RIP, Paul Reubens. He’s known for quite a few different roles but none more recognizable than that of the lovable rogue Pee-Wee Herman from the classic and endlessly quotable 1985 film Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.
No one knew this little film that could end up being so popular. It featured an actor that’s never carried a film before in Reubens, a brand new, untested director named Tim Burton, and a virtually unknown composer named Danny Elfman.
While critics were kind of divided on the film, audiences couldn’t get enough, and it became one of the most unconventional box office smashes of its time. As someone old enough (woof) to remember when the movie came out, so many lines from the movie just got baked into the popular vernacular.
Let’s go over ten of the best.
10. Why don’t you take a picture? It’ll last longer
This scene involves Pee-Wee dressed up as a woman and Mickey Morelli (Judd Omen), an escaped fugitive who tells Pee-Wee he ripped a tag off a mattress. They approach law enforcement, and Morelli realizes he’s going to be recaptured, so he takes out his gun to end his own life.
However, Pee-Wee saves the day but dressing up as a woman at the last minute. When asked to get out of the car, he twirls and says the famous line. Classic!
9. Be sure and tell ’em Large Marge sent you
This famous quote comes from a scene where Pee-Wee is picked up late at night by a woman driving a semi-truck. It’s a short scene, about 3 minutes, but it’s a memorable one.
One thing that stuck out to me was the part where she turns into a monster for a moment, which I can’t lie; it really scared me as a kid. Now that I’m a man, it only kinda scares me.
After she drops him off, she says the famous words and then cackles her way into the moonlight. The actress who played Large Marge, by the way, was a veteran character actress named Alice Nunn, who died in 1988 at 60.
8. Let’s talk about your big but
A little bit of, but it goes a long way. Some clever wordplay in the script made this line one of the more memorable ones in the whole movie. Simone, played by Diane Salinger, plays a truck stop waitress who has a special moment with Pee-Wee at the T-Rex roadside attraction.
During a quiet moment, she talks about something and then says “but,” and the script takes this to its logical conclusion. Say what you will; it turns a tender moment into hilarious in an instant.
7. Is there something you could share with the rest of us, Amazing Larry?
Amazing Larry only appeared in the scene briefly, but it was so memorable that people still talk about it to this day. Larry is an older man with an incredible, colorful mohawk who appears during the basement scene.
Larry is just there and talking, and Pee-Wee calls him out for it. One of the best things about this scene is we don’t really have much context for why Larry’s hair is like that.
Turns out, there was a previously deleted scene where Larry had normal hair and asked for advice on how to spruce up his act (he’s a magician). The payoff was the hair, but we only got that part of the scene. Still works!
6. That’s my name. Don’t wear it out
This iconic line was repeated ad nauseam for a certain generation of kids. I can remember annoying friends yelling it at each other constantly. The thing is, the Pee-Wee line was borrowed from Grease, which John Travolta used so effectively in that film.
This time it comes after a back-and-forth between Pee-Wee and Francis after the latter tells him he wants Pee-Wee’s bike for his birthday, which causes Pee-Wee to break down in hysterics.
5. I know you are but what am I?
Honestly, this is maybe the most annoying retort ever created. It was made for back-and-forth bickering and used extremely effectively in the same scene referenced above.
It’s no way to end an argument and only serves as a way to infuriate someone and make sure that you keep bickering for eternity. I wish I could say I never used it, but I am a product of my own upbringing.
4. You don’t wanna get mixed up with a guy like me. I’m a loner, Dottie. A rebel
Girls love a bad boy, and the ultimate bad boy is… Pee-Wee? Pee-Wee enters a bike shop to get a custom-made horn from Dottie, who works in the store. She obviously likes him and tries to use the horn to entice Pee-Wee into a conversation.
She asks him to come along to the drive-in, and he rolls his eyes. He then warns her, telling her there are things she “couldn’t” and “shouldn’t” understand about him before dropping the all-time classic letdown line.
3. Go ahead, scream your head off! We’re miles from where anyone can hear you!
This is one of the more pivotal scenes in the movie, where all of Pee-Wee’s pent-up aggression comes out when he finally decides to go after Francis. Right after he says the line, he jumps into the water like a hungry shark. Well, you know what I mean.
2. I don’t make monkeys. I just train them
This is another gem from the classic scene early on between Francis and Pee-Wee – which sets the stage for everything to come. This two-minute argument gave the children of America so many annoying ways to argue with each other.
This was after Francis tells Pee-Wee to “make me.” The retort is simple and effective, and honestly, it should make a comeback. Why not?
1. I meant to do that
This is one that I’ve probably used myself. Not as an adult, of course. Well, maybe. But as a kid, for sure. Mostly because I was prone to accidents. This snappy retort exemplifies the true irreverent spirit of the character, and it’s a reminder of what we lost.
When are they going to reboot this thing already?
