disgusting shots of this intense body horror spectacle were captured on camera with shockingly realistic doubles for body parts, such as when Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) births her double, Sue (Margaret Qualley), out of her back.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

One of the most appealing aspects of the Mission: Impossible movies is their intense action sequences, achieved with little to no digital enhancement. Arguably, the franchise's most unbelievable practical stunt comes from Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Tom Cruise trained for weeks to perform a HALO jump out of a plane from 25,000 feet above the ground for a sequence that only required CGI to create the storm raging around Ethan Hunt as he descends.

Jurassic Park (1993)

While considered a revolutionary moment for CGI in movies with its timeless dinosaur creations, the first installment of the Jurassic Park movies also uses practical effects in very impressive ways. While the animatronic velociraptors are among the most famous examples, according to special effects designer Michael Lantieri in a video by Great Big Story, one of the most difficult effects was creating ripples in a cup of water to signal the T. Rex's approach, which was achieved by plucking a guitar string placed underneath the cup.

Inception (2010)

Some of the more surreal moments from Christopher Nolan's dream-exploring adventure Inception obviously could not have existed without CGI. However, as demonstrated in a behind-the-scenes DVD featurette, the scene when Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) engages in a brawl in a hotel that is literally spinning was achieved by rotating a hallway set on an axis and, for shots in zero-gravity, building a vertical hallway set and suspending the actors on wires.

The Shape Of Water (2017)

Guillermo del Toro's Oscar-winning romantic fantasy The Shape of Water begins with an opening credits sequence taking place in a fully submerged building filled with floating furniture. According to THR, the surrounding water was added digitally but the scene was still primarily achieved practically by having puppeteers control the movements of the suspended props.

Spider-Man (2002)

Sam Raimi, creator of the Evil Dead movies, became an inspirational indie film hero with the use of clever, homemade practical effects in the original horror classic and would maintain that sensibility when he helmed one of the best superhero movies, Spider-Man. For instance, as a DVD commentary reveals, the scene when Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) catches Mary-Jane (Kirsten Dunst) and her falling lunch on her tray was captured for real after 156 takes, with some help from an adhesive that kept the tray steadily attached to Maguire's hand.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

The design of BB-8 is so unique that it seems it could only be achieved in a galaxy far, far away but, according to the official Star Wars website, he was filmed practically here on Earth. The rolling droid was constructed for Star Wars: The Force Awakens with magnets and gyroscopes that allowed his head to remain attached as he rolled through the sand.

Apollo 13 (1995)

The zero-gravity sequences from the classic space movie, Apollo 13, are so realistic, it almost seems like director Ron Howard and co. would have had to leave Earth to shoot them. Actually, according to AV Club, they only had to travel about 36,000 feet above ground by building the set in a NASA training craft called the KC-135 (nicknamed the "vomit comet") which authentically creates the feeling of weightlessness by taking gravity-countering dives.

Oppenheimer (2023)

Christopher Nolan said that there were "zero CGI shots" in his Best Picture Oscar winner, Oppenheimer, which dramatizes the development of the atomic bomb. To clarify, as reported in Variety, CGI was used in some instances to improve a visual but not a single shot was entirely created with a computer, including the Trinity Test, which was filmed practically using miniatures that were blown up by the crew.

Mad Max Fury Road (2015)

CGI is primarily used in George Miller's exhilarating post-apocalyptic thriller, Mad Max: Fury Road, to improve certain visuals and remove equipment from the frame. However, as a behind-the-scenes feature found on the Blu-ray reveals, just about every wild, death-defying stunt that takes place in this post-apocalyptic action movie masterpiece was performed on camera and on location, such as the pole-vaulting stunts. Bonus fun fact: the Doof Warrior's guitar was an actual working flame-thrower.

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

Director Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a film that does not fit neatly into any genre, thanks to its mind-bending fantasy visuals, many of which were achieved practically. For instance, as mentioned in an article from Focus Features' official site, the scene when Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) appear to change size while walking around a set is achieved with a distortion chamber, which uses forced perspective to create the illusion that two people on opposite sides of a room are wildly different sizes.

Interstellar (2014)

The one scene from Christopher Nolan's breathtaking space epic, Interstellar, that, most surprisingly, is predominantly shot with practical effects sees Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) in a tesseract that allows him to literally interact with time itself. IndieWire reports that the sequence was achieved by projecting animated images onto thin strands of fabric that surrounded the fully built, life-size set which the actor was suspended inside.

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert created a fantastic world (or, more accurately, worlds) for their Oscar-winning, beloved A24 movie, Everything Everywhere All At Once, with a unique combination of CGI and practical effects and the help of a five-person VFX team. As they explain in a video for Wired, the first time Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) makes an interdimensional jump was done practically by shooting the actor being dragged to another corner of the office building in slow motion.

Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

Peter Jackson and Co. easily could have used digital effects to make Elijah Wood's Frodo and other Hobbit characters appear much smaller than Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellan) in the Lord of the Rings movies. Instead, according to Wired, they went the old-fashioned route and used the simple act of forced perspective by placing actors further back in the frame to make them look smaller than the actor placed closer to the camera.

Grindhouse (2007)

Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino teamed up for a double feature that paid tribute to exploitative B-grade flicks of the '60 and '70s but only one of them really stayed true to the era's filmmaking principles. Rodriguez's Planet Terror relies heavily on CGI to create its grotesque world while Tarantino's Death Proof (according to Hagerty) is lauded for adding little to no digital enhancement to its crazy stunts, especially when Zoe Bell hangs on the hood of a car while being chased by Kurt Russell's Stuntman Mike.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

All three of Christopher Nolan's live-action Batman movies provide proof of his championing for capturing as many mind-blowing sequences on camera as possible, especially in The Dark Knight Rises. As a Business Insider feature details, the opening sequence, in which Bane (Tom Hardy) hijacks a CIA plane, was performed for real after obtaining permission to drop part of the plane from a helicopter over Scottish land.

1917 (2019)

One might assume that to create the illusion of being filmed in mostly one take, Sam Mendes' 1917 used a great deal of CGI to hide the seams. Truthfully, there were some Oscar-winning digital effects used in some key moments, such as the plane crash sequence, but, as detailed by The New York Times, the explosions from the climactic scene in which Schofield (George MacKay) runs across a field bombarded with bombs were authentic.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

In addition to its breathtaking stunts, such as in the iconic canal scene, one of the most impressive practical effects from Terminator 2: Judgment Day takes place in the director's cut when Sarah (Linda Hamilton) and John Connor (Edward Furlong) remove the T-800's (Arnold Schwarzenegger) chip from his head in front of a mirror. A video by Insider explains that in order to avoid the camera showing up in the mirror's reflection, the scene was instead shot in front of a window with a recreation of the set on the other side and Hamilton's twin sister, Leslie, mimicking her actions.

It (2017)

For his 2017 adaptation of Stephen King's It, director Andy Muschietti was initially planning on using CGI to give Pennywise a lazy eye to make the demonic clown even creepier. However, according to an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight, he discovered he did not need to use digital effects because Pennywise actor Bill Skarsgård can move his eye individually – a fact that It: Chapter Two star Bill Hader was frightened to learn on set, as he revealed on Conan.

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)

Most of the magic from the Harry Potter movies is, obviously, brought to life with digital effects but there is one memorable, fantastic scene from the third installment, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, that was created on camera. A feature by ScreenRant explains that, for the scene in which Harry (Danielle Radcliffe) accidentally casts a spell that causes his Aunt Marge to blow up like a balloon, actor Pam Ferris wore a special suit and facial makeup prosthetics that could actually inflate.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Awarding the Oscar for Best Visual Effects to Spider-Man 2 was a no-brainer based on how realistic Doctor Octopus' mechanical arms look alone. As explained in a DVD bonus feature, CGI was used for most scenes involving Doc Ock's evil appendages but many of their movements were achieved with rigorous puppeteering which actor Alfred Molina was also heavily involved in.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Michael Keaton said that it was important to him and director Tim Burton that the long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, use as many practical effects as possible. EW mentions that, just like in the 1988 original, sandworms were created with stop-motion animation for a scene when Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) and her daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega) find themselves on one of Saturn's moons.

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

For Joel Coen's solo directorial debut, The Tragedy of Macbeth, the filmmaker wanted to give the adaptation of William Shakespeare's influential play a distinct look reminiscent of a theater stage. To create this aura, as seen on a featurette posted to YouTube by Apple TV+, life-size sets were built on a soundstage at the Warner lot and surrounded by matte paintings to fill in the backgrounds.

Midsommar (2019)

The secret to the visceral nature of the nightmares Ari Aster brings to life in his second great A24 horror film, Midsommar, is the use of practical effects, such as in the scene when an elderly villager has his face fatally smashed in after surviving a cliff jump. According to Vulture, the gruesome moment was filmed practically with a fake head equipped with pneumatic cylinders that could collapse and reset with the push of a button, allowing for multiple takes with the same prop.

Skyfall (2012)

What makes Daniel Craig's James Bond movies so memorable is the realism of their action sequences, such as the opening scene of Skyfall. A feature about the train fight from SlashFilm details just how challenging it was for director Sam Mendes and co. to shoot the scene on top of a real moving train.

Independence Day (1996)

The visual effects of the classic alien invasion movie, Independence Day, took home a well-deserved Oscar — not just for its convincing CGI but also for its more old-fashioned tricks. For instance, an article from the Director's Guild of America website explains that the destruction of recognizable landmarks like The White House and the Empire State Building was achieved with miniatures.

Tenet (2020)

Christopher Nolan goes above and beyond to create the most realistic and explosive action sequences possible, such as purchasing a real, full-size Boeing 747 only to destroy it. According to ScreenRant, that is how he shot the plane crash scene from Tenet.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Enough time has passed since the 1986 original that Tom Cruise and Co. could have achieved aerial action sequences in Top Gun: Maverick on sound stages and with green screens. Instead, as detailed by IGN, the actors trained for months to actually go up in the air in military-grade jets equipped with cameras for the most realistic shots possible.

First Man (2018)

According to Digital Trends, First Man director Damien Chazelle wanted to shoot Neil Armstrong's (Ryan Gosling) moonwalk without green screens but in a place that could later be slightly augmented in post-production. They chose to shoot the sequence at an Atlanta quarry and some of the only digital trickery involved was to remove elements the filmmakers did not want to be reflected in the actors' astronaut helmet visors.

Barbie (2023)

Before her feet fall flat due to an existential crisis, Margot Robbie's eponymous role is introduced in Barbie with her feet in an inhumanly arched position. Director Greta Gerwig told The Project that his shot was not achieved with CGI but by anchoring Robbie's toes to the ground with double-sided tape.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Emily Blunt made magic with her wonderful portrayal of the iconic, titular nanny in Mary Poppins Returns but that was not the only stellar trick the production pulled. For instance, as a special featurette shared on YouTube by Rotten Tomatoes reveals, the scene in which Mary and the children enter a magical realm through their bathtub was achieved with a slide built underneath the tub that was cleverly concealed with a thick layer of soap bubbles.

The French Dispatch (2021)

Wes Anderson movies like The French Dispatch exist in a world that could only come from the filmmaker's vast imagination. So, how are these striking, surreal images brought to life on camera? A video by Piercefilm Productions reveals some of the drama's most memorable visuals are created with a combination of miniatures and painted backgrounds.

Genres are helpful—until a movie comes along that throws the rulebook into the fire. Some films are so inventive and wildly ambitious that slapping a single label on them feels like an insult. These movies blend tones, mix storytelling traditions, and challenge expectations at every turn. Whether mashup horror and comedy, sci-fi and romance, or animation and noir, these 32 films break free from traditional classification, proving that the best stories often refuse to fit into a box.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

The plot of Everything Everywhere All at Once sounds absurd when you hear it out loud. It’s sci-fi, but it’s also a family drama. It’s one of the best action movies in recent memory. It also happens to be an absurdist comedy with a scene that breaks my heart every time I see it–I still can’t look at rocks or googly eyes the same. It’s a meditation on existential dread wrapped in kung-fu spectacle. The Daniels crafted something that shouldn’t work but does—an emotional, high-energy, genre-blending rollercoaster where nihilism and love collide in the best way possible.

Donnie Darko (2001)

A suburban teen, time travel, existential horror, and a man in a creepy rabbit suit—Donnie Darko refuses to be pinned down. Is it a psychological thriller? A coming-of-age story? A horror film with sci-fi elements? Richard Kelly’s cult classic is all of these things, a moody, enigmatic puzzle box that continues to haunt viewers decades later, an easily one of Jake Gyllenhal’s best movie performances.

The Princess Bride (1987)

What other film can balance fairy tale fantasy, satirical comedy, swashbuckling action, and heart-melting romance without breaking a sweat? The Princess Bride is a book-to-screen adaptation that is as good, if not better than the novel it's based on. It’s a love letter to classic storytelling while also poking fun at its conventions. It’s pure magic—a film that can make you laugh, cheer, and cry, often within the same scene.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, one of his best movies, refuses to let fantasy be an escape. Instead, it interweaves a fairy tale with the brutal realities of war-torn Spain. Part fantasy film, dripping in historical drama and a dash of horror. Del Toro blends all three into something chillingly beautiful, proving that sometimes the scariest monsters are human.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

A hard-boiled noir detective film… with animated cartoon characters running wild? Who Framed Roger Rabbit defies expectations by fusing classic film noir aesthetics with Looney Tunes madness. It’s part mystery, part slapstick comedy, part technical marvel, entirely unclassifiable, and, in retrospect, not very appropriate for children.

Swiss Army Man (2016)

Since finishing up his tenure as Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliff has made some weird movies, and none are as odd as Swiss Army Man. Think Cast Away with a farting corpse–as a stranded man befriends a farting, talking corpse with Swiss Army knife-like powers—if that sounds like nonsense, that’s because it is pure absurdist genius. It’s an iconic buddy comedy, an existential drama, and a surprisingly heartfelt film about loneliness, self-worth, and the strangeness of human connection.

The Fifth Element (1997)

Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element is one of the best science fiction movies of the 90s, sure, but it’s also a campy, over-the-top, French space opera that veers into comedy, action, and cartoon levels of insanity. It’s a spectacle of pure creative energy, filled with outlandish characters and visual madness that make it impossible to categorize.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is an unholy blend of campy B-movie horror and glam rock musicals. It embraces its genre-defying weirdness with open arms. It’s more than a film—it's an experience with some of the catchiest songs committed to screen.

Being John Malkovich (1999)

A movie about a portal into John Malkovich’s mind that turns into a psychological drama about identity, obsession, and control? Spike Jonze, in his directorial debut, and Charlie Kaufman turn an absurd premise into something deeply unsettling yet darkly funny, making Being John Malkovich one of the strangest films ever made and one of the best flicks of the 1990s.

The Shape of Water (2017)

If you mix a Cold War espionage thriller with a creature feature and, of course, a fairy tale romance, you’ll get an idea of what The Shape of Water is. Guillermo del Toro masterfully stitches these elements together into a haunting, poetic, and profoundly weird film. A love story between a woman and an amphibious creature shouldn't work, but in del Toro’s capable hands, the movie becomes unforgettable and deserves all its Oscar wins.

Hook (1991)

Though much maligned since its release, Hook is easily one of Robin Williams's best performances. It tells a compelling father-son story mixed with whimsy and is a family-friendly swashbuckler. However, at its heart, it’s a deeply melancholic story about rediscovering lost youth.

Spirited Away (2001)

Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away is an intoxicating blend of myth, folklore, and childhood wonder, defying any easy categorization. The film operates on dream logic, shifting between the whimsical and the nightmarish, crafting a world that feels both hauntingly strange and intimately familiar. It’s one of the very best adventure family movies out there.

Fargo (1996)

The Coen Brothers have a habit of making films that exist in the gray area between genres, and Fargo might be their greatest balancing act. It’s a crime thriller, a dark comedy with some of their funniest quotes, and a bleak meditation on human nature. The film is full of violence and tension, yet it never loses its absurd sense of humor—often in the same breath.

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

At first glance, The Cabin in the Woods is one of the best horror movies of the 2010s, but the deeper you go, the more it mutates into something else entirely. It works as a love letter to and a brutal deconstruction of the horror genre, blending meta-comedy with genuine scares. It starts like a standard slasher film, but by the end, it’s an apocalyptic fever dream that leaves you questioning everything you know about horror storytelling.

Gremlins (1984)

Is Gremlins a horror movie? A dark comedy? Is it a Christmas film or just Christmas-themed? The answer is all of the above. Joe Dante’s chaotic creature feature shifts wildly between tones, sometimes feeling like a heartwarming holiday classic and other times diving headfirst into gruesome horror. It manages to be both gleefully silly and genuinely unsettling—making it impossible to fit neatly into one category.

The Pagemaster (1994)

The Pagemaster refuses to commit to a single identity. Though it loomed large in my childhood, its unwillingness to commit to a single genre could be why it has such an abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score. While it’s positioned as a children’s film about the power of books, it blends so many visual and storytelling styles that it becomes something else entirely. This surreal, hybrid experience feels both nostalgic and oddly experimental.

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China is an action movie that plays like a comedy, a kung-fu film that satirizes kung-fu films, and a supernatural adventure that revels in its own ridiculousness. It gleefully subverts action hero tropes, making its protagonist more of a bumbling sidekick–with some of the greatest Kurt Russel quotes–than a traditional lead. Its genre-bending nature has made it an enduring cult classic.

Her (2013)

Her straddles multiple genres while remaining profoundly intimate and personal. Yet again, Spike Jonze takes a premise that could have been used for satire—a man falling in love with his AI assistant—and turns it into a heartbreakingly sincere exploration of modern relationships. It’s futuristic but deeply human, making it impossible to categorize.

Last Action Hero (1993)

On the surface, it’s an action movie but also a deconstruction of action movies. Last Action Hero arguably came out at the wrong time, as it revels in Hollywood excess while poking fun at its clichés, blending over-the-top action with meta-commentary way ahead of its time. It’s self-aware, chaotic, and often refusing to be boxed into a single category.

Burn After Reading (2008)

Burn After Reading is classic Coen Brothers chaos—a film where every character thinks they’re in control, yet none of them have any idea what’s actually happening. It plays with the tropes of espionage thrillers, only to reveal that the stakes are laughably low, making it a darkly hilarious puzzle box of a movie. Also, it has one of the best Francis McDormand performances ever.

Men in Black (1997)

It’s a sci-fi film, but it’s also a buddy-cop comedy. It’s a blockbuster, but it has the sharp humor of a satire. Men in Black blends alien conspiracies, action-packed spectacle, laugh-out-loud comedy, and one of the scariest aliens committed to celluloid into something effortlessly entertaining. It thrives in its refusal to take itself too seriously, making it one of its era's most unique sci-fi films.

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Edward Scissorhands is unapologetically Tim Burton at his best. An oddity that defies easy classification. It’s equal parts whimsical and tragic, blending a monster movie's aesthetics with the romance's tenderness. The film’s visual style is pure fantasy, yet its emotional core is deeply human, making it one of Burton’s most enduring works.

A Ghost Story (2017)

A Ghost Story is a slow, meditative exploration of time, grief, and existential loneliness. It also tells the story of a spiritual being who walks the earth in a bed sheet. This story challenges everything you expect from a ghost story, stripping away jump scares and supernatural lore in favor of long, lingering shots and quiet, contemplative storytelling. It’s haunting, but not in the traditional sense—more of a melancholy whisper than a scream in the dark.

La La Land (2016)

A musical, but one that subverts the tropes of the genre. La La Land embraces old Hollywood spectacle while refusing to follow the standard “happily ever after” formula. It’s nostalgic yet modern, blending reality and fantasy in a way that feels both dreamlike and achingly real.

The Lobster (2015)

The Lobster is so uniquely bizarre that it exists in a separate genre–the genre of Yorgos Lanthimos. Lanthimos takes an inherently ridiculous premise—that single people must find a partner or be turned into animals—and turns it into something deeply unsettling, bleakly funny, and weirdly moving.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

The Fantastic Mr. Fox is a movie far better than its bombing at the box office would lead one to believe. It is a wonderful stop-motion movie, but it's also unmistakably Wes Anderson, as the filmmaker blends the time-consuming animation with his signature aesthetic. It feels like a classic children’s storybook brought to life, yet it carries an undercurrent of existential angst that makes it resonate just as strongly with adults.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

No movie influenced 90s cinema quite like Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. This unpredictable film intertwines multiple narratives, with Samuel L. Jackson as the standout performer. The movie redefined nonlinear storytelling by skillfully blending brutal violence, humor, and unexpected poignancy.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Another Charlie Kaufman brainchild, Eternal Sunshine, takes a high-concept premise—erasing painful memories of lost love and toxic relationships—and turns it into an achingly beautiful meditation on heartbreak, fate, and human connection. It’s as cerebral as it is emotional, making it one of the most uniquely structured love stories ever told.

Prey (2022)

Prey is not just another Predator movie; it’s a historical survival thriller and an Indigenous-led action film that reinvents the franchise. By removing the excessive machismo of earlier movies and setting the story in 1719 around a young Comanche warrior, Prey transforms into a compelling tale of resilience and culture. Amber Midthunder emerges as a standout new face in the lineage of final girls in horror.

Aliens (1986)

James Cameron cranked Ridley Scott’s slow-burn terror into an all-out war film, proving that a sequel doesn’t have to repeat its predecessor. Aliens retains the dread of its predecessor while injecting explosive, military-driven spectacle, making it a rare hybrid that succeeds as both a nerve-wracking horror movie and a high-octane action thriller.

Coraline (2009)

It looks like a children’s fantasy film, but Coraline, while being one of Laika’s best movies, is pure nightmare fuel. A dark fairy tale with horror undertones, the film walks the tightrope between whimsy and dread. Its stop-motion animation is gorgeous yet eerie, and the story—about a young girl lured into a seemingly perfect world with sinister secrets—feels like something pulled from the pages of an old gothic ghost story.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

A coming-of-age story drenched in comic book and video-game aesthetics? Scott Pilgrim vs. The World should have been a hit, with its pure kinetic energy, blending pop culture, music, and self-aware humor into a hyper-stylized spectacle. Edgar Wright expanded his abilities as a filmmaker, creating a film that’s part arcade game, part indie rom-com, and wholly unique in its execution.

Jamie Lee Curtis is famously one of many well-known performers who has one Oscar nomination. It’s crazy to think the Hollywood vet and icon only has one nom, and win, from the Academy. What’s crazier is that Questlove projected that she would take home the award that night when no one else said she would for the zany part she played in the everything bagel-riddled multiverse.

Curtis joined The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to talk about her upcoming 2025 movie schedule releases, The Last Showgirl and Freakier Friday. Along with sharing about the new features, the Halloween star recalled the 2022 force that is Everything Everywhere All At Once and her path to winning. She set the context of her relationship with the film, which is one of the many movies you can watch over and over, how she went to a screening and reception in NYC and saw Questlove was there. She said:

Her frankness and down-to-earth explanations of working on the movie, seeing it with a live audience and the reception that follows is just too perfect. The Freaky Friday alum leaves it all out on the table, as she does regardless of acclaim since The Roots’ drummer was right about Curtis’ emotional surprise Oscar win.

The True Lies actress then expanded into Questlove’s timely prediction and how he was the one who made her realize it could be possible.

What a bonkers story between the two and what great foresight The Tonight Show drummer had. We all knew it was a matter of time, with so many best JLC movies to choose from but who knew it’d be the one with her in hot dog fingers? The Daniels film absolutely deserved all the attention and success it garnered that year, the cast and crew included.

Wild stories that lead to great outcomes like taking home the Oscar make them all the better. The saga between Questlove predicting Jamie Lee Curtis winning for Everything Everywhere All At Once is absolutely incredible.

Watch Jamie Lee Curtis in her Oscar-winning role in Everything Everywhere All At Once with a Max subscription. The Last Showgirl is playing in theaters now.

The great thing about fiction is it allows people to temporarily suspend their disbelief for the sake of entertainment. Many of the most beloved movies of all time have strange and downright ridiculous premises if you try to explain them out loud, but their strangeness is a part of their charm. Here are 32 films with absolutely ridiculous plots.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

This movie was a critical and commercial darling, and its plot is utterly bizarre. A disillusioned laundromat operator traverses the multiverse, battles soldiers masquerading as IRS office workers, and dances with hot dog fingers in order to save her estranged, nihilistic daughter. It is, by far, one of the best and zaniest Best Picture winners that we’ve seen in a very long time.

21 Jump Street (2012)

On the surface this film seems relatively normal: it’s the classic tale of an awkward nerd and a dumb, handsome jock forming an unlikely duo while navigating the trials and tribulations of high school. Only this time, they’re also buddy cops going undercover as high school students in a sting operation to arrest the dealer of a new illicit drug. And, fittingly, the movie’s visuals are just as trippy as its premise.

Legally Blonde (2001)

In many ways, Legally Blonde was ahead of its time due to how it disrupted harmful stereotypes about hyper-feminine women. Its plot is still a bit goofy though, as it involves a popular, blonde sorority girl working her behind off to secure a spot at one of the most competitive law schools in the country, just to prove to her pretentious ex-boyfriend that she’s worthy of him taking her seriously. Thankfully the film ends with her ditching the loser and discovering a true penchant for law.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

One of the highest-grossing films of all time has one of the most convoluted plots of all time. A billionaire, retired superhero and his team invent time travel so that he and his fellow superheroes can travel to different timelines and capture magical, rainbow-colored stones so that they can reverse the devastating effects of a purple villain’s success in eliminating half of all life in the universe with a snap of his fingers. Don’t worry, though: you only have to watch 21 films to understand it.

Poor Things (2023)

This colorful, quirky science fiction movie earned Emma Stone her second Oscar, and by just listening to its plot, it’s clear to see why. Stone portrays a woman whose brain has been replaced by that of an infant, and in the beginning of the film she cannot even properly pronounce the word “blood,” but by the end, she is studying to become a doctor. The dramatic transformation she undergoes, while traipsing around Europe and learning philosophy, is equally strange and impressive.

Back To The Future (1985)

Back to the Future is widely thought of as the quintessential time travel movie, and the implications of its time travel are seismic. A teenager accidentally travels 30 years into the past after meeting his eccentric science friend, and while stuck in the past, he inadvertently interferes with the relationship of his teenage parents, which threatens his very existence. Now he has to ensure that the couple stays together before he is erased from history, while dealing with the uncomfortable fact that his teenage mother has taken a liking to him.

The Mask (1994)

Back in the ‘90s, Jim Carrey was arguably the King of Ridiculous Movies, and his turn as Stanley Ipkiss in the mask not only allowed him to show off his excellent comedic sensibilities, but also his amazing face acting and physical capabilities, as his character quite literally turns into a cartoon come to life with a neon green face after donning a magical mask. The bad CGI stretching and morphing only adds to the zany enjoyment of the movie.

Happy Death Day (2017)

There is no worse birthday present than death, and this film forces its protagonist to endure it every birthday. The protagonist, a mean sorority girl, dies on her birthday, and she is forced to relive the tragic day every single day until she figures out who the person responsible is. Also, she has limited time to figure out who the person is before she dies for real (as in, she stops coming back to life).

The Boss Baby (2017)

A lot of animated movies lean into the fact that they are marketed towards kids, and there are few better examples than The Boss Baby. This zany movie’s plot involves the existence of an absurd baby-making corporation in the clouds that delivers a baby with hopes of rising the corporate ladder to a family with a disgruntled former only child, and the unlikely brother duo must work together to stop puppies from becoming the most loved creatures in the world.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)

Speaking of absurd animated movies, the SpongeBob SquarePants franchise as a whole is pretty bizarre with its takes on marine life, but its movie definitely pushes the boundaries of what’s believable. In this movie, Plankton steals King Neptune’s crown and frames Mr. Krabs for it, just so Neptune will punish Krabs and give Plankton a chance to steal his coveted burger recipe, sell those burgers at his restaurant, and become dictator of Bikini Bottom. And it’s up to SpongeBob and Patrick to retrieve the crown while driving in a car made out of a Krabby Patty.

Home Alone (1990)

The ridiculousness of Home Alone’s plot likely comes from the fact that such a scenario happening in real life would be deeply sad. A young boy, who already feels like an outsider in his own family, is left behind by said family when they go on a Christmas vacation. And if this minor being left unattended isn’t bad enough, he is forced to set up elaborate, dangerous traps to ward off persistent, home invaders.

Divergent (2014)

The Divergent movie was just one of a multitude of young adult, dystopian franchise films that became massively popular during the 2010s, and it, by far, has the most head-scratching premise. In its future, what’s left of humanity after a cataclysmic war has divided itself into factions based on rudimentary personality traits, such as kindness and honesty. In this reality, you are seen as a massive threat that must be eliminated if you dare to be intelligent, honest, and selfless at the time.

Barbie (2023)

Stereotypical Barbie spends most of her life in an idyllic, woman-ruled, plastic paradise until one day she begins to experience existential dread and the horrible tragedies of cellulite and flat feet. She must then embark on a journey from her perfect Barbie Land to the Real World and discover the meaning of life and womanhood in a male-dominated world. And Ken’s also there, but he’s just Ken.

Cocaine Bear (2023)

The ridiculousness of this movie’s plot can really be summed up with its title. After sacks of cocaine fall into the woods, a bear accidentally becomes addicted to it and attacks the residents of a small town. While this sounds like the plot of a horror movie, it’s actually quite hilarious in the stupidest way possible, because the amount of opportunities these people are given to escape from or incapacitate the bear are numerous, and yet they choose idiocy every single time.

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Harry Potter’s story has become such a classic by now, that it’s hard to think that at one point it was another strange idea that had to be marketed to the world. In the first movie, Harry is an orphaned boy that is neglected and mistreated by his foster family, only to be politely kidnapped by a gentle giant who tells him he’s a wizard and sends him off to attend a magical boarding school. Also, a fully grown wizard has hated him since he was a baby, because that’s normal.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

It’s normal when starting a new relationship with someone to not want to think about or compare yourself to their exes. Now, imagine that not only did you have to meet all seven of their exes, but you had to battle them to the death too, preferably in video game combat style. Those are the insane lengths Scott Pilgrim goes through to be with Ramona Flowers.

