Two of my favorite movies ever–and two of the best movies of their era–are Die Hard and The Hunt for Red October. Obviously, the two movies share some DNA, most notably that both are directed by John McTiernan and both are book-to-screen adaptations. There is another little tidbit, a fun Easter Egg, that I never clocked until recently watching a behind-the-scenes feature on the Hunt for Red October DVD released in the ‘90s. There is a giant stuffed teddy bear in each, and it’s actually the same prop in both.

Yep, It’s The Same Bear

We first meet the bear in 1988’s Die Hard when John McClane (Bruce Willis) lands at LAX and is met at the airport by his limo driver, Argyle (De'voreaux White). McClane, an NYPD detective, is on his way to see his kids, who live with their mom in LA. As a gift, he’s bringing a giant teddy bear, and I can speak as a kid who grew up in the 1980s: everyone wanted a giant teddy bear. I sadly never got one. The bear hangs out with Argyle in the back of the limo for the rest of the movie, and I like to think it played a role in stopping the thieves.

Another kid who did get one in the movies, though, is Jack Ryan’s daughter, Sally (Louise Borras) in McTiernan’s follow-up to Die Hard, 1990’s The Hunt for Red October. Ryan (Alec Baldwin) is seen with the bear on his flight home to England after the events of the Cold War thriller (which never officially took place, of course). The bear is seated next to Ryan on the plane in first class. You have to wonder if Ryan (or the CIA) had to pay for the seat, but I digress. Ultimately, and interestingly, we never see any of the kids actually receive their gift, and I wonder if the bear is still out there somewhere, looking for a home.

It’s Also A Christmas Gift In Both Movies!

Ok, ok, I’m not going to get into the debate as to whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not. You can check it out with your Prime subscription if you want to think on it. That debate is, frankly, tired and boring to me. However, there is no question that the bear in each movie is a Christmas gift for the protagonists’ kids. McClane is traveling to LA for the holiday, bringing the bear as a gift. In The Hunt for Red October, Jack makes a couple of mentions of Christmas shopping while he’s in Washington, DC.

It seems the giant bear Jack is taking home is a Christmas gift, and a brother for Stanley, Sally’s teddy bear at home. Ryan promised to get Stanley a brother while on his trip at the beginning of the movie when we briefly meet Sally. It’s worth noting that the movie is set in November, 1984, so the timeline all makes sense.

So there you have it. The big teddy bear with a red bow is a Christmas gift that ties the two movies together and, honestly, makes them a perfect double feature in the holiday season.

It’s been almost 37 years since fans were introduced to the Winslow family on Family Matters, and, in turn, Jaleel White’s annoying yet memorable Steve Urkel. The series is one of the best sitcoms of all time, even with some major cast shake-ups. But what’s even more surprising is the fact that Die Hard is evidently the biggest reason the show and Urkel even exist. And I cannot get over it.

You would never think that a series like Family Matters is because of a movie like Die Hard, but alas, that seems to be true... even if it’s not entirely believable. Family Matters co-creator Billy Bickley shared on Step By Step stars Stacy Keanan and Christine Lakin’s podcast Keanan & Lakin Give You DejaVu that the concept for the beloved series came after seeing Reggie VelJohnson in what might be the biggest Christmas movie:

It’s not unusual for a show or movie to come to fruition after producers see an actor in something else. They realize just how much potential said actor has and create a whole project just for them. VelJohnson was just the jumping point for Family Matters, and it ended up being the perfect spinoff for Perfect Strangers:

As Bickley stated, Family Matters is a spinoff of Perfect Strangers, bringing over Jo Marie Payton’s Harriette Winslow and focusing on her family, including husband Carl Winslow (VelJohnson). VelJohnson had a supporting role in Die Hard, which came out in 1988, and it was just enough to convince Bickley and his colleagues that he deserved his own series. It’s crazy to think about that if not for Die Hard, we also wouldn’t have gotten one of the most annoying characters in popular sitcoms, Steve Urkel. And Urkel wasn’t even supposed to be a main character, which is even crazier to think about.

I have heard of shows or movies being made because of projects like how NCIS’ original pitch took inspiration from Law & Order. But I would never have predicted hearing Die Hard and Family Matters in the same sentence, let alone that the movie is basically the reason the show existed. Especially since the two titles couldn’t be further from each other.

Knowing Family Matters’ origins just makes me want to watch the show with a Hulu subscription. While it’s unknown if there will ever be a Family Matters reboot, fans will just have to settle with the OG for the time being. It’s not exactly the worst thing, since the comedy still holds up to this day, and its connection to Die Hard makes it even better.

There is a famous story about Die Hard (which you can watch with a Prime subscription if you haven’t seen it in a while) about how the role Bruce Willis played was first offered to Frank Sinatra. I’ve known this story for years, and though I’ve seen Die Hard countless times, for whatever reason, I’ve never gone back to check the movie that is the reason Sinatra was offered the role first, 1968’s The Detective. I finally have, and I’m really glad I did.

Why Sinatra Got The Offer First

On the surface, that’s a weird choice, since Ol’ Blue Eyes was 70-years-old when the movie was shot. It’s pretty much impossible to imagine Sinatra, in the 1980s, climbing through an air duct or eating Twinkies. Plus, Willis is just perfect in the role. A role he would go on to play four more times over the years, helping create one of the most successful action franchises of all time.

The reason Sinatra was offered the role was contractual. In 1968, the Chairman of the Board starred in The Detective, which was a book-to-screen adaptation from a novel by author Roderick Thorp. Thorp also wrote a follow-up in 1979 called Nothing Lasts Forever about the same character as The Detective, Joe Leland. Another one of Thorpe’s books, Nothing Lasts Forever, is the book that Die Hard was based on, and it’s about the same New York cop, though in the movie he was renamed John McClane.

Due to legalities, the producers of Die Hard were required to offer the role to Sinatra, who predictably turned it down. Willis got the part, and the rest is history. So what about that movie from 1968? Does it really have the same DNA as Die Hard? Well, yes, in a lot of ways it does.

I Was Very Skeptical Going In

When I started The Detective, I really had no idea if it was going to be any good. The reviews I read were generally good, and while I do like Sinatra in some roles (especially The Manchurian Candidate), he’s not someone whose movies I seek out. I also have a love/hate relationship with a lot of movies from this era of Hollywood.

The late ‘60s were a time of pretty big upheaval in film. The Hayes Code was on its way out, but we hadn’t quite reached that era of auteur-driven films that the ‘70s have become known for. It’s a little bit of an in-between period that bridges the gap between movies of the old studio system and the more modern era that was ushered in by the likes of Scorsese, Coppola, and later Lucas and Spielberg.

I Was Very Pleasantly Surprised By The Detective

The Detective fits right in with that transition period. The plot, which I won’t spoil, centers around an NYPD detective played by Sinatra who is investigating a wide conspiracy that takes him into the gay underground of New York City. His character, Leland, is terse, tough, and rough around the edges, but he has a moral center that surprised me. The portrayal of gay men in the movie is surprisingly progressive for the era, and Leland is especially so when compared to his fellow officers (including two played by Jack Klugman and a young Robert Duvall).

The language those less enlightened cops use is hardly surprising, and while Leland uses some slurs a little too casually, he is honestly far less bigoted than I would have expected for the era. He is actually pretty open-minded in a time when gay rights were in their infancy (the movie came out a full year before Stonewall). These are topics that would have never been explored under the Hayes Code, and The Detective was actually on the bleeding edge of the subject. Is it a totally fair representation of queer identity? Well, no, not by a long shot, but it’s far more enlightened than I would have expected.