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The Scream franchise has returned to its former glory thanks to 2023’s Scream, which won Best Movie at the 2023 MTV Awards. The original Scream, directed by Wes Craven, revitalized the horror genre in the late 1990s by deconstructing old horror clichés while delivering genuine thrills; a unique combination of intriguing characters, clever writing, and thrilling horror set-pieces, with outstanding performances from Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette.
As a result, the Scream franchise has become a staple of the genre, beloved by both die-hard horror enthusiasts and casual viewers alike. The series is notable for its meta-commentary on horror films, distinctive masked villains, and unique blend of horror and comedy. For fans of the Scream franchise, here are other equally terrifying films that have spawned their own franchises and garnered millions of fans.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
The first installment in the I Know What You Did Last Summer film series, released in 1997, was directed by Jim Gillespie and written by Kevin Williamson (who also wrote the Scream films). Based on Lois Duncan’s 1973 novel of the same name, the film stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Jennifer Love Hewitt in the original film about four high school buddies. After a night of graduation celebrations, one hits a pedestrian on a dark, winding road. Concerned about the possible fallout, they hastily dispose of the body and agree to forget what happened.
However, when they start getting weird notes the following summer, it becomes clear that someone is aware of their secret. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) and I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006) are continuations of the original film. The sequels included many of the same actors and continued the story in the same tense fashion as the original. However, none of the original actors returned for the third installment, though it maintained the series’ pattern of combining teen drama with suspenseful horror. The franchise’s TV show debuted on Amazon Prime in October 2021, demonstrating the concept’s continued viability.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
The 1984 Wes Craven picture A Nightmare on Elm Street launched a successful horror franchise. The original picture stands out among its peers because of its novel premise, memorable antagonist, and deft combination of horror and psychological thriller elements. Freddy Krueger, portrayed by Robert Englund, is one of the most iconic horror movie villains. Krueger is a child murderer who was burned to death by the parents of his victims and now haunts the nightmares of the children of Elm Street.
With a charred face, a dusty fedora, a red and green striped sweater, and a glove armed with razor-sharp blades, his signature appearance has become a recognizable icon of horror. Numerous sequels to A Nightmare on Elm Street explored Freddy Krueger’s origins and the legends surrounding his abilities in greater depth than the first film. Among the best is A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, which many viewers consider the series’ pinnacle due to its unique dream sequences and in-depth examination of the franchise’s characters and themes.
Candyman
The original Candyman movie was released in 1992, directed by Bernard Rose, and based on Clive Barker’s short story The Forbidden. The franchise is known for its blend of horror and social commentary and its chilling antagonist, the Candyman himself. In the first Candyman, graduate student Helen Lyle (played by Virginia Madsen) examines urban legends for her thesis. She comes upon the story of Candyman (played by Tony Todd), a mysterious killer that haunts a Chicago slum area.
Candyman, legend has it, was the son of an enslaved person who fell in love with a white woman. Upon discovering their relationship, a lynch mob bathed him in honey and let bees sting him to death. Now, legend has it that Candyman will materialize and kill whoever says his name five times in front of a mirror. The film’s blend of otherworldly horror and real-world concerns, like racism and classism, makes it stand out from other entries in the horror genre. Instead of being a generic monster, Candyman represents the suffering of African Americans throughout history.
Halloween
John Carpenter’s 1978 film Halloween is a horror genre classic. The film has significantly impacted the evolution of the horror genre, especially the slasher subgenre, thanks to its minimalistic aesthetic, tense narrative, and memorable antagonist. Halloween revolves around Michael Myers, a six-year-old boy who murders his older sister on Halloween night. After spending 15 years in a mental institution, Myers escapes and returns to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he begins stalking a group of teens, including Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis in her feature picture debut.
One of the most scary villains in horror, Myers wears a pallid, soulless mask and is an unrelenting, seemingly unstoppable force. His complete, unadulterated wickedness is amplified by the fact that he acts without any discernible motive. Halloween generated multiple sequels, remakes, and reboots, many of which continued Michael Myers and Laurie Strode’s feud.
Friday the Thirteenth
The first Friday the 13th film, directed by Sean S. Cunningham in 1980, kicked off a successful horror franchise. The Friday the 13th franchise has considerably impacted the horror subgenre with its trademark hockey mask killer, Jason Voorhees, and its campy, often horrific, slasher aspects. The original Friday the 13th occurs at Camp Crystal Lake, a haunted summer camp. The film follows a group of counselors preparing for the camp’s reopening, unaware that an unseen killer is hunting them.
Despite his iconic status, Jason Voorhees doesn’t become a major player in the franchise until subsequent installments. In the original film, the killer is Pamela Voorhees, Jason’s vindictive mother, who blames her son’s apparent drowning on the camp counselors. Even in Friday the 13th Part 2, Jason isn’t the main villain, and he doesn’t start wearing his iconic hockey mask until Friday the 13th Part III. The franchise is infamous for its high body count and gory death scenes. While this sparked debate and bad reviews from critics, it also helped the films gain a cult following among horror fans.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
In 1974, Tobe Hooper directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a movie that pushed the boundaries of horror with its visceral and intense depiction of terror. The plot revolves around friends traveling to rural Texas to check on one of their family’s historic homesteads. There, they come into a family of cannibals led by the terrifying Leatherface, who terrorizes the party with his characteristic weapon, a roaring chainsaw.
