Source: Business Insider

Whispers of a feud started on social media after it became clear that Baldoni, who both directed and starred in "It Ends With Us," wasn't doing press with the rest of the cast. Then, internet sleuths discovered that while Baldoni follows the entire cast on Instagram, none follow him back.

Over the summer, reports emerged that there were two cuts of the movie: one approved by Baldoni and another done by editor Shane Reid, who has worked with Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, which Lively commissioned, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Rumbles of a feud continued as Lively began getting called out for how she promoted the movie. Baldoni hired Melissa Nathan, a seasoned crisis PR manager, as this happened. Nathan is known for working with Johnny Depp during the Amber Heard trial.

After a quiet few months, their rift returned to the headlines when Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment in December 2024 and said that he worked with Nathan and his publicist, Jennifer Abel, to start a smear campaign against her.

Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, said in a statement, "It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation."

Lively's representative directed Business Insider to a statement she shared with The New York Times: "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted."

Celebrities have begun to support Lively publicly, including her "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" costars and "It Ends With Us" author Colleen Hoover. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Baldoni has been dropped by his agency, WME.

Rumors about Wilde and Pugh not getting along began in July 2022, when Page Six reported that Pugh was "displeased" about Wilde's relationship with "Don't Worry Darling's" other costar (and pop music sensation) Harry Styles. Wilde and Styles have since broken up.

Eagle-eyed fans noticed that Pugh did little to no promotion of "Don't Worry Darling" on social media. Pugh also was not involved in any of the film's events besides its premiere at the Venice Film Festival (notably missing the much-memed press conference) and declined to comment about Wilde in a profile on the director in Variety.

At the premiere itself, fans seemed convinced that Pugh refused to make eye contact with Wilde, didn't stand next to her in any photos, and generally seemed unbothered.

Add in the "Miss Flo" comments from a leaked video of Wilde sent to Shia LaBeouf, and we had all the makings of a feud.

"As for all the endless tabloid gossip and all the noise out there, the internet feeds itself. I don't feel the need to contribute; I think it's sufficiently well-nourished," said Wilde during the Venice press conference.

Mounting tensions on the set of 1999's "Three Kings" reportedly led to a physical fight between the film's star, Clooney, and its director, Russell.

According to one of the film's producers, Charles Roven, Clooney was tired from working on both "ER" and "Three Kings" simultaneously, and Russell was experiencing budget pressure from the studio. Reportedly, when Clooney saw Russell yelling at a crew member, it was the final straw. The two engaged in a "tussle," per The Hollywood Reporter.

In a 2000 interview with Playboy, Clooney said Russell's aggression was a widespread problem on set, and that the director also made the script supervisor cry, physically pushed an extra, and embarrassed a camera-car driver. 

After the reports about Harvey Weinstein came out in 2017, stories surfaced about Russell, with former co-workers accusing him of on-set abuse, as reported by Vulture.

It's been 25 years since "Three Kings," but the bad feelings have not disappeared. In an August 2024 GQ profile, Clooney said it was "not worth it" to work with a "miserable" person like Russell, who made every person on set's life difficult.

A video leaked a few years ago shows Russell screaming at Tomlin while filming 2004's "I Heart Huckabees." 

The video is profanity-laden: After Tomlin complains to Russell about his constant re-writing of lines and scenes, he has a complete meltdown. Russell shoves and knocks items over on the set as crew members flee. 

But the episode did not harm Russell and Tomlin's relationship for more than a few hours. She told The Hollywood Reporter in 2015, "We've overcome it. It dissipates and it's gone." The two have said they would gladly work together again.

Schumacher told Entertainment Weekly in 1996 that the two even "had a physical pushing match" on set.

"He was badly behaved, he was rude and inappropriate. I was forced to tell him that this would not be tolerated for one more second. Then we had two weeks where he did not speak to me, but it was bliss," he continued.

Kilmer was eventually replaced in the sequel by George Clooney.

Time did not heal this wound, though — in 2019, 24 years after the film, Schumacher doubled down on their beef. In an interview with Vulture, he called Kilmer "psychotic," though he did admit that he was a "fabulous Batman."

It's unknown if the two reconciled before Schumacher's death in June 2020.

McGregor and Boyle were close friends due to Boyle casting McGregor in his directorial debut "Shallow Grave" and his follow-up, the critically acclaimed "Trainspotting" in 1996.

However, when it came time for Boyle to direct "The Beach" in 2000, he chose Leonardo DiCaprio to be his leading man, instead of McGregor. According to a 2021 interview between McGregor and The Hollywood Reporter, this fractured their relationship for years.

McGregor said the two did not speak for "a long time" and even sat together in a first-class cabin on a transatlantic flight "without exchanging a single word."

"It wasn't handled very well. There was probably both sides to it," McGregor said. "I was upset. But at the same time, it's part of life, it's just part of growing up."

Boyle has said he felt "great shame" about what happened, even admitting that he had given McGregor the impression that the role in "The Beach" would be his.

"I handled it very, very badly, and I've apologized to you," Boyle told McGregor on "The Graham Norton Show" in 2017. "I felt a great shame about it. I was not proud of the way I handled it," Boyle added.

Eventually, the two reconciled and worked together again on the 2017 sequel "T2 Trainspotting."

Dunaway and controversial director Polanski apparently clashed on the set of 1975's "Chinatown."

At one point during filming, Polanski was upset by a stray piece of Dunaway's hair that was ruining his shot, so he walked up to Dunaway and yanked it out of her head. One urban legend even said that Polanski's refusal to allow Dunaway bathroom breaks led to her throwing a cup of her own urine at the director.

Dunaway vehemently denied the urine incident to The Guardian but did tell the Sabotage Times that "the friction between Roman and me began from the start" of filming.

French director Clouzot was well-known in the horror genre during the '50s and '60s. While filming "La Vérité" ("The Truth") in 1960, he wanted his lead actor, Bardot, to realistically fall asleep and drool for a scene. 

So he apparently gave Bardot sleeping pills, claiming that they were painkillers, The Guardian reported. Bardot took too many and ended up having to get her stomach pumped as a result.

After the fact, Bardot called Clouzot "a negative being, forever at odds with himself and the world around him," according to the outlet.

This was just one of many incidents for Clouzot, however, as he reportedly slapped Suzy Delair while filming "Quai des Orfèvres" in 1947.

"The Shining" is one of the most iconic films in American history — and the reported feud between  Duvall and Kubrick is just as infamous.

Kubrick's masterpiece took 13 months to shoot, and every bit of it seems to have been torture for lead actor Shelley Duvall. A perfectionist, Kubrick apparently nitpicked her performance, re-shooting scenes and lines and reaming her in front of the crew for missing cues, reported Rolling Stone. To get real desperation out of Duvall, he apparently filmed one emotionally taxing scene 127 times.

After "The Shining" was released in 1980, Duvall said to critic Roger Ebert, "Going through day after day of excruciating work. Almost unbearable ... in my character I had to cry 12 hours a day, all day long, the last nine months straight, five or six days a week."

Later in her career, though, Duvall celebrated the director. In a video posted to X by the Shelley Duvall Archive, Duvall (who died in July 2024) said she "wouldn't trade the experience" of shooting the film "for anything" because of Kubrick. "It was a fascinating learning experience," she said.

"American History X" got off to a rough start: Controversial British director Kaye didn't even want to hire Norton to play the lead, but he told The Guardian in 2002 that he "couldn't find anyone better."

Norton and Kaye reportedly began to clash when the film was being edited. Kaye's 95-minute cut was not favorably received by New Line Cinema and Norton, who both began to offer Kaye some notes — and he did not take the suggestions well, reported Den of Geek.

Entertainment Weekly reported in 1998 that Kaye was so furious with Norton that he punched a wall and broke his hand. Kaye also threatened to replace his director's credit with the name Humpty Dumpty. Kaye even called Norton "a narcissistic dilettante" to the outlet.

Norton has never spoken publicly about Kaye.

Bay and Fox openly slammed each other in the press, and the animosity seems to have started on the set of "Transformers" in 2007.

In a 2009 interview with Wonderland magazine, Fox said of her director, "[Bay] wants to create this insane, infamous mad-man reputation. He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is ... He has no social skills at all. It's endearing to watch him. He's so vulnerable and fragile in real life and then on set, he's a tyrant."

Members of Bay's "Transformers" crew retaliated by writing an open letter that year that called Fox "the queen of talking trailer trash and posing like a porn star," reported Deadline.

Fox was then fired from the "Transformers" franchise in 2011 and replaced with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

The two eventually buried the hatchet, and Fox starred in Bay's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" film in 2014.

"I've always loved Michael," Fox told Entertainment Weekly that year. "We've had our battles in the past but even when I've been really outspoken about difficulties we've had, I've always followed up by saying that I have a particular affinity to him."

Hedren ascended to stardom after scoring lead roles in Hitchcock's "The Birds" and "Marnie." But Hedren later told Variety that the director made unwanted sexual advances on her throughout the filming of "The Birds" in 1963 — and threatened her career if she didn't comply. 

Hedren repeatedly rebuffed his advances. She said, "When he told me that he would ruin me, I just told him to do what he had to do. I went out of the door and slammed it so hard that I looked back to see if it was still on its hinges."

According to Hedren, the inappropriate behavior continued on the set of "Marnie." At one point, Hitchcock and Hedren were in the back of a limousine, and she said he lunged at her, begging her to kiss him.

"It was absolutely awful, and as soon as the movie 'Marnie' was over, I was out of there," Hedren said. "That was the end of the Hitchcock relationship."

In a now-infamous Vanity Fair interview from 2008, Heigl insulted her "Knocked Up" director, Apatow, by calling the movie "a little sexist." 

Heigl went on to express discontent with her character's personality in the film: "It paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight," she told the magazine. "It paints the men as lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys."

Both Apatow and Heigl's costar, Seth Rogen, did not take this critique well. Apatow commented on Heigl's lack of an apology on "The Howard Stern Show" in 2009, saying, "[You'd think] at some point I'll get a call saying, 'Sorry, I was tired ...' and then the call never comes." 

The incident dampened Heigl's career, leading her to apologize (via the press) in 2016. In 2017, Apatow told Vulture he still hasn't spoken to Heigl since the Vanity Fair interview came out a decade ago.

In 2021, Heigl spoke to The Washington Post about being branded as "difficult" in Hollywood after her "Knocked Up" comments.

"I may have said a couple of things you didn't like, but then that escalated to 'she's ungrateful,' then that escalated to 'she's difficult,' and that escalated to 'she's unprofessional,'" she said. "What is your definition of difficult? Somebody with an opinion that you don't like?"

Smith discussed the making of the 2010 film "Cop Out" on an episode of "WTF with Marc Maron" in 2011, almost a year after its release. He told the comedian that one of the stars of the film wouldn't sit for a poster photo shoot — and once Maron pressed the director for a name, he let loose.

The "Mallrats" director confirmed that it definitely wasn't Tracy Morgan," who he called "a dream" and said he would "lay down in traffic for."

"Were it not for Tracy, I might've killed myself or someone else in the making of that movie," Smith said. "It was difficult. I've never been involved in a situation like that where one component is not in the box at all." He added it was "soul-crushing."

Wills, for his part, kept it simple in his response. "Poor Kevin. He's just a whiner," he told Time Out in 2013.

However, the two seem to have squashed their beef. Almost a decade later, in 2019, Smith told a story on his podcast, "Fatman Beyond," about the action star texting him to ask for his address, as Willis had some pictures he wanted to send Smith.

"Reach out to an old friend or to someone you never thought would be a friend again. You never know what bridges you can mend," said Smith.

In 2022, Willis' family announced the actor was stepping back from acting after he was diagnosed with aphasia, and the director had some kind words to say on X. "Long before any of the Cop Out stuff, I was a big Bruce Willis fan - so this is really heartbreaking to read," he wrote. He also expressed regret for his previous comments.

Murray and Ramis were longtime friends and "Ghostbusters" costars, but they had a bitter falling out on the set of Ramis' 1993 film "Groundhog Day."

Murray was the star of the film, and, according to Ramis' daughter Violet's book "Ghostbuster's Daughter: Life With My Dad, Harold Ramis," his behavior became increasingly erratic while shooting —  he was repeatedly late to set and threw many a tantrum. The issue came to a head when Ramis, at one point, is said to have grabbed Murray by the collar and shoved him against a wall.

Ramis' daughter also wrote that "Bill was going through a difficult time in his personal life, and he and my dad were not seeing eye to eye on the tone of the film."

She added, "Eventually, Bill just completely shut my dad out ... for the next 20-plus years."

Ramis became terminally ill in 2010, and it was then that Murray extended an olive branch, arriving at Ramis' house with a police escort and a dozen doughnuts. The two were friends until Ramis' death in 2014.

Kinski was known for being a difficult actor to work with, and this seemed to prove true for director Herzog on the set of "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" in 1972. 

Kinski and Herzog began to disagree about how Kinski should play his character, and Kinski became defiant. He reportedly threw wild tantrums on set and constantly threatened to quit the production. In one of the latter instances, Herzog is said to have held Kinski at gunpoint in order to make him stay, reported Indiewire.

The two went on to work together four more times, and Herzog made a documentary about their mercurial, decadeslong friendship called "My Best Fiend" in 1999.

Both Björk and von Trier won many awards and accolades for their 2000 indie film "Dancer in the Dark." But in light of the #MeToo movement, Björk claimed in 2017 that von Trier made unwanted sexual advances at her during filming. 

In a series of Facebook posts, Björk alleged that von Trier made "unwanted whispered sexual offers from him with graphic descriptions," and he threatened to "climb from his room's balcony in the middle of the night with a clear sexual intention." 

Von Trier denied the claims, saying that sexual harassment was "not the case. But that we were definitely not friends, that's a fact," reported The Guardian.

Carney blasted Knightley in a 2016 interview with The Independent after their film "Begin Again" was released, calling her a "supermodel" who was unable to capture the essence of her musician character.

Carney said, "Keira's thing is to hide who you are and I don't think you can be an actor and do that ... being a film actor requires a certain level of honesty and self-analysis that I don't think she's ready for yet, and I certainly don't think she was ready for on that film." 

Directors rallied to defend the Oscar-nominated actor on Twitter (now X), calling her "utterly spectacular" and "a joy" to work with. Carney then issued an apology on X in 2016, saying, "Keira was nothing but professional and dedicated during that film and she contributed hugely to its success." 

In 2019, Knightley revealed in an interview with the Irish Times that Carney had privately apologized to her, and she had accepted it.

"It was a very difficult shoot. We didn't get on. It's just a thing that happens sometimes and I say that with no blame. It takes two to tango," she said. "I think we can both be very proud of ourselves for the film that we made because it's difficult when a lead actor and director don't get on. And I don't think you could tell that from watching the film."

Anderson hit it big with his critically adored second film, "Boogie Nights," in 1997. But Reynolds, who won a Golden Globe for his performance, never saw the film.

Reynolds told GQ in 2015 that he and Anderson clashed on set, personality-wise. He found Anderson to be too pleased with his own ability, saying they butted heads "mostly because he was young and full of himself. Every shot we did, it was like the first time [that shot had ever been done]." 

Anderson extended an olive branch by offering Reynolds a part in his next film, "Magnolia," but Reynolds told The Guardian he declined the offer, saying, "I'd done my picture with Paul Thomas Anderson; that was enough for me."

Basinger spoke to The New York Times in 1986 about the grueling experience of shooting the erotic drama "9 1/2 Weeks."

Basinger was reportedly bullied by director Lyne, who also convinced costar Mickey Rourke to completely ignore Basinger off-camera in order to add to the duo's intensity on-screen. Lyne said to the Times, "In order for her to be angry I would rage at her and she would rage back at me."

It wasn't until after "9 1/2 Weeks" was released that Basinger realized the level of manipulation that was happening on set. She reflected, "Mickey was egging me on — I hated him sometimes. I got confused. I didn't know who I was after a while. My husband [Ron Snyder] and I had a bad time during this movie."

Even though Basinger said there were times she was ready to quit the movie, she holds firm that the experience — and the final product — were worthwhile.

Though the scene depicting the rape of Schneider's character was in the script for "Last Tango in Paris," director Bertolucci created a disturbing last-minute addendum.

Bertolucci and actor Marlon Brando had the idea of using a stick of butter as a lubricant for the scene, but they apparently didn't warn Schneider beforehand because Bertolucci wanted "her reaction as a girl, not as an actress," he said in 2013.

In 2007, a few years before her death in 2011, Schneider told The Daily Mail that the scene felt real to her. "Marlon said to me: 'Maria, don't worry, it's just a movie,' but during the scene, even though what Marlon was doing wasn't real, I was crying real tears," she said.

Bertolucci said Schneider hated him for years after the film, and "Last Tango In Paris" received renewed media attention in 2016 before the #MeToo movement, as celebrities — both actors and actresses — rallied to defend Schneider on X.

On December 24, Ryan Seacrest will turn 50.

Two years ago, Seacrest celebrated his birthday with a family gathering and playing games with balloon animals, according to Instagram.

Ricky Martin's 53rd birthday is on December 24, 2024.

To get into the Christmas spirit, Martin voiced a character in the Netflix holiday film "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey."

The most famous expert on infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, will turn 84 on Christmas Eve.

Fauci was born on December 24, 1940 — and while he might not have been a huge celebrity for the first seven decades of his life, Decade No. 8 is shaping up to be his busiest ever.

Louis Tomlinson's 33rd birthday is on Christmas Eve.

Tomlinson is the oldest member of One Direction, and the oldest of seven siblings.

Jimmy Buffett would have celebrated his 78th birthday on December 25, 2024.

Buffett died in September 2023 at the age of 76.

Of the many, many, albums Buffett released over his decadeslong career, he put out two Christmas albums: 1996's "Christmas Island" and 2016's "'Tis the SeaSon."

"Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer will celebrate her 51st birthday on Christmas Eve.

In 2020, Meyer released the eighth installment in the "Twilight" saga, "Midnight Sun," a re-telling of the first "Twilight" book from Edward's perspective.

Lee Daniels turns the big 6-5 on December 24 this year.

The Oscar-nominated director is celebrating his 65th birthday this year, 19 years after his directorial debut, "Shadowboxer."

Barbara Mandrell's 76th birthday is this Christmas Day.

The iconic country singer released a Christmas album in 1984, "Christmas at Our House."

Jeremy Strong was born 46 years ago on Christmas Day, 1978.

The "Succession" star has a few things to celebrate this year. He's been receiving awards buzz for his performance as Roy Cohn in "The Apprentice" and won a Tony for his role in "An Enemy of the People."

Sissy Spacek's 75th birthday is on Christmas Day.

The Oscar winner starred in the 2008 Christmas rom-com "Four Christmases."

On December 25, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau turns 53.

At 43 years old, Trudeau was the second-youngest prime minister in Canadian history when he was elected in November 2015.

Dido will also turn 53 on Christmas Day this year.

The British singer takes a page out of Paddington Bear's book to celebrate her birthday — since Christmas is already a holiday, she celebrates her birthday on June 25, according to The Guardian.

Annie Lennox's 70th birthday is on Christmas Day.

The "Walking on Broken Glass" singer released her first and only Christmas album, "A Christmas Cornucopia," in 2010.

Danish supermodel Helena Christensen will turn 56 on December 25, 2024.

Christensen first gained mainstream recognition 35 years ago when she starred in the music video for Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game."

There have been four movies set in the world of "Mad Max," a postapocalyptic future where the entire planet looks like a desert and society has almost completely broken down — and we can't get enough.

The 2015 installment, "Mad Max: Fury Road," introduced audiences to Imperator Furiosa (played by Charlize Theron), a general who fights against the tyrannical Immortan Joe (played by Hugh Keays-Byrne) to free his enslaved wives.

As "Fury Road" is technically a "Mad Max" movie, we spend more time with Max (played by Tom Hardy in "Fury Road" and originally played by Mel Gibson in the first three), but everyone left the theater wanting more Furiosa.

While "Furiosa" may not have been a hit at the box office, it was still so great to be back in the world created by director George Miller. Anya Taylor-Joy did a solid job as Furiosa, but it was Chris Hemsworth's performance as Dementus that we couldn't stop thinking about.