So, Does It Have That Same DNA?

In addition to getting totally immersed in the mystery at the heart of the movie, I kept one out for character similarities between Joe Leland and John McClane. The movies, after all, are very different types of movies. There is some action in The Detective, but nothing as we would see from the great action movies of the 1980s, led by Die Hard. The Detective isn't nearly as quotable as Die Hard, either. However, the DNA in the character is still there.

Like McClane, Leland and his wife are separated (well, divorced in The Detective), and Leland is having a hard time letting go. Like McClane, Leland is tough, but has that moral center that makes you trust he would never betray what he believes in. Both detectives rankle their superiors and occasionally push the boundaries of what they are supposed to do, but never cross a line, and they both trust their guts. They definitely are the same character at their core, while being vastly different products of their respective eras.

I’d Recommend The Detective For Any Die Hard Fan

The Detective is an easy movie to recommend for any Die Hard fan. Yes, they are definitely very different movies, both of which fit nicely in the periods they were produced, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find the connections. Sinatra is really pretty great. Sure, he’s “Sinatra’ing” around the whole time, looking cool, drinking bourbon, and smoking cigarettes in a nicely tailored suit and sharp-looking fedora, but he’s also doing some of his best acting work that I’ve ever seen. I was really impressed by the character and The Chairman’s take on him.

There isn’t a ton of action in The Detective, but it’s really well paced, and it never drags. The supporting performances from Jacqueline Bisset, Lee Remick, Lloyd Bochner, and the above-mentioned Duvall and Klugman are great, too. My only complaint is that one scene really pulled me out of the movie. It comes when Leland is meeting with Bisset’s character on the beach. While the movie is set in New York, the scene was obviously shot in Malibu. I don’t know of any mountains like that on Long Island.

Aside from that, I was really happy with my decision to watch The Detective.

Spoilers for the latest episode of Boston Blue, “St. Patrick’s Day,” lie ahead.

While St. Patrick’s Day is still just around the corner, CBS’ Boston Blue has already marked the holiday with a special episode. This latest installment of the show saw Detectives Danny Reagan and Lena Silver dealing with a dangerous situation during the St. Patty’s Day parade. All the while, rookie cops Sean Reagan and Jonah Silver got into a few interesting shenanigans. After getting this adventure now in the books, cast member Mika Amonsen spoke to CinemaBlend about his Die Hard-inspired idea for another holiday episode.

As a TV fan, I really relish whenever a show takes the opportunity to go all in on a holiday installment. The team behind Boston Blue (which is streamable with a Paramount+ subscription) did a great job of formulating a St. Paddy’s Day story. It was for that reason that I was psyched when, during my conversation with Amonsen, he pitched a Christmas episode. The newly minted Sean actor explained why he’d be keen on the writers whipping up a yuletide tale:

The mere thought of the Reagans and the Silvers dealing with the kind of criminal activities that take place over the holidays intrigues me. Of course, there’s a number of possibilities when it comes to a Christmas episode of a police procedural. Boston PD’s finest could deal with a string of burglaries by a culprit dressed up like Santa Claus or take on a drug smuggling operation involving holiday toys. Of course, the most obvious choice would be to have the officers handle a holiday hostage situation.

All in all, the writers and producers would definitely have plenty of Christmas options. Mika Amonsen gave a brief description of what the episode could look like, and it’s bonkers enough to make Die Hard’s John McClane proud:

Some people might not like the categorization, but Die Hard is one of the best Christmas movies of all time, and it would serve as a solid template for a holiday episode of Boston Blue. As Amonsen mentioned, such an installment would have to be well-timed, but I’m confident that the producers could figure out those logistics, especially given how this recent episode was handled. This is all just an assumption right now, but what’s great is that since Season 2 is already a go, the creative team have the option to proceed if they so choose.

More immediately, though, the St. Patrick’s Day episode deserves credit for featuring legitimate action as well as offering some truly sentimental moments. It’s an incredible personal story for Sean, who gets a bit homesick being away from his Irish family during the holiday and not partaking in family traditions. The occasion also causes Sean to reflect on his late mother, Linda (who died off-screen between Blue Bloods Seasons 7 and 8). Sean’s faith in the holiday falters after he and Jonah bust up a party of underage drinkers, but it’s renewed after he and his partner lead a group of parade attendees in finding a dog.

If the producers can deliver personal moments like those – amid plenty of action, of course – I’d definitely be up for a Christmas episode from (the well-reviewed) Boston Blue. Here’s hoping it happens and that it takes some inspiration from the beloved Bruce Willis-led action flick. In the meantime, check out Boston Blue when it airs on Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS and streams the next day on Paramount+ as part of the 2026 TV schedule.

Chris Pratt knows exactly what he’s doing when he slips into new action movie mode. Sometimes that means dialing things back, while other times, it means deliberately putting himself at a disadvantage. In his 2026 movie schedule release for the upcoming sci-fi thriller Mercy, the Parks & Recs alum made a very specific choice that longtime action fans will immediately recognize as a clear nod to Die Hard. It’s a clever homage, but it also came with some consequences.

Pratt discussed the Bruce Willis inspiration and the fallout during a recent interview with Extra, in a YouTube clip featuring both him and his Mercy co-star Rebecca Ferguson. While promoting the film, the Guardians of the Galaxy star explained that going barefoot in the flick was an intentional choice, designed to mirror Willis as John McClane decades earlier. He explained:

That sense of exposure fits the story Mercy is trying to tell. The film centers on Pratt as a detective on trial for the murder of his wife, forced to prove his innocence to an advanced AI judge played by Ferguson. It’s a high-pressure setup where control is constantly being stripped away, both physically and psychologically. Removing shoes might seem small, but on screen, it immediately raises the stakes.

Of course, action scenes don’t happen in a vacuum, and the Super Mario Bros. voice star was quick to emphasize that safety was still a priority. Like any major production, Mercy had a full stunt team and extensive rehearsals to make sure the choreography worked before cameras rolled. He continued:

Even with that preparation, things can still go sideways. On one of the early days of filming, the Jurassic World franchise star took a hard tackle into a wall, resulting in an injury. The chubby sidekick turned leading man added:

There’s something fitting about the situation. Die Hard endures because John McClane is always paying a price. He bleeds, limps, and earns every inch he gains. Pratt’s homage taps into that same 80s action-movie-hero philosophy, even if it went a bit further than intended and resulted in a real-world injury. Fortunately, the timing worked in his favor, as much of the following weeks of filming had him seated and strapped to a chair.

The difference, of course, is that movie injuries vanish once the credits roll. Real ones linger. Still, Pratt seems comfortable with the trade-off. The reference landed, the scene gained extra tension, and Mercy ultimately benefited from the added vulnerability.

Mercy opens in theaters January 23, so be sure to check your local listings for show times.

Did you think we were done with the ‘Is Die Hard a Christmas movie’ debate once Bruce Willis declared it wasn’t back in 2018? You’d be sorely mistaken if you did, as the debate has persisted since then, though don’t ask Die Hard director John McTiernan to take a side on it. Now New Girl star Zooey Deschanel, who has her own her own Christmas movie cred from Elf, has thrown in her two cents on this topic, and I agree with the point she makes.

What Zooey Deschanel Said About Die Hard

Deschanel, who can now be seen performing opposite Daredevil: Born Again’s Charlie Cox in the 2025 movie release Merv (which can be streamed with a Prime Video subscription) gave her Die Hard take while speaking with People. She’s in the camp of people who believes it is a Christmas movie, saying:

That's an astute observation, and one that comes right before we're about to hit Christmas. My feelings about Die Hard as a Christmas movie are complicated, but let me get into why I overall side with Zooey Deschanel on this.