Leatherface, who wears a human skin mask, is one of the most horrifying villains in horror film history. Although the film was billed as based on an actual event, it is only partially inspired by the atrocities of real-life serial killer Ed Gein, who also wore his victims’ skin. This connection to real-life events increased the film’s shock effect upon release. The film spawned a franchise, with sequels, prequels, remakes, and reboots all contributing to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre mystique. However, none have quite matched the raw terror of the original film.
Child’s Play
The 1988 Tom Holland film Child’s Play launched a successful horror franchise. Chucky, a doll possessed by the soul of a serial killer, is one of the most known horror movie icons since his introduction in the first film. In Child’s Play, a little boy named Andy Barclay is the focus after he is given a “Good Guy” doll for his birthday. Andy and his mom have no idea that the doll is possessed by the ghost of serial killer Charles Lee Ray or the “Lakeshore Strangler.” Before his death, Ray used voodoo magic to transfer his soul into the doll.
Brad Dourif’s outstanding voice performance as Chucky is one of the film’s notable elements. His eerie voice brings the murderous doll to life, making Chucky both horrifying and darkly hilarious. Child’s Play spawned a franchise with multiple sequels and a 2019 remake, each presenting a fresh perspective on the Chucky character and history. The franchise is notable for its blend of horror and dark humor, particularly in the later chapters, which lean into Chucky’s darkly funny side.
Psycho
Directed by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho is a horror genre classic. It was released in 1960 but has become a cinematic classic thanks to its groundbreaking story and performances. The story follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a thieving secretary on the run from her boss, who checks into the remote Bates Motel. There, she meets the motel’s proprietor, the strange but seemingly harmless Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). However, as the plot unfolds, Crane’s stay at the motel takes a chilling turn, leading to one of the most famous sequences in film history — the shower scene.
The film’s narrative structure was innovative in abandoning convention by killing off the film’s apparent protagonist. The film’s pervasive dread can be attributed to Hitchcock’s expert use of suspense and deception and Bernard Herrmann’s legendary, nerve-wracking music. One of Hitchcock’s best pictures and a masterpiece of horror cinema, Psycho was a box office success despite negative reviews and controversy surrounding its subject matter upon its initial release. Numerous following horror films and psychological thrillers can be traced back to it as an inspiration. More than that, Psycho has created a franchise that includes sequels, a prequel, a remake, and the TV series Bates Motel, which explores Norman Bates’s origins.
Saw
Saw is a horror film that launched the “torture porn” subgenre into mainstream cinema. The 2004 picture, directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell, stands out for its powerful moments of psychological terror and creative, grisly traps. Saw depicts the Jigsaw Killer, the film’s primary antagonist, engaging in a sadistic game. Jigsaw, unlike most slasher villains, does not directly murder his victims.
On the contrary, he sets them complicated, lethal traps, or “games,” in which they must inflict great suffering on themselves or make unbelievable sacrifices to stay alive. If his victims are lucky enough to survive, he uses these games to teach them valuable lessons about life and death. Saw was financially successful, spawning a series of follow-ups and offshoots. Each installment provides more context for Jigsaw’s character arc and introduces sophisticated new traps. Although the subsequent films have varied in quality, the impact and originality of the first picture is undisputed.
Wrong Turn
The Wrong Turn franchise began with the 2003 film Wrong Turn, directed by Rob Schmidt and written by Alan B. McElroy. It is notable for its gruesome portrayal of rural terror and survival horror. The story centers around a group of six young people — Chris Flynn, Jessie Burlingame, Carly, Scott, Evan, and Francine — who, while on a road trip through West Virginia, make a wrong turn (hence the title) and find themselves stranded in the remote wilderness.
When they learn that they are not alone and that a pack of vicious cannibals is pursuing them, the real nightmare begins. Wrong Turn harkens back to the “hillbilly horror” flicks of the past. The suspense and mood of the picture are its strongest points. West Virginia’s deep, lonely forests create a claustrophobic and unsettling setting for the film’s tragic events.
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In a rare move, the official Japanese Barbie movie Twitter account issued a chastising statement in response to the American account posting a Barbenheimer meme with the caption “It’s going to be a summer to remember.” The Japanese account called the trend “extremely regrettable.”
For context, the movie Oppenheimer and Barbie are currently dominating the box office, and people have unofficially started using the term Barbenheimer to describe the cultural force of the two movies.
For deeper context (historical, this time): Oppenheimer tells the story of Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb.” Those bombs were dropped by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan on August 6 and 9, 1945. As a result, almost a quarter of a million people died – mostly civilians. With this in mind, it’s easy to see why Japan would be upset by people in the U.S. casually celebrating a movie that’s about the mass murder of Japanese civilians.