"The Godfather Part II," released in 1974, is both a sequel and a prequel to 1972's "The Godfather." The film simultaneously follows Al Pacino's Michael Corleone as he assumes the role of don in the Corleone crime family after the death of his father Vito, and tells viewers the origin story of a young Vito (played by Robert De Niro) as he immigrates to New York City from Italy.

Comparing and contrasting Vito and Michael at similar ages is a fascinating look into each of their personalities, and the film keeps viewers equally invested in both as they rise to power.

The less we say about "The Godfather Part III," the better.

In our opinion, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again," released in 2018, is far superior to the 2008 original film. Why? Because it somehow follows "The Godfather Part II's" playbook and is both a sequel and a prequel.

While we watch a grown-up Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) struggle to finally open her mother Donna's hotel in the present, we also get to look back at how a young Donna (played by the effervescent Lily James) met the three very handsome men, any one of whom could be Sophie's father.

It shouldn't work, but it does. All we know is that — even if it doesn't make sense — we need both James and Meryl Streep back for the rumored third film.

"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," released in 1966, was the third and final film of director Sergio Leone's "Dollars Trilogy," which began with 1964's "A Fistful of Dollars."

But "The Good..." is actually a prequel, as it depicts Clint Eastwood's character (known simply as The Man with No Name) gaining the iconic items of clothing he wears in the other two films, and it explicitly takes place during the Civil War, while the others seem a bit more modern.

However, you don't need to see "Fistful" or its 1965 sequel to understand why "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" rules. It's a staple of the spaghetti Western genre, Eastwood is as good as he's ever been, and the film's theme is still iconic almost 60 years later.

Yes, "Temple of Doom," released in 1984, takes place before 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark," even though characters from "Temple of Doom" (e.g. Ke Huy Quan's Short Round or Kate Capshaw's Willie Scott) are not mentioned in "Raiders" or "Last Crusade."

Instead, "Temple of Doom" is a rip-roaring adventure following archaeologist/treasure hunter Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) as he goes up against a religious sect that uses enslaved children and rips out human hearts while trying to save a rural village that's been cursed.

"Temple of Doom" has not aged well in all aspects (its depiction of Indian food and culture is abysmal), and it doesn't really provide any context about Indy's early life — you'd have to watch the prologue of "Last Crusade" to see River Phoenix playing a younger version of the character — it's still worth the watch for the mine car chase, Ford's delivery of "We are going to die," and the ludicrous plane-crash scene. 

"Rogue One" is a prequel that explains exactly one plot point from the first "Star Wars" movie, originally released in 1977. Almost 40 years later, in 2016, fans finally got the answer to this question: How did the Rebels get access to the schematics of the Death Star?

Now we know: The daughter of an Empire engineer, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), teamed up with a ragtag crew comprised of a spy named Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a reprogrammed Imperial droid named K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), a blind believer in the Force and his best friend (Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen), and a former Imperial pilot who turned good (Riz Ahmed), to steal the plans from an Imperial base on a suicide mission.

"Rogue One" is such an effective prequel because it almost immediately gets you invested in these characters, and you already know the stakes because of the original trilogy — the fate of the galaxy is at stake.

If that wasn't enough prequel action for you, don't fret. The Disney+ series "Andor" is itself a prequel to "Rogue One."

It all led to this: "Revenge of the Sith," released in 2005, finally showed "Star Wars" fans how exactly Jedi prodigy Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) turned into one of the most terrifying villains of all time, Darth Vader.

The final confrontation between Anakin and his erstwhile mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), has basically become a meme at this point, but when you rewatch the movie, it still hits. These two actors are both operating at the top of their game, and you really feel the heartbreak coming from both of them.

This film almost makes the mediocre first two films in the prequel trilogy (more on them later) worth it.

After the truly mind-boggling events of 2017's "Transformers: The Last Knight," which introduced the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin to the mythology, it was time to take the franchise back to basics.

And one year later, they did by releasing "Bumblebee," which takes the story back to 1987 and focuses on 18-year-old Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld). Charlie, who has just lost her father, finds Bumblebee in a scrapyard and begins to bond with him.

The stakes are a little lower, the lore is a lot more digestible, and Steinfeld is easily the best protagonist the franchise has ever seen.

In 2023, "Rise of the Beasts" was released. It's a bigger story than "Bumblebee" but not as incoherent as "Last Knight" or "Dark Side of the Moon." It also has a way more compelling cast of characters, led by Anthony Ramos as Noah Diaz, Dominique Fishback as Elena Wallace, and Pete Davidson as Mirage.

Again, this movie is a prequel to the original films, taking place mainly in 1994 and largely ignoring the events of both "Bumblebee" and the later films.

It's a fun time at the movies for anyone who simply likes to turn off their brain and watch giant robots beat each other up.

In 2024, audiences were treated to yet another movie focusing on the Transformers; this time it was an animated prequel about the origins of Optimus Prime, voiced by Chris Hemsworth, his best-friend-turned-archnemesis Megatron, voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, and Bumblebee, voiced by Keegan-Michael Key.

To put it plainly: This movie rocks. The voice casting is impeccable, the animation is beautiful, and the story is genuinely compelling.

The "X-Men" franchise has one of the most complicated chronologies in movie history — and much of that is made even more confusing with the events of 2014's "Days of Future Past," which sees characters from the original "X-Men" film go back in time to link up with the characters introduced in 2011's "X-Men: First Class" to change the future and hopefully save all of mutant-kind.

But even with that complicated setup, this movie is a lot of fun.

Seeing Hugh Jackman's Wolverine interact with the younger version of his mentor Professor X (played by James McAvoy) and his arch-enemy Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is entertaining, and the happy ending they manage to pull off for almost everyone feels earned.

"Monsters University" was released in 2013, 12 years after we last saw Sulley and Mike, our resident scarers (and later comedians).

The ending of "Monsters, Inc." should never be touched — it's perfect — so when it was announced that another film in this universe was coming, fans were a bit nervous. But the filmmakers managed to avoid ruining the end of "Monsters, Inc." by instead showing us how best friends Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sulley (John Goodman) met while they were attending Monsters University.

Fans get some genuine insight into how this world works, how Mike and Sulley were able to bond even though they're total opposites, and even how their beef with Randall (Steve Buscemi) started.

And before you ask: No, "Lightyear" isn't a prequel.

The world of "Alien" is a big one — that's why there have been seven movies, with a TV show on the way next year.

While 2012's "Prometheus" takes place in the same universe as "Alien," its 2017 sequel "Alien: Covenant" directly ties into the events of the earlier films by essentially retelling the events of 1979's "Alien." But this time, it explains how the horrifying xenomorphs were actually created by the evil Weyland-Yutani Corporation and how learning to control these creatures has always been their plan.

Also, we have to shout out Michael Fassbender, whose dual performance as Walter and David is the highlight of this movie. Creepy androids are an important part of the "Alien" franchise, and he knocked it out of the park.

"The Wizard of Oz" remains one of the greatest films of all time, even though it was released 85 years ago. That's probably enough of a reason to leave this story alone, but instead, there have been many attempts to create a worthy sequel of the film — none of them have lived up to the original.

Sadly, neither does 2013's prequel "Oz the Great and Powerful," starring James Franco as the titular Oz. Part of the fun of "The Wizard of Oz" is that you don't really know how the Wizard got to Oz, and that mystery adds to the fantastical vibes of the land of Oz.

But if you watch "Oz," you'll learn all about Oscar's career as a scam artist, how he manipulated everyone around him, and how he inadvertently created the Wicked Witch of the East.

It's not a horrible movie, but it kind of diminishes the magic of the original film, and for that, it's unnecessary.

We know that anti-heroes are all the rage, but did Disney really expect us to start siding with a woman who wanted to skin 101 Dalmatian puppies for a coat? This 2021 film gives Cruella de Vil, the villain of the 1961 animated film, a convoluted back story in which she clashes with a legendary fashion designer known only as the Baroness (Emma Thompson).

It is fun to watch Stone and Thompson face off, the fashion is to die for, and it's overall a solid movie ... but there's no reason for it to exist. We didn't need to know any more about Cruella — and we definitely don't need a sequel.

Simply put: "The Hobbit" films (2012's "An Unexpected Journey," 2013's "The Desolation of Smaug," and 2014's "The Battle of the Five Armies") are slow. While the first three "Lord of the Rings" movies are based on a 1,200-page tome, "The Hobbit" films are based on a 300-page novel (that's downright cute in comparison).

Maybe "The Hobbit," which starred Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, would've worked as a single film, but there was no reason for the story to be stretched out across three films — especially when we know exactly how it ends thanks to Bilbo's appearances in "Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Return of the King," as played by Ian Holm.

We'll see if "The Hunt for Gollum" is a more worthy prequel — the jury's still out on "The War of the Rohirrim."

"300," the 2006 historical epic, isn't exactly a work of cinematic art, but it is entertaining, and spawned many a meme and much interest in ancient Sparta.

However, "Rise of an Empire," released in 2014, is both a prequel and a sequel and also takes place during the events of "300." You could argue it bites off more than it can chew. Plus, in our opinion, Sullivan Stapleton does not hold the screen the same way Gerard Butler does.

As The New York Times' Nicolas Rapold put it, "Rise of an Empire" "[lacks] the momentum and bombastic je ne sais quoi of '300.'"

The 1982 John Carpenter classic "The Thing" was negatively reviewed upon its release, but it has since been reappraised as one of the best sci-fi/horror films of all time. The special effects alone remain horrifying 42 years later.

The 2011 prequel, also called "The Thing," leads viewers right up to the first moments of the 1982 film, which completely removes the stakes — you know that everyone in the film is toast.

As many critics noted, the 2011 version also didn't really deviate from the source material. NME's Owen Nicholls wrote, "The real mess lies in the fact that from Plot Point One until Act III we're treading over all-too-familiar snow prints."

Just watch the original.

Think back to 1999 — the first "Star Wars" movie in 16 years is about to be released. You can't wait to see how director George Lucas is going to show fans how the Jedi chosen one, Anakin Skywalker, became the space fascist known as Darth Vader.

You sit down with popcorn to view "The Phantom Menace" ... and you watch a movie that's about track blockades, contains a scientific explanation for the Force, and portrays the future Darth Vader as a whiny kid.

Three years later, in 2002, you sit down once again to see "Attack of the Clones." Maybe they've course-corrected — but no. Now you have a whiny teenage Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi acting even more incompetently than they did in "Phantom Menace," and a movie that's just as boring. There's not a Han Solo-level character to be found.

Skipping to "Revenge of the Sith" is the best way to view "Star Wars," trust us.

"The Scorpion King" is just a bad movie. The CGI is bad, the Rock hasn't mastered his on-screen persona yet (read: he does not have a personality in this movie), and there's really no reason we needed to see the Scorpion King's origin story: There's a scene dedicated to his origin story in "The Mummy Returns," and that tells us everything we need to know.

It's a testament to Johnson's charisma because if this had been anyone else's first leading role, their career would've been over.

Prequels like this are tricky to pull off — we know that Taka will turn into the villainous Scar, who will one day push his brother off a cliff to his death, an act that traumatized so many '90s and 2000s kids. So, it's hard to get invested in him as a cute cub when we know what his future holds.

Similarly, it's hard to get invested in the action when we know that basically every character on screen will be fine. There are so many scenes where Mufasa almost falls off a cliff, which is supposed to be foreshadowing but also has no dramatic tension since we know he will be OK (for now).

The animation is better than in 2019's "Lion King" remake. However, it's still somewhat in the uncanny valley zone, and it's always going to be easier animating a cartoon lion to have expressions than a photorealistic one. If you're really in need of a "Lion King" sequel, check out "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride."

Shepherd was a well-known radio personality, comedian, writer, and storyteller by the time "A Christmas Story" was released. The film is based on a set of short stories that were first published in Playboy before he compiled them into the collection "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash" in 1966, per CBS.

Other elements of the film were taken from his 1971 collection "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters."

Besides narrating the film, Shepherd also cowrote "A Christmas Story" with his wife, Leigh Brown, and the film's director, Bob Clark.

Shepherd and Brown appear in the scene where Ralphie and his brother Randy meet Santa at the department store Higbee's.

Clark plays one of Ralphie's neighbors who questions the
Old Man about the famous Leg Lamp.

This wasn't the first holiday film Clark worked on — he directed the Christmas-themed slasher "Black Christmas" in 1974.

Vanity Fair reported there was friction between Clark and Shepherd. Shepherd, for his part, was protective of his characters, while Clark was concerned with finishing the project on time and under budget — so he barred Shepherd from the set.

"Shepherd was a perfectionist with his own material, but Bob Clark had a budget and a schedule that he had to meet, and he already figured out how this all should be done, and he couldn't have Shepherd constantly interrupting," Shepherd's biographer Eugene Bergman told the publication.

The first theatrical sequel, "My Summer Story," was released in 1994, and was once again directed by Bob Clark. However, almost no one from the original cast reprised their roles.

Ralphie — originally portrayed by Peter Billingsley — was played by none other than Kieran Culkin, while his parents were played by Charles Grodin and Mary Steenburgen in roles that were originated by Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon.

The only returning actor was Tedde Moore as Ralphie's teacher.

In 2012, "A Christmas Story 2" was released. It ignored the events of "My Summer Story" and once again starred an entirely new cast.

Ten years later, most of the surviving cast reunited for "A Christmas Story Christmas," which is a direct sequel to the original, and follows 42-year-old Ralphie as he comes home for Christmas after the death of his father.

It's easy to see the connections — "A Christmas Story" is told mainly from the point of view of 9-year-old Ralphie, who deals with an annoying brother, a somewhat strict mother, and a distant but loving father. It's also narrated by an older version of Ralphie.

That's basically the setup of "The Wonder Years," down to the older version of the main character narrating. It premiered in 1988, five years after "A Christmas Story" was released.

The connection was so strong that Billingsley himself had a cameo in the final two episodes of the show as a friend of main character Kevin (Fred Savage).

Astin and Wheaton were two of the biggest child stars of the '80s.

But in 1983, neither was that well-known. Wheaton's big break came in 1986's "Stand By Me" before he was cast in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1987.

For his part, Astin starred in the 1985 adventure classic "The Goonies" before appearing in films such as "Toy Soldiers" (also starring Wheaton!) and, most famously, "The Lord of the Rings."

Wheaton wrote about his experience seeing Astin and Billingsley at auditions on his blog in 2001.

"I sort of knew Peter [Billingsley] because we'd been on so many auditions together, but I was always a little star-struck when I saw him," he wrote.

Throughout the film, all Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle.

But this gun never actually existed. The Red Ryder model didn't have the sundial (the "thing that tells time") or a compass that Ralphie's ideal gun had, but a different model manufactured by Daisy Outdoor Products did. So, the gun had to be constructed specifically for the film.

In 2020, Daisy finally released an official replica of the "Christmas Story" rifle, aptly titled the Christmas Dream.

Clark said he "loved" Nicholson, but was glad he didn't get the part "because Darren [McGavin] is the Old Man," according to Vanity Fair.

For context, this movie came out the same year as "Terms of Endearment," and just three years after "The Shining" — it might have been difficult to see Nicholson as a wholesome father figure.

In the beginning of the film, Ralphie has a dream sequence where he saves his family from a gang of outlaws, and you can clearly see he's got a hunk of what's supposed to be chewing tobacco in his bottom lip.

You might think that a kid wouldn't be given real dip, but you'd be wrong. Billingsley told Vanity Fair that a propman on the set gave him some chewing tobacco, and within a few minutes he was profusely sweating and the entire set had to be shut down.

"We shut down for an hour or so, when I just had to lie down on the couch. This was long before they knew what to do with kid actors," he said.

For the rest of the shoot, the kids were given ground-up raisins.

Shepherd's hometown was Hammond, the only city in Indiana to border Chicago. The film uses a real street in Hammond, Hohman Avenue, as the inspiration for its name.

"A Christmas Story" was originally released on November 18, 1983, a full month before Christmas. It never topped the box office and was out of theaters by the middle of December, which meant people couldn't even see the movie during the peak of the holiday season.

But the legacy of "A Christmas Story" was just getting started. It became a true cable classic — so much so that TNT and TBS each play the film for 24 hours straight on Christmas Day, and at various other times during December, meaning that millions more people have seen it on TV than ever did at the cinema.

"A Christmas Story: The Musical" had two limited runs on Broadway for the 2012 and 2013 holiday seasons.

Funnily enough, strengthening the connection between "A Christmas Story" and "The Wonder Years," Dan Lauria — best known as Kevin's father on "The Wonder Years" — originated the role of Jean Shepherd on Broadway.

The house, which is located in Cleveland, has been turned into a museum. It's been restored to look exactly like it did during the production of the movie and houses authentic props and costumes from the movie.

Super-fans are also able to spend a night in the Parkers' home.

Of course, there's also an online gift shop if you want to purchase your own leg lamp.

Favreau and Billingsley are frequent collaborators. Billingsley has been credited as a producer or executive producer on six movies that Favreau has directed or starred in: "Made," "Elf," "Zathura," "The Break-Up," "Iron Man," and "Four Christmases."

Billingsley's 2009 directorial debut, "Couples Retreat," was cowritten by Favreau, who also stars in the film.

"Carry-On" is essentially "Die Hard" in an airport — don't worry, "Die Hard" also appears on this list. It stars Taron Egerton as a lone TSA worker who is blackmailed into helping a terrorist known only as The Traveler (Jason Bateman) smuggle nerve gas onto a plane, all while his wife, Nora (Sofia Carson), is being held hostage.

What else could you ask for? We ranked this as our favorite of Netflix's six new holiday films this year. It should not be missed.

"Carry-On" is streaming on Netflix.

When Liam, a sixth-grader who has dyslexia, accidentally addresses his letter to "Satan" instead of "Santa," hijinks ensue. Instead of St. Nick, Satan, a low-level demon played by Jack Black, shows up to help Liam gain back some confidence ... for the low price of his soul, of course.

Anyone who loves to see Black going wild should fire this movie up. It will not disappoint.

"Dear Santa" is streaming on Paramount+.

In the world of "Red One," Santa Claus (JK Simmons) is totally ripped and loves to lift weights. He's also protected by a Secret Service-esque agency that knows him by the codename Red One. When Santa is kidnapped, his best agent, Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), teams up with a talented hacker and bounty hunter, Jack O'Malley (Chris Evans), to get him back.

"Red One" is streaming on Prime Video.

"Violent Night" stars David Harbour as Santa Claus, but not like any Santa you've seen before. When a rich family is targeted by a band of mercenaries at their mansion on Christmas Eve, Santa decides to stick around and take them down.

The mercenaries all have Christmas-themed code names, including their leader Scrooge, played by the always-great John Leguizamo.

If you're looking for some very visceral action and a Santa who used to be a bloodthirsty Viking, turn on your TV now.

"Violent Night" is streaming on Starz.

"Die Hard," released in 1988, stars Bruce Willis as John McClane, an NYPD detective traveling to Los Angeles to attend his estranged wife's holiday party at her building, Nakatomi Plaza. That same night, radical German terrorist Hans Gruber, played by Alan Rickman, decides to execute his plan to take the entire building hostage to steal hundreds of millions of dollars.

There's been much debate over the years whether "Die Hard" is a real Christmas movie, or a movie that just happens to take place on Christmas Eve.

Whichever side you fall on, it works as a thrilling action movie.

"Die Hard" is steaming on Disney+, Hulu, and Tubi.

The sequel to 1989's "Batman," 1992's "Batman Returns" stars Michael Keaton once again as Bruce Wayne, aka Batman. This time, he's joined by Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, Danny DeVito as the Penguin, and Christopher Walken as sleazy businessman Max Shreck.

Director Tim Burton's gothic version of Gotham City is all decked out for the holidays in "Batman Returns," covered in snow, Christmas lights, and a huge tree.

Plus, one of the most famous lines from the movie involves the potentially lethal nature of mistletoe.

This sequel isn't for the faint of heart, with the Penguin's overall disgusting vibe, the multiple attempted murders of Catwoman, and the overall dour vibes of Gotham City.

"Batman Returns" is streaming on Max.

In the 2003 black comedy "Bad Santa," Billy Bob Thornton plays Willie, a small-time crook who secures a gig as a mall Santa every year — and this year, it works out in his favor as he meets Sue (played by Lauren Graham), a woman with a full-blown Santa fetish.

