I watched A Star Is Born recently to continue my celebration of all that was cinema in 1976. This was my first time watching the movie, which is one of the many iconic movies on the Criterion Channel. I saw the 1954 version of the story many years ago and didn’t like it, and I love the 2018 version. This version, starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, falls between those two. One thing that really stood out to me is Gary Busey's performance. At one time, he was a great actor.

Busey Is Actually Magnetic

The late ‘70s were, for all intents and purposes, the high-water mark of Gary Busey’s career, at least critically. Sure, I loved him in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s with his string of hits like Lethal Weapon, Point Break, Under Siege and The Firm. That was his box office peak, znc all those movies were huge hits. In the ‘70s, not only did he turn in a great performance as John Norman Howard’s (Kristofferson) manager Bobbie, but his follow-up, 1978’s Straight Time, is a great movie. Then there was his Oscar-nominated turn as Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story, one of the best music biopics ever.

Ultimately, I would say Busey is my favorite part of this version of A Star is Born. That’s probably weird to think, but every time he was on screen, I was more engaged. He was pretty magnetic back then. It’s such a stark contrast to the Busey if modern pop culture, screaming like a bird or whatever on TikTok, and the drug-addled Busey who found new “fans” with his wild behavior on the exploitative Celebrity Rehab. I couldn’t help but think about the road not taken by Busey, going from a really promising character actor, to… I don’t know, whatever he’s become today, and it’s just too bad.

A Star Is Born Is Good, But It Misses In One Big Way

There are things that the 1976 A Star is Born does really well. I loved the music scenes, with John in concert or in the studio. It’s like Almost Famous, but in its actual time. In that respect, I actually like it more than the 2018 version. However, the love story and relationship between John and Esther (Streisand) really falls flat for me. It’s clunky, and I didn’t sense any chemistry between the two actors. That’s a stark contrast between Lady Gaga and Cooper in the most recent take.

As much of a fan as I am of the late Kristofferson, and as much as I respect Streisand, I was really pretty disappointed by their performances in this movie. I don’t think either of them hit it out of the park in any way. That’s ultimately why I was so drawn to Busey when he’s on screen. He really is the standout role in the film. He plays a supporting role, but he’s just more believable and likable than the two leads.

As a Gen Xer, my introduction to Busey was during that run in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and while none are the best movies of the ‘90s, they are some of the most memorable of the era. I’m glad I finally saw another piece of that creative peak in the ‘70s in A Star is Born.

It’s been 50 years since the United States celebrated its bicentennial. Gerald Ford was president, Peter Frampton was coming alive on 8-tracks everywhere, and some of the best movies of the ‘70s, and indeed, all-time, were released. We’re talking about Rocky, Taxi Driver, Network, and so much more. I’ve argued in the past that 1986 is the best year in movie history, but 1976 gives it a run for its money, for sure.

In honor of 2026 marking 50 years since that watershed year in Hollywood, I’m committing myself to rewatch some of those movies I love, and to fill in some serious holes in my watchlist history over the next year. How many I'll watch, I don’t know yet, but I’m hoping to see at least one every couple of weeks over the next 52 (well, 51 now) weeks. Here’s what I’m thinking.

There Are So Many Stone-Cold Classics

For starters, there are some of the best and most important movies in film history to rewatch. I’ve seen a lot of the classics, of course. Movies like Rocky and Network, I’ve watched many times over the years. Network has been one of my all-time favorites since the first time I watched it in college. I recently rewatched it again and once again was blown away by how timeless the message is (and how upsetting that message still is).

Rocky, of course, has been a part of my life since, well, forever. I love the whole franchise (we won’t speak on the fifth movie). However, I haven’t actually sat down and watched Rocky from start to finish in years. I’ve seen clips and rewatched scenes, but I’m excited to pop up some corn and sit down and really watch it again. Hopefully, I’ll find something new to love about it.

Another movie I’ve not watched in years is Taxi Driver. There was a time, in college, when I watched it seemingly once a week. It’s such an amazing and disturbing movie. Obviously, it’s become such a part of the cultural zeitgeist that it’s impossible to be a fan of movies and not catch clips and scenes (or memes) from the Martin Scorsese film, but again, it’s been years since I sat down and really watched it.

The final of the four dramas on my list of favorites from 1976 that I have in my pantheon of classics is All the President’s Men. As an amateur political junkie and historian, movies like this one, about Watergate and the fall of the Nixon presidency, are exactly my kind of movie. Throw in the fantastic performances from Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford (who was snubbed for an Oscar nomination), and the rest of the cast, and it becomes a movie that is a total remote-dropper for me.

So Many Great Comedies, Too

It’s not just hard-edged dramas, either. 1976 saw the release of two of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Like some of the dramas, it’s been a long time since I sat down and watched some of them. One that I am especially excited about is The Bad News Bears. I’ve been quoting the movie for years, as it’s one of the most quotable of all time. Of course, it’s also problematic, and it’ll be interesting to see just how I feel about some of the jokes today.

Silver Streak, with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, also came out in 1976, and for me, it’s the first (not counting Blazing Saddles, which Pryor co-wrote) and by far the best of the collaborations between those two legends. It’s yet another movie I haven’t watched since college, so it should be a fun watch. I somewhat recently rewatched Stir Crazy, which I don’t think has held up very well, though Pryor and Wilder are great. We’ll see if that’s different with Silver Streak.

Then There Are The Movies I’ve Never Seen

As I was curating my list of 1976 movies that I wanted to watch, one stood out: Murder by Death, starring Peter Sellers and Truman Capote, of all people. The movie, which is often compared to one of my favorite ‘80s comedies, Clue, has long been on my must-see list and yet, it’s alluded me over the years for one reason or another. That stops this year! In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be the first movie I watch as part of this personal project, probably this weekend.

Another movie towards the top of my must-watch list of 1976 movies is A Star Is Born, with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. Like Murder by Death, it’s a movie that has eluded me for years, so I’m excited to dive in and see how it compares to the more recent version from Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga (I’ve also seen the 1950s version with Judy Garland, but thought it was just “ok”).

The third movie I’ve got high on my list is The Missouri Breaks, starring Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando. This is one of those movies that all I really know about is the title, and that’s just from perusing Jack Nicholson’s filmography. I’ve long wondered about it, but I’ve avoided reading about it, with the intention of finally watching it one day. That day will finally come soon!

Finally, There Are Some Classic Documentaries I’m Excited To Watch Again

Two iconic documentaries that were released in 1976 are Harlan County, USA, and Grey Gardens (both of which you can watch with an HBO Max subscription). The former took home the Oscar for Documentary, and the latter has become such a classic that it was the very first film to be satirized by the hilarious series Documentary Now! With Bill Hader and Fred Armisen. I’ve seen both, and I’m looking forward to re-watching them, along with one of the best music concert films of all time, The Song Remains the Same.

On my list of documentaries from that year that I haven’t seen are Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry, and perhaps most intriguingly, In Search of Noah's Ark. The latter, which was one of the biggest box office successes of the year, is a little out of my wheelhouse, but it made a whopping $55 million in theaters, and that is rare for a documentary. I have to check it out.

Overall, I’m excited by the little project I’m building. I’ve curated a list of 49 films in total, though I admit, I might not get to all of them, especially as I balance it with the packed 2026 movie schedule. First up: Murder By Death

Some moviegoers are absolutely against, or simply exhausted by, the idea of remaking a classic film or rebooting a hit TV show, and I absolutely sympathize with that, given how many lackluster remakes Hollywood has delivered. However, I am open to the idea of reimagining a beloved title, as long as the new version offers some reason to justify its existence by not simply hitting "copy, paste" and calling it a day. See what I mean by taking a look at some of these cinematic remakes and TV reboots that either surprised audiences with something or at least managed to stand on their own.

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

The Rat Pack-led original Ocean's 11 from 1960, which sees a group of World War II veterans reuniting to rob five Las Vegas casinos in one night, just for fun. Steven Soderbergh's remake reimagines the heist (involving only three casinos in one vault) as Danny Ocean's (George Clooney) act of revenge against casino magnate Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), who is dating his ex-wife, Tess (Julia Roberts).

Teen Wolf (2011-2017)

Instead of following a high school student who inherits a family curse that makes him half-man, half-animal like the 1985 comedy, Teen Wolf, MTV's more earnest series adaptation starred Tyler Posey as a wolf bite victim who ends up using his lycanthropic abilities to protect his community from supernatural forces with the help of his friends, Buffy style

The Invisible Man (2020)

Considered one of the best horror movie remakes ever made is writer and director Leigh Whannell's reinterpretation of the classic Universal Monster Movie, The Invisible Man. The acclaimed Blumhouse thriller introduces a more plausible explanation for the eponymous villain's transparency and tells the story from the perspective of the victim, his tormented wife (played by Elisabeth Moss), resulting in a powerful and frightening commentary on gaslit abuse victims.

Westworld (2016-2022)

Michael Crichton's 1973 film Westworld was almost a precursor to Jurassic Park, taking place at a high-tech tourist attraction with an Old West aesthetic and highly realistic androids that go haywire. Decades later, an acclaimed HBO drama of the same name would expand on the concept in much darker, timely, and thought-provoking ways.

Scarface (1983)

Howard Hawks' 1932 gangster drama Scarface follows an Italian immigrant (played by Paul Muni) who rises to power in Chicago's criminal underworld. Director Brian DePalma's 1983 classic, which many may not realize is a remake, follows a Cuban immigrant (played by Al Pacino) and his rise to power in Miami's criminal underworld.

War Of The Worlds (2005)

There has never been a truly faithful adaptation of H.G. Wells' seminal novel, but the two best-known alien invasion movies it inspired could not be more different from one another. The 1953 version follows various residents of a California town and shows things from a governmental perspective, while Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds is told entirely from the point of view of a divorced father (played by Tom Cruise) and his two children as they travel the country searching for sanctuary. The remake even subverts expectations by having the evil extraterrestrials rise from the ground as opposed to coming down from the sky.

The Mummy (1999)

Universal's 1932 monster movie, The Mummy, starring Boris Karloff, is an undisputed classic of the studio's seminal creature feature era. When the story was updated in the late '90s, it took a more action-adventure approach, with Brendan Fraser leading the cast as a stand-in for Indiana Jones.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Joss Whedon took the basic premise of his screenplay for the 1992 Kristy Swanson-led horror-comedy movie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and revamped it (no pun intended) as a more earnest monster-of-the-week thriller, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as the teen monster hunter, that became a cultural phenomenon.

A Star Is Born (1976)

Bradley Cooper's Oscar-winning 2018 directorial debut, A Star is Born, is a wonderful achievement in spite of its many similarities to the late '70s hit of the same name starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. However, that film is a wholly original take on two other synonymous dramas that came before it in 1937 and 1954, both of which revolve around the movie business instead of the music industry.

Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)

The main differentiator between Glen A. Larson's classic '70s sci-fi series, Battlestar Galactica, and Ronald D. Moore's SyFy original reimagining is how it drops the campy tone. However, the contrast is unquestionably dramatic, resulting in one of the most celebrated cosmic TV shows of its time, or any time, and a benchmark for reboots done right.

The Thing (1982)

It is almost cheating to refer to John Carpenter's classic horror movie, The Thing, about an Arctic research crew that can't tell who among them is a shapeshifting alien, as a remake. It could more accurately be described as a far more faithful adaptation of its source material, a novella called "Who Goes There?" than producer Howard Hawks' 1951 thriller, The Thing from Another World, which is a relatively by-the-numbers creature feature.

Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina (2018-2020)

Archie Comics character Sabrina Spellman became a household name when Melissa Joan Hart portrayed her on the very lighthearted ABC sitcom, Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Years later, Netflix released Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, in which star Kiernan Shipka's iteration faces mystical situations of a far graver matter.

The Nutty Professor (1996)

In the original The Nutty Professor from 1963, Jerry Lewis plays the clumsy, unsophisticated, but brilliant Julius Kelp, who develops a serum that alters his personality, creating a more suave and well-kept alter ego he calls Buddy Love. In director Tom Shadyac's remake, Eddie Murphy plays the perfectly sophisticated, but vastly overweight Sherman Klump, whose revolutionary serum initially serves as a temporary, instant weight loss solution, and his thinner self, also named Buddy Love, eventually begins to take on his own persona over time.

The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Many of the best Western movies are reimaginings of classic Japanese action films. One of the best-known examples of this is The Magnificent Seven, which is merely an Americanized update of Seven Samurai, which trades swordfights for gunfights.

Pete’s Dragon (2015)

Co-writer and director David Lowery did not bother rewatching 1977's Pete's Dragon, which follows the friendship between an orphaned boy and a mystical creature that can turn itself invisible. He updated the Disney film into something that is not a musical nor a broad comedy, and goes for a more dramatic, atmospheric fantasy adventure for all ages, with great results.

Bel-Air (2022)

The classic NBC comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air stars Will Smith as a young man taken out of his Philadelphia neighborhood to live with his wealthy California relatives after a violent encounter. This premise worked well as the set-up for a sitcom, but is also well-suited for a drama, as demonstrated in Morgan Cooper's 2019 short film that became the basis for Peacock's darker reimagining, Bel-Air, from producer Smith and starring Jabari Banks.

The Fly (1986)

The original 1958 adaptation of George Langelaan's short story, The Fly, involves an instantaneous transportation experiment gone wrong when an insect gets in the machine, causing a scientist (played by David Hedison) to come out the other end with a fly's head and arm. David Cronenberg's reimagining takes that same transportation device setup, but Jeff Goldblum's Seth Brundle comes out the other end seemingly fine, before his body slowly begins to deteriorate as a result of his DNA being fused with the fly.

Beetlejuice (1989-1991)

The animated series adaptation of 1988's beloved Tim Burton movie, Beetlejuice, is still a story told from a ghost's perspective and retains the same one-of-a-kind, maniacally macabre aesthetic. However, it reimagines the title character as a lovably goofy ghoul who, instead of manipulating Lydia Deetz into marriage, makes friends with her and takes her on various wondrous adventures in the afterlife.

Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)

Jack Finney's classic alien invasion story has been adapted into multiple Invasion of the Body Snatchers movies, all of which are really no different in concept, but differ from each other in various stylistic and thematic ways. For instance, the original 1956 film is a commentary on fears of McCarthyism, while director Philip Kaufman's adaptation instead comments on blind consumerism and boasts not just a bleaker ending, but one of the most devastating endings in horror history.

A Fistful Of Dollars (1964)

At the time A Fistful of Dollars was released, few people realized the first installment of director Sergio Leone and star Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name Trilogy" was a remake. That is because, while the film is a Western-style, beat-for-beat reimagining of the 1961 samurai classic Yojimbo, which is also about a drifter who protects a village by playing two oppressive gangs against each other, Akira Kurosawa never received any credit for inspiring the story, leading production company Toho to file a lawsuit.

RoboCop (2014)

While some might say that José Padilha's RoboCop is a remake that should have never been made, it at least tried to be different in some respects. In particular, Peter Weller's Alex Murphy from the original has almost no memory of his life before becoming a hybrid of man and machine, but the version played by Joel Kinnaman is fully aware of the person he was before and forced to undergo his unusual procedure against his will, which is quite a bit darker.

Dragnet (1987)

One of the first films to honor the bewildering tradition of adapting earnest TV crime dramas into feature-length comedies was director Tom Mankiewicz's Dragnet. This slapstick parody of detective stories is set in the world of Jack Webb's seminal police procedural, featuring Dan Aykroyd as the nephew of Sgt. Joe Friday (who is also named Joe Friday) and Tom Hanks as his partner, Det. Pep Streebek.

Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans (2009)

Director Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, starring Nicolas Cage, boasts an entirely different story from Abel Ferrara's 1992 crime drama, Bad Lieutenant, starring Harvey Keitel, despite also focusing on the exploits of a corrupt cop.

Disturbia (2007)

Director D.J. Caruso's Disturbia is recognized as an unofficial reimagining of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window. It stars Shia LaBeouf as a teenage boy who suspects his neighbor is a murderer while confined to his home under house arrest, as opposed to a grown man (played by Jimmy Stewart) recovering from an injury.

Suspiria (2018)

Luca Guadagnino's reimagining of Dario Argento's 1977 Giallo-style supernatural thriller, Suspiria, has the same setting (a German ballet studio run by witches), but has none of the same eye-popping production design, incorporates a tangentially connected detective story B plot, and boasts a bleak twist ending.

Dawn Of The Dead (2004)

While also set in a mall this time, writer James Gunn and director Zack Snyder's take on the second installment of George Romero's revolutionary zombie movie franchise from 1978, Dawn of the Dead, makes the cast bigger, the zombies faster, the comedy more overt, and the subtle satirical nuances non-existent.

Death Race (2008)

Producer Roger Corman's 1975 B-movie Death Race 2000 takes place in a futuristic, totalitarian United States that holds an annual cross-country racing competition in which the object is to run over as many random pedestrians as possible. Paul W.S. Anderson's reimagining softens the dystopian angle, makes the race exclusive to incarcerated convicts on a single island, and challenges the racers to only kill each other, crowning the last person standing.

Velma (2023-2024)

In the HBO Max original animated prequel series, Velma, starring Mindy Kaling in the title role, the meddling kids from Mystery Inc. are nothing like who they used to be. There is also no Scooby-Doo, which was probably the last straw for all the haters.

When A Stranger Calls (2006)

The Camilla Belle-led update of When a Stranger Calls takes the first 20 minutes of the original 1979 suspense thriller, in which a babysitter discovers her unsettling phone calls are coming from inside the house, and extends that to its own 90-minute feature.

Beauty And The Beast (2012-2016)

From 1987 to 1990, CBS aired a modernized, crime drama-style take on the classic fairytale, Beauty and the Beast, depicting a romance between a lion-man living underneath New York City (played by Ron Perlman) and a beautiful ADA (played by Linda Hamilton). When The CW developed its own version, the series dropped the mystical half-man, half-animal creature aspect in favor of making the Beast a normal man who goes feral when angered after being subjected to a government experiment.

Paws Of Fury: The Legend Of Hank (2022)

The original title of the animated comedy Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, about a dog who becomes an unlikely hero to a village of cats, was Blazing Samurai, to reflect how Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles served as its structural inspiration.

Mockingbird Lane (2012)

Mockingbird Lane, which aired on NBC as a Halloween special, was developer Bryan Fuller's failed attempt at reimagining the spooky, silly sitcom The Munsters into a modern supernatural dramedy.

I stopped taking award ceremonies seriously a long time ago, to be honest, because there is ultimately no right or wrong answer in regards to the finest achievements in any subjective art form, including cinema. However, I still enjoy watching the Academy Awards, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences does manage to surprise me with its choices from time to time, and I am certainly not the only one. See for yourself as we reminisce about the Oscar wins and losses that left movie lovers a little shocked.