Is it insensitive? It’s hard to make the argument that it’s not, even if it doesn’t feel intentional on the part of U.S. moviegoers. Regardless, it’s pretty messed up. The Japanese response:
“About the SNS [Social Networking Service] posting of the movie ‘Barbie’
Currently, the movie ‘Barbie’ (Distributor: Warner Bros.) and the movie ‘Oppenheimer’ (Distributor: Universal Pictures) were both released in the United States on July 21. #Barbenheimer is happening, but this movement and activity is not official. On the other hand, we believe that the inconsiderate action of the official account of the US headquarters of the movie ‘Barbie’ to the social media posts by fans caused by this movement is extremely regrettable, and we take this situation seriously. We are asking the US headquarters to take appropriate action. We apologize to those who were offended by this series of inconsiderate reactions.
Warner Bros. Japan G.K.”
In response, people have been posting disturbing images from the bombing, including one where a person was vaporized so completely only a shadow remained. Others show fields of dead bodies or disfigured, radiation-poisoned children.
One person shared shredded clothing from dead children.
You guys should have been arrogantly giving lectures about political correctness, right? What is this ugliness?
Another said: “How dare can you, the official account, make fun of this unacceptable meme? You should visit the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima and get to know what actually happened there. It is one of the worst crimes against humanity.”
Others pointed out how Americans are seemingly preoccupied with politically correctness, but somehow not about this.
I absolutely can't condone the act of jokingly spreading tweets that make fun of the atomic bombing that killed so many people in Japan. I strongly demand that the related tweets be immediately retracted and deleted. #Berbenheimer#NoBarbenheimer
When it comes to the widespread cinematic landscape, there are often more times than not where two separate movies from completely opposing genres feature a moment where individual frames can be seen as a parallel. Of course, when you think about Greta Gerwig’s fantasy extravaganza Barbie and Lee Cronin’s spine-tingling gorefest Evil Dead Rise, you don’t exactly get the immediate feeling that both films are going to harbor a similar moment — but indeed they do.
Over on Twitter — where film parallels are often pointed out, carefully dissected, and wholly admired — user @fuertecito pointed out a particular foot parallel between both movies that’s honestly more eerie than you might think. In the post, @fuertecito placed two images side-by-side — one of which showcased an undead-esque glimpse of a foot from Evil Dead Rise, while the other displayed Margot Robbie’s pointed foot in Barbie.
Unsurprisingly, several commenters in the aforementioned thread insisted that the outlined parallel should come as no surprise, seeing as these are the two most important movies of the year — at least in the eyes of internet users. Plus, when you stop and think about how each individual movie features a significant leading female character, then perhaps the parallel makes total sense after all.
One thing is for certain: known feet enthusiast Quentin Tarantino surely passed up the golden opportunity to direct — if not, at least be involved in — both of these movies, and to be up-close-and-center for each of those foot shots. Well, you win some and you lose some.
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Music fans frequently discuss how good songs were in the early 2000s. And there is some truth to that. However, that was not the only thing that stood out about the decade. Honestly, I don’t know which would win if I had to choose between 2000s music and disaster movies. Even if you think the 2000s were fantastic just for music, you must acknowledge that the jaw-dropping visuals of widespread destruction in some of the decade’s best films were brilliant. The musical scores for the films, such as The Day After Tomorrow, were equally fantastic, so there’s that.
In truth, the disaster film genre expanded in exciting and creative ways during the twenty-first century’s first decade, as directors experimented with new story structures, special effects technologies, and themes. From apocalyptic virus outbreaks and rogue waves to invasions from extraterrestrial beings and catastrophic climate change, the 2000s provided audiences with various disasters and their effects on human lives and communities. So, let’s don our survival gear and revisit the top 10 disaster movies of the 2000s.
10. The Mist (2007)
The Mist is a terrifying thriller directed by Frank Darabont (of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile) based on Stephen King’s novel. It follows the inhabitants of a small Maine village as they struggle to cope with the abrupt appearance of a mysterious mist. Thomas Jane’s character, David Drayton, and his young son are among the town’s residents trapped in a grocery shop because of the bizarre and deadly creatures outside.
The study of human nature under duress sets The Mist apart. The picture examines not only the external horrors lying in the mist, but also the psychological horrors within the store, as panic and anxiety rise and people turn on each other. The film’s gloomy, haunting atmosphere, terrifyingly memorable creatures, and shocking ending have sparked debate among moviegoers since its premiere.
9. Contagion (2011)
Contagion is a chillingly prescient film depicting the spread of a lethal epidemic and the frantic efforts of health agencies and scientists to contain it. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the film presents a multi-narrative drama that depicts a realistic global health crisis. In addition to Matt Damon and Kate Winslet, the film also stars Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Laurence Fishburne. From a father trying to shield his daughter to public health authorities fighting the outbreak and a journalist searching for conspiracy theories, these people all have unique insights into the pandemic.