Twilight (2008)

It’s a tale as old as time: a teenage girl who hates the cold and rain moves to the Pacific Northwest to live with her distant father to allow her mother to travel the country with her new husband, and, while in the Pacific Northwest, said teenage girl meets and falls in love with a sparkly, 108-year-old vampire that not so secretly wants to drink her blood. And then, they live happily ever after or something like that.

The Princess Bride (1987)

The best part of The Princess Bride is its ridiculousness. There’s such a warmth to the film due to the fact that it obviously does not take itself seriously, exemplified by the princess herself being named “Buttercup,” she pushes the man whom she believed took the life of her former lover down a hill, only to realize said man is her true love, and rolls down the hill with him. And this is all after he incapacitates the three men who kidnap her. And that's just the beginning!

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The most-seen film in movie history also has the most beloved, ridiculous plot in movie history. A young girl and her dog get caught in a tornado, and the storm transports them to a faraway land where there are good witches, bad witches, flying monkeys, talking lions and scarecrows and more. And in order for her to get home, she has to follow a yellow brick road in ruby red slippers.

Despicable Me (2010)

In this silly tale, a villain, seeking to earn more respect in the villain community, plots to steal the moon, which is simple enough. So, obviously, the best way to go about doing so is adopting three orphaned girls and sending the girls to sell cookies at his villain competitor’s house, so that he can infiltrate said house and steal the competitor’s shrink ray to successfully steal the moon. At least, that’s what Despicable Me tries to convince its admittedly very young audience makes sense.

White Chicks (2004)

It’s common to look back at media from decades again with a modern perspective and assess whether said media from that earlier time would be made today. This movie is a clear example of one that is a product of its time, not only because of its crass racial humor, but also because of its dumbfounding plot: two Black, male FBI agents masquerade as blonde white women to protect two social heiresses from being kidnapped. Hijinks ensue, and lewd jokes abound.

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

When your movie is being led by comedic genius Robin Williams, it’s likely to have a ridiculous plot, and Mrs. Doubfire is no exception. In this family-friendly flick, Williams portrays an unemployed voice actor going through a difficult divorce. After he is only granted supervised visitation rights to his kids, he comes up with an outrageous plan to spend more time with him: pose as an elderly, female nanny named “Mrs. Doubtfire.”

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

In this film’s universe, all major, commercial holidays coexist with one another and have their own lands which can be accessed by secret, tree-encased portals. The Pumpkin King of Halloween Town becomes disillusioned with his life there, stumbles across the Christmas portal, and falls in love. He does everything in his power to introduce his own, twisted form of Christmas to his macabre home, to limited success.

The Parent Trap (1998)

In yet another case of questionable parenting, a British woman falls in love with and marries an American man, and she gives birth to twin daughters. The couple divorced shortly after the girls are born, and instead of trying to work out a joint custody situation, the parents decide to keep one daughter each and raise her in their respective home countries and pretend the other daughter does not exist. This eventually leads to the girls meeting each other and learning of each other’s existence for the very first time at summer camp, and after a period of rivalry, they decide to join forces to get their parents back together.

13 Going On 30 (2004)

This is another movie that shows you how weird its plot is just with its title. An awkward, 13-year-old wants to skip the uncool parts of life and live life as a successful, 30-year-old woman in New York. And on her birthday, she gets her wish, waking up in the body of a rich, stylish magazine editor with a not-so-great personality. The most bizarre, yet impressive part of this movie is watching Jennifer Gardner portray a 30-year-old woman with the brain of a 13-year-old girl who’s trying to pretend like she’s a 30-year-old woman.

Shazam! (2019)

If you were to ask a child what their dream superpower is, becoming an adult probably wouldn’t be their tenth choice, let alone their top choice, but Billy Batson in Shazam! makes it look super cool. After being chosen by an ancient wizard, the foster kid, can now morph into a fully grown man at will by yelling “Shazam!” and he gets a suite of cool powers.

Central Intelligence (2016)

Few Hollywood best friends are more endearing than Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, and their on-screen chemistry comes to life in this silly buddy cop action movie. Johnson’s character is a formerly obese nerd turned jacked CIA agent who needs Hart’s character’s accounting skills, even though the latter hasn’t seen the former since his days as a star athlete. Of course, they save the world in the campiest, most hilarious ways.

Spy Kids (2001)

Surely many kids have wondered what their lives would be like if their mild-mannered, suburban, if a little boring, parents were actually top-secret spies. Well for the brother-sister duo in this movie, that lifestyle is anything but fun as it leads to them being captured by a villain with giant, sentient thumbs for minions. And, that’s not even the weirdest part.

Matilda (1996)

A young, precocious girl is neglected by her family, so she finds solace in reading a lot. Unlocking so much of her brain’s potential at a such young age grants her telekinetic abilities, which she uses to enact revenge on her parents and awful principal, Ms. Trunchbull.

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

A mysterious, eccentric chocolatier, invites a select group of children with accompanying guardians to his famed chocolate factory, only to discover that there are horrors at every turn, including chewing gum that can turn you into a human-sized blueberry and fizzy drinks that cause you to float, which is fun, until you’re dangerously close to a whirring ceiling fan. The only reason this film is thought of as cheerful and child-friendly, and not downright terrifying, is because it hams up how utterly ridiculous it is.

Alvin And The Chipmunks (2007)

A live-action movie with talking animals will always necessitate some suspension of disbelief, but when those talking animals are chipmunks that also sing, and quickly become the world’s biggest pop stars, at some point a line is crossed and any semblance of realism has flown out the window. The only thing more ridiculous than the rodent singers themselves are all the times their manager, turned adoptive father Dave screams “Alvin!”

The Nutty Professor (1996)

In this movie, Eddie Murphy portrays a brilliant, obese professor who develops a groundbreaking weight-loss formula. Insecure about his size and eager to impress the girl of his dreams, the professor tests out the drug on himself, and he successfully slims down, only for the thin version of himself to develop an evil alter ego and fight to take over the professor’s life permanently. Not only are the performances of this film hilarious and outlandish, especially with Eddie Murphy playing multiple roles, but the visual gags of the professor switching between his thin and large self are something to behold.

Looking for movies like Interstellar after revisiting one of the best sci-fi films of all time? Well, we have something that’ll make you oh so excited. In honor of the 10th anniversary of one of Christopher Nolan’s best movies, we’ve put together a rather robust list of titles that touch on similar topics, have a similar tone, or fill the audience with wonder and awe (or a combination of the three).

From classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey to more modern gems like Arrival, and so much more, there’s plenty to choose from. In fact, there are probably enough options here to keep you busy on a long journey to deep space.

Arrival (2016)

Denis Villeneuve’s 2016 sci-fi drama, Arrival, has a lot in common with Interstellar, and the similarities go beyond just both movies having confusing endings. Both highly decorated movies feature incredibly complex and emotional stories about parents going to great lengths to either connect with their children or save them, as well as stories about the uncertainty of the future.

Stream Arrival on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Arrival on Amazon. 

Frequency (2000)

Gregory Hoblit’s 2000 sci-fi thriller, Frequency, follows NYPD detective John Sullivan (Jim Caviezel) as he communicates with his father (played by Dennis Quaid) over the radio. But here’s the thing, his dad has been dead for 30 years and has been contacting him from 1969. 

Rent/Buy Frequency on Amazon.

Contact (1997)

Another movie about someone going to great lengths to find or contact a loved one, Robert Zemeckis’ Contact follows Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) as she finds evidence of extraterrestrial life and embarks upon an epic mission to the far reaches of space. And you’ll also get to see a younger Matthew McConaughey long before he played Intestellar's Coop.

Rent/Buy Contact on Amazon.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

One of the landmark sci-fi movies of the 20th century, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey follows a group of astronauts as they are sent on a mission to Jupiter to find a mysterious object that’s calling to Earth. This Oscar-winning sci-fi classic walked so Interstellar could run.

Stream 2001: A Space Odyssey on Max.
Rent/Buy 2001: A Space Odyssey on Amazon.

Sunshine (2007)

In Danny Boyle’s Sunshine, a group sets off to the dying sun in a last-ditch effort to reignite the solar surface and prevent humanity from suffering a cold and drawn-out death. Much like Interstellar, this film about saving the human race explores man's fight for survival, but also man's downfall.

Rent/Buy Sunshine on Amazon.

Big Fish (2003)

Okay, Big Fish isn’t a sci-fi movie and it doesn’t take place in space, but Tim Burton’s moving fantasy drama does focus heavily on the bond between parent and child. Much like Interstellar, this is a movie built on the back of familial bonds, both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

Rent/Buy Big Fish on Amazon.

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

One of the most inventive Best Picture winners in recent memory, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a mind-bending, genre-bending, and incredibly emotional epic about a seemingly normal woman (Michelle Yeoh) going to great lengths to form a meaningful relationship with her family. The familial bonds and drama found in this movie are on par with anything in Interstellar.

Rent/Buy Everything Everywhere All at Once on Amazon.

Moon (2009)

Moon is one of those sci-fi movies any fan of the genre should watch at least once in their lifetime. Following a lone worker (played by Sam Rockwell) as he completes his mission on the lunar surface, Duncan Jones’ inventive drama explores loneliness and humanity while also featuring one bizarre twist after another.

Rent/Buy Moon on Amazon.

Ad Astra (2019)

Though it doesn’t get talked about nearly enough, Ad Astra is one of the great space-travel movies of the past decade. The movie follows Brad Pitt’s lone astronaut as he travels to the far reaches of the solar system to find and confront his missing father (played by Tommy Lee Jones) before the weary figure can do the unthinkable and wipe out humanity with the push of a button.

Rent/Buy Ad Astra on Amazon.

Inception (2010)

Released four years before Interstellar, Christopher Nolan’s Inception is another sci-fi epic that focuses on the relationship between parent and child just as much as it does with massive set pieces and philosophical questions. And with so many crazy fan theories, it’s a fun movie to revisit.

Rent/Buy Inception on Amazon.

Gravity (2013)

A Best Picture loser that should have won the top prize, Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity was one of the most breathtaking cinematic experiences of the 2010s. Centering around Sandra Bullock’s solo astronaut stranded in Earth’s orbit, the movie follows the terrified yet determined heroine as she goes to great lengths to make it home.

Rent/Buy Gravity on Amazon.

The Martian (2015)

Not only do Interstellar and The Martian both feature incredible performances by Matt Damon, each film also tells a remarkable story of two astronauts as they embark upon perilous journeys that test them physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Rent/Buy The Martian on Amazon.

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)

Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, like Interstellar, captures the heart and imagination of the audience better than most. This iconic ‘70s film about humans making contact with mysterious extraterrestrial visitors pushed the sci-fi genre in a new direction nearly 50 years ago, and its influence can still be felt decades later.

Rent/Buy Close Encounters of the Third Kind on Amazon.

Ex Machina (2015)

Released just months after Interstellar, Alex Garland’s Ex Machina offers a more frightening and bleak sci-fi tale with its story about a state-of-the-art robot (played by Alicia Vikander) and the programmer (played by Domhnall Gleeson) hand-picked to perform a Turing test. Despite the different tones, both movies focus on exploration and how much we really don’t know about the universe or ourselves.

Rent/Buy Ex Machina on Amazon.

The Fountain (2006)

One of Darren Aronofsky's best movies, The Fountain is split up into three loosely connected storylines that all center on characters (played by Hugh Jackman) going to extreme lengths to save the women they love (played by Rachel Weisz) in various scenarios. Emotional, spiritual, and awe-inspiring, this is worth a revisit.

Rent/Buy The Fountain on Amazon.

Prometheus (2012)

A prequel to Ridley Scott’s Alien, Prometheus is set years before the Nostromo incident and follows a group of archaeologists as they travel to a distant moon in search of sentient life. But, what they find is far more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined. 

Rent/Buy Prometheus on Amazon.

Midnight Special (2016)

One of the best sci-fi films of 2016, Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special follows a father (played by Michael Shannon) as he tries to hide his son (played by Jaeden Martell) from both the government and a mysterious cult after it’s discovered the boy has mysterious powers. Mixing sci-fi with family drama elements, Nichols crafts an exciting and poignant story like no other.

Rent/Buy Midnight Special on Amazon.

District 9 (2009)

Neill Blomkamp gave the world one of the most groundbreaking sci-fi action thrillers in 2009 with his feature film debut, District 9. Set in South Africa years after spaceships bring an alien race to Earth, the movie dives into the tense relationship between humans and extraterrestrials, and doesn’t shy away from tackling complex themes.

Rent/Buy District 9 on Amazon.

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, a project started by Stanley Kubrick and brought to fruition by Steven Spielberg, follows a young android (played by Haley Joel Osment) as he embarks upon a journey of self-discovery. Caught between man and machine, this proves to be no easy task for the emotional cyborg programmed to love.

Rent/Buy A.I.: Artificial Intelligence on Amazon.

Hopefully, this will be helpful when finding something to watch after Interstellar. But if you’re looking for newer films, there are plenty of upcoming sci-fi movies headed to the big screen in the very near future.

Some movies you can just watch over and over, like the ones on this list. There are a lot of great movies out there, some films you can only watch once, like Schindler's List, but others, like the ones on this list, never get old. Here's our list of the most rewatchable movies we know. 

The Big Lebowski

One of the things that makes the Coen Brothers' masterpiece The Big Lebowski is how The Dude and other characters learn things along the way and use those new facts and lines later in the movie. It's something you might never notice if you didn't watch the movie over and over and that kind of thing will not stand. Not to mention it has some really classic lines that are endlessly quotable. 

Clueless

As if we'd ever get bored of watching Clueless. There are so many great characters, from Cher (Alicia Silverstone) to Tai (Brittany Murphy) to Mr. Hall (Wallace Shawn), that we could watch over and over just to watch one character each time. 

The Dark Knight

Of all the comic movies that have been released in the 21st Century, there is one performance that will always stand above all the others. Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight ranks among the best roles ever seen on film, superhero movies or otherwise. It's so good that it literally never gets old or stale. There is something to behold every time you watch the movie. 

Die Hard

Watching Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman face off in Die Hard is the main reason the movie will always be rewatchable. Both put in some of the best performances of their careers and even though there have been many Die Hard sequels, none of them quite have the charm and magic that the original has. 

Dirty Dancing

For decades now people have been having the time of their lives watching Dirty Dance on repeat. The music, the dancing, the love story... it brings audiences along for a realistic, yet fantastical story all in one. It's been beloved for years for a reason. 

Dazed And Confused

Dazed And Confused is among the best movies about high school ever made. It's also one of the best movies of the 1990s, though it's set in the '70s. Those aren't the qualities that make it so rewatchable. It's simply the amazing cast and the endless amounts of quotable lines those actors deliver. It's always pleasurable to watch actors like Paker Posey, Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser, and Matthew McConaughey so early in their careers. 

Back To The Future

There is a level of rewatchability to all three Back To The Future movies, but the first still stands way above the sequels. It's a movie so fun and so well-paced that you never get bored, even if it's the 150th time you've watched it. 

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Everything Everywhere All at Once has a lot going on. It's a movie worth watching again and again if for no other reason than it's easy to miss stuff the first, or even fifth time you watch it. The concept is so cool and so well executed, and the acting performances are so good, that it's impossible to get bored with the film. 

The Godfather

Though the entry just says The Godfather, this could really count for either Part I or Part II, as both are among the most rewatchable movies ever. There is a reason they both consistently rank among the best movies ever made. The acting performances are amazing, the dialog is incredible, and Francis Ford Coppola's directing is as good as it gets on film. 

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 1

Let's be honest, there are quite a few movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that you can watch over and over. There is one that stands above the rest though. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 1 has great music and great quotes, which are two things that really make movies forever rewatchable. It's just a really fun movie with some of the most fun characters in the whole universe. 

Legally Blonde

If you want to know how valuable Elle Woods can be, just try to stop watching Legally Blonde when you randomly come across it. It can't be done. It's filled with quotable lines and one of the most charming performances of Reese Witherspoon's stellar career. 

The Princess Bride

From Gen Xers to Zoomers, The Princess Bride has become part of millions of people's childhood. It's a movie that kids and adults can watch over and over, finding different wonderful things about it, depending on your maturity level. No matter how many times you watch, you can always find something new to observe and love about The Princess Bride. 

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Who doesn't love Indiana Jones? The character, played of course by the great Harrison Ford, has become one of the most enduring movie heroes of all time. Well into the 21st Century, Hollywood is coming up with new adventures for the old archeologist. In the end, it all goes back to the beginning though, with the O.G. movie, Raider of the Lost Ark. 

Clue

If you were to ask around the staff of Cinemablend what off-beat comedy is their favorite, there is a decent chance Clue would be the answer you get. If for no other reason, the movie can be - and should be - watched over and over just for Tim Curry's amazing, manic, hilarious performance as The Butler...who butles and creates absolute mayhem. 

The Shawshank Redemption

It's hard for people to believe that The Shawshank Redemption wasn't a big hit in theaters. For whatever reason, it failed to find an audience. That all changed when the movie hit cable TV and became one of the most-watched movies in movie history. It was on TV all the time because people watched it all the time, over and over. 

Jurassic Park

The moment in Jurassic Park when Dr. Grant (Sam Neill) and Dr. Sattler (Laura Dern) see the dinosaurs for the first time, with John Williams' amazing score swelling in the background is such a great movie moment, that you can watch it over and over and a tear will still come to your eye. Now throw in all the other great parts and you have a seriously rewatchable movie. 

The Lion King

Disney sure knows how to make movies that kids and adults alike can watch over and over. We could really pick almost any of their classic cartoons here, but The Lion King is so good it's been remade into a live-action hit and one of the most successful Broadway shows of all time. All three are eminently rewatchable. 

Mean Girls

You know if a movie gets a remake less than 20 years after it was originally made, especially when that remake is based on a Broadway musical adaptation, it must be a movie you can watch over and over. Fans of Means Girls just can't get enough of the comedy, both on stage and screen. 

The Wolf Of Wall Street

If you're a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, or bad language, The Wolf Of Wall Street is likely a movie you've watched numerous times, right? And why wouldn't you? It's an almost perfect movie. Much of the story is tragic, but the ride to get there is wild. 

9 To 5

Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda are three national treasures. Put them in a movie where they torture their horrible boss played by the late great Dabney Coleman and you've got the recipe for a movie that people will never get bored of, just like 9 to 5.

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars fans can watch any of the many movies over and over. All movie fans can watch Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back over and over, however. You don't have to be obsessed with every bit of Star Wars lore to absolutely love Empire. It's the best of the movies and one of the best movies ever made. It's got some of the craziest action scenes, the coolest characters, and the best plot twist of all time, at least according to many. It's simply the best. 

10 Things I Hate About You

When a movie is a hit with teenagers, especially one as popular as 10 Things I Hate About You, you can bet it'll be a rewatchable movie. Throw in some breakout performances by Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Julia Stiles, a plot based on a Shakespeare play, and you've got all the ingredients you need for a massive hit that people will watch again and again. 

Fight Club

The first rule of Fight Club might be don't talk about Fight Club, but no one really follows that rule, and the second rule might as well be, "watch Fight Club over and over and quote it endlessly" because that's what Fight Club really is. Like many of director David Fincher's movies, Fight Club is so well done that you see something new in it every time you watch, just like many of the great movies on this list. 

Titanic

To paraphrase the late, great Jerry Garcia, Titanic is like black licorice. Not everyone likes it, but the people that do like it, really like it. The James Cameron mega-hit isn't for everyone, in fact, it might have as many haters as it does lovers, but those who do love it never get bored with watching the wonderful sets and spectacular effects that the movie is best known for. 

The Matrix

While it's true that the Matrix trilogy had diminishing returns, there is no denying how amazing and groundbreaking the first one was. It still has a hold on popular culture, decades after its initial release. While some fans may not go back to the three sequels, the original is still a favorite for everyone that was red-pilled from the beginning. 

Pretty Woman

As rom-coms go, you can't get more perfect than Pretty Woman. Sure, the plot is a little dated and in some ways problematic, but the performances from the leads, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and the side characters, like Jason Alexander and Hector Elizondo are so good, it allows us to overlook the aging flaws of the movie and watch it again and again with nothing but joy. 

Gladiator

It really doesn't matter how many times you seen Gladiator, you are still going to jump up out of your seat when Maximus (Russell Crowe) reveals himself to Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). it's a moment in cinema history that will stand the test of time and still be a classic centuries from now. 

Jaws

It's no accident that Jaws is on this list. It's considered the first "summer blockbuster" but it's so much more. The characters are so well-developed that you can't help but root for all of them, except the mayor, of course. Sure the shark looks a little dated, but director Steven Spielberg did such an amazing job building the suspense by not seeing the shark, that it's easy to look past the 1970s movie magic.

The Great Escape

On Christmas in the United States, we watch things like A Christmas Story and It's a Wonderful Life every year. In the UK, they watch The Great Escape. We'll admit, that's a pretty amazing tradition because despite its nearly three-hour runtime, there is never a dull moment and it proves that longer is often better. The all-star cast and sharp direction keep the movie humming along from the time they are all locked up until they all get locked up again after the escape. 

The Incredibles

The Incredibles was an incredible hit for Pixar in 2004. Just like many Pixar and Disney movies before and after it, it became an indelible part of millions of kids' childhoods and even as they've aged, they still love the Parr family. While it took 16 years, when a sequel was finally made in 2018, it took in a cool $1.2 billion, attesting to just how loved (and watched) the original was and is. 

A League of Their Own

We all know that there is no crying in baseball because we've all seen Tom Hanks say it a million times as we've watched A League of Their Own over and over. All the characters are so unique and memorable that it's like watching an old friend every time it's on. 

Caddyshack

Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Ted Knight are four of the most quotable actors of all time. When you put them all in the same movie, and give them some of the best lines ever written, it's no surprise that Caddyshack is the kind of movie that people watch so often they end up memorizing it. Dangerfield, a king of the one-liner, is especially great in this one. 

For those who know me, you understand I love to eat and cook. For those who don't, you just learned a new fun fact about me – cooking (and eating) is honestly a passion of mine. Granted, I pair that with a decent amount of working out so that way I can eat whatever I want, but it's worth it when I'm able to enjoy that slice of pizza guilt-free or sip on a milkshake without worries. 

Another passion of mine is movies and TV, as you can expect, and those go well together with food, especially with cooking scenes, moments featured around cooking, or anything else. Today, we'll be going over my top favorite cooking scenes in film and television – or just dishes that look absolutely divine. 

The Cuban Sandwiches (Chef)

Chef is an underrated movie for many reasons, but it was especially underrated for how good its food looks. The Cuban Sandwiches that Carl begins to make towards the middle of the movie are really the most delicious thing I have ever seen—and I would know because I made them as well, and yes, they are so good. 

The Beef Wellington In Any Hell's Kitchen Season (Hell's Kitchen)

As someone who loves any Gordon Ramsay cooking show, I think Hell's Kitchen is the one that's been around the longest. And what have you seen them cook time and time again, over and over? That Beef Wellington, wrapped in puff pastry, surrounded by all kinds of goodness, and that red meat – gosh, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. 

The Last Of Us Made Me Want To Try Rabbit (The Last Of Us)

I love The Last of Us. Not only is it my favorite video game of all time, but it's also one of my favorite video game adaptations. That third episode with Bill and Frank broke me into a million pieces, but you want to know what it also did? Bill somehow made rabbit look appetizing to me when he cooked it—and now, I'm really curious to try it. 

Literally Any Scene With Chocolate (Wonka)

I'm going to miss getting into details with this one. While I picked Wonka specifically, any of the Willy Wonka adaptations would work. I gain ten pounds just watching this chocolatier make the treat, let alone eat it. 

Any Food Scene In Any Studio Ghibli Movie

As someone who loves anime, my favorite part is the fantastic Studio Ghibli movies. In any of them, there is always—and I mean always—a cooking scene. But in every Ghibli film, he always finds a way to make food look so ridiculously good that I'm jealous I'm not in the movie. The food is so appetizing that there's a cookbook based on it. 

Flanders Hot Cocoa That Looks Absolutely Divine (The Simpsons Movie)

As someone who just spent a decent amount of time rewatching the first ten seasons of The Simpsons, I recently saw The Simpsons Movie again. And man, that hot cocoa that Flanders leaves out for Bart lives in my head rent-free. He creates it without skipping a beat and topping it off with chocolate shavings. My friend, please do that for me. 

When Remy Makes The Ratatouille (Ratatouille) 

I love Ratatouille so much and believe it's underrated in terms of Pixar film status. I have to point out the titular dish that the rat, Remy, makes. Whether it's because of Ego's reaction to the food or the careful way in which Remy and the others assemble the cooked pieces of vegetables, it's a beautiful cooking scene. 

That Mushroom Pasta That's Served At The Family Dinner (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

While we don't physically see Mario's family cook the mushroom pasta, we do see it served, and yes, this is another example of something I had to recreate. It's a relatively simple meal: sauteed mushrooms with pasta, but if you add a little bit of spice, cheese, wine, and love—boom, you get this masterpiece. 

The Last Meal – A Cheeseburger (The Menu)

I'm a massive fan of the best horror movies out there, but The Menu has snuck up and become an underdog favorite of mine—mainly because I've occasionally enjoyed a night of fine dining. But the last meal, that cheeseburger with crinkle-cut fries that Chef Slowik served to Margot, made me want a cheeseburger so badly. Look at it; just look at it. 

Marcus' Chocolate Cake (The Bear)

The Bear cast features an extensive number of characters that I truly love more than most TV shows nowadays, and Marcus has snuck in and become a clear favorite of mine. One of my most-loved parts about him is in Season 1, where he spends so much time trying to perfect this chocolate cake, and it seriously makes me want to make a cake of my own—which I did end up doing because I have no self-control.

Those Scallion Noodles (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

The Academy Award-winning, Everything Everywhere All At Once is known for more than just its bagel. It also has scallion noodles, at least in the very beginning. What looks like a simple dish is actually delicate Asian cuisine that takes a certain amount of pizzazz to get just right, but once it's done, these are the best noodles you will ever have in your life. 

The Krabby Patties Because Obviously (Spongebob)

I'm a young woman; I grew up watching Spongebob Squarepants, so let's be honest here – you knew I was going to put this on this list. Come on. I'm pretty sure any time we saw Spongebob make these patties, we would salivate at the mouth to try them. 

Julieta Making Her Literal Healing Arepas (Encanto)

Encanto is a great Disney movie, and the arepas that Mirabel's mother, Julieta, makes look so good. They're so good that they literally heal people. If you can make an arepa that somehow heals wounds and more, you have captured my interest – even if it can't do the same in real life.

The Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (The Devil Wears Prada)

As someone who loves The Devil Wears Prada cast and adores the movie as a whole, I will openly say that I hated Nate's character. But what I didn't hate was that he was a chef who also spent his nights making some of the best-looking grilled cheese sandwiches for Andy. And yes, now I seriously crave something to eat. 

The Tamales Coco's Family Makes (Coco)

There are so many amazing Pixar films out there, but Coco has always been my favorite. However, something that I did forget about the movie for a while is that his family spends a decent amount of time crafting tamales, a very traditional Mexican dish that has been passed down from generation to generation. And truthfully, watching them make the dish made me want to try it so badly. 

Anytime Garfield Gets To Eat Cooked Lasagna (Garfield: The Movie)

I have to get Garfield on this list somehow. Garfield: The Movie is probably the best example, but any time Garfield gets to eat lasagna, I'm always jealous. Lasagna isn't even my favorite pasta dish, but somehow, this orange furball always finds a way for me to crave it by the time the movie ends. 

When The Chef Makes The Spaghetti (The Lady And The Tramp)

What is arguably one of the most romantic scenes in any Disney movie ever, we see Lady and Tramp share a plate of spaghetti after watching the chef at an Italian restaurant make it from the window. When I tell you that I have never craved spaghetti and meatballs more than after watching this film, I mean it. It looks so good. 

That Boursin Cheese Omelet (The Bear)

The Bear has so many dishes that I would gladly eat or make in a heartbeat, but I have to point out this omelet from Season 2 of the show. Sydney makes it for Sugar, and the dish itself is relatively easy to make but takes a certain amount of skill to pull off. Yes, I have remade it, and yes, I am salivating just thinking about those potato chips on top. 

The Crazy Amount Of Pastries (Marie Antoinette)

While Marie Antoinette is not the most historically accurate portrayal of the famous queen of France, I will say that the amount of pastries we see in that movie is godlike. I feel like seeing her eat them makes me gain twenty pounds—and also makes me want to go to a French bakery. 

The Classic Beef Bourguignon (Julie & Julia)

What makes Julie & Julie such a good movie is that it's actually based on a real-life culinary legend, so you know that the food in it is going to be spectacular. One of my favorite scenes from the film involves when they make the classic beef bourguignon, a stew where meat simmers for hours and is absolutely delicious by the time it is done. Ugh, I want to make it just thinking about it. 

Kevin Cooks His Own Macaroni & Cheese (Home Alone)

You know, sometimes you need to get the boxed mac and cheese and call it a day, and that's exactly what Kevin did in Home Alone. While we could go on for hours about how the burglar's injuries were super serious, I'm going to instead focus on how amazing that boxed macaroni and cheese looks that Kevin puts in the microwave. That feels like comfort on a plate. 

Carl Makes Aglio E Olio (Chef)

Aglio e Olio is actually one of the simplest pasta dishes you can make, and it's cooked to perfection in Chef. The dish itself is easy on the surface level but takes a certain amount of skill to pull off and achieve culinary perfection, and this scene perfectly captures it. Heck, I'd be waiting patiently, like Scarlett Johansson's character, too, for that meal. 