Moonlight Wins Best Picture

Seeing Barry Jenkins' acclaimed A24 movie tracing a gay Black man's lifelong identity struggle, Moonlight, take home the top prize at the 2017 Oscars was surprising enough, given that La La Land was the frontrunner. However, the moment itself became infamous due to an incident in which presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway were handed the wrong envelope and accidentally announced the romantic musical as the victor at first.

Citizen Kane Only Takes Home Best Original Screenplay

Citizen Kane is widely celebrated as the greatest movie of all time in retrospect, but you would not know it from its low turnout at the 1942 Academy Awards, at which it was nominated in nine categories but only earned Best Original Screenplay. Its mixed reception (and reported boos at the Oscar ceremony, according to Collider) were the result of a smear campaign ordered by William Randolph Hearst, who is said to have inspired star, director, and co-writer Orson Welles' drama about a megalomaniacal media tycoon.

Mikey Madison Wins Best Actress Over Demi Moore

After Demi Moore's tragic performance in the instant classic horror movie, The Substance earned her the Best Lead Actress award for nearly every other ceremony prior, experts were convinced the Hollywood veteran would win the category at the 2025 Academy Awards. Thus, it was shocking to see then-25-year-old up-and-comer Mikey Madison take home the gold for her performance in the title role of Anora.

Alan Arkin Wins Best Supporting Actor Over Eddie Murphy

It seemed like Eddie Murphy was a lock to be the first Saturday Night Live star to win an Oscar for his supporting role in the 2006 musical Dreamgirls. Yet, it ended up going to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine. With all due respect to the late actor's wonderful performance in the beloved dramedy, many still believe Murphy deserved the award and even blame his ill-received comedy Norbit from the same year for hurting his chances.

Shakespeare In Love Wins Best Picture Over Saving Private Ryan

Director Steven Spielberg's powerful war movie, Saving Private Ryan, was the frontrunner to win Best Picture at the 1999 Oscars. While Spielberg took home his second directorial prize, the movie lost to Shakespeare in Love. A retrospective by Den of Geek claims the romantic period drama's wins – also including Best Actress, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, and Score – were the result of the producers' strategic campaigning, supposedly altering the Academy's decision-making process forever.

Marisa Tomei Wins Best Supporting Actress

Marisa Tomei beat esteemed Hollywood veterans Vanessa Redgrave and Miranda Richardson in the 1993 Oscars' Best Supporting Actress category for her breakthrough role as Mona Lisa Vito in My Cousin Vinny. Her win for the otherwise hilarious and charming performance was such a surprise that many speculated presenter Jack Palance had accidentally read the wrong name, and the Academy just let her keep it.

Barbra Streisand And Katharine Hepburn Tie For Best Actress

The third time that an Oscar vote ended in a tie occurred in 1968 when both Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn earned Best Actress. Streisand won for her performance in Funny Girl, and Hepburn's role in The Lion in Winter also impressed an equal number of Academy voters.

Suicide Squad Wins Best Makeup And Hairstyling

In 2017, director David Ayer's Suicide Squad took home the award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for the way it transformed its actors into bizarre DC supervillains. Setting aside the comic book movie's largely negative reception, the film's victory over the eye-popping makeup effects in Star Trek Beyond was shocking.

Anora Wins Best Picture

The story of a young "lady of the night" and her ill-fated marriage to a rich, Russian twenty-something became the 2025 Oscars frontrunner late in the game, which made its Best Picture victory over safer bets like The Brutalist quite a surprise. Anora also made history when Sean Baker earned Oscars for directing, writing, and editing in the same night.

Anthony Hopkins Wins Best Actor Over Chadwick Boseman

There was so much confidence in the chance that Chadwick Boseman would win a posthumous Best Actor Oscar for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom that the category was saved for the end of the 2021 telecast. Instead, it went to The Father's Anthony Hopkins, who was not even present at the ceremony, which left a bit of a sour taste in viewers' mouths.

Crash Wins Best Picture Over Brokeback Mountain

The world was absolutely convinced that director Ang Lee's buzzy gay love story, Brokeback Mountain, would take home the top prize come Oscar night in 2006. Instead, the winner was writer and director Paul Haggis' examination of modern prejudice, Crash, much to the surprise and even dismay of many critics and audiences at the time and for years to come.

Marcia Gay Harden Wins Best Supporting Actress

In 2001, Marcia Gay Harden's portrayal of Lee Krasner in Pollock earned her both her first Academy Award nomination and win, but that is not what made it such a remarkable achievement. The actor had not won a single accolade for the performance before beating the likes of Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand in Almost Famous on Oscar night.

Eddie Redmayne Wins Best Actor Over Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton's performance in 2015's Best Picture Oscar winner, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), was poised to earn him the Best Actor award that night. Instead, the former Batman actor lost to Eddie Redmayne, whose portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything is retrospectively not held in as high regard.

Rocky Wins Best Picture

Rocky, starring writer Sylvester Stallone as the titular aspiring boxer, is a great underdog story, and the same could be said about its jog to the Oscars stage in 1977. The film won three Oscars, including Best Picture over strong contenders Taxi Driver, Network, Bound for Glory, and All the President’s Men.

Bob Fosse Wins Best Director Over Francis Ford Coppola

It is rare to see a movie win the Best Picture Oscar without seeing its director also take home a statuette. However, that is what happened in 1973 when Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather won the top prize, but best director went to Bob Fosse for Cabaret.

Three 6 Mafia Win Best Original Song

When Three 6 Mafia won the 2006 Oscar for Best Original Song for Hustle & Flow's “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” it was not the first time that a hip-hop artist earned the award, as Eminem had won for "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile only a few years earlier. Still, a rap song earning such an accolade was still considered a rarity, and adding the fact that Dolly Parton (for Transamerica's "Travelin' Through") and Kathleen "Bird" York (for "In the Deep" from Crash) were the competition, it was an unexpected victory.

Driving Miss Daisy Wins Best Picture

The competition between Driving Miss Daisy and its fellow Best Picture Oscar nominees (Born on the Fourth of July, Dead Poets Society, Field of Dreams, and My Left Foot) was not exactly fierce. What made its victory – in addition to wins for Best Actress (Jessica Tandy), Adapted Screenplay, and Makeup – a surprise was that its director, Bruce Beresford, was not even nominated.

Beatrice Straight Win Best Supporting Actress

Beatrice Straight appears in 1976's Network, in which she, as Louise, tearfully and angrily reacts to her husband, Max Schumacher (William Holden), revealing he has been having an affair. Her powerhouse performance in the five-minute sequence was enough to convince the Academy that she deserved the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Adrien Brody Wins Best Actor For The Pianist

Adrien Brody won his first Academy Award for leading the 2002 World War II-era biopic, The Pianist, making him the youngest person to win in the Best Actor category at 29 years old. Making matters even more surprising, he was going up against esteemed Oscar winners Jack Nicholson (About Schmidt), Michael Caine (The Quiet American), Nicolas Cage (Adaptation), and Daniel Day-Lewis (Gangs of New York), the latter of whom was the frontrunner.

Olivia Colman Wins Best Actress Over Glenn Close

In 2019, Glenn Close received her seventh Academy Award nomination for her role in The Wife, which had already earned the actor multiple accolades, convincing many that this would finally be the year she goes home with an Oscar. Instead, her losing streak would continue when the Best Actress winner turned out to be Olivia Colman for her wonderful performance in Yorgos Lanthimos' absurdist period satire, The Favourite.

Dances With Wolves Wins Best Picture Over Goodfellas

Kevin Costner made his directorial debut with the Civil War-era, Western movie classic, Dances with Wolves, which took home Best Picture. While it was an undeniably impressive achievement for the actor and filmmaker, who also starred in the drama, it was a bittersweet occasion as esteemed veteran Martin Scorsese's acclaimed crime thriller, Goodfellas, only took home a statuette that night for Joe Pesci's supporting performance.

Grace Kelly Wins Best Actress Over Judy Garland

At the 1955 Academy Awards, the frontrunner in the Best Actress category was the legendary Judy Garland for the first remake of A Star is Born. Thus, it came as quite a shock to see Grace Kelly winning the Oscar for her role in The Country Girl as the wife of an alcoholic actor desperately seeking a comeback.

Parasite Wins Best Picture

By Oscar night 2020, it was nearly impossible to tell which of the many Best Picture frontrunners, from Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to Sam Mendes' 1917, would prove to be the victor. Yet, nobody anticipated that Bong Joon Ho's South Korean thriller Parasite, which had also won Best International Feature that night, would take home the top prize, becoming the first foreign-language film to do so.

Art Carney Wins Best Actor Over Al Pacino

Al Pacino's two-decade losing streak would end in 1993 when he won the Best Actor Oscar for Scent of a Woman, which was also his eighth nomination. One of the most surprising instances in which he lost was in 1975, when his performance as Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II was expected to be the winner until he was bested by Art Carney in the road trip comedy Harry and Tonto.

Green Book Wins Best Picture

While it was well-received upon release, many critics and experts feared the idea of a simple and safe drama like Green Book winning Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars against more esteemed and refreshingly ambitious films like Roma, The Favourite, and A Star is Born. Of course, that turned out to be exactly what happened.

Kevin Costner Wins Best Director Over Martin Scorsese

Not only did Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves earn the top prize at the 1991 Oscars, but the first-time filmmaker was also awarded Best Director. Also nominated in that category that year, and for the third time, for his expertly crafted mafia drama, Goodfellas, was Martin Scorsese, who would not take home the award until 16 years later for The Departed.

Anna Paquin Wins Best Supporting Actress

The Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominees in 1994 included Rosie Perez for Fearless, Winona Ryder for The Age of Innocence, Emma Thompson for In the Name of the Father, and Holly Hunter for The Firm (the latter two of whom were nominated for two acting categories the same year). However, the winner was The Piano's Anna Paquin, who, at just 11 years old, became one of the youngest people to receive an Academy Award.

The Color Purple Wins Nothing

You can usually count on the film with the most Oscar nominations to go home with at least one statuette, but that was not quite the case in 1986. The Color Purple was tied with Out of Africa with 11 nominations, and while Sydney Pollack's romantic drama earned seven awards, including Best Picture, director Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Alice Walker's celebrated novel left completely empty-handed.

Joel Grey Wins Best Supporting Actor

Three of the Best Supporting Actor nominees at the 1973 Academy Awards were from The Godfather (namely Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, and James Caan), and none of them ended up taking home an Oscar. The winner, instead, was Joel Grey, for his performance as "Master of Ceremonies" in Cabaret.

Juliette Binoche Best Actress Over Lauren Bacall

Screen legend Lauren Bacall earned her sole Oscar nomination in 1997 for The Mirror Has Two Faces. However, the Best Actress winner that night was first-time nominee Juliette Binoche for her performance in The English Patient, which also won Best Picture.

The Greatest Show On Earth Wins Best Picture

Steven Spielberg has cited director Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth as an early influence on his interest in filmmaking. However, most modern audiences and critics are baffled by the fact that this drama, taking place at the circus, was voted Best Picture at the 1953 Academy Awards.

Robert Donat Wins Best Actor

In a Best Actor Oscar category that also included Clark Gable in Gone With the Wind and Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the winner turned out to be Robert Donat for Goodbye, Mr. Chips, surprisingly.

Whenever we talk about iconic movie couples, we tend to focus on the happy-go-lucky pairings where everything either ends well or they learn something before the credits roll. But not today. Instead, let’s look back at 32 movies with horrible toxic relationships where couples were doing more harm than good – to themselves and each other. Don’t worry, we’ll still be talking about some of the best romantic comedies of all time, but we’ll also dive into some messed-up relationships at the core of a few great psychological thrillers with unhappy endings, as well.

Gone Girl (Amy And Nick Dunne)

On top of featuring one of the best female villains in film history, David Fincher’s 2014 adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl has hands down one of the most toxic relationships of all time. Amy (Rosamund Pike) and Nick Dunne’s (Ben Affleck) horrible marriage, which leads to one party cheating and the other faking their own kidnapping to frame their “better” half, is one for the ages.

Fatal Attraction (Dan Gallagher And Alex Forrest)

When a relationship starts as an affair and leads to a boiling bunny and a vengeful wife getting all cold-blooded with a gun, you know it’s toxic. That’s the case for Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) and Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) in the ‘80s erotic thriller, Fatal Attraction.

Revolutionary Road (Frank And April Wheeler)

If you went into Revolutionary Road thinking that the characters played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet would be as lovey-dovey as the actors were in Titanic, you’ve got another thing coming. Sam Mendes’ take on Richard Yates’ 1961 novel is BRUTAL and centers on two people whose hatred for one another is something to behold.

Inception (Cobb And Mal)

Look beyond all the mind-bending visuals, intense action sequences, and myriad theories, and you’ll find a horrible toxic relationship at the core of Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Not even death could bring an end to the misery that was Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mal’s (Marion Cotillard) tortured marriage.

Sid And Nancy (Sid Vicious And Nancy Spungen)

Chronicling one of the most infamous failed relationships in rock-n-roll history, Sid and Nancy is a tour de force of toxic energy. Centering on the final months and days in the relationship (and lives) of Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) and Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb), Alex Cox’s 1986 biopic is a lesson in what happens when a destructive relationship comes crashing down.

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Clementine And Joel)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is without a doubt one of the best movies of the 2000s, but man, it’s one depressing trip. The story about a former couple (played by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet) who go to extreme lengths to get over a failed relationship will certainly knock you down a peg and leave you never wanting to love ever again.

A Star Is Born (Jackson And Ally Maine)

Every version of A Star is Born has a really messed up relationship at its core, and Bradley Cooper’s 2018 reimagining is one of the most tragic. As soon as Jackson Maine (Cooper) meets Ally (Lady Gaga) in a drag bar, you know how this one is gonna end. Spoiler, it’s not pretty. In fact, it’s tragic in multiple ways.

Blue Valentine (Dean And Cindy)

Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine is one of those great movies you can only watch once because it’s so messed up. Sure, it’s not as extreme as others, but the story of Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy Pereira's (Michelle Williams) relationship over multiple years is grueling, upsetting, and absolutely heartbreaking.

Badlands (Kit And Holly)

Inspired by the story of Charles Starkweather and Caril-Ann Fugate, Badlands is one of those crime movies everyone needs to watch at least once. But be warned, as Martin Sheen’s Kit is a homicidal madman who takes advantage of his young girlfriend Holly (Sissy Spacek) and takes her on a life of crime and killings in America’s badlands.

You've Got Mail (Kathleen Kelly And Joe Fox)

Sure, You’ve Got Mail has one of the best enemies-to-lovers stories of all time, but let’s be real for a second. Tom Hanks’ Joe Fox is a manipulative jerk who toys with Kathleen Kelly’s emotions, puts her bookstore out of business, and orchestrates a scenario where they end up together at the end.

The Graduate (Benjamin Braddock And Mrs. Robinson)

A relationship built on lust instead of love isn’t necessarily a recipe for disaster, but it’s not really a winner either. That’s the case for Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) and Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) in The Graduate. Sure, it led to an all-time great song, but this toxic and unhealthy relationship is horrible and quite damaging.

Nocturnal Animals (Edward Sheffield And Susa Morrow)

What if you hurt your spouse to such an extent that they later wrote a book in which a character based on you was viciously attacked and murdered in the West Texas desert? Well, that’s what happens in Nocturnal Animals when Jake Gyllenhaal’s Edward Sheffield plays some serious head games with his ex-wife, Susan Morrow (Amy Adams).

Gaslight (Gregory And Paula)

When a movie has a title like Gaslight, you know it’s going to have a remarkably toxic relationship at its core. This 1944 classic, which focuses on the deterioration of Paula Alquist (Ingrid Bergman) and Gregory Anton’s (Charles Boyer) marriage after the husband plays some messed up games with his new wife, is wild, to say the least.

Requiem For A Dream (Harry And Marion)

Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto) and Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly) are so preoccupied with chasing the next thrill and high in their messed up lives that they fail to see the damage of their detrimental relationship in Requiem for a Dream. This is one of Darren Aronofsky's best movies but also perhaps his most unsettling, thanks in part to these two.

Natural Born Killers (Mickey And Mallory Knox)

Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis) love each other in Natural Born Killers, there’s no doubt about it. But this messed up couple shows their love and admiration for one another by killing dozens of people in increasingly violent ways as they embark upon a blood-soaked honeymoon.

Renfield (R.M. Renfield And Dracula)

While there’s no romance shared by R.M. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) and Dracula (Nicholas Cage) in Renfield, let’s not act like this isn’t the most toxic relationship we’ve seen in a horror movie in recent years. Dracula, who takes and takes from his servant, creates a monster, one that ends up pulling off a lot of heads and bringing chaos to the Big Easy in this blood-soaked comedy.

Kramer Vs. Kramer (Ted And Joanna Kramer)

If you were to watch the Kramer vs. Kramer trailer, you’d probably think this 1979 romantic drama would be a fun and enjoyable watch. Think again! Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep’s on-screen relationship is damaging, so toxic, and so horrible, you’re lucky if you don’t need therapy after coming out the other side.

Midsommar (Dani And Christian)

Ari Aster’s Midsommar is one of the most unsettling horror movies of all time, as well as a drama with one incredibly toxic and horrible relationship. Of course, we’re talking about Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor) whose bond goes from distant to destructive over the course of the movie. Never at any point does it seem like these two get along or care for one another, especially at the end.

Passengers (Aurora Lane And Jim Preston)

The Passengers trailer made it seem as if the 2016 sci-fi drama would be about an unlikely relationship that blossoms in deep space. While that is sort of true, don’t forget that Aurora Jane (Jennifer Lawrence) and Jim Preson’s (Chris Pratt) relationship is built upon a lie, a really, really messed up lie that is unforgivable.

An Education (Jenny Mellor And David Goldman)

Lone Scherfig’s An Education spends most of its 100-minute runtime showing a seemingly normal and healthy relationship shared by Jenny Mellor (Carey Mulligan) and the much older David Goldman (Peter Sarsgaard). But later on we find out that things aren’t as they seem and one of the involved parties has a destructive, heart-breaking secret.

Beauty And The Beast (Belle And Beast)

A tale as old as time, Beauty and the Beast is regarded as one of the best Disney animated movies, but the relationship between Belle and Beast is pretty horrible. While it is noble of Beast to set Belle’s dad free, he essentially holds the young woman hostage in his desolate castle in exchange. Stockholm Syndrome, anyone?