The film is notable for its meticulous scientific correctness in presenting the methods used by epidemiologists to track and contain a new virus. The movie also highlights the political and societal repercussions of a pandemic, such as public panic, the proliferation of false information, and the urgent need for a vaccine. Contagion is a thrilling drama thanks to Soderbergh’s expert storytelling, intense realism, and the actors’ grounded performances. In the wake of the real-world COVID-19 outbreak, the film’s themes of civic responsibility, public health, and worldwide connectedness have generated a lot of conversation.
8. The Perfect Storm (2000)
Director Wolfgang Petersen’s The Perfect Storm is an exciting disaster drama based on Sebastian Junger’s non-fiction book of the same name, published in 1997. The plot follows the commercial fishing trawler Andrea Gail and its crew trying to survive a catastrophic storm in the Atlantic Ocean. Starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane, and John C. Reilly, the film is a terrifying tale of man versus nature. Captain Billy Tyne, played by Clooney, is an experienced fisherman anxious to end his run of bad luck.
In contrast, Bobby Shatford, played by Wahlberg, is a young crew member with a romantic storyline on land. The film is well known for its violent, cutting-edge CGI storm sequences, which portray the overwhelming strength and magnitude of what the crew calls The Perfect Storm. Aside from the excellent spectacular effects, the film takes the time to flesh out its characters, providing a human element to the deadly situation at sea. The picture leaves the audience contemplating nature’s great force, the frailty of human life, and the bravery of those who venture out to sea despite the dangers.
7. I Am Legend (2007)
Francis Lawrence’s I Am Legend, adapted from Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel of the same name, is a post-apocalyptic film. Although this isn’t the first movie based on the Matheson novel, thanks in large part to Will Smith’s portrayal, it’s probably the most well-known. Smith portrays Dr. Robert Neville, a virologist who finds himself alone in New York City — and, maybe, the globe — after a cancer-curing virus developed by humans destroys humanity. The infection also turns many remaining humans into nocturnal mutants known as “Darkseekers,” leaving Neville fighting for his life daily.
With a bleak New York City as its backdrop, I Am Legend examines themes of isolation, survival, and the burden of being humanity’s final hope. Smith gives a stunning performance as the film’s protagonist, who struggles with loneliness and needs to find a solution. Neville’s sole company in the abandoned city is a German Shepherd named Sam. Their relationship adds an emotional dimension to the story, boosting the film’s investigation of human (and non-human) connection in the face of the world’s end.
6. Poseidon (2006)
The 2006 catastrophe thriller Poseidon combines an exciting story of survival with breathtaking special effects. Based on the 1972 classic The Poseidon Adventure, Poseidon is a modern retelling directed by Wolfgang Petersen, who is adept at building tension on the high seas (think: The Perfect Storm). The action occurs on New Year’s Eve aboard Poseidon, a luxury ocean liner.
A big rogue wave capsizing the ship and turning it upside down abruptly ends the celebration. A handful of survivors, including professional gambler Dylan Johns (Josh Lucas) and ex-firefighter Robert Ramsey (Kurt Russell), must navigate the ship’s perilous, now-upside-down interior as the vessel sinks. Poseidon‘s spectacular set pieces and visual effects help create a genuinely horrific catastrophic scenario. The film also reveals the varied abilities and flaws of the survivors.
5. 28 Days Later (2002)
A scary post-apocalyptic horror film that revolutionized the zombie subgenre, 28 Days Later was directed by Danny Boyle. The plot, which unfolds with the speed of a thriller and the depth of a drama, begins with the escape of a highly contagious virus from a research facility. The virus, which causes affected people to explode into fits of wrath, wipes off most of the population of the United Kingdom in just two weeks.
After waking up from a coma, Jim, a bicycle courier played by a fresh-faced young Cillian Murphy, discovers an eerily deserted London and bands together with a tiny number of other survivors. 28 Days Later stands out for its unusual perspective on zombies: the “infected” in 28 Days Later are shockingly swift and aggressive monsters rather than the slow, shambling creatures common in films. The film uses this twist to produce incredibly suspenseful and horrifying situations that have become iconic.
4. War of the Worlds (2005)
Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds is an exciting, epic disaster picture that provides a fresh twist on the classic extraterrestrial invasion story as told in H.G. Wells’ novel of the same name, published in 1898. New Jersey dockworker Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) is suddenly thrust into the role of parent to his estranged children, Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and Robbie (Justin Chatwin), as a fleet of alien tripods emerges from beneath the planet and begins wreaking havoc. A terrifying ordeal of survival begins as Ray races against time to secure his family’s safety and keep them from harm.
In War of the Worlds, Spielberg demonstrates his flair for spectacle with a series of impressively choreographed scenarios of alien destruction and human despair, which for some viewers and critics deftly evoked post-911 existential uncertainty. Massive alien tripods, eerie foghorn noises, and gripping visuals of widespread panic do an excellent job of conveying the scope and terror of the invasion. However, Spielberg’s picture is, at its core, about a guy who must do all it takes to protect his family in a society gone mad. Cruise gives a powerful performance as a regular guy thrown into unusual circumstances, while young Fanning shines as a frightened kid trying to make sense of the world around her.