Monica's Candy That She Makes For The Neighbors (Friends)

Monica made some of the most delicious-looking food throughout Friends, but do you want to know the one dish that I have always wondered about? That homemade candy had neighbors coming directly to her door. It seemed like a nice favor at first, but eventually, it got so popular that she had to stop making it. What was in that candy that made it so good? I'm so curious. Give me all your secrets. 

That Classic Breakfast With Steak And Eggs (Twister)

You can't get better than this breakfast. While Twister isn't known for its cooking scenes, when we see steak and egg breakfast cooking, it'll make you want to make your own. I did precisely that after watching it for the first time. 

Remy's Reinvented Potato Leek Soup (Ratatouille)

There are so many delicious meals in Ratatouille that I could devour in a heartbeat, but Remy made the potato leek soup look so good. Alfredo nearly messes it up, but Remy secretly pulls it all together in the end and makes this delectable-looking masterpiece that makes me jealous that I'm not there in the kitchen with them. 

That Steaming New York City Pizza Delivery (Home Alone 2)

Okay, so Kevin doesn't actually make the pizza, but I have to put this on the list mainly because my mother and I still quote the scene where Kevin gets the pizza in Home Alone 2. It's steaming and is right out of the box, and it looks like something that I would absolutely devour in two seconds flat. 

A Chinese Christmas (A Christmas Story)

While we don't see them physically cook the Chinese, we do see the family of four receive a Chinese feast on Christmas Day when their dinner doesn't exactly pan out as planned. Featuring hilarious moments (some of which haven't aged super gracefully, but oh well), this scene captures the joy and craziness of Christmas—and makes me really want Chinese. 

Any Time Iroh Made Green Tea (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

I can't tell you how many times we've seen Uncle Iroh and all his wisdom in Avatar: The Last Airbender makes tea. I started drinking tea because of how good he made it look in every scene that he brewed. I even have a Jasmine Dragon mug now! I am fully on that Avatar train, no matter what. 

The Reveal Of That Timpano (Big Night)

I can't tell you how many times I've looked at that Timpano in Big Night and wondered how the heck that thing even exists. But that doesn't mean I don't want to try it. Look at it. Just look at this giant plate of food; God, my stomach is grumbling. 

Ross's Moist Maker Sandwich Because How Good Is It? (Friends)

No, because seriously, how good would this moist maker sandwich be if Ross basically got suspended from his job because of it? As someone who has had excellent Thanksgiving dinners and less than-great ones as well, that sandwich that Monica makes makes me so curious as to how good it tastes. 

Every Pie That's Baked (Waitress)

It's pie. How can you not want pie? Every pie that's baked in Waitress makes me want to make my apple pie no matter what time of year it is, and yes, I am going to go and bake one right now just thinking of it. 

Tiana's Gumbo (The Princess And The Frog)

Tiana is one of the best Disney princesses and it's because she knows all these excellent life skills and has an unbreakable spirit. One thing that she's amazingly good at is cooking and baking, and while I could point out her beignets, I have to give praise to her gumbo because, good lord, it looks so good. 

Gumbo honestly takes a lot of skill to properly make (as someone who has tried and failed), so I give her all the praise for somehow making it as a child. 

Okay, I think I need to revisit my cookbooks again because now I'm hungry. Time to cook! 

One thing I love with my full heart is women who kick ass. Whether it’s Furiosa, Ripley, or Samus from my beloved Metroid series, there's nothing I adore more than a woman who cleans house (and I don't mean in a “wash the dishes, fold the laundry” sort of way, but rather, in a Drowning Pool, “Let the bodies hit the floor” sort of way). 

So, with that in mind, I thought I would focus on Asian women who kick ass. But, I'm not going super far back, like Lady Snowblood in the ‘70s, or Michelle Yeoh in Police Story 3: Supercop from the ‘90s, or even Yeoh in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon from 2000 (though, she does definitely make this list). 

No, I'm only focusing on Asian women who kick butt in modern day times. So, with that said, here are six Asian female characters who kick ass in recent movies and TV shows. 

Jubilation Lee (X-Men '97) 

I've gone on and on about how much I love X-Men ‘97 to the point that it's almost redundant. But, I do love it! And I think the live-action MCU could learn a thing or two from it. 

One such thing it could learn is how to create an amazing Jubilee. Because yes, there have been live-action versions of the character in some of the X-Men movies, but they all felt more like an afterthought, unfortunately, whereas this Jubilee has a whole storyline centered around her and her boyfriend, Roberto, in the segment, “Motendo.” 

Voiced by Holly Chou, this Jubilee kicks ass with her pyrotechnic energy plasmoids (you know, her fireworks), but what's coolest about this version is that she knows what she wants, she stands up for what she believes in, and she fights alongside the other X-Men. How cool is that? 

Toda Mariko (Shogun) 

I mostly loved everything about the Shogun miniseries, but there were a couple issues that I had with it. That said, one of those issues certainly wasn't Toda Mariko, portrayed by the wonderful Anna Sawai. 

As somebody who loves the Shogun novel, I already knew what a badass Lady Mariko was. But, Anna Sawai brought a really interesting aspect to her character, showcasing somebody who was just as skilled at composing a masterful poem as she was with wielding a naginata. 

No spoilers, but the fact that she was able to live her life the way that she wanted to is just further proof that she was a badass for the ages.  

Ria Khan (Polite Society) 

Ria Khan, a.k.a. The Fury (played by Priya Kansara), wants to be a stuntwoman. She also dearly loves her sister, Lena (played by Ritu Arya). Their parents aren’t happy with their life decisions, but they’re at least happy. That is, until Lena gets set up on a date with a guy Ria doesn’t like. 

In that way, Lena becomes happy, but Ria becomes unhappy. And, you wouldn’t like Ria when she’s unhappy, because that’s when she starts punching and kicking. That’s just what badasses do.

Ria is more than just a slap happy version of Kung Fu Panda’s Po, though. She’s also intensely loyal to her sister, and is willing to master the reverse spinning kick in order to save her from what turns out to be a pretty zany plot involving clones. If you haven’t already figured it out yet, Polite Society is a really weird (And wonderful!) movie. 

Evelyn Quan Wang (Everything Everywhere All At Once) 

It still blows my mind that Everything Everywhere All At Once won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. I mean, I love it (I was even raving about it before it garnered the gold), but it's still pretty shocking to me that a movie that has so much kung fu in it was still awarded with the Academy’s highest honor. 

Even though I love pretty much everything about this movie, my favorite thing about it is the character of Evelyn, portrayed by Michelle Yeoh (who has been whooping ass for quite some time now). 

Evelyn’s character is inspirational in many ways. Because even though her life may appear mundane on the surface, somewhere, there’s a version of her who is a movie star, and a version of her with hot dog fingers, and even a version of her who can master several martial arts disciplines in a matter of seconds. 

Sure, there’s a much deeper narrative in this movie about the immigrant’s story, and generational differences, and a whole manner of philosophical topics, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that my favorite part was when Evelyn fought off several people with a police shield. 

Fennec Shand (The Book of Boba Fett/The Mandalorian) 

Oh, man. I could probably do a whole list about Ming-Na Wen kicking ass. She’s the actress who plays Fennec Shand on The Book of Boba Fett/The Mandalorian, but she also played Chun-Li in Street Fighter, voiced Mulan, and was Agent Melinda May on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

But, I digress. Let me focus on Fennec again. As a mercenary and assassin, she can handle her own, and only aligns with the likes of Boba Fett or The Mandalorian when she finds that it would be advantageous to her. 

That said, you definitely don’t want to get on her bad side, since she’s a master with a rifle, but also highly proficient in hand to hand combat. She’s the kind of woman who even the Mandalorian owes his life to. But, it’s all in a day’s work for her. 

Nicky Shen (Kung Fu) 

Many years ago, in a decade far, far away known as the ‘70s, there was a television show called Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, starring David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine. He walked the earth, and practiced martial arts. Tarantino, an obvious fan, got Carradine to play the titular Bill in his Kill Bill series. It was a whole vibe. 

Flash forward to modern times, and we have an adaptation of Kung Fu that ran for three seasons on The CW, and this time, instead of hiring a white dude to wander the earth, they hired an Asian woman named Olivia Liang. In the series, she plays a college student named Nicky Shen who leaves school and goes off to learn martial arts, only to return to San Francisco and find that the Triads have taken over. 

Throughout the series, Nicky kicks ass, but also tries to stop the person who killed her mentor. Much like the original, this version of Kung Fu is also a vibe. Too bad we won’t get a fourth season. 

How many of these shows and movies have you watched? For more news on other women who kick ass, make sure to swing by here often! 

How To Watch Anyone But You Online

Watch Anyone But You: Synopsis

The most talked about rom-com in recent years, Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria, The White Lotus) and Glen Powell (Set it Up, Top Gun: Maverick) play antagonistic love interests Bea and Ben in Will Cluck's Anyone But You. A surprise box office success, the movie has grossed more than $219 million worldwide and is now beginning to arrive on streaming services. We explain how to watch Anyone But You online from anywhere now with a Netflix subscription.

Starting out as an adorable coffee shop meet-cute, Bea and Ben's first date quickly curdles like gone-off milk when Bea overhears Ben trash talking her to his friend, Pete. Brushing off the interaction, the pair inevitably meet again some time later (as is enemies to lovers lore) when Bea's sister, Halle, becomes engaged to Pete's sister Claudia and plan to get married in Sydney. 

In a plot twist that can only be in an enemies to lovers romp, Bea and Ben end up on the same flight to Australia and will be staying at the same place in the lead up to the wedding. Both confronted with their ex's and leaving the remaining wedding party frustrated at their abject disdain for one another, the only plausible solution is faking dating. Thank you, rom-com gods!

Also starring Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever's Paxton) and Charlee Fraser as Jonathan and Margaret – the aforementioned extras – other familiar cast members include parents Dermot Mulroney and Michelle Hurd.

A racy rom-com, Anyone But You has received mixed reviews since its theatrical release in December of last year. Following its box office success, though, many are arguing future romantic comedies should take a leaf out of Anyone But You's book.

Haven't had a chance to watch it yet? No problem. Anyone But You is now on Netflix in the States, so read below for our guide on how to find out how to watch Anyone But You from anywhere.

Can I watch Anyone But You on Netflix?

I don't know about you, but I am in my rom-com era, so the news that Anyone But You has landed on Netflix in the US is probably the best thing that has happened this year (aside from the arrival of The Tortured PoetsDepartment, of course).

While it's not available in the UK, Canada, Australia, or any other Netflix libraries around the world right now, you can stream Anyone But You if you have a Netflix subscription in the States as of April 23.

Elsewhere, Anyone But You is only available to rent, or, if you live in New Zealand, you can watch it on the streaming service, Neon TV.

How to watch Anyone But You from anywhere

If you're a US citizen on vacation or working overseas, you can still watch Anyone But you just as you would at home with your Netflix subscription.

While Netflix libraries differ from country to country, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN which can change your IP address to make it look like you're accessing the streaming services you're subscribed from your home.

For example, US citizens in the UK can subscribe to a VPN, join a server based in the States and access US Netflix from anywhere in the world.

Step-by-step of using a VPN to unblock:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN, costing from $3.99 a month with its 2-year plan

2. Connect to a server – for Netflix, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US to watch Anyone But You

3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for Anyone But You, head to US Netflix

Watch Anyone But You in the US

As mentioned, those in the States are very lucky, with Anyone But You available now on Netflix, having landed on the streaming giant on April 23.

A Netflix subscription costs from $6.99 a month – that's the rate of its ad-supported plan. You can pay more to forego commercials, get more screens, and even 4K streams.

Can I stream Anyone But You in the UK?

Currently in the UK you can only rent or buy Anyone But You if you want to watch the new hit rom-com.

On Amazon, Anyone But You costs £4.49 to rent, or you can currently buy it for £7.99 – down from £13.99. You can also rent via Apple TV, Sky Store, Google Play, YouTube, and more.

Overseas? Access your US Netflix subscription with a VPN.

How to watch Anyone in You online in Canada

It's the same story in Canada as the UK, with Anyone But You only available to buy or rent.

It costs $5.99 through Amazon, or $6.99 through Apple TV, and is also available through Google Play, Cineplex Store, and YouTube.

If you've found yourself north of the border, get a VPN to port yourself back to the States and watch Anyone But You on Netflix.

Watch Anyone But You in Australia

Yep, you guessed it, Down Under you can only rent or buy Anyone But You currently. It's available on the usual platforms, like Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play Store, and others.

How to watch Anyone But You in New Zealand

The only other country where Anyone But You is available on-demand to stream is New Zealand. Kiwis can watch Anyone But You with a Neon subscription.

The streaming platform offers a 7-day free trial. Thereafter it costs from $12.99 a month.

Anyone But You Trailer

Anyone But You Cast

• Sydney Sweeney as Bea
• Glen Powell as Ben
• Alexandra Shipp as Claudia
• GaTa as Pete
• Hadley Robinson as Halle
• Michelle Hurd as Carol
• Dermot Mulroney as Leo
• Darren Barnet as Jonathan
• Bryan Brown as Roger
• Rachel Griffiths as Innie
• Charlee Fraser as Margaret
• Joe Davidson as Beau

February is almost at an end, but while it’s easy to wait for the massive influx of new content that comes with the first of the month, plenty of interesting content is hitting the various streaming services in the coming week. From new original series to some big movie debuts, and even a live awards show that you’ll only be able to watch with the right streaming subscription.

Before this year’s 2024 Oscars nominations turn to winners, you’ll be able to watch the big winner from last year’s ceremony on a new platform, the final season of a popular animated series, and one of the most popular animated series of the last 20 years to life in live-action. Here's what's arriving on streaming this week.

What's on Netflix

Netflix is still the overall powerhouse of the streaming world, and this week is one of the big reasons why. An original live-action series based on a popular franchise, a major theatrical release, and an exclusive live event.

Avatar: The Last Airbender - February 22

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the most popular animated series in recent memory. The previous attempt to transform it into live-action, M. Night Shyamalan's film adaptation, was, to say the least, not well-received. The new Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action Netflix show, if nothing else, has the benefit of more time, to potentially give the epic story a fittingly epic feel. Fans of the original will surely be tuning in to see how this one turns out. The question is, will the new series create even more fans?

Everything Everywhere All At Once - February 23

Everything Everywhere All At Once has been available on other streaming platforms previously, but none of them have nearly as many subscribers as Netflix. This means that last year's Best Picture winner, which also took home most of the other major awards for the night, will now be available to an entirely new audience. If you've never seen it before, this is one you need to check out. If you have seen it before, it's probably time to watch it again. 

Screen Actors Guild Awards - February 24

For the first time, the prestigious Screen Actors Guild Awards won't air on traditional TV but will be available exclusively with a Netflix subscription. The show honors acting performances in both television and film and is usually a strong indicator of where the top acting awards will go come Oscar time. If you're an awards show junkie, or just looking to get a leg up in the office Oscar pool, this one will be worth checking out. Also, Barbara Streisand fans won't want to miss this as the actor and director will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

What's On Disney+

For the second week in a row, Disney+'s top new offering is an animated Star Wars series, but while last week was a show meant for children of Disney+ subscribers,  this one is for those that have already grown up with the franchise.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch - Season 3 Premiere

In 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars debuted as an animated series, and in the years since, Dave Filoni has only become more deeply involved in the galaxy far, far, away. When The Clone Wars finally ended its run it was followed by spinoff series The Bad Batch, and now the third and final season of that show will start its run this week. With Filoni now focused on live-action Star Wars this may very well be the end of an era, as there are no animated upcoming Star Wars series that have been announced that will continue this story. 

What's On Paramount+

Sylvester Stallone's Tulsa King was a strong win on Paramount+. Unfortunately, the writers' and actors' strikes have delayed the show's second season. Luckily, Stallone's other Paramount+ series has no such problems.

The Family Stallone Season 2 - February 21

Sylvester Stallone is certainly an interesting man who has led an interesting life, so it's perhaps not a shock that a lot of people would want to get a peek into just what goes on inside The Family Stallone. Season 2 will focus on the family's move to Florida, and how that decision impacts Sly and everybody around him. 

What's On Max

Warner Bros. Discovery has an exclusive deal to bring A24 films to Max, and that means that they are the home for not only some incredible independent horror movies but also prestige dramatic films of the sort that tend to win awards, This week Max subscribers get one of the latter. 

Priscilla - February 23

While Sofia Coppola hasn't won an Oscar since 2004's Lost in Translation her movies are almost always worthy of note. Her newest film Priscilla, could not have come at a better time. Following Baz Luhrmann's extravagant and flashy Elvis, Coppola's movie interrogates the relationship between Elvis and his wife and tells the story from the other side. It's a compelling drama that turned heads at the Venice Film Festival and earned star Cailee Spaeny a Golden Globe nomination. 

What's On Apple TV+

From Silo to Severance Apple TV+ subscrptions have been a way for fans to get mind-bending series that always keep you guessing about what's going on, and what's going to happen next. The next series looks to be right up this alley.

Constellation - February 21

Constellation stars Noomi Rapace as an astronaut who returns home to earth following a disaster in space, only to discover that elements of life are not as she remembers them, including her own daughter. The first three episodes are set to drop on the first day, which will likely be enough to hook audiences. 

As usual, these are only the highlights. There's far too much arriving on all the different streaming platforms to list it all. Be sure to check out everything new on Netflix, as well as everything upcoming on Disney+ for a complete look at what's arriving this week and in the weeks ahead. There's also plenty new on Hulu when it comes to your weekly TV fix arriving online if you can't watch it live. 

A great movie quote resonates with you. An unforgettable one stays in your mind and may even alter how you approach life. Over my many movie-watching decades, some romantic movie quotes have infected my brain. They refuse to leave it. 

These quotes either automatically elicit a memory of a movie moment or are just so profound, romantic, or sharp that they play on repeat in my mind. These aren’t just quotes from my favorite romantic movies or even the best rom-com movies, but lines that remain a constant in my memory. These romantic movie quotes bewitch me body and soul. 

“I’m Just A Girl, Standing In Front Of A Boy, Asking Him To Love Her.” (Notting Hill) 

Anna (Julia Roberts) puts it all on the line by saying this to Will (Hugh Grant). It shows immense vulnerability. This act and line is one of the best movie examples of a character pleading with integrity. The scene becomes even more heartbreaking when Will makes the wrong choice and initially rejects her after her heartfelt plea.

Notting Hill is one of Hugh Grant’s best romantic movies because of brilliant, romantic lines like this one, the leads’ chemistry, and the genuine hilarity of the film. If anyone uttered a version of those words to me, I would forgive them for whatever they did, so Will is way stronger than me. 

“You Have Bewitched Me, Body and Soul, And I Love, I Love, I Love You.” (Pride and Prejudice) 

This quote truly doesn’t leave my head. Matthew MacFadyen deserves a thousand awards just for the perfect deliverance of these lines. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are the ultimate enemies to lovers example because of how bad it all started and how he manages to turn it all around. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are one of my favorite fictional couples and that’s mainly because of the 2005 movie version.

It’s a film I have seen many times but still feel excitement every time MacFadyen’s Mr. Darcy utters those lines. To bewitch someone is the level of love we should all strive for.  

“Sorry I’m Late. It Took Me Forever To Get Here.” (Never Been Kissed) 

Never Been Kissed is one of those movies that was iffy for some of the comedy and story choices even at the time. However, it’s a movie that I love and will always love despite its glaring issues. The main reason for that is the Josie (Drew Barrymore) and Sam (Michael Vartan) romance. The ending scene is one of my favorites of any romantic movie.

It’s also why the movie is one of Barrymore’s best romantic films. The simple lines say so much without over-explaining. The quote automatically makes me think of that perfect final scene. 

“It Wasn’t Over, It Still Isn’t Over.” (The Notebook) 

The Notebook has so many great romantic quotes that I could fill a whole book with them. I picked this one because it sums up Allie (Rachel McAdams) and Noah’s (Ryan Gosling) love story. It has an endless to be continued attached. Forever to continue, even after death. 

That’s just such a romantic notion that I can’t help but love the quote. The idea of soulmates and destiny really works in The Notebook. Allie and Noah will never be over because their love is that powerful. 

“I Wanted It To Be You, I Wanted It To Be You So Badly.” (You’ve Got Mail) 

The final moments of You’ve Got Mail have so many memorable quotes. However, I picked this one because I think it just sums up the feeling of really wanting something and then the pure, unadulterated joy of when it actually happens. 

Additionally, as viewers, we have all the information. Kathleen (Meg Ryan) does not. Therefore, we aren’t sure if she’ll be mad or happy when Joe (Tom Hanks) is her mystery man. When she says those words, we can sigh in relief. You’ve Got Mail is more proof that Ryan and Hanks are a perfect on-screen duo that we would watch together in any movie. 

“They Say When You Meet The Love Of Your Life, Time Stops, And That’s True.” (Big Fish) 

Big Fish was one of my favorite books as a child and one of the best Tim Burton movies.  Therefore, the story has a special place in my heart. However, it’s not exactly a romance movie. It’s about a father-and-son relationship and a look at a complicated man. But if you remove the context of the film, the quote is quite romantic. 

It is also paired with beautiful visuals. The hopeless romantic in me likes to believe that when you meet the one, something inside you just knows. This quote reflects that. 

“As You Wish” (The Princess Bride) 

“As you wish” is a three-word perfect line. It’s a way of saying I love you without saying I love you. This line is simple but means so much to Buttercup (Robin Wright) and Westley (Cary Elwes), and the viewers.

‘As you Wish” is also just something extremely romantic to say to someone. Whatever you want, I will do it is one of the ultimate displays of love and devotion.

“In Another Life, I Would Have Really Liked Just Doing Laundry and Taxes With You.” (Everything Everywhere All At Once) 

To quote another one of my favorite movies, “Don't talk of stars burning above, If you're in love, show me.” This quote from Everything Everywhere All At Once is a great example of how people show love without saying it. A committed relationship is more than romance and pretty words. It’s the commitment to the mundane things with the one you love.

Laundry and taxes sound amazing if you get to do them with the person you love the most. 

“I Hope You Don’t Mind, I Hope You Don’t Mind That I Put Down In Words How Wonderful Life Is While You’re In The World.”(Moulin Rouge) 

This is a bit of a cheat. “Your Song” by Elton John is one of my favorite songs ever, so I love all the lyrics of it. However, these particular lines always hit me deep in my soul. The song is perfect. It’s also equally magnificent how Moulin Rouge seamlessly makes popular music work in it. 

The mashups are inspired. And “Your Song” gets the beautiful treatment it deserves in this scene. It makes sense that Satine (Nicole Kidman) had no chance of not falling for Christian (Ewan McGregor) after he sang this song. 

“If You’re A Bird, I’m A Bird.” (The Notebook) 

I had to include one more The Notebook quote. The film’s best quotes very much pop into my head at any given moment. The “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird” line happens at such a sweet and cute moment in the film. It also sums up the idea of fully committing to someone. 

If they decide they’re a bird, you’re right there with them flying around the room. 

Sometimes screenwriters and authors (if adapted from a book) make movie quotes that are not only iconic but extremely romantic. They perfectly capture the bliss of being in love, falling in love, and loving. I welcome more romantic movie quotes to infect my mind. 

She's one of the most formidable leading ladies in global cinema—and with beloved Michelle Yeoh movies like Tomorrow Never Dies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Crazy Rich Asians, it's not hard to see why. However, her already iconic career got an even bigger boost when she became the first Asian woman to win an Academy Award in the lead actress category last year for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

The legendary actress — who you can currently see onscreen in the new Netflix series The Brothers Sun with a Netflix subscription — recently reflected on her historic Oscar win with Forbes and how she feels that coveted trophy has affected her stance in Hollywood in the year since: 

Yeoh followed her big Best Actress win — she also won in that category at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards last year — with several high-profile projects, including the aforementioned The Brothers Sun, the Disney+ series American Born Chinese, which Ke Huy Quan also starred in, and the positively reviewed A Haunting in Venice. She is also set to star as Madame Morrible in the cast of Wicked, the upcoming two-part film adaptation of the famed stage musical, reuniting Yeoh with her Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu. 

And given how monumental that Oscar was in film history, Yeoh must keep it in a special place, right? Well actually, it looks like that little movie man, which Michelle has jokingly dubbed "Baby O," has been on a bit of a traveling tour with its famous owner:

As for the much-welcome spotlight her success has shined on Asian and Asian-American communities in film — and the prevalence of Asian stories in this year's awards chatter, from TV series like Beef to drama films like Past Lives — the 61-year-old performer says it's "about time!" 

As for the Malaysian actress's upcoming projects, keep an eye out on both the 2024 movie schedule and 2024 TV schedule, because it's clear that the indomitable Michelle Yeoh isn't stopping anytime soon. 

In the battle for streaming supremacy, content is king, and WB Discovery’s Max streaming service just nabbed some content for the next several years that may be exactly what gets a lot of people to subscribe, or at least hold on to the service. HBO, Max, and A24 have made a deal that will give both the cable channel and the streaming platform first access to the studio’s films. 

This is an extension of an existing licensing deal between HBO and A24, but one that ensures that A24 fans will want to have that Max subscription paid up to continue to get access to the studio’s popular content. Movies like Sofia Copola’s recent biopic Priscilla, the new Nicolas Cage film Dream Scenario, and Zac Efron’s The Iron Claw which is already getting significant awards season buzz, are included in the deal.

This is good news for A24 fans not only because new movies will be coming to HBO and Max but also because older films, like Uncut Gems and Everything Everywhere All At Once, will also arrive on the service. It also means the A24 films already on Max, including Hereditary, The Witch, and more, won’t be going anywhere for a while. Being able to count on the movies not disappearing is as important in modern streaming as getting new stuff. Even original programs created for Max and other streamers have been pulled from services in recent months.  

A24 is still a small studio by just about any metric, but it has been able to develop a cult-like following, with many movie fans. Maybe only Disney has a similar following when it comes to the studio itself having specific fans dedicated to its output, though of course, A24 isn’t nearly as big. When A24 releases a new movie, especially one in the horror genre, fans stand up and take notice. The films are rarely massive blockbuster hits but the level of quality is undeniable, and the fact that the films tend to have smaller budgets makes it much easier for them to be successful.

While most streaming platforms have been focusing on their own original content in order to draw in subscribers, Max, especially since the merger with Discovery, has been much more willing to find content, and money, through licensing, and on both sides of the deal. The same month that WB Discovery inked a deal with A24, a bunch of DC movies arrived on Netflix. While it means the films are no longer exclusive, one assumes the licensing deal was worth making that trade for WB.

Exactly when the films will arrive on Max isn't clear. But A24 plans will have plenty of existing content to enjoy while they wait for everything else to be added. 

Over the course of the past century, there have been a total of 95 Best Picture winners at the Academy Awards, with some of the greatest movies of all time receiving all kinds of praise (and hardware) along the way. However, though they are near-perfect films, not even The Godfather, Everything Everywhere All At Once, or Casablanca are free from various issues and faults. This is not to say they’re bad movies, because history has told us these are absolute masterpieces, but these big-picture spectacles got some things wrong in addition to doing so much right.

Here are the best and worst things about 32 of the greatest movies to earn Best Picture…

The Godfather (1972) 

Best Thing: Marlon Brando's Performance - Marlon Brandon earned his second Academy Award for his portrayal of Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 Best Picture winner, The Godfather, and rightfully so. He simply steals the show.

Worst Thing: The Pacing - The Godfather may be a masterpiece, but the pacing, especially after Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) goes into hiding in Sicily is all over the place.  

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)

Best Thing: The Battle Of Pelennor Fields - In terms of movie battle sequences, the Battle of Pelennor is in a league of its own with its scope, scale, and technical wizardry.

Worst Thing: The Multiple Endings - Yeah, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the closing chapter of Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy, but all the endings to this three-hour movie get out of hand. 

The Departed (2006) 

Best Thing: Matt Damon's Performance - Martin Scorsese’s 2006 crime epic features one of Matt Damon’s best performances with the actor’s portrayal of crooked cop, Colin Sullivan, a menacing, self-serving, and unsympathetic character.

Worst Thing: The CGI Rat - However, The Departed also has that terrible and not very subtle CGI rat during the ending. In fact, there was even a campaign to have it removed. 

Spotlight (2015)

Best Thing: The "They Knew" Speech - Mark Ruffalo’s “They knew and they let it happen” speech in Spotlight is simply the best delivery of a line in the past decade.

Worst Thing: The Subject Matter Is Triggering - This isn’t a knock on Tom McCarthy’s amazing journalism movie, but the Catholic priest scandal at the center of Spotlight may be way too big of a trigger for some.

Amadeus (1984) 

Best Thing: F. Murray Abraham's Performance - F. Murray Abraham won an Oscar for his take on Antonio Salieri, probably the most effective villainous protagonist in the history of cinema.

Worst Thing: The Length - Like a lot of biographical dramas, Miloš Forman’s Amadeus, which won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, is way too long at 161 minutes. 

Titanic (1997)

Best Thing: Rose and Jack - The story of Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) and Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) is one of the all-time great love affairs and anchors James Cameron’s 1997 epic, Titanic.

Worst Thing: The CGI - CGI in 1997 hasn't aged all too well, and those underdeveloped visual effects plague numerous shots in Titanic, including that one scene of passengers from the uncanny valley walking on the deck. 

Gladiator (2000)

Best Thing: Maximus' Speech -  Maximus Decimus Meridius’ speech in Gladiator sums up Russell Crowe’s character’s story and motivations in a few lines, and gives Ridley Scott’s movie its best moment.

Worst Thing: The Pacing - While Gladiator has action sequences that still hold up nearly a quarter-century later, the pacing of the movie between those set pieces is cumbersome, to say the least. 

West Side Story (1961)

Best Thing: The Choreography - Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’s West Side Story is still one of the best musicals more than 60 years after its release, and that’s partially due to the lights-out choreography, especially during the first interaction between the Jets and Sharks.