Leaving Las Vegas (Ben And Sera)

Leaving Las Vegas is one of the best Nicolas Cage movies, but it’s also one of the actor’s films where he plays one part of a pretty messed up relationship. While it is true that Ben (Cage) and Sera (Elisabeth Shue) love one another, their lifestyles and personalities also have some pretty detrimental effects on each other and themselves.

Closer (Alice, Larry, Anna, And Dan)

Keeping track of all the couples and their histories in Closer should be an Olympic sport. Mike Nichols’ 2004 romantic drama follows the intertwined relationships shared by Alice (Natalie Portman), Larry (Clive Owen), Anna (Julia Roberts), and Dan (Jude Law), as they play out over several years; years filled with broken hearts, trauma, and toxicity. Great movie, but a serious downer.

The Godfather (Michael And Kay)

Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) is probably one of the most famous mobsters in the history of cinema, but he’s also a pretty rotten guy. Throughout The Godfather (and its sequels), his relationship with Kay Adams (Diane Keaton) has more downs than ups, ever-changing rules, and a lack of trust. The final scene in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 epic says it all.

Interview With The Vampire (Lestat De Lioncourt And Louis De Pointe Du Lac)

The way Lestat de Lioncourt (Tom Cruise) takes Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt) out of a life of luxury and makes him into an immortal prisoner in Interview with the Vampire is as horrible as it is tragic. These two, though dependent upon one another, hate each other, which doesn’t translate to a happy ending.

Raging Bull (Jake And Vickie LaMotta)

Are there any nice or wholesome characters in Raging Bull? No, not really. But Jake (Robert De Niro) and Vickie LaMotta (Cathy Moriarty) take the cake in terms of characters in a horrible and toxic relationship. The fighting, the head games, and the cussing are all signs of an unhealthy and dangerous marriage.

Death Becomes Her (Madeline Ashton, Helen Sharp, And Ernest Menville)

One of the funniest movies of the early ‘90s, Death Becomes Her is full of some all-time great cinematic characters like Madeline Ashton (Meryl Streep), Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn), and Ernest Menville (Bruce Willis). However, all three are intertwined in a messed-up love triangle full of pettiness, bitterness, death, and a miracle tonic that extends things way too much.

Forrest Gump (Forrest And Jenny)

Does Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) love Jenny (Robin Wright) in Forrest Gump? Yeah, we’re certain of that. But does Jenny love Forrest with all her heart? Well, the jury is still out. Throughout this movie, Jenny toys with her childhood friend’s emotions in multiple ways over multiple decades, and is pretty much the movie’s villain at times.

Marriage Story (Charlie And Nicole Barber)

Marriage Story is a brilliant movie that everyone needs to watch at least once. But, boy, Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole Barber (Scarlett Johansson) are one horrible and toxic couple. These two, with their jealousies, resentment, and suppressed anger are a time bomb and it’s probably for the best they go their separate ways.

Phantom Thread (Reynolds Woodcock And Alma Elson)

When you have to poison your lover so that he won’t let you leave, you know something’s not right. And that’s the case for Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps) and Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis in Phantom Thread. Over the course of two-plus hours, this odd and deadly relationship plays out in a way that is particularly toxic.

Nightcrawler (Lou Bloom And Nina Romina)

Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Nina Romina (Rene Russo) in Nightcrawler are probably one of the most disturbing relationships in 21st-century cinema. Lou is using Nina who is taking advantage of the young stringer in a variety of ways. They’re both awful, self-serving people who deserve everything that comes their way.

500 Days Of Summer (Tom And Summer)

You have to feel bad for Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in 500 Days of Summer, but you don’t necessarily have to blame Summer (Zooey Deschanel) for the deterioration of their relationship, either, Both want different things and have different aspirations. All of that would be fine if they didn’t have detrimental impacts on each other, and their doomed relationship.

As you can see, cinema history is filled with toxic relationships, even in films that turn out to be some of our most beloved romantic comedies.

Sally Albright and Harry Burns, Bridget Jones and Mark Darcy, Anna Scott and William Thacker — the best romantic comedies of all time have given the world some of cinema's most beloved pairings. But what about those movies that aren't classic rom-coms? Plenty of sci-fi classics, adventure epics, soaring musicals and heartrending dramas have introduced movie lovers to twosomes worth rooting for. Here are the 32 best movie couples from outside the rom-com genre. 

Han Solo and Princess Leia (Star Wars)

"I love you!" "I know!" And there you have the famous dynamic between Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) throughout the entire Star Wars franchise. The good-natured bickering, palpable tension and lasting love through both ups and downs between the rakish captain of the Millennium Falcon and the regal Jedi-turned-general make theirs one of the best couples in any galaxy. 

Joel and Clementine (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Not even a Lacuna memory erasure procedure could make Joel Barish (Jim Carrey, in one of his best performances) and Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet) forget each other in the 2004 Michael Gondry-directed classic Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Though both characters initially wanted to dissolve their relationship, getting to relive all of their moments together — both good and bad — made them, and us, want to see their romance rekindled. 

Jackson and Ally (A Star Is Born)

The love story between an established Hollywood star and a plucky aspiring singer has been told across several film versions of A Star Is Born — though the duo is known as Norman and Esther in previous iterations — but Bradley Cooper's Jackson and Lady Gaga's Ally reinvigorated the cinematic romance in the 2018 romantic musical, thanks to their electrifying chemistry and incredible duets. That devastating ending wouldn't hit nearly the same way without them.

Rose and Jack (Titanic)

James Cameron's Titanic does so much as a movie: one part historical drama, one part disaster epic, and one part onscreen romance for the ages. And guiding moviegoers through all of it is the instantly iconic pairing of scrappy third-class artist Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and sheltered high-class debutante Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet). 

Chiron and Kevin (Moonlight)

In the 2016 Oscar winner for Best Picture, we get to see Chiron and Kevin together through three periods of their lives in Miami, from their childhoods to teendom to adulthood. Their sweet connection turns sultry when the pair (now played by Trevante Rhodes and André Holland, respectively) reunites as grown men at a Florida diner, with Barbara Lewis' "Hello Stranger" crooning over the jukebox. 

Rick and Ilsa (Casablanca)

It's ironic that arguably the greatest cinematic romance of all time is actually between exes. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) may not be together anymore in the 1942 masterpiece Casablanca, as she has since moved on and married Czechoslovak Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). But they'll wistfully "always have Paris," and we'll always have them. 

Marianne and Héloïse (Portrait Of A Lady On Fire)

This subtle yet stirring 2019 drama from Céline Sciamma tells the story of a slow-burn romance between two young women in late 18th-century France: a young aristocrat named Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) and the painter commissioned to paint her portrait, Marianne (Noémie Merlant). Together, the LGBTQ+ movie couple crafts a connection as singular and stunning as anything found on a canvas. 

Tish and Fonny (If Beale Street Could Talk)

Director Barry Jenkins composes a stunning cast for this film adaptation of James Baldwin's 1974 novel, including Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bryan Tyree Henry and Regina King. But the heart of the story beats with its core couple Tish and Fonny, portrayed by KiKi Layne and Stephan James. The film is told in a non-linear fashion, jumping from highs (the birth of a child) to lows (wrongful incarceration), but the heart-wrenching love between Tish and Fonny threads it all. 

Ennis and Jack (Brokeback Mountain)

One of the best LGBTQ movies of all time, Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain broke hearts the world over with its beautifully rendered romance between Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), two Wyoming cowboys whose intense but repressed passion stretches across decades. The realities of early-'60s America meant that the men couldn't be publicly open with their relationship, which made their time together both savored and tragic. 

Elizabeth and Will (Pirates Of The Caribbean)

Although Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Swann has several love interests throughout the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, including Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and James Norrington (Jack Davenport), even casual fans know that her one true love is none other than blacksmith-turned-pirate Will Turner (Orlando Bloom). Spanning five Pirates movies, the swashbuckling duo takes on everything from arrests and kidnappings to ghost captains and mysterious curses. 

Neo and Trinity (The Matrix)

To say that love changes the world in The Matrix films is an understatement: it literally is what brings Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) back to life and frees them from the confines of simulated reality. A true fusion reaction, the connection that they generate throughout the seminal sci-fi franchise is enough to power them through hardships both human and machine.

Reynolds and Alma (Phantom Thread)

Not every movie romance is a happily-ever-after breeze. For controlling couture designer Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and clumsy but calculating country waitress Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps), things aren't entirely smooth sailing after they meet-cute at the restaurant she works at and marry shortly thereafter, especially because the bride has taken to micro-poisoning her husband to render him sweet and submissive. Her actions are twisted, no doubt, but Reynolds ends up finding it all weirdly endearing, and so do we. 

Rhett And Scarlett (Gone With The Wind) 

One of the most iconic pairings ever on the big screen, Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) and Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) weather a lot throughout this four-hour 1939 Oscar winner, from civil war to typhoid fever to the loss of a child. Ironically, it's their very own natures that they can't outrun, from Rhett's ruthlessness to Scarlett's stubbornness. When the Southern belle finally realizes that she's really loved Rhett all along, it's too late, as he harshly leaves her with one of the movie's best parting lines: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

Clarence and Alabama (True Romance)

In sickness and in health, until arrest do us part — those could basically be the vows of Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) and Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette), a pair of newlyweds on the run from the Mafia after stealing a shipment of drugs. Things get unsurprisingly dark for our brazen bride and groom, but the sheer devotion that the two have for each other is a welcome bright spot. 

Gomez and Morticia (The Addams Family)

Who would have thought that one of pop culture's healthiest onscreen couples would be the exceedingly odd, decidedly macabre Morticia and Gomez Addams? Though incarnated by numerous performers on screens big and small, the portrayals by Anjelica Huston as Morticia and Raul Julia as Gomez in 1991's The Addams Family deliciously embody the characters' endless enthusiasm for each other. Madly in love, indeed!

Jesse and Céline (The 'Before' Trilogy)

It's incredibly rare to follow a beloved movie couple for years — in Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy, you movingly get to follow Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) across decades, from the star-crossed travelers who meet on a Eurail train and later fall for each other while playing tourist in Vienna in 1995's Before Sunrise, to the long-together older versions we find summering in Greece with their children in 2013's Before Midnight. 

Albert and Armand (The Birdcage)

Sure, stereotypes abound in Mike Nichols' 1996 comedy The Birdcage, especially surrounding Armand (Robin Williams, in a classic performance) and Albert Goldman (Nathan Lane), a gay couple whose son (Dan Futterman) is set to marry the daughter (Calista Flockhart) of a very conservative senator (Gene Hackman) and his wife (Dianne Wiest). But in the middle of all of the flamboyant hijinks, Armand and Albert prove to have the film's most stable relationship, one marked by compassion, communication and acceptance. 

Peter and Mary Jane (The 'Spider-Man' Trilogy)

Along with giving moviegoers a rain-soaked, upside-down lip lock we won't soon forget, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst's take on Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson imbued some palpable real-life chemistry into the beloved comic-book couple. In keeping with Spider-Man tradition, the actors briefly dated offscreen as well, though Dunst joked that filming that epic smooch was far less pleasurable than it looked.

Noah and Allie (The Notebook)

Let's be real, it would take a very special gentleman to have us rooting for anyone other than James Marsden to get the girl. It's good, then, that director Nick Cassavetes cast Ryan Gosling at his dreamiest opposite Rachel McAdams in this 2004 melodrama, widely considered one of the best romantic movies of all time. The actors' off-set connection (they dated IRL from 2005 to 2007) is passionately felt in the characters' constant bickering and bantering, not to mention those intense rainstorm smooches. 

Edward and Bella (Twilight)

Neither age (she's 17-year-old and he's a cool 104) nor species (she's a human and he's a blood-drinking, sparkly-skinned vampire) could keep them apart. No, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) remained astonishingly loyal to and protective of each other throughout the entire Twilight Saga film franchise, despite jealous werewolves, vampire armies and creepy half-vamp babies trying to get in their way (though Stewart hilariously does not agree with her character's infatuation). 

Katniss and Peeta (The Hunger Games)

Surviving tough times is a given in any relationship but few movie couples have been tested by as much hardship as Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). The characters first bond as "tributes" in the government's annual Hunger Games — which require them to fight to the death until only one person is left alive — and despite the odds, they're able to parlay that trust and partnership into the franchise's best romance. (Sorry, Gale.) 

Emma and Adèle (Blue Is The Warmest Colour)

Much has been made about the physical intimacy between Léa Seydoux's Emma and Adèle Exarchopoulos's Adèle in the 2013 French drama Blue is the Warmest Color, but their connection goes far deeper than the film's explicit sex scenes. The feelings between the two young women are so raw and fierce that when they meet again at a restaurant after years of separation, we absolutely believe Emma when she says she will always feel "infinite tenderness" for what they had. 

Ron and Hermione (Harry Potter)

Some of the best romances come out of friendships, and the coupling between Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) is no exception. For years, Harry Potter fans watched as the young wizard and witch danced around their feelings for each other — granted, they were busy fighting the Wizarding World's darkest forces at the time — so when the longtime pals finally locked lips in Deathly Hallows — Part 2, the big moment felt completely earned. 

Jamal and Latika (Slumdog Millionaire)

It's the intense love and loyalty that Jamal (Dev Patel) has for Latika (Freida Pinto), who he first met as a kid in the slums of Mumbai, that fuels his every move in this Danny Boyle-directed musical drama. Whether he's stealing shoes at the Taj Mahal, taking a job as a chaiwala at a call center or winning India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Jamal is doing it all to get back to Latika. And when he does, it's only fitting that his whole world breaks out in song and dance. 

Romeo and Juliet (Romeo + Juliet)

They are the O.G. star-crossed lovers and in Baz Luhrmann's 1996 retelling of the Shakespearean classic, Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes beautifully lead the Romeo + Juliet cast as our eponymous pair and capture all of the intensity of first love. Yes, with family feuds, fatal duels and friar mix-ups aplenty, this relationship was doomed to fail, but at least it pulsed with youthful verve and captivating chemistry while it lasted. 

Oliver and Elio (Call Me By Your Name)

Some relationships may be short in span but sweeping in their impact. In Luca Guadagnino's 2017 masterpiece Call Me by Your Name, the romance between 17-year-old Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) and graduate student Oliver (Armie Hammer) — who is assisting Elio's father (Michael Stuhlbarg) for the summer — only lasts a few short, sun-soaked weeks. But the after-effects of their coupling ripple through both young men long after the cold settles in. 

Rick and Evelyn (The Mummy)

One of the best things about the romance between adventurer Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and librarian Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) is that it subverts that tired beauty-and-brawn stereotype. Evelyn is obviously lovely but she's no distressed damsel — she's as capable of deciphering hieroglyphics as she is sword-fighting the undead. And Rick is fittingly valiant but needs to be rescued himself every now and then. Together, they make the perfect mummy-fighting pair. 

Tony And Maria (West Side Story) 

Taking inspiration from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, there was always an undercurrent of tragedy between Tony (Richard Beymer) and Maria (Natalie Wood), two Upper West Side teens tied to rival NYC street gangs. The relationship between the young lovers remains pure and passionate — iconically portrayed in that famous "Tonight" balcony scene — even as they get caught up in prejudice, violence and societal divides.

Mia And Sebastian (La La Land)

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have teamed up several times onscreen, including 2011's Crazy, Stupid, Love and 2013's Gangster Squad, but it was 2016's La La Land that best used their fizzy, years-honed friendship and produced their most iconic pairing as struggling jazz pianist Sebastian Wilder and aspiring actress Mia Dolan, who meet and fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles. 

Bonnie and Clyde (Bonnie And Clyde)

Just because a couple is doing bad deeds doesn't mean we can't root for them, right? Yes, Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty) and Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) were up to all sorts of criminal mischief in the 1967 neo-noir Bonnie and Clyde, from bank robberies to gang kidnappings, but their actions were powered by a passion so intense, it was deadly. 

Rocky and Adrian (Rocky)

Yo, Adrian! The relationship between Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire) — who first meet over turtle food at a Philadelphia pet store — is one of the connecting threads of the Rocky film franchise. Despite her misgivings about Rocky's dangerous career, Adrian is a supportive, steadfast presence for Rocky both inside the ring and out, so much so that even when he loses, he still feels like a winner. 

Maria and the Captain (The Sound Of Music)

How do you solve a problem like Maria? You fall in love with her, of course! And who could blame Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) for catching feelings for the effervescent governess to his seven children, especially when she's played by the incomparable Julie Andrews? Watching his gruff, widowed military officer soften under Maria's care is, simply, one of our favorite things. 

What happens when the party is over? There are plenty of movies that show the "before" but only a few that get into the dirty side of addiction. These movies don't always have happy endings, either, but they can all serve as powerful examples of what sobriety and recovery can and should be. Here's our list of 32 movies that show the dark side and the possible light at the end of the tunnel. 

28 Days

28 Days is named after the number of days a standard trip to rehab goes for. In the movie, Sandra Bullock plays Gwen, an alcoholic who is given the choice between jail and rehab. Like many, she denies she has a problem and almost gets kicked out before falling out of a window and deciding to get sober. The movie got bad reviews, but that's not fair, especially because Bullock is fantastic. 

The Way Back

Ben Affleck drew from his own battles with alcoholism in playing a basketball coach who can't quit in The Way Back. Despite pleas from his friends and family, and despite getting straight for a short time, his demons return and he finally hits rock bottom after getting fired and crashing his car. It ends with him finally hearing what his sister has been pleading with him to do and he gets clean. 

Trainspotting

On its surface, Trainspotting sure doesn't feel much like a sobriety movie, but there may be no better example of the evils of addiction than Danny Boyle's movie starring Ewan McGregor as an addicted 20-something in Scotland. At times, it's hilarious, and at others it's terrifying. Most importantly it ends with Renton kicking his habits and choosing life. 

Clean And Sober

One of Michael Keaton's most overlooked performances comes from 1988's Clean And Sober. He plays an addict who is so deep into his disease that he gets caught stealing money from his company and is found with a dead woman who overdosed with him. He slowly finds his way back to sobriety through a 12-step program and in the end is redeemed, but not without tragedy. It's one of Keaton's best roles. 

When A Man Loves A Woman

Meg Ryan is best known for her rom-coms, but one of her finest performances came in When A Man Loves A Woman, a movie decidedly unromantic. Ryan plays a wife and mother struggling with alcoholism who is forced to confront her disease and her marriage, after a series of harrowing events. It's a remarkable depiction of how the disease affects everyone in her life. 

Rush

1991's Rush is a visceral movie about the dangers of both drug use and undercover police work as two cops, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jason Patric get in way too deep as they work undercover. There is little redemption here, except that finally, Leigh's character finds her way to sobriety after Patric's character is killed. 

The Lost Weekend

In a movie way before its time, Billy Wilder's The Lost Weekend shows that even 80 years ago, people recognized alcoholism as something to be addressed. Attitudes in the mid-20th Century were very different than today, yet so many of our issues are the same. It's a powerful movie that won Best Picture and Best Actor for Ray Milland.