3. 2012 (2009)
The Roland Emmerich disaster movie 2012 is a visual extravaganza that takes viewers on an exciting, high-stakes journey against a global calamity. Emmerich, who has a history of making large-scale disaster films like Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, pulls no punches in this depiction of the world’s end based on the Mayan calendar prediction. The film follows Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a failed novelist and limousine driver who tries to protect his family from a sequence of tragedies brought on by the Earth’s core unraveling.
Using cutting-edge CGI and displaying Emmerich’s talent for generating breathtaking devastation, 2012 offers one aesthetically beautiful disaster sequence after another. The performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, and Woody Harrelson, among others, elevate the film’s tense plot to new heights. Ejiofor’s performance as the sincere scientist Adrian Helmsley stands out, adding weight to the coming calamity.
2. Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield, directed by Matt Reeves and produced by J.J. Abrams, stands out for its fresh take on the genre and its original storytelling. The film depicts a terrible beast attacking New York City using a found-footage approach. It opens with Rob’s (Michael Stahl-David) farewell party, which is rudely interrupted when a mysterious creature begins causing devastation to the city. Rob’s friend Hud (T.J. Miller) operates a camcorder to record the mayhem and confusion as they try to stay alive and save Rob’s girlfriend, Beth (Odette Yustman).
To its benefit, Cloverfield works within the constraints of the found-footage style. The handheld camerawork gives the film a gritty, realistic look, and the restricted point of view heightens the tension and mystery. Only the characters’ points of view are presented to us, promoting a sense of anxiety and uncertainty. The actual appearance of the monster is obscured, adding to the mystery and dread.
1. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Directed by Roland Emmerich, known for his epic-scale depictions of global catastrophes, The Day After Tomorrow is a visually striking disaster picture. The film depicts a thought-provoking scenario of a planet facing catastrophic climate change, resulting in a new ice age, albeit factually exaggerated. Climate scientist Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) warns that a cataclysmic climatic shift is on the horizon, but no one listens to him.
When the disaster strikes, bringing superstorms, tornadoes, tsunamis, and a colossal snowstorm, Hall must embark on a dangerous journey to rescue his son, Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), trapped in a frozen New York City. The transformation of North America into an icy wasteland is horrifying and fascinating, painting a haunting picture of a planet in the throes of ecological collapse.
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When an actor receives universal acclaim and worldwide superstardom, it is usually the result of years of hard work and unseen struggle, not “overnight success” which, more often than not, is a complete myth. Just look at Sophia Di Martino.
The English actress was working in the entertainment industry for over 17 years before she landed the role of Sylvie in Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Loki. Her portrayal of the variant version of the God of Mischief earned her two awards for Best Breakthrough Performance and Best Team (with Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson) at the MTV Movie & TV Awards in 2022. The show’s runaway success combined with Di Martino’s performance left fans eager, excited, and anxious to see what would become of her character in season two.
At times the MCU’s glory Disney Plus days feel like a bygone era. The trifecta that was WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki was quickly overshadowed by poorly received (or at least lukewarm) shows such as She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Ms. Marvel, and Secret Invasion.
With everything that’s happened in the MCU since the first season of Loki, not to mention Di Martino’s emergence on the scene, one has to wonder what’s been going on in the actress’ personal and professional life since Loki made her a superstar. If you’re a fan of her work, you’ll be happy to know she’s not been idly twiddling her thumbs waiting for the script for season two to land in her lap. The actress has been hard at work on other projects and is expecting more on the way.
She’s starred in a movie, a TV show, and is working on a film adaptation of a popular novel
Photo by Gareth Gatrell/Marvel Studios
As we know, Marvel actors do more than just wear capes, fight bad guys, and save the world. To score a gig with Marvel usually means you’re either extremely lucky or among the cream of the crop of Hollywood. In 2021, Sophia Di Martino just so happened to work with two Marvel legends on the 2021 film The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.
The Amazon Studios/StudioCanal UK film saw Benedict Cumberbatch from Doctor Strange play the titular character in the biographical comedy-drama, an artist who became world-famous for his delightful depictions of cats. Taika Waititi, the director of Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, played Max Kase, a real-life newspaper writer and editor. As for Di Martino — she played a character named Judith; it was a smaller role, but Di Martino quietly commanded presence in her scenes.
In 2022, Di Martino also starred in the poorly-named BBC comedy series Peacock (good luck trying to look up the show without getting results for the streaming service of the same name). The show is about the existential crisis of a man who is tired of being defined by his good looks and playboy persona. Again, Di Martino had a smaller role in this; she played the character Blue.
The third project Di Martino is working on is the film adaption of Matt Haig’s popular novel The Radleys. The project will see Di Martino step further into the spotlight as a lead character, although the details of who she will play have not been announced as of this writing. The movie is currently in post-production.
With the second season of Lokipromising to bring Di Martino back into the public eye, Di Martino has a full plate ahead of her. Then again, for an actress that’s been in the business for nearly two decades, that’s nothing new.