Along the way, Willie meets a young boy, Thurman, who he takes under his wing, gets blackmailed by a mall security guard (played by Bernie Mac), and learns a bit about the meaning of Christmas.

The less we say about 2016's "Bad Santa 2," the better.

"Bad Santa" is streaming on Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

A true '80s classic, "Gremlins" is the tale of Billy Peltzer, played by Zach Galligan, who receives a mogwai for Christmas from his dad, accompanied by three simple rules: Don't expose the mogwai to sunlight; don't let it touch water; and don't let it eat after midnight.

Of course, everything goes wrong, the entire town is invaded by gremlins on Christmas Eve, and more than one person dies at the hands of Stripe, Gizmo, and the rest of them.

"Gremlins" and its sequel "Gremlins 2: The New Batch" are both quintessential anti-Christmas Christmas movies.

"Gremlins"  and "Gremlins 2" are streaming on Max.

Starring Adam Scott and Toni Collette, 2015's "Krampus" follows the Engel family, who are more than a little dysfunctional. When Max, the youngest son and the only true believer in Santa, curses his family and loses his Christmas spirit, he inadvertently summons Krampus, a horned demon that punishes any family that doesn't respect the holidays.

Come for the surprisingly solid cast, stay for the festively gruesome kills and German folklore.

"Krampus" is streaming on Peacock and Max.

"Black Christmas," released in 1974, is a true '70s slasher. It follows three sorority sisters who are targeted by a mysterious caller only known as "The Moaner," who terrorizes them just before they're set to go home for Christmas break.

There won't be anything bloodier and less jolly on this list than "Black Christmas," but it has staying power — the film was remade in 2006 and 2019, though neither is as good as the original.

"Black Christmas" is streaming for free on various websites, including Peacock, Prime Video, Tubi, Crackle, YouTube, and more.

A California Christmas is already an odd combination, as many associate the holidays with cold temperatures, snow, and general coziness, not 85-degree weather, shorts, and sunshine.

Add in a dark criminal conspiracy, a thief played by Robert Downey Jr., a gay detective played by Val Kilmer, and a childhood crush played by Michelle Monaghan, and you have a solid neo-noir on your hands — and yes, it takes place at Christmas.

"Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" is available to rent online.

Starring Ella Hunt as Anna, a student who is planning to take a gap year before university, "Anna and the Apocalypse," released in 2017, is like "High School Musical" meets "Shaun of the Dead" meets Christmas.

Anna and her friends, on the night of their school's Christmas show, discover that their town (and later country) has been infected by a zombie virus ... all while singing about their feelings.

A particularly memorable set piece takes place at a Christmas tree warehouse.

"Anna and the Apocalypse" is streaming on Tubi, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel.

With a cast of A-listers like Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron, and Gary Sinise, 2000's "Reindeer Games" is filled with action, multiple plot twists, stolen identities, and Affleck dressed up as Santa attempting to rob a casino.

"Ocean's 11" this is not, but "Reindeer Games" provides the laughs and only a little bit of Christmas cheesiness at the end.

"Reindeer Games" is streaming on Paramount+.

Geena Davis plays Samantha Caine, a schoolteacher with amnesia who discovers she has the skills of an expert assassin. To figure out who she really is, she hires a private investigator named Mitch Henessey (Samuel L. Jackson). 

"The Long Kiss Goodnight," released in 1996, also has an iconic action set piece at a Christmas parade where Davis dresses up as Mrs. Claus, if you needed any more convincing to turn this on.

"The Long Kiss Goodnight" is streaming on Pluto TV.

Sin-Dee Rella, played by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, meets up with her friend Alexandra, played by Mya Taylor, on Christmas Eve, soon after she was released from prison. This 2015 film follows the two friends on their Hollywood escapades over the next few days as they catch up, look for clients, support each other's work, and more.

"Tangerine" is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

"The Ice Harvest," released in 2005, stars John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton as unlikely allies who team up to steal from their mobster boss, played by Randy Quaid. When the two are stuck in town due to icy roads, they're left to their own devices to entertain themselves in Wichita, Kansas, during the holiday season.

Rounding out the cast is Connie Nielsen as a woman who runs a strip club in town (and is the object of Cusack's affection), Oliver Platt as one of Cusack's friends, and Mike Starr as a mob enforcer.

"The Ice Harvest" is available to rent online.

The 1987 film "Lethal Weapon" is the story of LAPD narcotics sergeant Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and homicide sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) teaming up to take down a criminal conspiracy. It's also another California Christmas film.

Throughout the film, there are many reminders of the holiday season, including lights, Christmas trees — and frequent shootings, murders, and more. But it can still be considered a holiday classic!

"Lethal Weapon" is streaming on Hulu.

The Belgian city of Bruges has never looked better than in this 2008 film, as it's decorated for the holidays — too bad its charms are wasted on Ray (Farrell), who compares being in Bruges to being in hell.

This is a story of redemption and friendship, as Gleeson's character Ken sticks by his friend, even after Ray accidentally kills a kid.

If you enjoyed "The Banshees of Inisherin," which recently starred Farrell and Gleeson, try watching their first collaboration.

"In Bruges" is available to rent online.

"The Wolf of Wall Street," directed by Martin Scorsese, is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort and his escapades as the leader of a stock brokerage firm that ended up breaking federal laws. The movie was well-received by both critics and audiences, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

"'The Wolf of Wall Street' is a magnificent black comedy: fast, funny, and remarkably filthy," wrote The Atlantic.

"Oppenheimer," one-half of the biggest movie phenomenon of last year ("Barbenheiemer"), stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb.

The film follows Oppenheimer from his time as a university student in the United Kingdom through World War II and the atomic bomb detonations, the security clearance hearing that ended his career in politics, to the end of his life.

The Ringer wrote that the "level of shock and awe" exhibited in "Oppenheimer" is "breathtaking," yet sometimes also "taxing."

Kevin Costner both starred in and directed the 1990 film "Dances with Wolves," which follows a Civil War-era lieutenant in the US Army who is positioned in a remote outpost on the western frontier. He eventually becomes part of a Native American tribe.

His directorial debut was applauded and even earned Costner the best director Academy Award. It also won best picture. Newsweek wrote, "Costner directs with the confidence of a Hollywood veteran well aware that entertainment comes before earnestness."

"Avengers: Endgame" didn't have an easy job to do — tie up a full decade of Marvel movies while simultaneously setting the stage for Phase 4. But somehow, it worked. It also managed to rake in nearly $2.8 billion at the box office.

As Business Insider's Kirsten Acuna wrote, "'Endgame' is an emotional punch straight to the gut," and "a very satisfying conclusion to this adventure that started back in 2008 with Tony Stark."

"The Deer Hunter" combined the star power of Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken in a movie about the effects that the Vietnam War had on residents of their small Pennsylvania town.

The Hollywood Reporter called it "the great American film of 1978."

Notorious 2001 flop "Pearl Harbor" only garnered a 24% on Rotten Tomatoes — probably for its less-than-stellar performances.

"For all the 118 actors listed, the movie offers almost no sense of authentic humanity," wrote the Associated Press.

"The Green Mile," based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, is about a death row inmate who appears to have supernatural healing powers.

The Montreal Film Journal called it "a wonderful picture with a deeply human core."

"Babylon" is an epic story of Old Hollywood, following three characters, played by Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, and Brad Pitt, as they make their way in 1920s Los Angeles.

The film was divisive. The London Evening Standard called it a "disaster of biblical proportions," while the Wall Street Journal said it was one of the "richest and most ambitious films" of the year.

Real-life lovers Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton teamed up to play historical power couple Cleopatra and Mark Anthony in "Cleopatra."

Rotten Tomatoes said it best: "This colossal and opulent $60 million spectacular was epic in every sense of the word — an epic investment, an epic in the annals of Hollywood gossip, and, ultimately, an epic flop."

Director James Cameron's long-awaited follow-up to 2009's "Avatar" (which itself is 2 hours and 42 minutes long) came 13 years later and is even more of a spectacle than its predecessor.

"The Way of Water" continues the story of Jake Sully and his love, Neytiri, along with their blended family of biological and adopted children, as they once again face the greed of the human race trying to exploit Pandora's natural resources.

Business Insider's Jason Guerrasio called the film an "astounding epic."

"The Right Stuff" is based on the true story of Chuck Yeager and his fellow test pilots who were chosen for Project Mercury, the first crewed spaceflight.

"Rarely has a film made a historic accomplishment seem so vivid and personal," wrote The Hollywood Reporter. "It makes you wonder, quite suddenly, why there aren't more movies like this."

The tragic love story of Jack and Kate, two passengers on the doomed RMS Titanic, was forever immortalized in this tearjerker.

Vox reviewer Alyssa Wilkinson watched the film for the first time in 2017 and found it to be still effective.

She wrote that it "swept me off my feet almost from the get-go, a grand epic romance-disaster that reminded me, in the middle of my overstuffed-with-movies life, of what we mean when we talk about the power of cinema."

Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning drama is about the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German man who defied the Nazis and saved more than 1,000 Jews by employing them at his factory.

"With seemingly effortless grace and skill, 'Schindler's List' balances fear and exaltation, humor and horror, love and death," wrote The Chicago Tribune.

The final movie of "The Lord of the Rings" saga concluded with the entire Fellowship of the Ring working together to save Middle Earth from the evil all-seeing eye of Sauron.

Though its running time tired some people out — "Yes, the running time is long, and yes, those many endings in a slow, dreamy coda left me feeling spent — better spent than I can ever remember," wrote The Wall Street Journal — it became the first and only "Lord of the Rings" movie to win the Academy Award for best picture.

This follow-up to "The Godfather" combined the origin story of mob boss Don Vito Corleone with the rise of his son, Michael, in the rare sequel that's just as good as, if not better than, the original.

"One of the most ambitious and brilliantly executed American films, a landmark work from one of Hollywood's top cinema eras," wrote The Chicago Tribune.

Denzel Washington starred as the titular Malcolm X, one of the most famous and divisive leaders in Black history.

Newsweek wrote, "[Director Spike] Lee and company have performed a powerful service: they have brought Malcolm X very much to life again, both as man and myth."

"Barry Lyndon," directed by Stanley Kubrick, follows the titular character, played by Ryan O'Neal, for around 40 years of his life, as he rises from a lower-class gambler to the husband of a lady — and then sinks back to being a gambler.

As Rotten Tomatoes wrote, the film is "cynical, ironic, and suffused with seductive natural lighting."

One of the best movies of last year was "Killers of the Flower Moon," starring frequent Scorsese collaborators like Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, along with new additions like Lily Gladstone and Jesse Plemons.

The film is based on the real murders of members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma, also known as the Reign of Terror, in the 1920s.

"Killers" was called "grand, classic film-making" and "an American tragedy of the highest order" by The New Statesman.

"The Irishman" reunited De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and more of some of the most iconic actors of the last 50 years to tell the decadeslong story of Union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino), mob enforcer Frank Sheeran (De Niro), and mob leader Russell Bufalino (Pesci).

Even though it's a hefty 3 1/2 hours, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, "there are 209 minutes in 'The Irishman' and not one of them is wasted."

Charlton Heston, one of the most legendary actors in history, starred as the titular Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince who is sold into slavery and must journey back home to Jerusalem, all the while meeting historical figures like Pontius Pilate and Jesus Christ himself.

The Telegraph wrote that "the story of how a man takes on the tyranny of the Romans, with all sorts of horrible consequences to himself and his family, is powerful and gripping."

"The Brutalist," which is directed by Brady Corbet and hits theaters on December 20, is the story of Hungarian architect László Tóth (Adrien Brody) as he moves to the United States in the aftermath of the Holocaust. When he is hired by an enigmatic client (Guy Pearce), his life begins to unravel.

"Similar in tone to such Paul Thomas Anderson films as 'There Will Be Blood' and 'The Master,' Mr. Corbet's often-staggering movie casts an unsentimental look at the price of greatness," wrote The Wall Street Journal.

"Lawrence of Arabia," based on the life of British soldier T.E. Lawrence in WWI-era Middle East, is separated into two parts and even has an intermission.

"'Epic' is an over-used word in cinema, but David Lean's 1962, near-four-hour journey with T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) into the Arabian desert is surely the gold standard for films grand in scale, design and delivery," wrote Time Out on the film's 50th anniversary.

This nearly four-hour sprawling story is about Scarlett O'Hara, a Civil War-era woman who lives on a Georgia plantation and deals with love, loss, and eventually is determined to start her life anew.

While the film has been criticized for its dubious portrayal of the Civil War and slavery, Time Out wrote, "No one watches 'Gone with the Wind' for historical accuracy. What keeps us coming back is four-hours of epic romance in gorgeous Technicolor."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 37%

After the success of the studio's 1999 movie "Tarzan" and its soundtrack, which featured Phil Collins, Disney attempted to recapture that magic with "Brother Bear," a story of brotherly love that also included Collins' music.

However, Nell Minow of Common Sense Media called this film a "lackluster story only for kindergarteners."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 37%

Based on the folk tale of the same name, "Chicken Little" is about a fearful little chicken who becomes convinced the sky is falling. While the adults in his life dismiss him, it becomes clear that something is certainly afoot in his small town.

"When Disney can't hit a tried-and-true fairy-tale adaptation out of the park, maybe it's time to give up the ghost and get Pixar back on the phone," wrote the Orlando Sentinel's Roger Moore.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 48%

"Wish" is filled to the brim with Easter eggs referring to Disney's 100 years of magic, but the studio seems to have forgotten to add a compelling story, lovable characters, or well-written songs.

Asha had the potential to be an all-time Disney princess, but the rules of this universe are confusing, and Magnifico's heel turn seemingly comes out of nowhere.

"This fairy tale feels more like a corporate product than a magical event; it's a limp dissertation on Disney's motto that, 'When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true,'" wrote The Boston Globe's Odie Henderson.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 48%

There's not a cute animal sidekick or a show tune to be found in "Atlantis." Instead, Milo, a passionate archaeologist, unwittingly exposes the people of Atlantis to the corporate greed of the surface world in this slightly depressing story.

"It's so oppressively tedious at times that you almost wish the cast would break into a chorus of 'Under the Sea,'" wrote Lou Lumenick for The New York Post.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 52%

"Home on the Range" is a simple story of three cows who decide to take matters into their own hands (hooves?) to save their farm by collecting a bounty put on the head of Alameda Slim, a cattle rustler and thief.

Richard Roeper called it "a serviceable time-killer" on "At the Movies."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 53%

This cartoon is a loose adaptation of the Charles Dickens story "Oliver Twist," but instead of a down-on-his-luck orphan, Oliver is an adorable stray kitten.

For most people, this is remembered as the Disney movie with songs by Billy Joel.

"With its captivating characters, sprightly songs and zap-happy animation, 'Oliver & Company' adds up to a tip-top frolic," wrote Peter Travers for People.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 53%

Pocahontas was a real Native American woman. but her life did not follow the fairy tale story put forth by Disney. No matter how good "Colors of the Wind" is, this film is flawed and best left in the past.

"All Disney has really done in its disappointing 33rd animated feature is revive the stereotype of the Noble Savage," wrote Rita Kempley for The Washington Post.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%

"The Black Cauldron" is based on Welsh mythology — hence why characters have names like Princess Eilonwy and Fflewddur Fflam. It tells the story of a teenager named Taran who longs to become a hero. He gets his chance when he sets out to prevent the Horned King from using the Black Cauldron to raise an evil army.

"This is the 25th full-length animated feature from Walt Disney studios, and professionally put together as it is, many of the ingredients may seem programmed to those who have seen some of the others," wrote Walter Goodman of The New York Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%

In this version of the classic tale, Robin Hood and Maid Marian are foxes, his best friend Little John is a bear — who looks suspiciously like Baloo from "The Jungle Book" — and the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham is a wolf.

"The washed-out, muted colors are a mistake, and if Robin Hood is sometimes hilarious, it has little memorable magic," wrote Alan R. Howard of The Hollywood Reporter.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 62%

You'll find "Moana 2's" predecessor much higher on this list.

"Moana 2" sees the return of Moana, a newly minted wayfinder, as she tries to reconnect the people of her island, Motunui, with their ancestors from other islands. To do this, she reunites with demigod Maui on a new adventure across the sea.

"Much like the hermit crab who kicks things off by attempting to trade in his new shell for an ill-fitting larger one, there's simply not enough to fill out 'Moana 2,'" wrote Andrea Thompson for Chicago Reader.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%

"The Aristocats" is essentially the tale of "Lady and the Tramp," but this time with cats. Duchess, a pristine cat and mom of three precocious kittens, meets the alley cat Thomas O'Malley and falls in love.

"Before the disastrous aughts, was there a worse decade for Disney animated features than the 1970s?" asked Matt Brunson of View From the Couch.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 65%

"Dinosaur" is the story of Aladar, a dinosaur who was orphaned and then raised by lemurs. Aladar and his adopted family join up with other dinosaurs to find a safe place after a natural disaster devastates their home.

If this sounds just like the other animated dinosaur film, "The Land Before Time," to you, you're not alone.

Michael Sragow of Salon wrote, "Well, Bambi meets Godzilla again in the new computer-cartoon epic 'Dinosaur,' but the results aren't so witty."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 66%

Notably, this was the last Disney film to be released before Walt Disney's death in 1966.

"The Sword in the Stone" is King Arthur's origin story — he meets legendary sorcerer Merlin and pulls out Excalibur, the sword lodged inside the stone.

'There is still some life in the characterizations, though the animation is turning stiff and flat," wrote Chicago Reader's Dave Kehr.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

In "Meet the Robinsons," Lewis is desperate to find his birth mother, who gave him up for adoption. Instead, he's brought to the future by the mysterious Wilbur, who claims he's a time cop.

"Charming as all these surface layers are — and even in 2D, it's more than passable family fare — 'Meet The Robinsons' really flowers with the extra dimension, which makes an already neato cinematic universe feel palpably inhabitable," wrote Scott Tobias for the AV Club.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%

"Treasure Planet" updates the setting of the famed pirate story "Treasure Island" to the future. Instead of hitching a ride on a pirate ship, Jim Hawkins hops on a spaceship — and instead of looking for buried treasure, Jim and his friends are searching for a missing planet made entirely of treasure.

"Akin to an extremely well-made Saturday morning cartoon — great for hyperactive four-year-olds or hungover students, not worth a trip to the pictures," wrote Nev Pierce for the BBC.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

At the time, "The Rescuers" was one of Disney's most popular films (even if its reputation has been somewhat diminished since its release in 1977), which is why our two favorite mice, Bernard and Bianca, returned for this film — the first sequel ever theatrically released by Disney.

This time, Bernard and Bianca are sent to Australia by the Rescue Aid Society to help a young boy who's been kidnapped.

"A gorgeously drawn myth made for plucky children and very brave mice," wrote The Washington Post's Rita Kempley.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

Based on the 1831 Victor Hugo novel of the same name, "Hunchback" centers on sweet Quasimodo, a physically deformed man who is orphaned after the villainous Judge Frollo murders his mother.

To atone for his sins, Frollo adopts Quasimodo but keeps him hidden atop Notre Dame's bell tower. But when Quasimodo catches sight of Esmerelda, he vows to enter the world below.

"You're quickly won over by the movie's subversive wit, swept along by its narrative bravado and its enormous visual energy. This new 'Hunchback' is a triumph on its own terms, and on any other terms that might come to mind." wrote Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

Not even the A-list voice talent of Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union, and Lucy Liu could save this movie — which isn't bad! — from flopping.

"Strange Worlds" is about the Clades, a family of legendary explorers who must venture into space to see if they can save their planet.

"So much of 'Strange World's' audaciousness is front-loaded into its concept, and so little of it comes through in the execution," wrote Alison Willmore for Vulture.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

"The Fox and the Hound" is one of the rare Disney movies that doesn't have a totally happy ending. Tod, a fox, and Copper, a bloodhound, meet when they're young and become best friends. But when they grow up, they learn they're natural enemies.

It ends on a bittersweet note, as the two friends acknowledge that they probably won't see each other again, but are at peace in the forest.

"All charmingness aside, this cute but rather thinly plotted yarn exposes the cracks that were present in the pre-renaissance Disney empire," wrote William Thomas of Empire.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 77%

"Frozen II" picks up soon after where "Frozen" left off — Elsa is now queen and in control of her ice powers, Anna and Kristoff are in love, and Olaf is just happy he's not melting.