A Million Little Pieces

When it was revealed that James Frey's book A Million Little Pieces was at least partially fictional after being touted as a memoir, the book took a terrible in sales. That said, the story, whether it is true or not, is still a fantastic and harrowing depiction of addiction and the revelation of sobriety. The movie is not as good as the book, but still worth a watch. 

Everything Must Go

Will Ferrell has an uncanny ability to always surprise us with his non-comedic acting. Everything Must Go is a great example of this, as Ferrell plays a man struggling with alcoholism, leading him to lose everything before finally seeing the light. 

Gia

Gia is the ultimate cautionary tale. Based on the true story of model Gia Carangi, Angelina Jolie disappears into the role of the protagonist who, despite seemingly having it all, succumbs to addiction, AIDS, and death in the 1980s. Gia is redeemed at the very end, as she finally sobers up, but alas, it's too late. 

The Basketball Diaries

The Basketball Diaries is one of the hardest movies to watch you'll ever see. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the true story of author Jim Carroll's teenage life in New York City, audiences watch each step of Carroll's descent into addiction and it's heartbreaking. The redemption does come, but it takes a jail stint. A cautionary tale, for sure, but an uplifting one at the end. 

A Good Person

The Zach Braff-directed A Good Person weaves a complicated story of guilt and anger that all comes from a place of addiction and alcoholism. It, like so many on this list, is a heavy watch, but a redeeming one in the end. It takes Allison (Florence Pugh) a long time to get there, but she does in the end and you get the feeling everything will be alright. 

Smashed

Smashed, starring Aaron Paul and Mary Elizabeth Winstead is an overlooked gem from 2012 about a couple struggling with drinking problems. It's a powerful movie that shows not just the disease of alcoholism, but of the co-dependancies it creates, often within a couple's relationship. The acting is first-rate, though the story is a little trope-ish. 

Permanent Midnight

Permanent Midnight is a gripping, unsettling movie that manically shows the depths that addiction can reach in one person's life. Ben Stiller plays Jerry, an addict who never seems to find the bottom, losing jobs, wives, kids, and everything else. In the end, after he's arrested, he finds a way out and it ends on a positive note with Jerry seemingly having conquered his demons. 

Beautiful Boy

Steve Carrell's performance as a father trying to help his son in Beautiful Boy is just wonderful. His son, played by Timothée Chalamet is an addict who goes through the cycle of sobriety and relapse, something addicts know all too well. It's a powerful movie, that is tough to watch, but worth it. 

The Fighter

Anyone watching HBO in the mid-90s surely saw High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell. The documentary was a powerful statement of the damage that crack does to people's lives and towns. The Fighter tells the fictionalized version of one of the participants in the documentary, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), and his brother Mickey (Mark Wahlberg). Dicky struggled for years with the drug, causing him to have a fallout with his beloved brother, though in the end, he triumphs and they are as tight as ever. 

A Star Is Born

2018's A Star Is Born is a masterpiece from director and star Bradley Cooper. Cooper plays an alcoholic musician whose addiction gets so bad he embarrasses himself on national TV when he can't stop. Jealous of his wife (Lady Gaga), things continue to get worse. Sadly, there is no real redemption to this movie, and it ends in a horrible tragedy, showing that even after sobriety, there is emotional work to be done.

Flight

2012's Flight starring Denzel Washington as Whip Whitaker, a pilot lost in addiction starkly shows how insidious the disease can be. Facing the loss of his job, license, and even his freedom, the disease still won't give up its grip. It literally takes serious prison time for Whip to find redemption and sobriety, but it ends on a positive note. 

Leaving Las Vegas

One of the best movies of the '90s, Leaving Las Vegas starring Nicolaus Cage, is more of a cautionary tale than one of recovery. It shows how deep people can get when they aren't even interested in helping themselves and lose all will to live. It's really more motivation to get and stay sober than it is about anything else. 

My Name Is Bill W.

The 1989 made-for-TV movie My Name Is Bill W. is surprisingly good. The movie stars James Woods as Bill Wilson, or "Bill W." as he is known to anyone who has been in Alcoholics Anonymous. Wilson is one of the two founders of AA, along with "Dr. Bob" who is played by James Garner. It's an inspiring look at the most ubiquitous sobriety program in the world. 

Drunks

If you've never heard of Drunks, we wouldn't be surprised, but it's an excellent movie with an all-star cast about one night at an AA meeting. It's almost like peaking behind the curtain of one if you've never been. In a dramatic role, the late Richard Lewis is brilliant as a man struggling to stay sober after he leaves the meeting as Spalding Grey, Parker Posey, Faye Dunaway, and others tell their gritty stories in the meeting he stormed out of. 

Drugstore Cowboy

The most heartbreaking thing about 1989's Drugstore Cowboy is that Bob (Matt Dillon) finds sobriety, possibly for the wrong reasons, and finds a bit of happiness. That is all over in the final scene though, as it's clear he can't give up his lifestyle or his habit.

Home Run

In Home Run, Scott Elrod plays an alcoholic minor league baseball player who, after a series of drunken episodes, finds sobriety through religion. While it does have a very overt Christian message, which may turn some people off, it shouldn't because it shows just one of the many ways people have found sobriety. 

The Boost

Like a few other entries on this list, The Boost is a cautionary tale more than a story of sobriety. James Woods plays a real estate agent who cannot kick his bad habits and eventually, they catch up to him and he blows the most important deal of his career, rather than getting sober, things only get much for him, tragically. 

Rocketman

Elton John has long been very honest about his addiction issues and continued sobriety, so it's no surprise that his biopic, Rocketman, would focus on that, showing the incredible highs (literally and figuratively) and the tremendous lows that the star dealt with over his legendary career. He's proud of his sobriety, as he should be. 

Ben Is Back

The toll addiction takes on family members is viscerally felt in Ben Is Back, starring Julia Roberts as a mother desperately trying to get her son clean. Roberts' performance is heartbreaking and wonderful as she does all she can for her son who was hooked on pills at a young age and can't kick the habit. She triumphs in the end, but only just. 

Rachel Getting Married

Anne Hathaway's performance as an addict in Rachel Getting Married is one of the finest of her career. The movie starkly shows just how one person's addiction can almost destroy an entire family. It takes a lot for Hathaway's character to hit her bottom, but she does and it ends on a heartwarming note. 

Wild

Reese Witherspoon's 2014 film Wild is about that next step in recovery. Once you are sober, what comes after? For Cheryl Strayed (Witherspoon) it was about a long hike along the Pacific Crest Trail to find in herself what her mother would have wanted for her, a mother she lost as a teenager, leading to her substance problems. It's powerful and triumphant. 

Four Good Days

Based on a true story, Four Good Days is about a daughter (Mila Kunis) finally overcoming her addiction and facing skepticism from her mother (Glenn Close).  It's a candid take on how families must deal not only with the disease of addiction but the mistrust it breeds for everyone on all sides. With some wonderful performances from the lead actors, this is a must-see. 

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot tells the true story of cartoonish John Callahan who was left quadriplegic after a car accident when he was 21. That doesn't slow him down and he continues drinking until finally he has a moment of clarity and starts an AA program, coming to grips with his past demons and living a more transparent life. 

When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story

Alcoholism and addiction are hard on the friends and loved ones of the addicts. Al-Anon is a program started by AA founder Bill W.'s wife, Lois, to help those close to addicts know what to do to help and deal with the emotional stress it has brought them. When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story tells her story with a brilliant performance by Winona Ryder as Lois. 

Requiem for a Dream

In what may be the ultimate cautionary tale, we have Requiem for a Dream. The movie is as disturbing as it is powerful. It's so visceral, that it's something you'll probably never want to see again. Ellen Burstyn's portrayal of an addict is as harrowing as you'll ever see in a movie. 

Surely, we all have all-time favorite bands and musicians we would give anything to share the same air with at a concert. But, what about our most beloved fake music acts from films over the years? Some of the best music movies of all time feature fictional bands and singers that we can only imagine standing in line for.  

So, let’s talk about the musicians we’ve seen play center stage in some incredible movies. We’ve seen everything from ‘70s era rockstars and catchy garage punk bands to a comical boy band. Here are the best movies on the subject and how to watch them at home: 

Almost Famous (2000)

Almost Famous’ storyline of a teenager getting to tour with a rock band may seem impossible, but the Cameron Crowe movie was actually inspired by the filmmaker’s own experiences as a journalist for Rolling Stone. The movie’s fictional band, Stillwater, is a ‘70s era music act inspired by Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers Band and The Eagles. Crowe actually toured with the Allman Brothers Band for ten days back in the day, per Yahoo! No wonder Crowe’s 2000 classic is one of the best! Plus, tons of great songs are featured throughout the movie. 

Stream Almost Famous for free on PlutoTV.
Stream Almost Famous on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Almost Famous on Amazon. 

The Blues Brothers (1980) 

In January 1976, original Saturday Night Live cast members Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi took to the TV show’s stage to debut the Blues Brothers. Four years later, the pair of comedians played their characters of "Joliet" Jake Blues and Elwood for a comedy action film that became a big hit commercially. While we’ve filed the band under “fake bands” because the actors are playing characters, the Blues Brothers actually made three live albums and toured in 1988 and 1998. 

Stream/Rent/Buy The Blues Brothers on Amazon. 

Sound Of Metal (2019)

Riz Ahmed gave an incredible performance in 2019’s Sound of Metal that earned him an Oscar nomination. The drama is about the drummer of a fictional metal duo called Blackgammon, Ruben, who learns he has lost most of his hearing. His doctor recommends he cease playing in his band, which he shares with his girlfriend, Lou. Despite his own protests, Ruben goes on a powerful journey where he wrestles with sobriety, learning sign language and living with silence. 

Stream Sound Of Metal on Amazon Prime.

School Of Rock (2003) 

Who can forget the lyrics “If you wanna be the teacher’s pet, well, baby you just better forget it”? Richard Linklater’s School Of Rock told a hilarious fictional story that remains very popular over two decades later. It's about guitarist Dewey Finn, who is down on his luck and without a band. In his desperation, he decides to impersonate his roommate and pretend to be a substitute teacher at a private school. There he creates his own rock band full of elementary students, who go on to compete at his local battle of the bands. 

Stream School Of Rock for free on PlutoTV.
Stream School of Rock on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy School of Rock on Amazon.

Whiplash (2014)

Being a musician takes hours upon hours of practice and discipline. In Damien Chazelle’s Best Picture-nominated film, Whiplash, the filmmaker discusses this through the intense relationship between a young jazz drummer (Miles Teller) and his ruthless instructor (J.K. Simmons) at a prestigious conservatory in New York City. The storyline was inspired by Chazelle’s own experience in a “very competitive” studio band in high school. Yes, Simmons' character is based on the director's band instructor, but the filmmaker “pushed” the character much further. 

Stream/Rent/Buy Whiplash on Amazon. 

Velvet Goldmine (1998)

Ewan McGregor and Jonathan Rhys Meyers played two fictional ‘70s glam rock stars in Velvet Goldmine. Meyers played Brian Slade, an androgynous icon likened to David Bowie and McGregor is Curt Wild, who is based on Iggy Pop and Lou Reed. The story is influenced by Bowie’s relationship with Iggy Pop and Lou Reed in the 1970s and 1980s. The movie also stars Christian Bale as a British journalist writing about Slade’s life and delves into some conversations about sexuality and fame during this time in the rock scene. 

Rent/Buy Velvet Goldmine on Amazon. 

Sing Street (2016) 

Writer/director John Carney has made a career out of music movies, all of which are excellent: from Once to Begin Again and last year’s Flora And Son. The best of the bunch is definitely Sing Street which is about a boy’s journey in creating a band to impress girls in 1980s Ireland. While Sing Street is a fictional band, the story is somewhat inspired by Carney’s upbringing in Ireland. 

Stream Sing Street on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Sing Street on Amazon. 

That Thing You Do! (1996) 

Tom Hanks had his directorial debut back in 1996 with That Thing You Do!, from a script he wrote as well. It talks about 1960s rock and roll culture through the lens of a fake one-hit wonder pop band called The Wonders. The cast was composed of Hanks, Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn and Ethan Embry. The movie became so popular that the movie’s soundtrack actually charted on the Billboard 200! 

Stream That Thing You Do! on Hulu.
Rent/Buy That Thing You Do! on Amazon.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

Oh, what we would give to see Sex Bomb Omb and The Clash at Demonhead play on the same evening… if they existed that is. Both rock bands are only figments of the imagination, and come from Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series, but they certainly did come alive for Edgar Wright’s 2010 movie. Famed songwriter Beck was actually behind the tunes of the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack, particularly for Sex Bomb Omb, whereas Metric penned The Clash at Demonhead’s hit song “Black Sheep.” 

Stream Scott Pilgrim vs. The World on Max.
Rent/Buy Scott Pilgrim vs. The World on Amazon. 

Freaky Friday (2003)

Freaky Friday’s Pink Slip may have been just a garage band of high schoolers in the Disney comedy, but they made some certified bangers with “Ultimate” and “Take Me Away.” The movie itself is a ball to watch as Lindsay Lohan’s rebellious teen, Anna, swaps bodies with her mom, Jamie Lee Curtis’ widowed psychiatrist, Tess. While Anna is forced to go on a talk show and do a rehearsal dinner as Tess, Tess has to embrace her inner rock star, and it’s a blast to watch. What’s even more rad is the fact that we might see what became of Pink Slip, because a Freaky Friday sequel is on the way. 

Stream Freaky Friday on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Freaky Friday on Amazon. 

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

The Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis has Oscar Isaac playing a fictional folk musician as he struggles to keep his life afloat. The story of Llewyn Davis was inspired by Dave Van Ronk, who was pivotal to the American folk music revival. 

Stream Inside Llewyn Davis on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Inside Llewyn Davis on Amazon. 

Green Room (2015) 

In the instance of Green Room, the fictional punk band the Ain't Rights are formed to headline a terrifying horror film. In Jeremy Saulnier’s movie, which is among A24's best movies ever, the band gets attacked by neo-Nazi skinheads after they witness a murder while playing a club. In Green Room, the Ain’t Rights consist of characters played by Anton Yelchin, Alia Shawhat, Joe Cole and Callum Turner. 

Rent/Buy Green Room on Amazon. 

Josie And The Pussycats (2001) 

2001’s Josie And The Pussycats is actually based on the Archie Comics and Hanna-Barbera cartoon TV show about a band of female singers. The fictional rock band has been around since the ‘60s, but the movie modernized the storyline about a girl group. Starring Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid and Rosario Dawson as Josie and the Pussycats, the movie is a clever satire on the music industry. 

Rent/Buy Josie and the Pussycats on Amazon. 

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)

After The Lonely Island went viral for tons of SNL shorts and great music videos, the trio jumped to the big screen to play The Style Boyz, a fictional pop rap group led by Andy Samberg’s Conner “Kid Conner” Friel. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a hilarious parody full of cameos of real music acts throughout the movie.  

Stream Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping on Hulu.
Rent/Buy Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping on Amazon. 

A Star Is Born (2018) 

Bradley Cooper collaborated with one of the biggest pop stars of our time to remake A Star Is Born to heartbreakingly raw results. Cooper actually learned to change his voice an entire octave to play the fake musician Jackson “Jack” Maine alongside Lady Gaga’s Ally. The movie is about Jackson and Ally’s romance as he mentors her to stardom whilst he also struggles with alcoholism. Cooper and Gaga were such convincing lovers, many believed they were really together. 

Stream A Star Is Born on Max.
Rent/Buy A Star Is Born on Amazon.

If only these fabulous fictional bands could all be part of the same festival so that we could see them in concert! Enjoy streaming these music-filled movies! 

Bradley Cooper joined the list of A-list actors who became directors when he starred in and directed A Star Is Born. In Cooper’s upcoming entry part of the Netflix movie schedule, he’ll not only wear wild makeup to portray composer Leonard Bernstein, but will also sit in the director’s chair again. Originally, Steven Spielberg was going to direct Maestro, but gave the reins over to The Hangover actor after seeing 20 minutes of A Star Is Born. You better believe an f-bomb response from Spielberg was involved.

Martin Scorsese was going to be the original director of Maestro until the epic gangster film The Irishman fell into his lap. Then, Steven Spielberg agreed to direct the biopic, but felt he wouldn’t have time to do it and stepped down to produce it instead. Spielberg’s producing partner Kristie Macosko Krieger told Total Film that a screening of A Star Is Born convinced the Jaws director that Maestro’s lead Bradley Cooper should be taking over as director. Here’s his f-bomb response to the Silver Linings Playbook actor after just 20 minutes of the 2018 movie played:

When Steven Spielberg, a major figure in the New Hollywood era, orders you to direct a movie, you know you have to do it. I can’t blame Spielberg for his creative decision, as the Nightmare Alley actor showed in his directorial debut his powerful connection to music. He brought Lady Gaga to A Star is Born and taught himself how to sing to play Jackson Maine. There was also Cooper’s incredible use of songs to build a story by him and Lady Gaga collaborating to write songs better fit for their characters. If his musical contributions to the Oscar-winning film were noted, there’s no reason why he couldn’t create a musical masterpiece for the Netflix new release. 

With Bradley Cooper’s new role in Maestro giving him the liberty to bring his vision to the movie, this meant doing things his own way. Macosko Krieger further explained how Cooper planned to change things around for the upcoming movie:

Without even seeing the movie yet, I could tell Krieger was right. It gets boring to me when I watch a biopic and it feels like I’m watching a series of facts zooming through the screen. If you want to get to know real-life figures, it helps to use the power of cinema to further explore them as people. Our hearts soared and broke watching what Bradley Cooper did with the characters of Aly and Jackson, so I’m imagining Maestro to be no different.

The forces of Steven Spielberg as co-producer and Bradley Cooper as star, co-writer, co-producer and director will be the dynamic duo we’ve needed. In the beginning, the ET director was going to direct the Wedding Crashers actor in American Sniper. However, Warner Brother’s budget constraints made it challenging for Spielberg’s version of the Iraq War-set drama to come into being, leading Clint Eastwood to take over. So it’s good that Maestro gave these two extraordinary directors a chance to collaborate. Even better, the duo plans to re-team for a new movie called Bullitt. While based on the 1968 Steve McQueen character, this will be an original story rather than a straightforward remake, with Cooper portraying the iconic role.

It only took 20 minutes of watching Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born for Steven Spielberg to recruit him to direct Maestro. As Cooper had amazing beginner’s luck filming his music remake, I’m confident the upcoming biopic will be talked about often during awards season. The Spielberg/Cooper-helmed project will viewable with your Netflix subscription on December 20th.