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In just a short ten days, Barbie has glided up the box office charts to now sit as the third highest-grossing film of 2023. The phenomenon of the year, Barbie has been consistently breaking records since it premiered and it could be on its way to the number one spot if its trajectory is any indication.
She has taken down fan-favorite assassin John Wick, and now, Barbie is coming after The Guardians and Mario too! Greta Gerwig’s masterpiece broke records in its opening weekend, becoming the biggest opening weekend for a film released this year and also becoming the biggest debut for a film directed by a female director. The film, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in lead roles, raked in $356 million in its first few days in theatres and the hype surrounding the film has yet to abate.
Since its release in theatres on July 21, Barbie has earned $351.4 million at the domestic box office so far, with a global total of $774.5 million. This has landed the film in third place according to Box Office Mojo, just under James Gunn’s final Marvel outing with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which earned $844.8 million globally, and, in top position, The Super Mario Bros. Movie which is the only film so far to have breached the one billion mark this year, at $1.35 billion. In the case of the latter, it was in theatres for roughly two months in order to reach this mark, so for Barbie to be hot on its tail after only 10 days means that Mario is at risk of losing his crown.
Photo via Warner Bros.
Barbie has already overtaken some massive franchise films including Fast X ($704 million), Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ($682 million), and Disney’s live-action adaption of The Little Mermaid ($561 million). Oppenheimer, despite its rave critical reviews, has not had the same level of commercial success (which was to be expected) and currently holds eleventh place on the charts, pulling in a still-respectable $400 million in its first 10 days. It sits above the Disney/Pixar animation Elemental and below John Wick: Chapter 4.
Many believe that Barbie is well on track to break through the $1 billion barrier, with the ticket sales far from abating. There are still some territories that have yet to release the film, such as Japan, where fans are having to wait until Aug. 11 before it opens in theatres. With so much time still to go, Barbie is still heading onward and upwards, proving that it really is a Barbie world after all.
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It’s never been easy, being Henry Cavill. Dating a teenager in your 30s is hard enough – so many Phineas and Ferb character names to memorize – but then you get dropped from the Superman franchise by Warner Bros., dropped from The Witcher series by Netflix, and dropped from the side of a cliff by Ethan Hunt.
And after all of that, DC still just can’t let go of what might have been. For receipts, we turn to The Flash, WB’s answer to the question “how quickly can you burn $200 million?” It’s no secret that the critically-maligned and audience-ignored solo film threw every possible cameo into the mix through the use of CGI necromancy, and with an internet-wide symposium on the ethics of digitally reanimating the dead playing at full volume, it only makes sense that talk of one of The Flash’s less morally reprehensible (but more visually unsettling) guest appearances got lost in the mix.
More powerful than a locomotive but with fewer polygons, a shirtless and dead-eyed Henry Cavill Superman makes a brief and haunting appearance during the Fastest Man Alive’s journey through the speed force. He looks rough, like he’d be at home giving you a fetch quest in a PS3-era Bethesda game. His muscles shine weirdly. His eyebrows appear penciled-on. His upper lip, ironically, looks fine.
Adding insult to cringe-ury, after half a dozen or so false starts, this really does appear to be the final appearance of Henry Cavill’s Superman. He doesn’t even get the dignity of having a last hurrah in the post-credits Black Adam scene and its promise of further adventures. Now, fans will always know that the Clark Kent of the SnyderVerse era must live on forever, trapped in the form of an Xbox 360 cutscene character. Disappointing? Yes. More disappointing than Batman v Superman? Debatable.
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Have you ever had one of those friends whose ex puts them through the wringer during the divorce, but somehow, like, a couple of years later, he’s hanging out with her and her new fiance Kyle that nobody likes, and talking about how Kyle seems like a great guy and how this is best for the kids?
SnyderVerse fans might take forever to forgive Warner Bros. but ‘Blue Beetle’ confirms Zack Snyder already has.
That news again: Zack Snyder took to Twitter today to let fans know how pumped he is to take his kids to see Blue Beetle, the DC comic book adaptation currently projected to do lemonade stand numbers at the box office. It’s a twist that took many fans by surprise, given, you know, everything.
And by “everything,” we of course mean the contentious and inescapable goings-on in the SnyderVerse, the franchise of DC films spearheaded by Snyder from 2013 to 2021. The only game in town for live-action Batman, Superman, and Batman-v-Superman movies for nearly a decade, the film series was scuttled in a series of shady corporate decisions, beginning with Snyder’s ouster from Warner Bros. in 2017. His final project for the company, Justice League, wound up cut and recut into a Frankensteinian mess, until fan outrage prompted the studio to release Snyder’s original vision as a streaming offering in 2021.
But somehow, after all of that, the fan-favorite director is still out in these social media streets, propping up Blue Beetle because, to quote his hashtag, “#RepresentationMatters.”