Worst Thing: The Brownface Makeup - A lot has changed since its release, but the use of brownface makeup in West Side Story is off-putting, to say the least.

Ben-Hur (1959)

Best Thing: The Chariot Scene - The chariot scene in the 1959 version of Ben-Hur is still considered one of the best action sequences of all time. This set piece is a wild ride.

Worst Thing: Charlton Heston's Performance - Charlton Heston was a Hollywood heavyweight in his time, but his portrayal of Judah Ben-Hur feels so out of place and is like every other character he played over the years. 

No Country For Old Men (2007)

Best Thing: Anton Chigurh -  Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh is not only the best thing about No Country for Old Men, but he’s also one of the best on-screen villains of this century.

Worst Thing: A Major Character's Off-Screen Death - One of the major differences between the movie and the book is the death of Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), which isn’t shown in the Coen Brothers’ adaptation. The decision makes sense, but still isn’t the best of decisions. 

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Best Thing: The Chemistry - The chemistry between Daisy Werthan (Jessica Tandy) and Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman) is, without a doubt, the anchor and best thing about Driving Miss Daisy.

Worst Thing: The Story - Let’s be real for a minute, the story isn’t really what this Best Picture winner is remembered for, besides the basic premise.

Schindler's List (1993)

Best Thing: The Story - Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List is undoubtedly one of the director’s most personal and overall best films, thanks in no small part to its incredible story of overcoming tragedy and finding redemption.

Worst Thing: The Depictions Of Cruelty - That being said, the 1993 Best Picture winner is an absolute gut-punch with depictions of cruelty so extreme it’s hard to watch a second time.

Braveheart (1994)

Best Thing: Those Battles - Mel Gibson’s overly-long historical epic, Braveheart, is remembered mostly for its incredible and absurdly brutal battle sequences, which stand up nearly 30 years later.

Worst Thing: No Real Character Development - However, everything outside the battles is kind of whatever, especially the character development, which is essentially nonexistent for most.

Forrest Gump (1994)

Best Thing: The Decades-Spanning Story -  Truth be told, Forrest Gump features one of the best stories found in ‘90s cinema, one that sees Tom Hanks’ titular character grow into an American folktale.

Worst Thing: Jenny's Treatment Of Forrest - But come on, the way Jenny (Robin Wright) treats Forrest for most of the movie is horrible. Taking advantage of his kindness and continually hurting him is not a good move.

Unforgiven (1992)

Best Thing: The Ending - The final 20 to 30 minutes of Unforgiven is one the greatest stretches of time in a Western bar none. It’s bloody, it’s violent, and most of all, justified.

Worst Thing: Getting To The Ending - The nearly two hours getting to that point in Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, however, is a different story. It’s slow, drawn out, and takes its dang time, even for a slow burn.

Dances With Wolves (1990)

Best Thing: The Story - Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves features a remarkable story of redemption, rebirth, and finding beauty amidst death and violence, which makes it more than deserving of its Best Picture Oscar.

Worst Thing: The Length - The theatrical cut of Dances with Wolves is way too long at three hours, but the director’s cut is nearly an hour longer. Wild! 

Casablanca (1943)

Best Thing: The Final Scene - The final shot of Casablanca where Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Renault (Claude Rains) walk into the fog with an uncertain yet hopeful future is absolutely brilliant.

Worst Thing: The Flashbacks - The movie relies heavily on flashbacks to paint the story of Rick and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), but there are so many and Rick is constantly saying his “Here’s looking at you, kid,” line so much it takes away from the impact of his words.

On The Waterfront (1954)

Best Thing: The "Coulda Been A Contender" Speech - There’s a fair chance more people have heard Marlon Brando’s “Contender” speech from On the Waterfront than have seen the 1954 Best Picture winner, but that’s not a bad thing.

Worst Thing: The Love Story - While the story of Terry Malloy (Brando) dealing with the mob and his own past are both outstanding, the love story in this classic black-and-white film is a little undercooked and unnecessary.

Argo (2012)

Best Thing: The Pacing - Ben Affleck’s Argo starts hot and doesn’t really let off the gas, which makes this 2012 Best Picture winner fly by.

Worst Thing: The Ending - However, the overly intense final act, which takes some liberties with the real-life story of the hostage situation, makes for an exciting conclusion, but really takes some unnecessary steps.

The Sound Of Music (1965)

Best Thing: The Songs - One of the top musicals to win Best Picture, The Sound of Music features one incredible song-and-dance number after another.

Worst Thing: The Length - Though it doesn’t hurt the movie all that much, The Sound of Music’s nearly three-hour runtime can be taxing, especially for younger viewers. 

Nomadland (2020)

Best Thing: Frances McDormand’s Performance - Frances McDormand gave the performance of a lifetime as Fern, a woman who sells her belongings and becomes a nomad.

Worst Thing: The Lack Of Structure - Though there is a loose plot in Nomadland, sometimes Chloé Zhao’s Best Picture winner feels as aimless as its transient characters. 

Birdman (2014)

Best Thing: The Long Takes - Alejandro G. Inarritu’s Birdman is essentially one continuous sequence with only a few noticeable camera cuts, which really adds to the intensity and beauty of its story.

Worst Thing: The Ending - Up until the final moments, the movie is a wonderful exploration of the human spirit, but the Birdman ending is a bit of a head-scratcher.

Platoon (1985)

Best Thing: The Adagio For Strings Scene - Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” turns one of Platoon’s best moments from a good scene to an all-time great. 

Worst Thing: The Narration - Narration rarely works in movies, and it’s sad to say Oliver Stone’s Platoon is not one of those cases. 

Gone With The Wind (1939)

Best Thing: The Story -  One of the highest-grossing movies of all time, Gone with the Wind tells a tremendous love story with an epic scope and scale. And that story is enough to make this a movie that has to be watched.

Worst Thing: The Racism - There’s no way to get around it, Gone with the Wind depicts a great deal of racism, which is triggering. 

Wings (1927)

Best Thing: That Tracking Shot - The incredible tracking shot from Wings is enough to make this 1927 silent film a must-watch, and it happens to be the best thing about this nearly 100-year-old military epic.

Worst Thing: Primitive Special Effects - However, there are several examples of primitive special effects that are just so off-putting. But if that’s the worst thing we can find, it means this is a gem.

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Best Thing: The Visuals - The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once is a once-in-a-generation movie that won pretty much all the major Oscars, including Best Picture. This is partially due to the visuals, which range from eye-popping to mesmerizing.

Worst Thing: The Plot Is Sometimes Hard To Follow - This is just picking nits, but sometimes the plot can be a little convoluted and hard to follow.

12 Years A Slave (2013)

Best Thing: Lupita Nyong'o’s Performance -  12 Years a Slave features one of Lupita Nyong’o’s best performances, one that steals the scene whenever she’s on screen.

Worst Thing: Michael Fassbender's Brutality - Michael Fassbender is absolutely terrifying as Edwin Epps, so much so that it might turn some off to this Best Picture winner.

Rocky (1976)

Best Thing: Rocky's Story - Rocky is one of the best sports underdog stories of all time, and this is one of the main reasons this movie put Sylvester Stallone on the map in addition to earning Best Picture.

Worst Thing: The Title Fight's Length - The championship match between Rocky Balboa (Sylvest Stallone) and Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is an undeniable classic, but it’s only 10 minutes of the movie’s runtime. We want more!

The French Connection (1971) 

Best Thing:  The Car Chase -  You can’t have The French Connection without the epic car chase, which probably helped William Friedkin’s crime thriller win Best Picture.

Worst Thing: The Ending - After all of the drama, action, and intrigue, the movie just kind of ends with a lot of the details being provided through title cards.

Annie Hall (1977) 

Best Thing: Diane Keaton’s Performance - There’s no denying the fact that Diane Keaton’s titular character in Annie Hall is the best thing about this 1977 Woody Allen classic. She’s a triumph through and through.

Worst Thing: Alvy Singer's Neurosis - Allen’s Alvy Singer, on the other hand, is hard to root for, grating, and has a certain level of neurosis that is a bit too much at times.

American Beauty (1999) 

Best Thing: Thomas Newman's Score - We can’t say that Thomas Newman’s score was the reason Sam Mendes’ 1999 drama, American Beauty, earned Best Picture, but this masterful composition didn’t hurt either.

Worst Thing: The Creepiness Factor - All these years later, it’s admittedly kind of hard to watch American Beauty and not be left feeling icky because of the creepiness. 

Crash (2006)

Best Thing: The Cast - Though Crash isn’t the best movie to win Best Picture, it does have an outstanding cast including Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Thandiwe Newton, and Brendan Fraser.

Worst Thing: The Lack Of Nuance - Crash had no business winning Best Picture, especially when you consider the movie is about as subtle as a hammer when it comes to its themes. 

Again, all of these movies are in the category of “Greatest of all Time,” and it’s hard to find better choices that exemplify the greatest of cinema better than these. 

Some of the biggest stars in Hollywood are also some of the most often snubbed by the Oscars when it comes to Best Actor and Actress Academy Awards. Legends like Harrison Ford, Jamie Lee Curtis, and many others have somehow had some of the most successful careers in film, but have only been nominated for one Academy Award in the acting categories. 

Harrison Ford - Nominated For Best Actor (Witness)

Harrison Ford is a national treasure, most everyone will agree. Everyone, it seems, except The Academy, as he has only ever nominated once, for 1985’s Witness. This actor has been in two of the biggest franchises in history, plus the two Jack Ryan movies and so much more. He should’ve been nominated for The Fugitive at least. 

Eddie Murphy - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Dreamgirls)

Another icon of the late 20th Century and early 21st Century is Eddie Murphy, who has only been nominated once, for Dreamgirls in 2007. This is probably more testament to the Academy's apparent lack of appreciation for some of his best comedic performances because I dare you to find better ones in history than Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop or Coming To America. 

Gwyneth Paltrow - Nominated For Best Actress (Shakespeare In Love)

Gwyneth Paltrow will likely be a polarizing name on this list because the actor herself tends to be, but she’s had a number of wonderful performances over the years. Roles in The Talented Mr. Ripley, Emma, and The Royal Tenenbaums are all worthy of more consideration than she’s received over the years. She's earned just one nomination for Shakespeare in Love, for which she also won. 

Taraji P. Henson - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button)

Taraji P. Henson has been nominated for more than thirty acting awards across her sterling career. Somehow, only one of those was for an Academy Award. Her lone Oscar nomination was for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008, and it’s frankly astounding that’s the only one. At a minimum, she should have been nominated for Hidden Figures alongside her cast-mate Octavia Spencer. Hopefully, this changes with her role in the upcoming remake of The Color Purple. 

Hugh Jackman - Nominated For Best Actor (Les Misérables)

Hugh Jackman is one award away from achieving EGOT status. The “O” is missing and shockingly he’s only been nominated once for an Oscar, for his performance in Les Misérables. The multi-talented Jackman has won so many awards, but is shut out yearly at the Academy Awards. The Oscars may not show much respect to comic book films, but everyone else does, and saying he should have been nominated for Logan isn’t a stretch, nor is saying it about his performance in The Greatest Showman.

Jamie Lee Curtis - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Jamie Lee Curtis is one of the most versatile actors of her generation. Horror, comedy, drama, she does it all. And yet, she has little to show for it in terms of Oscar nominations. She finally was nominated (and won) for Everything Everywhere All At Once but where were the nominations for My Girl and A Fish Called Wanda?

Salma Hayek - Nominated For Best Actress (Frida)

It’s been more than two decades since Salma Hayek was first nominated for an Oscar, for 2001’s Frida and she’s not been nominated since. Hayek is an icon and one of the most beloved actors today, yet never seems to get the attention of the Academy. This is likely in part due to the discounting of action films, which have become Hayek’s bread and butter, but that doesn’t mean her performances in movies like Traffic and Beatriz at Dinner weren't worthy of attention.

Matthew McConaughey - Nominated For Best Actor (Dallas Buyers Club)

When Matthew McConaughey won the Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club after being nominated for the first and only time, he led his speech with his trademark “Alright, alright, alright” and while his role in Dazed and Confused is a classic, he certainly deserved nominations for other roles, like how about a nod for his supporting role in The Wolf Of Wall Street or his performance in the vastly underrated Mud?

Samuel L. Jackson - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Pulp Fiction)

If there is anyone on the list that should be a perennial nominee, it’s Samuel L. Jackson. His lone nomination came from his unforgettable and meme-able turn in Pulp Fiction, but he’s an actor who steals every scene he's in, in a good way. Just his roles in Quentin Tarantino films alone, like Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, are worthy of nominations, but it hasn’t happened, sadly. Thankfully for all of us, Jackson was given an honorary Oscar in 2021 for his contributions to film, which is some consolation. 

Uma Thurman - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (Pulp Fiction)

Speaking of Pulp Fiction, the Tarantino classic also led to Uma Thurman’s one and only Academy Award nomination. Despite being one of the biggest stars on the planet, Thurman seems to have no luck getting the attention of the Academy. One role that really stands out is in the under-appreciated Prime. 

Benedict Cumberbatch - Nominated For Best Actor (The Imitation Game)

One has to believe that more nominations will be coming for Benedict Cumberbatch. Thus far, his only acknowledgment from the Oscars was for his wonderful performance as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. There are plenty of other roles he could have been nominated for, especially as William Bulger in Black Mass and Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate and that’s just the roles in which he’s played real people! 

Mark Wahlberg - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (The Departed)

In 1990, no one would have expected “Marky” Mark Wahlberg to appear on any kind of list like that, but almost 35 years later, it’s astounding his only Oscar nomination has been for The Departed (one of our picks for the 100 best movies of the 2000s). You have to question why he was ignored for Boogie Nights, for sure. The Fighter is another clear snub, though he was technically nominated for Best Picture as a producer of the film. 

Halle Berry - Nominated For Beat Actress (Monster's Ball)

When Halle Berry earned her one Oscar nomination for 2001’s Monster’s Ball, she was the odds-on favorite to win. She had become one of the biggest stars of the 1990s and now was her time to shine. She won, of course, but sadly, it would be the last time Berry would be nominated, so far, at least. It’s a shame because there are plenty of roles she’d be deserving of a nomination, like Frankie & Alice, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Laurence Fishburne - Nominated For Best Actor (What's Love Got To Do With It)

This could be the most shocking on the list. At first thought, you might guess Laurence Fishburne was nominated for his amazing work as Furious Styles in Boyz n the Hood or Professor Phipps in John Singleton’s other masterpiece, Higher Learning. Alas, the Matrix star has only one nomination, for playing Ike Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It, and he didn’t win. 

Josh Brolin  - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Milk)

Josh Brolin has been a favorite since he was a teenager in The Goonies. He’s also starred in some powerhouse movies, like Sicario and, most of all, No Country For Old Men. No Country won a slew of Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Barden, and yet Brolin wasn’t even nominated. It frankly doesn’t make sense. Brolin’s lone nomination came from his wonderful performance in Milk, but that was the year that the late Heath Ledger won for The Dark Knight.

Sharon Stone - Nominated For Best Actress (Casino)

You could argue that while Sharon Stone was brilliant in Casino, it wasn’t even her best performance, though it’s the only time she’s been nominated. She wasn’t nominated for Basic Instinct, despite winning the Golden Globe for the role, nor for the underrated The Muse in 2000. At least we have Casino. 

Tilda Swinton - Nominated For For Best Supporting Actress (Michael Clayton)

2007's Michael Clayton was awash in acting nominations, including George Clooney for Best Actor and Tom Wilkinson for Best Supporting Actor. The only winner of the night, though, was Tilda Swinton for Best Supporting Actress. Over her incredible career, Swinton has been honored for other roles, like her parts in The Deep End, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and even Snowpiercer, but this remains her only Oscar nod. 

Liam Neeson - Nominated For Best Actor (Schindler’s List)

Long before Liam Neeson re-invented himself as an action star in summer blockbusters, he was a character actor carving out a nice career in film. Then came the epic Schindler's List. He was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor in a movie, though he lost out to Tom Hanks for Philadelphia. In the 30 years since, Neeson has not been nominated, not even for fantastic turns in The Gangs of New York, Michael Collins, or Rob Roy. For shame.  

Lupita Nyong'o - Nominated For Best Actress (12 Years A Slave)

Lupita Nyong'o burst onto the Hollywood scene with her heartbreakingly beautiful performance in 12 Years A Slave. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress and has since been racking up the accolades everywhere... except the Oscars. Despite well-received turns in Us and Queen of Katwe, not to mention her roles in the Black Panther films, she hasn't again been nominated. 

Sean Connery - Nominated For Best Supporting Actors (The Untouchables)

Sean Connery was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and yet he was virtually ignored by the Academy for his whole career. Setting aside his brilliance as James Bond, Connery should’ve earned nods for The Hunt For Red October, and The Name Of The Rose, at least. Instead, his only nomination came for The Untouchables, which, thankfully, he won. 

Alec Baldwin - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (The Cooler)

Another fantastic performance in The Hunt for Red October that didn’t get recognition is Alec Baldwin’s as Jack Ryan. Baldwin could’ve been nominated for either of his two on-screen performances in 1992, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Prelude To A Kiss, but again he was snubbed. His only nomination came for his role in The Cooler.

Diane Lane - Nominated For Best Actress (Unfaithful)

Diane Lane found her footing in film in the late 1990s with outstanding performances in movies like A Walk on the Moon and The Perfect Storm, either of which could've been award-winning. Instead, it wasn't until 2002's Unfaithful that she got the recognition she deserved when she was nominated for Best Actress. 

Bill Murray - Nominated For Best Actor (Lost in Translation)

The Academy has missed out on great performances by one of the best comedic actors the world has ever seen in Bill Murray. Stripes, Ghostbusters, What About Bob?, and Groundhog's Day are some of the most beloved comedies of all time, and Murray was never recognized. Nor was he for his brilliant turns in Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. Murray's sole nomination came, deservingly, for 2003's Lost In Translation. 

Jennifer Connelly - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (A Beautiful Mind)

Jennifer Connelly has been wowing audiences for decades, including in 2022's massive hit Top Gun: Maverick. It appears though, that she has not been wowing the Academy, as she's only ever been nominated for one Oscar, which she won, for her role in 2001's A Beautiful Mind. Other roles have earned her other awards, like her parts in Requiem For A Dream and The House of Sand and Fog, but to date, nothing from the Academy Awards. 

Kathleen Turner - Nominated For Best Actress (Peggy Sue Got Married)

Despite massive hits like Body Heat, Serial Mom, and of course, Romancing The Stone, Kathleen Turner has only earned one Oscar nomination, for the vastly underrated Francis Ford Coppola film from 1986, Peggy Sue Got Married. Surely this icon of the screen deserves more. 

Robert Redford - Nominated For Best Actor (The Sting)

It’s astounding that the great Robert Redford has only one acting nomination in his whole career, for The Sting. Though he defined what a movie star is, Redford never received Oscar attention for roles in All The President’s Men, All Is Lost, Out Of Africa, and Three Days of the Condor, among many others. The list is endless here. He has been nominated twice for Best Director, for Ordinary People and Quiz Show, and won for the former. Redford also received an Honorary Oscar in 2002.

Catherine Zeta-Jones - Nominated For Best Actress (Chicago)

At the 75th Academy Awards, Chicago was the biggest winner of the night, garnering 13 nominations and winning six of them, including Catherine Zeta-Jones for Best Actress. Alas, this, so far, is the only time the Welsh actress has even been nominated, despite powerhouse roles in Traffic and Entrapment. At least she shares this dubious distinction with her husband Michael Douglas. 

Micheal Douglas - Nominated For Best Actor (Wall Street)

Gordon Gekko in Wall Street is one of the all-time great cinema villains and Michael Douglas richly deserved the Academy Award he won for playing the part in 1988. An actor with a slew of amazing performances from Falling Down, to Traffic, to Fatal Attraction and more, with only one acting nomination. He was also nominated/won for Best Picture in 1976 as the producer of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. 

Lauren Bacall - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (The Mirror Has Two Faces)

Lauren Bacall was one of the true icons of the Golden Age of Hollywood, starring in such films as The Big Sleep, Key Largo, and many, many more over her career. Shockingly, it took until 1997 for the Academy to recognize her work when she was finally nominated for a Best Supporting Actress role for The Mirror Has Two Faces. She did finally receive a well-deserved honorary Oscar in 2000. 

Kevin Costner - Nominated For Best Actor (Dances With Wolves)

Dances With Wolves was the darling of the Oscars in 1991. It was nominated for 12 awards, winning seven, including Best Director for Kevin Costner and Best Picture, which Costner won as a producer. It was also the one and only time Costner has been nominated for an acting Academy Award. There are so many other iconic parts he should’ve gotten more credit for, like JFK, Bull Durham, The Untouchables, and Hidden Figures, just to name a few. 

It just goes to show that even being a huge box office draw, and a megastar doesn't mean you'll get recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Oscars are incredibly hard to win and even being nominated is an honor, they say. Still, for everyone on the list, you'd think they'd have more than one.  

You know, when the Academy changed the nominations for Best Picture from five to a possible 10 in 2009, I thought it was the beginning of the end. It didn’t help that movies like the original Avatar (which I thought was pretty meh at the time), The Blind Side (which I thought was maudlin junk) and District 9 (which I liked, but didn’t think was “worthy” of a Best Picture nom) were sitting alongside “legitimate” Best Picture nominees like A Serious Man, Precious, An Education, Inglorious Basterds, and The Hurt Locker, the latter of which eventually won. 

However, now that I’m older, I’m ashamed of the elitist attitude that I once held, especially since I now view the 10 nominee thing as a positive. Since 2009, we’ve gotten movies like Up, Black Panther, and even Joker, all getting Best Picture noms, and this might not have happened with only five nominations. In fact, I’m now angry when oddball movies like The Lighthouse get snubbed, as I definitely thought it should have been nominated.  

Now, after finally watching all of the 2023 Oscar nominated movies, I think that this very well might have been the best list of nominees ever. And, I don’t just mean since the Academy started featuring 10 possible nominations. I mean, like, in its entire history, and I have five reasons why.  

There Really Was Something For Everyone  

Let’s just go through the list of all the 2023 nominees for Best Picture, shall we? We had the big budget, crowd-pleaser Top Gun: Maverick, which our very own Sean O’Connell called the best movie of 2022.  

We got another major audience favorite in Avatar: The Way of Water. The foreign language war drama, All Quiet on the Western Front, super personal drama, The Fabelmans, (extremely) dark comedy, The Banshees of Inisherin, another dark (but not quite as dark) comedy, Triangle of Sadness, modern period piece (with a lot to say about the women of today) Women Talking, the drama with a TOWERING PERFORMANCE, Tár (it also had a lot to say about today's women), a semi-musical drama in Elvis, and the genre-bending excellence of Everything Everywhere All At Once, which actually WON Best Picture.   

Now, is that a list of movies, or what? Out of all of the films nominated this year, I’d say that only Elvis, which many people liked, but I despised, and Avatar: The Way of Water, which I wasn’t impressed by, were less than stellar picks. But, you know what? I’m glad that they were nominated, because they were the kinds of films that definitely expanded the reach to people who don’t want to see movies like Tár, or Triangle of Sadness. Popular films like Top Gun: Maverick deserve a place in the nominees, as movies are for everybody, and so nominations for Best Picture should also be for everybody.     

Now, does this mean that I think something like Fast X should be up for Best Picture next year? Well, no, not really, as I think there should be at least some substance to a movie other than “It’s all about family.” At the same time, though, I was disappointed when Spider-Man: No Way Home wasn’t nominated for Best Picture back in 2022, since it obviously touched a great many people on an emotional level.  

I don’t think 2023 had that problem, however, as, like I said, there really was something for everyone.  

There Was Actual Diversity This Year 

I’ll never forget when #OscarsSoWhite was trending. It occurred because a number of the nominees that year were white (obviously),  so activist April Reign questioned why. It honestly changed everything, and even today, people question why movies like The Woman King, Nope, or Till get snubbed in not only the Best Picture race, but also in the acting, writing, and other categories, as well. 

Here’s the thing. As a Black person myself, I definitely hear the call when Black creators and performers don’t get recognized for their achievements, but I also think that any diversity in a field that is mostly dominated by white men is a positive, and 2023’s nominees didn’t disappoint. 

Women Talking and Tár both featured women in prominent roles, and were vastly different (Women Talking even won Best Adapted Screenplay). Triangle of Sadness had a super diverse cast, and if there’s any problem I have with the 2023 nominees, it’s that Filipino actress, Dolly de Leon didn’t get nominated. 

The Fabelmans tackles elements of antisemitism, All Quiet on the Western Front is literally a foreign film (with white people, yeah, but foreign), and then, the crown gem of diversity, Everything Everywhere All At Once, which had a plot focused on generational Asian culture (and so much more) won Best Picture. So, yeah, there were some glaring snubs for Black creators and actors in 2023 (and the consistent lack of Hispanic diversity always irks me), but diversity was still definitely regarded (and celebrated!) this time around.  

Bombastic Action Movies Didn't Get Snubbed  

I mentioned this earlier, but I honestly think it’s pretty amazing that not one, but two bombastic action movies made it into the category for Best Picture, those being Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water. Both films, for a time, were vying for box office supremacy (Avatar eventually blew Top Gun away in the long run), and both films were possibly the only two movies that people actually went out in droves to see in 2022. And, I think that’s amazing. 

Looking back, I honestly think that movies like Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Speed, Total Recall, and hell, even the pretty recent John Wick should have been up for Best Picture. Do you know why? Because many people would have told you that one of those aforementioned movies was the Best Picture they had seen in the years that they came out, and those people deserve a voice, too. Thankfully, the people who would have said that Avatar: The Way of Water or Top Gun: Maverick were the best movie they saw last year got considered this time around.  

Heck, Dark Comedies, And Even A Semi-Musical Got Some Love  

I mentioned diversity before, but I was referring to the actors and actresses for the most part. I also think that the movies were fairly diverse as well. Similar to the action films, we also got TWO dark comedies (With EEAAO being more of a light-comedy, sci-fi drama) with The Banshees of Inisherin and Triangle of Sadness, and I LOVE me some dark comedies. 

Now, Inisherin was PITCH black comedy, with dismemberment actually being a part of the “laughs.” It was also a really great drama, though, and it toed the line like only Martin McDonagh seems to be able to. With Triangle of Sadness, we got more of a broad satire. The movie won the Palme d’Or, and between the lengthy puke and vomit scene in Triangle, and the fight over a butt plug in EEAAO, I honestly think that 2023 was the year of the “What the hell am I watching?” humor, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Hell, we even got a semi-MUSICAL in 2023 with Elvis. So, if this wasn’t the year for everyone, then I don’t know what is.  

The Best Film Of The Year Actually Won! 

Lastly, how often is it that the best movie of the year actually wins Best Picture? Yes, obviously, this is a subjective opinion, but years from now, when people look back on the movies that have won Best Picture, I think they will look very fondly upon EEAAO. I thought it the moment I first saw it, and I still think it now, but it is a must-see, once in a lifetime movie, and one that will age like fine wine.    

During the pandemic, I actually watched every movie that won Best Picture, and even a lot of the films that were nominated that didn’t win. There are some genuinely amazing movies that won Best Picture, I would say that a vast majority of the films that actually won beat out much better films. In some years, the best movie of the year wasn’t even nominated (like Do the Right Thing). So, for EEAAO to actually WIN the highest honor at the end (as well as deserving actor and actresses wins) was just the cherry on top.     

Was 2023 the best list of Best Picture nominations for you, too? For more news on all things cinema, make sure to swing around here often.  

Not too long ago, the Daniels — which filmmakers Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert are collectively known as — were best known for helming some memorable music videos, some obscure online short films, and the wonderfully strange fantasy buddy comedy, Swiss Army Man, which has gained a cult following since its 2016 release. Now, having won Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture at the 2023 Academy Awards for Everything Everywhere All at Once, the duo is at the top of the food chain with free reign to do whatever they want to do next.

So, the question is, what should they do they next? Well, personally, I just hope they continue do more of what they have already been doing so well by fusing relatable and emotionally grounded themes with wholly inventive and completely out-of-this-world concepts and visuals — which is exactly what made their absurdist sci-fi dramedy one of the best movies of 2022, if you ask me. However, in terms of what specific genres the Daniels should tackle next, I have a few potential options in mind.

A Superhero Movie 

I mean, the next step for an indie filmmaker after gaining widespread acclaim and an award or two is usually superhero movies, right? For instance, Ryan Coogler’s success with Fruitvale Station and Creed led to Black Panther, and Kevin Feige and co. hired Chloé Zhao for Eternals even before her historic Oscar win for Nomadland. However, I do not necessarily want to see the Daniels’ names in the credits of any upcoming Marvel movies or even any upcoming DC movies for that matter.

I once saw a tweet that I, unfortunately, cannot find or remember whom to attribute it to, that urged Marvel Studios to stay away from the Daniels and — as a fan of those movies — I actually, wholeheartedly, agree. I cannot help but fear that being hired to take on one chapter in this shared universe’s overarching story would cause a hindrance to their remarkable creativity. Therefore, I would much rather see them try their hand at a superhero movie that is entirely of their own invention or even inspired by a comic that does not come from Marvel or DC but a lesser-known property that falls in line with their unique sensibilities.

A Dystopian Future Drama

In Everything Everywhere All At Once, we are shown a few glimpses of the alternate reality that Waymond Wang (Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan) originates from — a gloomy, Orwellian world courtesy of the tyrannical rule of Jobu Tupaki (one of two roles portrayed brilliantly by Stephanie Hsu). These brief moments suggest what a dystopian future might look like in the Daniels’ collective imagination, which sort of resembles a Matrix fan film shot by a bunch of teens on a set made of junkyard scraps.

Make no mistake about my feelings about the cheap and amateurish-looking, cyberpunk-inspired production design of those sequences — I freaking adored it and wanted more of that vision. Therefore, I would see the Daniels make a feature-length dystopian thriller that utilizes many of the same concepts and aesthetic that I think would be incredibly satisfying to fans of Mad Max and Turbo Kid, like me.