Why Zooey Deschanel Has The Right Die Hard Take

Here’s the thing: contrary to CinemaBlend’s selection of the best Christmas movies of all time, I don’t think Die Hard should rank high on that list. My primary criteria for judging these types of movies is how much their premises focus on the actual holiday and infuse viewers with the Christmas spirit. Die Hard, while a great watch and certainly deserving of being called one of the best action movies of all time, falls short in these fields.

That being said, I do agree with Zooey Deschanel that Die Hard does qualify as a Christmas movie, at least technically speaking. Hans Gruber (who some might argue is the actual hero of the movie) and his men take over Nakatomi Plaza while a party is being held on Christmas Eve, and John McClane makes a handful of Christmas references while taking out Gruber’s men. This isn’t the same thing as a movie like Iron Man 3, where events are taking place during Christmas, but the holiday itself doesn’t directly factor into the story.

Zooey Deschanel’s opinion won’t do anything to end the Die Hard debate, but it’s still nice to hear where she stands on it. And just like Macaulay Culkin used his Home Alone stardom to argue against Die Hard being a Christmas movie while recently appearing on Mythical Kitchen, the actress is better positioned to offer an opinion on this subject. As mentioned earlier, she starred opposite Will Ferrell in Elf as Jovie, Buddy’s love interest.

If you’re in the mood to stream either Elf or Die Hard now, they can be respectively streamed with an HBO Max subscription and a Hulu subscription. Otherwise, you can look forward to seeing Zooey Deschanel next in the upcoming comedy Trash Mountain, which began filming in October, but doesn’t have a release date yet.

Warning: minor SPOILERS for Champagne Problems are ahead!

I’m by no means the target audience for Christmas romantic comedies, but every now and then I’ll check one out if the mood strikes during the festive season. That’s how I found myself streaming Champagne Problems with my Netflix subscription just a few days ago, and I’m certainly not alone in doing so, as it’s still ranking as the platform’s #1 movie in the United States. And yet, 48 hours later, I haven’t been thinking about the actual plot of this 2025 movie starring Minka Kelly and Tom Wozniczka, but how it delivers a hilarious take on Die Hard villain Hans Gruber.

How Champagne Problems References Die Hard

There’s a scene in the latter half of Champagne Problems where Sean Amsing’s Roberto Salazar and Flula Borg’s Otto Moller, two of the competitors for Chateau Cassell, tell Minka Kelly’s Sydney Price what they’ll be doing for Christmas. Otto plans to watch Die Hard with his family, but the movie is considered a “tragedy” in Germany. Specifically, the German people see the late Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber as “deeply misunderstood,” with Otto telling Sydney:

Ok, you’re off to a fantastic start, Otto. Then, when Sydney brings up how Robin Hood gave to the poor, Otto counters with this:

You know what? If Hans Gruber wanted to use $640 million in bearer bonds to build schools, that’s an admirable goal, even if his execution left much to be desired. Speaking of which, what about Bruce Willis’ John McClane, the man who foiled Gruber’s scheme? Here’s what Otto says when Sydney mentions him:

Now that’s not to say that Otto thinks Hans Gruber is infallible. When Sydney astutely points out that the villain blew up Nakatomi Plaza, he simply said, ‘Ok, well, nobody’s perfect.’ Oh yeah, sure, we can just gloss over that, no problem.

This Is A Wild Way To View Die Hard

Die Hard inevitably gets a lot more chatter this time of year due to the never-ending debate about whether it counts as a Christmas movie. But in 2025, I’m cracking up about Champagne Problems using Flula Borg’s character to pass along this wild interpretation of the beloved action movie. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with it at all, but it is hilarious to think of this bizarro take on Die Hard, where Hans Gruber was looking out for the people, and John McClane got in the way of this noble mission.

This reminds me of How I Met Your Mother, where Barney Stinson argued that Johnny Lawrence was the true hero of The Karate Kid. But at least that take arguably gets a little stronger now that Cobra Kai has depicted Johnny in a more sympathetic light. I don’t know how many people sincerely think Hans Gruber is a good guy in Die Hard, although I suppose you can give this perspective a test run by streaming the movie with your Disney+ subscription or Hulu subscription.

Champagne Problems is one of the handful of new Christmas movies to enjoy on the 2025 Netflix release schedule. So while that Die Hard reference is at the forefront of my mind, you should watch the rom-com in its entirety to see what you think. Also, while the Die Hard Christmas movie debate rages on, let’s not forget that fellow action classic First Blood also qualifies for that classification.

In the ‘80s, filmmakers loved setting great action movies around Christmas. I decided long ago not to engage in the well-worn Die Hard debate, and Lethal Weapon is usually another one people love to argue over whether it’s a Christmas movie or not. I’m not engaging in that debate either. No, I’m here to open a new debate. Is First Blood (or sometimes retroactively Rambo: First Blood) a Christmas movie? I say yes.

First Blood Takes Place In December

I suppose since it’s set in the lush Northwest United States, First Blood doesn’t stand out as taking place in the yuletide season. There is no snow, and the evergreens make it seem as though it could be in any part of the year, though it is obviously cold in the movie. It could be October or February; the weather in that part of the world is notoriously unpredictable, but it’s definitely set in December.

Of course, setting it in the month of Christmas doesn’t make it a Christmas movie, per se. However, in the first act of the movie, when Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is arrested by Sheriff Teasle (Brian Dennehy), it's made clear the movie has some Christmas… cheer. In the police station, all the Christmas decorations are up, like a tree and a “Merry Christmas” banner, so it’s no accident. The movie was definitely supposed to be set during the holiday season. That’s even more obvious when Rambo hits the streets of the small, quiet town and takes off on the motorcycle, and all the stories are decorated in their Christmas best.

We Can Argue Over Which ‘80s Action Movie Is The Best

If you want to have the argument over which of the “Big 3” ‘80s action Christmas movies is the best action movie, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon or First Blood, by all means, go for it. As much as I love Die Hard, First Blood might be my favorite. It’s not as quotable as the other two, that’s for sure, and it’s not as “fun” as either Die Hard or Lethal Weapon, but it’s just such a great movie. The rest of the Rambo film series doesn’t do much for me, but to be honest, the rest of the movies in the other franchises don’t do much for me, either.

If you’re not sure which is the best, or if you haven’t watched First Blood lately, then I recommend checking it again (or for the first time) with your Paramount+ subscription. In fact, now is the perfect time because there is a great Black Friday deal going on right now. After you finish off your turkey on Thursday, start getting into that festive mood by watching Sly Stallone terrorize a whole town full of hapless police officers in the woods of Oregon.

I’m sure Glen Powell doesn’t want to only be known for reboots and sequels of classic franchises, but after seeing him (and loving it) in The Running Man on the 2025 movie schedule, I had a thought: he’d be perfect to carry the torch of Die Hard into the future. With the retirement of Bruce Willis, we haven’t heard much from the Die Hard franchise. However, knowing how Hollywood works, it’s probably only a matter of time before we’re immersed in John McClane (or a new officer) up to his neck in trouble, in a place where he shouldn’t even be. Glen Powell could be that cop.

The Die Hard Franchise Is Currently In Limbo

After a few attempts to get a sixth Die Hard movie going over the years, Bruce Willis and his family announced his retirement from acting after being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023. That, along with some Hollywood business-related issues after the sale of Fox to Disney, pretty much meant the future of the franchise was completely up in the air. In the couple of years since then, there hasn’t been much about it.

