Award-winning writer and editor Andy Kryza has spent more than 20 years publicly obsessing over pop culture, travel, kitsch, and sandwiches. A former film columnist for Portland-based alt-weekly Willamette Week, he served as a tenured senior editor at Thrillist, worked in the Swedish maritime industry, and writes for various magazines of good repute.  He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, daughter, dog, and cat. He spends most days hunting for the city’s best pizza and tacos while secretly hoping to bump into Keanu Reeves on the street.  
Andy Kryza

Andy Kryza

Contributor

Articles (112)

The 56 greatest animated movies to watch as a family

The 56 greatest animated movies to watch as a family

‘Isn’t every animated movie family-friendly?’ you might be asking. Oh, definitely not. Truth is, it’s pretty rare to find a cartoon that’ll both entertain the kids and keep parents from getting antsy. But these 50 animated wonders manage that broad appeal. Some are obvious, from Golden Age Disney classics to Pixar tearjerkers, enchanting stop-motion adventures and ridiculous comedies, but there might be a few you haven’t already seen a million times yet. Take a scroll, and get ready for a triumphant movie night the whole house will enjoy. Recommended: 👪 The best family movies of all-time to stream✍ The 100 best animated movies of all-time👶 The best movies for toddlers🐭 The 50 best Disney movies for family night
The 70 best romcoms of all time

The 70 best romcoms of all time

No movie genre is more misunderstood than romantic comedy. Frequently derided and dismissed as ‘chick flicks’, romcoms are, in truth, more broadly relatable than any other category of film. Who hasn’t been in love, in one form or another? And honestly, what’s funnier than the things humans do while under love’s spell? But the best romantic comedies don’t have to be straight-ahead farces to qualify – although, to be fair, many of them are. Some are sophisticated, drilling deep into the complexities of interpersonal relationships. Others are dark and cynical, because, well, love often sucks. Others are light and airy, or borderline fantastical. Love contains multitudes, and so do romantic comedies, and we considered it all when putting together this list of the best romcoms of all time.  Written by Dave Calhoun, Cath Clarke, Tom Huddleston, Kate Lloyd, Andy Kryza, Phil de Semlyen, Alim Kheraj & Matthew Singer Recommended: 😍 The 100 best romantic films of all-time🤣 The 100 best comedy movies😳 The 101 best sex scenes of all time🔥 The 100 best movies of all-time
40 great tween-friendly movies to add to your watch list

40 great tween-friendly movies to add to your watch list

As a parent, navigating your kid’s tweenage years is tough. No longer a kid but not yet a tornado of hormones, it’s a short-lived but awkward time that affects just about everything, up to and including movie nights. Where you happy little butterball could once be pleased with anything loud and colourful, now they’re getting more discerning. At the same time, they’re not so desperate to prove their maturity that they’re demanding a legal thriller or a Merchant Ivory costume drama. So how do you choose the right flick to please all audiences? Don’t freak out. We’re here to help. We’ve rounded up 36 movies that almost seem laser-guided to explode the pleasure centres of anyone between the ages of ten and 12. And the good news is that much of what works for that demographic is the same stuff you loved at the age, from ’80s blockbusters to silly comedies to adventure flicks to movies about young love and the struggle of growing up. Throw one of these on and you’ll be a hero, at least for one night.   Recommended: 🎒 The 100 best teen movies of all-time👪 The 50 best family films to stream on movie night🤣 The 35 best family comedy movies
The best thriller movies of all time for a suspense-packed film night

The best thriller movies of all time for a suspense-packed film night

When considering the best thrillers ever made, you’ll encounter many different kinds of thrills: from political intrigue and espionage to conspiracy, manipulation, gaslighting, and, of course, lots and lots of crime. As a movie genre, the thriller is also loosely defined – under its umbrella, you’ll find examples of science fiction, horror, heists, action, even comedy, along with the ever-nebulous ‘psychological thriller’ subdivision. The exact definition of a thriller may be hard to pin down, but you know one when you’re watching one. You’ll feel it, too – in your clammy palms and under your armpits, in your teeth as you grind down the enamel and your restless leg. When done right, a thriller prompts a visceral response more than just about any other genre. Here are a hundred great thrillers guaranteed to make you sit up, widen your eyes and leave your head spinning.  Written by Abbey Bender, Joshua Rothkopf, Yu An Su, Phil de Semlyen, Tom Huddleston, Andy Kryza, Tomris Laffly & Matthew Singer RECOMMENDED: 🕯️ The 35 steamiest erotic thrillers ever made😬 The best thriller movies on Netflix💰 The 60 most nerve-racking heist movies ever🧠 The greatest psychological thrillers ever made 
The 37 best inspirational songs of all time