But when Elsa begins to hear a mysterious voice calling out to her, our characters leave Arendelle behind to discover the source of Elsa's power.

"The songs, perhaps not as compelling as in the original, still make the heart beat faster now and then," wrote Stephen Romei for The Australian.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%

"Peter Pan" is based on the 1904 play of the same name by JM Barrie.

In it, the Darling children are whisked away to Neverland, a magical world where children never grow up, fairy dust lets you fly, and an evil captain with a hook for a hand terrorizes the seas.

But Neverland is also home to Tiger Lily and her tribe, who are drawn in the most stereotypical way possible — so much so that Disney has added an apology before the film plays on Disney+.

"It is still a lush, bright feature that happily clicks along with rollicking songs by Sammy Cahn, Sammy Fain, and others," wrote Dolores Barclay for the Associated Press.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%

In this story, Basil and Dawson are the mice stand-ins for Sherlock and Watson, while Professor Ratigan (a rat) is based on Sherlock's arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty.

"'The Great Mouse Detective' reflects the energy and enthusiasm of a talented group of young artists stretching their wings for the first time," wrote Charles Solomon for the Los Angeles Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

"The Rescuers" focuses on Bernard and Bianca, two mice who are sent to help Penny, a young orphan who has been kidnapped by the evil Madame Medusa, who plans to use her to steal a precious jewel.

"Although not one of the studio's classics, it has warmth, humor and delightful characterization," wrote Victoria Mather for The Daily Telegraph.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%

"Hercules" is a loose re-telling of the Greek myth of the hero Heracles. After getting kidnapped and turned (almost) mortal by Hades' henchmen, Hercules goes on a quest to prove to his father, Zeus, and the rest of the gods that he's worthy of immortality and godhood.

"Jumps into the ancient legends feet-first, cheerfully tossing out what won't fit and combining what's left into a new look and a lighthearted style," wrote Roger Ebert.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Based on Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," this adaptation follows Alice as she falls down the rabbit hole and meets unforgettable characters like the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and the Queen of Hearts.

"If you are not too particular about the images of Carroll and [illustrator John] Tenniel, if you are high on Disney whimsy, and if you'll take a somewhat slow, uneven pace, you should find this picture entertaining," wrote Bosley Crowther for The New York Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

"The Princess and the Frog" updates the setting of the Brothers Grimm fairytale "The Frog Prince" to 1920s New Orleans. Tiana is a determined young woman who wants more than anything to open her own restaurant.

When she kisses prince-turned-frog Naveen to revert him back to humanity, the opposite happens: Tiana turns into a frog, too.

"This has a lot to commend it, and it isn't just nostalgia for the Disney past. It's a visual treat," wrote The London Evening Standard's Derek Malcolm.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

After years of criticism regarding its Disney princesses and their lack of agency, audiences were given Mulan, a young woman who secretly takes her father's place in the Chinese Imperial Army by disguising herself as a boy.

Mulan is a warrior through and through. No one could ever call her a typical damsel in distress.

"Overall, this is a lovely film, ranking with the best of Disney's animated features while taking on rather serious issues of war, honor, gender roles and family pride," wrote Moira MacDonald for The Seattle Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

In "The Emperor's New Groove," David Spade stars as Kuzco, the self-absorbed, clueless Incan emperor, who is turned into a llama by his evil advisor Yzma, who wants to steal the throne for herself. To get his throne back, Kuzco must team up with the kindly peasant Pacha, whose house he has marked for destruction.

CNN's Paul Tatara called Kuzco's tale "a silly little movie that's smarter than most of the self-important features that came out this year."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

Newly orphaned sisters Lilo and Nani are struggling to adjust to their new normal when Lilo adopts Stitch, a rambunctious alien who she thinks is just a weird dog. When two agents of the Galactic Federation come looking for Stitch, chaos erupts on Kauai.

"It's one of the most charming feature-length cartoons of recent years — funny, sassy, startling, original, and with six songs by Elvis," wrote Roger Ebert.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

"Wreck-It Ralph" is the story of Wreck-It Ralph, the villain in the classic arcade game "Fix-It Felix Jr." But when Ralph is sick of being the bad guy in everyone's story, he goes on an epic journey visiting other video games to become a hero.

"'Wreck-It Ralph' is a must-see for anyone who grew up playing 1980s arcade games — and their kids will love it too," wrote Larushka Ivan-Zadeh for Metro UK.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

Running at just 68 minutes long, this is an anthology film. First up is "The Wind in the Willows," which is the story of J. Thaddeus Toad, who is trying to save his home from bankruptcy.

The second story is "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," in which Ichabod Crane arrives in Sleepy Hollow and is stalked by the terrifying Headless Horseman.

Chicago Reader's Jonathan Rosenbaum called this film "engaging and lively."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

This film is based on the Rudyard Kipling book of the same name, published in 1894 — and was the last film Walt Disney himself worked on. He died during its production.

It's the simple story of Mowgli, an orphaned human raised by wolves. But when it becomes clear that the evil tiger Shere Khan will stop at nothing to kill Mowgli, a panther named Bagheera and a bear Baloo agree to take Mowgli back to the human village he came from.

"It's a slight tale, of course, and incredibly short, but the characters and songs are pretty much perfect viewing time and again," wrote Empire's Ian Nathan.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

Six years after "Wreck-It Ralph," in which Ralph discovers that even though he's a villain in his game, he doesn't have to be a bad guy; he's on another adventure with his friend Vanellope. This time, our duo heads to the internet to find a part that's needed to fix Vanellope's game, "Sugar Rush."

"'Ralph Breaks the Internet' works because it doesn't pander, and it doesn't simplify," wrote Brian Tallerico for RogerEbert.com.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

Based on the 1912 novel "Tarzan of the Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs, "Tarzan" tells the story of the titular character being raised by apes after his parents are killed. Although he feels out of place, he doesn't know any different until Jane and her crew of explorers arrive at Tarzan's jungle and begin to show him a different way.

"Tarzan" is a fun time at the movies, but its lasting legacy is the multiple songs on the soundtrack written and performed by Phil Collins.

In June 1999, Peter Stack of The San Francisco Chronicle called it "so far, the most entertaining film of the year."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

"Tangled" is a classic Disney princess film, but made with modern 3D animation, a first for the studio. It tells the tale of Rapunzel, a teenager with magical hair who longs to see the world outside her tower — and when the charming thief Flynn Rider happens upon her home, she seizes the chance to break free.

"If this is what old-fashioned means, then bring it on," wrote Derek Malcolm of The London Evening Standard.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

While it doesn't seem like it now, a Disney princess story where the true love story is between two sisters was groundbreaking. Add in some of the catchiest songs ever written by the House of Mouse and a lovable (if somewhat grating) snowman, and you have one of the studio's biggest and most beloved films, raking in more than $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office.

"'Frozen' feels like it's breaking new ground in telling a story where the women are actually in control, and where the clichés of their narratives are turned inside out, almost as a sly commentary on what has come before," wrote Jason Bailey for Flavorwire.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

For all the talk about how poorly this relationship has aged — sure, it's true love's kiss, but can someone under a sleeping curse really consent? — this movie is a wonder to look at. Maleficent, the evil witch, remains a high point of Disney's character designs.

"'Sleeping Beauty' is a masterpiece. In my opinion, it's not just the best animated film to ever come out of Walt Disney Studios, but it is also the finest animated motion picture I've ever seen, period," wrote Sara Michelle Fetters for MovieFreak.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

In the 16 years since its release, it seems like "Bolt" has been somewhat forgotten. But it's fun! It stars John Travolta as the voice of Bolt, the star of a hit TV series who doesn't realize his superpowers on the show aren't real. When he believes his owner is kidnapped — but really, it's just a cliffhanger in the show — he embarks on a cross-country journey to rescue her.

"While it may lack a certain amount of bite, there's plenty of bark to recommend this winning animated adventure," wrote The Sydney Morning Herald's Eddie Cockrell.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Everyone's favorite honey-loving bear, who starred in 1977's "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh," returned to the big screen in "Winnie the Pooh."

This time, Pooh and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood crew team up to save Christopher Robin from a monster they're calling the Backson — in reality, Christopher Robin is just at school and will be "back soon."

"It's a pleasure to sink into an animated family movie from Disney that radiates charm with a gentleness that seems damn near revolutionary," wrote Peter Travers for Rolling Stone.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

"Bambi" is a straightforward story about a young deer growing up in the forest and learning how to protect the forest creatures from hunters known only as Man.

But this film's lasting legacy is the death of Bambi's mother, which remains tear-inducing to this day, even 82 years later.

The New York Times' Theodore Strauss wrote, "In colors that would surprise even the spectrum itself, Disney's cartoon craftsmen have re-created a woodland that shimmers and glows and darkens altogether magically."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Disney went through a rough period in the '70 and '80s — when "The Little Mermaid" was released in 1989, it was a return to form for the studio. It's a classic love story with beloved songs like "Part of Your World," "Under the Sea," and "Kiss the Girl."

"'The Little Mermaid' — impudent, grandiose, a multilevel crowd-pleaser — almost returns the Disney animated features to their glory traditions of the '30s and '40s," wrote the Los Angeles Times' Michael Wilmington.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

"Encanto" is about the Madrigal family, who each receives a magical power when they turn 5 — all except Mirabel, who was mysteriously skipped over. When the magic in their home starts failing, Mirabel makes it her mission to save her family, powers or not.

"You will be humming 'Welcome to the Family Madrigal' — expositional but infectious — all the way home. The characters are infectious, too, and well-drawn, enriching 'Encanto's' world with gifts that extend far beyond their bestowed powers," wrote Time Out's Whelan Barzey.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

"The Lion King" combined breathtaking visuals, amazing songs composed by Elton John, Tim Rice, and Hans Zimmer, and an epic coming-of-age story to cruise to $978 million at the box office.

Jay Carr wrote in The Boston Globe, "Make no mistake, the magnitude of the achievement here far outweighs any shortcomings. 'The Lion King' is both populist blockbuster and royal treat."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

"Lady and the Tramp" is another Disney film that now comes with a disclaimer due to the problematic nature of its two Siamese cats, Si and Am.

If you're able to move past that, though, "Lady and the Tramp" is simple and sweet. Lady is a dog who's barely left her house, but due to a misunderstanding, she ends up on the street and meets the stray Tramp.

Their spaghetti kiss is still being referenced to this day.

"The quintessential American love story — the one between the spoiled heiress and the spontaneous, fun-loving guy from the wrong side of the tracks — has seldom been more elegantly and entertainingly told," wrote The Chicago Tribune's Dave Kehr.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

Kelly Marie Tran stars as Raya, a young woman who goes on a quest to find the last dragon to reunite her fractured country, Kumandra.

"As an overall throwback, and as a return to the streamlined storytelling upon which Disney built its supremacy, 'Raya and the Last Dragon' is a welcome expansion of the Disney universe," wrote Pajiba's Roxana Hadadi.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

"Beauty and the Beast" is based on, well, a tale as old as time: a French fairy tale from the 1700s. In it, Belle is taken hostage by a prince-turned-beast who lives in a castle filled with talking furniture.

When you take it out of context, as with many animated films, it's … weird. But songs like "Be Our Guest," "Beauty and the Beast," "Gaston," and "Belle" are all-time favorites. And the Academy agreed — it was the first animated movie to ever be nominated for best picture.

"The set pieces are narcotically pleasing, especially the Busby Berkeley-style dancing-kitchenware spectacular, 'Be Our Guest,' and the romantic ballroom centerpiece that brings Beauty and her Beast together," wrote Lisa Schwarzbaum for Entertainment Weekly.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

"Dumbo" has some problematic elements, including a flock of stereotypical crows — one of whom was originally named Jim Crow — a drunk baby elephant, and "Song of the Roustabouts."

But Dumbo's design makes him one of the cutest characters in the Disney canon, and "Baby Mine" is a tearjerker.

"Perfection, thy name is Dumbo," wrote Slant Magazine's Rob Humanick.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

"Aladdin" is anchored by the iconic voiceover performance by Robin Williams as the Genie. But there's lots of other stuff to love, like Princess Jasmine and her pet tiger Rajah, the bumbling Sultan, and the sweet "street rat" Aladdin.

While its depiction of the Middle East has been criticized, as the BBC noted, "Aladdin" remains one of the most loved Disney films of the last 40 years.

"The magical, the mystical, the mysterious — all those powers that lurk within movies but are rarely tapped are unleashed in Disney's latest magnificent animation, 'Aladdin,'" wrote Duane Byrge for The Hollywood Reporter.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

"Moana" is another modern Disney princess film that eschews a love story for a story of personal growth. Moana ventures out to the sea to save her island and, along the way, learns that she's capable of leading her people and exploring the open ocean.

Victoria Luxford called "Moana" "great fun" and "a traditional Disney Princess film but with a little more depth to it, being about personal discovery and bravery" for BBC CWR.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Almost 90 years later, the tale of Snow White, her seven dwarf friends, the Evil Queen, the Huntsman, and her handsome (unnamed) prince, remains the blueprint — it was the first Disney movie, after all.

"It was the dearest picture I have ever seen. The characters were so sweet that I just wanted to hug them," wrote the Miami Herald's Elizabeth Hemphill.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

"Cinderella" is one of the most frequently adapted fairy tales of all time, but Disney's animated version of the rags-to-riches story is the most beloved. And it's been said that Cinderella's transformation was one of Walt Disney's favorite pieces of animation.

"The musical numbers woven into the fantasy are generally solid, with at least two or three likely hit tunes standing out in the half-dozen songs," Variety wrote in 1949.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

This movie did more for Dalmatians than any best-in-show title could — and its villain, the puppy-napping, fur-obsessed Cruella de Vil, is still one of Disney's best-known villains.

"Among the many contributions of Disney and his team to the cinema, this is perhaps the strangest: they have made us watch with heart in mouth the adventures of beings who exist only as the projection of photographs and colored drawings," wrote Dilys Powell for the Sunday Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

"Zootopia" takes place in a world without humans, where anthropomorphic mammals have built their own society, complete with laws, organized crime, and tax evaders like Nick Wilde (a fox voiced by Jason Bateman).

"The fictional universe it presents — a human-free world where mammals have evolved into a bustling, civilized society — is vividly realized, richly detailed, and very funny," wrote John Nugent for Empire.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

"The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" is three shorts starring Pooh as he combats a blustery day, bees, Heffalumps, and Tigger's inability to stop bouncing.

"You'll enjoy reuniting with childhood friends, and for the next-generation fans of The Book of Pooh, this batch of honey couldn't be sweeter," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Dalton Ross.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

"Pinocchio" is based on an Italian children's story from 1883. It's a heartwarming (if a bit creepy) story of a wooden puppet who comes to life after its creator, Gepetto, wishes upon a star.

Why has "Pinocchio" remained at the top of the pack? Well, "When You Wish Upon a Star" is Disney's official theme, distilling everything we love about Disney movies into a 3-minute and 15-second song.

Otis Ferguson wrote in The New Republic that "Pinocchio" is "a delight and at times will take your breath away, for the limits of the animated cartoon have been blown so wide open that some of the original wonder of pictures — wonder and terror too, as when that train roared up into the camera — is restored."

While Title VII officially prevented discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, and sex for private employers, it wasn't until Executive Order 11375 that discrimination based on gender was illegal for the federal government and federal contractors.

President Johnson signed the order, which was officially titled Amending Executive Order No. 11246, Relating to Equal Employment Opportunity, on October 13, 1967.

The tiny Mediterranean country of Malta first became independent of the British in 1964, but officially became a republic on December 13, 1974.

Even though it's small, Malta is an underrated place to visit.

According to the National Museum of the US Air Force, Kilgare-Brier became the first woman to receive an airplane instructor's license on October 13, 1939.

She was an important figure for women in aviation. She also flew non-combat missions during World War II, and after the war she owned and operated her own private airport, according to her obituary in the Los Angeles Times.

The 2004 Summer Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, the country where they started, both in ancient and modern times. The opening ceremony took place on August 13.

It was the largest Olympic Games at the time, with 201 countries participating. Michael Phelps also won his first Olympic medal and broke his first record in Athens.

The Olsen twins were born on June 13, 1986.

They famously got their start on "Full House" and went on to create an empire: books, videos, perfume, clothing lines, and much more.

Taylor Swift was born on December 13, 1989 — her birthday lands on Friday the 13th this year — and she has repeatedly said that 13 is her favorite number. She even used to perform with "13" drawn on her hand.

As part of her 13 agenda, her blockbuster concert film "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" premiered in theaters on Friday, October 13, 2023. It went on to become the highest-grossing concert film of all time after grossing $261 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.

Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first dinosaur eggs at a dig in Mongolia on July 13, 1923, according to the American Museum of Natural History.

Scientifically, this was huge for the field of paleontology, confirming that dinosaurs laid eggs. The museum was so impressed that Andrews went on to become its director from 1935 to 1942.

The Hollywood sign is an iconic piece of California culture. But when it was officially dedicated on July 13, 1923, it wasn't even supposed to last for more than two years.

Originally, the sign was installed to promote a new subdivision in the Hollywood Hills.

"Super Mario Bros.," one of the most iconic video games in history, was released on September 13, 1985, exclusively in Japan, per The Verge.

Since then, Mario has been in approximately 170 games, including wildly successful spin-offs like "Mario Kart," "Mario Party," and "Paper Mario."

A lunar space station has long been the subject of science fiction novels, but on November 13, 2009, that dream took one step closer to reality when NASA announced they found water on the Moon.

How much is a "significant amount"? According to NASA's Anthony Colaprete, around a dozen 2-gallon bucketfuls.

The 69th best debut album of all time, at least according to Rolling Stone, Black Sabbath's self-titled album was released on February 13, 1970.

The album is widely regarded as having created the genre of heavy metal, with instant classics like "NIB." and "The Wizard."

Steve Buscemi was born on December 13, 1957 — yes, he shares a birthday with Taylor Swift. Buscemi might be famous as an actor, but he also has a lesser-known second career: a New York City firefighter.

Buscemi became an NYC firefighter at age 18. He eventually left the service to pursue acting, but in the aftermath of 9/11, Buscemi helped with rescue efforts and worked 12-hour shifts sifting through the rubble.

Of the iconic "Friday the 13th" movie saga, "Part III" was the first to actually open on Friday the 13th (August 13, 1982), the first to experiment with 3D, and the first appearance of Jason's mask.

Even though the movie was critically panned, the movie made over $36 million against a $2.3 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.

If all else fails to convince you that Friday the 13th isn't a cursed date, just remember this: It's the last day of the work week. Fridays are the best!

German forces during WWII bombed Buckingham Palace on September 13, 1940. The bombs hit both the palace and its chapel.

Even scarier, the king and queen were at the residence at the time of the attack. Even though the event was traumatic, Queen Elizabeth II — then a princess — merely stated she was "glad we have been bombed. Now I can look the East End in the face," the BBC reported.

After a week of increasingly heartbreaking COVID-19 updates, then-President Donald Trump declared a national emergency due to the pandemic.

Shakur was shot four times on September 7, 1996, in Las Vegas. He succumbed to his injuries six days later on Friday, September 13.

In September 2023, police arrested one of the last surviving witnesses to his killing for the murder. Duane "Keffe D" Davis was indicted by a jury in Clark County, Nevada, on one count of murder with the use of a deadly weapon, plus a gang enhancement.

The arrest came after Davis spoke multiple times publicly — including in a memoir — about his involvement in the case. Davis, who remains in custody, pleaded not guilty in November 2023.

The Daily Mail reported that the unnamed teenager was struck by lightning while at an air show in England in 2010 and, incredibly, only sustained burns on his shoulder. The hospital stated he was expected to make a full recovery.

The murder of Kitty Genovese took place on March 13, 1964. The New York Times reported Genovese was assaulted and killed by Winston Moseley inside her apartment building. The crime is famous because, reportedly, 38 people heard the attack, and none of them called the police — making the "bystander effect" a household term.

It was later suggested that the reporting of the crime was inaccurate and greatly exaggerated. But no matter the specifics, an innocent woman died.

The Costa Concordia sank into the ocean on January 13, 2012. It became the largest passenger ship ever wrecked, with almost double the number of people on board than on the Titanic.