Of course, this is Hollywood we’re talking about, and a successful franchise like Die Hard is never really dead, it’s just dormant for the time being. I love the franchise. I’ve watched the original Die Hard many, many times over the years. I’ve watched every other movie in the franchise at least a couple of times, even the ones that I don’t really like (I’m not naming names here). It would be a shame for the franchise to…die… out, so while watching the latest reboot of an ‘80s action property, The Running Man, it stuck out to me as to why Powell would be great.

Powell Could Be A Better Action Star Than Willis

I know this might be a hot take, but Powell has shown that he’s perfectly willing to take on risk with some of the stunts he’s performed in recent years. From filming in a fighter jet in Top Gun: Maverick to swinging naked on the side of a building in The Running Man, Powell loves doing practical stunts. With all due respect to Bruce Willis (whom I also love as an action star and did the most famous stunt in Die Hard), Powell seems willing to go a little further for a great stunt.

What made Willis perfect for the role of John McClane wasn’t his willingness to jump off buildings, but his charm and humor. Here is where I’m not quite ready to give Powell the edge over Willis, but Powell is great. He is charming, witty and disarming, just like Willis. The ability to play a snarky smart-ass would be key for anyone leading a new incarnation of Die Hard, and Powell’s got it. I loved him in Anyone But You, which you can watch with a Hulu subscription, and he was also great in Hit Man, which is accessible with a Netflix subscription. Powell’s got the complete package needed to pull this off, so let’s make it happen!

It’s already been a very good year for movies based on Stephen King books, as The Long Walk has already been a critical success, but we’re not done yet, as another of King’s dystopian stories, The Running Man, is also set to get its (second) film adaptation this year. King was a big fan of The Long Walk, and if his opinion is any indication, The Running Man could be another success.

Following the release of yesterday’s final trailer for The Running Man, starring Glen Powell, King revealed that he has already seen the film... and he thinks it’s fantastic. Not only that, but he compares it to one of the greatest action movies of all time, which certainly sets a high bar for the movie to clear. King said:

Needless to say, “Die Hard for our time” is quite a statement. Die Hard is generally viewed as not simply a great action movie, but it’s arguably the greatest action movie. It’s going to be at or near the top of the list of the greatest action movies ever made. Is Stephen King arguing that The Running Man is getting ready to join that list?

One person who is likely quite hopeful that is the case is star Glen Powell. He made a point to post King’s comments on Instagram, which will almost certainly hype up the fans looking forward to the movie coming out next month.

King may not be going quite that far. On paper, the similarities between the two films are at least understandable. Die Hard largely popularized the “one man versus an army” action movie genre to the point that “Die Hard, on a [Insert location here]” became shorthand for describing many movies that tried to cash in on the film’s success.

The Running Man actually does fall into that same category. It actually predates Die Hard and its many sequels and imitators. It’s the story of a man, Ben Richards, who competes on a game show that sees literally the entire world trying to hunt him down. In that way, the movie will be a lot like Die Hard.

While the primary comparison between The Running Man and Die Hard may be in the structure of the plot, King is clearly also calling out the new film’s quality by comparing the two. This is great news not only for fans looking forward to seeing a new Stephen King adaptation or seeing a new Glen Powell movie, but basically anybody looking for a great new action movie might want to be sure they don’t miss this one.

Some of the best movies of all time all take place within the same 24 hours. Sometimes it's about the final day of school, like Dazed and Confused, or sometimes it's about one man's mental breakdown, like Falling Down. These movies have a diverse range of topics, tons, and genres, but they all have one thing in common: they all happen on the same day (or night).

Dazed & Confused

One of the best movies about high school life ever made is the classic Dazed and Confused. It takes place on the last day of school, 1976. It starts in the morning, with the juniors arriving for their last day, and follows them through the day at school, and the parties (and drivin' around and stuff) that happen once school is dismissed. Sure, it technically goes until dawn the next day when Mitch arrives home drunk, and a few of the characters head to Houston to get Aerosmith tickets, but it all fits in a 24-hour timeline.

Dr. Strangelove

Just how much can change in a day? Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove leaves you with 100s of questions, but few satisfying answers, except that humankind is a disaster. One of Kubrick's most approachable movies, it leaves us all wondering just what kind of people (all men in this case) are really holding humanity's fate in the palm of their hand (or the end of their finger).

Falling Down

1993's Falling Down is a movie that not only holds up more than 30 years later, but it feels like something that is even more likely to happen these days. Michael Douglas plays a man who has reached his breaking point with life and society, and he turns to violence and nihilism to get back at the world. It starts on his daily commute to work and ends hours later on a pier over the Pacific Ocean after his crime spree... without giving away the ending...

Escape From New York

When done right, adding a countdown as a plot device raises the stakes of a movie like few others can. Escape From New York definitely does it right. Snake (Kurt Russell) has 22 hours to locate and save the president in a post-apocalyptic New York City that has been turned into a prison. If he doesn't get it done in less than a day, he faces the ultimate consequences.

Do The Right Thing

Even in just one neighborhood in New York City, a lot can happen in a day. In Spike Lee's masterpiece Do the Right Thing, it happens on the hottest day of the year. Things start as a simmer, but soon become a pot boiling over in anger from almost everyone involved. It starts like such a normal day, too.

1917

Some people don't like the "one-shot" style of Sam Mendes' World War I epic 1917, but you can't deny just how frenetic it makes the one day that two soldiers face as they attempt to connect with another company by crossing enemy lines. It's an amazing story, and with some creative editing, the movie shows both day and night, despite happening (mostly) in real time.

Dog Day Afternoon

One of the most famous movies of the 1970s and one of the best of Al Pacino's career, Dog Day Afternoon, as the title implies, takes place (mostly) over one afternoon. The movie is based on a true story of a bank robbery and hostage situation that took 22 hours to come to a violent and tragic end.

The Longest Day

Well, it says it right there in the title. Not only does all of the action in The Longest Day happen in one day, but it all happens on one of the most famous dates in history, June 6th, 1944. D-Day. This blockbuster with a completely stacked cast that includes John Wayne, Richard Burton, Henry Fonda, Sean Connery, and many more, is one of the best war movies of all time.

Magnolia

One of Tom Cruise's best performances over his stellar career comes in 1999's Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Cruise is joined by an excellent ensemble cast playing characters whose lives intersect across one day in Los Angeles.

Friday

Friday is a classic example of a comedy that all takes place in one day. It starts when Craig (Ice Cube) wakes up, and ends when he goes to bed at the end of the day. In between, an incredible number of things happen. Smokey (Michael Tucker) spends most of the morning sitting on Craig's porch, introducing all the characters, and by evening, things get scary. It's one of the best movies of the '90s and an all-time cult classic.

The Breakfast Club

Anybody who had to spend a Saturday in detention knows what the crew in The Breakfast Club is dealing with. It's one of the best movies of the '80s, and one of the best teen movies of all time. Of all the John Hughes movies of the 1980s that Gen X loves, this one, which all takes place over about 8 hours, is possibly the most beloved.

Training Day

Director Antoine Fuqua broke big with his second film, 2001's Training Day, starring Denzel Washington as the most corrupt cop you could ever imagine, spending his day training a new recruit, played by Ethan Hawke, for his insane rogue police squad of narcotics officers. It's a crazy day for everyone, to say the least.

Die Hard

Without question, Die Hard is on the Mount Rushmore of '80s action flicks. It's certainly a very long day for John McClane (Bruce Willis). What was supposed to be a quick drop in on a Christmas party after a long cross-country flight from New York to L.A. turns into a long night when he has to take out a crew of thieves led by Hans Gruber, played by Alan Rickman in his first movie role.