The 37 best inspirational songs of all time

There’s a reason why motivational songs that put a firm pep in your step stand the test of time. As these timeless inspirational tracks prove, music that has the power to lift your mood, get you striding through life with your head held high, and urges you to embrace the good of today, is music that we all come back to again and again. On this list of the 37 best inspirational songs of all-time, you’ll find everything from aspirational rap classics to rock’n’roll affirmations to pop stars who inspire simply by existing. From golden anthems by Gloria Gaynor and David Bowie, right through to modern-day pick-me-ups by Billie Eilish and Jamie xx, no matter what you need to get done, these jams will help get you there. RECOMMENDED: 🎵 The best songs of 2025 so far🕺 The best albums of 2025 so far🎤 The best karaoke songs🍻 The best drinking songs🎶 The best ’80s songs🎊 The best pop songs
Les 21 millors sèries originals de Netflix per fer una marató

Les 21 millors sèries originals de Netflix per fer una marató

Netflix va ser una de les plataformes pioneres en la creació de contingut propi. Fa una dècada, va trencar les normes de la televisió amb House of cards, la primera gran sèrie original en un servei de streaming. Des de llavors, moltes companyies han seguit els seus passos, multiplicant el contingut de producció pròpia, fins al punt que, de vegades, costa recordar quines sèries pertanyen a cada plataforma. Tanmateix, si un s’ho para a pensar, queda clar que Netflix continua al capdavant amb el catàleg més variat. Tot i que durant els darrers anys els seus beneficis hagin disminuït lleugerament, el gegant del streaming continua generant més contingut de qualitat que qualsevol altra. Per aquest motiu, hem preparat una llista amb les 21 millors sèries originals de Netflix que hauries de veure. Sabem que falten sèries com Black mirror, La Casa de Papel i Cobra Kai, ja que hem deixat fora aquelles sèries que van néixer en altres cadenes abans de ser adquirides per Netflix. NO T'HO PERDIS: Les millors sèries que s'estrenen aquest mes Fes clic aquí si vols més informació sobre els nostres estàndards editorials i les nostres directrius ètiques per crear aquest contingut.
Las 21 mejores series originales de Netflix para hacer una maratón

Las 21 mejores series originales de Netflix para hacer una maratón

Netflix fue una de las plataformas pioneras en la creación de contenido propio. Hace una década, rompió las normas de la televisión con House of Cards, la primera gran serie original en un servicio de streaming. Desde entonces, son muchas compañías que han seguido sus pasos, multiplicando el contenido de producción propia, hasta el punto en que a veces cuesta recordar qué series pertenecen a cada plataforma. Sin embargo, si uno se para a pensar, queda claro que Netflix sigue al frente con el catálogo más variado. Aunque durante los últimos años sus beneficios hayan menguado ligeramente, el gigante del streaming sigue generando más contenido de calidad que cualquier otra. Por ese motivo, hemos preparado una lista con las 21 mejores series originales de Netflix que deberías ver. Sabemos que faltan series como Black Mirror, La Casa de Papel o Cobra Kai, pues hemos dejado fuera aquellas series que nacieron en otras cadenas antes de ser adquiridas por Netflix. NO TE LO PIERDAS: Las mejores series que se estrenan este mes Clica aquí si quieres más información sobre nuestros estándares editoriales y nuestras directrices éticas para crear este contenido
The 50 greatest gangster movies of all time

The 50 greatest gangster movies of all time

As far back as anyone can remember, the movies have loved gangsters – and it’s not hard to understand why. Who hasn’t fantasised about living outside the law, of having money and influence, of being untouchable? Sure, all the immoral behaviour is a bit unsavory, and the crushing paranoia that comes along with the lifestyle seems like a major drawback. But getting to live vicariously through the criminals we see on screen is one of cinema’s purest thrills.  But not all movie gangsters are built the same. Some are loud and boisterous, others cold, calculating and unreadable. From fedora-sporting mobsters to pistol-packing yakuza enforcers, to street-level bosses whose empire only extends to the end of the block, cinema has seen them all and told their stories – and you’ll find all of them on our definitive list of the best gangster movies of all-time. Recommended: 😬 The 100 best thriller movies of all-time💣 The 101 best action movies ever made🔪 The 31 best serial killer movies🕵️ 40 murder mysteries to test your sleuthing skills to the max
The best family movies of all time to stream

