Movies

Despite its strengths, The Rings of Power actually feels more similar to HBO’s planned Harry Potter series than to Game of Thrones. Surprisingly, Prime Video’s biggest competition to Game of Thrones isn’t a grand, epic production, but rather a grittier, more mature show with daring content and a willingness to challenge typical fantasy storylines. Both The Rings of Power and the upcoming Harry Potter series are based on beloved, well-known franchises.

Science fiction often explores two contrasting futures. Shows like Star Trek and Project Hail Mary imagine technology uniting people and creating a positive future. Others, such as Snowpiercer and Dark, present a more pessimistic view, showing how technology can worsen societal problems. Netflix’s standout sci-fi series leans toward this darker side, offering sharp criticism of our relationship with technology and its subtle impact on what it means to be human.

The 2010s were full of amazing Marvel Comics, but these ten stories are truly exceptional. They represent the best of Marvel from each year of the decade, and are essential reading for any fan.

This new, critically praised Apple TV series is set in the charming, small coastal town of Widow’s Bay, a fictional island in New England. The show immediately grabs your attention, introducing us to Tom Loftis, the town’s well-meaning but clumsy mayor. It starts off feeling like a typical comedy-drama – think the workplace humor of Parks & Recreation mixed with the close-knit community feel of Mare of Easttown. But when a strange fog descends on Widow’s Bay, unsettling Tom as he tries to make a good impression on a New York Times reporter, it becomes clear this seemingly perfect town holds a secret history of bizarre and unexplainable events.

As a big fan of classic TV, I’ve always loved how workplace comedies evolved. Shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show were really groundbreaking – they moved the laughs out of the house and into the office, where you naturally get those funny personality clashes. Then, in the ’80s, shows like WKRP in Cincinnati and Taxi took it even further, showing us these groups of coworkers dealing with all the craziness of their jobs and their personal lives. It’s amazing how those early shows basically set the formula for almost every workplace comedy we see today – a great cast of characters, a central location, and humor that comes from people who are stuck working together!

Many great TV shows don’t get the attention they deserve right away, especially with so much new content being released. These shows often find a dedicated audience over time and become beloved ‘cult classics.’ As the way people watch TV changes, more and more viewers are discovering shows they missed during the initial release. The last ten years have seen a huge increase in television production, meaning there are plenty of critically acclaimed shows that could become future cult favorites.

While Injustice 2 Mobile continues to be updated, the Injustice series hasn’t been a major focus for NetherRealm, as they’ve recently released two successful Mortal Kombat games, Mortal Kombat 11 and Mortal Kombat 1. It’s possible they’re planning another Mortal Kombat game to continue that success, but many fans are hoping to see Injustice 3 next, and recent reports suggest that might actually happen.

The follow-up to the 2023 hit, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, sends Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi (voiced by Charlie Day) on a new mission to space. They must rescue Princess Rosalina (voiced by Brie Larson) after she’s been taken by Bowser Jr. (voiced by Benny Safdie).

Anime is more popular than ever right now. But, with so many new shows being made, it’s creating a lot of pressure on the people who create them and the TV channels that show them. Japanese TV networks are deeply involved in anime production, often helping to fund and create the shows they broadcast.

This year is huge for cyberpunk fans! After decades, the influential novel Neuromancer is finally being adapted for the screen. We’ll also see the Blade Runner universe grow with the new TV series Blade Runner 2099, and a new Ghost in the Shell anime is coming out in July. On top of all that, lots of exciting cyberpunk video games are on the way!