Thirty-two people died, and the captain was convicted of manslaughter in 2015.

On July 13, 1951, the state of Kansas was hit with over 25 inches of rain. The cities of Manhattan, Lawrence, and Topeka were most affected, and over 2 million acres of land were damaged by the flood.

The storm also affected oil tanks, some of which caught on fire and exploded. There were passengers stuck on trains for four days. And, at its highest, the flooding exceeded previous records by 4 to 9 feet.

The people of Kansas were not wrong to call this day "Black Friday."

After the buyout of United Airlines fell through on October 13, 1989, the ripples were felt throughout the stock market, specifically the junk bond market.

CNBC reported this resulted in a 7% sell-off in the Dow, and the S&P 500 lost 6%. Essentially, a lot of people lost a lot of money.

Uruguayan Flight 571 was headed toward Chile when it crash-landed in the Andes on October 13, 1972. In the following days, the survivors were reduced to hiding in the fuselage of the plane and eating deceased passengers.

The rescue efforts were called off only 10 days after the crash, so it was shocking when two men appeared 72 days later and alerted the authorities that there were 16 other survivors trapped in the mountains.

At the time, the tragedy of Aeroflot 217 was the worst plane crash in Russian history. All 174 people on board the flight (including the 10 crew members) died when the plane crashed while trying to land due to bad weather.

It's never been confirmed what the cause of the crash was — some speculate it was a lightning strike. The plane ended up just 3 miles away from the runway.

Nathan Bedford Forrest was born on July 13, 1821. Forrest first rose to fame as a Confederate general and was in charge of the infamous Fort Pillow Massacre, where he and his men reportedly killed over 200 unarmed Union soldiers who had surrendered (many of whom were Black).

Forrest is widely believed to have served as the KKK's first Grand Wizard, though he would later decree that the organization should be demolished, PBS reported.

On January 13, 1989, a computer virus swept through the UK. The Los Angeles Times reported hundreds of computers were affected by the virus, which deleted personal files specifically on the unlucky date.

The virus also slowed computers down, but fortunately didn't cross the Atlantic Ocean.

The storm officially ended on November 13, 1970, but its effects are still being felt today.

The Bhola cyclone is still the deadliest storm in the Bay of Bengal — the death toll is estimated to be from 150,000 to 550,000, according to NBC News. One district in Bangladesh lost over 45% of its population.

In addition to being deadly and extremely costly, the cyclone is credited with jump-starting a civil war. At the time of the storm, the area was called East Pakistan. The Pakistani mismanagement of the relief efforts was considered to be a huge event in the fight for Bangladeshi independence.

A Swedish flight disappeared while flying over the Baltic Sea on June 13, 1952. And for 40 years, the Swedish government stuck by the story that the plane was merely performing training exercises.

However, National Geographic wrote that in the '90s, it was leaked that the crewmembers were actually spying on the Soviet Union for NATO, even though Sweden was officially neutral during the Cold War. And Russia responded with its own confession: A Russian pilot told a Swedish diplomat that he had shot the plane down.

It's been called the "October Surprise." From October 12 to October 13, 2006, western New York was hit with two feet of snow. Over 300,000 people were left without power, thousands of trees were damaged, and the governor of New York declared a state of emergency for the Buffalo region.

The fires in Victoria from 1939 to 1940 were the culmination of a long, dry summer. But on January 13, 1939, the Black Friday bushfires consumed the area: 71 people died directly from the fire, another 438 from the resulting heatwave, and 575,000 hectares of land were burned to a crisp.

The ash that resulted from the two days of flames was intense. There were reports of it reaching as far as New Zealand.

Sam Patch was America's first professional daredevil, according to Atlas Obscura. Throughout his life, he jumped from many great heights, including Niagara Falls twice.

So, when he decided to jump from the High Falls into the Genesee River, no one thought to be concerned, but it quickly became apparent that something was wrong.

While some speculated that he was drunk, it's never been known for sure what exactly happened to Patch when he jumped into the river. But on November 13, Patch jumped, and his body was found four months later.

According to NASA, an asteroid, 99942 Apophis., will come within 20,000 miles of the Earth on April 13, 2029. This might not seem like a big deal, but it's actually extremely close in relation to space.

Although it's not expected to actually hit our planet, the closeness of the asteroid could cause damage on its surface — the gravity of Earth might cause avalanches on Apophis.

Swift has directed the videos for "I'm Only Me When I'm With You," "The Best Day," "Mine," the vertical version of "Delicate," Me!," "You Need to Calm Down," "Lover," "Christmas Tree Farm," "The Man," "Cardigan," "Willow," "Anti-Hero," "Bejeweled," "Lavender Haze," "Karma," "I Can See You," "Fortnight," and "I Can Do It with a Broken Heart."

Bowyn also flexes her bicep, which Swift did when she performed "The Man" on tour.

Of course, "Fifteen" is a song from Swift's album "Fearless." Mira fittingly calls her jacket "a classic."

Bowyn also later notes she became famous when she was 15.

The number 13 is basically holy in the Swift fandom.

Swift was born on December 13, and has since made it a huge part of her relationship with fans. For years, she even drew a 13 on her hand for every concert, which meant that fans still did it at the Eras Tour, years after she stopped.

The very first lyrics of "Teardrops on My Guitar" are "Drew looks at me/I fake a smile so he won't see."

It's a reference to Swift's real-life classmate, Drew Hardwick, whom she had a crush on.

Unlike Jason and Travis Kelce, who never played on the same NFL team, Rob and Drew play for the same "NFO" team: the Bombers.

Is that a reference to the beloved Swift song "Daylight," which states that she "once believed love would be burning red" — or "black and white" — "but it's golden"? Perhaps.

In real life, Jason Kelce has three daughters, with one more on the way.

In-universe, they're called Arrowheads because of Bowyn's name containing the word "bow," as in bow and arrow.

There are plenty of colleges, including Harvard University and New York University, where you can take a class about the career and music of Taylor Alison Swift.

Drew also calls Bowyn a "feminist icon" and a "queer ally," which Swift has also been called in the past.

One of Swift's most important collaborators of the last four years has been Aaron Dessner, a member of the band the National.

The National has also appeared on Swift's "Coney Island." Conversely, Swift was featured on the National song "The Alcott."

She also appeared on two songs by Dessner's other musical project, Big Red Machine: "Birch" and "The Renegade."

The username "starryeyes23" could refer to a line from "Delicate": "Starry eyes sparking up my darkest night."

In fact, "starry eyes" have been mentioned a few times through Swift's discography. She says she thought she was "better safe than starry-eyed" on "loml," and that someone was "gazing at me starry-eyed" on "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived."

Another commenter, "joynoise89," references the year Swift was born, 1989, which is also the name of her fifth album.

A third commenter, "skyesnation43," might be a reference to Taylor Nation, an official account run by her marketing team.

There's a Swift song on "Midnights" called "Bigger Than the Whole Sky."

Of course, Bowyn's is a bit more low-budget.

Much like Kelce, Drew attends one of Bowyn's shows and decides to broadcast his crush on her on the internet. However, unlike Kelce, who did this on his podcast "New Heights," Drew posted on Instagram.

Here's what Drew wrote: "Thank you, Bowyn for an amazing show and making my niece's dream come true. Swing by Bay Springs someday to watch the Bombers rock the stadium. The beer is on me!"

And here's what Kelce said on "New Heights": "I've seen you rock the stage at Arrowhead. You might have to come see me rock the stage at Arrowhead and see which one's a little more lit."

Bowyn appreciates Drew asking before touching her first. You might remember that a radio DJ sued Swift in 2015 for defamation after she claimed he had inappropriately touched her at a meet-and-greet in 2013. She counter-sued for battery and sexual assault, eventually winning a symbolic $1.

In real life, Kelce never got to meet Swift at her Kansas City concert. He said on "New Heights" it was because Swift didn't meet anyone at her concerts because she had to save her voice.

Swift's publicly known exes include actors and musicians including Jake Gyllenhaal, Joe Alwyn, John Mayer, Harry Styles, and Matty Healy.

Although Swift has a relationship with football, even debuting the second single from "Reputation," "…Ready for It?," on ESPN during a college football match, she has never performed at the Super Bowl.

Both Travis and Jason Kelce have appeared in their fair share of ads, especially the former. iSpot.tv pointed out he's appeared in 130 ads — more than anyone else in the NFL.

"Baby, let the games begin," is a lyric from "…Ready for It?" and were the first words heard during the "Reputation" tour in 2018. During the "Reputation" segment of the Eras Tour, "…Ready for It?" was the first song.

When Bowyn finally calls Drew, his niece picks up and says, "Uncle Gonzo can't come to the phone right now. He's dead!"

In Swift's song "Look What You Made Do," she sings a similar phrase: "I'm sorry, the old Taylor can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, 'cause she's dead."

In "But Daddy I Love Him" from "The Tortured Poets Department," there's the lyric, "Me and my wild boy/And all of this wild joy."

During the Eras Tour, she mashed this song up with "So High School," which is thought to be about Kelce.

In Swift's inescapable hit "You Belong With Me" from "Fearless," she sings, "She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers."

Also, not for nothing, one of Swift's closest friends and collaborators, Jack Antonoff, releases music under the name Bleachers.

One of the most memorable parts of the music video for "Look What You Made Me Do" takes place in an airplane hangar. There, the different versions of Swift argue.

Swift has also been in the headlines in the past over the use of her private plane, which was also seen in the Netflix documentary "Miss Americana."

Bowyn calls herself a "tough kid," as in, "I'm a real tough kid/I can handle it." Drew notes that she looks like she's having the time of her life, as in "I can read your mind/She's having the time of her life."

She tells Drew she can't remember if singing was ever fun. Swift sings a similar musing in the "TTPD" song: "I forget how the West was won/I forget if this was ever fun."

She also says she started performing at 13.

No one loves to leave secret messages, puzzles, Easter eggs, and anagrams more than Taylor Swift, who has self-identified as a "mastermind."

As Swift sings in the song "So Long London," "And I'm just getting color back into my face/I'm just mad as hell 'cause I loved this place."

Snakes were a huge part of the "Reputation" era, as Swift was called a snake by Kim Kardashian and then reclaimed the reptile for the album.

Before Kelce (and Matty Healy), Swift was in a six-year relationship with actor Joe Alwyn. They were intensely private and rarely photographed together. The two never walked a red carpet together, though they did sit together at the 2020 Golden Globes.

Sure, cardigans are popular, but no one has been more associated with the cardigan in recent years than Taylor Swift.

The lead single from her 2020 album "Folklore" was "Cardigan," which peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and was nominated for both song of the year and best pop solo performance at the Grammys.

Since then, Swift has released various era-specific versions of the cardigan she wore in the music video for Swifties to purchase.

On "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology," there's a song called "Cassandra."

Aimee is a reference to the song "Thank You Aimee," while the name Hannah is mentioned in "But Daddy I Love Him," in which Swift sings, "Sarahs and Hannahs in their Sunday best/Clutching their pearls crying 'What a mess.'"

Chad is a nod to something Swift said about people who were mad the NFL was showing her too much during football games — she called them "dads, Brads, and Chads" in an interview with Time.

And Marcus is a nod to another "Anthology" song, "Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus."

There's a popular video of what seems to be Kelce spotting Swift at a Chiefs game and lighting up.

Of course, this is a nod to "Reputation."

This also connects to Swift — she has a song from "Lover" called "The Archer." During performances, she also does the same archer pose.

Swift sings about a similar desire in "Delicate" from "Reputation": "This ain't for the best/My reputation's never been worse, so/You must like me for me."

This movie aired on Lifetime, so no profanity allowed, but there is a video of Swift attending a Chiefs game where she screams a more R-rated version of this phrase after Kelce scores a touchdown.

On "TTPD," there's a song called "The Alchemy" that's widely believed to be about Kelce. The newscasters also reference a winning streak, which could be referencing a lyric from the song: "These blokes warm the benches/We've been on a winning streak."

The Kelce brothers have been vocal about how much they love that Swifties have been getting into football due to their relationship, and they even dedicate a segment on their podcast, "No Dumb Questions," to explaining rules to them.

According to this movie, Bowyn is a billionaire and doesn't need the PR, just like Swift.

It's uncanny.

"Frontlines, don't you ignore me/I'm the best thing at this party," Swift sings on the song "You're Losing Me."

"Alice in Wonderland" is an important text to Swift. She has a song called "Wonderland" on "1989."

She also references "Alice" in the "Evermore" song "Long Story Short." "And I fell from the pedestal/Right down the rabbit hole," she sings.

Swift originally wrote the song "Better Man" in 2016, but decided to give it to the country band Little Big Town, who went on to win a Grammy for it.

When Swift began re-releasing her albums, she included "Better Man" as a bonus track on "Red (Taylor's Version)" in 2021.

After Bowyn has a minor freakout about her relationship with Drew, Mira says, "You gotta calm down," a sly reference to this "Lover" track.

She also tells Bowyn "you know all too well" about bad relationships, — Swift's most beloved song by fans is probably the "Red" song "All Too Well."

On his side of the freakout, Drew tells his family, "I am calling my own shots." Swift sings "And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots" on the "Speak Now" song "Never Grow Up."

He also says Bowyn "gets rid of my doubts and fears."

In the album booklet for "Fearless," Swift wrote about what being fearless actually meant to her.

"To me, 'fearless' is not the absence of fear. It's not being completely unafraid. To me, 'fearless' is having fears. 'Fearless' is having doubts," she wrote.

Bowyn's ex-boyfriend Hudson leaks a taped conversation the two had, which he heavily edited to make it seem like Bowyn insulted Drew.

An edited recording of a conversation between Swift and Kanye West regarding his song "Famous" re-started their feud in 2016 (which began at the VMAs in 2009) and led to the public turning on Swift and declaring that she was "over."

In both cases, the unedited versions of the conversation eventually were released, vindicating Bowyn and Swift, as Variety reported.

The bridge of the "Midnights" song "You're on Your Own Kid," goes like this: "'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned/Everything you lose is a step you take/So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it/You've got no reason to be afraid."

Fans seized onto the "friendship bracelet" line and began trading bracelets at the Eras Tour, usually with references to lyrics or inside jokes in the Swift fandom. These bracelets became so associated with Swift that a giant bracelet began moving from stadium to stadium during the tour.

Swift and Kelce also attended a fundraiser together in April, and footage of them went viral. It's also when Kelce called her "my significant other" for the first time.

Obvious football reference aside, "Hold on to the memories/They will hold on to you" is a fan-favorite lyric from "New Year's Day" off "Reputation."

She also sings "Say you'll never let 'em tear us apart/And I'll hold onto you while we run" on the "Red" song "Run."

That's a direct reference to a lyric from the "Speak Now" song "Mean," which asks why a music critic who wrote negatively about Swift's performance at the 2010 Grammys "gotta be so mean."

Two years later, she performed "Mean" at the Grammys, and it won best country solo performance and best country song.

Goldblum has been in dozens of films since making his film debut in 1974's "Death Wish" as Freak #1. Not all of them can be instant classics.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

"Zambezia," also known as "Adventures in Zambezia," is an animated film that stars Jeremy Suarez as a young peregrine falcon who discovers he lives near a bustling bird city called Zambezia. Goldblum voices a bearded vulture named Ajax.

"In the end, the cast proves to be too big, the storyline too muddled and I was dismayed by the thought that the Disney/Dreamworks style is so ubiquitous that an animation created by a small production house in Cape Town is trying so hard and so slavishly to copy the Hollywood product," wrote Sandra Hall of The Sydney Morning Herald.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 22%

"Man of the Year" is a comedy starring Robin Williams. He plays the host of a satirical news show, à la "The Daily Show," who decides to run for president after a petition gains traction online. Goldblum plays a sinister executive at the computer company that runs the voting machines.

"Cynicism or stupidity? It's hard to say which has the run of this idiotic satire in which Robin Williams plays a talk-show host who runs for president on a ticket of cleaning up politics," wrote The Guardian's Cath Clarke.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

Goldblum stars as Hatch, a husband and father who almost dies in a car crash. At the same time as his near-death, a serial killer attempts to kill himself and the two become connected, with each gaining the ability to see through the other one's eyes.

"It helps, in a movie like this, if the actors are first-rate. Goldblum and [Christine Lahti] transform scenes that in other hands might have simply been laughable," wrote Roger Ebert.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Goldblum and Ed Begley Jr. star in this horror-comedy, which follows two tabloid reporters who travel to Transylvania to prove that Frankenstein's monster exists. Hijinks ensue.

"The anti-'Young Frankenstein,' 'Transylvania 6-5000' might be the worst horror-comedy ever made," wrote Film Frenzy's Matt Brunson.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

"Beyond Therapy" is a film based on the 1981 play of the same name. It stars Jeff Goldblum and Julie Hagerty as two single New Yorkers who, at the behest of their respective therapists, put personal ads in the paper to find significant others. They meet and sparks fly.

"There's no special logic at work. The performances are good, but the film has been assembled without an overriding sense of humor and style," wrote The New York Times' Vincent Canby.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

Goldblum plays a mob enforcer who's simultaneously dating two sisters, Rita (Ellen Barkin) and Grace (Diane Lane). To make matters worse, Grace is also the ex-girlfriend of his boss, Vic (Richard Dreyfuss), who's currently in jail. When Vic gets out, all hell breaks loose.

Roger Ebert called this "the first movie I have seen that does not improve on the sight of a blank screen viewed for the same length of time."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Goldblum and Cyndi Lauper star as two psychics who are hired by a treasure hunter to help him find El Dorado, the lost city of gold, in Ecuador.

"'Vibes' stumbles and fumbles and misfires sure-fire one-liners and zany situations; it ends up being both a confused and confusing jumble of half-witted comedy and ridiculous drama," wrote Cathy Burke for UPI.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

"Holy Man" is a comedy starring Eddie Murphy as a messiah-like figure only known as G, who is hired to host a show on a home-shopping channel and becomes hugely successful, much to the delight of network employees Ricky (Goldblum) and Kate (Kelly Preston).

"It's a miracle, really: 'Holy Man' diminishes the strengths of everyone and everything it has going for it. Goldblum's manically funny aggression? Sedated. Preston's interestingly hard-edged sexuality? Blunted," wrote Lisa Schwarzbaum for Entertainment Weekly.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

"Mortdecai" is a comedy starring Johnny Depp as the titular character, an art thief, swindler, and all-around general conman. When he's hired to help the police track down a stolen painting, he meets Milton Krampf (Goldblum), a potential buyer.

"Every time Depp gave a phlegmy little stammer and jauntily uttered lines like, 'I say, old bean,' I wanted to bop him on the same with a rotten tangerine," wrote David Edelstein for Vulture.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

What makes "Perfume," a film about the fashion industry, interesting is that the dialogue was 100% improvised by the stars. It's split into three storylines; Goldblum's part stars Leslie Mann as a designer who is leaving a small fashion house for a huge brand — one that, it just so happens, her latest hook-up Jamie (Goldblum) works at as a talent scout.

"Another attempt to nail the fashion industry, 'Perfume' is more coherent and serious-minded than Robert Altman's mess 'Ready to Wear,' but remains a less alluring creation," wrote Variety's Todd McCarthy.

Goldblum has appeared in some of the highest-grossing franchises in history, including "Jurassic Park," "Independence Day," and the MCU. He's also been nominated for Independent Spirit and Emmy Awards, and he's appeared in multiple best picture nominees.

Here's what critics have ruled his best films.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

"Nashville" is director Robert Altman's sprawling magnum opus. It follows multiple characters across Nashville in the five-day period leading up to a campaign fundraiser for a long shot presidential candidate.

Goldblum has a completely silent role; he's credited as "Tricycle Man" and is the connector of the disparate plots in the film.

Writing for The Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington called it "Altman's great kaleidoscopic ensemble comedy-drama about a frenzied few days in country music's capital, with an unlikely, quirky, explosive crowd of musicians, hangers-on and politicos all converging on a fateful concert crossroads."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan star as a married couple, Nick and Meg, on vacation in Paris. Both are dissatisfied with their marriage, careers, and financial status. Goldblum plays Morgan, an old friend of Nick's who has become a successful writer.