The best family movies of all time to stream

Family movie night can be a battlefield. If you’re not prepared, attempting to find a film that can satisfy the entire brood can lead to insults, eyerolls and slammed doors. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. It is possible to find a picture that overlaps with every demo in your home – you just need to know what to look for. Specifically, you need to look for one of the 50 movies listed here.  And as you’ll see, a good ‘family movie’ doesn’t necessarily have to mean ‘for the kids’. Sure, you’ll find plenty of animated classics, both new and old. But there are also classics from the Golden Age of Hollywood, live action adventures from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, inspirational true-life tales, comedies with jokes that work for every age group and movies that underscore the importance of family. Whatever you’re in the mood for, throw on one of these, and feel safe in the knowledge that your house will keep the peace, at least for one more night. RECOMMENDED: ✍ The 100 best animated films of all-time👪 The 50 best kids movies to watch as a family💻 The best family movies on Netflix for all-ages🤣 The best family comedy movies🧒 The best kids’ movies from the ’90s
The 100 best horror movies of all time

The 100 best horror movies of all time

Cinemagoers love a good scare. That much is evident these days from the commercial and critical success of the horror genre: in 2024, some of the biggest, buzziest movies of the year – Longlegs, The Substance, Robert Eggers’ remake of Nosferatu and the box-office shocker Terrifier 3, to name just four – were designed to scare. And that’s not even to mention leftfield smashes over the last decade, like A Quiet Place, Hereditary and basically everything Jordan Peele has done.   It’s crazy to think, then, that not long ago, horror was thought of as a euphemism for ‘schlock’. If you were alive at the height of the VHS era, you know it wasn’t totally unfounded. Churning out formulaic slashers became a way for hacks and hucksters to make a quick buck, leaving rental store shelves awash in forgettable dreck. It served to overwhelm and obscure the horror genre’s true value – because when done right, no other film experience can conjure more visceral emotions. So let’s correct the record. Here are the 100 greatest horror movies of all-time, drawn from both the current renaissance and those darker days. Written by Tom Huddleston, Cath Clarke, Dave Calhoun, Nigel Floyd, Phil de Semlyen, David Ehrlich, Joshua Rothkopf, Nigel Floyd, Andy Kryza, Alim Kheraj and Matthew Singer Recommended: 🔪 The best new horror movies of 2025 (so far)🔥 The 100 best movies of all time🤡 The 21 best Stephen King movies of all time🩸 The 15 scariest horror movies based on true stories
The 48 best Netflix original series to binge

The 48 best Netflix original series to binge

Netflix changed the game, and then the game changed on Netflix. A decade ago, the company broke the TV mold with House of Cards, the first significant original series from a streaming platform. In the years since, the many other services that followed their lead have stepped up their own original output, and it’s often hard to remember which bingeable phenomenon belongs to which brand. But when you sit down and really look at the legacy, it becomes clear that Netflix still has the strongest catalog out there. Even if the returns have diminished a bit in recent years, the studio is still pumping out more high-quality content than you possibly have time for. So we’ve gone ahead and put together a list of the 40 Netflix originals series you absolutely must binge before you die or cancel your subscription… whichever comes first. And before you get all upset about the absence of Black Mirror and Cobra Kai, we’ve left out shows that originated elsewhere before the platform picked them up. We’re also sticking to scripted series - though you can check out our favourite Netflix true crime docs here. Recommended: 🎥 The 35 best movies on Netflix right now🔥 The 25 best movies on HBO and Max right now👽 The best sci-fi shows streaming on Netflix
The best Disney movies of all-time

The best Disney movies of all-time

Whether you view Disney as a benevolent dream factory or a corporate monolith hellbent on world domination, the truth is that everyone has at least one mouse-ear-branded property that it holds close to their heart. Wherever you stand on Disney, you can’t deny that it has churned out some of the greatest animated movies of all time – and a few great live-action ones, too.  But that’s not to say everything the House of Mouse has produced is worth your time. Far from it, in fact. For every classic there are at least five direct-to-video sequels you’ve never heard of, some minor disaster you barely remember and, in recent years, a stream of utterly unnecessary remakes. That makes navigating a vast streaming platform like Disney+ an overwhelming task. To help you separate the WALL-Es and Dumbos from the Mars Need Moms-es, we swan-dived Scrooge McDuck-style into the Disney catalogue and pulled out the 50 can’t-miss picks for your next family movie night. Recommended: ✍ The 100 best animated films of all-time👪 The 50 best kids movies to watch as a family🤣 The best family comedy movies