A Space Travel Epic

If there was one franchise I would actually be excited to see the Daniels become a part of, it would be the Star Wars Universe, and for many of the same reasons that I want to see their take on the dystopian future genre. I think they could come up with something that would really make this galaxy far, far away feel as fresh and outstanding as when George Lucas first introduced moviegoers to it more than four decades ago.

However, when considering the creative disagreements that led Phil Lord and Christopher Miller — another beloved, highly inventive duo — to quit Solo: A Star Wars Story, perhaps it would also be best that Daniels and Lucasfilm also remain separate entities. I would much rather see what entirely new, cosmic worlds they could bring us to, anyway.

A Psychedelic Horror Movie

A genre that is always in constant need of reinventing itself is horror — which, if you look at some of the greatest horror movies of all time, is defined by an ever-evolving rotation of tones and styles that change with each generation. I will say, however, that I think some of the more recent scary movies are proof that the genre is stronger now than ever, but that also means another revamp in creativity will eventually become a necessity.

I believe that the Daniels may have what it takes to, not only give horror cinema a boost in imagination when the time calls for it, but craft a full-fledged masterpiece with the kind of hypnotic and otherworldly imagery that they are now known for and which the genre has only been blessed with every once in a blue moon. While a dip into the supernatural would probably be expected from them, can you imagine what a slasher film would look like in their hands? If they could make that their next collaboration with Oscar-winning long-time Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis, the horror fandom would lose their minds.

A Musical

Earlier, we mentioned how, in the infancy of their career, the Daniels found success by directing music videos — most notably the wickedly bizarre video for DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What,” which earned them an MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction in 2014. I would be interested to see them apply their talents to other projects that sets their visual talents to music, but with a full-length feature this time.

This would also be a great opportunity for the duo to re-team with indie trio Son Lux — whose score and original song, “This is a Life”, from Everything Everywhere All At Once earned them Oscar nominations — and Stephane Hsu, who got her start in theater and even made her Broadway debut in SpongeBob Squarepants: The Musical as Plankton’s computer wife, Karen, in 2017. As for what the story might be, I will leave that all up to them.

At the moment, the Daniels are actually working on their next project, called Mason, which — according to IndieWire — is a surrealist comedy TV show created by and starring comedian Nathan Min. The series is being developed, with Oscar nominee Steven Yeun signed on as an executive producer, for Showtime and that might be what finally gets me subscribed to that network. I am especially looking forward to the duo’s return to the movies and hope to see something along the lines of what I have suggested above when the time comes.

While Stephanie Hsu was not among the winners at the 2023 Academy Awards, her Best Supporting Actress-nominated performance in this year’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Everything Everywhere All At Once, has undoubtedly earned her a bright future in Hollywood. Yet, those who have been paying attention to her career — and have not mistaken her for Lana Condor — should know that this is far from her first rodeo. 

The 32-year-old California native — who, according to Today, was born to a Chinese single mother who immigrated to the States from Taiwan — has been acting since she was in her teens and made her Broadway debut as Karen the Computer in SpongeBob Squarepants: The Musical in 2017, before landing small roles in the Netflix original TV show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and the Netflix rom-com, Set it Up, to name just a few. For this article, however, we are focusing on some of the biggest roles of Hsu’s skyrocketing career so far and the performances that led to her stunning breakthrough turn in Everything Everywhere All At Once. In fact, that is exactly where we shall start.

Joy Wang/Jobu Tupaki - Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

I certainly empathize with those who found it surprising Jamie Lee Curtis won Best Supporting Actress Oscar Stephanie Hsu because, while the legendary horror movie Scream Queen was fantastic in Everything Everywhere All At Once — one of the best movies of 2022 — what Hsu achieves playing two different roles at once is phenomenal. 

As Joy Wang, she demonstrates the heartbreaking lack of acceptance that many children of immigrant parents can relate to, and her variant — the ultra-powerful Jobu Tupaki — is an exaggerated representation of the rebellion such conflicts can lead to. Invoking a compelling vulnerability as Joy and dazzling sass as Tupaki, she sticks the landing in this cross-dimensional balancing act flawlessly.

Soo - Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)

Just a year before starring in one of the greatest movies about the Multiverse, Stephanie Hsu stepped into the Marvel Multiverse — or became a part of the central continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, at least. She appears in two scenes of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — also starring Michelle Yeoh, Hsu’s onscreen mother from Everything Everywhere All At Once — as Soo, who gives our title hero (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) trouble for their stunted approach to adulthood when catching up over dinner. It is her shocked reaction later after learning their story about saving the world was true that makes her stand out as an MVP MCU scene-stealer.

Shu Shu - Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens (2020-2021)

Before appearing alongside Awkwafina and Simu Liu in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast, Stephanie Hsu worked with them on the comedian’s hit Comedy Central series, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens, which could be the peak of her comedic brilliance. She first appeared as a friend of Nora’s grandmother (Lori Tan Chinn) named in Shu Shu in Season 1’s Korean drama-inspired flashback episode, “Grandma & Chill,” which is also helmed by Everything Everywhere All At Once’s Oscar-winning directorial duo, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Sheinert. Hsu would reprise the role in the present day-set Season 2 episode, “Don’t F**k with Grandmas,” with only a silver-haired wig to show that time had passed.

Mei Lin - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2019-2022)

On second thought, the peak of her comedic brilliance might actually be her recurring role in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cast as Mei Lin. She entered the picture as the spunky, fast-talking Chinese-American woman who sparks up a romance with the title character’s ex-husband, Joel (Michael Zegen), in Season 3 of the beloved Amazon Prime original TV show. Hsu’s performance is so endlessly charming and funny that I am convinced she deserves a good chunk of credit for the series’ win for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2020.

Jenny - Asking For It (2020)

The first time that Hsu was given the chance to bring her gifts for humorous acting to the spotlight, front and center, was in 2020 with the dark comedy movie, Asking For It. Written by first-time screenwriter Becky Scott, who also co-directs with Amanda Lundquist, the movie stars Hsu as Jenny — a journalist whose pleas for help against a threatening internet stalker are ignored, forcing her to take matters into her own hands. As a fun, quirky film with an empowering message and a grim edge elevated by Hsu’s performance and the star-power of Janeane Garofalo and David Krumholtz, it is a good one to cite as a first leading role, even if it is one of her lesser known credits.

Morty - Poker Face (2023)

One of Hsu’s more recent dips into dark comedy came when she joined the star-studded cast of guest actors from the acclaimed Peacock original TV show, Poker Face. We do not really know the true name of her role in the ninth episode of creator Rian Johnson’s latest twist on the whodunnit (“Escape from Shit Mountain”), but after she pays for gas with a credit card under the name “Mortimer Bernstein” (which she very likely stole), our lie-detecting protagonist, Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne), begins calling her new kleptomaniac road buddy “Morty.” 

In an episode the also stars two-time Emmy winner and frequent Johnson collaborator Joseph Gordon-Levitt and The Umbrella Academy’s David Castañeda, Hsu totally steals the show here in one of the most memorable of the series’ many A-list guest appearances.

Zhen - Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (2022)

The most recent instance of Stephanie Hsu working with one of her Everything Everywhere All At Once co-stars was when she leant her voice to Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, on which James Hong (who plays her grandfather in the Oscar-winning movie) reprises his role as noodlemaker, Mr. Ping — the adoptive father of Po (Jack Black). 

Hsu stars in three episodes from the first season of Netflix’s series spin-off of the hit Dreamworks Animation movie as Zhen — a young, angsty member of a monastery run by hedgehogs. After she is wrongfully accused of nearly destroying her village, Po and his English knight mentor, Wandering Blade (Rita Ora), break her out of imprisonment to help them find the real, dangerous culprit.

She will also be reuniting with Hong, Yeoh, and Ke Huy Quan from Everything Everywhere All At Once and Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton soon for Disney+’s upcoming series adaptation of the graphic novel, American Born Chinese. The actress also joined the star-studded voice cast of the upcoming Netflix movie, Leo, and has the comedy Joy Ride coming out in 2023. No matter what, we will always, always want to see what she has next in store.

After 20 years of being out of the Hollywood spotlight, Ke Huy Quan made a triumphant return by playing the role of Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Not only did his movie win Best Picture, but he was among the 2023 Oscar winners for winning Best Supporting Actor. His luck is running hot now, but Quan is still worried about what his Hollywood future will be like considering he previously didn’t have health insurance for a while. 

It’s normal that when you’ve hit a stroke of luck that you’ve wanted for so long, you think it’s only a matter of time before that luck will run out. As told by People, Variety's cover story reported that the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom star worries about his future in acting despite his highly competitive Oscar win.

The way I see it, this talented actor clearly has a strong love for the craft. While he said he had a prominent career doing behind-the-scenes work, Quan wanted to be there with his fellow actors. He returned to acting after 20 years because of how fond he was of the Everything Everywhere All At Once script. Based on all of the life experiences he had for the past two decades, the 51-year-old actor felt that he could now take on playing three different versions of his character. Luckily, the multi-dimensions he brought to the A24 box office milestone film paid off with critical praise and an Oscar trophy to boot.

However, Ke Huy Quan’s life during his two-decade hiatus away from acting was also tough. He stepped away from acting for so long because he hardly heard the phone ring when it came to offers. And if he did receive offers, it would be for stereotypical Asian roles different from his previous roles playing spunky young side-kick Short Round in Indiana Jones and tech wiz Data in The Goonies. Variety also revealed that Quan explained that he lost his health insurance due to not acting. As he told it:

The pressure was rising for this South Vietnamese-born American actor to land the part in this multiverse film he auditioned for. After asking the film’s producer if he was good for the movie, he was told to be patient. And good things really do come to those who wait because he nailed the part and it changed his life. 

Ke Huy Quan may be scared of what his future will look like, but I believe this is the start of the rest of his life. He’ll have a role in season two of Disney+’s Loki as well as joining his Everything Everywhere All At Once co-stars in another Disney+ show American Born Chinese. Not to mention, he’ll be part of the ensemble cast of Netflix’s film The Electric State coming to Netflix next year. If filming for Indiana Jones 5 hadn’t wrapped, I would wish he could return as Short Round for the franchise’s upcoming installment. You can watch his Oscar-winning performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once on your Showtime and Paramount+ subscription.

UPDATE with VIDEO.

It's still crazy to think that Jamie Lee Curtis has been acting for over four decades and  only just last weekend, won her first Oscar. Based on that touching speech she gave at the 95th Academy Awards, Curtis was clearly one of the happiest people to hold that golden trophy, which she won for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. After her victory, she spoke emotionally about how she never in “a million years” thought that this moment would come for her.

Jamie Lee Curtis is only one of the many lucky 2023 Oscar winners on Sunday, but her acceptance of the award was easily one of the night's most memorable moments. (Did any of you get Freaky Friday vibes when Curtis yelled “Shut up!” as they called out her name?) The entire experience must've been surreal, to say the least. And on The Today Show, the seemingly choked-up Best Supporting Actress winner summed up her feelings with some sentimental thoughts:

The Halloween star has been very candid as of late, talking about getting nominated in the same Oscar category as her mother, Janet Leigh, among other things. Her famous father, Tony Curtis, was also famously nominated for Best Actor. Now, their daughter not only builds on their legacies but also continues to forge one of her own. The 64-year-old actress was excellent in Everything Everywhere All At Once, which saw her play intimidating IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdre. While the character easily could've been one note, the star brought layers to Deirdre and her multiversal counterparts. So it goes without saying that she should certainly be reveling in this momentous achievement.

If you’re curious about who Jamie Lee Curtis reached out to first after she won the Oscar, you might be surprised by the answer. Because Curtis didn’t want to be on her phone during the awards ceremony, she quickly texted her dog walker to let her know that she wouldn’t be home right away and to come to her house to let her dog, Runi, out for an hour. Hello Magazine also reports that after answering questions from the press, she still made sure to leave the Oscars as soon as she picked up her newly engraved award to run home to her pooch. A cute photo of the two of them was shared to Instagram, and you check it out below:

This has been an eventful few months for the newly minted Academy Award winner. Jamie Lee Curtis said goodbye to Laurie Strode, as her Halloween series concluded. Though she's now diving into the humor and spookiness of Disney’s The Haunted Mansion, in which she’ll play Madame Leota -- the “spirited” psychic medium in the crystal ball. She also wrapped up filming for the sci-fi action comedy film Borderlands last summer, and the movie is shaping up to be a highly anticipated blockbuster.

You just can't help but be happy for Jamie Lee Curtis right now. She may not have been able to envision an Oscar win for herself, but I'm sure plenty of her fans believed it would happen. You can watch her awarding-winning performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once using Showtime and Paramount+ subscriptions. 

How to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once

Watch Everything Everywhere All At Once: preview

Winning seven of its eleven Oscar nominations including Best Picture at the 95th Academy Awards, it's unsurprising that everyone is looking to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once and experience the bonkers, multiverse comedy-drama. Also taking home the award for Best Director, Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), and Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), we explain where you can stream the movie where you are.

At something of a crossroads in her life, Evelyn Quan Wang (Yeoh) is a middle-aged Chinese American immigrant who runs a laundromat that's barely struggling along, and facing marital issues with husband Waymond (Quan). On top of that, her demanding father Gong Gong (James Hong) is coming to visit for Chinese New Year, and Evelyn is struggling to accept her daughter Joy's lesbian relationship.

Reaching breaking point as she deals with the IRS auditor Deirdre (Lee Curtis) inspecting the laundromat, a rift in the multiverse sees Evelyn jump through parallel realities and possess powers she'll need to use to fight against an evil entity looking to destroy the wall between the unseen world.

Described by CinemaBlend as "a phenomenal and hilarious exploration of the multiverse" here's how to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once online from anywhere.

Can I watch Everything Everywhere All At Once on Netflix?

With everyone and their mother having a Netflix subscription, many will be hoping to watch the multi-Oscar-winning movie through the streaming giant. While it's not available in the likes of the UK, US, Canada, or Australia, those in Turkey can watch Everything Everywhere All At Once through Netflix right now.

Elsewhere, you'll need a description to the likes of Amazon Prime Video or Showtime.

How to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once from anywhere

If you're a citizen of Turkey on vacation or working overseas, you can still watch Everything Everywhere All At Once just as you would at home with your Netflix subscription.

While Netflix libraries differ from country to country, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN which can change your IP address to make it look like you're accessing streaming services from any country in the world. 

For example, Turkish citizens in the UK can subscribe to a VPN, join a server based in Turkey and access Turkey's Netflix library from anywhere in the world.

Step-by-step of using a VPN to unblock:

1. Choose a VPN and install it - our go-to recommendation is NordVPN.

2. Connect to a server - for Turkish Netflix, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the Turkey

3. Go to the live stream you wish to access - for Everything Everywhere All At Once, head to Netflix.

Watch Everything Everywhere All At Once in the US

In the US, while not available to stream on Netflix, you can watch Everything Everywhere All At Once through Showtime.

The best value way to access Showtime is through the Paramount Plus bundle. Enjoy a 7-day free trial, and thereafter pay $11.99 a month.

That's opposed to paying separately for Showtime at $10.99 a month, and Paramount Plus from $4.99 a month.

Watch Everything Everywhere All At Once in the UK

Everything Everywhere All At Once is available to stream with an Amazon Prime Video subscription in the UK, with new and eligible returning customers able to benefit from a 30-day free trial off the bat.

Once your free trial comes to an end, Prime Video alone costs £5.99 a month. For the full Amazon Prime experience (including next-day delivery, Amazon Music, and Prime Reading), you can choose to pay £8.99 a month or £95 a year.

Watch Everything Everywhere All At Once online in Canada

It's the same story in Canada as the UK, with Everything Everywhere All At Once available to stream with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

With a free trial period available, you can then choose between its monthly rate of $9.99 a month or $99 a year.

Watch Everything Everywhere All At Once in Australia

An Amazon Prime subscription will also get you a stream of Everything Everywhere All At Once Down Under.

Watch with a 30-day free trial with plans thereafter costing $6.99 a month or $59 a year.

What CinemaBlend thought:

Everything Everywhere All At Once trailer

Everything Everywhere All At Once cast

• Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Quan Wang
• Stephanie Hsu as Joy Wang
• Ke Huy Quan as Waymond Wang
• James Hong as Gong Gong
• Jamie Lee Curtis as Deirdre Beaubeirdre
• Jenny Slate as Debbie the Dog Mom
• Harry Shum Jr. as Chad

Just about every time someone from Everything Everywhere All at Once took the stage to accept their Oscar I was in tears, a lot of us were. However, what really brought on the waterworks was Michelle Yeoh's historic Best Actress. While the actress’s speech had many people in tears a couple of nights ago, the video of her mother celebrating her daughter has everyone in the feels all over again, and it's the best thing ever. 

Yeoh is from Malaysia, and her family members that live there gathered to celebrate the actress and her Oscar win. One moment in particular that’s been making the rounds is the heartwarming video of her mom, Janet Yeoh, cheering her on from her home country, as you can see in one video posted by Pop Crave: 

You can feel the excitement and emotion in that room, and at the big celebration for Michelle Yeoh, her mother told the AP:

Janet Yeoh was so excited for her “little princess,” and that excitement was felt around the world as many emotionally reacted to the wholesome mother-daughter moment. 

Between Michelle Yeoh’s acceptance speech, which was dedicated to her mother, and this video of Janet Yeoh celebrating her daughter, fans had reached a level of joy that matches Jamie Lee Curtis’ ecstatic reaction to her co-star’s Golden Globe win as well as her emotionally explaining why Michelle Yeoh is the reason she got nominated. For example, affq responded to the video by saying: 

Another fan responded to the adorable video with an image that humorously explains how big a deal this win is, cosmiic posted: 

The mix of seeing Michelle Yeoh accept her Oscar and her mother cheering her on, along with many others, made me overwhelmed with emotion, and bibub had a similar wholesome thought as they tweeted:

Many felt really connected to Michelle Yeoh’s win because she was the first Asian actor, and second actor of color to win the Best Actress award. Sye Lokata tweeted about the pride they felt for her, and why they loved the family’s celebration so much: 

It’s also worth noting that this video of Janet Yeoh is highly rewatchable because of how infectiously joyous it is. Katie pointed this out, as they tweeted: 

All the excitement, joy and celebration in that room for one of the 2023 Oscar winners makes me want to cheer along with them, and knowing that the award is dedicated to the woman in this viral video gives me even more feels. 

For context, after Yeoh’s name was called she made sure to mention her family, who we saw in this viral clip, and she said: 

What a moment! It was so sweet to see both  Michelle Yeoh’s speech to her mother’s reaction. Many winners thanked their mothers during their time on stage, especially the winners from the Everything Everywhere All at Once crew. Seeing this little movie that could take home seven awards, Michelle Yeoh’s mom celebrating her daughter’s big night, and knowing just how historic this Oscars was is heartwarming, and it’s an Academy moment I’ll never forget. 

All the Best Picture nominees are worth checking out, however, Everything Everywhere All at Once was the big winner of the night, and if you haven’t seen it yet you really should, it’ll make this Yeoh family moment even more emotional and heartfelt. 

You can stream Everything Everywhere All at Once on Showtime, and make sure to stay up to date on both the 2023 TV schedule and 2023's new movie releases, because we’ll be seeing a lot more of Academy Award Winner Michelle Yeoh this year. 

Jamie Lee Curtis had many iconic roles in Hollywood long before Everything Everywhere All At Once, but it took that film to earn the actress her first nomination and eventual win at the 95th Academy Awards. She's received a sea of congratulations from fans who knew it was a long time coming. and one prominent director who likely knew Curtis would get her flowers eventually. Halloween director John Carpenter sent a message to Curtis shortly after her big win. 

John Carpenter, writer and director of the first Halloween and screenwriter for the sequel, played a key role in making Jamie Lee Curtis one of Hollywood's most iconic scream queens. Now the Laurie Strode actress can add an Oscar to her collection and further cement her legacy, and Carpenter was here for it. The director sent out a brief message on Twitter congratulating his collaborator:

It's a simple message, but one that assures the world that John Carpenter is happy for Jamie Lee Curtis. It's possible he'll send a more personal and heartfelt message privately in the coming days, and the public will just have to wait and see if Carpenter or Curtis offer it to the world.

While Jamie Lee Curtis never received major awards consideration for her work in the Halloween franchise, it goes without saying the horror movie played an integral part in her career. John Carpenter's movie was the first feature film that Curtis was cast in, and it would lead to many more roles in horror and gain her a following in the genre. 

The actress is still considered a top name in the horror genre but made great strides in becoming known for her work in other prominent movies. It all ultimately led to her Oscar nomination in Everything Everywhere All At Once, specifically being nominated for Best Supporting Actress like her mother, Janet Leigh. Leigh was nominated in 1960 for her role in Psycho but lost the award to Shirley Mae Jones.

In an ironic twist, Janet Leigh won a Golden Globe the year for Psycho, where her daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, lost despite winning an Oscar. Curtis lost her Golden Globe nomination to actress Angela Bassett, who won for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Bassett was also someone movie fans thought could end up winning the Oscar, but as we now know, the award went to Curtis. 

Jamie Lee Curtis' win may be of little surprise to anyone who saw Everything Everywhere All At Once, as she crushed her role as Deirdre. It was a role that asked everything from being a boring pencil-pusher to a hulking monster, and Curtis rose to the challenge and passed with flying colors. 

Jamie Lee Curtis is just one of many big winners during the Oscars, so be sure to keep checking in to see who won what as the night continues. Between that and the jokes about Will Smith and Chris Rock's slap, readers can stick with CinemaBlend to ensure they don't miss a moment!

This year’s Best Actress race for the 2023 Oscar had a major snafu at the beginning with the surprise nomination of Andrea Riseborough and her eligibility being questioned because it was unclear if she broke The Academy’s campaigning rules. The controversy surrounding To Leslie was resolved early on. However, now, days before the ceremony airs on the 2023 TV schedule, another actress’s eligibility is being questioned on social media as Michelle Yeoh posted, and deleted, an article that may have violated voting rules. 

The Everything Everywhere All at Once star took to her Instagram on March 7 to post screenshots from a Vogue article called: “It's Been Over Two Decades Since We've Had a Non-White Best Actress Winner. Will That Change in 2023?” This post went up a few hours before voting closed for the ceremony, and about two and half hours later it was deleted, according to Insider. 

In Yeoh’s post, she included screenshots of the article with the caption: 

Yeoh and the entire cast of Everything Everywhere All at Once have been blazing a trail this season, and making history. The actress and her co-star Ke Huy Quan both made SAG Award history by becoming the first Asian actors to win in their categories. If they win Oscars they will make history once again, and that’s highly likely to happen considering both the Crazy Rich Asians star and The Goonies actor are both frontrunners in their respective races.

The story Yeoh posted highlighted this lack of diversity in the Best Actress race at the Oscars specifically – Halle Berry won in 2002 for her performance in Monster’s Ball, and she's the only woman of color to win in that category. However, it also mentioned this year’s race, and by mentioning this year’s set of nominees, and specifically naming Yeoh’s competition Cate Blanchett, the post could have broken one of The Academy’s rules. 

When you look at the Regulations Concerning The Promotion of Films Eligible for the 95th Academy Awards there’s a section titled “Reference to Other Nominees” and those rules state that nominees are not allowed to use:

The second point of this section then states: 

Based on this, people are wondering if Yeoh’s now-deleted post that references Cate Blanchett and her nomination for Tár disobey The Academy's rules by specifically naming one of the 2023 Oscar nominees, because the article says: 

Considering The Academy concluded that Andrea Risebrough didn't break any rules, it seems likely that Michelle Yeoh’s eligibility will not be rescinded for the deleted Instagram post. However, with these two questionable moments, Variety reported that The Academy is expected to review, and maybe even revise, its rules surrounding social media, especially with the rise of Instagram and TikTok use for Oscar campaigning. 

Over the course of the awards season, Michelle Yeoh and the EEAAO cast have been posting about the awards they win and the love they have for each other all over social media. Jamie Lee Curtis went viral for her reaction to Michelle Yeoh’s Golden Globe win, and it feels like Ke Huy Quan's speeches are always seen by anyone on social media after a given award show. Their presence on mainstream social media is likely what has helped propel this film to the front of the pack this season.

Despite this minor snafu in Everything Everywhere All at Once’s award season narrative, the film is expected win a lot of awards at the Oscars, which is why it’s one of the 2023 nominees you need to make sure you check out before the ceremony. However, it’s worth noting what happened with Yeoh, Risebrough and the Best Actress race, because it’s possible these two events could cause The Academy to revise their rules for nominees in the near future. 

Box office numbers are relatively straightforward, but in the world of streaming, it’s incredibly hard to tell what movies and TV shows are performing the best. Now that many of the 2023 Oscar nominees are available to watch via streaming service, it’s interesting to track how they perform outside a theater, however, when you want to compare the numbers it’s not clear cut at all. With that being said, all this new information about the most streamed Best Picture nominees proves this point and has me all shaken up. 

In the world of TV, Nielsen tracks how much shows are watched, so with the Academy Awards around the corner, they released data (via Variety) that concluded that Elvis is the most-watched Best Picture nominee on a streamer. The biopic about the king of rock has amassed about 2.7 billion minutes of viewing since arriving on HBO Max in August. Obviously, that’s a lot of minutes, and Elvis might very well be the most-watched nominee, however, Nielsen doesn’t count all streaming services, which is why this situation is complex, and I’m shook. 

The Variety analysis notes that Nielsen does not include numbers from Paramount+ in its ranking. While that might feel like a non-important fact in this discussion, it’s actually vital, because this streaming service is where Top Gun: Maverick lives. Let’s remember how big a deal this legacy sequel was. It was one of the highest-grossing movies of 2022, and when it landed on Paramount+ it quickly became the most-viewed film ever on the service. While we don’t have a number, it can be assumed that this wildly popular movie has amassed a level of viewing similar to that of Elvis, if not higher. 

Along with not tracking Paramount+, Nielsen also doesn’t track Showtime. Everything Everywhere All at Once currently lives on that streaming service, and like Top Gun: Maverick and Elvis it has been critically and culturally successful. While it probably hasn’t been viewed as much as its two mentioned competitors, the fact that it’s not tracked by Nielsen makes this statement about Elvis more complex. 

It appears that Nielsen actually only reported viewing numbers for four of the ten Best Picture nominees that are streaming. Those four movies are:

• Elvis - 2.7 billion minutes on HBO Max since August 8, 2022 
• All Quiet on the Western Front - 1.6 billion minutes on Netflix since October 22, 2022 
• The Banshees of Inisherin - 489 million minutes on HBO Max since December 13, 2022 
• Tár - 128 million minutes on Peacock since January 27, 2023 

So, while Elvis does have the highest number of minutes viewed total, it was also on HBO months before the rest of these movies. Obviously, it would be the most viewed movie when it's been available for a lot longer than the other films.

Not to mention four of the other Best Picture nominees aren’t even available on streamers yet or they just arrived on them days ago – The Fabelmans and Women Talking are available on VOD only and Triangle of Sadness was put on Hulu days ago, as for Avatar: The Way Of Water it’s not streaming anywhere yet. 

Get it now? Why this situation is so confusing? I know I was shook when I read that Elvis was the most streamed Oscar nominee, considering the Top Gun of it all. However, when you break down the data it makes sense how Nielsen came to this conclusion. 

With the Oscars right around the corner make sure you get caught up on the nominees mentioned. If you really want to check out Elvis or Top Gun: Maverick you can do so with an HBO Max subscription and a Paramount+ subscription, respectively. 

The 2023 Oscars are right around the corner, and if you’re like me in any year but this year, you’re probably rushing to try to squeeze in all the Academy Award nominees before the ceremony on March 12. However, realistically speaking there isn’t time for everything, even if you have tried really hard to see it all. So, if you are in a jam, and need to know which movies to make sure you watch before the telecast, I got you covered with the five movies that you should prioritize before the night of the Academy Awards. 

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Best Lead Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song (“This Is a Life”), Best Costume Design, Best Original Score

Total Nominations: 11

Not only does Everything Everywhere All at Once have the most nominations this year, it’s also been killing it at other award shows across the circuit and maintaining its forward momentum. The cast and directors of this heartfelt wacky genre flick, have been promoting the film since last March, and have proven time, and time again, why it's deserving of lots of Academy Awards. 

Over the last few months EEAAO has swept the SAG Awards, won Critics Choice Awards, a Directors Guild award, Golden Globes, a PGA, and a BAFTA, to add one more accolade, it was also named Movie of the Year by AFI. I know I just threw a lot of acronyms at you, but know that all these major awards are what lead up to the Oscars, and usually indicate the direction the Academy will vote in.

If I were a betting woman, I’d say this little weird film has risen to such incredible heights that it stands the best chance at winning the most awards on Oscar night. It has the potential to go home with quite a few gold trophies as Michelle Yeoh, The Daniels, its editing, Ke Huy Quan’s performance and more are all frontrunners in their respective races. Also, after winning major awards from various guilds, the film stands a very good chance of winning Best Picture, so if you only have time for one movie, this is the one.

Stream Everything Everywhere All at Once with a Showtime subscription, or buy/rent it on Amazon.

All Quiet On The Western Front 

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best International Feature Film, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Sound 

Total Nominations: 9

If you want to watch a group of films that will encapsulate every category the Academy Awards have to offer, make sure to include All Quiet on the Western Front. At first glance, this movie adapted from the famous novel about World War I hasn’t been one of the movies everyone is talking about, but when you dig a bit deeper it becomes clear that this German film has made quite an impact on award voters.

The film is basically a shoo-in for Best International Feature. Germany’s entry in this race marks the fifth time in 11 years an international movie has also been nominated for Best Picture. Every year that’s happened the movie has taken home the international award – the other four movies include Amour in 2012, Roma in 2018, Parasite in 2019 (which also won Best Picture), and Drive My Car last year. 