"By its ambiguous yet hopeful end, we're at one with Nick and Meg: Sometimes, you just have to dance. Somehow, you go on," wrote Moira Macdonald for The Seattle Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

"Isle of Dogs" is Goldblum's first collaboration with director Wes Anderson on this list (but not the last). In this stop-motion film, the mayor of the Japanese city Megasaki has ordered the deportation of all dogs in the city to the nearby Trash Island to quarantine them after an outbreak of canine flu. Goldblum voices one of the dogs, Duke, a Siberian husky.

"It's gorgeous — filled with so many bits of visual whimsy and imaginative detail that it would take several viewings to fully catch them all. And it's idiosyncratic and witty and dark," wrote Max Weiss for Baltimore Magazine.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Goldblum's performance as the mathematician and chaos theory expert Ian Malcolm in "Jurassic Park" is one of his most beloved, most quoted, and most memed.

As we all know, the scientists behind Jurassic Park, a theme park filled with dangerous dinosaurs, were so preoccupied with whether they could bring dinos back to life, that they didn't stop to think if they should.

"The effects have barely aged and the joy is timeless. Take a child who's never seen it and watch their imagination expand before your eyes," wrote Olly Richards for Empire.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

The second of Goldblum's collaborations with Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel," is a story within a story.

Most of the action takes place at the hotel in the mid-1900s, where a lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori), and a hotel concierge, Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), team up to keep a priceless painting in the proper hands after its owner, Madame D. (Tilda Swinton), dies.

Goldblum plays Vilmos Kovacs, the Grand Budapest's lawyer and the executor of Madame D.'s estate.

Jason Bailey of Flavorwire wrote, "Just plain fun, full of the filmmaker's signature flourishes and curlicues, worked out with skill and finesse."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

A remake of the 1956 film (and the second adaptation of the 1955 novel), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is a sci-fi and horror classic. It focuses on two health inspectors, Matthew (Donald Sutherland) and Elizabeth (Brooke Adams), who discover that an alien race has come to Earth and is secretly replacing humans with emotionless doubles.

Goldblum plays Matthew and Elizabeth's friend, Jack, who believes them.

"'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' is more sheer fun than any movie I've seen since 'Carrie' and 'Jaws' and maybe parts of 'The Spy Who Loved Me,'" wrote Pauline Kael for The New Yorker.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

David Cronenberg's horror classic stars Goldbum as Seth Brundle, a scientist who accidentally becomes entangled with a fly and slowly transforms into a human-fly hybrid.

Time's Richard Corliss called "The Fly" "a gross-your-eyes-out horror movie that is also the year's most poignant romance."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

Goldblum steals the show as The Grandmaster, the ruler of a trash planet called Sakaar, in "Thor: Ragnarok." Thor (Chris Hemsworth) encounters The Grandmaster after he accidentally crash-lands on Sakaar. He is then forced to participate in a gladiator-esque battle against the Hulk to amuse The Grandmaster and Sakaar's inhabitants.

"Perfectly acceptable as an action movie but inspired as a comedy — which is probably where the 'Thor' franchise should have been aiming from the start," wrote The Atlantic's Christopher Orr.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

"Between the Lines" follows the various staff writers at The Back Bay Mainline, an alternative newspaper in Boston, as they prepare to potentially be taken over by a huge parent company. Goldblum plays Max, the Mainline's music critic.

"'Between the Lines' is barely about a newspaper at all, more about a bunch of youngish people whose energies are running out, as American counterculture itself had run their course, with the '80s and its hard-nosed principles about to kick in," wrote Jonathan Romney for Film Comment.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Goldblum's best film is Woody Allen's 1977 rom-com classic "Annie Hall," which every romantic comedy that came after it owes a significant debt. Goldblum has a tiny part in this film as an attendee of a Christmas party who "forgets his mantra."

"'Annie Hall' is bracingly adventuresome and unexpectedly successful, with laughs as satisfying as those in any of Allen's other movies and a whole new staying power," wrote Janet Maslin for Newsweek.

Kevin, played by Culkin, is the bratty youngest kid of the McCallister family, who, after being left home by mistake when his family rushes off on a flight to Paris, learns to appreciate them.

His mea culpa occurs after he spends days alone, having to fend for himself. Oh, and he also has to ward off burglars Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), known as the Wet Bandits.

The performance by Culkin, who was 10 at the time of filming, was so good it would define his career.

Culkin, 44, had unbelievable fame through most of his childhood due to "Home Alone" and its sequel, "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York." He continued to be one of the top child actors in Hollywood with movies such as "My Girl" and "The Good Son."

His fame was also heightened due to his friendship with Michael Jackson. Culkin even starred in his 1991 music video for "Black and White."

In 2005, at Jackson's trial for sexual child abuse, Culkin testified that he slept in the same bed with Jackson, but was never molested by the pop star, per Vanity Fair.

In 1994, he took a pause from acting and wasn't seen on screen again until 2003 when he made a guest appearance on "Will and Grace."

Since then, he's occasionally appeared on TV, even parodying himself in "Home Alone" for a Google Assistant commercial in 2018. Since 2019, he's appeared in episodes of shows such as "Dollface," "American Horror Story," "The Righteous Gemstones," and will appear in the second season of "Fallout."

He also is the cofounder of the pizza-themed comedy rock band Pizza Underground and the CEO of a satirical pop-culture website and podcast called Bunny Ears.

In terms of his personal life, Culkin has been in a relationship with fellow former child star Brenda Song since 2018. They have two children.

Pesci starred as Harry, a burglar obsessed with the McCallister house.

Pesci's Harry is the perfect villain for a kid-friendly movie. One-half of the "Wet Bandits" (because they flood the houses they steal from), Harry thinks he's got all the angles figured out. That includes how to do the big score of robbing a block of big fancy houses as their owners are all away for Christmas.

But Harry, with his shiny gold tooth, didn't count on Kevin to ruin his plans to rob the McCallister house, which he's always had his eye on.

When "Home Alone" came out, Pesci was known best for his tough guy roles in Martin Scorsese movies such as "Raging Bull" and "Goodfellas," which opened the same year as "Home Alone" and would earn Pesci an Oscar.

Pesci's silly performance as Harry showed a different side of the actor and led to more comedic movies, such as "My Cousin Vinny," and playing the bumbling sidekick to Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the "Lethal Weapon" movies.

Since "Lethal Weapon 4" in 1998, Pesci, 81, has appeared in fewer movies. In 2019, he teamed up with Scorsese once more for the director's Netflix epic "The Irishman." Four years later, in 2023, he had a main role in the Peacock series "Bupkis," which was loosely based on the life of its star, Pete Davidson.

Stern played Marv, the other half of the "Wet Bandits."

Stern's Marv is so memorable because he plays perfectly across from Pesci's Harry.

Though Harry is the leader, Marv thinks he's his intellectual equal (though what neither of them know is that they are both idiots) which leads to great comedic moments as the two try to outsmart Kevin.

And then there's Stern's physical comedy, which is the secret sauce of this movie.

Stern has been a Hollywood fixture going all the way back to his first movie, 1979's "Breaking Away." But around the time of the "Home Alone" release, Stern was at the height of his fame.

He was the narrator of the hit TV show "The Wonder Years," and a year after "Home Alone," he starred in another hit comedy, "City Slickers."

Most recently, the 67-year-old starred in the Hulu series "Shrill" and the Apple TV+ series "For All Mankind."

O'Hara played Kevin's mom, Kate, who, after realizing he's home alone, travels back to be with him.

Kate, along with her husband Peter (John Heard), are definitely up there as a pair of the worst parents in movie history.

Not only do they not double-check the head count to make sure all the kids are with them as they rush to their flight to Paris in the first "Home Alone," but they also lose track of Kevin again in the sequel, "Lost in New York."

O'Hara, 70, has gone on to have an incredible career playing a wide range of characters.

For years, she was best known for her work on Christopher Guest mockumentaries, such as "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind." She also frequently collaborated with Tim Burton, with voice roles in "A Nightmare Before Christmas," "Beetlejuice," and "Frankenweenie."

More recently, she's found huge acclaim for her role on the hit TV show "Schitt's Creek." At the 2020 Emmys, she won for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her performance in the final season.

Since "Schitt's Creek" wrapped, she's busier than ever. Since 2020, O'Hara has appeared in "Elemental," "Pain Hustlers," "Argylle," "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," and "The Wild Robot." In 2025, she's joining the cast of "The Last of Us."

Heartwarmingly, O'Hara was on hand to help present her on-screen son, Macaulay Culkin, with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 2024. He even called her "mama," and she called him "darling baby."

Ratray played Kevin's older brother Buzz, who loved to bully and scare his younger sibling. In other words, the perfect evil older brother.

With no care at all for Kevin, he spends most of the beginning of the movie teasing, tormenting, and scaring his younger brother.

Buzz even tells Kevin that their neighbor Old Man Marley kills people with his shovel, which turns out not to be true.

As an adult, Ratray, 47, starred in Alexander Payne's "Nebraska" and has worked multiple times with Steven Soderbergh ("Side Effects," "Mosaic," "Kimi"). He also had a cameo role in the Disney+ sequel to "Home Alone," "Home Sweet Home Alone" as an older Buzz — he's a police officer now.

However, Ratray has also experienced legal troubles. In 2021, he was arrested in Oklahoma while attending a fan convention for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, per Deadline. In 2024, he pleaded guilty to two counts of domestic violence, People reported.

After his arrest in 2021, another woman came forward accusing Ratray of raping her in 2017. CNN reported in 2022 that the NYPD was investigating the case. Ratray denied the accusations in a call with the outlet. He did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

In one of the first roles of her career, Davis plays the French airport ticket agent who has to give the McCallisters the bad news that there are no flights back to Chicago.

Though she has a great French accent, Davis is not French — she's from New Jersey.

Since her small role in "Home Alone," Davis, 60, has built a successful acting career.

She's best known for her dramatic work in movies such as "About Schmidt" and "American Splendor." Davis also played Tony Stark's mother, Maria, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In 2022, she was nominated for an Emmy for outstanding guest actress in a dramatic series for her performance as Sandi Furness in "Succession."

This year, she had a guest role in the Apple TV+ thriller miniseries "Before," which starred Billy Crystal and Rosie Perez.

Culkin played Fuller, Kevin's youngest cousin.

Fuller is best known as the family bedwetter (and the character tasked with shameless product placement as he sips a can of Pepsi at the dinner table).

Unlike his brother, Macaulay, Kieran didn't experience the early pressure of superstardom, making it possible to steadily build a career in Hollywood — though he did appear in "Father of the Bride" and "She's All That" while he was still a kid.

Along with scoring great roles in movies such as "Igby Goes Down" and "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," he found his stride playing the despicable (and somehow lovable) Roman Roy in "Succession."

He received four Golden Globe nominations in a row for playing Roman, winning on his fourth try for the final season. He also received three Emmy nominations, winning for the final season as well.

In 2024, he co-starred in the dramedy "A Royal Pain" alongside Jesse Eisenberg as a pair of cousins trekking through Poland on a Holocaust tour. He's receiving plenty of buzz for his portrayal of Benji.

Old Man Marley, Kevin's creepy-looking neighbor who Buzz says is a killer but turns out to be a nice grandpa, was played by character actor Roberts Blossom.

Having close to 60 roles over his career, including "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "The Last Temptation of Christ," Blossom will forever be known for his role in "Home Alone."

Blossom died at the age of 87 in 2011, per the Los Angeles Times.

John Heard played Kevin's dad, Peter, who stays back with the family in Paris when Kate returns to Kevin.

Heard starred in countless hit movies, including "Big" and "Awakenings," and TV shows. He earned an Emmy nomination for his role as Detective Vin Makazian on "The Sopranos."

Heard died in 2017 at the age of 71, according to The New York Times.

John Candy was good friends with "Home Alone" producer John Hughes, so he agreed to do a cameo in the movie.

In it he plays Gus Polinski, "the polka king of the Midwest," who helps Kate get back to Kevin by driving her home.

Director Chris Columbus told Business Insider in 2020 that most of the lines Candy said as Gus were improvised. Candy's contribution led to some of the funniest moments in the movie.

Candy was an established star when he showed up on "Home Alone." He had already starred in hits such as "Splash," "Trains, Plains, and Automobiles," "Spaceballs," and "Uncle Buck."

Candy died in 1994 at the age of 43.

As a fan of "One Tree Hill," "A Cinderella Story," "Freaky Friday," and even "Agent Carter," it pains me to say this Chad Michael Murray-led holiday rom-com is just bad.

Murray's love interest is played by Britt Robertson, and yet they just don't have chemistry. The plot is nonsensical — three inexperienced male dancers somehow bring in $30,000 for a struggling bar in a tiny town in less than a month — and it doesn't seem as if Murray's or Roberston's characters get a happy ending.

Robertson plays Ashley, who turns down a 25% raise and a three-year contract at her dream job and gives up her New York City apartment to become a choreographer for the male strippers and to date a man she barely knows. Why couldn't Luke (Murray) take his handyman skills to the Big Apple?

Spend your 87 minutes watching two "One Tree Hill" holiday episodes instead.

Christina Milian is one of Netflix's romance queens, and it's easy to see why. She's charming as Layla, our hero, who breaks up with her boyfriend after finding out he's cheating on her and decides to find the man she had a meet-cute with at an airport lounge the year prior.

Yet, that's not what the movie is about. Instead, it's the story of Layla actually falling in love with her personal concierge, Teddy (Devale Ellis).

But … why does she need a personal concierge? And why is the main driving force of this film Layla's desperate need to get tickets to a Pentatonix concert?

Yes, the a cappella sensation Pentatonix plays a huge role in this movie, which unfortunately dates it a bit. There's no denying that the members of Pentatonix are talented (and they're pretty funny in the film), but it's hard to believe anyone cares about them this much in 2024.

Maybe if this movie was made a decade ago when they were at the height of their virality and the a cappella craze led by "Pitch Perfect" and "Glee" was still all the rage, but not now.

I also found it hard to tell whether Layla lived in New York City or was just visiting — I think we're meant to believe she lives in NYC, but she acts like she's never left the suburbs. She unquestioningly trusts a ticket broker who's clearly scamming her, and she doesn't know her way around the city.

This film had its fun (if not a bit misplaced) moments — see: the drag show that happens mid-movie — but the romance ultimately left me a bit bored.

There's a lot happening in "Our Little Secret." Our story begins 10 years after Avery (Lindsay Lohan) and Logan (Ian Harding) have dramatically broken up after a failed proposal from Logan.

They reunite, only to find out that their current significant others, Cameron (Jon Rudnitsky) and Cassie (Katie Baker), are siblings. To avoid any awkwardness, they decide not to tell anyone they're exes — while this doesn't make any sense, it gives ample opportunities for hijinks.

This film lives and dies by its cast, which also includes Kristin Chenoweth and Dan Bucatinsky as Cameron and Cassie's parents and Tim Meadows and Judy Reyes as their family friends; yes, that makes this movie a "Mean Girls" reunion.

Harding and Lohan are both charming in this film, even if their chemistry isn't the strongest we've seen. But Chenoweth is truly off the wall in this film, bringing a "Monster-in-Law" quality to the proceedings.

This is easily the best of Lohan's three Netflix films, and one scene in which she has to act high while reading at a church proves her comedic chops are as strong as ever.

In "Hot Frosty," after Kathy (Lacey Chabert, another holiday-romance queen) is gifted a scarf by her kindly neighbors, she gives it to a strangely jacked snowman.

And wouldn't you know it, the very next day, the juiced-up snowman comes to life and is now a human man named Jack (Dustin Milligan, aka Ted from "Schitt's Creek").

He has the mind of a toddler but somehow speaks perfect English and can learn anything from YouTube except what cancer is. He essentially imprints on Kathy, who's still grieving the loss of her husband.

Does this movie make any sense? Of course not. But under the overwhelming thirstiness for Jack the Hot Snowman, there's a sweet message about learning to paddle your own canoe.

This movie is also elevated by supporting performances from Joe Lo Truglio, Craig Robinson, and Katy Mixon.

Of course, one of Netflix's best holiday films is the one written by the same person who wrote "Love Actually" and features the voice of Logan Roy (Brian Cox) as Santa Claus. Was it even a question?

"That Christmas" owes a lot to "Love Actually," actually, since it has a similar structure of separate yet overlapping stories. One follows a group of parents who have been stranded in a snowbank, another follows Santa as he's caught in a blizzard, and yet another is about a group of kids whose parents cannot get home for Christmas.

The sweet tale features an all-star cast. In addition to Cox, there's Fiona Shaw, Bill Nighy, Jodie Whittaker, and Lolly Adefope.

Plus, it's only 92 minutes, which makes it the perfect runtime for anyone with kids.

"Carry-On" is the exact type of action movie that we love to watch with the whole family during the holidays — it's a little dumb, but highly entertaining.

Taron Egerton (an actual movie star) plays Ethan, a TSA agent who wants nothing more than to become a police officer to support his girlfriend, Nora (Sofia Carson), and their unborn child.

Instead, he gets rejected from the police academy and is forced to work on Christmas Eve — which is when he meets the mysterious Traveler, played by the always-compelling Jason Bateman.

When the Traveler demands Ethan let a suspicious package through security or he'll murder Nora, all hell breaks loose. It's basically "Die Hard" in the airport. Sure, that might already exist as "Die Hard 2," but it doesn't mean it's not exceedingly fun to watch.

If you're part of a family who would rather chug expired egg nog than watch a rom-com, queue up "Carry-On." You won't regret it.

I visited this location in October to check out its Halloween offerings and was pleased with the selection.

So I decided to return in December and see what was in stock for the most wonderful time of the year.

Do I know what these are for, exactly? No, but I liked them. I could see these working in a dorm room or in a home with young kids.

They seemed like a perfect holiday activity for children.

For $5, you hopefully won't get too annoyed if the kids make the ugliest and most structurally unsound gingerbread home … which wouldn't necessarily be the case with a more expensive kit, like one selling at Williams Sonoma for $35.

Wrapping paper adds up! A few rolls at $1 apiece is a bargain.

The more expensive ones were either licensed characters from properties like "Super Mario" and "Star Wars" or thicker paper than the $1 ones.

I already have so many Christmas string lights, but in a pinch, these $4 lights would be great.

Five Below offered different colored tinsel, including white, gold, hot pink, and red.

I bought one of those hot-chocolate bombs as a stocking stuffer last year, and the gift was a big hit.

This is where it became clearer who Five Below's holiday-decor audience is: children and teenage girls — or really, any teen who loves sparkles.

According to the brand's website, its target demographic is "tweens, teens and beyond." As early as 2015, Business Insider warned that Five Below should have other discount retailers concerned regarding teens' preferences.

In the store I visited, there were glittery reindeer, sparkling ornaments, twinkling earrings, fairy string lights, a white glitter-encrusted tree-topper, and sparkling fake mistletoe, ranging from $3 to $5. If I were in college, I would've done a clean sweep for my dorm or apartment.

As you can see, "disco decor" really means disco ball ornaments and those plastic light-up trees on the top shelf. I purchased one for $3.

Overall, vintage decor that leans into nostalgia seems to be back, between '70s disco balls, metallic tinsel, and light-up trees.

There were also "Lilo & Stitch" and "Nightmare Before Christmas" stockings in this display, although I'm not sure what's disco about them.

There's nothing here that's particularly "glam." The mini upside-down trees are cool, but I wouldn't call them glam.

While in this section, I noted that stockings were half-off and now priced at $2, but I don't need any more stockings.

These mini-ornaments were cute. There were classic orbs, disco balls, crowns, plushies, rainbows, watermelon slices, and even metallic hamburgers.

Again, these items seem best for young kids or teens.

I grabbed one of the green Christmas tree candles with a detachable top for $3.

Any holiday gathering or ugly sweater party would be made better with these.

They all felt very soft to the touch.

I considered snagging a pair of the green reindeer slippers.

I was so taken in by all the Christmas decor that I, a Jewish person, had almost forgotten about Hanukkah entirely — though, in my defense, Hanukkah doesn't even start until Christmas at sundown this year.

I usually associate advent calendars with chocolate, though I know many others exist.

It should be noted that I visited the store on the first day of December, and these were all still available — though they are only 12 days, so if you secure one at any point before December 14, you can join the fun.

I was particularly fond of the llama socks.

In addition to the Reese's calendar, there was a Hello Kitty calendar and a Marvel Comics calendar.