News (158)

From Bambi to Buffalo Bill: filmmakers share their scarring cinema experiences

From Bambi to Buffalo Bill: filmmakers share their scarring cinema experiences

Were you scared witless when the T-Rex made his first appearance in Jurassic Park? Candyman director Nia DaCosta was right there with you. Did Michael Rooker’s definitive portrait of a killer stick with you at the end of Henry? It also haunted Luca Guadagnino and that man turned a body into a bramble of crushed bones in Suspiria. The cinema is a place of vulnerability, and great horror films burrow under everyone’s skin, including the coolest filmmakers in the world.  From horror maestros to arthouse auteurs, we asked the honorees of our coolest filmmakers list what cinematic moment scared them most. And they delivered: Cinematic minds such as The Witch’s Robert Eggers and The Babadook mastermind Jennifer Kent told us what gave them nightmares while they were doing the same to us, while Rian Johnson, Edgar Wright, Lynne Ramsay, Sean Baker and others told us what chilled them to the bone. You’ll find serial killers and classic slashers. But you’ll also find more than one Disney film, too. Don’t worry, you're in a safe space here.   Read on: The 50 coolest filmmakers in the world right now Photograph: StudioCanalIrréversible Irréversible – picked by Robert Eggers (The Witch) ‘Gaspar Noé’s Irreversible, Gerald Kargl’s Angst, Michael Haneke’s Piano Teacher and Bruno Dumont’s Twentynine Palms all left me pretty shaken after my first viewing.’’  Photograph: DisneySnow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – picked by Tomm Moore (The Secr
Everything we know about Marvel's bonkers-looking 'Loki' series

Everything we know about Marvel's bonkers-looking 'Loki' series

It's been nearly two years since the last Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home, hit theaters. But as fans anxiously await the July 9 debut of the long-delayed Black Widow, Disney+ has kept the superhero train going with its comic-focused series. And next week, fans will get a big infusion of MCU hijinks with the debut of Loki. The six-episode series sees Tom Hiddleston reclaim the ornate headpiece of fan-favorite anti-hero Loki, a role he's inhabited for more than 10 years. The show looks bonkers, featuring alien worlds, time travel and an abundance of charmingly sinister banter from Hiddleston. But what exactly is this show about, and how will it affect the future — and the past — of Marvel's master plan? Here's what we know going in.  First things first, when does Loki debut? Loki debuts Wednesday, June 9 on Disney+. It runs six episodes, with one episode dropping each week through July 14. Ok, so what exactly is this show about? The show will follow Hiddleston’s Asgardian God of Mischief and frequent bad guy Loki as he falls in with the Time Variance Authority (TVA), a clandestine interstellar bureaucracy tasked with ensuring that the very fabric of space and time isn’t torn apart by heroes and villains’ tendency to jump back and forth in time.  From the looks of the trailers, it appears that Loki’s time-hopping shenanigans (more on those in a moment) has led him to cause a rift across multiple timelines and dimensions. Working with Owen
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ – everything we know so far

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ – everything we know so far

After a two-year break, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has roared back to life, dominating Disney+ with an onslaught of hit shows, storming multiplexes with Black Widow and Shang-Chi, and hijacking the internet discourse with fan theories about the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home. Yet amid all the hype of Marvel’s Phase 4, the biggest questions hover around the hotly anticipated Black Panther 2. The Marvel blockbuster factory has completely changed the cinematic landscape since Iron Man debuted in 2008, but none became a bona fide cultural phenomenon quite like director Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther.  The afrofuturist tale of noble warrior king T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) and the technologically advanced hermit nation of Wakanda wasn’t just a $1.3-billion hit, it was a zeitgeist-seizing moment for blockbuster cinema, leading to a Best Picture Oscar nomination and three Academy Awards. Its focus on strong Black characters – including Marvel’s best villain in the form of Michael B. Jordan – made it the kind of tectonic paradigm-shifter that only comes every decade or so in blockbuster cinema.  A follow-up was inevitable, but things became infinitely more complicated with the unexpected death of series star Chadwick Boseman, who succumbed to colon cancer in August 2020. Marvel kept quiet about the future of the franchise as fans mourned.  Here’s everything we know about Black Panther 2 so far. Image: Marvel Studios When is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s release date?  Black P
‘House of the Dragon’: Here’s everything we know about the ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel

‘House of the Dragon’: Here’s everything we know about the ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel

For the past two years, fans of prestige TV have been forced to spend their Sundays without the familiar comforts of torture, dismemberment, incest, dragons and deception. But soon, their hunger will be sated: In 2022, nearly three years after Game of Thrones aired its extremely divisive finale, the franchise will come roaring back with House of the Dragon.  HBO’s latest George RR Martin adaptation has fans salivating for more of what they loved about high fantasy’s most gloriously smutty big-budget hit. But will the first of six GoT spinoff series fulfill the prophecy of rekindling fans' goodwill after Game of Thrones whiffed its big finish? Here’s everything we know so far.  When will House of the Dragon be released?  The show’s release date has yet to be confirmed, though HBO has officially announced House of the Dragon is coming in 2022. The production, which is still underway, was previously shut down due to Covid, and the pandemic’s continued presence could be a reason for the network’s hesitancy in announcing an official date.  That puts House of the Dragon in a race to air with Amazon’s swords-and-serpents tentpole, Lord of the Rings, which is set to debut in September 2022. Both come pre-loaded with huge fan bases, and both share common elements such as dragons, golden wigs, broadswords and glowering. It’s a safe bet that House of the Dragon, however, will trounce LOTR when it comes to nudity: The Tolkien adaptation drew controversy when it announced it would include
An internet hero is Photoshopping Paddington Bear into a different movie every day

An internet hero is Photoshopping Paddington Bear into a different movie every day

We’re still a long way out from Paddington 3, but that fluffy paragon of kindness and decency from darkest Peru is never far from our thoughts. Paddington eternal because he is in the hearts of all who let him in. Similarly, he is in the feeds of all who tweet. He’s here to bring you daily joy if you just hit ‘follow.’ Some days, he’s romping in a meadow or scampering through a swamp. Others, he’s taking a stroll through the big city. Still others, he’s lurking behind a cloud of steam, staring blankly as an unsuspecting person in a hotel shower. I Photoshop Paddington into another movie until I forget: Day 224 pic.twitter.com/M9cKEXTg97 — Jaythechou (@jaythechou) October 19, 2021 No, this is not the official Paddinton Twitter, which delightfully traffics in daily affirmations and niceties without the leering voyeurism and threat of violence. We’re talking about the Twitter account @jaythechou, run by a graphic artist who has sworn to Photoshop Paddington into a different movie every day ‘until I forget.’  So far, the artist has amassed more than 230 different expert-level Photoshops, drawing 108,000 followers to images of the peacoat-sporting bear dropped into the action of Shang-Chi and Black Widow, placed him alongside Shrek and Donkey and even had him ride shotgun (and likely take some PCP) with Denzel in Training Day.  The account very directly recalls the Creepy Paddington memes of 2014, which inserted the bear into multiple horror films. We now know what tho
Everything we know about Doctor Strange’s trip to the ‘Multiverse of Madness’

Everything we know about Doctor Strange’s trip to the ‘Multiverse of Madness’

Marvel’s so-called Phase 4 has been pretty straightforward so far, which we fully understand is a ridiculous thing to say considering the most recent film in the 26-and-counting series is a millennia-spanning saga of demigods directed by Nomadland Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao.  Yet the post-Endgame era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been relatively grounded: both Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings kept the franchise’s shenanigans earthbound, while Eternals’s more cosmic inclinations were relatively blasé.  That’s about to change. December’s Spider Man: No Way Home is poised to rip the fabric of space, time and corporate synergy asunder by bringing back long-dead villains from previous generations of Spideydom. Thor: Love and Thunder will no-doubt continue goofball auteur Taika Waititi’s quest to transform the God of Thunder into a live-action Heavy Metal riff. And sandwiched between the two is what could be the most mind-bending, colourful and downright surreal offering yet: The long-awaited Doctor Strange sequel, In the Multiverse of Madness.  The film marks Benedict Cumberbatch’s first top-line Marvel outing since the hero’s 2016 origin story. And it could just prise open the MCU’s blast doors for a universe-shattering series of events that could ripple throughout the MCU. Here’s everything we know so far about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Photograph: Marvel Studios When will Doctor Strange 2 be released? In the Multiverse of Madnes
Get ready for an extra-dark knight courtesy of Robert Pattinson’s ‘The Batman’