Along with its strong place at the top of the international race, the movie also stands a great chance of taking home some technical awards. All Quiet was a massive hit for BAFTA voters winning awards for its score, sound, screenplay and cinematography. It also won the biggest award of the night at the British film awards, and it is tied for the second most nominations from the Academy; so don’t count it out of the race. 

Stream All Quiet on the Western Front with a Netflix subscription. 

The Banshees of Inisherin  

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Martin McDonagh), Best Lead Actor (Colin Farrell), Best Supporting Actor (Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan), Best Supporting Actress (Kerry Condon), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score

Total Nominations: 9

The Banshees of Inisherin has remained a top contender this entire award season, and like Everything Everywhere All at Once has maintained its forward momentum through the race. This movie from Martin McDonagh is tied with All Quiet for second most nominations, and it stands a serious chance of taking home a few of the Academy’s major awards. 

This Irish movie has made waves across the award circuit, picking up nominations from every major voting body, and winning awards here and there, specifically at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs. Going into the Oscars, Banshees is still a major contender for Best Actor based on Colin Farrell’s performance as well as Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon, respectively, considering all three actors have picked up at least one major award. Along with the actors, the film’s writer and director, McDonagh, has a great chance of winning Best Original Screenplay. 

So, while this movie might not win Best Picture, I highly doubt it will go home empty-handed, and it seems almost like a guarantee it will take home at least one of the major awards of the night.  

Stream The Banshees of Inisherin with an HBO Max subscription. 

Elvis 

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Lead Actor (Austin Butler), Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound 

Total Nominations: 8

There are two very specific reasons Elivs should be prioritized. One of them is a very big reason, and his name is Austin Butler, and he has a very, very good chance of winning Best Actor. The film's makeup and hairstyling also sits at the front of its race. Due to the frontrunner status in these two categories, this biopic is worth a watch.

Butler has won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, and he has been nominated for every other major award. On top of that, The Academy loves an actor who played a real person. To make this point clearer, since 2012 seven of the last ten winners were stars of a biopic. So, considering the Oscar voters seem to have a type when it comes to the Best Actor winner, and the overwhelming love for Butler and his performance, there’s a very good chance he’ll take home one of the biggest awards of the night. 

Unlike other movies on this list, of its eight nominations Elvis doesn’t really stand a chance of winning most of them. However, there are two categories the film is a frontrunner in, and because of how strong Elvis is in the Best Actor and Best Makeup and Hairstyling categories, it’s worth watching before you sit down to watch The Oscars. 

Stream Elvis with an HBO Max subscription.  

Tár 

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Todd Field), Best Lead Actress (Cate Blanchett), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing

Total Nominations: 6

Ever since Tár premiered in Venice, Cate Blanchett’s performance has received rave reviews, the beloved actress really did give the performance of a lifetime as Lydia Tár, and she is one of two frontrunners in the Best Actress race. On top of Blanchett’s co-frontrunner status, there’s a good chance Todd Field’s film will take home a couple of other trophies for its cinematography and editing. 

Across the award season, Michelle Yeoh and Blanchett have split the wins for best actress. In Blanchett’s case, she won the BAFTA, a Golden Globe and a Critic’s Choice Award. On top of that, Tár marks her eighth Oscar nomination, and she has won it twice. So, considering her history at the Academy Awards, and the love this role has received there’s a high chance we’ll be seeing Cate Blanchett on the stage. 

Along with her, the film has received lots of love, and should not be counted out of the races for a few technical categories. Overall, like Elvis, Tár is one to check out mostly for the nominated actor, but also because it could be a dark horse in a few other categories this year.

Stream Tár with a Peacock subscription. 

While it’s worth checking out the movies that caused some of the biggest shocks among this year’s nominees, I understand that time is precious, and sometimes you can’t get around to everything. So, if you are planning to watch the awards, but only have time for a few movies, these are the five you should make sure to check out before the Oscars on March 12. 

Ke Huy Quan has had a wild year. After decades of principally being known for his roles in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom and The Goonies, he earned wide-spread, much deserved acclaim for his comeback performance in last spring's Everything Everywhere All At Once, and that has translated to an amazing run during the current awards season. That kind of craziness would be challenging for anybody to deal with, but Quan seems to have a great support system for himself – and he's been getting solid advice from legends like James Cameron.

The Avatar: The Way Of Water director certainly has his own fair share of awards season experience, and Ke Huy Quan was a recent recipient of some of the filmmaker's wisdom. The actor spoke about the experience with People this past weekend at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and he shared the tip he got to have fun  amidst all of the chaos. Said Quan,

Big awards can have a substantial impact on any actor or filmmaker's career, hence why it's understandable that they would take the whole experience very seriously. That can obviously end up having some serious emotional consequences – but evidently Ke Huy Quan is avoiding all of that by just taking everything in stride and enjoying the ride (it also helps when you can take enthusiastic selfies with Tom Cruise).

Obviously one thing that helps in the process of enjoying the ride is picking up a lot of exciting hardware from critics groups and film-centric organizations, and the Everything Everywhere All At Once star has definitely been doing a lot of that. Practically every voting body in the 2022/2023 awards season has at least nominated Ke Huy Quan for Best Supporting Actor, and while he has faced some stiff competition (other top nominees including Brendan Gleeson and Judd Hirsch), he has won more often than he has lost.

In fact, his most recent win was at the aforementioned Screen Actors Guild Awards. Not only did he take home the individual prize for "Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role," but he also shared the "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture" award with his Everything Everywhere All At Once co-stars.

Of course, the biggest one coming up is the Academy Awards. Ke Huy Quan is nominated for Best Supporting Actor alongside the aforementioned Brendan Gleeson and Judd Hirsch as well as Brian Tyree Henry and Barry Keoghan – and he is the favorite to win Hollywood's highest honor. Fans will find out if predictions are correct when the Oscars air on ABC in less than two weeks on Sunday, March 12. 

If you haven't seen the movie yet, you can watch Everything Everywhere All At Once, on a number of streaming services around the world, including with a Paramount+ subscription (with the Showtime add-on). You can learn how to watch all of the movies nominated at the Academy Awards with our Oscars streaming guide, and check our our full run-down of all the 2023 Oscar nominations.

While Jamie Lee Curtis has many iconic movies, she’s never been nominated for an Oscar, until this year. The actress, along with many of her Everything Everywhere All at Once family found themselves on the 2023 Oscar nominee list, including the film's star Michelle Yeoh, and they are all overjoyed. Since the news broke, Curtis has not only been Yoeh’s biggest cheerleader, but she also got emotional talking about why her co-star and friend is the reason she thinks she got her Academy Award nomination. 

You can hear the legendary actress getting choked up while talking about her Oscar nomination, and her beloved co-star. She really does love the Everything Everywhere All At Once star, and that passion and admiration are clear in this video from Variety: 

If you read her quote a bit closer, you can see the love she has for Yeoh, and how this decision to star in this little funky A24 film has changed her life forever. You can also tell while watching the movie that the two actors loved working together, and had brilliant chemistry. Between their tense relationship in the main universe to the parallel universe where they’re lovers with hotdog fingers, I believed everything they did, and I could tell they were having a blast. 

Curtis has made it clear that Michelle Yeoh was the reason she decided to join The Daniels film more than once. She has also been the actress's biggest fan this award season. One of my favorite moments from the actresses came during The Golden Globes when the EEAAO lead won for her performance as Evelyn Wang. The Halloween star threw her arms in the air, and she screamed with joy for her co-star. That moment went so viral there are now t-shirts you can buy that feature Curtis’ passionate cheering. 

Along with all the lovely awards reactions, Curtis has also been open about how much this recognition means to her. On Oscar nomination day, the actress uploaded an emotional post about how much the recognition meant to her, noting it “was never even in [her] wildest dream box.” 

Along with Crutis and Yeoh being recognized, the movie received nine other nominations, including two other acting nods for Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu, who was one of the biggest Oscar surprises on nomination day. Overall, it was a very happy day for Everything Everywhere all at Once, and Curtis’ emotions about it all mirror the cast and crew's feelings about the movie's positive reception perfectly. 

It really does mean a lot to have “Oscar nominee” before your name, and now Curtis will have that title for the rest of her life, including her upcoming film on the 2023 movie schedule. And according to her, she has Michelle Yeoh to thank for all of it.  

To say that Everything Everywhere All At Once was one of the most important movies of 2022 might still be selling the film short (and if you haven't had a chance to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once yet you're missing out). It was a critical darling and box office hit, to be sure, but beyond that, the movie gave the focus to actors that don’t normally get the chance to star in big genre stories. It was a big step forward for Michelle Yeoh not only as an Asian actress but as one that’s old enough that many in Hollywood felt she should retire.

Hollywood is seen as a place for the young. It’s a commonly heard refrain. It’s certainly true that most major Hollywood movies tend to star younger actors. Women especially seem to get pushed to the sidelines once they reach a certain age, no longer being offered the choice roles they once saw when they were younger. And yet, Michelle Yeoh is now an Oscar-nominated actress in a science fiction action movie. It’s something that would not have happened if she had done what some had suggested. She tells Variety that there were calls for her to retire, but she refused to let others decide what she should do with her career. Yeoh explained…

Michelle Yeoh is just one of many actors who have lamented the way that Hollywood treats them differently as they get older. While the negative side of that tends to impact women more than men, everybody seems to feel the effects of a pervasive belief that once you hit a certain age, the same roles just aren’t offered to you anymore. 

This is why Michelle Yeoh says getting offered Everything Everywhere All At Once was emotional. For her, it meant a great deal to simply be offered the chance to play a role like that and to prove that she really could still do it. Yeoh continued…

And she certainly did lead the process. Next month when the 95th Academy Awards are handed out Michelle Yeoh will compete for Best Actress and Everything Everywhere has a shot at being named Best Picture. Simply being at the Oscars will likely be emotional for all involved. Maybe it will be enough to remind Hollywood that great actors don’t have expiration dates.  

Ke Huy Quan has been melting fans' hearts this year, as he moves through the awards circuit and sweeps the competition due to his amazing performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Quan stepped away from acting for many years and, through the acceptance speeches he's given so far, he's conveyed just how meaningful this experience has been for him. His former Indiana Jones co-star, Harrison Ford, seems pretty happy as well, as he praised the actor's Oscar-nominated performance.

Harrison Ford recently chatted with ET at the premiere of his new Apple TV+ series, Shrinking. When the Raiders of the Lost Ark star was asked how he feels about Quan being nominated for his first Oscar, he expressed how thrilled he was for him and his return to Hollywood after all these years. Ford said:

The 80-year-old star is a famously reserved person, so that's major praise. He and Ke Huy Quan co-starred in 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, in which the 13-year-old Quan played Short Round. Quan has said that his respite from acting was due to a lack of roles for Asian American actors and was pleased to find his way back with Everything Everywhere All At Once. The film features a predominantly Asian cast, which includes Michelle Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu, who both also received Oscar nominations. Quan is currently the favorite to win the gold statue, and there are plenty of people who are certainly rooting for him.

The Goonies icon's return to prominence has also led to some adorable reunions that one just can’t get enough of. Last year, he reunited with Harrison Ford at Disney’s D23 convention, where the two shared a hug and took photos. This was the first time the duo had seen each other in 38 years, and it was nothing short of magical. In addition, Indiana Jones director Steven Spielberg has been on the awards circuit promoting his movie, The Fabelmans and, as a result, Quan and Spielberg also had a very sweet run-in at the Golden Globes. where Quan thanked the legendary director during his acceptance speech. 

All in all, we'll be seeing Ke Huy Quan and Harrison Ford plenty in the months to come. In addition to his new Apple TV+ series, Ford is starring alongside Helen Mirren in 1923, a spinoff of the popular western series Yellowstone. Quan is also collaborating with Michelle Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu again, as they been cast  in the Disney series American Born Chinese. And of course, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny releases this summer. Ford is reprising his role as the titular character, and I’m still holding out hope that Quan cameos as Short Round. But if not, I'll settle for the two stars' lovely interactions and Quan's continued awards run.

You can catch Harrison Ford in Shrinking, which is currently available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription. You can also check out Ke Huy Quan’s award-winning role in Everything Everywhere All At Once, which is now available for Paramount+ subscribers to stream. For more information on movies hitting theaters and streaming this year, make sure to check out CinemaBlend's 2023 movie release schedule.

Halle Berry made Oscar history 21 years ago when she became the first Black woman to win the Best Actress award. Now as a group of legendary actresses made their way onto the list of 2023 Academy Award nominees over two decades later, the actress who took home a trophy for Monster’s Ball in 2002 is congratulating all the badass ladies for their excellent work. 

The actress started out her congratulatory Instagram story post, by sending her love to all the nominees, but specifically the ladies:

She then started calling out and congratulating specific actresses, starting with her “deserving” friend Angela Bassett. 

Bassett made history with her nomination for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This is because if you’ve seen the Marvel movies in order, and paid attention to the last decade and change of Academy Awards nominees, you’ll notice no Marvel actors have been nominated for their performance, until this year. The actress behind Queen Ramonda got her second Oscar nomination ever for her performance in Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther sequel, and Berry, who is both a Marvel and Oscar alum was quick to congratulate her colleague for one of Bassett’s best movies. 

The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever love didn’t end there, as Berry also congratulated Ruth Carter, who picked up a Costume Design nomination. This is Carter’s fourth nomination, she has received recognition for her work on the costumes for 1993s Malcolm X as well as 1998s Amistad, and won the Oscar in 2019 for Black Panther. 

I could totally see Carter picking up her second Oscar this year for Wakanda Forever, and Berry seems to agree, as she posted:

Like Berry, Michelle Yeoh is making Oscar history. The actress picked up her first-ever Oscar nomination for Best Lead Actress for her outstanding performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once, making her the first Asian to be nominated in this category.

While Yeoh’s co-stars Stephanie Hsu and Ke Huy Quan (who should be the frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor) both nabbed nominations too,  Berry noted Yeoh specifically (as well as Jamie Lee Curtis, but we'll get to that). This is because if she wins, this EEAAO star will make history, just as her fellow Bond girl did all those years ago. The actress wrote: 

Berry also gave a shout-out to Oscar legend Cate Blanchett, who picked up her eighth Oscar nomination for her performance in Tár. Todd Field’s film was welcomed with good reviews, and those critics noted early on that Blanchett was a frontrunner for an Oscar this year. If she wins it would be her third Academy Award.

In her post, Berry simply added some white hearts showing love for the legendary actress:

The X-Men actress was among many to congratulate Jamie Lee Curtis on her first Oscar nod. Following Curtis’ emotional response to the nomination in Best Supporting Actress, Berry chimed in noting just how deserving she is of the recognition. 

Much like Berry, many are celebrating Curtis’ nomination for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Many are also keeping the excitement alive for Stephanie Hsu, who was nominated in the same category for the same film, which was one of the biggest surprises of this year’s nominations. 

It’s so amazing to see women supporting women, and to see a legend like Halle Berry showing her love for all these phenomenal ladies. And, while there may be some historic wins this year at the Academy Awards, let us not forget what happened in 2002 when Halle Berry made history herself. You can check out her speech here:

Hopefully, as the awards season continues, we’ll see more from these actresses, including Berry, because it’s so empowering to see these amazing women supporting each other and making history.

You can tune in to celebrate these badass ladies and the other nominees on March 12 when the 95th Academy Awards air at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. 

There is shade… and then there is Academy Award-worthy shade. That is what the social media team at A24 just threw at Oscar Mayer after the enormously creative film Everything Everywhere All At Once dominated the pool of Oscar nominees, earning 11 nods (the most of any movie) including Best Picture, Director, and nods for all of its key cast members. Naturally, the team behind the film felt compelled to celebrate – the Daniels got clever on social media and Jamie Lee Curtis got emotional after picking up her first career nomination. But this hot dog-related tweet takes the cake. 

The brilliant Everything Everywhere All At Once takes its own spin on the concept of the multiverse, following Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) around numerous universes as she tries to emotionally connect with her daughter (Stephanie Hsu) and pay off her laundromat’s back taxes. Believe me, it’s much more complicated than that, skipping through endless iterations of existence that include everything from rocks on a cliff’s edge to people with hot dogs for fingers. We didn’t know it at the time, but A24 reached out to Oscar Mayer in hopes of a partnership. It didn’t work. And you just KNOW that they sat on this Tweet idea for years, waiting for the Academy Awards nominations.

Amazing. Hilarious. And exactly what you’d expect behind the folks who helped bring Everything Everywhere All At Once to the big screen and, eventually, to the Academy Awards. I’m not entirely sure how the Oscar Mayer sponsorship would have worked. Could the hot dog fingers worn by Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis in that version of Evelyn’ reality have had the Oscar Mayer logo, possibly in the place of fingernails? That might have worked, and would have been superior to just mentioning the brand name in the closing credits. 

Then again, the hot dog hands now have a life of their own. Andrew Garfield was seen wearing them in interviews, which delighted Michelle Yeoh to no end. And Yeoh even brought them up when discussing possible EEAAO spinoffs she would like to see happen. It shows the reach of Everything Everywhere All At Once, a reach we hope continues through the Oscars ceremony. 

If you haven’t yet caught up with Everything Everywhere All At Once, we have important information on how to stream the film, as well as really interesting behind-the-scenes facts about the movie that you can check out once you have screened it. Just please, don’t go looking for the rocks that The Daniels used in the film. They’re in a very dangerous place now, and retrieving them would be a nightmare. 

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis has been a movie star since bursting on the scene as Laurie Strode in John Carpenter's 1968 hit Halloween. While she's played that role on and off over the years, she's also had a super successful career in TV and film. So it's kind of hard to believe that she got her very first Academy Award nomination this morning, for her performance in The Daniels' Everything Everywhere All at Once. And in response to this honor, Curtis posted an emotional reaction on social media.

Jaime Lee Curtis has been keeping super busy lately, and her hilarious and action-heavy performance as IRS Inspector Dierdre Beaubeirdre has been universally acclaimed. She's been a favorite for the Best Supporting Actress category, after being similarly honored during other events during Awards Season. She shared her honest thoughts about getting an Academy Award nomination on Instagram, check it out below:

What a class act. Part of why Jamie Lee Curtis is having such a big moment right now is because of her truly delightful personality. And as such, it should come to no surprise that she delivered a thoughtful and sweet response to being nominated for an Oscar for the first time at age 64. That included a nod to her family like her late mother, actress Janet Leigh. 

Jamie Lee Curtis reflected on her career and heritage to her whopping 4.8 million followers on Instagram. She thanked her family of immigrants for making their way to the states to give her this opportunity. And despite having such a long career in film, Curtis also confessed she's often felt like an outside in Hollywood. Hopefully this latest honor helps her feel otherwise. 

Of course, JLC also took time to directly speak about the one-of-a-kind project that ultimately earned her an Oscar nom. The Daniels' Everything Everywhere All at Once was endlessly ambitious, and with a wholly unique tone. And while there was both action and comedy, the story was also an emotional one about family, immigration, trauma, and acceptance. Curtis has been a vocal cheerleader for the movie, even getting into a multiversal feud with Doctor Strange 2 in the process. 

Given the other nominations that have come Jamie Lee Curtis' way this season for Everything Everywhere All At Once, her Academy Award nod seemed like a sure thing ahead of this morning's official announcement. But fans of The Daniels' acclaimed movie will also be excited to learn that Curtis is nominated alongside co-star Stephanie Hsu, who played Joy Wang/ Jobu Tupaki. We'll just have to wait and see if either of them snatch the trophy, or if that honor goes to Angela Bassett for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

Jamie Lee Curtis also posted a photo of her reaction upon learning she'd actually gotten an Oscar nomination. She also tips her hat to Stephanie Hsu in the process. As always, her social media game is on point. Check it out:

Given Jamie Lee Curtis' generations of fans, there are plenty of folks in the comments section cheering her on. That includes fellow actors like Top Gun: Maverick's Glen Powell, who was her co-star in the TV series Scream Queens. We'll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out when the Academy Awards take place in March.

The Oscars will air March 12th. Everything Everywhere All at Once is streaming now on Showtime. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. As for Jamie Lee Curtis, she's got exciting projects coming down the line like Borderlands and Disney's The Haunted Mansion. 

Awards Season is here, to the joy of movie and TV addicts out there. In many ways, this time of year ends with the grand finale: The Academy Awards. While that star-studded event is set to be broadcast in March, there will be a few months where the Film Academy voters will get to pick out a choice from a set of nominees. Today is Oscar nomination day, so buckle up.

The Academy Award nominations are always a hot-button issue in the film world. While it celebrates the best of the film, there are always some notable snubs that rub people the wrong way. Either way, the wait is over, and the noms are rolling in. Here's how it all shook out, including popular releases like Top Gun: Maverick, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Film Academy's noms go as follows:

Best Picture

All Quiet On the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Winner: Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Women Talking

Best Director

Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Winner: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans
Todd Field, Tár
Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Tár
Ana de Armas, Blonde
Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans
Winner: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Actor

Austin Butler, Elvis
Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
Winner: Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Paul Mescal, After Sun
Bill Nighy, Living

Best Supporting Actress

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hong Chau, The Whale
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
Winner: Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Supporting Actor

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway
Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans
Barry Keogh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Winner: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Original Screenplay

The Banshees of Inisherin
Winner: Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Fabelmans
Tár
Triangle of Sadness

Best Adapted Screenplay

All Quiet on the Western Front
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Living
Top Gun: Maverick
Winner: Women Talking

Best Animated Feature

Winner: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Puss And Boots: The Last Wish
Turning Red
The Sea Beast

Best International Feature Film

Winner: All Quiet on the Western Front
Argentina, 1985
Close
Eo
The Quiet Girl

Best Documentary Feature

All That Breathes
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Fire of Love
A House Made of Splinters
Winner: Navalny

Best Production Design

Winner: All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
Babylon
Elvis
The Fabelmans

Best Cinematography

Winner: All Quiet on the Western Front
Bardo
Elvis
Empire of Light
Tár

Best Costume Design

Babylon
Winner: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris

Best Film Editing

The Banshees Of Inisherin
Elvis
Winner: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick

Make Up and Hairstyling

All Quiet on The Western Front
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Elvis
Winner: The Whale

Best Score

Winner: All Quiet on the Western Front
Babylon
The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Fabelmans

Best Original Song

Applause, Tell it Like a Woman
Hold My Hand, Top Gun: Maverick
Lift Me Up, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
This Is A Life, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Winner: Naatu Naatu, RRR

Best Sound

All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Batman
Elvis
Winner: Top Gun: Maverick

Best Visual Effects

All Quiet on the Western Front
Winner: Avatar: The Way of Water
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Top Gun: Maverick

Best Animated Short

Winner: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, And The Horse
The Flying Sailor
Ice Merchants
My Year of Dicks
An Ostrich Told Me The World Was Fake And I Think I Believe It

Best Documentary Short

Winner: The Elephant Whisperers
Haulout
How Do You Measure A Year?
The Martha Mitchell Effect
Stranger At the Gate

Live Action Short Film

Winner: An Irish Goodbye
Ivalu
Le Pupille
Night Ride
The Red Suitcase

Awards Season is in full swing, and we'd like to extend hearty congratulations to those lucky enough to snag a 2023 Academy Award nomination. As for who ends up taking home those coveted trophies, that remains to be seen. But all will be revealed when the Oscars air on March 12th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Ke Huy Quan’s life story sounds like something pulled straight from the movies. The actor starred in two of the most significant '80s pop-culture touchstones that served to influence a generation of genre moviemakers, only to all but disappear after giving up on his dreams of acting in the '90s. However, 2022 saw the Temple of Doom vet's triumphant return to the big screen in the critically acclaimed (see what we thought) Everything Everywhere All at Once. Understandably, the Goonies star has been vocal about returning to performing after his 20-year hiatus, and it's kind of a heartbreaking situation. 

Ke Huy Quan, now 51 years old, told People he never intended to be an actor, but he fell in love with the process after his time on the set of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. After landing two high-profile parts in movies associated with mega director Steven Spielberg, Quan thought he was on the precipice of movie stardom, only for roles to dry up save for a few minor parts on television. The entertainer told the publication:

In the early 2000s, Quan chose to avoid that particular avenue of disappointments, and quit acting, with the resignation to work behind the camera, often as a stunt coordinator (famously on X-Men) or second unit director. But, the star says he had a severe case of “FOMA” after seeing the success of 2018’s success story, Crazy Rich Asians:

The performer’s desire to be in front of the camera had returned, so he hired an agent. Through a series of unexpected events, the script for Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert's genre-bending fantasy landed in front of Quan to read. The screenplay, he says, felt like it was tailor-made for him at that particular moment in his life because all three versions of the character felt very much like a part of him. He continued:

If you have seen Everything Everywhere All at Once, you likely grasp how hard it is to imagine anyone but Ke Huy Quan in the role of Waymond. It’s a performance that brings so much heart, and its impact has been undeniable. Not only did it win over audiences, but it also landed the actor a Golden Globes win — he shared the winner’s stage with his Encino Man costar Brendan Fraser, who also took home some gold. The Golden Globe win perhaps kicked off the beginning of a fruitful awards season for the actor, seeing as there's also been considerable Oscar buzz surrounding Quan. 

While it’s a long-term shame Ke Huy Quan has been away from the limelight for so long, it’s beyond great and encouraging to see his fairytale-like return to the big screen. If you’re a fan of the actor’s performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once, you may be interested in our list of what to watch next from the star. 

The Encino Man actor is set next to appear in the second season of one of the best Marvels television shows, Loki. 

Few movies receive the amount of attention and recognition that Everything Everywhere All At Once has found. The A24 film was released nearly a year ago, yet it’s still high in conversation following it being a frontrunner during awards season, recently winning big at the 2023 Golden Globes and Critic’s Choice Awards, along with CinemaBlend naming it our top movie of 2022. Following all its success, could it become a franchise? Michelle Yeoh has thoughts on that. 

When Yeoh was recently asked if she’d like to see a sequel to Everything Everywhere All At Once, the actress simply said “no” before also shooting down her own interest in making one to Variety. However, she did say she might be into a “spinoff,” expanding on her idea with these words: 

No, she’s not referring to the epic literal rock scene that had us all emotional about the meaning of life, Michelle Yeoh is speaking to the part of Everything Everywhere All At Once where she got to go up on stage and be a world-renowned singer in one universe in the movie. While I don’t personally remember Evelyn Wang shredding a guitar in one of the many universes that flashes during the movie, I do very much remember her opera scene that signalled a life if she had not followed her love story with Ke Huy Quan’s Waymond and pursued singing.

When Yeoh was asked to name her personal favorite “rock stars,” the actress named Adele, Enya and Lady Gaga, and she also gave a shoutout to the many talented Asian singers out there. While the actress framed it as a “spinoff” for the beloved movie she recently won her first Golden Globe for, it sounds like she really just wants to play a rock star somehow more than anything else. Though considering all the universes with Evelyn Wang in the movie, it certainly wouldn’t be out of the question for a sequel or spinoff to explore the concept further somehow. 

Following the success of Everything Everywhere All At Once, I’d hope Michelle Yeoh gets her pick of roles, including something musical like what she talked about. Apparently the actress previously told Variety that she only sings in the shower, but she also sounds totally up to tap into the music world more with another role. We’re counting on Yeoh being nominated for Best Actress Oscar next, but she’s seriously neck and neck with Cate Blanchett’s Tar performance for the award. 

While we wait for the Oscars, airing on Sunday, March 12, you can stream Everything Everywhere All At Once online and await her next role, which is an upcoming book adaptation of American Born Chinese alongside many of her EEAAO co-stars, hitting Disney+ this spring. 

Michelle Yeoh showed that she was confident in her strength, telling Golden Globe producers, “Shut up, please. I can beat you up,” when they tried to play her off stage during her acceptance speech for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy Or Musical. But make no mistake, if Yeoh ever needed someone to have her back, Jamie Lee Curtis is her woman. An image of Curtis’ reaction to her Everything Everywhere All at Once co-star’s win went viral as the epitome of women supporting women, and the Halloween veteran continued the celebratory moment with her own sweet response.

Jamie Lee Curtis became an instant meme for her unbridled elation over Michelle Yeoh’s Best Actress win at the Golden Globe Awards on January 10. Entrepreneur Erin Gallagher even made the moment into a T-shirt, which in turn made its way into the hands of the actress, she said on Instagram:  

Jamie Lee Curtis said she loved that the reaction became a symbol of women supporting other women, calling it the "perfect squad goal” for the new year. She also thanked Erin Gallagher for sharing her own anthem of support. In addition to the words on the shirt — “Find your Jamie. Hype their Jamie. Be her Jamie.” — Gallagher shared the following message in her Instagram post advertising the shirt: 

She wasn’t the only one inspired by Jamie Lee Curtis’ emotional outburst. Twitter users responded in the moment to what they called the best reaction they’d ever seen: 

Some fans became emotional, themselves, watching the veteran actress hug Michelle Yeoh before she made her way to the stage. Jamie Lee Curtis continued to give her a standing ovation as she did so: 

Others said no explanation was needed to see what the Everything Everywhere All at Once actors were feeling in that beautiful moment that was captured for eternity: 

Michelle Yeoh wasn’t the only 2023 Golden Globe winner for Everything Everywhere All at Once — which ranked as one of CinemaBlend’s Top 10 movies of 2022. Ke Huy Quan was also honored with the trophy for Best Supporting Actor. With more awards shows headed our way soon, we’ll have to see what celebrations are in store for the cast. In the meantime, check out how you can stream Everything Everywhere All at Once, and keep an eye on the 2023 Movie Release Schedule, because Yeoh has multiple projects headed our way. 