Music and the movies are two worlds that cross over often, and to great effect. Sometimes the greatest overlap between those segments of entertainment comes from performances through figures we primarily know for carrying a tune over a scene. But believe it or not, these 32 movies featuring professional musicians are noteworthy for providing talent that can do both. 

Janelle Monáe - Hidden Figures

Playing Mary Jackson, an African-American mathematician crucial to the early days of NASA’s space race, Janelle Monáe showed off her dramatic chops in the historical drama Hidden Figures. One of the earliest cinematic roles in her career, Monáe would go on to become a more prolific actor and singer, adding films like Glass Onion: a Knives Out mystery to her resume along the way. 

David Bowie - The Prestige

As he continues to build amazing ensemble casts to carry out his cinematic visions, director Christopher Nolan has a knack for choosing talent. Which leads to that time Nolan begged David Bowie to be in The Prestige, as the helmer felt that the actor/singer would be a perfect Nicola Tesla. That instinct was as well played as the film it served to bolster.

Lady Gaga - A Star Is Born

Lady Gaga is such a natural entertainer that when she was announced as a lead in Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born remake, it didn’t feel like that much of a surprise. With previous films and shows to her acting credit, this role could be considered her cinematic breakout, as it landed her many raves, awards and nominations during the 2018-2019 awards cycle.

Frank Sinatra - The Manchurian Candidate

By the time Frank Sinatra made The Manchurian Candidate, his career had seen him make musicals, comedies, and intense dramas alike. The 1962 neo-noir thriller became one of his best received films, as Sinatra’s Captain Bennett Marco and his quest to prevent a clandestine assassination attempt distinguished itself as a contemporary hit, as well as an all-time classic. 

Queen Latifah - Set It Off

A landmark ‘90s drama that’s still fondly remembered to this day, Set It Off told a story of four women looking to live better lives through thievery. Queen Latifah’s Cleo Sims made up a part of that team, offering a complex performance that was both tragic and empowering. 

Gene Simmons - Runaway

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons knew what it was like to surprise the world when he and his bandmates took off their makeup for a period between the ‘80s and ‘90s. That was as good a time as any for Simmons to break into acting, as the villainous Dr. Charles Luther in Michael Crichton’s Runaway. 

Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard

If The Bodyguard had been made when it was first written, we might have seen Ryan O’Neal and Diana Ross playing the leads. But, as anyone in Hollywood could tell you, delays can sometimes gum up the works. Which is how, by time the ‘90s rolled around, Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston landed the iconic leads in this romantic-drama; with Houston making her historic cinematic debut.

Tim McGraw - The Blind Side

A year after Tim McGraw starred in Four Christmases, the country singer experienced two life changing moments. Not only did McGraw’s weight loss journey start to take off, but his acting career saw him co-starring with Sandra Bullock in the sports drama The Blind Side.

Beyoncé - Dreamgirls

2006 was a banner year for Beyoncé’s film acting resume, thanks to Deena Jones, part of the central trio in the musical drama Dreamgirls. The Renaissance woman helped boost director Bill Condon’s musical to awards glory, alongside co-stars Anika Noni Rose and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson. 

Lenny Kravitz - The Hunger Games

Lenny Kravitz jumped into the acting game in a pretty big way, after playing himself in several film appearances. Perhaps his most iconic role yet is that of portrayal of Cinna, stylist to Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in The Hunger Games. Inspiring everyone’s favorite tribute into subtle acts of rebellion, Kravitz’s warmth helps solidify the guidance that helped turn Katniss into a hero for the ages. 

Cher - Moonstruck

“Snap out of it!” With four words, Cher became a romantic-comedy legend, as she tried to deal with Nicolas Cage’s amorous advances in Moonstruck. Not only did that impress audiences overall, it landed her the award for Best Actress at 1988’s Academy Awards as well.

Flea - The Big Lebowski

If you thought “Nihilist #2” in The Coen Bros’ legendary comedy The Big Lebowski looked or sounded familiar, you have a good ear. Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Flea is the actor credited for that role, providing some comedic menace in Jeff Bridges’ neo-noir classic about blackmail, death, and bowling. 

Dolly Parton - 9 To 5

With a balance of commanding wisdom and unlimited sweetness, Dolly Parton is a country star that will always be an icon. However, watching 9 to 5 just might shock you, as the dark comedy shows her teaming with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda to teach Dabney Coleman how to treat a woman in the workplace. Let’s just say that lesson goes beyond a catchy theme song.

Dean Martin - The Sons Of Katie Elder

Rat Pack icon of cool Dean Martin is mostly known for either his comedies alongside musical pals Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., or his long running partnership with Jerry Lewis. But outside of either of those canons is Martin’s parts in westerns like The Sons of Katie Elder, which saw the crooner playing brother to genre legend John Wayne. So you can see how this was a pretty big deal back in 1965. 

Madonna - A League of Their Own

A League of Their Own's Mae Mordabito is quite possibly Madonna's most memorable part. As center fielder for the Rockland Peaches, she plays the entire cast with comedic precision with her free spirited character. 

Eminem - 8 Mile

Playing a fictionalized version of your own experiences isn’t a guaranteed success. And yet, Eminem took 8 Mile’s aspiring rapper Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith and made believers of fans and critics with his acting abilities. It was enough of a success that, decades after he has yet to take on another major film role, people are still curious if Marshall Mathers will ever lose himself in a movie again. 

Mandy Moore - A Walk To Remember

Pro-tip: if you’re a pop star that wants to become an actor, a Nicholas Sparks movie just might be the surest way to test those waters. Mandy Moore can attest to that fact, as her role in 2002’s A Walk To Remember was probably a good warm up for her future success as part of NBC’s drama series This Is Us. If you’re a fan of that meteoric network hit, and you haven’t watched this movie, you owe yourself a moment to correct that. 

Isaac Hayes - Escape From New York

A certain generation of Isaac Hayes fans will know him best as a soulful singer, while others would recall his velvety pipes from the romantically obscene Chef from South Park. And right in between those groups are the die hard fans of the best action movies ever who would remember Hayes as the menacing Duke in John Carpenter’s Escape from New York. 

Brandy - Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Everyone has their favorite Cinderella, and for Disney growing up in the ‘90s, Brandy is a prime candidate for those honors. Which is totally valid, as the singer’s leading portrayal in Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella is a magical glass slipper that ties the entire cast of notables together. To imagine this movie without her is, quite frankly, impossible.

Sammy Davis Jr. - The Cannonball Run

The entire Rat Pack of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. were all actors, as well as singers, at the height of their powers. One of Davis’ best gigs, besides the original Ocean’s 11, came out of The Cannonball Run, which reunited him with fellow pally Martin for two films of vehicular madness. 

Janet Jackson - Poetic Justice

Writer/director John Singleton’s Poetic Justice could very easily be counted as an acting win for either Tupac Shakur or Janet Jackson. However, Ms. Jackson wins out no question, as her dynamic performance as Justice anchors both the dramatic, and the romantic halves of this picture. Not to mention, this project marking Janet’s debut as a feature film actor is still a powerful statement felt by her fans.

Andre Benjamin - Four Brothers

While Four Brothers isn’t an exact, on-brand remake of the western The Sons of Katie Elder, it’s pretty close. The similarities between the two Paramount movies are even eerier when you think about how Dean Martin’s acting career was enriched by the 1965 western, and Andre “3000” Benjamin saw the same sort of fortune come from his part in the 2005 action-drama.

Diana Ross - Lady Sings The Blues

Upon its release in 1972, Lady Sings The Blues sparked critical debate over how good of a biopic it really was. What wasn’t up for question was the excellence of Diana Ross’ performance as Billie Holiday; a feat that not only won her raves from critics, but also scored her a Best Actress nomination at 1973’s Academy Awards.

Usher - Light It Up

Not long after Usher made his movie debut in Robert Rodriguez's The Faculty, he graduated to being a lead player in the ensemble for writer/director Craig Bolotin's Light It Up. Going back to high school with Rosario Dawson and Sara Gilbert as classmates, Usher took part in a teenage rebellion with a cause more serious than any alien invasion.

Alicia Keys - Smokin’ Aces

The words “professional assassin” aren’t exactly what come to mind when talking about singer/songwriter Alicia Keys. That perception is part of how 2006’s Smokin’ Aces was such an explosive surprise upon its initial theatrical release. Keys and Taraji P. Henson’s double act as hired killers with a job to do helped keep this ensemble action dramedy spinning with chemistry to spare.

John Legend - La La Land

Is John Legend’s La La Land character a villain? It depends on who you ask, with his part in splitting up Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s on-screen romance acting as a defining factor. Unsurprisingly, the piano man’s charm and musical prowess added some extra star power to Damian Chazelle’s colorful musical.

Mariah Carey - Precious

People like Mariah Carey and Charlize Theron “deglamming” for performances in powerful dramas only helped amplify their performances. In Theron’s case, that led to her first Academy Award nomination in Monster. Meanwhile for Carey, director Lee Daniels’ heartbreaker provided her with a credit that wowed the critics to an impressive degree.

Alice Cooper - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Decades before Across the Universe turned the Beatles songbook into a jukebox musical, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band used that premise to a campier extent. This is, after all, the movie where you can see Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees “fighting” villains like Aerosmith and Steve Martin. And a part of that collection of baddies is an equally creepy and intriguing Alice Cooper, playing the role of cult leader Father Sun. 

Björk - Dancer In The Dark

Writer/director Lars Von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark was only singer Bjòrk’s second motion picture. You’d never know it, as this beautiful but tragic mashup of drama and music saw the Icelandic singer-songwriter land a heartbreaking blow with her character Selma. Trust us, you need the right headspace, and a lot of tissues, to take on this experience.

Common - Run All Night

While Common eventually got to hunt down Keanu Reeves’ titular assassin in John Wick: Chapter 2, he practiced his killer skills with another action vet: Liam Neeson. Run All Night pitted the rapping/acting talent against Mr. Neeson, and the war waged between the two men is something truly impressive to behold. 

Britney Spears - Crossroads

Not a girl, not yet a woman, and because of Britney Spears’ intense “method acting” in Crossroads, there was one more thing she wasn’t at the time: an actor. Though she’d eventually play a couple other roles here and there, preparing to star in this teenage drama road trip was enough to make Spears question how much she really wanted to act. 

Prince - Purple Rain

The world knows the many sides of Prince through his mythic career as a guitar god and musical boundary pusher. Purple Rain made that image all the stronger, as the man is basically playing himself, with some dramatic and comedic embellishment. The result is a movie that was a white hot success, and a powerful calling card in Prince's future endeavors on both sides of this fence.

While it’s not for everyone, actor/musician crossovers are always interesting to keep an eye out for. Both commanding successes and curious one-off scenarios are equally intriguing, as one never knows where the next success story will come from. Aspiring singers and actors alike take note: these cases we’ve just discussed are good studies to keep in mind when plotting your own course to stardom! 

Every year, the Academy Awards ends with the honors of Best Picture being announced to the world. Admittedly, the Academy doesn’t always get it right. For every Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, there’s a potential Crash to take its place the next year. So let’s talk about the Best Picture losers that really should have won, and why these golden competitors deserved more. 

Belfast

Kenneth Branagh’s bittersweet story of Buddy (Jude Hill) growing up during The Troubles in Ireland was bested by CODA as the top of the 2022 Academy Awards winners lineup. It was a surprising upset that made history for streaming originals, but it also left a beautifully formed tale of childhood and struggle behind in the dust.

1917

Bong Joon-ho’s darkly comedic Parasite, was an absolutely sterling choice for Best Picture. However, looking back on 2019’s films to be honored, Sam Mendes’ 1917 was both a technical and emotional marvel. Depicting World War I through what looked like a single take, the powerful film should have emerged victorious.

A Star Is Born

On the sliding scale of egregious wins/losses at the Oscars, 2019’s Academy Award winners possess one of the most upsetting upsets in the show’s entire history. Director/star Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born failed to secure the win over Peter Farrelly’s Green Book when it came time to award the top prize. You can still hear the screams from that night floating through the air, if you listen close enough.

Arrival

2017’s Academy class of nominees saw La La Land and Moonlight duking it out for Best Picture honors, right to the epic Oscar night mistake that saw victory proclaimed and reversed in the same moment. If only Arrival had seen its fortunes faring better as the true BP winner, perhaps this whole incident could have been avoided entirely. We’ll never truly know.

The Big Short

How strong of a year did the Oscars have in 2016? There are several movies that could have handily taken the prize, despite the fact that Spotlight’s Best Picture win is still something to celebrate. Much like that true-to-life drama, Adam McKay’s The Big Short was a movie that tackled personally identifiable issues and should have won the top prize in the process.

Whiplash

You could very easily mention Birdman’s 2015 win in a room of movie fans and draw a fair amount of sighs and cheers. At the same time, if you said something like "Whiplash was the true best picture of 2014," you just might hear a more unified response supporting that very claim. 

The Wolf of Wall Street

Oh, The Wolf of Wall Street, how you deserved so much more. Though 12 Years A Slave took the top prize, 2014’s Best Picture race did have some other competitors that felt as deserving as the winner. What’s even crazier than this film not winning is that Margot Robbie wasn’t even nominated for her star-making performance.

Gravity

Another heavy hitter that looked like it might take Best Picture in 2014 was Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity. Though it was nominated in the same class as Wolf of Wall Street and 12 Years A Slave, Sandra Bullock’s bad day in space was an absolutely golden flick that should have triumphed.

Hugo

2012 gave the world another divisive Best Picture winner that’s still questioned to this day: The Artist. However, if Hollywood wanted to honor the art of filmmaking, with another movie made with visual gimmicks and a story full of heart and emotion, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo would have been a fantastic choice for the honors. 

The Social Network

Some upsets in the category are so large the world tends to skate over history in favor of a more fitting result. 2011’s victory for The King’s Speech is definitely present, since just as we’ll continue to call out Andrew Garfield deserving an Oscar nod, we’ll continue to highlight how The Social Network should have been the top movie of this Academy Awards scrum.

Up in the Air

The first year of the modern Academy Awards with an expanded Best Picture field, The Hurt Locker was named the top flick of its class. And yet another story about wounds that cut personally and professionally should have really been the belle of the ball. It’s ok: Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air will still reign in our hearts, even if the Academy was not so kind.

Inglourious Basterds

Some might argue that with a newly expanded nominee field came some nominations for movies that could have won the “popular film” Oscar. If anyone tells you Inglourious Basterds is one of those movies, you look them straight in the eye and ask them to repeat it. This just might be Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece, and that's a bingo.

Frost/Nixon

History comes alive at its best in movies like Frost/Nixon. Watching the verbal sparring match between Michael Sheen and Frank Langella was one of the joys of the film. Ultimately, No Country For Old Men took the top prize at the 2009 Academy Awards, but there’s a silent majority that would make the case for this being the truly deserving title. 

Milk

At once deeply heartwarming and utterly tragic, Gus Van Zant’s Milk chronicled the life and loss of openly gay politician and activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). A member of the highly competitive year that saw No Country For Old Men win top honors, the picture deserves extra consideration to this day. 

Michael Clayton

Some years are just too good in the history of film, and it’s a shame there aren’t more ties for movies that equally deserve the win. No Country For Old Men saw itself at the heart of that very storm as the victor of 2008’s Oscars. That being said, good luck trying to make a case against Michael Clayton being the true victor of that year, especially with that explosive finale.

Brokeback Mountain

Mark 2006 down as yet another Oscar competition where the winner was marked as a controversial bad kid of the family. Crash would take the top prize, but you could already hear viewers openly questioning why Brokeback Mountain’s heartbreaking tale of forbidden love didn’t make the grade. 

Good Night, And Good Luck

Crash’s 2006 win saw a field of better, more competitive films losing out on the Best Picture moniker. Even with George Clooney walking away with a Best Supporting Actor win for Syriana, the loss of his directing/co-writing efforts in Good Night, and Good Luck still remains one of the most notable mistakes. At least the film made the list of CinemaBlend's 100 Best Movies of the 2000s, and rightfully so.

The Aviator

How, how, how did Million Dollar Baby beat The Aviator in 2005’s Best Picture race? Martin Scorsese’s historical drama brilliantly danced between celebrating old Hollywood opulence while also diving into the tortured psyche of Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio). Scorsese eventually scored a big win with The Departed a couple years later, but this loss still stings quite a bit.

The Green Mile

When Stephen King goes to the Oscars, his work goes in style. Just five years after Frank Darabont sent The Shawshank Redemption to its Best Picture showdown, the legendary collaborator scored another nod with The Green Mile. American Beauty won that year, a win that over time and consideration makes this King loss all the more upsetting.

Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan feels like a movie that should have, without question, won a BP trophy at the Oscars. That feeling was firmly in place right until the night the actual victor, Shakespeare in Love, took home its spoils. Go ahead and take some time to punch the floor if you have to. It’s perfectly natural.

L.A. Confidential

Titanic truly was the ship of dreams for James Cameron and most everyone involved in its production. It was a mythic victory that made history for years to come, but was it really the correct choice? When the BP race that included that film also featured L.A. Confidential within its ranks, you don’t need to be a detective to know the real answer.

Apollo 13

Here’s an interesting Academy Awards two-step: in 1995, Forrest Gump won Best Picture, but it probably shouldn’t have. Meanwhile,1996 saw Mel Gibson’s Braveheart winning those same honors; the same year that the Tom Hanks starring Apollo 13 should have brought home the gold. 

The Shawshank Redemption

Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption is a perfect movie; full stop. Darabont’s adaptation of Stephen King’s fairy tale for adults is still a well-regarded picture to this very day, standing as one of the best films of all time. And yet it couldn’t beat Forrest Gump for the big prize at the 1995 Oscars. I wish I could tell you that was the right choice.

Goodfellas

As far back as Oscar watchers can remember, the loss of Goodfellas to Dances With Wolves was one of the worst upsets to behold at the Academy Awards. Whether you’re a clown or not, that competition was not funny or amusing and may have inspired some fans to swear as much as Joe Pesci has in his entire career with Martin Scorsese.

Working Girl

1989's Oscars were all about Rain Man fever, as Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman's dramedy took home that year's top prize. Which is fine and good but, if the Academy wanted to reward that genre in a better fashion, director Mike Nichols' Working Girl was right there, waiting for the chance. At least Carly Simon's iconic "Let The River Run" won Best Original Song in that same year, so the Melanie Griffith/Harrison Ford/Sigourney Weaver love triangle didn't go home empty handed.

Broadcast News

The Last Emperor is the movie that won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Picture; at least that’s what it says in the history books. And yet, there’s quite a bit of room for doubt, when taking into account that the powerhouse dramedy Broadcast News was also up in that same race. At the same time, the movie’s loss is one that Albert Brooks’ Aaron Altman would view as just another day at the office.