Get ready for an extra-dark knight courtesy of Robert Pattinson’s ‘The Batman’

It’s been four years since the big screen was graced by Batman (no, the Snyder Cut doesn’t count). That’s an eternity for fans of the world’s most famous vigilante, who have been spoiled with 11 very different films since Tim Burton’s 1989 blockbuster ushered in modern superhero cinema. Now, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel: Warner Bros is set to release the latest Caped Crusader adventure in early 2022.   ‘Light’ is a bit misleading. Anyone still bemoaning the dark-and-gritty reinvention of superhero cinema following Christopher Nolan’s game-changing Dark Knight trilogy take heed: The upcoming reboot, titled The Batman, looks to make Nolan’s Gotham City look like Sesame Street. Newly minted Bruce Wayne Robert Pattinson will navigate a noir-tinged, rain-soaked city where gangs of deranged clowns stalk the shadows, gangsters run amok and serial killers taunt the police with trails of carnage. This is a place where light seems too scared to shine. Adam West this isn’t. Here's everything we know about the hugely anticipated The Batman.    When does The Batman come out? After years in development, a long shoot in the UK and multiple Covid-related delays – including a diagnosis for Pattinson himself – The Batman is set to be released on March 4, 2022. Read our review of the film here. What is the runtime of The Batman? Eagle-eyed fans spotted the IMAX Melbourne website listing its runtime as 176 minutes. If that’s accurate, and there is no reason for an IMAX to lie to us,
Everything we know about Amazon’s massive ‘Lord of the Rings’ series

Everything we know about Amazon’s massive ‘Lord of the Rings’ series

It’s been 18 long years since Peter Jackson wrapped his beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy (and seven relief-filled years since he put his other trilogy to sleep). Now, after a prolonged period of Hobbitlessness, fans will finally return to Middle-earth courtesy of Amazon, whose own Dark Lord has emerged with a benevolent gift for us mortals in the form of a LOTR series based on JRR Tolkien's extended mythology. It comes with the slightly clunky name The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and it is going to be huge. Even with a teaser trailer out, the show remains shrouded in mystery, with media reports generally focused on the Smaug-sized price tag ($250 million for the rights, $465+ million for production). But with filming wrapped and a release date cresting the horizon of 2022, some details have emerged. Here’s what we know so far. What is the release date? The series will debut on Amazon Prime on September 2, 2022, and will span eight weekly episodes.  Has a trailer been released? Alongside the name reveal in January 2022, a teaser trailer was launched over Superbowl weekend (another event in which the winners get rings). It showcases some swooping Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings-esque shots over the Middle-earth landscapes, as well as the more CGI-heavy effects shots of his Hobbit movies. Front and centre is Morfydd Clark as the young Galadriel. What is the series about? For those who don’t know their Silmarillions from their Sarumans, Amazon’s series will tak
Wait, is ‘Die Hard’ a remake of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life?’

Wait, is ‘Die Hard’ a remake of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life?’

Questioning whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie (it is) has become the holiday version of ‘is a hot dog a sandwich?’ (it’s not).The debate has transitioned from Christmas dinner banter to the go-to blather of pub-bores everywhere. When something’s a ‘hot topic’ for three decades, it goes colder than yesterday’s hot chocolate. The debate is over. Time to discuss the yuletide merits of The Last Boy Scout.  However, last year Die Hard director John McTiernan finally weighed in on the topic, and in doing so threw a fresh log on the fire by saying that Die Hard’s tone was informed by Frank Capra’s beloved holiday fable It’s a Wonderful Life.  ‘Specifically, the Pottersville sequence,’ McTiernan told the American Film Institute. ‘Which is what happens when the evil banker gets to do what he wants in the community without George getting in the way to stop it. And it’s the clearest demonstration and criticism of runaway, unregulated cowboy capitalism that’s ever been done in an American movie.’ McTiernan’s comments struck a particular nerve in this writer because I’ve been saying this for years: Not only is Die Hard a Christmas movie, but it’s actually a stealth retelling of It’s a Wonderful Life. Just as Scrooged retold A Christmas Carol through the lens of ‘80s corporate television, Die Hard is basically Capra’s story filtered through an ‘80s action-movie fantasia. Here is irrefutable proof.  Photograph: 20th Century Studios John McClane is basically George Bailey with bloody f
Cinema’s funniest scenes – as picked by its coolest filmmakers

