Movies

Before The Rings of Power even came out in 2022, I read an interview with Morfydd Clark (Galadriel) and Charlie Vickers (Sauron) on Collider. They talked about how much they both loved Peter Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy, and shared some of their favorite moments. Charlie mentioned a specific scene from The Fellowship of the Ring that he said actually gave the writers a great idea for a storyline they’re planning for season three of The Rings of Power! It’s cool to know they’re still drawing inspiration from the source material.

Naruto’s path to becoming Hokage was filled with incredibly strong and memorable villains. His first major opponents, Zabuza and Haku, were defeated with the reveal of their sad pasts, setting the tone for the series. Throughout his adventures, Naruto faced villains like Orochimaru and the members of the Akatsuki, who were some of the most impressive in all of shonen anime – often even more compelling than many of the heroes.

Mari Yamamoto, who plays Keiko in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, has discussed Keiko’s journey in the show’s second season. After the events of season one, Keiko was found to have survived a fall into the Hollow Earth in 1959, but ended up lost in time within a hidden part of this underground world.

The 1990s brought a significant shift to Western films, changing how Hollywood depicted the American frontier. The decade saw a rise in popularity for ‘neo-Westerns’ and creative combinations with genres like horror and comedy, proving the Wild West setting could be reimagined in many ways. While classic Western stars like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood were looking for new roles after their earlier success, Val Kilmer helped bring the genre back to life for a new audience in 1993, famously with just one line of dialogue.

Looking at Christopher Nolan’s career, it’s clear that The Dark Knight was the turning point for wider public recognition – that film’s box office numbers really put him on the map. While he had a dedicated following before then, The Dark Knight is when he became a household name. However, Nolan wasn’t a box office newcomer; he’d been building a solid career for years. Now, with his twelfth film, Oppenheimer, he’s once again delivered a major blockbuster, proving his continued success in 2023.

In the upcoming 1.7 update to Stardew Valley, Clint and Sandy will be added as potential marriage partners. This announcement was made by the game’s creator, ConcernedApe, in a video released on the ConcernedApe YouTube channel, where he revealed the news by opening an envelope labeled “1.7 Marriage Candidates.”

Released in 2023, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning followed the successful Mission: Impossible — Fallout. While expectations were high, the film didn’t perform as well at the box office as previous installments in the Mission: Impossible series, particularly when factoring in its high production costs, which were increased by insurance needed for Tom Cruise’s ambitious stunts.

The latest installment, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, explores previously unknown aspects of the Targaryen family. As the long-ruling dynasty of Westeros in Game of Thrones, the Targaryens are central to the story, yet remain enigmatic. They possess a unique connection to dragons and an almost mythical quality, often appearing more like gods than humans. However, the Targaryens are also known for a troubling predisposition to insanity.

Paramount+ is now the streaming home for the movie Warrior. Released early in the rise of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), before fighters like Conor McGregor became household names, Warrior didn’t find a large audience in theaters. The timing meant not enough people were interested in MMA at the time to make it a box office success. If released today, however, Warrior would likely be a huge hit.

The show Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is hinting at the direction of its third season with a recent guest appearance from Star Trek: Discovery. In episode 8, written by Gaia Violo and Jane Maggs and directed by Andi Armaganian, Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly (played by Mary Wiseman) returns to help the academy cadets process the difficult experiences they had during the events involving the USS Miyazaki in episode 6.