Since Everything Everywhere All At Once was among the best movies of 2022, and awards season is in full swing, the movie remains high in conversation on the road to the Oscars. And, as Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis have been collecting in performance nominations and wins, one underrated performance has continued to be Stephanie Hsu’s role as Joy and Jobu Tupaki. While Hsu is certainly getting recognized for her role in The Daniels’ film, she recently spoke to getting misidentified on red carpets and her fears going forward. 

Amidst Hsu being stopped by Reservoir Dogs’ Steve Buscemi, who asked her for a picture after telling her he was a fan of Everything Everywhere All At Once so much that he’d caught the film multiple times. Hsu spoke to The New York Times about her experience in Hollywood, saying this: 

Stephanie Hsu understood the comparisons between herself and Lana Condor, who has brought diversity to rom-coms with the All The Boys movies, but she also is very much aware of the prevalent racism she and other Asians continue to deal with today. As she continued: 

The 32-year-old found roles in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical before playing Joy, the daughter of Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan’s Evelyn and Waymond Wang, who is just looking for acceptance in one universe, whereas in another she becomes a multiverse-jumping villain as a result of her internal pain. Everything Everywhere All At Once is an important film for Asian representation, not only for Hsu, but the many moviegoers who have come up to her to say the “saw myself in the movie” or draw comparisons between their own families. As Hsu also explained: 

Hsu said these words just ahead of Everything Everywhere All At Once being among Tuesday night’s 2023 Golden Globe winners. The actress was seen during the telecast in tears as Michelle Yeoh accepted her first major award of her career for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical Comedy over actresses Margot Robbie, Emma Thompson, Lesley Manville and Anya Taylor-Joy. 

During Yeoh’s speech, the actress spoke to the struggles she dealt with throughout her career following their co-star Ke Huay Quan also getting up on stage for the Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture award. Quan shared that for decades he thought he’d never get to outdo his child self, who starred in the second Indiana Jones movie and The Goonies. Look out for Hsu’s emotional reaction during Yeoh’s Golden Globes speech: 

Check out how you can stream Everything Everywhere All At Once as awards season continues. Hsu was just nominated for a SAG award among other recognition this year. Next, the actress will join Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huay Quan in the upcoming book adaptation American Born Chinese, set to hit Disney+ this year.  

After the extraordinary year of cinema, we experienced in 2022 (check out the top 10 movies of that year among the CinemaBlend staff), it's hard to imagine that Ke Huy Quan and Brendan Fraser wouldn't be the talk of the town. Still, in a parallel universe, we may have lost both of their talents to obscurity. Luckily for us, both the actors received starring roles in two incredible movies that reintroduced them to long-time fans and new audiences alike. Well, the Everything Everywhere All At Once actor is gushing over his long-time friend's performance in The Whale. 

The Hollywood Reporter released their annual Actors Roundtable series just in time for award season. The discussion includes several actors who starred in high-profile projects. Toward the end of the talk, Ke Huy Quan took a moment to join the chorus singing the praise for Brendan Fraser's dramatic turn in Darren Aronofsky's adaptation of the play of the same name. The Goonies actor says the only mistake he made watching The Whale was forgetting to bring tissues. The actor said:

Ke Huy Quan's compliments moved The Mummy actor to tears. As Fraser thanked his Encino Man costar, he added, "We are still here," a sentiment that Quan admitted 'broke him' when Fraser had said it to him earlier before the roundtable discussion. 

Ke Huy Quan returned to acting after a 30-year hiatus in Everything Everywhere all at Once, a performance for which he received a Golden Globe win for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture and has generated Oscars buzz. The Temple of Doom star's last significant performance in a theatrical release was staring opposite Brendan Fraser in the 1992 caveman comedy release Encino Man. After that, the actor says the offers stopped coming in, and he turned his attention to working behind the camera. However, after a series of coincidences and (unexpectedly) because of his performance in The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the 50-year-old actor is back and is better than ever in A24's 2022 box office hit.

THR’s Actors Roundtable also included Austin Butler (Elvis), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Jeremy Pope (The Inspection), and Adam Sandler (Hustle). You can watch the full video below. 

Thanks to Brendan Fraser's high-profile Hollywood comeback, there have been a lot of talks about reviving some of his past hit film franchises, like The Mummy (which the actor has one question about) and maybe even make a sequel to Encino Man. Ironically, the other star of the 1992 comedy is Quan's Goonies costar Sean Astin; a sequel to the 1985 Richard Donner cult classic has been rumored to be in the works for almost 30 years. Who knows, maybe both projects will be revived, and the next few years may very well be the years of Fraser and Quan.

Sequels to Encino Man or The Goonies would be great, but if they don't happen, I'm happy we live in the corner of the multiverse where these two actors are back and better than ever.

Televised awards shows are a difficult thing to put together for sure. They are live broadcasts where you can’t control a lot of factors, meaning that they can easily run long, which never makes TV networks happy. Also, there's the fear that people might start slapping each other on stage. This is what leads to the inevitable moment where a show tries to cut an awards acceptance speech short to keep things moving along. The winners have different reactions when this happen, but last night at the Golden Globes Michelle Yeoh may have found the best response ever, just telling the show itself to shut up.

Last night Michelle Yeoh took home the best Actress award at the Golden Globes for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once. She was giving a truly wonderful speech, when the orchestra does that thing they have to do here, they start playing music as a cue that the winner needs to wrap up their speech. Instead of doing that Yeoh, very politely, told them to shut up and threatened to beat them up. Everything Everywhere All At Once studio A23 posted the moment to Twitter.

And let’s be honest. Nobody doubts for a second that Michelle Yeoh actually could beat them up, right? I doubt any of the players are trained fighters. Even if they took her on all at once I still think she could take them. And now, I just created an action scene I need to see in a future Michelle Yeoh movie.

People react to being played off in all sorts of ways. Most try to speak quickly to get in everything they want to say as fast as possible. Some people just ignore the music and continue like it’s not there. Sometimes, when a speech is particularly good, you’ll even get the audience shouting down the music because they want it to continue. 

The best part of this is how polite she is. She says “please” and never raises her voice, but she’s also quite clear that she’s being serious, and has things she wants to say. And the speeches are a big part of the reason we tune in to shows like the Golden Globes. We want to see who wins, we might have a favorite film we’re rooting for, but in the end it’s about giving the winners their moment to say thank you, and they should be given every opportunity to do that. 

We should get ready for a lot more battles between award winners and orchestras over the coming weeks. More awards shows are on the way, including the Oscars, a show that regularly runs long, sometimes very long. But for those of us that actually want to hear what people like Michelle Yeoh have to say, that’s ok.

On a base level, 2022 will be remembered as the year we all went back to the movies. It technically started in December 2021, as Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: No Way Home started luring crowds back for the reunion of the three Spider-Man actors, a movie that broke box-office records and climbed near the top of our list of every Spider-Man movie, ranked. The Sony blockbuster would end up being a bellwether for good things to come, especially when it came to populist entertainment. Marvel Studios posted their expected wins. But Jurassic World and the Minions stayed strong, Matt Reeves reinvented Batman, and Tom Cruise proved he’s still got it.

Looking over my favorite movies of 2022, there’s a healthy mix of popcorn entertainment and art, of sequels and heart. There are fantastic movies about moviemaking, and films that flew completely under my radar until they finally were seen, instantly winning me over. As a reminder, these are my personal favorites from the year 2022, the 10 movies I loved the most. They’re hardly the ONLY 10 excellent films released this year. For a rundown of some suggested rentals, go scan CinemaBlend’s Year-End Top 10 as chosen by our staff. For now, here are my Top 10 movies of 2022.

10. Hustle

Adam Sandler forever will hold a special place in my heart. His Saturday Night Live cast was the one that I grew up on, and when he branched into movies, I was the right age to start worshipping idiotic characters such as Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore and Bobby Boucher. That character may have grown tired (sorry, Hubie Halloween), but Sandler still manages to entertain with unexpected projects like Uncut Gems, or this winning Netflix basketball dramedy Hustle. Actual NBA stars Juancho Hernangomez and Anthony Edwards bring authenticity to this story about a pro scout who thinks he has found a once-in-a-lifetime talent. Sandler’s love for basketball shines through the comedy, and his relationship with Hernangomez has a lot more in common with Mickey and a young Rocky Balboa from the initial Rocky. I’m not kidding. 

Where to stream Hustle: Netflix

9. Bardo: False Chronicle Of A Handful Of Truths

We’ve enjoyed a recent trend of directors looking back over their careers, and their early lives, to mine it for emotional drama and confessional truths. Even “False Chronicles” of those truths, which seem to be what acclaimed director Alejandro Inarritu is wrestling with throughout the admittedly lengthy runtime of Bardo. I pegged this as a Best Picture contender early on, and while that didn’t pan out for the movie, I was right in predicting that the movie would land with me. Inarritu normally does (see his Oscar-winning The Revenant, Birdman, Babel, 21 Grams… just see his movies). Bardo is a pseudo-biographical story following a documentary filmmaker caught between his roots in Mexico and his career in Los Angeles. The guilt associated with Inarritu’s migration north informs every scene of this captivating masterwork, which begins with a birth, ends with a death, and captures a miraculous life that has been fully lived in between.

Where to stream Bardo: Netflix

8. The Fabelmans

The next great example of a master analyzing his childhood through film. Though as with Inarritu, it’s Steven Spielberg, so we care. Spielberg picks away at some extremely uncomfortable scabs as he substitutes a fictional family, The Fabelmans, for his own. Young Sammy (Steven) escapes into film when the burdens of school bullying and his parents’ divorce become too much. We learn about Spielberg. But we also, through The Fabelmans, better understand how film  captures life, film can manipulate life, film can restore life, and film can change one person’s life, forever. Also, Janusz shoots the shit out of this movie.

Where to stream The Fabelmans: It's currently in theaters and available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime Video, and it will likely become available to stream on Peacock.

7. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

I’ll never quite understand how Marcel the Shell got me emotionally invested in the day-to-day lives of two shells – one very young, another quite old – who are figuring out how to move forward after their “community” of shells gets moved away. The premise couldn’t be more simple. But by framing it as a documentary being shot by a man (actual director Dean Fleischer-Camp) who moved into Marcel’s AirBNB, Marcel the Shell opens the door to relevant commentary about social media, existential meanderings about how small we are in this great big world, and the rapturous joy (and overwhelming fear) that can come from meeting your heroes. The most human movie made this year starred a shell. And it was magical.

Where to buy/rent Marcel the Shell: Amazon Prime Video

6. The Batman

It has been years since a Marvel Studios movie hasn’t made my year-end Top 10 list. But in 2022, DC Films made the best superhero, a reimagining of a character that has been interpreted so many different ways, yet still finds a way to intrigue. The jury’s out on Robert Pattinson as Batman (for me, personally). I’m excited to see where he takes the glum, determined hero in future stories. But The Batman lands here on my list because of the fully realized world that director Matt Reeves created for his Gotham. It’s authentic and unconventional, recognizable and yet foreign. I just want to step into it, and interact with the brilliant creatures Reeves has sprinkled around the town. James Gunn may be considering big changes at DC, but it’s comforting knowing that Reeves’ world will continue to expand, because it’s just that good.

Where to stream The Batman: HBO Max

5. Emergency

I haven’t stopped thinking about Carey Williams’s Emergency since it knocked me on my ass at the SXSW film festival in March (then again on Amazon Prime Video). And a huge part of the movie’s impact is not knowing what is about to happen to college friends Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and Sean (RJ Cyler) as they plan an epic night of partying. Emergency is intelligent and unpredictable, the kind of movie that will ask tough questions of its audiences, then change the movie’s story depending on how you answer them. Williams is now a filmmaker I’ll be paying attention to, and Donald Elise Watkins should have a ton of exciting offers based on the work that he does here.

Where to stream Emergency: Amazon Prime Video

4. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story

The most fun I had in a movie theater in 2022. I like Rian Johnson’s Knives Out a lot, but hesitated to believe he could have lightning strike in the same spot, mainly because twisty but satisfying whodunit murder mysteries are difficult to construct. Glass Onion, however, makes it all look so easy, with Daniel Craig’s delightful Benoit Blanc traveling to a remote island off the coast of Greece to attend a “murder mystery party” that, naturally, turns deadly. The cast of colorful loonies is spot on, the screenplay is airtight and uproariously funny, and I sincerely hope Johnson makes a dozen of these romps with Craig in the lead.

Where to stream Glass Onion: Netflix

3. Babylon

Damien Chazelle does it again. The masterful filmmaker behind Whiplash, La La Land and First Man drop kicks his audience back to the debaucherous 1920s Los Angeles, when silent film stars were treated like gods but the arrival of sound was about to rattle the film industry to its core. There’s a precise method to Chazelle’s on-screen madness, as he charts the course of a rising starlet (Margot Robbie, on fire) and a fading superstar (Brad Pitt, never better). Babylon is rowdy and raunchy. But look past that to connect with the timeless messages of fleeting celebrity, of innovation as a tool for survival, and of the legacy that’s left behind by anyone lucky enough to experience a day inside of the dream factory of Hollywood.

Where to stream Babylon: It's currently in theaters, but likely will go to Paramount+

2. Everything Everywhere All At Once

I’m honestly not sure how this movie exists. I absolutely don’t understand how it exists AND works as well as it does. Embracing the concept of a multiverse (but using it far better than, say, the MCU), Everything Everywhere follows a laundromat owner (a magnificent Michelle Yeoh) on a dimension-hopping adventure to reconnect with her daughter, save her family business, and maybe learn how to live her own life a little better. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert draw on, seemingly, every movie they have ever seen to inform and enhance EEAAO, creating something that’s so incredibly original, I doubt we will ever see anything as imaginative, inspiring, and insightful as this again. 

Where to stream Everything Everywhere: Paramount+

1. Top Gun: Maverick

The best movie of 2022. Here’s the thing about Top Gun: Maverick, though. There’s nothing remarkable about it. The movie follows a formula, proudly. There are predictable scenes sprinkled throughout the movie, from the hotshot pilot getting dressed down by his superiors, to the cocky young flyer figuring out how to trust his training and complete a mission. But every single example of a storytelling cliche included in Top Gun: Maverick is perfectly pitched. Every note rings true. It’s the rare nostalgia project that advances the original story, rounds out the characters, and rewards its audience for their loyalty. Also, Tom Cruise is our last great movie star. His dedication to entertaining is unmatched. His commitment to filming practically elevates the action on Top Gun: Maverick to new stratospheres. I never thought we needed a Top Gun sequel. But damn, am I glad this movie exists.

Where to stream Top Gun: Maverick: Amazon Prime Video

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for movies that came out in 2022. Read at your own risk!

2022 was a good year for action movies overall, but we really were gifted with some great action scenes across all genres. From slashers to superheroes to even the standard run-and-gun thriller, everyone was looking to throw hands. Fists were flying in many different genres, and because of that, there was no shortage of great fight scenes this year to choose from in our end-of-year list. 

The following, in no particular order, are some of the best fight scenes we’ve seen in 2022. If you’re looking for the best action scenes frame-for-frame, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive into our picks and run through the action scenes of this year that are worth a re-watch. 

Avatar: The Way Of Water - Jake And Quaritch’s Big Battle

Avatar: The Way Of Water definitely isn’t a thrill ride from start to finish, but the final hour of the sequel is about as action-packed as any of these movies. Quaritch challenging Jake in a one-on-one fight after a long and chaotic battle between Na’vi and the Marines is epic, and the fight delivers. The unbridled rage of two men–er. Avatars wanting to rip each other to shreds culminates in the most thrilling battle of the entire movie. I’m ready to sit through the movie all over again just to get to that part at the end, which really isn’t that much of a punishment given how fun the movie is. 

Where to stream Avatar: The Way of Water: It's currently playing in theaters, but will likely become available on Disney+ in 2023.

The Batman - Batman Storms The Iceberg Lounge

There are so many moments in The Batman worthy of this list, but if we’re talking about the absolute best, the title character storming The Iceberg Lounge takes the cake. Truthfully, it might be the most action-heavy scene in the character’s live-action history, as Batman bashes and beats his way through Penguin’s hideout looking for answers. We don’t see this often in Batman films because the Dark Knight is rarely willing to be so confrontational. Of course, The Batman is more of an early Batman tale just beyond the realm of being an origin story, so it tracks he’d be a bit more of a less-calculated renegade willing to just walk in a club and start bashing heads. 

Where to stream The Batman - HBO Max

Everything Everywhere All At Once - Waymond Attacks With A Fanny Pack

2022 basically belongs to Michelle Yeoh, and I respect that. Given all the accolades she’s gotten so far though, I have to give some love to actor Ke Huy Quan and his performance as alternate universe Waymond. Everything Everywhere All At Once is loaded with action, but watching Waymond wield his fanny pack like nunchucks really gets this movie going. Who would’ve thought someone could do so much damage with an uncool but functional piece of fashion?

Where to stream Everything Everywhere All At Once - Showtime

Prey - Predator Kills French Trappers

Anyone who has seen a Predator movie knows that members of this species are hard to kill. Unfortunately, the French trappers in Prey were born well before the franchise, so they had no idea what was coming when they tried to subdue one with a bear trap and a net. Jokes aside, those trappers just get brutalized by the Predator with its vast array of weapons as well as some of their own. There’s blood, guts and a lot of Frenchmen whose last dying thought was probably that the pelt wasn’t even close to worth the price they paid trying to get it. 

Where to stream Prey - Hulu

Halloween Ends - Laurie And Michael’s Final Battle

Halloween Ends is the thrilling conclusion of the Halloween reboot trilogy, and the final confrontation between Michael Myers and his longtime target, Laurie Strode. Fans might’ve expected before watching that the final battle between the two would feature intense and hard-to-stomach violence, and they’re completely right. This is an action scene that isn’t for the faint of heart, and if you’re squeamish, you might just want to skip it entirely. 

Where to stream Halloween Ends - Peacock

RRR - Animals Attack Partygoers

If you’re just generally aware of the existence of RRR, the film that had a stranglehold on many with a Netflix subscription in 2022, you’ve likely seen this scene. Bheem arrives at the scene of a high-profile party full of colonial elites and unleashes a slew of wild animals right into the center of the party. It’s the kind of absolute chaos only a Marvel movie would be capable of, and yet Bollywood surprised us in 2022 by showing other movies can go over the top in the best way possible. The epic slow-motion tiger dodges make this scene award-worthy, but the maulings are a nice touch. 

Where to stream RRR - Netflix

The Northman - Final Battle 

I’m not sure there’s a one-on-one battle on this list that matches the raw emotion on display in the final battle of The Northman. Amaleth taking on Fjölnir amidst lava and smoke is a hauntingly beautiful scene and so emotional. I don’t think I’ve ever been more invested in watching two exhausted men struggle to land blows all whilst screaming at each other between slashes of the sword. It’s just something that needs to be seen, but those who read our Northman review knew that already. 

Where to stream The Northman: Prime Video

The Gray Man - Six And Lloyd’s Final Showdown

Ryan Gosling’s Six and Chris Evans’ Lloyd throw down at the end of The Gray Man, and it’s the perfect endcap on an already incredible action movie. I’m not trying to say this scene alone is the reason why The Gray Man received a sequel, but I certainly would think it’s a contributing factor. Honestly, Gosling and Evans are just both so great in this movie that seeing them in this epic scene is really the cherry on top of two awesome performances. 

Where to stream The Gray Man: Netflix

Bullet Train - Ladybug vs. Tangerine

Bullet Train is a healthy mix of comedy and action, but just because there’s laughs to be had, that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously. As an example, the fight between Ladybug and Tangerine features plenty of laughs, but also a lot of brutality that makes it look like either man is on the bring of killing each other. It’s just another reminder that Brad Pitt is still good at what he does and maybe that Aaron Taylor-Johnson deserves more roles than he already gets. 

Where to stream Bullet Train: Netflix

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Shuri vs. Namor

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever might be one of the most emotional Marvel movies of all time, but that doesn't diminish how awesome Letitia Wright’s Shuri is as the new Black Panther. She gets a chance to show she’s just as capable as any hero after besting Namor in combat, which viewers know was no easy feat. Sure, there’s a chance he still hasn’t completely shaken his goal of recruiting others to help destroy humanity, but that beating he took will almost certainly make him think twice about it. 

Where to stream Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: It's currently playing in theaters, but will become available on Disney+ in 2023.

2022 was an awesome year for entertainment in general, so be sure to check out other end-of-year lists as they appear on CinemaBlend in the coming days as well. Hopefully, 2023 will have just as many memorable moments, especially when it comes to action. 

2022 has been an exciting year of new movie releases, with everything from legacy-quels to pleasant surprises making some notable splashes. It’s the sort of thing that makes a critic nostalgic whenever a new year is on the horizon, which is partially why you see so many top 10 lists this time of year. Well, that and leaving your personal stamp on the year that was is a fun way to wrap things up.

While we also have CinemaBlend’s Top 10 Movies of 2022 in play, which is based on the entire staff’s ratings of the films released throughout the calendar year. However, if you’re interested in what I personally saw as the 10 best movies of the year, you’re in the right place. Let’s work our way up the chain, hitting each of 2022’s best movies by starting with number 10.

10. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

There was no shortage of adaptations for Carlo Collodi’s famed fable Pinocchio in 2022. Three different interpretations found their way to audiences, but the best one happens to also be one of this year’s best films. Resurrecting his passion project through Netflix, director/co-writer Guillermo del Toro turned the story we thought we knew into a beautiful tale of life, death and honor.

A gorgeous stop motion masterpiece, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio took a story known for children’s entertainment and gave it a refresh that allows even the most cynical adults a chance to believe in its powers. And if that ending doesn’t sock you straight in the chest. I’d check your pulse if I were you.

Stream Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio on Netflix. 

9. Top Gun: Maverick

It should be considered a miracle that Top Gun: Maverick even exists. We almost got a sequel to the Tom Cruise classic back in the ‘80s, but Maverick’s timing couldn’t have been better. In a market where legacy-quels are hot, returning to the world of Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was a welcomed respite from world events, and a fantastic welcome back to theaters. 

Through a story that modernizes what we love about Top Gun, director Joseph Kosinski and co-writer Christopher McQuarrie found the right road on which to return to the Danger Zone. Characters and events from the first Top Gun became an even better movie after seeing what Maverick did to honor the series’ legacy. The entire third act is a breathless finale to a movie that took its time setting up, and it should practically act as a blank check for all involved to pursue any project they could dream of.

Stream Top Gun: Maverick on Paramount+.

8. Disenchanted

While it didn’t take nearly as long for Disney’s legacy-quel Disenchanted to hit the world, it’s another firm example of a long-awaited sequel bringing the goods. Rather than just playing to the standard sequel formula of doing the same thing, except bigger and louder, this new chapter in the life of Princess Giselle (Amy Adams) finds a novel concept and plays it to the hilt. 

Reversing the tide for this fish out of water, we’re thrown head first into the magic and music that Giselle knows from her home of Andalasia. Disenchanted gets to go bigger and brighter than its predecessor, but it has a good reason for doing so. Seeing Amy Adams comfortably return to her cheery persona, in addition to playing a more sinister spin on Giselle, only ties the package together into a severely impressive legacy-quel that shines right beside its notable original.

Stream Disenchanted on Disney+.

7. The Gray Man

This could be a controversial choice, but I really don’t care. For my money, Netflix’s The Gray Man was an exciting blast of action, comedy and fast-paced thrills. Starting off strong and slick, and never letting up, the Ryan Gosling-led espionage ensemble is hardboiled fun in the vein of Shane Black’s best. The Russo Brothers, teamed with frequent screenwriting collaborators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, put every inch of their Marvel Cinematic Universe acumen to work on this one.

Some of the action set pieces included in The Gray Man should be studied, as things escalate pretty quickly, but never get lost in the chaos. A new franchise is cooking over at Netflix through The Gray Man, and I really hope they go bigger on the theatrical presence next time, as this was an experience I was honored to actually have in a movie theater. 

Stream The Gray Man on Netflix.

6. The Batman

Resurrection is a hobby that quite a few heroes engage in throughout the world of comics, which makes The Batman’s existence seem like a natural occurrence. That said, director Matt Reeves' adventure is far from typical DC Comics fare. 

Leaning into the neo-noir nature of the character, Robert Pattinson’s new Bruce Wayne/Batman is seen feeling his way through those middle years of a superhero’s origins we rarely get to see. With iconic characters reinvented through a powerhouse cast like Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, Zoë Kravitz, and Andy Serkis, the future of Gotham couldn’t be brighter. 

Stream The Batman on HBO Max.

5. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Adults deserve a good fairy tale as much as the kids do, and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris delivers on that front. A pleasant surprise that sparkles with beauty and heart, Lesley Manville’s titular washerwoman sets out to get a dress from Paris. Reading that plot on paper may not seem exciting, but co-writer/director Anthony Fabian makes an absolute delight out of author Paul Gallico's mid-century tale of high fashion and the high hopes it inspires.

Stream Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris on Peacock Premium.

4. Belle

The world of anime continues to make a huge impact on the medium of animation, expanding its audience with each sterling hit. Mamoru Hosoda has been one of the talents that have pushed that effort with fantastic effect, through movies like Belle. While it didn't score a nomination at this year's Academy Awards, Belle is still stiff cultural competition for contemporaries like The Mitchells vs. The Machines and Encanto

A social media influenced spin on Beauty and the Beast, Hosoda’s film continues his tradition of gorgeous that sit on the crossroads of traditionally animated stories and those more modern, thoughtful films we’ve seen in more recent years. No matter if you enjoy the subbed or dubbed version, Belle doesn’t lose one ounce of its charms, providing a rousing story of empathy in a world of disconnected celebrity.

Stream Belle on HBO Max.

3. The Menu

Surprises are a valued thing in the world of movies, especially when the trailers seem to give away so much of any given film out there. The Menu is one of those movies that is enjoyed as cold as possible, even with the mystery being preserved rather well through its own marketing campaign. 

Riding the line between horror and comedy with surgical precision, Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy hold down an ensemble that is put through its paces, inspiring equal amounts of laughter and screams. Be warned: the lines between those feelings get quite blurry throughout the picture, right down to The Menu's fittlngly twisted ending.

Stream The Menu on HBO Max, starting January 3, 2023.

2. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

When you score a surprise hit like Knives Out, the pressure to deliver again is pretty damned great. Rian Johnson not only landed a laugh out loud comedy with that first film, but he also made a compelling and surprising mystery. Once again, the temptation of “bigger and louder” comes a calling with a movie like Glass Onion.

Johnson and star Daniel Craig actually manage to give into that tradition without cheapening the resulting product. Lusher and funnier than its predecessor, the latest Benoit Blanc mystery is even more fun to try and solve. It’s also sharper and more viciously entertaining, proving that this gentleman sleuth's success with audiences was no fluke.

Stream Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix.

1. Everything Everywhere All At Once

Early on in the year, I called Everything Everywhere All At Once the best film of the year and dared any other movie to best it. A lot of films came pretty close, and wound up with respectable slots on my list of the 10 best of 2022. But no movie could beat Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s totally bonkers tale of struggling to understand yourself, and your family, in a true multiverse of madness.

The narratives surrounding Michelle Yeoh’s performance and the resurgence of Ke Huy Quan’s career are only part of what’s endeared this movie to me. What’s even better is that by engaging in what Daniel Kwan dubbed “maximalism,” Everything Everywhere All At Once allows itself to be a large and colorful adventure that never loses sight of its personal stakes. We’re going to be talking about this one for some time, and it’s only fair because any movie that can make us all laugh, cry and smile this memorably deserves the attention it continues to get.

Stream Everything Everywhere All At Once on Showtime.

With competition like this, 2022 is yet another memorable year in movie magic. As we continue to make our way to 2023, plenty of other critics and viewers will slug it out to log their top 10 favorites from this year that was. From where I’m standing though, this is the definitive list of movie experiences that were the most thrilling. Let’s keep these movies in mind as we make our way into another promising year of cinematic adventure.

2022 had its fair share of big ticket hits that made movie fans happy, mad and everything in between. New movie releases ran a pretty wide gamut throughout the year, and as we start to close it all down in anticipation of 2023, it’s time to look back at those that made the loudest noise. 

In 10 years time, I’m pretty confident we’ll be talking about the movies on the list you’re about to read. Some of the reasons are obvious, while others will need some more discussion. Either way, prepare to have these films in your catalog of movie talking points for the next decade, and quite possibly beyond.

Top Gun: Maverick

Is Top Gun: Maverick the movie that saved cinema? That’s a point that’s up for debate, and will continue to be discussed as we head into awards season. However, what can’t be argued is that Tom Cruise and Paramount’s game of chicken with theatrical delays payed off, as the legacy-quel flew high and tight into the record books for the year. 

It may not have totally saved cinema, but Maverick sure reminded the world what an old school, crowd-pleasing hit looked like in theaters. Cruise's legacy-quel made the world a believer, and it's destined to be just as memorable as the Tony Scott original it carries the torch for.

Stream Top Gun: Maverick on Paramount+ starting 12/22.

Avatar: The Way of Water

Get your jokes about how we’ll be seeing Avatar sequels for at least six years after The Way of Water out now. Besides the timing of the rest of James Cameron’s planned arc, which may spread to a sixth and seventh Pandora adventure, the second installment is more than likely going to have the legs that its predecessor already built for itself.

Critical reaction to Avatar: The Way of Water seems to suggest that professionals are as blown away as when they saw Avatar back in 2009. Should that hold up with the common moviegoer, that could mean we’ll see Cameron’s full vision realized after all. 

Avatar: The Way of Water is not available for streaming, but will likely stream on Disney+ TBD 2023.

The Whale

Actor Brendan Fraser’s resurgence arc with “The Brenaissance” has been that of personal triumph, and built largely on the back of director Darren Aronofsky’s cinematic adaptation of The Whale. Samuel D. Hunter’s play (and subsequent screenplay translation) has given Fraser a role that’s won him many accolades, and has him seemingly on track for a Best Actor Oscar win. 