The Menu

2022's The Menu is one of the best comedy horror movies in recent years. If you've never seen it, but you are a fan of shows like Netflix's Chef's Table, it's a must-watch. It all takes place throughout one incredible, crazy, and murderous meal in a pretentious restaurant on a remote island.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

It's an incredible day off for one of Gen X's film heroes, Ferris Bueller. Ferris (Matthew Broderick), along with his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) and his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck), packs in a baseball game, a parade, a fancy lunch, and so much more in this amazing "sick" day in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Clue

Murder mysteries used to be a big deal for parties, and it's safe to assume that the cult classic Clue played a big part in the genre taking off. One of the most popular movies around the CinemaBlend office, Clue features some amazing performances from everyone in the cast, including and especially Madeline Kahn as Mrs. White and Tim Curry as the butler.

Con Air

Technically, not all of the action in Con Air takes place in one day, as there is a scene at the beginning explaining how Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) ended up in jail. But the rest of the movie is all set on Poe's last day of incarceration. It starts in the morning as Poe boards the flight full of dangerous convicts and ends when the plane crashes into the Las Vegas strip that night. It's hardly a normal flight.

High Noon

One of the greatest examples of a movie that takes place in real time is the classic western High Noon, starring Gary Cooper as Marshal Will Kane. It's one of the best Westerns of all time, and it all takes place over the course of its 85-minute runtime. Marshall Kane has a showdown with his nemesis, Frank Miller, played by Ian MacDonald, and in the process becomes one of the most famous film LEOs of all time.

Groundhog Day

If you want a movie on this list to argue about, here you go. Does Groundhog Day all take place in one day? It all happens on February 2nd... There are just an endless number of February 2nds. So it's both over hundreds of days and on the same day. It's quite the conundrum, am I right or am I right? Right. Right, Right.

Clerks

Poor Dante, he wasn't even supposed to be at the convenience store that day! Kevin Smith's breakout film, the low-budget but brilliant Clerks, all takes place on one day, pretty much all in one place (save for one field trip to a funeral). It's a day that includes romance, death, anger, and a glorious group of weirdos and outcasts.

Glengarry Glenn Ross

Anyone who has ever worked in sales gets something from Glengarry Glenn Ross. It's not always what writer David Mamet was trying to convey. As it started as play, the events in the movie are limited to one day and only a couple of location and as a result, it is completely riveting from start to finish, The excellent cast that includes Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Jack Lemon, Kevin Spacey, and Alex Baldwin brings a ton of energy to such limited confines.

The Warriors

From Coney Island to the Bronx and back is all that happens to the Warriors in the movie of the same name. Sure, it sounds like an annoying subway ride for anyone, but when the gang is blamed for the murder of Cyrus, things go sideways quickly, and it takes them the rest of the night to get home, bopping their way through every neighborhood along the way in this cult classic.

Adventures In Babysitting

If you grew up in the '80s with parents who went out a lot, you can relate to Adventures in Babysitting. If you were a babysitter in the '80s, this movie is your worst nightmare, rare for a comedy, right? This classic starring Elisabeth Shue as the titular babysitter shows just how bad things can get over the course of only one night.

12 Angry Men

12 Angry Men is often considered one of the best films of all time, and the whole thing takes place in real time. So much happens in just one room over the course of the movie's 96-minute runtime that it's almost astounding. The acting performances and the script keep the movie sizzling, despite the confined time and space.

American Graffiti

George Lucas' American Graffiti is to the 1950s what Dazed and Confused is to the 1970s. Rather than the last day of school, American Graffiti happens on the last day of summer. The movies are like the perfect bookends in that regard. Plus, both movies have a slew of awesome cars.

After Hours

One of Martin Scorsese's most underrated movies, After Hours follows an office worker played by Griffin Dunne trying to simply get home at the end of his work day, and things get wild, and the longer the night gets, the worse things get.

Judgement Night

1993's Judgement Night from director Stephen Hopkins is better remembered (with good reason) for its incredible soundtrack, mashing up hip hop and rock and roll. The movie takes place all in one night, which goes off the rails when the main characters take a wrong turn on the way to a boxing match.

Rope

Alfred Hitchcock's 1948 masterpiece Rope is a dark movie with some groundbreaking cinematography. In the long list of great Hitchcock movies, this one always ranks near the top. It portrays a murder and the attempt to cover it up and create "the perfect murder." The aftermath plays out during the evening after the murder.

Before Sunrise

Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise is one of the great romance movies of the 1990s, and it all takes place in one day, June 16, 1994, on a train, and one night in Vienna shared by the couple who meet on the train and spend one night together in the Austrian capital.

The Purge

If you've never seen The Purge, first, you should, it's so ridiculous that it's awesome and second, the plot can be summed up by one quote from the movie, which come in the form of a public service announcement that explains all crime, up to and including murder, is legal on day of the year for 12 hours.

Three O'Clock High

The underrated Three O'Clock High, starring Casey Siemaszko and Richard Tyson, is the '80s high school comedy equivalent of the great Western High Noon. The movie follows Jerry (Siemaszko) as he tries to avoid a scheduled fight at the end of the school day with the new bully, played by Tyson.

Phone Booth

Another movie on this list that takes place in real-time is the thriller Phone Booth, starring Colin Farrell as a man caught in the middle of a madman's crime. Pretty much the whole movie features Farrell's character in, you guessed it, a phone booth.

You may know John McTiernan as the director of such beloved action movie classics as 1988’s Die Hard and the thrilling sci-fi movie Predator from the previous year. However, did you also know about the filmmaker’s more infamous reputation as a convicted criminal?

Don’t worry. It’s not like he tried to steal from an L.A. skyscraper by orchestrating a deadly hostage situation on Christmas Eve or anything like that. Yet, he was found guilty of some pretty shady activity that not only caused him to be ostracized from Hollywood but also from society as an incarcerated individual for a while. So, what could the somewhat forgotten director of the ‘80s hits listed above have done to wind up in this situation? Well, it actually involves a movie that most would agree is certainly not worth going to jail for.

The Story Begins With A Movie Called Rollerball

Years after hitting it big with his aforementioned action-packed favorites, John McTiernan signed on to helm a reimagining of director Norman Jewison’s 1975 dystopian sports thriller, Rollerball. Based on a short story by William Harrison, the film stars James Caan as the star player of the eponymous athletic event – a brutal, and sometimes even deadly, game that combines elements of roller derby, hockey, and motocross – who uncovers a conspiracy in an oppressive future in which all aspects of society are controlled by corporations.

McTiernan’s 2002 version, starring Chris Klein, LL Cool J, and Rebecca Romijin, is widely regarded as one of the worst cinematic remakes ever made, having earned a tragic 3% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics condemning its incoherent editing, a storyline that lacks focus, and a complete ignorance of the original film’s fascinating satirical elements. It was not a hit at the box office either, raking in roughly $25.9 million worldwide on a budget of $70 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

This could have easily been considered a mere smudge on the filmography of McTiernan, who followed it up the next year with a movie about military training called Basic, and that would have been the end of the story. However, just a few years later, new scandalous information related to Rollerball came to light.

John McTiernan Hired A Private Eye To Wiretap The Rollerball Producer's Phone Conversations

As a 2013 report by The Guardian recalls, John McTiernan had a dispute with Rollerball’s producer, Charles Roven, over how the film should be made. The filmmaker apparently took these disagreements to heart and, allegedly, decided to go to unlawful measures to do something about it.