Network

1977 was a red hot year in Academy history, as Rocky became the underdog to rise up and claim ultimate Oscar victory. While the flick's place in the pantheon of sports movies is without question, the presence of Sidney Lumet’s Network in that same contest makes me wonder if the right choice was made, or if anyone else is as mad as hell that this satire wasn’t chosen as the top film.

Little Women

Greta Gerwig not being nominated for directing Little Women is an Oscar travesty. But the fact that the movie failed to win Best Picture in 2020 just makes that fact even more heartbreaking. And considering how the movie's story breaks viewers' hearts with a classic and well-known piece of literature, it’s even more aggressively aggravating. 

The Post

The Shape of Water absolutely deserved Best Picture in 2017, especially when it came to striking a blow for genre films at the Oscars. Even with that in mind, Steven Spielberg’s political/journalistic epic The Post is admittedly a more traditional pick that stands as one of the best “What If” cases in Academy Awards history.

The Martian

Admittedly The Martian is a movie that, while technically being a work of science fiction, rides the lines of more traditional Oscar genres rather well. You can argue whether it’s a comedy or a drama contender, especially thanks to the Golden Globes debacle that inspired that same question. What you can’t argue is that Ridley Scott’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel wasn’t a prime contender for the Academy's biggest honor in 2016.

Brooklyn

Director John Crowley’s Brooklyn was a quietly effective story that recounted the immigrant experience and all of its highs and lows. But not all of the beauty in the world could push this film ahead of Spotlight in 2016’s Oscars race; and that’s something that will continue to stick out for as long as we keep these records.

The Queen

2007 saw Martin Scorsese winning pretty huge for The Departed, after losing some well-fought battles with films like Goodfellas and The Aviator. At the same time, Stephen Frears’ The Queen was sitting right there, expertly navigating the story of Princess Diana’s death and how Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) worked though the ensuing public fallout. 

Even royalty can somehow be overlooked at the awards show, proving how unpredictable this long-held tradition truly can be. The Academy Awards have always been a night of winners and losers, and all anyone can do is hope that the right balance between both sides is struck. 

But there will always be a history of people arguing over who the real winners were, as you can see with the films we’ve highlighted above. So when things don’t go the way you hoped on Oscar night, take comfort in the fact that there’s usually someone that’ll be in that same corner you’re cheering from.

A Star is Born is about a love story so traumatic that it is almost as brutal as a breakup movie. But it’s much more complicated, devastating, and depressing in nature. Because of how Ally (Lady Gaga) and Jackson’s (Bradly Cooper) romance ends, I have always seen A Star is Born as a tragic movie. It’s hard to see it in any other way because of the ending and the journey of these characters. Although upon rewatching it, the tragedy in A Star is Born took a different form.

The why behind Ally and Jackson’s decisions, both separately and together, became a lot more prevalent. They were very complex people who needed to find healthy coping mechanisms for their pain beyond each other and their music. A  lot of their sadness is rooted in their own lack of self-esteem, doubts, and fears. 

My rewatch allowed me to trace how the theme of insecurity took form in A Star is Born. 

Warning A Star is Born Spoilers Ahead. Proceed with caution. 

I Originally Viewed The Film As Tragic Because Of Jackson’s Death  

Jackson’s death, especially because it’s death by suicide, is inherently tragic. The ending of A Star is Born devastates  you, especially when Ally starts to sing “I’ll Never Love Again.” She has found her signature style and been freed creatively, but she is presumably not going to recover from this heartbreak. Ally may eventually love again, but she will never love someone the way she loved Jackson.

She is essentially forever heartbroken. A Star Is Born's final images show a happier Ally and Jackson before his death, but it doesn’t change what has transpired and what has been lost. Lady Gaga gives one of her best performances in A Star is Born because she captures Ally’s everlasting grief and sorrow.  

I Now See That It Goes Deeper And Relates To His And Ally’s Insecurities  

Jackson’s death is the main tragedy of this film, but his insecurities are another part of it. One of the most interesting themes of A Star is Born is the negative effects of insecurities. These feelings are embedded so deep that even fame and fortune can’t erase them. Jackson is a well-known musician long before he meets Ally, but his behavior doesn’t reflect his status. How he sees himself clearly is not as someone who should be held in high esteem. 

Ally also doesn’t think highly of herself at the start of the film. One of Jackson and Ally’s first conversations reflects her insecurities about her appearance. After rewatching A Star is Born, I could trace almost every issue between them to their personal insecurities and their insecurities about their relationship. Ally seemingly fears that Jackson will eventually leave her. During their reunion, while he’s in rehab, this fear becomes very apparent. 

It not only shocks Jackson but me as well. He’s the one who embarrassed her and caused so many issues in their relationship, but she believes that now that he’s sober, he won’t want her. It's all so deeply sad. She seemingly believes that their relationship is too chaotic to continue, or that he doesn’t truly love her. She fears him running away. This reveal is made even more heart-wrenching when he essentially decides to leave her through death. 

Their Childhoods Offer Answers To The Origins Of Their Sadness 

Ally and Jackson both reveal quite a bit about their toxic childhoods. They both grew up with alcoholic parents. However, Jackson’s father dies before he becomes sober. Ally’s father has seemingly gotten past that demon. Nevertheless, he still does some things that feed her insecurities. The scene where she returns home from her first night with Jackson shows her father talking about how it’s not about talent but having that star quality. He uses her as an example.

He implies Ally is a great singer but not a star. I assumed that this was an offhanded comment that he makes often. He isn’t doing it with malicious intent, but the damage is still there. These comments have helped create Ally’s belief that she doesn’t have what it takes to make it, either because of her looks or lack of pop star appeal. Jackson doesn’t go into many specifics about how his father has helped create his deep sadness, but everything about his father screams that he was a terrible parent. 

Jackson also tells a story about an attempt to die by suicide when he was only 13. If his father paid enough attention, he may have been able to provide the support and help that Jackson needed, such as getting him a therapist. 

Ally’s Success Usually Leads To Jackson Behaving Destructively 

After rewatching A Star is Born, I noticed a pattern in Jackson’s behavior. Some of his most destructive moments came when Ally was at the height of her career, or about to embark on something that would further it. One example is when she’s approached by Rez (Rafi Gavron) and Jackson smears her face with icing after she tells him about the opportunity. Ally even calls him out at that moment and talks about his jealousy. 

I think that Jackson is jealous of Ally’s career possibly surpassing his own. Additionally, I think he fears her becoming too famous and leaving him. Jackson is destructive generally but it definitely reaches its peak when Ally has something big happening in her life. Another example is the infamous Grammy scene. He gets so drunk because he’s feeling down about his own career, as he’s pushed to the background. However, Ally’s success at this time likely doesn’t help his self-esteem. 

To Me, It Seems Like Ally Changes Her Appearance Because of Her Insecurity About Not Having The Star Factor 

Jackson makes many of his bad choices because of his own insecurities, but Ally also makes some bad choices because of her own self-doubts. Ally, like many artists, including Lady Gaga herself, faces pressure from her manager to change her appearance and music style. Jackson hates her music but Ally only gives some pushback to Rez about it. She eventually transforms herself to fit the label and manager’s ideas for her as an artist.

If Ally had more confidence in herself, she may have fought harder to maintain her artistic voice. We already know that she has been told countless times that she can’t make it because of her nose and appearance. Therefore, she may feel that she must change to have this dream. Ally going back to her original look and singing songs with depth help make A Star is Born’s ending one of the best of 2018. It shows that she has finally gained the confidence to be her true self. She doesn’t need the gimmicks or all the physical changes to become a star.  

The Bathroom Fight Reveals A Lot About Each Characters’ Insecurities 

Ally and Jackson don’t hold anything back in their big fight scene. She makes fun of his drinking problem and dead father. He calls her ugly and talks about how bad her music is. He also calls her embarrassing and she rightfully points out that he’s embarrassed of himself and projecting that on to her. However, Ally gets so defensive about him insulting her music and appearance, because it’s rude, but also because those are two areas that she also has insecurities about in her life. 

Their words hurt because they attack each other’s biggest insecurities. 

Jackson’s Death Even Ties Back To Fears And Doubts 

Jackson and Ally have a second chance at their relationship after he goes to rehab. A detail you may have missed is his physical transformation. However, it doesn’t reflect his emotions. Maybe briefly he also changes his mentality but it doesn’t last long. After a conversation with Rez and some time to think, Jackson decides to end his life. It seems to stem from his belief that Ally will be better without him. 

In my opinion, this shows several of Jackson’s insecurities. He doesn’t feel like he’s strong enough to not bring Ally down with him. He doesn’t believe that he can become the man she needs. He also doesn’t feel strong enough in their bond to stay with her and try to make it work. He may also not have faith in his sobriety.

I know Jackson believes he's sacrificing his life for Ally to live happily without him, but that also shows a clear misunderstanding of her and her love for him. To end one’s life is always a tragedy for everyone involved. It’s equally sad when a person doubts themselves so much that they can’t see how they can bring happiness to themself and those who love them. A Star is Born will always be a tragedy in more ways than one. 

Rent or buy A Star is Born on Amazon.  

Pop star Lady Gaga has been an icon for over a decade. And on top of her thriving career as a musician, she’s also become a bonafide movie star. This transition began with her acclaimed work opposite Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born, and she’s continued taking big projects like House of Gucci and Joker 2. Gaga was a huge superstar when she premiered A Star Is Born, but here’s why she had a surprising outlook on the red carpet.

Lady Gaga’s first album was released back in 2008, and she’s walked the red carpet and played the biggest stages in the world. Despite this, she was actually super nervous when A Star Is Born was premiering at the Venice Film Festival. Alberto Barbera, the artistic director of the festival, recently spoke to The Guardian about Gaga’s unexpected reaction, and wanting to look perfect for the occasion. As he put it,

How sweet is that? Despite already being a fashion icon and global celebrity, it sounds like Lady Gaga really wanted to be perfect and present herself properly when debuting as a full blown movie actress with A Star is Born. 

Of course, those Little Monsters out there will know that Lady Gaga definitely made an impression with her look at the Venice Film Festival. She pulled up on a boat in a gorgeous pink feathered gown, looking like Hollywood royalty. As a reminder, you can check out that look below:

Like so many of us, Lady Gaga was left crying at the end of A Star Is Born. Her character Ally became a star herself, while grieving the suicide of Bradley Cooper’s Jackson Maine. And in the real world, the movie’s title was true, as it made Gaga into a star of the big screen. And she hasn’t stopped taking on highly publicized film roles since.

The “Poker Face” singer has seemingly only been taking on projects that have the potential to get major nominations in Awards Season. House of Gucci failed to earn Gaga another Oscar nomination, but we’ll have to see how major organizations take to Joker: Folie à Deux. But since Joaquin Phoenix won an Academy Award for the first movie, it seems possible that she could earn herself another nom. Only time will tell.

Joker: Folie à Deux is currently expected to arrive in theaters October 4th, 2024. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Are you ready for Barbieheimer? It feels as though ever since the release dates for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer were set, cinephiles have been having an absolute blast at the idea of the two movies coming out on the exact same day. There have been so many memes, and same-day double feature ticket sales are real, making this weekend quite an eventful one to be in movie theaters. But did you know iconic pairings such as Barbieheimer have occurred before in movie history? 

What same-day movie release pairings would the internet have absolutely geeked about in retrospect? From The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia having neighboring theatrical openings in 2008, to ‘80s classic movies Ghostbusters and Gremlins sharing the same summer date, let’s talk about ten times big and beloved movies premiered on the same day and how things shook out in theaters. 

Poltergeist Vs. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan 

On June 4, 1982, moviegoers could buy a ticket to both the Steven Spielberg horror classic Poltergeist and arguably the most beloved of all the Star Trek movies ever made, Wrath of Khan. Both movies shared some major (and quite comparable) success in this case. Poltergeist was the highest-grossing horror movie of 1982, at No. 8 in overall movies that year along with some really positive buzz from critics and audiences alike. The Star Trek sequel won the match up overall, though, when it had the biggest opening weekend in history at the time. It later became the sixth highest grossing movie of the year. The Trekkies showed up big time, but both of their successes showed there were big audiences for both.  

Blade Runner Vs. The Thing

Just three weeks later, another iconic matchup happened in theaters in the year 1982 as well! On June 25th, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and John Carpenter’s The Thing landed in theaters on the same day. Funny enough, the massive successes of both Poltergeist and Star Trek II (along with E.T. and Conan the Barbarian) somewhat hurt the commercial successes of both these movies in the summer of ‘82. Both rather misunderstood, garnering mixed reactions from its audiences at the time, and having OK, but not great box office returns. 

Ghostbusters Vs. Gremlins

Jumping over to 1984, two more massive genre films, Ghostbusters and Gremlins, both came out on June 8. Ivan Reitman’s supernatural comedy starring Bill Murray and such won the weekend, with Gremlins swiftly behind and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in its third week of release and still very much making bank. Both Ghostbusters and Gremlins were warmly received in theaters and were among the highest-grossing movies of 1984, with Ghostbusters at No. 2 behind Beverly Hills Cop and Gremlins at No. 4.  

Die Hard Vs. A Fish Called Wanda 

Another great summer ‘80s release day occurred on July 15, 1988, when both Die Hard and A Fish Called Wanda hit theaters on the exact same day. Neither film earned the distinction of No. 1 at the box office, as the Eddie Murphy-led comedy Coming To America continued to dominate ticket sales a few weeks into its release. Die Hard didn’t necessarily sell critics, but audiences carried the movie to its iconic status and Bruce Willis to a solid breakout movie role. 

A Fish Called Wanda was named one of the best movies of the year, led to Kevin Kline winning an Oscar and earned No. 1 at the box office six weeks into its theatrical run before becoming the most rented movie in the U.S. the following year. Both of these made a massive mark on audiences in 1988, but technically Die Hard was the bigger blockbuster. 

Batman Vs. Honey, I Shrunk The Kids 

Here’s one more massive ‘80s versus scenario: Tim Burton’s Batman and Disney classic, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Both summer movies hit theaters on June 23, 1989, and they were top hits of 1989. However, Batman absolutely takes the win here, as it went on to become the highest-grossing movie of that year, and a seminal movie release that directly affects the superhero blockbuster era were in today. In 11 days, Batman became the fastest film to earn $100 million and earned over $400 million worldwide total. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids still had a solid release, with it becoming the sixth highest-grossing movie of 1989!

Boyz N The Hood Vs. Point Break 

Well, aren’t these two a solid double feature? On July 12, 1991 moviegoers could experience both Boyz in the Hood and Point Break in theaters for the first time on the same day. Neither movies cracked the top 20 of highest-grossing movies of 1991, with films like Beauty and the Beast, Terminator 2, Silence of the Lambs and Hook being among the biggest blockbusters. Still, their cultural impact and continued following is unquestionable. Overall, Boyz n the Hood edged out Point Break between its higher cash flow and critical praise. 

Heat Vs. Jumanji 

Another solid matchup of all-time beloved films happened during the holiday season of 1995: Michael Mann’s Heat and Joe Johnston’s Jumanji. These two were very much counter-programing for each other, with one being a violent crime film and the other a family comedy. Considering the holiday weekend, Robin Williams’ charm won over Al Pacino and Robert De Niro’s team-up, hitting No. 1 in its first weekend, beating out Toy Story reign for weeks. Jumanji also became the seventh highest-grossing movie of 1995, whereas Heat was No. 25. Since then, both are well loved and have certainly made their mark on modern cinema in their own distinct ways. 

10 Things I Hate About You Vs. The Matrix 

When we talk about beloved ‘90s movies these days, 10 Things I Hate About You and The Matrix are certainly big favorites that are mentioned high up. Both films premiered on March 31, 1999 too. The Wachowskis' science fiction action movie not only opened at No. 1, it earned one of the best openings for the Spring season ever of the time along with earning praise right off the bat. 10 Things I Hate About You opened at No. 2 at the box office. Obviously we’re talking about two vastly different kinds of movies, but yes, The Matrix was the winner here. 

The Dark Knight Vs. Mamma Mia!

15 years before Barbieheimer, there was a comparable matchup on July 18, 2008, when Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia! hit theaters. In this instance, The Dark Knight would go on to become the highest-grossing movie of 2008, with an over $1 billion of earnings at the box office, but Mamma Mia! was a big hit too, becoming the No. 5 movie of the year. The Dark Knight has always been well-loved from the get go, but Mamma Mia’s popularity has only but soared since it initially came out.   

A Star Is Born Vs. Venom

Anyone else remember the A Star Is Born/Venom memes of 2018? A lot of that had to do with the Oscar-winning drama and superhero flick premiering on the same day: October 5, 2018. It’s hard to choose a winner here, all things considered, but commercially Venom became the most successful of the two with its $856 million worldwide haul, which was the seventh highest-grossing movie of 2018. A Star Is Born was No. 21, but it also received a ton of award buzz and was one of the most popular movies of the year. 

It sure is fun to think about all these double features in retrospect. Did you turn out twice in the movie theaters for any of these and which did you choose first? The next massive cinematic showdown comes this weekend, July 21 when both Barbie and Oppenheimer hits theaters. 

The loss of a life is always tough, but such an event is especially tragic when said person leaves this world at a very young age. Sadly, Robert De Niro and his family are experiencing such a difficult situation. The acclaimed actor’s grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, has sadly died. The young man was gradually making a name for himself as an actor and most notably appeared in 2018’s A Star is Born. News of his death was confirmed by his mother this past Sunday and the exact cause has not been revealed. Leandro was only 19 at the time of his passing. 

Drena De Niro took to Instagram to share the news of her son’s death. She shared an emotional caption in which lovingly paid tribute to Leandro. The affectionate-sounding mother reflected on the time she was able to spend with her son and described the feelings of “joy” that he brought her. The 51-year-old actress tagged Leandro’s father, sculptor Carlos Mare, in the message as well: 

The post was accompanied by a single photo of Leandro, and a number of celebrities and fans have since commented, sending their condolences to the family. Among the stars to pay their respects are Rosie Perez, Andy Cohen, Debi Mazar and Naomi Campbell. Carlos Mare also responded with a comment, through which he lovingly reflected on his son:

Just a few months ago, Drena De Niro posted about her son on Mother’s Day. She took to social media to recap their day together and to share some sweet photos, which can be seen below: 

Robert De Niro adopted Drena after he married her mother, actress Diahnne Abbott, in 1976. As mentioned, Leandro was following in the acting footsteps of his grandparents and mother, whose credits include Great Expectations, Joy and Hands of Stone. He and his mom famously appeared together in Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born remake, in which he played the son of his mother’s and Dave Chappelle’s characters. Drena and Leandro also appeared together in The Collection and Caberet Maxime.