There was special Hanukkah wrapping paper, banners, menorah decorations and headbands, gift bags, and candles.

Five Below did not respond to a request for comment regarding its Hanukkah options.

This added a touch of non-green or -red to my apartment.

Christmas decorations and holiday gift items were being advertised on the windows.

Even though Dollar Tree is known as a "dollar store," some items cost more than that, like these $5 candy canes.

Perhaps it was more expensive because it's reversible.

These ornaments were priced at $1.25 each.

If I were to compare the ornament selection at the two stores, I'd say the Dollar Tree ornaments were more classically Christmas. They were all red, white, or green and were of traditional winter things like snowmen, reindeer, snowflakes, or elves.

At Five Below, they seemed a bit more random.

This seems like a fun craft for kids.

Representation in toys and ornaments hasn't always been the best — Barbie is perhaps the most notable exception, and even that took decades, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the ballerina ornaments weren't all white.

There weren't any human plushies I could spot at Five Below, just animals or characters, so this was nice to see.

To me, it seems like Dollar Tree is the place to go if you're stocking up on holiday staples or prefer to keep your decorations on the simple side.

Maybe if I had a stoop, a yard, or a balcony to perch these on, I would've grabbed a bouquet.

Again, basically everything was red, white, green, or gold — and there's nothing wrong with that! But if you're a teenager, this might not be your vibe.

The tinsel aisle at Dollar Tree put the tinsel bin at Five Below to shame, but I don't need this much as someone who doesn't have a ton of space to decorate.

Imagine how satisfying it would be to drink mulled wine or a hot peppermint mocha from an ornament-shaped mug.

This was similar to the candy and chocolate available at Five Below.

I liked that the Fun Dip looked like a little book.

While this might not be as chaotic as the candle selection at Home Goods, I certainly preferred Five Below's organization to this haphazard shelf. Barely any of them were wintery or seasonal.

Even though Five Below also had just one display, at least it had things other than greeting cards.

Dollar Tree Inc. did not respond to a request for comment regarding its Hanukkah selection.

I'd go to Dollar Tree if I had a house and yard to decorate. It had all the holiday staples and a lot for less than $5.

For example, if I had a huge tree with no ornaments at all, I'd head to Dollar Tree to get all the basic ornaments, the tinsel, and lights.

I'm more likely to return to Five Below since my roommate and I already have all the holiday staples like tinsel and basic ball ornaments and don't need any lawn decor. Plus, it's just us, so we don't need any crafts like DIY ornaments or plushies that kids would be into.

Five Below also fits my aesthetic (read: glitter and metallics) more than Dollar Tree did.

I think both stores are a solid option for holiday shopping on a budget — it just depends on what you need.

On May 27, 1991, an injured 14-year-old boy was seen running through the streets, reported The New York Times.

When police responded, Jeffrey Dahmer told the officers the boy was his lover and that they had a flight. After the officers returned the boy to Dahmer and escorted them both home, Dahmer killed him. Dahmer went on to kill four more men, bringing his total number of murder victims to 17, per the Times.

In July of that year, Tracy Edwards, a 32-year-old Black man, was seen walking the streets with his hands handcuffed. He brought police officers to Dahmer's house, which is where he said he was cuffed. When the officers entered the house, they saw photographs of body parts lying around. Dahmer was arrested on the spot.

Dahmer was found guilty and sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms. He was killed in prison by a fellow inmate in 1994.

Dahmer remains one of the nation's most disturbing serial killers. The chilling case became the subject of a 2017 movie, "My Friend Dahmer," based on a graphic novel, and the 2022 Netflix miniseries "Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story."

Pablo Escobar became one of the richest people in the world in the late '80s and early '90s thanks to the cocaine trade that he controlled out of Colombia.

His Medellín Cartel was responsible for 80% of the cocaine sent to the US, leaving thousands dead, per The Wall Street Journal. He became a target for the US and authorities in Colombia, so he went on the run. 

On December 2, 1993, Escobar attempted to escape the authorities by running across rooftops in Medellin, but he was killed in a shoot-out. His death marked the end of the country's reign on cocaine.

On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson was stabbed to death outside her Los Angeles home with her friend Ron Goldman.

Her ex-husband, NFL star OJ Simpson, quickly became a prime suspect. He was arrested and charged with the two murders after leading police on a televised 60-mile car chase through Los Angeles. When he finally surrendered in his home, Simpson pleaded "absolutely, 100 percent not guilty."

The trial itself became a media frenzy, as Simpson famously tried on the gloves that were left at the murder scene.

On October 3 the following year, Time wrote that over 150 million people (57% of the US population at the time) tuned in to hear the verdict. After just two hours of deliberations, Simpson was found not guilty.

The murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman are still unsolved. OJ Simpson died in April 2024.

Gary Ray Bowles killed his first victim, John Hardy Roberts, in Daytona Beach in 1994. From there, he murdered five more gay men along Interstate 95 in Maryland, Georgia, Atlanta, and Florida.

At one of his crime scenes, Bowles left a probation document, and he was caught on surveillance camera taking money out of the victim's account. When he was finally caught, he was convicted of three out of the six murders. He was executed by lethal injection in 2019.

The month before her murder, Selena Quintanilla (known mononymously as Selena) was at the height of her career, performing for 60,000 people at the Houston Astrodome.

Her album "Amor Prohibido" was nominated at the Grammys for best Mexican-American performance. She was also working on an English album that she hoped would transform her into a crossover hit. By all accounts, she was poised to become the next Gloria Estefan. 

But everything changed in March 1995.

The year prior, she made Yolanda Saldívar the manager of the Selena fan club and put her in charge of the singer's boutiques.

Selena quickly noticed that there were money discrepancies and missing documents with both those businesses. Over the course of a couple of months, Selena confronted Saldívar about the missing documents. Ultimately, those conversations ended with Saldívar shooting Selena after they met at a hotel room, The New York Times reported. She was 23 years old. 

Saldívar was convicted and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 30 years. She is currently in a Texas prison and will be eligible for parole in March 2025.

Meanwhile, Selena's song "Dreaming of You" debuted after her death and reached the No. 1 spot on the US Billboard 200 charts. 

On April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh rented a Ryder truck with agricultural fertilizer, diesel fuel, and other chemicals inside.

He parked the truck outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and walked to a getaway car. When the bomb went off, it destroyed the building and killed 168 people. Among them, 19 were children, CNN reported.

When the FBI found a rear axle from the truck in the rubble, they quickly traced the piece back to McVeigh, a former US Army. From there, the evidence continued to build against McVeigh: He had traces of chemicals on his clothing, and he even jotted down notes about the bombing beforehand. The FBI also found that two other men knew about the bombing plot and helped him devise the plan.

McVeigh was convicted on 15 counts of murder and was sentenced to death. He was executed in 2001.

On July 27, 1996, police received an anonymous phone call telling them a bomb would go off in 30 minutes at the Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta.

As the location was being evacuated, the bomb went off early. A woman was killed, and a cameraman who was rushing to the scene also suffered a fatal heart attack, CNN reported. More than 100 more were injured.

At first, security guard Richard Jewell, who found the backpack that held the bomb, was identified as a suspect. Eventually, Jewell was cleared of any wrongdoing. This series of events was covered in the 2019 film "Richard Jewell."

The crime went unsolved until 1998 when a series of bombings in the South linked Eric Robert Rudolph to the Olympic bombings.

He eluded police for several more years and was eventually arrested in 2003. Rudolph was convicted and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences.

Tupac Shakur made a name for himself as an acclaimed rapper whose music fought against injustice toward Black Americans. Shakur made hit after hit, creating four platinum albums throughout his career. 

But on September 7, 1996, he was seen leaving the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas after getting into a fight. Shakur was in the passenger seat of a car when another car pulled up beside him at a red light, and 13 shots were fired.

He died at the hospital on September 13. 

Since Shakur's death, seven albums have been released under his name, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time.

Some believed his biggest rival, rapper Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie, Biggie Smalls, or the Notorious BIG), was behind his murder, but he denied any involvement.

On March 9, 1997, Biggie was killed, also while waiting at a red light.

Over the years, there have been many theories about what happened to the men.

In September 2023, Duane Davis (also known as Keffe D) was arrested in connection with Shakur's murder, 27 years after Shakur's death. Davis pleaded not guilty in November 2023, NPR reported. His trial was originally scheduled to start in June 2024 but was postponed to November, and then delayed again to March 2025, per Rolling Stone.

On December 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey called the police saying her daughter, JonBenét, was missing and that a three-page ransom note was left on the staircase from a kidnapper who demanded $118,000.

JonBenét's body was found in the basement of the Ramsey home later that day.

From the start, the murder investigation was problematic.

John Ramsey had picked up and moved JonBenét's body out of the basement after she was found. John and Patsy were also interviewed together by investigators, which is not typical police procedure. Since the parents gave inconsistent accounts of what happened that night, the public pointed fingers at them. 

In 2006, the Ramseys were cleared of any wrongdoing because of advancements in DNA evidence. To this day, no one has been charged with the death of JonBenét, though the latest Netflix series puts forth some theories.

On July 15, 1997, Gianni Versace arrived at his mansion in Miami and was shot by Andrew Cunanan on the front steps.

Before the murder, as reported by Harper's Bazaar, Cunanan was already on the FBI's Most Wanted List after a killing spree where he murdered four men: Jeffrey Trail, David Madson, Lee Miglin, and William Reese.

Once Versace's murder made headlines, a nationwide manhunt ensued.

It all came to a head at a houseboat that Cunanan broke into. As police closed in on him, Cunanan killed himself using the same gun he had used on three of his victims.

To this day, it's unclear what his motives were, though an attempt to explore his headspace was shown in "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" in 2018.

Phil Hartman was famous for the eight seasons he spent as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live." While on the show, he was known for his impression of President Bill Clinton. He also went on to play a news anchor in the sitcom "NewsRadio." 

But the comedian may be best known for his tragic death. On May 28, 1999, Hartman's wife, Brynn, shot the comedian as he lay in bed. As the police arrived at the Los Angeles home, they heard a gunshot as Brynn killed herself.

Around 11 a.m., Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris walked into Columbine High School in Colorado wearing trench coats and placed a bomb in the school cafeteria.

They walked back outside to their cars and waited. When the bombs didn't go off, they went back into the school armed with guns and shot their classmates. They killed 12 students and one teacher during their rampage. A little after noon, the pair killed themselves. 

Although the motive of the shooters is still unknown, the incident became the most deadly school shooting in history at the time. It also sparked the national conversation around gun control and gun violence, which is still raging to this day.

Source: BBC

No matter how controversial the first "Joker" film was, it was a financial success — it was the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever (until this year's "Deadpool & Wolverine") and made over $1 billion worldwide.

If you had told anyone in 2019 that the sequel to "Joker" would barely cross the $200 million threshold, they would not have believed you.

According to estimates by Variety, the film could lose its studio anywhere from $125 to $200 million.

To make matters worse, it also earned the rare "D" on CinemaScore, meaning that nobody saw it, and the people who did hated it.

The MCU is the most successful film franchise of all time, raking in billions of dollars for Disney. But the cracks started to show with "The Marvels," which had the lowest opening of any MCU movie at just $65 million.

Forbes reported the film lost a staggering $237 million, even though it wasn't actually as bad as some people on the internet would have you believe.

The biographical film about the life of boxer Muhammad Ali had a $107 million production cost that was raised to $118 million after director Michael Mann moved filming to Africa, according to Bomb Report.

Box Office Mojo estimates the film made just $87.8 million worldwide. Sony was reportedly on the hook for over $100 million when including marketing costs.

DreamWorks co-founder David Geffen has publicly stated the film, centering around a legendary sailor framed for stealing a sacred book, lost the studio $125 million, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The film, about the life of Alexander the Great, had a reported budget of $155 million. According to Bomb Report, the film's gross sank 65.2% in its second weekend and another 68.9% in week three. Overall, production company Intermedia posted a $29.4 million loss for the year.

Based on the beloved adventure novel by Jules Verne about traveling the world in 80 days, the film had an estimated budget of $110 million, but only made $72 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.

The film is most notable now, perhaps, for being the last acting role of Arnold Schwarzenegger before he became the governor of California.

The film is about three top Navy fighter pilots tasked with manning a drone-like plane. It had a budget of $138 million and was directed by "The Fast and Furious" director Rob Cohen — so everyone had high expectations.

However, it lost at least $56 million due to box-office deficits, and likely even more after taking out movie theaters' cuts and marketing costs, according to Box Office Mojo.

The film follows a treasure hunter as he travels to Africa in search of a long-lost ship. It had a reported production cost of $160 million. The Los Angeles Times reported it lost the studio $78 million, and called it "one of the biggest financial flops in Hollywood history."

"Poseidon" is a remake of the original beloved film, 1972's "The Poseidon Adventure." The disaster movie about a sinking cruise ship had a budget of $160 million. After everything, it lost the studio $69 million, Business Insider previously reported.

The film centered around the biblical tale of Noah's ark, and it starred Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman. It had an estimated budget of $175 million and even became the most expensive comedy of all time, according to Reuters.

But, according to Bomb Report, the film lost one of its backers $50 million.

The film about a young orphan living in a train station starred young actors Asa Butterfield and Chloë Grace Moretz. It ended up going $80 million over budget, according to Bomb Report, and lost the studio $80 million — proving that not every Scorsese film is a box-office hit.

The superhero film about a test pilot who gets a powerful alien ring had an estimated budget of $200 million, but it barely broke even at the box office. Overall, the studio took a $75 million loss, according to Bomb Report.

At the time, superhero films were in the middle of a renaissance after movies like "Iron Man" and "The Dark Knight" had proven that comic-book movies had mass appeal. But, "Green Lantern's" failure shows that a built-in fan base doesn't always lead to success.

"Pan" had an estimated budget of $150 million, but its offensive casting of Rooney Mara as the Native American character Tiger Lily, its heavy reliance on CGI, and general disinterest in another "Peter Pan" film led the movie to box-office bomb status, The New York Times reported.

 The Hollywood Reporter predicted that the film "could see losses in the $130 million to $150 million range" back in 2015.

A sequel to the 2010 Tim Burton film "Alice in Wonderland," "Alice Through the Looking Glass" had an estimated budget of $170 million and ended up costing Disney an estimated $70 million — especially shocking, considering that the first film topped $1 billion.

The film follows the Big Friendly Giant as he befriends a young orphan Sophie, even though it goes against giant nature. It had an estimated budget of $140 million, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, "lost $90 million to $100 million for partners Disney, Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment and Participant Media."

It's one of the acclaimed director's biggest flops.

The film follows a young Arthur after the murder of his father and his quest to gain back the throne of Camelot. It had an estimated budget of $175 million and only grossed $148 million, according to Box Office Mojo. Forbes blamed the lack of movie stars, extensive re-shoots, and an inflated budget, among other things, for the film's reported $150 million loss.

DC's answer to Marvel's "Avengers" superhero team-up movie had an estimated budget of $300 million. Business Insider reported that the film could have cost Warner Bros. up to $100 million.

The mind-bending story of young Meg's journey across time and space to rescue her father from darkness had a reported budget of $103 million, and Yahoo Finance reported that Disney lost between $86 million and $186 million on the film.

The film follows a young Han Solo (played by Alden Ehrenreich), the most iconic space smuggler of all time, as he meets his future partner and best friend Chewbacca, future frenemy Lando Calrissian, and a heretofore unknown love interest Qi'ra.

It had an estimated budget of $275 million. Though the film made over $392 million worldwide, that's nothing when you compare it to the $2 billion gross of "The Force Awakens," and the $1 billion grosses of "The Last Jedi" and "The Rise of Skywalker."

The CGI-heavy movie about a tribe of cats called the Jellicles had an estimated budget of $95 million and a famously cursed production. Though "Cats" is a beloved musical and ran on Broadway for years, audiences didn't show the film version the same love. Deadline calculated losses at approximately $113.6 million.

The film about a doctor who can talk to animals had an estimated budget of $175 million and an all-star voice cast including Tom Holland, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, Octavia Spencer, and more. That didn't stop Vulture from calling it "2020's first official mega-flop."

The Observer estimated that "Dolittle" needed to make $500 million to turn a profit and with a final gross of just half that, you can be sure that no one at Universal was pleased with those results.

Washington has been nominated for nine Academy Awards across 36 years, winning two. But not every film in his career has been that highly regarded.

These are the worst films in his career, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 54%

"The Pelican Brief" is based on the John Grisham novel of the same name, and stars Julia Roberts as Darby Shaw, a Tulane law student who uncovers a widespread conspiracy about oil drilling in Louisiana. Washington plays a journalist who teams up with Darby to shed light on the plot.

"An old hand at this sort of thing, [director] Alan J. Pakula goes through the motions, but not much more," wrote Time Out.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 52%

In "Safe House," Washington plays Tobin Frost, a former CIA operative who has been accused of turning on the agency. When the safe house he's being held at is attacked, he goes on the run with his handler, Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds).

"The film's super-saturated look and quick cutting are mere substitutes for any real sense of intrigue," wrote The New Yorker's Bruce Diones.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 52%

Washington returns as Robert McCall in "The Equalizer 2." This time, Robert is dragged back into action after the death of his close friend Susan (Melissa Leo).

The London Evening Standard's Guy Lodge called this film "clunky, over-processed cement-mixer cinema, given some consistency by Washington's screen presence."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 51%

A remake of the 1974 film, "Pelham 123" stars Washington as an MTA employee who negotiates with a group of men who have taken an entire subway train hostage in exchange for millions of dollars.

"This is pointless, redundant, irrelevant film remaking, in which nothing of weight is ever at stake, and no relationships are ever formed," wrote Deborah Ross of The Spectator.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 50%

"Power" is the story of a media consultant, Pete St. John (Richard Gere) who pulls out all the stops to get his client, businessman Jerome Cade (JT Walsh), elected to the US Senate. Washington plays a PR expert who goes up against Pete.

"The movie seems to be asking us to walk out of the theater shaking our heads in disillusionment, but I was more puzzled than disillusioned," wrote Roger Ebert.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 47%

Washington plays the titular Eli in "The Book of Eli," which takes place in a future United States ravaged by a nuclear apocalypse. Over the course of the film, he travels across the States trying to deliver a mysterious book against all odds.

Ed Koch of The Atlantic wrote, "This picture is one big waste of time, including that of the actors and those in the audience who pay to see it."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 44%

"The Siege" stars Washington as an FBI agent who, after New York City endures multiple terrorist attacks, goes against a US general (played by Bruce Willis) who declares martial law and begins detaining innocent American civilians.

"'The Siege' attempts to update the bluffs and counterfeints of the Cold War spy thriller, not to advance any ideological point but to obscure the fact that it doesn't have one," wrote Sight & Sound's Ken Hollings.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 44%

"The Little Things" costars Washington and Rami Malek as two cops who are obsessed with an unsolved murder and become hellbent on proving that a suspect, Albert (Jared Leto), is guilty, no matter what.

"What saves the movie is the star. Malek is stuck at surface level, but with Washington you see the soul-deep breakage of a character whom the abyss has gazed back into," wrote Danny Leigh for the Financial Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 40%

This film is about a fallen angel, Azazel, who becomes determined to possess Detective John Hobbes (Washington). But Hobbes is smarter than Azazel anticipated, and the cat-and-mouse game quickly becomes deadly.

"Denzel Washington has the almost impossible task of holding together a convoluted picture that's only intermittently suspenseful and not very engaging emotionally or intellectually," wrote Emanuel Levy for Variety.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 38%

In "Man on Fire," Washington plays a CIA operative turned bodyguard, John Creasy. He bonds with his young charge Pita (Dakota Fanning), but after she is kidnapped, he pledges to do anything in his power to get her back.

"[Director] Tony Scott's latest exercise in assaultive excess nevertheless lingers for two and a half hours, like a drunken houseguest who won't leave," wrote Nathan Rabin for AV Club.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 32%

When a virtual amalgamation of the most violent serial killers in history is brought into the real world via an android, the LAPD releases Parker Barnes (Washington) from prison in order to track down and neutralize the android.

"Washington, that talented and flexible actor, is wasted here (I believe the dramatic motivation he called upon was $7 million)," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 29%

In "The Bone Collector," the actor plays a forensics expert who has been paralyzed from the neck down. Unable to continue his investigative work alone, he teams up with a young patrol officer, Amelia (Angelina Jolie), to hunt down a serial killer.