In 2000, he reportedly hired a private investigator and notorious Hollywood fixer named Anthony Pellicano to wiretap Roven's conversations to find instances where Roven made negative remarks about the studio executives or said things to others that were inconsistent with what he said to the studio, as detailed in the trial records. Just six years later, a federal investigation into the matter took place. However, it was not the illegal wiretapping per se that forced McTiernan to appear in court.

John McTiernan Was Charged With Lying About The Wiretapping

According to Variety, in February 2006, the FBI questioned John McTiernan about hiring Anthony Pellicano to wiretap Charles Roven’s phone conversations, and he replied that he had no knowledge of the situation. However, the FBI uncovered a conversation between him and Pellicano discussing the wiretapping assignment, which the private investigator had recorded himself. Thus, the filmmaker was subsequently charged with making false statements to a federal investigator the following April.

Seven years later, he ultimately surrendered to a 12-month sentence. On April 3, 2013, he was sent to the minimum-security Federal Prison Camp in Yankton, South Dakota, and, during his stay, received support from Hollywood stars like Samuel L. Jackson, whom he worked with on Die Hard with a Vengeance in 1995 and Basic, and Alec Baldwin, who played Jack Ryan in 1990’s The Hunt for Red October, which McTiernan also helmed. According to the BBC, McTiernan would be released from the facility the following February and was ordered to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest at his Wyoming home.

What Is John McTiernan Doing Now?

It has been more than a decade since John McTiernan was released from Federal custody, yet he has still not helmed another film since Basic. Well, as far as I am concerned, if Academy Award winner and Marvel movie star Robert Downey Jr. can serve 15 months in prison only to come back with “the greatest second act ever,” as his friend Anthony Michael Hall has described it, so can the director of one of the most beloved Christmas movies ever made (and, yes, I am talking about Die Hard, whether or not you agree it is a holiday classic).

McTiernan told Empire in 2014 that, while serving his prison sentence, he penned a potential sequel to his 1999 version of The Thomas Crown Affair, but that has yet to see the light of day. He also had plans to make a sci-fi epic called Taut Ceci Foxtrot with Academy Award nominees Uma Thurman and Laurence Fishburne, but, in late 2020, the filmmaker told Empire (via SyFy) that circumstances related to COVID stalled the project before it was ultimately scrapped two years later, according to Filmofilia. In March 2025, he shared with Forbes that he has three or four ideas for a new directorial effort in mind, but cannot say for sure if or when the now 74-year-old will make them.

Following John McTiernan’s legal troubles and John McClane actor Bruce Willis’ recent retirement in 2022 due to his diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, the Die Hard movies seem to have taken on an almost bittersweet reputation. All in all, I have always admired McTiernan as an artist, especially when you consider how the original Die Hard was still being written as principal photography was taking place – there was an even argument about McClane’s signature catchphrase – and, yet, he managed to whip it into a bona fide classic with a only a few things that don’t make a lot of sense. I hope to see him return eventually with something that blows us to the back of the theater once again.

No one really scrolls the channels looking for something to watch anymore, there are too many great streaming services and other ways to call up your entertainment on demand. Back in the late 20th Century, however, that was the only option, and so, as you flipped endlessly from channel to channel, you could only hope to come across a classic "remote dropper." One of those movies, like The Big Lebowski or The Hunt For Red October, that never gets old is a remote dropper, and those are what this list is all about. The moment you hit on a movie you love, and drop the remote for the next couple of hours.

Die Hard

Die Hard may ultimate Christmas movie to some, but it is always a must-watch, no matter what season it is. There are so many amazing moments in the movie, no matter where it is in the plot, you just have to stop and watch until the end when Al becomes the hero he deserves to be.

GoodFellas

Martin Scorsese's classic Goodfellas is one of those movies where the great performances and amazing dialogue just get better with time. It's a movie that has aged incredibly well, and really, do we need to explain why so many people call this the perfect gangster movie?

Friday

Speaking from experience, I can tell you, if you went to college in the '90s, Friday was part of a regular rotation of movies that were watched over and over and over again. It really introduced Chris Tucker to the world, and it's filled with so many quotable lines from Tucker and the others that my friends and I could basically recite the entire movie. There's a good reason that it is so meme'd today.

Ocean's Eleven

The incredible cast, headlined by George Clooney and Brad Pitt, is so utterly charming in Ocean's Eleven that it's impossible to pass up when it's on. Every viewing will give you a new favorite moment or favorite line. The pace of the movie is perfect as you speed along to the fantastic conclusion. It's a classic heist movie, among the best the genre has ever produced.

Anchorman

Talk about a movie with an endless amount of quotable lines. There aren't many movies out there that have as many as Anchorman. It's ridiculous and hilarious. The comedy is Will Ferrell at his zenith, in my opinion. He's always funny, but Ron Burgundy is his funniest character ever. Including Buddy the Elf.

The Godfather And The Godfather Part II

There is a reason The Godfather and its first sequel are so often ranked as among the finest films ever made. The dense, complex movies are still incredibly watchable. That is a hard combo to pull of, but that's what makes the Francis Ford Coppola's movies so freaking great. They have everything anyone could ever want in a movie. Watching them back to back is a perfect way to spend a rainy day.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High

With an incredible cast of future stars, Fast Times at Ridgemont High will never not be a classic. Some of the jokes have aged poorly, to be sure, but for anyone who grew up with the movie on cable all the time, it will always be a favorite.

Dredd

If you haven't watched Dredd in a while, you should. The Alex Garland-penned superhero based on the classic comic series is an amazing improvement over the first attempt to adapt Judge Dredd by Sly Stallone in the '90s. Whenever I want to watch a movie and can't decide what to watch, there is a good chance I'll fall back on this, since it never gets boring or old.

Malcolm X

I'm a sucker for a great historical biopic and Spike Lee's Malcolm X is truly one of the best. It's also my favorite performance by Denzel Washington, and that is really saying something. Based on Alex Haley's The Autobiography Of Malcolm X, Lee adaptation is fantastic from start to finish.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

I mean, come on, how could Raiders not be on this list? The Steven Spielberg classic is one of the most fun movies ever made. It's quippy and exciting, and it's exactly the kind of movie that everyone loves to watch. And we all know it so well, you can still get distracted by your phone and not worry about missing any important plot points that you don't already know by heart.

Network

It's almost scary just how relevant a movie like Network, which was released in 1976, is today. Ned Beatty's speech about corporations running the country is so prescient it's crazy. The rest of the movie is just as good.

The Hunt For Red October

This, to me, is the ultimate remote-dropper. It's the movie that inspired this list. It's such a well-made movie, from start to finish, that it just never, ever gets old. The Hunt For Red October is a near-perfect movie in my opinion, and it's easily one of the best movies of the 1990s. Sure, Sean Connery's lack of an accent is a little weird, but he's so great otherwise, it's easy to overlook. Alec Baldwin was born to play Jack Ryan, and I wish we'd gotten more movies with him in the role.

The Big Lebowski

There are many people who, when asked what their favorite movie of all time is, will answer with The Big Lebowski. It's the ultimate shaggy dog story with a cool macguffin (The Dude's rug), and some of the best dialogue ever put on film, courtesy of the Coen Brothers. All the Dude wanted was his rug back, and instead, we got one of the best movies ever.

The Dark Knight

Whenever a director as talented as Christopher Nolan takes on a superhero movie, sign me up. Ultimately, though, it's not Nolan's awesome direction that brings me back again and again; it's Heath Ledger's legendary performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight. It has redefined how the classic character has been portrayed ever since.