This tragic news comes nearly two months after Robert De Niro revealed that he’d welcomed his seventh child, a baby girl, at the age of 79. At the time, he received well wishes from Billy Crystal and other celebrity friends. This new addition coincided with his early promotion for his latest film, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. All the while, De Niro had been opening up a bit about being a parent and what he’s learned from his experiences. Now, in the midst of Leandro’s passing, one would hope that the Oscar winner and his loved ones will find comfort and love amongst each other, as they remember their loved one.

We here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to the De Niro, Rodriguez and Mare families during this time.

Lady Gaga has truly captured the hearts of music lovers everywhere with her artistry in music, and if we’re being honest, she's one of the most recognizable musicians, releasing hit after hit, and becoming an icon. She’s performed at the Super Bowl, has sold out stadiums, and in the last decade, has been using her talents on the small and big screen with acting. 

For those who don’t know, Gaga originally went to school for acting but found success with her music first. Only later on did she go back to acting – and boy, what waves she has made. While we all know that she is going to be appearing in the upcoming Joker sequel that is slated to come out in 2024, there are still a few things you can see her in before she becomes the iconic Harley Quinn. 

If you want to see what the best Lady Gaga movies and TV shows are, and where they might be streaming, check out our list below. 

Machete Kills (2013)

First off on this list is Machete Kills. Released in 2013 and directed by Robert Rodriguez, the film follows the titular character when he is recruited by the president of the United States to do the biggest job he has ever done – to stop both an arms dealer and a revolutionary who could potentially change the entire world. 

Look, in my eyes, Machete Kills isn’t the best film on this list. There are far better movies to check out. But, this movie was actually Lady Gaga’s first official film role where she really got to show how good of an actress she really is. 

Her character, La Camaleon, is honestly one of the most hilarious parts of the film and something I could re-watch over and over again. The Machete films are good fun, but I personally like this one the best, just because Gaga is too good to pass up. 

Stream Machete Kills on Starz.
Rent/Buy Machete Kills on Amazon

Gaga: Five Foot Two (2017)

Okay, while this isn’t Lady Gaga acting, I had to list this one. Gaga: Five Foot Two is a Netflix original documentary that follows the singer as she produces her fifth studio album, Joanne, and how she created her iconic half-time performance at the Super Bowl in 2017. 

Again, this isn’t a film where she acted, but I still really like it. It almost reminds me of Jennifer Lopez’s Halftime, where we are given a background look into how preparing for a huge performance like the Super Bowl is such a massive deal. It also gives a look into not only Gaga’s personal life, but professional as well. I never thought I would be intrigued by someone singing in a studio, but this movie did that and more. 

If you are at all interested in the process behind building an album or how Gaga created one of her most successful ones, please check this out. It’s seriously worth a watch. 

Stream Gaga: Five Foot Two on Netflix.

American Horror Story: Hotel (2015-2016)

Now this is where I first saw her act. American Horror Story: Hotel is the fifth season of the Ryan Murphy-created series, American Horror Story. Taking place in a haunted hotel in California, Lady Gaga stars as the Countess, one of the people who runs the hotel but is secretly a blood-sucking vampire. 

Let me tell you, she freaking rocked this role. I recall that when she was cast for this main part, I was a little concerned, because I had never seen her act, but she was absolutely amazing as the Countess. Freaky, scary, and sexy, Lady Gaga was able to bring so much to the table. I was genuinely upset that her character ended when the season ended, since it is an anthology show, and she was just so good. 

She even won a Golden Globe for her performance in the fifth season. Truly, an icon. 

Stream American Horror Story: Hotel on Hulu.

A Star Is Born (2018)

I mean, I think we all know that this is where everyone started to believe that Gaga was an amazing actress. A Star is Born, which is yet another remake of the original story from 1937, follows the tale of a musician suffering from alcoholism and a singer who is trying to make it big who fall in love, and their tumultuous love story. 

Do I even need to really get into the reasons why you should watch this film? The movie itself is great, and Bradley Cooper did an excellent job not only acting but directing it, as well, but Gaga was just on another level. She sang her heart out and acted amazingly and was gifted the Academy Award for Best Original Song. She was even nominated for her role in the film for Best Actress – such a great movie to watch. 

Stream A Star is Born on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy A Star is Born on Amazon.

American Horror Story: Roanoke (2016)

Yes, yes, I know that this is within the same American Horror Story franchise, but it’s just so different from Season 5 that I needed to give it its own section. American Horror Story: Roanoke, which is Season 6, follows a couple who move into a house in North Carolina that is haunted and near an abandoned town, with the story split into two halves that present the tale in different ways. 

I have to say that I actually did enjoy Season 6 (because I know a fair amount of people who didn’t), but it’s honestly because the first half was so good, and that’s because of Lady Gaga. She is unrecognizable in her role as Scathach, and looks scarier than ever. It’s literally a sin that she was not used more and I wish that she had done more in the show after Seasons 5 and 6. She was such an iconic cast addition. 

Stream American Horror Story: Roanoke on Hulu.

Saturday Night Live (2013)

Fun fact – did you know that Lady Gaga hosted and performed on Saturday Night Live in 2013? For those who don’t know, SNL is a legendary late-night sketch show that has been going on for 45+ seasons, and has had celebrities from all over come to host and make people laugh.

The singer was just one of many that came through that season, creating hilarious sketches and performing some of her most popular songs that I still sing to this day. If you’ve never seen it, be sure to check it out. 

Stream Lady Gaga’s episode of Saturday Night Live on Peacock.

House Of Gucci (2021)

Last but not least is House of Gucci. In this 2021 film, we see the story of an outsider who gets the chance to marry into the Gucci family, but her presence begins to cause a downward spiral as their dark past is revealed. 

The entire House of Gucci cast is seriously stacked with talent, but of course I’m going to give my praise to Gaga. Her performance was certainly one of the best in the film, and while I don’t think the movie itself was as strong as her other amazing film, A Star is Born, her performance is still up there. Be sure to check it out if you haven’t had the chance to yet. 

Stream House of Gucci on Paramount Plus.
Rent/Buy House of Gucci on Amazon.

Do you have favorite Lady Gaga roles? Or are you just waiting for her next album, like I am? I’m eager to see what she has in store, and now I just want the new Joker film to release already.  

With the awards season in full effect, people are surely eager to check out all the big nominees at the 2023 Academy Awards. But what if you want to go back and watch some of the classics, or even forgotten gems, that have taken home major awards at the Oscars and other ceremonies in the past? Well, if you’re looking for a spot with plenty of options to choose from, look no further than Plex.

Whether you’re trying to watch the neo-noir classic L.A. Confidential, check out the stellar documentary Man on Wire, or even revisit the original A Star Is Born, Plex has you covered. As part of our ongoing partnership with Plex, we are going to highlight some of the best offerings that are streaming for free throughout the month of March. 

L.A. Confidential

Curtis Hanson’s 1997 adaptation of James Ellroy’s landmark crime novel L.A. Confidential centers on three police officers – Edmund Exley (Guy Pearce), Wendell White (Russell Crowe), and Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) – as they try to get to the bottom of the murder of one of their own in 1950s Los Angeles. However, this proves to be no easy task in the “City of Angels,” as corrupt officials, a snakey tabloid writer, and a woman with looks that could kill get in the way of the investigation and their personal lives.

L.A. Confidential took home two Academy Awards following its release, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Kim Basinger’s portrayal of Lynn Bracken.

Stream L.A. Confidential on Plex.

Monster

In 2003, Patty Jenkins made her feature film directorial debut with the riveting biographical drama Monster, which saw Charlize Theron take on the role of the late serial killer Aileen Wuornos. The movie, which shed light on Wuornos’ background, ongoing relationship with Selby Wall (Christina Ricci), and what led to her killing seven of her clients in the span of a little more than a year, has since gone down as one of the best true crime movies of the 21st century.

Theron ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Monster.

Stream Monster on Plex.

Man On Wire

In 1974, French tight-rope artist Philippe Petit pulled off one of the most daring stunts in New York City history when he walked between the Twin Towers, becoming an international sensation and legend in the process. James Marsh’s 2008 documentary, Man on Wire, follows Petit as he recounts the death-defying stunt, everything that went into the planning process, and how he pulled it all off without the building’s owner or local authorities finding out.

Man on Wire ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, beating out tough competition like Werner Herzog’s Encounters at the End of the World.

Stream Man on Wire on Plex.

Stagecoach

Often regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, John Ford had a certain knack for storytelling in the Western genre, and one of the best examples of that is his 1939 adventure film Stagecoach. Featuring John Wayne’s breakout role of Ringo Kid, the movie follows a group of strangers traveling through dangerous territory where their only chance of survival is each other.

Nominated for a total of seven Academy Awards, Stagecoach ended up taking home Oscars for Best Supporting Actor (Thomas Mitchell) and Best Music.

Stream Stagecoach on Plex.

A Star Is Born (1937)

There have been a total of four different versions of A Star Is Born released over the years, with the most recent being the 2018 remake starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. But if you want to go back and see how it all started with William A. Wellman’s 1937 original, you can do so right now. This version follows Esther Victoria Blodgett (Janet Gaynor) a farmgirl as she leaves her family’s farm for a shot at fame in Hollywood. Along the way, she meets Norman Maine (Fredric March), a major star who becomes her mentor and lover.

The movie ended up winning two Academy Awards, including Best Original Story.

Stream A Star Is Born on Plex.

Sophie's Choice

Alan J. Pakula’s 1982 drama Sophie’s Choice follows Polish immigrant Zofia “Sophie” Zawistowski as she attempts to start a new life in a Brooklyn boarding house with her lover, Nathan Landau (Kevin Kline) and a terrible secret in the years following World War II.

Meryl Streep, who had already won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in Kramer vs. Kramer, took home her first Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Sophie’s Choice.

Stream Sophie’s Choice on Plex.

On Golden Pond

Released in 1981, Mark Rydell’s On Golden Pond follows Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda) and his daughter, Chelsea (Jane Fonda) as they try to repair their fractured relationship at the family’s idyllic summer home. If that wasn’t enough for the pair, Chelsea brings her fiancé's son, Billy (Doug McKeon) to the quiet cabin, which ends up leading to more discoveries.

Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn took home Oscars for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively, while screenwriter Ernest Thompson won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Stream On Golden Pond on Plex.

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids

In her 2004 documentary, Born into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids, Zana Briski traveled to India to photograph child prostitutes, forming an intense bond with them in the process. Over the course of her stay there, Briski gave the children cameras of their own to document their lives, shedding light on a world not seen by many before.

Born into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids ended up winning multiple awards, including an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 2005.

Stream Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids on Plex.

Cat Ballou

Elliot Silverstein’s 1965 Western comedy (with elements of Greek theater) tells the story of Catherine “Cat” Ballou (Jane Fonda), a young woman who goes from aspiring teacher to gunslinger after an assassin named Tim Strawn (Lee Marvin) kills her father. Together with an elder cowboy named Kid Shelleen (also played by Marvin), the vengeful heroine sets out for justice.

Lee Marvin ended up taking home the Oscar for Best Actor for his dual role in Cat Ballou.

Stream Cat Ballou on Plex.

The Red Balloon

Directed by Albert Lamorisse, the 1956 French short film, The Red Balloon, follows a young Parisian boy named Pascal (Pascal Gillette) as he encounters and befriends a sentient balloon. Together, the boy and balloon explore the French capital, getting in all sorts of adventures, and bonding in the process.

The Red Balloon won an Oscar in 1957, but not for best short. Instead, it won in the Best Original Screenplay category, oddly enough.

Stream The Red Balloon on Plex.

Kon-Tiki (1950 Documentary)

The 1950 documentary, Kon-Tiki, serves to tell the story of the 1947 expedition of the same name led by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl (who also directed the film). The 77-minute documentary shows Heyerdahl build the raft that would take them from South America to the Polynesian Islands, as well as the journey itself, with commentary provided by the director throughout.

Kon-Tiki would go on to win a number of awards, including the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 1951.

Stream Kon-Tiki (1950 Documentary) on Plex.

Cyrano De Bergerac

There have been multiple adaptations of Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac, and one of the best is the 1950 version starring José Ferrer as the titular character. Directed by Michael Gordon, the movie follows Cyrano as he tries to help the handsome yet dim-witted Christian de Neuvillette (William Prince) win over Roxane (Mala Powers), a woman he secretly loves.

Ferrer ended up winning an Academy Award for his performance, one that also earned him countless other accolades.

Stream Cyrano de Bergerac on Plex.

This is just a small sampling of the award-winning films that are available to stream for free on Plex, as there are countless decorated films from yesterday and today on the robust platform. 

Much like Rocky, Adonis Creed had to rise through the ranks to become a world-class boxer. And much like Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan has risen through the ranks in the acting world, and he is now making his directorial debut with the third installment of Creed, much like how Sly directed multiple Rocky films. While I’m sure Jordan received advice on his first outing as a director from those within the Rocky world, he’s also explained how actors and directors Denzel Washington and Bradley Cooper helped advise him before making Creed III. 

Although Jordan said there’s no film he’s “felt more ready to steer,” he’s also talked about the nerves of going into his first directing gig as the star of the Creed III cast and the man calling action behind the camera. He noted that he got a lot of good advice from other directors who simultaneously starred in their flicks, those two people being Denzel Washington and Bradley Cooper. Jordan elaborated on the advice the two men gave him, telling Empire: 

I feel like starring in the film you’re directing must be an intimidating task, especially on a film that also marks a directorial debut. Although Jordan was clearly in good hands by getting advice from Washington and Cooper, who have both directed critically acclaimed films they also starred in. I’d say based on Jordan’s comments the directors/actors gave him some fantastic and impactful words of wisdom. 

For Washington, while the iconic films he's best known for are based on his performance on screen, he’s also directed four features. On his third film, Fences, he starred and directed it, which ended up earning him multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor. He also directed Jordan in his most recent film A Journal for Jordan, and the Creed star praised his director for his direction, and ability to work so well with actors. 

As for Cooper, he made his directorial debut with A Star is Born, which he also starred in. He ended up earning three Oscar nods to his name for Best Picture, Actor and Adapted Screenplay, and many firmly believed he should have been nominated for Best Director as well. Now, Cooper has a few upcoming projects in the works, one of which is a biopic about Leonard Bernstein, called Maestro, which he is starring in and directing. 

All this is to say, I think Michael B. Jordan has some fantastic people in his corner to help him find success with his directorial debut. Based on the Creed III trailer alone, it looks like Jordan gave it his all, and made a movie that he will be proud of and fans will love. 

To see all of Jordan’s hard work pay off, you’ll have a wait a bit because Creed III is slated on the 2023 movie schedule for March 3. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie schedule for other fantastic films to watch as the year comes to a close, and we get closer to seeing Jordan’s directorial debut on the big screen. 

In 2018, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga starred in the latest remake of A Star is Born, with this version of the story that’d been told three times prior seeing the former playing Jackson Maine and the latter playing Ally Maine. Cooper and Gaga’s romantic chemistry in A Star is Born was so powerful that it led to many people hoping that the two were actually dating in real life, which was only heightened when the duo performed a passionate “Shallow” duet at the 2019 Oscars. Well, sorry to those particular shippers, because Cooper has a new love interest.

According to Page Six, Bradley Cooper has been dating Huma Abedin, one of Hilary Clinton’s top advisors/aides, over the last several months. A source told the publication that Vogue editor Anna Wintour “played matchmaker” with the two of them, and they have been keeping their relationship “really quiet.” Cooper had previously been dating actress Dianna Argon and had been in a four-year relationship with Irina Shayk before that (in 2017, their daughter Lea de Seine was born), while as of November 2021, Abedin was in the final stages of divorcing former politician Anthony Weiner.

Bradley Cooper and Huma Abedin apparently attended the Met Gala together on May 2 secretly, though they kept their distance from one another when walking the red carpet. The same unnamed source had this to say about the dynamic between Cooper and Abedin:

While this is another blow to the folks out who’ve wanted Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga to get together, to be fair, the A Star is Born lead actors have made it abundantly clear over the years that nothing romantic has been going on between them. Back in 2019, Gaga said that it was their job to make people “believe that we were in love,” and described the press behind their supposed relationship as being “very silly.” Then in late 2021, Cooper said that the lovey-dovey eyes he and Gaga threw at each other during their Oscars performance was simply meant to recreate their chemistry from the movie and reduce the “anxiety level.”

However, just because Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga aren’t romantically intertwined doesn’t mean the two aren’t close with one another. Gaga said last December that she’s confided in Cooper “for years” and “always appreciated his support and his advice, his thoughts on my future endeavors.” So it’s entirely possible that we could see Cooper and Gaga acting onscreen together again someday. While Gaga had acted before A Star is Born, the 2018 movie definitely catapulted the portion of her career to new heights. Since then, she’s starred in House of Gucci and is being lined up to perform opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the Joker sequel.

As for Bradley Cooper, his most recent film work includes leading Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley and vocally reprising Rocket Raccoon in Thor: Love and Thunder. Along with more Rocket appearances coming in the near future through The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he’s also playing Leonard Bernstein in Maestro, which will be released to Netflix subscribers sometime in 2023. Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on his professional endeavors and how things are going between him and Huma Abedin.

There are only so many movies that fall under the category of “musical,” but most movies do have a musical element to them that lends much to their timelessness. I am not specifically talking about film scores here, but of the catchy and powerful pop hits that have accompanied some of cinema’s iconic moments - most of which were written specifically for the movie and helped launch its popularity, and vice versa. The stories behind how these iconic movie songs came to be (and other intriguing relative facts) are almost as fascinating as the films they appear in.

"Writing's On The Wall" - Sam Smith (Spectre)

While co-writing "Writing's on the Wall" -- from 2015's Spectre -- brought him great success -- including the Best Original Song Oscar -- Sam Smith does not enjoy singing his James Bond theme. Before singing the song for an audience for the first time on The Graham Norton Show, the Grammy winner revealed that he was "dreading" that very performance because it requires him to hit such a painfully high note. He then joked he would have to "grab [his] balls" to achieve the right pitch. 

“Danger Zone” - Kenny Loggins (Top Gun)

The secret as to why the opening scene of Top Gun - the highest grossing film of 1986 - is so unforgettable is the accompaniment of the infectious rock hit “Danger Zone,” which was composed and produced by Giogio Moroder with lyrics from Tom Whitlock. Vocalist Kenny Loggins recalled to MovieWeb that the film’s director, the late Tony Scott, also helmed the song’s music video, which was rare for a major Hollywood filmmaker to do at the time.