The Akron Beacon Journal's Chuck Klosterman wrote, "'The Bone Collector' is an example of everything bad about the serial-killer genre — it's gruesome and needlessly complex, only to end with a sudden avalanche of simplicity that teaches us nothing about the people involved."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 29%

This little-remembered film is best known for Washington's Cockney accent — he plays a British paratrooper who returns to London and finds that society is indifferent to the racism he experiences and his difficulties trying to integrate back into society.

"This is a serious subject, and worthy of a serious journalistic report. That is not, however, what 'For Queen and Country' is," wrote Dave Kehr for The Chicago Tribune.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

"John Q." is the story of a father (Washington) who takes an entire hospital hostage in order to get his son on the heart transplant list after he exhausts every other option in the healthcare system.

The BBC's Neil Smith thought that the film "doesn't so much need a heart as a brain transplant."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 10%

The worst film Washington has appeared in, according to critics, is "Heart Condition." He plays an ambulance-chasing lawyer, Napoleon, who has a rivalry with a racist cop, Jack. When Napoleon dies in a car crash, his heart is donated to Jack — but when Jack wakes up, he finds that he can't escape Napoleon's ghost.

"The movie is all over the map, trying whatever seems to work at the moment," wrote Roger Ebert.

These are the best films of his career, according to critics.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%

Washington received his sixth Golden Globe nomination for his performance as Frank Lucas, a real-life drug kingpin operating out of Harlem, as he goes up against a New Jersey detective played by Russell Crowe.

Empire's Ian Freer called the film "an entertaining romp through familiar cop-and-crim cat-and-mousery, bolstered by strong star turns from Washington and Crowe."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%

Most of the praise for "Philadelphia" goes to Washington's costar, Tom Hanks, as Andrew Beckett, a lawyer with AIDS who sues his old firm for discrimination, but Washington's performance as Andrew's lawyer, Joe Miller, is just as important to the success of this film.

Marjorie Baumgarten wrote for the Austin Chronicle that "Philadelphia" is "comprised of enough 'little moments' that provide all the richness and grace we need to get us past the film's more inelegant moments."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

Washington's fourth Oscar nomination came for his performance as Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a real boxer who was wrongfully convicted of murder and served 20 years before being exonerated.

"Give director Norman Jewison credit for two things: 1) He made the movie; 2) He let Washington run away with it," wrote Mick LaSalle for SF Gate.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

"Courage Under Fire" switches back and forth between two timelines. In the present, Washington plays Nathaniel Serling, a former Army officer who is assigned a desk job after a traumatic friendly fire incident leads to the death of his friend. He's tasked with investigating the death of Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan) and to see if she's worthy of receiving the Medal of Honor.

The film also jumps back to the past to show us what actually happened to Karen on the day she died, and if she deserves the medal.

"Washington's inherent gravity anchors his troubled and troublesome character, and Ryan, whom we'd all but written off as a perpetual pom-pom girl, takes on an atypical role and acquits herself, well, honorably," wrote TV Guide.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

Washington and Clive Owen costar as an NYPD detective and a master bank thief, respectively, who engage in a battle of wits after Owen's character executes an elaborate heist on the Manhattan Trust bank.

"Director Spike Lee's most polished effort in years is a gripping thriller with strong performances," wrote The Times-Picayune's Mike Scott.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

Based on a real incident in 2001, "Unstoppable" is about a literal runaway train … and the only people who can stop it are railroad engineer Frank Barnes (Washington) and conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine).

"Let's give credit where it's due: [director Tony] Scott's on his A-game — as opposed to, ugh, 'Spy Game' — for this occasionally exhilarating piece of popcorn cinema," wrote Keith Uhlich for Time Out New York.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

Washington's third Oscar nomination came in 1993 when he was nominated for his role as civil rights leader Malcolm X in this biopic of the same name.

"[Director Spike] Lee and company have performed a powerful service: they have brought Malcolm X very much to life again, both as man and myth," wrote David Ansen for Newsweek.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

"The Mighty Quinn" is a breezy crime caper that takes place on a fictional Caribbean island. When a local, Maubee (Robert Townsend), is accused of murdering a hotel tycoon, it's up to his friend and chief of police, Xavier Quinn (Washington), to clear his name.

"With [screenwriter Hampton] Fancher's dialogue and Washington's comedic timing, 'The Mighty Quinn' is more fun than a cabana full of bananas," wrote Rita Kempley for The Washington Post.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

"Crimson Tide" is a submarine thriller costarring Washington and Gene Hackman. Hackman's character is the brash, experienced captain, while Washington plays a slower-to-action second-in-command with no combat experience. Their approach to leading the sub differs, which causes tension.

"Producers [Don] Simpson/[Donald] Bruckheimer have plunged to the ocean's depths to reach the heights of commercial, big-movie filmmaking," wrote Duane Byrge for The Hollywood Reporter.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Washington has a supporting role in "A Soldier's Story," which is the complex story of the murder of a Black Army officer in World War II-era Louisiana. Washington plays one of the soldiers in the murdered officer's company.

Cinemania's Dan Jardine called the film an "occasionally preachy but mostly intense, intelligent and captivating racially provocative drama."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

In this Shakespeare adaptation, Washington plays Don Pedro, a prince and matchmaker for his close friends Leonato, Benedick, Hero, Claudio, and Beatrice. In classic Shakespeare fashion, things go awry almost immediately.

David Denby wrote for New York Magazine that "'Much Ado About Nothing' is one of the few movies of recent years that could leave its audiences weeping with joy."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Washington plays a would-be PI living in Los Angeles in 1948 in this neo-noir classic. Easy (Washington) is hired to search for the missing wife of a politician, and the search takes him deep into the criminal underworld of LA.

"It is a smart, sly film imbued with the rich subtle tones of a mournful blues saxophone piece, worthy of comparisons to some of the best noir films of decades past," wrote Patricia Bibby for the Associated Press.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Washington received two Oscar nominations for "Fences": one for producing and one for acting. The film, based on the August Wilson play of the same name, costars Washington and Viola Davis as a married couple living in Pittsburgh with their son, Cory, who wants to play college football against his father's wishes.

"Denzel swells with dangerous charisma. Viola works high emotion from every one of her many lines. They are so good they almost convince us we're watching a movie," wrote Donald Clarke for The Irish Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

"Mississippi Masala" is a romantic drama about an Indian-Ugandan immigrant, played by Sarita Choudhury, falling in love with a local Mississippi man, played by Denzel Washington, against the wishes of her father who wants more than anything to return home to Uganda.

"'Mississippi Masala' appears to have been produced on a modest (by Hollywood standards) budget, but it is a big movie in terms of talent, geography and concerns," wrote The New York Times' Vincent Canby.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Washington received his ninth and final (for now) Academy Award nomination for playing Macbeth in director Joel Coen's adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy. The story follows the doomed king of Scotland as he slowly descends into paranoia and tyranny.

"It's not exactly cheerful holiday viewing, but this 'Macbeth' is nonetheless a gift," wrote Moira Macdonald for The Seattle Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Washington received his second Oscar nom — and first win — for his role in the Civil War epic "Glory," which critics have deemed his best film. The film stars Matthew Broderick as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who leads the first all-Black regiment in the Union's army. Washington plays one of the members of the regiment, Private Silas Trip.

Ian Nathan of Empire called this film an "exceptionally well-rendered and emotive war drama."

The movie musical has always been a huge part of Hollywood, but in recent years, it's been a bit of a rough road. A movie musical hasn't won best picture at the Academy Awards in over 20 years, since "Chicago" in 2003.

Thankfully, "Wicked" seems to be turning the tide, earning rave reviews from critics and fans alike.

Including "Wicked," here are 15 of the best musicals-turned-movies.

People have been trying to make a film adaptation of "Wicked" happen since at least 2010, Deadline reported. The musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2003, is the fourth-longest-running musical in Broadway history.

While it's certainly been a long wait, it was worth it. "Wicked Part One" is a faithful adaptation of the musical's first act. Every song you love is there, lovingly recreated and performed by actors Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, and more.

The scope of the musical has been leveled up using practical sets, hundreds of dancers, and well-placed CGI.

Any fan of "Wicked" should be pleased by this film — and don't be shocked if it ends up picking up a few Oscar nominations.

Next up: "Wicked Part Two," out November 21, 2025.

Based on the 1975 stage musical about two murderous women directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, "Chicago" remains an important, beloved, and most importantly, meme-able film.

"They both reached for the gun" was inescapable on TikTok this year, 22 years after the film's release.

"Chicago" onstage is a relatively bare-bones production — the set is all black and brought to life with dancers. The film adaptation completely changes this, bringing all the iconic locations like the Cook County Jail, the courthouse, and numerous jazz clubs to roaring life.

Performances by Catherine Zeta-Jones (who won an Oscar for best supporting actress), Renée Zellweger (nominated for best actress), Richard Gere, John C. Reilly (nominated for best supporting actor), and Queen Latifah (nominated for best supporting actress) all helped make this movie the awards and box-office juggernaut it became.

In total, it won five Oscars from 13 nominations (including best picture) and grossed over $300 million worldwide.

"Cabaret" — another Bob Fosse musical — was a contender for best picture of 1972 at the Oscars.

It didn't win, but it did take home eight statues, including best director for Fosse, best actress for Liza Minnelli, and best supporting actor for Joel Grey.

"Cabaret," which is based on a 1966 musical, has themes that still resonate today. The plot focuses on the events in and surrounding the Kit Kat Klub, a cabaret nightclub in Berlin in the late 1920s. As Nazi fascism begins its rise to power outside the walls, performers and guests can pretend that everything will be OK inside the Kit Kat Klub.

The movie makes significant changes from the musical, excluding whole plots and characters, but it doesn't detract from its power. The most significant change is the addition of the song "Maybe This Time," sung by Minnelli as Kit Kat performer Sally Bowles. The song has become an iconic theater staple and has even been added to every subsequent revival of the show.

"Dreamgirls" is based on the 1981 stage musical of the same name, which in turn is loosely based on the rise of Diana Ross and the Supremes in the '60s and '70s.

The music is what makes this movie worthy of a watch, with stellar performances by Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé (as Ross), Eddie Murphy (who was nominated for an Oscar), Anika Noni Rose, and, most of all, Jennifer Hudson.

Hudson, who made her acting debut and won an Academy Award for this film, is, to put it lightly, electric. Just watch her performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and try to find any flaws.

The first movie adaptation of the 1957 musical "West Side Story" is not without its faults. Natalie Wood, a white actor, was cast to play Maria, who is Puerto Rican — and she didn't even sing her own songs, she was dubbed over by Marni Nixon. In fact, most of the actors are dubbed over in at least one song.

But the film in its entirety is still breathtaking. Its music (written by Stephen Sondheim), choreography, set design, performances, and cinematography still hold up 63 years later.

And that's all without mentioning the legendary Rita Moreno, who became the first Latina to win an Academy Award for her performance as Anita, a young woman who wants to accept New York City as her new home, but finds it nearly impossible.

"West Side Story" won best picture at the 1962 Academy Awards.

If you can overlook the problematic elements of its time, this film is worth the watch.

The 2021 remake of "West Side Story" may be even better than its predecessor. First of all, the casting of actual Puerto Rican actors cannot be overstated — thank you, Steven Spielberg, for introducing mainstream audiences to Rachel Zegler and Ariana DeBose.

(DeBose won an Oscar for playing Anita — Anita is only the first character in history to be portrayed in multiple Oscar-winning performances.)

Second, almost everyone in this film has a beautiful voice and fills up the screen — again, thank you, Spielberg, for casting Mike Faist.

This film is not without its controversies either: Ansel Elgort was accused of sexual misconduct in 2020, a year before its release, which he denied.

Still, it's been rightly hailed as one of the best movie musicals of all time and was nominated for best picture at the 2022 Oscars.

At this point, the film adaptation of "Grease" is more famous than the 1972 stage musical due to the iconic performances of John Travolta, Olivia-Newton, Jeff Conaway, and Stockard Channing.

Plus, the movie cuts out all of the original musical's subpar songs and adds bangers like "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Grease," and "You're the One That I Want."

"Grease" was so beloved at the time of its release that the soundtrack was the No. 2 bestselling album of the year, according to Billboard.

"The Music Man" is very faithful to its source material: the 1957 stage musical. In fact, the film was directed by Morton DaCosta, who also directed the stage production, which is why it was so similar.

Songs like "76 Trombones," "Ya Got Trouble," "The Wells Fargo Wagon," and "Shipoopi" are classics of the stage for a reason, so seeing them on the big screen on a huge scale is nothing short of jaw-dropping.

Moviegoers agreed — it was the fifth-highest-grossing film of 1962, according to The Numbers, and was nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards.

"Little Shop of Horrors" is an interesting case — it's based on the Off-Broadway musical from 1982, which is turn based on a non-musical film from 1960 titled "The Little Shop of Horrors."

In a cinematic world so filled with CGI, it's satisfying to see the giant puppet of Audrey II (a carnivorous flytrap-esque plant with a taste for humans) interacting with stars Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene.

Director Frank Oz has the absurd tone of this story down perfectly, and the songs by Broadway legends Howard Ashman and Alan Menken hold up today.

"Les Mis," as it's known by fans, is a musical of epic proportions, spanning decades in 19th-century France. It's based on the 1980 musical of the same name, which has been running in London since 1985. That makes it the longest-running musical in West End history.

This movie has some critics, especially regarding the vocal performance of Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert.

It was a smash success at the box office, grossing $442 million worldwide, and nominated for eight Academy Awards, including a win for Anne Hathaway as Fantine.

Seven years after the musical premiered in 1964, a film adaptation of "Fiddler on the Roof" debuted in cinemas and instantly became one of the most beloved movie musicals ever. According to The Numbers, it was the No. 2 film at the box office that year.

Even though this isn't the most universal story — a group of Russian Jews living in a small village in 1902 as they deal with pogroms — the themes of family, growing up, falling in love, religion, and intolerance are still applicable today.

"Hairspray" stars John Travolta, Zac Efron, Michelle Pfeiffer, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, Elijah Kelley, James Marsden, Brittany Snow, Christopher Walken, and Nikki Blonsky in the film adaptation of the 2002 musical (which itself was based on n 1988 comedy).

This film is camp at the highest level, and the songs are earworms 17 years later.

It was nominated for three Golden Globes for best comedy/musical, best actress (for Blonsky), and best supporting actor (for Travolta).

"Wicked" isn't the first musical that Jon M. Chu has directed — in 2021, he directed the cinematic adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's first musical, "In the Heights."

While the film was a box-office disappointment (though its release during the pandemic wasn't ideal), this movie was a hit with critics and the people who actually saw it, with a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences.

"In the Heights" was a way for more people to see themselves represented in musicals in a non-tragic way — the other most famous musical about Latinos is "West Side Story" which, while great, is fundamentally a tragedy. "In the Heights" is a joyful experience to watch, with love and care for its characters shining out of every frame.

"Funny Girl" introduced us to Barbra Streisand. Enough said.

Not really, but "Funny Girl's" lasting legacy is, of course, its star. When it premiered on Broadway in 1964, it made Streisand a star of the theater. And four years later, when she reprised the role of comedienne Fanny Brice on the big screen, she won her first Academy Award.

Hey, Mr. Arnstein, indeed.

Even though Marlon Brando can't really sing, the 1955 adaptation of the 1950 musical is delightful.

The other three stars (Jean Simmons, Vivian Blaine, and most importantly, Frank Sinatra) more than make up for Brando's lack of talent, and he's so charismatic that we don't mind much anyway.

The viewing public in 1955 agreed. According to Variety, "Guys and Dolls" was the highest-grossing movie of the year.

Not every movie musical gracefully transfers the magic of live theater to the big screen.

The main problem with "Cats," based on the 1981 musical, is that it's horrifying to look at. Watching people dressed up as cats onstage makes sense, but trying to actually turn actors into cats onscreen using "digital fur technology" sends viewers headlong into the Uncanny Valley.

The plot of "Cats" is barely comprehensible in the musical, but when transferred to a film, it's even worse. We'd only recommend watching "Cats" if you're in the mood for a laugh.

There's a lot to be said about the marketing of the "Mean Girls" musical movie. Specifically, it wasn't marketed as a musical, leaving people to think that a studio was (unnecessarily) remaking the 2004 film.

Instead, this is a movie adaptation of the 2017 musical, which itself is based on the 2004 version.

Frankly, the music in this isn't all that good. Reneé Rapp, of course, is wonderful as Regina George, but the rest of the cast is largely forgettable, and the production changes made from stage to screen upset some fans.

This is the first movie musical on this list to star James Corden, though it won't be the last. "Into the Woods," perhaps Stephen Sondheim's most well-known musical after "West Side Story," originally premiered on Broadway in 1987.

The original cast was recorded and that performance is available to stream, which we'd highly recommend instead of this adaptation.

The biggest issue, again, is that the actors simply don't have the vocal chops. Corden, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Billy Magnussen, and Johnny Depp are all decently talented singers, but Sondheim's music is notoriously difficult for even the most skilled singers.

It was a rough day to be Ben Platt, the titular Evan Hansen, when the trailer for this film dropped on the internet. Jokes were flying about his age (he was 28 playing a 17-year-old), his wig, and the content of the movie, which has been relatively controversial since the musical premiered in 2015.

Platt's performance onstage was critically acclaimed and earned him a Tony Award, but the histrionics that worked well onstage didn't translate to the silver screen, which usually requires a more subtle touch.

The film ended up bombing, grossing $19 million against a $27 million budget.

"Phantom of the Opera" remains the longest-running musical of all time, and was on Broadway from 1988 to 2023.

That means it has generations of fans who are attached to the musical and might have high expectations for a film adaptation.

Unfortunately, the Joel Schumacher-directed adaptation was a bit of a let-down. Some people felt the main problem was that Gerard Butler, who plays the Phantom, was just too handsome for the role.

"Rock of Ages," based on the 2005 musical of the same name, was first and foremost a box-office bomb. It grossed just shy of $60 million, making it one of the biggest bombs of star Tom Cruise's career.

Speaking of Cruise, people seemed to take the biggest issue with his performance. "Rock of Ages" is a jukebox musical consisting of '80s hits, which requires a huge vocal range. Cruise, talented though he may be, does not have the vocal talent needed.

"The Prom" is the second musical adaption to star James Corden on this list, though his role in this one is more controversial. "The Prom" is based on the 2018 musical of the same name. It's the story of a lesbian teenager in middle America who defies her school's PTA by wanting to bring a female date to prom.

In the film, Corden plays a flamboyant, stereotypical gay character, which is problematic in and of itself — but the fact that Corden himself is straight adds another complicated layer.

As Business Insider's Frank Olito pointed out, LGBTQ teens can "experience disillusionment and confusion" when seeing straight actors play queer characters, and noted that there were plenty of gay actors who could've played the role.

Redditor Yoyti described the issues with "Carousel," the adaptation of the 1945 musical about a romance between an amusement-park barker and a mill worker, perfectly. "It's bad in an insidious way," they wrote, adding that "the changes made to the script, and the direction, turn it entirely on its head and turn a subtle and heartbreaking musical into the horribly problematic thing."

Writer Mark Robinson also wrote that "the stage magic had to be drained to create a film that was of reasonable length."

The 1975 musical is about a group of chorus dancers who are trying everything they can to secure a dancing job before injuries or aging prevents them from dancing again.

As one of the stars from the musical, Kelly Bishop, later said, director Richard Attenborough seemed to misunderstand this.

"It was appalling when director Richard Attenborough went on a talk show and said 'This is a story about kids trying to break into show business.' I almost tossed my TV out the window; I mean what an idiot! It's about veteran dancers looking for one last job before it's too late for them to dance anymore. No wonder the film sucked," she said.

The film adaptation of a story about hippies in Vietnam War-era New York City makes many changes to the 1968 musical of the same name, much to the chagrin of its creators, Gerome Ragni and James Rado.

According to the book "The Age of Hair: Evolution and Impact of Broadway's First Rock Musical," the creators don't even consider it a real adaptation.

"Any resemblance between the 1979 film and the original Biltmore version, other than some of the songs, the names of the characters, and a common title, eludes us," they said.