The Princess Bride

From the time you're a kid, well into adulthood, The Princess Bride is part of your life. It changes with perspective as you age, but it's always fantastic. The story is so timeless, and the performances are so good, it just never gets old. It would be inconceivable to me to keep scrolling when I see it on TV.

Dazed And Confused

Alright, alright, alright. You knew this one had to be here. The ultimate coming-of-age high school party movie that somehow avoids so many of the tropes of the genre that other movies like it fall into. It helps to have actors like Matthew McCoughnehey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Cole Hauser, and so many more to anchor the movie.

Sicario

I was entranced the first time I saw Sicario. The gripping movie is intense, but incredibly watchable. The performances from Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin are great, but it's Benicio Del Toro who really steals the show as a man on a psychotic mission to avenge his family.

Casablanca

Casablanca is quite possibly the most quoted movie of all time. The first time you see it, it almost feels like a parody of classic cinema because so many iconic lines originated here. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are incredible, and the movie has it all, from daring escapes to classic romance to even some wonderful humor. Yeah, it's a misquote, but I'll always "Play it again, Sam."

Apocalypse Now

The opening scene of Apocalypse Now, with the trees exploding and The Doors playing over the sound of a helicopter is one of the most engaging opening scenes in any movie, ever. The movie never lets up from there (unless you're watching the "Redux" version, which I don't recommend). Screenwriter John Milius manages to cram a war movie with so many classic quotes, it's a movie you can recite over and over when you watch.

New Jack City

If we're honest, New Jack City is a bit dated these days, but in its time, it was one of the most rewatchable movies of the era. The Crack Epidemic was very real, and no movie showed it quite like this Wesley Snipes-led classic. Plus, Chris Rock, who was just 19 years old at the time, puts in one of his best acting performances of all time.

Tombstone

Could Tombstone be the most quotable movie ever? It is certainly one of the best Westerns ever. That's before we even get into all the amazing facial hair in the movie. The whole cast is amazing, especially Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday, and that will always make the movie rewatchable.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

This one is personal. I love some Quentin Tarantino movies, and I honestly hate other ones. I suppose that's the mark of a great artist. His vision isn't always going to line up with everyone else's idea of greatness. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a truly great one, though. There are so many fun moments, great lines, and superb performances that it's easy to watch again and again.

Friends With Benefits

Rom Coms are always great movies to have on in the background as you do your daily chores, and my favorite for that is Friends with Benefits. Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake have great chemistry, and, honestly, Woody Harrelson's performance is my favorite part of the movie. He's just hilarious.

Iron Man

In a way, Iron Man is on this list to represent the entire MCU. It set such a fantastic example for next three dozen movies that it's hard to imagine any other movie launching the most successful franchise of all time. And it's maybe the most rewatchable of all them.

Beverly Hills Cop

In the 1980s, there was no one funnier than Eddie Murphy, and the peak of that came in Beverly Hills Cop. It's the perfect movie for Murphy's irreverent, foul-mouthed humor, and every single joke in the movie lands perfectly. It also has a great plot that allows for more than just Murphy delivering those jokes.

The Game

Director David Fincher has a slew of movies that could be on this list, like Seven and Fight Club, and even The Social Network, but for me, the one I love the most is The Game. It's a movie I knew nothing about when I first saw it and it blew my mind. I've revisited it many, many times over the years since.

Jurassic Park

The summer of 1993 will forever be known as the summer of Jurassic Park. The movie dominated the box office all summer, and it launched a franchise that is still going more than 30 years later. The most amazing part is how well the visual effects still hold up, and that is why it is on this list. It will be watched until the end of time.

Mean Girls

Talk about quotable movies! Mean Girls is full of classics. Its also one of the most enduring comedies of its era and has even inspired a musical and movie adaptation of that musical.

The Silence of the Lambs

The Silence of the Lambs is the last movie to win each of the "Big Five" Oscars. It won Best Picture, Best Director for Jonathan Demme, Best Adapted Screenplay for Ted Tally, Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins, and Best Actress for Jodi Foster. That pretty much tells you everything you need to know.

True Romance

Tony Scott has a bunch of movies that could fit on this list. Top Gun, Days Of Thunder, Crimson Tide...it's a long list. For me, however, True Romance is his best. The Tarantino-penned classic also features one of the greatest scenes in movie history between Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper that ends with Hopper's character's death.

American Fiction

The Oscar-winning American Fiction is the newest movie on this list, but it became an instant classic for me. Issa Rae's character never fails to crack me up in her first scene, and Sterling K. Brown delivering the line "I've taken a lover" is my favorite quote in a movie this decade.

Boogie Nights

Paul Thomas Anderson hit the big time with Boogie Nights, and there are a lot of reasons it's on this list. The music is amazing, and every scene is like a self-contained mini-film. No matter where you start, you are sucked right in. The end gets a little dark, sure, but it's still Anderson's most rewatchable film.

When Bruce Willis retired from acting in 2022 for health reasons, he left behind a spectacular legacy of likable heroes, explosive action sequences, and quite a few brilliant quotes. Let’s look back on some of the most wonderful Bruce Willis movies and TV shows by revisiting some of the coolest things the actor ever said on screen.

"Come Out To The Coast. We'll Get Together, Have A Few Laughs" - Die Hard

Bruce Willis skyrocketed to stardom by leading arguably the greatest action movie of all time, 1988's Die Hard, as a New York cop who becomes the only hope to save a group of L.A. office workers in a violent hostage situation. At one point, his character, John McClane, is forced to evade detection by traveling via air duct, during which he reflects on the apparent fact that it was his estranged wife, Holly's (played by Bonnie Bedelia), idea to visit her corporate building, where this situation breaks out.

"Zed's Dead, Baby. Zed's Dead" - Pulp Fiction

Bruce Willis has the honor of not only starring in Quentin Tarantino's masterful 1994 hit but also speaking one of the coolest quotes from Pulp Fiction. After Butch (Willis), along with Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), has survived a traumatic ordeal at the hands of Zed (Peter Greene), the boxer takes the crooked security guard's "chopper" to his girlfriend, Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros), and tells her that its owner is no longer around.

"I Don't Want To Talk About Time Travel Because If We Start Talking About It Then We're Going To Be Here All Day Talking About It, Making Diagrams With Straws" - Looper

One of the best time travel movies, Looper, stars Bruce Willis as an older version of a mob assassin named Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), whom he meets after sending himself to the past. Writer and director Rian Johnson brilliantly dodges explaining how time travel works in the film with Older Joe's dismissive response to Younger Joe's questions.

"I Got Invited To The Christmas Party By Mistake. Who Knew?" - Die Hard

Many people refuse to see Die Hard as a Christmas movie classic, despite all the festive evidence right in front of their eyes. For instance, the movie would not exist without said holiday, as Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his goons interrupt the Nakatomi corporate Christmas Eve party, which is also why John McClane was visiting Holly. His remark about a mistaken invitation, while speaking to Gruber pretending to be a hostage, references him crashing the German thieves' plans.

"So, Ross Was In College, And Decided To Jump At The Chance To Take A Young Girl To Her High School Prom?" - Friends

Bruce Willis made one of the most memorable guest appearances on Friends with a three-episode arc as Paul Stevens, the father of Ross' (David Schwimmer) college-age girlfriend, Elizabeth (Alexandra Holden), who immediately dislikes him due to their age difference. Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) attempts to vouch for her friend by recalling when Ross, then a college freshman, offered to take her to her senior prom when it seemed like her date had stood her up, but even that backfires.