Cinema’s funniest scenes – as picked by its coolest filmmakers

Discovering that your favourite ‘serious’ filmmaker enjoys a good chuckle – even a lowbrow one – can be a shock: It’s like catching your wine-loving cousin shotgunning a Budweiser. Not only is finding out that Christopher Nolan is a huge MacGruber fan and Terrence Malick quotes Zoolander for fun, it makes us realise that maybe our guilty-pleasure comedy flicks aren’t so guilty after all.  With that in mind, we prodded our picks for the coolest filmmakers on the planet for their favourite comedic moments across cinema history. Among them were comedically inclined auteurs like Ruben Östlund, Cathy Yan and Edgar Wright, sure, but also more serious-minded artists like Barry Jenkins, Julia Ducournau, Denis Villeneuve, Paul Thomas Anderson and Lynne Ramsay. They shot back with a decades- and genre-spanning array of laugh-out-loud moments. We also discovered that Michael ‘Amour’ Haneke really, really loves hearing Steve Martin do a silly accent. Comedy, truly, is the great uniter. Read on: The 50 coolest filmmakers in the world right now The voice coaching scene in The Pink Panther (2006) – picked by Ruben Östlund ‘I had dinner with Michael Haneke in Vienna once and it all ended up with me showing him this scene on my mobile phone. It didn’t really pay off and everything became quite embarrassing. I guess it says something about how much I like this scene.’  ‘Taxi!’ in Tootsie - picked by Céline Sciamma
Here’s everything we know about ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ so far

Here’s everything we know about ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ so far

It may not feel like it, but it will be only a little over two years between the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home and its immediate predecessor, Far From Home. Sure, a lot has gone down in the intervening time, but maybe a bit of a pause was what the webslinger needed. However beloved a character is, zeal levels are going to be tough to maintain when they’ve been on the big screen ten times in the space of 20 years (excluding the six super-sparky versions in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse).  Yet now, nearly a month from the release of No Way Home, Spidey discourse is dominating the internet once again. And with a second trailer fueling fan theories about what’s to come in the next, excitement has reached a fever pitch. Here’s everything we know – or at least we think we know – about Spider-Man: No Way Home When is Spider-Man: No Way Home in cinemas? Frothy, fun and crammed to the gills with big-screen spectacle, Spider-Man movies tend to be the very definition of a summer blockbuster. This one, perhaps fittingly in a messed-up year, gets a rare spin in time for Christmas: it’s out on December 17 in the US and UK. Is there a Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer? Two, in fact. The second hit the internet on November 16 after a seemingly endless period of anticipation, with some sites speculating that the delay was the result of Sony and Marvel – who are the co-conservators to cinematic Spidey (more on that in a moment) – sparring over what could and couldn’t be shown in the previ
‘Squid Game’ season 2 gets a green light: Here’s what to expect

‘Squid Game’ season 2 gets a green light: Here’s what to expect

Like a down-on-his luck schlub being yanked toward a ledge, Netflix has taken the inevitable plunge: Squid Game – the global smash that became Netflix’s biggest hit of all time – is getting a second season, according to creator Hwang Dong-hyuk.  ‘There's been so much pressure, so much demand and so much love for a second season… I almost feel like you leave us no choice!’ Hwang told the Associated Press. ‘There will indeed be a second season. It's in my head right now. I'm in the planning process currently. But I do think it's too early to say when and how it's going to happen.’  At this point, very little is known about the future of Squid Game. Hwang himself seems surprised by the success of his dystopian passion project. But season 1 left a tonne of plot threads dangling like so many Tug-of-War players suspended over a chasm. Here are the biggest questions we have in advance of Squid Game season 2, plus some theories about where the show could go next. MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR SQUID GAME FOLLOW… you’ve been warned.  Photograph: Noh Juhan, courtesy of NetflixGganbus for life What will happen to Squid Game protagonist Gi-Hun? At the beginning of Squid Game, 456 hardscrabble characters are whisked off to a mysterious island and pitted against one another in a series of deadly playground games, beginning with a rousing round/massacre of Red Light, Green Light. By the end of the games, only one player still stood: Indebted gambler, deadbeat dad and kindhearted soul Seong Gi-Hun (