Reactions to Snyder’s tweet spanned the spectrum from disappointment…
For all the different takes, one thing is clear: Zack Snyder might have made his peace with Warner Bros., but his fans won’t stop fighting. Not until the 18-hour cut of Justice League where Superman kills Darkseid in a 180-minute slow-motion slap finally hits theaters.
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We’re just a little over two months away from gorefest Saw X — which will serve as the tenth installment in the iconic horror franchise — landing in theaters and causing an absolute commotion. In the past, the franchise has been regarded as “torture porn” that focuses entirely too much on horrific elements such as ripped limbs, bloody clothes, and extracted teeth — but a fresh-faced image from the set of the upcoming horror extravaganza showcases a brand-new device that will leave you with a headache… literally.
Over on Twitter, an exclusive set photo was revealed for all horror fanatics to see — which depicted a new “device” to be used by Jigsaw / John Kramer that wraps around a victim’s head and causes significant damage to the cerebrum. In its simplest form, the aforementioned trap has been named “The Brain Surgery,” which is simply enough to make you grit your teeth and undoubtedly expect the bloodiest mess ever in the entire franchise. You can check out the post for yourself down below:
From the looks of the pulse-pounding trailer — which was effectively released last evening — it’s looking as though the ever-popular film series is itching to return to its roots. And with the franchise consistently adding numerous traps implemented by Jigsaw over the years, it’s clear that adding in another terrifying trap is enough to lure in die-hards that might not have been too pleased with the last two Saw films.
But if you’re exceptionally sensitive to a lot of gore, perhaps it’s best to shield your eyes during the “Brain Surgery” scene. You might even want to pop a few Tylenol before catching Saw X when it lands in theaters on Sept. 29.
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Throwing multiple genres into a single stew can often yield a bitter taste, but nobody decided to tell writer, director, and producer Park Hoon-jung of the risks when he decided to combine elements of action, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror to concoct The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion.
It’s probably a good thing that they didn’t, to be fair, because the resulting dish was nothing short of delicious. Completely unhinged in the best possible way, the instant Korean cult classic would go on to secure respective Rotten Tomatoes scores of 89 and 86 percent from critics and audiences, recoup its budget almost five times over at the box office, before eventually winning a smattering of awards for its deranged brilliance.
Image via Warner Bros.
The story focuses on Kim Da-mi’s Ja-yoon, a high school student who suffered trauma during her childhood that left her with memory issues. During her quest to uncover the truth, though, she ends up being drawn into a world of crime and much more besides, which culminates in the awakening of some dark secrets that sees the blood flow and the bodies pile up.
Sadly, it’s only the opener that’s managed to sink its claws into a new crowd on streaming, but the fact FlixPatrol has named Part 1 as a Top 10 hit on Max in 20 countries around the world does at least indicate there’s a ravenous viewership ready to see how the story continues, and if there’s any justice in the world a threequel will end up materializing sooner rather than later.
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There’s a lot to be said about Netflix’s foreign-language genre films being a lot more unique, interesting, and engaging than their big budget Hollywood counterparts despite being made for a fraction of the cost, and sci-fi thriller Paradise is merely the latest in a long line of examples to come along.
In the not too distant future, a company has made the ability to transfer years of life from one person to the other into a billion-dollar enterprise, but it’s still always best to read the small print. As a result, couple Max and Elena find their existence upended when they find themselves plunged into debt, with the wife forced to “pay” with 40 years, robbing them of their future in the process.
A fascinating sci-fi that asks heavy thematic questions while still bringing plenty of entertainment to the table, Paradise hasn’t wasted any time in staking its claim as one of Netflix’s most popular international features to come along in a while. Per FlixPatrol, it’s debuted on the Top 10 in 78 countries globally to land as the second most-watched movie on the entire worldwide rankings, and on its current trajectory it might already be in with a shot at securing all-time viewership status.
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If there’s one silver lining to emerge from the debacle of the Secret Invasion finale, then it’s got to be the fact the series as a whole isn’t quite the worst-reviewed entry in Marvel Cinematic Universe history.
It’s damning with faint praise, sure, especially considering the final episode is currently the second lowest-rated comic book adaptation in the entire history of the medium on Rotten Tomatoes, and being dubbed marginally superior to Son of the Mask is not a place any project regardless of genre wants to find itself.
With a 46 percent approval rating on the aggregation site, Peyton Reed’s mundane misfire is the at the bottom of the MCU’s pile, and there were understandably a lot of people left confused that Kang the Conqueror – the ominous antagonist designated as the big bad of the entire Multiverse Saga – was so handily defeated by an army of ants when he’s quite literally the end-of-level boss designed to tie off years of storytelling in the fifth and sixth Avengers epics.
In fact, a hardy band of Redditors have even designated the discourse as “a gross exaggeration,” something that you definitely wouldn’t have heard at any point in the months following Quantumania‘s initial theatrical run and subsequent debut on Disney Plus. Not to say the two events are connected, but is it a coincidence that the response to the end of Secret Invasion has seen a sliver of leeway extended to the last MCU outing that left a bad taste in so many mouths?
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