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” - B.J. Thomas (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

Of the four Academy Awards that the seminal western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid earned in 1970, one of them was for its equally seminal original song, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head.” While the iconic track was memorably sung by B.J. Thomas, the late singer revealed in an interview for The Tennessean that co-writer Burt Bacharach approached folk legend Bob Dylan about singing the vocals. 

“Moon River” - Audrey Hepburn (Breakfast At Tiffany’s)

Composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics from Johnny Mercer, “Moon River” became a unique standout after its appearance in the classic romantic-comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s as sung by its star, Audrey Hepburn, who was not known as a singer at the time. According to The Telegraph (via Southern Living), that is why Paramount Pictures’ then-president, Barney Balaban, wanted to remove the song from the 1961 adaptation of Truman Capote’s novel, but Hepburn said that would only happen over her dead body.

“Lose Yourself” - Eminem (8 Mile)

Seventeen years after it won the Oscar for Best Original Song for its appearance in 8 Mile, Eminem took the stage at the 2020 Academy Awards for a surprise performance of his powerful track, “Lose Yourself.” Co-writer Jeff Bass told Billboard in 2017 that it took roughly a year to complete the song, partly because it was not until after receiving Scott Silver’s script that the rapper (born Marshall Mathers) began developing the autobiographical lyrics.

“Theme From Shaft” - Isaac Hayes (Shaft)

Isaac Hayes became the first Black man to ever win a music Oscar for the theme song of the 1971 Blaxploitation classic, Shaft. In 2000, the late musician-turned actor told NPR that, after he was hired to score the film, he requested to audition for the title role before it went to Richard Roundtree.

“Fight The Power” - Public Enemy (Do The Right Thing)

One of the most striking hits in the history of rap music is Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” which got a lot of exposure in writer, director, and star Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. According to an oral history by Rolling Stone, Lee wanted the “anthem” for his influential, and still socially relevant, 1989 classic to be a hip-hop rendition of the iconic hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as performed by the rap group, until co-writer Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad suggested making something new that would “resonate on the street level.”

“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” - Simple Minds (The Breakfast Club)

According to a Guardian article written by lead singer Jim Kerr, Simple Minds initially turned down the offer to perform “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” for John Hughes’ influential teen dramedy, The Breakfast Club until the song’s writer, Keith Forsey, spent some time with the band and they hit it off. Kerr also improvised the “la, la-la-la-la” at the end and planned to incorporate real lyrics later, but Forsey insisted it should stay.

“Mrs. Robinson” - Simon & Garfunkel (The Graduate)

In an interview for The Game 365, Paul Simon recalled a time he happened to spot Joe DiMaggio - who is mentioned in the Grammy-winning song from The Graduate - at a restaurant, approached him, and was questioned why the song asks where the baseball legend has gone. The singer-songwriter explained that the namedrop in “Mrs. Robinson” was a nod to a seeming absence of great American heroes at the time, which DiMaggio was then flattered by.

“St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion)” - John Parr (St. Elmo’s Fire)

The ultimate film from the “Brat Pack” era would have to be director Joel Schumacher’s star-studded 1985 drama, St. Elmo’s Fire, for which John Parr wrote and performed the theme song. When speaking to NPR, the British musician revealed the unlikely source for the lyrics to “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion),” which has little to do with the actual plot of the film, but with the inspirational story of a wheelchair-using Olympian from Canada named Rick Hansen.

“See You Again” - Wiz Khalifa Feat. Charlie Puth (Furious 7)

Charlie Puth told Entertainment Weekly that he wrote the chorus for the Oscar-nominated “See You Again” in 10 minutes while thinking of a friend of his who had passed in a similar way to Paul Walker. The actor’s untimely death in 2013, caused by a car crash, inspired Universal to approach Puth to pen a song for the end of Furious 7, which pays tribute to Walker.

“Shallow” - Lady Gaga And Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)

While having a more romantic meaning in the context of the story from 2018’s A Star is Born, Lady Gaga told Variety that she believes the popularity of “Shallow” stems from a more serious real-world topic. She said that, in the wake of the #MeToo movement, the content of the Oscar-winning hit’s lyrics being a conversation between a man and a woman who are connecting and openly listening to each other is “why people cry when they hear it.”

“(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” - Bill Medley, Jennifer Warnes (Dirty Dancing)

The Dirty Dancing cast played writer Franke Previte’s original demo of “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” while filming the iconic ending performance, which was also the first scene they shot. Previte told American Songwriter that star Patrick Swayze later thanked him at the Oscars for the on-set camaraderie that the demo provided them.

“Eye Of The Tiger” - Survivor (Rocky III)

Survivor guitarist and “Eye of the Tiger” co-writer, Jim Peterik, revealed to Songfacts that Sylvester Stallone initially wanted to use “Another One Bites the Dust” in the montage where the song appears in Rocky III. When he could not get Queen’s permission, he hired the ‘80s rock outfit, who originally thought to call the Oscar-nominated power ballad “Survival,” which would have been the last word of the chorus to rhyme with the lyric “rising up to the challenge of our rival.”

“Ghostbusters” - Ray Parker Jr. (Ghostbusters)

With only a few days given to complete the Ghostbusters theme song (the film itself was conceived, shot, and released within a year), Ray Parker Jr. struggled with the lyrics, especially with figuring how to incorporate the title, as he recalled on an episode of Netflix’s The Movies That Made Us. His breakthrough came when the titular paranormal exterminators’ TV ad in the film reminded him of bug exterminator commercials and inspired him to lead into the famous “Ghostbusters!” shout with the equally iconic phrase “Who you gonna call?”

“Stayin’ Alive” - Bee Gees (Saturday Night Fever)

According to ProCPR.org, a study proved that CPR trainees can maintain the technique at the recommended momentum of 100-120 compressions per minute even more effectively while listening (or singing aloud) to the Bee Gees hit which opens the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. How fitting that a song called “Stayin’ Alive” really can help save lives.

“Purple Rain” - Prince And The Revolution (Purple Rain)

The title song from the soundtrack for Purple Rain was originally recorded by Prince and The Revolution during their live performance of it in the movie’s final scene, which was also the first time the band ever played it on stage. Alan Light, who wrote a book about the making of the 1984 film called Let’s Go Crazy, assured NPR that only minimal editing was applied to the track as it appears on the album, such as the omission of a verse and few notes in Prince’s guitar solo.

“9 To 5” - Dolly Parton (9 To 5)

According to Biography, Dolly Parton agreed to star in the 1980 comedy 9 to 5 on the condition that she could also write the theme song. The country music legend came up with its baseline (which resembles the sound of a typewriter) on the set while strumming her acrylic fingernails in between takes, which is why “Nails by Dolly” can be found in the soundtrack credits.

“Kiss From A Rose” - Seal (Batman Forever)

While it is impossible to separate “Kiss From a Rose” from Batman Forever, the song was not originally written for the superhero film and, in fact, Seal wrote it in 1987 - years before he was even signed to a label, according to People. In response to Joel Schumacher’s passing in 2020, Seal posted an Instagram video recalling how the director’s inclusion of the song in the 1995 blockbuster turned the romantic ballad - previously a flop - into the defining hit of the artist’s career.

“Footloose” - Kenny Loggins (Footloose)

When speaking to Bart Herbison of Nashville Songwriters Association International for an interview published by The Tennessean, Kenny Loggins made a “confession” about the title song from the 1984 Kevin Bacon-led hit Footloose. The lines “Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees” and then “Jack, get back. Come on before we crack” were inspired by a similar lyrical device Paul Simon used for “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” specifically when Simon sings, “Slip out the back, Jack / Make a new plan, Stan,” etc.

“My Heart Will Go On” - Celine Dion (Titanic)

Penned by James Horner, the love theme from Titanic, “My Heart Will Go On,” won the hearts of many - including those at the Academy Awards - but, initially, not its vocalist, Celine Dion, who told Billboard, “When I recorded it, I didn’t think about a movie; I didn’t think about radio. I thought, Sing the song, then get the heck out of there.” Additionally, director James Cameron was, at first, against the idea of adding a pop song to the end of his historical tragedy, but after a push from the studio and some convincing from Horner, he conceded and came to really admire the ballad’s resonance to the film’s romantic plot.

“I Will Always Love You” - Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard)

Whitney Houston’s career-defining song, “I Will Always Love You,” was recorded specifically for her 1992 romantic thriller The Bodyguard, but it is actually a cover of a Dolly Parton classic. Curiously enough, according to an oral history by EW, producer David Foster actually based his arrangement of the song on a previous cover by Linda Ronstadt, which was the only version he could find at the time.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” - Coolio Feat. L.V. (Dangerous Minds)

As Coolio revealed to Rolling Stone, Stevie Wonder had a few conditions that had to be met before he and L.V.’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” - the de facto theme for 1995’s Michelle Pfeiffer-led drama Dangerous Minds - could be released, because it samples his 1976 song “Pastime Paradise.” Ironically, the rapper himself was not happy with “Weird Al” Yankovic’s parody, “Amish Paradise,” and would not make peace with it until years later.

“A Whole New World” - Alan Menken, Tim Rice (Aladdin)

Alan Menken has won several awards for iconic, sweeping songs from some of the best animated Disney movies, including “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. The composer revealed in an interview with Jake Hamilton (co-host of the ReelBlend podcast) that the original title he had in mind was “The World At My Feet” until lyricist, Tim Rice, suggested that “the word ‘feet’ would be better not in the title of a Disney love song.”

“Goldfinger” - Shirley Bassey (Goldfinger)

We all know that the title track from Goldfinger (one of the all-time greatest Bond movie theme songs) is sung brilliantly by Welsh songstress Shirley Bassey, but less people are aware that a young Jimmy Page played guitar in the orchestra. The future Led Zeppelin founder recalled to GQ how Bassey performed the session in one take and, after holding the huge final note, ran out of breath and collapsed on the floor.

“The Power Of Love” - Huey Lewis & The News (Back To The Future)

Huey Lewis & The News wrote and performed two songs for 1985’s masterful time travel adventure, Back to the Future - most famously the Oscar nominated hit, “The Power of Love.” As Lewis recalled in a video for Rolling Stone, the musician makes a funny, uncredited cameo as a Battle of Bands judge who believes the rendition of the song that Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and his band perform for their audition is “too darn loud.”

“That Thing You Do!” - The Wonders (That Thing You Do!)

The titular, Oscar-nominated 1960s-style pop song from Tom Hanks’ 1996 directorial debut, That Thing You Do!, was actually written by Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger, who went on to compose Howard Stern’s theme music, became the musical director for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and other notable works. When he passed away from Covid-19 in 2020, the members of the fictional band from the film, The Wonders, reunited over Zoom for a livestream as a pandemic relief benefit.

“Rainbow Connection” - Jim Henson (The Muppet Movie)

One of the most celebrated achievements of prolific songwriter Paul Williams is “Rainbow Connection,” which Kermit the Frog (voiced by Jim Henson) performs in The Muppet Movie from 1979. In a video interview shot for The Tennessean in 2016, Williams told Bart Herbison that he and and co-writer Kenneth Asher wanted to give Kermit a song as heartwarming and “spiritual” as Jiminy Cricket’s “When You Wish Upon A Star” from 1940’s animated Disney classic Pinocchio, which served as a jumping-off point for the Oscar-nominated ballad.

There really is nothing like dropping the needle on your favorite movie soundtrack and reminiscing about the scenes in which each killer song appears. Now you have many more stories to associate them with.

Sam Elliott is an undisputed, mega-talented, and still relatively underrated icon of both the big and small screen. His role as Shea Brennan in the 1883 cast is only the latest example of why. 

If the 19th-century-set Yellowstone prequel series - which premiered on Paramount+ on Sunday, December 19 - is your introduction to the Academy Award nominee, you have quite a bit of catching up to do. Allow us to help you speed up the process with our following picks of the best Sam Elliott movies and TV shows, starting with another one of his many, many Western roles over the years.

Tombstone (Amazon Rental)

A lawman (Kurt Russell) seeking a nice, quiet place to retire thinks he has found it in a small Arizona town, until a gang of vicious outlaws stir up trouble that quickly turns personal, leading him to enlist the help of his friend and fellow gunfighter, Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: Just a year before Yellowstone cast lead Kevin Costner coincidentally released his own Wyatt Earp biopic, Sam Elliott starred as Virgil (brother of Kurt Russell’s Wyatt) in 1993’s Tombstone - a thrilling recreation of the events that led to the legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral in 1881.

Rent/Buy Tombstone on Amazon.

Road House (Showtime)

A martial arts expert (Patrick Swayze) is enlisted to become a bouncer at a roadside bar in rural Missouri and helps protect it from an unscrupulous businessman and his henchmen.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: In addition to his many traditional Westerns, a title that could be considered one of Sam Elliott’s best Neo-Western movies is the 1989 cult favorite, Road House, in which he plays the mentor to James Dalton - the role that made a certified badass out of the late, great Patrick Swayze.

Stream Road House on Showtime.
Rent/Buy Road House on Amazon.

The Ranch (Netflix)

A semi-professional football player (Ashton Kutcher) reunites with his dysfunctional family when he returns to help run their business in rural Colorado.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: A title that could be considered one of Sam Elliott’s best Neo-Western TV shows (geographically speaking, that is) is The Ranch - a hit, Emmy-winning, Netflix original sitcom that lasted from 2016 to 2020, and on which Sam Elliott played Ashton Kutcher’s no-nonsense father and the owner of the titular ranch.

Stream The Ranch on Netflix.

Prancer (Starz)

A young girl (Rebecca Harrell Tickell) tries to convince her widowed and financially struggling father (Sam Elliott) that the stray, injured reindeer she found is from the North Pole.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: One of the earlier times that Sam Elliott played a farmer was in the more family-friendly of his 1989 releases - Prancer, one of the more fun and underrated Christmas movies of its time that puts the spotlight on one of Santa’s other reindeer.

Stream Prancer on Starz.
Rent/Buy Prancer on Amazon.

Mask (Blu-ray/DVD Purchase)

A divorced mother (Cher), with help from her boyfriend (Sam Elliott), is determined to make sure her son (Eric Stoltz), a teenager with a rare bone disorder that causes facial deformities, has a normal and fulfilling life.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: Another ‘80s classic that is some parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, and stars Sam Elliott in a fatherly role, is Mask - director Peter Bogdonavich’s 1985 biopic about Roy “Rocky” Dennis and his struggles with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia up until his death.

Buy Mask on Blu-ray/DVD on Amazon.

A Star Is Born (HBO Max)

A rock star (Bradley Cooper) struggling with addiction gets a chance at redemption and love when he meets an aspiring singer-songwriter (Lady Gaga), whom he helps achieve her dream.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: Despite actually playing his half-brother and manager, Sam Elliott’s Academy Award-nominated role could be seen as a father figure to co-writer and director Bradley Cooper’s troubled character in A Star Is Born - the Oscar-winning, 2018 edition (and arguably best interpretation) of a tragic romance told three times before.

Stream A Star Is Born on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy A Star Is Born on Amazon.

MacGruber (Peacock)

A heavily decorated, but highly problematic and conceited, former special forces agent (Will Forte) is called out of retirement again and tasked with taking down a dangerous man from his past (Billy Zane) with the help of his trusted allies (Kristen Wiig and Ryan Philippe).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: One of the funnier and more recent instances of Sam Elliott in a fatherly role is when he appeared in the MacGruber cast as the father of Will Forte’s bumbling titular hero on the Peacock original series, spun-off from the cult favorite 2010 movie that was spun-off from the popular Saturday Night Live sketch.

Stream MacGruber on Peacock.

The Big Lebowski (Peacock)

A case of mistaken identity leads an aging pothead (Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges) and his Vietnam-obsessed bowling buddy (John Goodman) to become embroiled in an increasingly concerning situation involving ransom, murderous nihilists, and pee-stained rugs.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: Perhaps the funniest of Sam Elliott’s characters in what is even more likely his funniest movie, is the mysterious role of cowboy-hat-clad The Stranger, whose iconic voice also narrates 1998’s The Big Lebowski - Joel and Ethan Coen’s brilliant, cult classic hybrid of film noir movie tropes with stoner humor.

Stream The Big Lebowski on Peacock.
Rent/Buy The Big Lebowski on Amazon.

Thank You For Smoking (Amazon Prime)

A skilled, charismatic tobacco company lobbyist (Aaron Eckhart) struggles with balancing the moral complications of his profession with being a role model to his son (Cameron Bright).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: Another great dramedy featuring Sam Elliott in a small, but memorable, role is Thank You For Smoking - Jason Reitman’s dazzling 2005 adaptation of Christopher Buckley’s satirical novel in which Elliott plays the former “Marlboro Man.”

Stream Thank You For Smoking on Amazon Prime.
Rent/Buy Thank You For Smoking on Amazon.

Up In The Air (HBO Max)

A cynical corporate downsizing expert who lives in and out of airports all across the country (Academy Award winner George Clooney) begins to change his tune when he meets an alluring fellow frequent traveler (Vera Farmiga).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: Sam Elliott would reunite with writer and director Jason Reitman in 2009 for Up in the Air - an inspiring tale of self-rediscovery based on Walter Kirn’s novel, in which Elliott briefly appears as an American Airlines pilot.

Stream Up In The Air on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Up In The Air on Amazon.

We Were Soldiers (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Paramount+, PlutoTV)

Soldiers of various ages endure heart wrenching hardships as their loved ones eagerly await and hope for their return, during the beginning of the United States military’s participation in the Vietnam War.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: In addition to Westerns, Sam Elliott is also known for starring in a few war epics, such as when he (sans his famous mustache) played Sgt. Maj. Basil Plumley 2002’s We Were Soldiers - a stirring, emotional depiction of the Vietnam War based on Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore’s memoir,  written for the screen and directed by Braveheart scribe Randall Wallace.

Stream We Were Soldiers on Netflix.
Stream We Were Soldiers on Amazon Prime.

Stream We Were Soldiers on Paramount+.
Stream We Were Soldiers on PlutoTV.

Rent/Buy We Were Soldiers on Amazon.

The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot (Hulu)

A former U.S. military assassin (Sam Elliott) who successfully completed a pivotal, top-secret operation during War World II is brought out of his reclusive retirement years later and tasked with taking out an entirely different and more monstrous enemy.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Sam Elliott: A war epic starring Sam Elliott that is not to be taken quite as seriously as We Were Soldiers is the lengthily titled The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot - an intriguing and surprisingly earnest revisionist history thriller released in 2018, in which Elliott goes full badass in the title role.

Stream The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot on Hulu.
Rent/Buy The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot on Amazon.