Yet the backlash against the film’s supposedly tone deaf handling of sensitive subject matter has created a head of steam rooting against this one. With such opposing forces at work, how the movie performs during awards season will definitely be keeping the conversation going for some time, especially if Brendan Fraser, or any other major wins, fall into this project’s bucket. 

The Whale is not currently streaming, but will presumably debut on Showtime TBD 2023.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio was a passion project that sat for 15 years waiting to be made. Thanks to Netflix resurrecting the film, that dream has now become a living reality, and we’re all the better for it. Creating a fresh stop motion adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s legendary fairy tale, the same visual flair and bittersweet reality del Toro has become known for in films like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water is finally accessible for the whole family. 

The results are so beautiful that this is just another one of Guillermo del Toro’s works that’ll bring a smile to people’s faces when mentioned. Seeing as quite a few of his films have done that throughout the years, this feels like a wonderful example of par for the course. As the relationship between the director and Netflix continues to grow, this will be a perfect case for why both parties should continue to collaborate.

Stream Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio on Netflix. 

Halloween Ends

Deep in your heart, you knew this was coming. Co-writer/director David Gordon Green’s Halloween Ends is another example of huge swings inspiring such a virulent reaction. Everything from complaints about how much Michael Myers was actually in the movie, to a whole petition to remake the entire film after it had been released, landed on the doorstep of the internet. 

As Jamie Lee Curtis’s Laurie Strode has now taken her final bow, it looks like another hotly debated entry in the Halloween canon has just found its place at the table for the foreseeable future. That chair’s probably right in-between Halloween III: Season of the Witch and Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake.

Stream Halloween Ends on Peacock Premium.

Everything Everywhere All At Once

If Top Gun: Maverick was the blockbuster success story of the year, then Everything Everywhere All At Once is the indie darling that could in 2022. Writer/director team Daniels created a multiverse story that more than stands out against the many comic book movies playing around in that sandbox. 

As the Michelle Yeoh-starring film crushed it at the box office for weeks, it opened up dialogue around mental health and representation on screen. More importantly, Everything Everywhere All At Once became such a buzzed about film that we’re still talking about it during the awards cycle, which is something considering it was released at the end of March. Also, the memes are strong with this one.

Stream Everything Everywhere All At Once on Showtime. 

Elvis

Here’s a mixed bag of excitement that people are probably going to still be debating for some time long after Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis slips off of HBO Max’s servers. For every positive factor that’s been highlighter, like Austin Butler’s central performance, there’s a negative that threatens to outweigh it. 

Whether it’s Luhrmann’s usual flare for the dramatic or Tom Hanks’ accented performance as Colonel Tom Parker, it’s not easy to fall on either side of the coin. That’s enough to keep this one on people’s lips, especially with potential golden wins and a four-hour cut eventually waiting to happen. 

Stream Elvis on HBO Max.

The Batman

The Dark Knight was the Batman movie to hold above all others for quite a while, and it’s still widely regarded as one of the best movies for that character’s canon. Just as Christopher Nolan sent ripples through the world with his interpretation, The Batman redefined a classic DC Comics character for a new generation. 

Though The Batman's sequel is already in the works, that’s not why Robert Pattinson’s turn as Bruce Wayne and his heroic alter ego will be talked about for the next 10 years. Rather, the results of this first chapter were just so impressive, it feels like the second coming of The Dark Knight and its grip on the Bat-canon for years after. 

Stream The Batman on HBO Max.

Turning Red

Nostalgia for the Aughts is going to be a helpful angle when keeping Disney/Pixar’s Turning Red in the consciousness. That’s not the only factor, or even the most important one, when discussing why director Domee Shi’s animated heartwarmer will be remembered. 

Through a story that unabashedly dug into anime influences and female adolescence, Turning Red crafted a comedy that is as lovable as its faux-boy band soundtrack. Mothers and daughters now have a movie to use as their own cultural touchstone, and that’s only going to see Turning Red passed down as a fond adventure in growing up, from one generation to the next. 

Stream Turning Red on Disney+.

Hustle

Good Adam Sandler performances never die. 20 years after Punch Drunk Love, 15 years since Reign Over Me and a mere three years since Uncut Gems, each of those titles is still discussed as part of the ultimate Sandman canon. Hustle is about to find itself on that very same list, as Sandler has banked yet another entry of seriously good performances by comedians.

Sandler’s portrayal of an NBA talent scout fighting for a prospect he believes in has landed the SNL vet yet another buzzworthy movie. Even if he gets skipped by the Oscar nominations yet again, Adam Sandler just proved to the world that he’s still able to dunk on his critics with sterling work like Hustle. 

Stream Hustle on Netflix.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

If we’re lucky, we’ll be on our fourth or fifth Benoit Blanc mystery by time 2032 rolls around. For now though, that’s an imaginary prospect that will only happen if Glass Onion: a Knives Out mystery lands the way Netflix hopes it will. Even with a ludicrously-short theatrical window, the Rian Johnson’/Daniel Craig reunion sparkled like the titular object of mystery. 

That noise will only grow once the film debuts on streaming in time for the holidays. Bound to be remembered as another chapter in the eventually growing canon that looks to give Agatha Christie a run for her money, Glass Onion is the definitive proof that Rian Johnson's franchise has legs. 

Stream Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix, starting 12/23.

X/Pearl

Talk about that “X” factor. Writer/director Ti West went from cinematic hibernation to firing on all cylinders with a duology of sexually-tinted slasher films centering on one woman’s quest for fame. Both X and Pearl saw Mia Goth’s daughter of a farmer fight and kill for what she wants, and that performance is enough to keep people singing the praises of these films. 

Add on the fact that some are seriously hoping Goth gets some awards recognition for her work, and the promise of at least one more film in the series, and you’ve got a stealth horror success that delivered twice in one year. Who knows what other surprises Ti West has up his sleeve at this point, as he was able to keep both Pearl and the upcoming threequel MaXXXine under his hat without anyone revealing the secret.

Stream X on Showtime, with Pearl presumably arriving on the platform TBD 2023.

2022 was a year of fantastic triumphs, interesting experiments and notable stumblings. What movies falls into which bucket is a subjective lens, but that’s the sort of reality that keeps us all talking about the films that have just been listed. Let’s hope 2023 is just as interesting, if not more so, with the cinematic offerings that we’ll see at our local theaters in the months to come.

If there’s anything these past few years have taught us, it’s that we absolutely need to have a good sense of humor. Finding one can be tough but, thankfully, audiences have been able to get great laughs from some strong, big-screen comedies. This was true during 2022, as it delivered some incredibly entertaining and varied additions to the genre. Many of Hollywood’s best and brightest really brought their A-game in order to make viewers laugh (out loud, even). But which productions stand apart from the others as the best of the year?

Such a thing can be tough to think about, especially since there were so many funny bone-tingling flicks to hit theaters and/or streaming services over the last 12 months. Well, we’ve managed to compile a list of the best 10, ranked according to the strength of the laughs they delivered. So at the risk of delaying things any further, let’s look back at these humorous productions.

10. Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul is a thoroughly delightful and humorous movie. The feature film debut of director and writer Adamma Ebo, the mockumentary centers on the pastor and first lady of a megachurch, who attempt to move their ministry forward in the wake of a major scandal. Sterling K. Brown and Regina Hall are the leads, and they’re downright impeccable as the embattled husband and wife team. The two veteran actors have immense chemistry, which serves them well during some of the wilder and rauncher moments. Hall, in particular, puts in a masterful (and heartbreaking) performance. 

There’s a lot to appreciate about this movie, which has Daniel Kaluuya and Jordan Peele among its producing team. But what’s really cool is that it highlights a slice of Americana that isn’t shown on the big screen all that often. Yes, there have been films that center on predominantly Black churches, but Adamma Ebo handles the subject matter with nuance. As a result, she finds humor in pitch-perfect ways, whether it be through parishioners being slain in the Spirit or clergymen getting competitive about their houses of worship. This film is fun and is certainly worth audiences’ time and prayers.

Where to stream Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.: Peacock

9. See How They Run

Interestingly, 2022 delivered several notable mystery comedies (which I’m certainly not complaining about), and one of them was Tom George’s See How They Run. The 1950s-set tale sees a boozy, but seasoned police inspector – played by Sam Rockwell – joining forces with a younger constable (portrayed exceptionally by Saoirse Ronan) to solve a murder tied to the cast and crew of Agatha Christie’s The Moustrap. The film is delightful, featuring more than a few chuckleworthy moments. A lot of those laughs come from the varied personalities of the suspects, played by the likes of Ruth Wilson, David Oyelowo and Adrien Brody. However, some of the best lines are delivered in scenes that solely feature Rockwell and Ronan. 

The movie delivers on comedy, but what keeps it from being higher on the list is its incredibly high level of self-awareness. While it’s mostly employed at the right moments, it sometimes feels as though Tom George and writer Mark Chappell are winking at mystery lovers a bit too often. Nevertheless, it’s a solid romp and probably the only production in which you’ll see Saoirse Ronan attempt a Richard Attenborough impression.

Where to stream See How They Run: HBO Max

8. Jackass Forever

Jackass Forever is expected to be the final installment in the film saga that was spawned by the beloved MTV reality comedy series. And if that proves to be the case, then this is one heck of a send-off. The OG cast (sans the fired Bam Margera) gave it their all and are joined by several newcomers that are more than game for the wild antics the franchise is famous for. There are so many hilarious (and incredibly dangerous) sights to behold, from Steve-O’s attempt to use his penis as a beehive to Johnny Knoxville’s tango with a bull, which some of the cast believe is Oscar-worthy material.

What’s most impressive about the Jeff Tremaine-directed feature is that it’s truly a love letter to everything Jackass. Amid the fresh elements, there are cool nods to past stunts and a sweet end-credits sequence that'll have you feeling reflective. It’s also hard not to smile at the mere sight of Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O and the gang still doing their thing in their 40s and 50s. It’s enough to hit you in the feels – emotionally, not physically. In short, longtime fans and newcomers alike can appreciate the deftly balanced crotch pain and nostalgia at play here.

Where to stream Jackass Forever: Paramount+

7. Turning Red

Pixar graced the public with another classic this year in the form of Turning Red, a coming-of-age tale with a fantastical twist. Set in 2002, the film tells the story of 13-year-old Meilin, who (to her horror) discovers that she turns into a giant red panda whenever she’s overcome with emotions. Domee Shi, the first woman to solely helm a motion picture for the studio, finds plenty of humor within her protagonist’s extraordinary circumstances. As with most Pixar fare, the laughs aren’t so much derived from gags but from the natural interactions between the characters. Mei’s convos with her friends and her attempts to keep her secret safe are particularly funny. Her and her pals’ love of the boy band 4*Town also results in some comical pieces of dialogue.

All in all, there’s a warm and endearing spirit to Domee Shi’s movie, and that’s only amplified by the humor. Adolescence is a tricky topic to cover in any genre but difficult to joke about. Shi’s film is definitely a good one and can be enjoyed by those who vividly remember going through growing pains and others who are experiencing them now.

Where to stream Turning Red: Disney+

6. The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent

Like See How They Run, Nicolas Cage’s The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is very meta, but that approach works better here. This buddy comedy has Cage playing a fictionalized and down-on-his-luck version of himself who travels to Majorca to attend the birthday of a superfan (Pedro Pascal). And in the process, the actor gets thrust into a massive operation involving the CIA. Yes, the premise is just as wild as it sounds, and it totally works, resulting in a strong showcase for both Cage and Pascal. Cage initially found it “terrifying” to play himself in such a project, but you wouldn’t be able to tell by his work.

The film dives head first into the leading man’s iconic filmography and has no problem (lovingly) poking fun at it as well. What’s great about the film is that it’s surprisingly earnest and doesn’t lean too much on cynicism. Director and co-writer Tom Gormican deserves a lot of credit for crafting an uproarious action flick that seamlessly honors Nic Cage’s work while simultaneously adding another impressive notch to his acting tool belt. So give it a watch and maybe even check out a few Cage movies beforehand to get you warmed up.

Where to stream The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent: Starz

5. Confess, Fletch

Most people probably wouldn’t have expected Confess, Fletch (a new installment in the Fletch film franchise) to be one of the year’s best comedies, but here we are. This adaptation of Gregory McDonald’s 1976 novel of the same name puts Jon Hamm in the role of Irwin Maurice Fletcher, and he’s perfect. Hamm skillfully portrays the quirky, yet astute, former investigative journalist of some repute, as he tries to prove his innocence after getting wrapped up in a murder. 

While the eccentric “Fletch” is funny on his own, the supporting cast is downright perfect. From Kyle MacLachlan’s EDM-loving art dealer Ronald Horan to Annie Mumolo’s talkative and haphazardous Eve, everyone gets their comedic moment in the sun. And one could write a whole paper on the genius of Marcia Gay Harden’s turn as Contessa. Director Greg Mottola, who penned the script with Zev Borow, controls the chaos with ease and should be commended for reinvigorating this classic series. One can only hope this isn’t the last time we see Jon Hamm don that Lakers hat and solve another mystery as Fletch.

Where to stream Confess Fletch: Showtime

4. The Banshees of Inisherin

Yes, The Banshees of Inisherin is one of the most depressing movies of the year. However, Martin McDonagh’s tale of two friends (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) includes a generous helping of humor. Some of it comes from Farrell’s dull, yet well-meaning, Pádraic, and Gleeson hilariously exudes the musically inclined Colm’s annoyance with his former friend’s inability to part ways with him. Kerry Condon also shines as Pádraic’s long-suffering sister, Siobhán. And Barry Keoghan gets the most laughs as the utterly uncouth (and absolutely tragic) Dominic. 

Martin McDonagh walks a fine line here in order to craft his tragicomedy, and he somehow strikes a perfect balance. Sure, there are moments that’ll make you gasp and maybe even tear up but, rest assured, you’ll also have some great laughs while watching this. And be sure to appreciate the talents of the legend that is Jenny the donkey.

Where to stream The Banshees of Inisherin: HBO Max

3. Bros

This year marked a bit of history for the comedy genre and cinema overall, as it saw the release of Bros, the first gay rom-com from a big studio – which also just happens to feature a main cast comprised of LGBTQ+ actors. The movie stars Billy Eichner, who co-wrote the screenplay with director Nicolas Stoller, as an emotionally unavailable podcast host. The pundit ultimately has his first true brush with romance when he meets a fellow commitment-weary guy (Luke Macfarlane). The result is a classic rom-com with a lot of heart and more than a few laugh-out-loud sequences like one that ingeniously uses Debra Messing.

Seeing as this is produced by 40-Year-Old-Virgin and Knocked Up vet Judd Apatow, there’s plenty of raunchy humor, including some wild sex scenes. The script also utilizes Billy Eichner’s signature wit to great effect. One definitely shouldn’t lose sight of the historic aspect of this cinematic endeavor. But what’s incredibly satisfying here is that the film serves up an old-school story from a fresh perspective – all while (affectionately) taking the piss out of the gay community.

Where to stream Bros: Peacock

2. Everything Everywhere All At Once

Few probably knew just what to expect from Everything Everywhere All At Once, but Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s milestone-setting, multiversal mindtrip took the world by storm. It’s emotionally affecting and thought-provoking, and it’s also flat-out hoot. Evelyn Quan Wang (Michelle Yeoh) encounters a plethora of widely funny elements amid her universe-hopping hijinks, including a universe with hot dog-fingered people and the kitchen-savvy Raccacoonie. But even before all of that, Daniels’ craft funny moments between Evelyn and her family and Jamie Lee Curtis’ Deirdre Beaubeirdre. The droll and nihilistic demeanor of the big bad Jobu Tupaki also generates a lot of humor.

There are honestly moments in this movie that are so absurd that you just can’t help but cackle, and that’s part of its charm. Daniels and their gifted cast and crew have created something quite extraordinary with this feature, and you need to see. Yes, it’s action-heavy, but you’ll cry, you’ll cheer and of course, you’ll howl with laughter. 

Where to stream Everything Everywhere All At Once: Showtime

1. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Glass Onion, the sequel to 2019’s critically acclaimed murder mystery Knives Out, was highly anticipated, and Rian Johnson did not disappoint at all! The writer/director weaved together another intricate mystery and it’s not just smart – it’s a riot. Daniel Craig is at the top of his game in his second outing as Benoit Blanc, adding more layers and hilarious quirks to the southern sleuth. But every single member of the supporting cast really comes to play, with big names like the reunited Kathryn Hahn and Kate Hudson as well as Edward Norton and Dave Bautista injecting scenes with loads of levity. 

To put it simply, Rian Johnson just doesn’t miss when it comes to jokes, and he’s still one of the best at blending humor and social commentary. The man also knows how to write some truly memorable and uproarious lines. “Halle Berry!” and “What is reality?!” are going to live rent-free in folks’ heads for some time. His pop culture-infused script also includes some humorous macguffins that prove to be vital to the story. If it isn’t clear at this point, this is indeed the best comedy of the year. See it immediately, if not for the entertaining mystery then for the cavalcade of rapid-fire jokes.

Where to stream Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: Will be available to stream on Netflix starting December 23

This was certainly a good year for comedy, and the 2023 new movie release schedule has some movies that are sure to leave viewers laughing. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Murder Mystery 2, Barbie and Cocaine Bear are only a few of the titles set to grace our screens. Let’s hope the next 12 months add even more strong entries to the genre.

Action movies hit as hard with audiences as they ever had in 2022, but in a way that people might not have expected. That is to say, it was a year where some of the year’s best action came from some unexpected actors and actresses, as well as some projects that really pushed the genre a bit more than the usual run-and-gun type thriller. 

Rest assured, there are still those types of standard action movies that made this list, but there’s no denying this year looked a little different and contained a lot less of the usual suspects. With that in mind, let’s dive into the top action movies of 2022. 

10. The Contractor

I’d say if there were an award for the most standard action-thriller in 2022, The Contractor would run away with it. That’s not a knock on the Chris Pine movie, as there’s nothing wrong with sticking with a formula that’s familiar. You add Kiefer Sutherland to this spec ops thriller vehicle, and that’s a solid action thriller for a Friday night viewing! It’s certainly worth the price of admission of a Paramount+ subscription, just in case anyone interested isn’t actively subscribed. 

Where to stream The Contractor: Paramount+

9. Bullet Train

Bullet Train looked like a must-watch action film from the very first trailer, and I’m happy to report that is the case. This is a movie experience that will stick with you long after the viewing, and while it may be reminiscent of other action movies, it’s drenched with a style that gives it a bit more of a pop that viewers will enjoy. Plus, who can say no to Bullet Train's stellar cast of talented actors? 

Where to stream Bullet Train: Netflix

8. Uncharted

Tom Holland had so much success as Peter Parker, Sony seemed to think he’d do just as well as Uncharted’s Nathan Drake. While fans of the gaming franchise might grumble and gripe about the casting, he brings that classic Holland charm that makes the Spider-Man movies so enjoyable. Critics weren’t entirely on board with the movie, but it seemed to find success all the same. CinemaBlend Dirk Libbey credited it as one of the best video game movie adaptations, which could’ve definitely played a factor if that’s the case. 

Where to stream Uncharted: Netflix

7. RRR

It’s not often that Indian films get a lot of attention from the United States, especially those in the action genre. And yet, the internet was all about RRR and some of the batshit crazy action sequences of this story of Indian revolutionaries Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. This movie is over the top if you compare it to the standard action movie, but honestly, pretty on par with the average Marvel film too. It’s certainly worth a watch, especially if you’re down for some of the most intense animal fight scenes of the year. 

Where to stream RRR: Netflix

6. Ambulance

It was never a question that Michael Bay’s Ambulance would be on the list, as few in the business know how to film an explosive thriller as well as the Hollywood director. CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg gave Ambulance a favorable review and noted that he appreciated the self-aware tone that allowed Bay to go “bonkers” and had all sorts of compliments for Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance. Bay’s work is so prolific action fans are going to know what they’re getting into here, but just because it’s familiar doesn’t mean it’s unworthy of a spot on this list. 

Where to stream Ambulance: Prime Video

5. The Gray Man

Ryan Gosling showed he’s capable of shouldering action movies in Drive and Only God Forgives, but those are nothing quite like The Gray Man. The Netflix thriller definitely leaned on the popularity of Bourne movies for its story, and while critics were “blah” about it, audiences are all about it. This is a fun action film, and Chris Evans’ sociopath villain steals the show. It’s not a movie that’ll win big at the Academy, but I, and I assume many others, will be watching the sequel for more non-stop action and thrills. 

Where to stream The Gray Man: Netflix

4. Prey

Let’s just be honest, the Predator franchise hasn’t been the most consistent franchise in terms of quality. As such, I can imagine quite a few were surprised when its latest film premiered on Hulu as one of the most critically-acclaimed Predator movies since the original. CinemaBlend’s Dirk Libbey said this was thanks in large part to the movie leaning on the elements that made the original so great. It’s certainly a breath of fresh air for a Predator franchise that definitely needed a win.

Where to stream Prey: Hulu

3. The Woman King

Viola Davis: potential future EGOT as well as action star? The actress proved once again she’s capable of doing it all and more in The Woman King. Davis crushed it as General Nanisca, the leader and trainer of the Agojie. CinemaBlend’s Corey Chichizola loved the action of the movie, and credited Davis with her portrayal of a tough-as-nails character and showing off the vulnerability behind that character. 

Where to stream The Woman King: Prime Video

2. The Northman 

Director Robert Eggers has consistently delivered some iconic movies to audiences in recent years, though one wouldn’t say previous offerings like The Witch or The Lighthouse belonged in the action category. That wasn’t the case in The Northman, which CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg gave a well-deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars to. In what’s described as a mix of brutal and breathtaking, The Northman delivers an action film that’s both entertaining and a stunning display of the ancient world. I could’ve guessed that a Viking revenge film would’ve been a blast to watch, but this is some serious high praise. 

Where to stream The Northman: Prime Video

1. Everything, Everywhere, All At Once

Everything, Everywhere, All At Once had a lot of guts to try and make a movie about a multiverse in the golden era of superhero movies. It also had a lot of guts to center its action-heavy story around 60-year-old Michelle Yeoh. All that to say, this movie knew exactly what it was doing, and it couldn’t have picked a better lead to kick, punch, scream and hot dog-finger her way through a wild adventure that will live on as a movie people talk about decades from now. It’s worth the chatter and, hopefully, will net Yeoh some Oscar recognition during awards season. 

Where to stream Everything, Everywhere, All At Once: Showtime

2022 was loaded with quality offerings in the action genre, and that’s not even including the superhero movies! Be sure to check out our overall list of best action movies on streaming, including where to watch them, once you’ve made it through the entires on this list. 

There is no such thing as “a bad year for movies.” If you go a full 12 months without seeing any new releases that you like, that’s less likely a result of the medium failing you, and more likely the result of you not seeing enough films. It’s a truth that is recognized every December, and 2022 most certainly does not disrupt the pattern. Reflecting on everything that hit theaters and/or streaming services since the first week of January, cinephiles will recognize a great number of titles that will be remembered for a long time to come.

Personally, I watched 128 new films that came out this year, and it was a very real challenge to line them up side-by-side and determine the best of the best… but that was the annual assignment, and that’s what I’ve done. I sadly wasn’t able to include all of my favorites, as I didn’t find myself with enough room to include films like Robert Eggers’ The Northman, Matt Reeves’ The Batman, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's Scream, Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Todd Field’s TÁR, but below I’ve singled out what I have determined to be the best movies to come out in 2022.

10. Emergency

Carey Williams’ Emergency begins like a typical coming-of-age comedy, with a group of friends (Donald Elise Watkins, RJ Cyler, Stephen Chacon) preparing for an epic, life-changing night of party hopping on their college campus… but then all of those plans fall to ruin when the boys discover a passed-out blonde girl (Maddie Nichols) in their apartment’s living room. The typical coming-of-age comedy then suddenly becomes about race and policing in America, and it unfolds as an impressive commentary that also still manages to frequently be laugh-out-loud funny. That’s a tough tightrope to walk, but the film nails it.

You can stream Emergency on Amazon Prime Video.

9. The Menu

Class warfare was a big thing in 2022 movies (something you’ll note is represented well on this list on the whole), and Mark Mylod’s The Menu has quite a sharp bite. It lures you in with mystery, as it’s clear from the outset that something isn’t quite right with the secluded and prestigious restaurant run by Ralph Fiennes’ Chef Julian Slowik, and the smart script uses the various courses of a single night’s meal to unfurl mayhem that is both funny and horrific. Anya Taylor-Joy continues to prove herself as one of her generation’s great talents, and she is surrounded by an outstanding ensemble cast.

The Menu will be available to stream on HBO Max on January 3, 2023.

8. Soft & Quiet

If you’re a horror fan and haven’t heard a great deal about Beth de Araujo's Soft & Quiet, that isn’t a bad thing; just keep it that way before you get rent/buy it and press play. If you don’t know too much about it, it’s a film that sneaks up on you as you watch – opening with a group of like-minded women getting together for a meeting with mysterious intentions – and just as it has you leaning in, it rocks you back on your heels. It’s a tremendous achievement stylistically alone, as events transpire in real time in what appears to be a single take (with cuts being minimal and practically invisible), and it sets up a tense and confining atmosphere that makes way for a creepy and disturbing commentary about modern American society.

You can rent/buy Soft & Quiet on Amazon Prime Video.

7. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

I really hate the full title of Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (why not trust the audience and make it just Glass Onion? Or at least “A Benoit Blanc Mystery”?), but simultaneously it says a lot about the quality of a movie when the title is the only thing to complain about. The second murder mystery featuring Daniel Craig’s aforementioned Kentucky-fried sleuth is a tremendous follow-up worthy of its excellent predecessor, sporting another remarkable ensemble cast and a delightful, twisty plot that delivers surprise after surprise leading up to its revelation-stocked third act. All of the stars are tremendous, but just as Ana de Armas owned the spotlight in the original, Janelle Monáe is the sequel’s champion.

You can stream Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix.

6. Resurrection

This is the time of year when publications, film organizations, and critics groups identify and hail the best performances of the last 12 months, and you should be suspicious of any feature or nominations list that doesn’t highlight the work done by both Rebecca Hall and Tim Roth in Andrew Semans' Resurrection. This was a great year for horror movies in general (which I think is represented on this list as a whole), but this is the special one that inspires you to curl up into a fetal position as it sinks its claws into your brain – telling the story of a woman (Hall) who finds herself haunted and losing her mind when a dangerous and controlling ex (Roth) roots his way back into her life. It’s horrifying and leaves your jaw on the floor.

You can stream Resurrection on Shudder.

5. Nope

The true brilliance of writer/director Jordan Peele can be understood from his eye for detail. Everything in his movies – from character details to props – has at least one meaning, if not several, that the filmmaker uses to illustrate a larger theme. With Nope, Peele’s focus is all about our world’s never-ending obsession with spectacle, and it’s a phenomenal contradiction in being a brilliant big screen spectacle itself. It’s an awesome cinematic tribute to Jaws and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, features fantastic performances from Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, and Brandon Perea, and the twist at the heart at the heart of the plot, which flips the script on a sci-fi tradition, is my favorite of the year.

You can stream Nope on Peacock.

4. The Banshees Of Inisherin

Fourteen years ago, writer/director Martin McDonagh made an indelible impact on the film industry when he made his feature directorial debut with In Bruges – and thus there was only expectation for magnificence when he reunited with stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson for The Banshees Of Inisherin. It in no way disappoints. In addition to the two actors once again proving to have brilliant cinematic chemistry that perfectly matches with McDonagh’s unique, darkly comedic voice, it’s a fascinating movie about friendship and what’s important in life. Farrell and Gleeson are spectacular, but Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon are the secret weapons.

You can stream The Banshees Of Inisherin on HBO Max.

3. Triangle Of Sadness

One of the best things about movies in 2022 was how unrepentantly gross things got on the big screen. Jeff Tremaine’s Jackass Forever, Damien Leone’s Terrifier 2, and Damien Chazelle’s Babylon all have their own special moments that may influence those with weak stomachs to lose their lunch, Ruben Östlund's Triangle Of Sadness is on a whole other level. The second act of the film, set on a cruise populated by the uber-wealthy, will likely be regarded as one of the most nausea-inducing stretches in modern cinema, but it’s all in service of searing social satire that only gets better and more incisive as the story unfolds.

You can rent/buy Triangle Of Sadness on Amazon Prime Video.

2. Marcel The Shell With Shoes On

When I went to see Dean Fleischer-Camp's Marcel The Shell With Shoes On this summer, I was in a terrible mood and exhausted – and I was actually concerned that I was just going to fall asleep mid-screening. I ended up not doing that, and it’s because Marcel The Shell With Shoes On is magic. It’s a stunning cinematic achievement simply in the way in which it seamlessly blends live-action and stop-motion (an effort of genius creativity), and it’s a beautiful, sweet, and hilarious examination of the importance of family and community. You might not believe that your heart could break for an anthropomorphic shell, but Marcel will prove you wrong.

You can rent/buy Marcel The Shell With Shoes On on Amazon Prime Video.

1. Everything Everywhere All At Once

The multiverse has tremendous appeal for cinephiles. After all, if there are an infinite number of alternate universes, that means that every movie is a window into a parallel reality. More importantly, it means that anything is possible and existence is limitless – and to date, no film has better understood the power of this idea than Daniels’ exceptionally weird Everything Everywhere All At Once. It’s a stunning and mind-bending journey that delights in exploring the weird extremes of its core concept, and on top of that it’s a powerful intergenerational drama packed with heart. Furthermore, Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, and James Hong make up the best ensemble of 2022 in the best movie of 2022.

You can stream Everything Everywhere All At Once on Paramount Plus.

We can only hope that next year is as fulfilling for cinephiles – and you can get a preview of what’s ahead with our 2023 Movie Release Calendar. Be on the lookout for more end-of-year lists from our site, including our Top 10 Movies Of 2022, According To CinemaBlend, which is aggregated based on input from our entire staff.