"An Old Man Dies. A Young Woman Lives. A Fair Trade" - Sin City

Each segment of 2005's Sin City – Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller's acclaimed film noir based on Miller's graphic novel series – is bookended by a defining quote. For Det. John Hartigan's (Bruce Willis) story, which revolves around his devotion to protecting Nancy Callahan as an adolescent and as a 19-year-old (Jessica Alba), the quote has two variations, the first being, "An old man dies. A little girl lives. A fair trade."

"Welcome To The Party, Pal!" - Die Hard

You could say that the real hero of the classic '80s movie, Die Hard, is the only one on the ground sticking up for John McClane, Sgt. Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson). However, they have a bit of an awkward first meeting when McClane is forced to get his attention by dropping a goon's corpse onto his cruiser, at which point he utters one of the action film's most quotable lines.

"You've Been Back Enough. I'll Be Back" - The Expendables 2

In The Expendables 2, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Trench uses the actor's oft-quoted catchphrase, originating from The Terminator, which Bruce Willis' Church decides to try for once. Trench then replies with a sarcastic (and censored) variation of the most iconic line from Die Hard, "Yippee-ki-yay."

"United States Government Just Asked Us To Save The World. Anybody Wanna Say, 'No'?" - Armageddon

The plot of Armageddon, which star Ben Affleck even pointed out was a little ridiculous, involves a deep-sea drilling crew asked to help destroy an asteroid with a nuclear explosion before it hits Earth. We cannot help but respect leader Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) for asking if his crew would rather abstain from participating in an incredibly dangerous mission like this.

"I Spend A Lot Of Time In Air Ducts. I Definitely Don't Live Up Here" - The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

Bruce Willis makes an awesome cameo in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part as himself, referencing his scene in Die Hard when McClane is forced to climb through an air duct. However, this LEGO figurine version of the actor, who crosses paths with Wildstorm (Elizabeth Banks) while she is looking for Bruce Wayne (Will Arnett), has, apparently, made himself at home in an air duct.

"Well, Maybe That Mime" - Die Hard With A Vengeance

The third (and arguably second-best) Die Hard movie, 1995's Die Hard with a Vengeance, is a buddy movie that partners McClane with Harlem shopkeeper Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson), who ends up claiming many of the best lines. However, McClane does get in a classic one-liner after Zeus asks if he is intentionally trying to hit bystanders while recklessly driving a taxi through New York's Central Park.

“I'm Gonna Keep The Coke And The Fries, But I'm Gonna Send This Burger Back. If You Put Any Mayonnaise On It, I'm Gonna Come Over To Your House, Chop Your Legs Off, Set Your House On Fire, And Watch As You Drag Your Bloody Stumps Out Of Your House. OK, Pierre?" - The Whole Nine Yards

A role that effectively blends Bruce Willis' comedic skills with his action star intimidation is Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski from 2000's The Whole Nine Yards. The former mafia hitman in hiding does not hold back when letting a Canadian restaurant server know just how much he hates a certain food condiment.

"Now I Know What A TV Dinner Feels Like" - Die Hard

Like most air vents in movies and TV shows, the ones in Nakatomi Plaza are still larger than what you might see in reality. Still, they are narrow enough to inspire one of John McClane's funniest one-liners in Die Hard.

"Charlie Chaplin Once Entered A Charlie Chaplin Look-Alike Contest In Monte Carlo And Came In Third. That's A Story" - Lucky Number Slevin

Also one of the best Josh Hartnett movies, 2006's fun crime thriller Lucky Number Slevin stars Bruce Willis as a mysterious figure who, at one point, recalls this fun bit of trivia inspired by a true, but unproven, rumor, according to Snopes.

"I Promise I Will Never Even *Think* About Going Up In A Tall Building Again" - Die Hard

In Die Hard, as John McClane is about to leap from the Nakatomi Plaza roof before it explodes (a stunt that Bruce Willis actually performed from the top of a parking garage), he pleads to God that if he lets him survive this ridiculous idea, he will stay as close to the ground as possible for the rest of his life.

"Did I Happen To Mention, Did I Bother To Disclose, That This Man That We're Seeking With The Mole On His Nose? I'm Not Sure Of His Clothes Or Anything Else, Except He's Chinese, A Big Clue By Itself" - Moonlighting

Before Die Hard made him a movie star, Bruce Willis' biggest claim to fame was the hit TV show Moonlighting, in which he and Cybill Shepherd play mismatched private detectives who eventually fall for each other. However, this was no typical mystery series, but a cleverly self-aware parody of the genre that indulges in all kinds of unusual gags, such as this Dr. Seuss-inspired speech.

"Hunter S. Thompson Once Said To Me, 'Bruce, My Boy, The Movie Business Is A Cruel And Shallow Money Trench Where Thieves And Pimps Run Free And Good Men Die Like Dogs.' And Then He Added, 'There's Also A Negative Side'" - What Just Happened

Bruce Willis may appear as himself in What Just Happens, but you might assume he was playing a role based on his bushy beard. One scene from the 2008 Hollywood satire sees him eulogize a late, beloved talent agent, during which he sums up the film's more cynical themes with a probably fictional quote from legendary author Hunter S. Thompson.

"I Was Out Of Bullets" - Live Free Or Die Hard

The fourth Die Hard movie, 2007's Live Free or Die Hard, sees John McClane try his most elaborate, and kind of ridiculous, ways to retaliate against his enemies. For instance, his reluctant partner, Matt Farrell (Justin Long), points out that he managed to take down a helicopter using a speeding cop car, and this is his witty explanation for why.

"Get Senator Roark Behind Bars? Sure. And Maybe After I've Pulled Off That Miracle, I'll Go And Punch Out God" - Sin City

Sin City's John Hartigan is on a one-man war against corruption, a war that he knows he is doomed to lose. He reflects on this harsh truth at the end of his segment after assuring Nancy Callahan that he intends to bring Senator Roark (Powers Boothe) to justice, before revealing in his overhead narration that he lied, knowing full well that she will never be safe from him as long as he is alive.

"That's What My Captain Keeps Telling Me" - Die Hard

When John McClane pulls his piece on Tony (Andreas Wisniewski), he claims that the cop will not hurt him because he would have to follow police protocol. McClane's reply is his intimidatingly witty way of letting the Gruber goon know that he is not one to be messed with.

"I'll Call You Back In Two Hours" - The Fifth Element

The closest we will probably ever get to seeing John McClane in the future is seeing Bruce Willis play Korben Dallas in Luc Besson's 1997 sci-fi favorite, The Fifth Element. The special forces agent-turned-cabbie demonstrates a flavor of wit similar to the Die Hard hero when the United States President tells him that a giant fireball is estimated to hit Earth in one hour and 57 minutes.

"Well, Now That You Mention It, I Have Experienced A, You Know, Like A Burning Sensation Between My Toes. I Thought It Was Just Some Athlete's Foot Or Something" - Die Hard With A Vengeance

In Die Hard with a Vengeance, McClane is questioned by FBI agents over how he may be connected to the mysterious bomber known as Simon (Jeremy Irons), but he does not take it very seriously. That is, until he discovers that Simon's last name is Gruber, identifying him as the brother of Hans from the original Die Hard, revealing the "vengeance" in the title.

"One Of The Things We Liked To Remind Ourselves Before We Went Into Any Job Is 'Expect The Unexpected'. Alright? Alright? Always sounds Like Good Advice. Except, Of Course, If You Are Expecting The Unexpected, Then... Well Then It Really Isn't Unexpected Anymore, Is It? And That Leaves You Vulnerable To The Truly Unexpected, Because You're Not Expecting It" - Bandits

Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton star in director Barry Levinson's Bandits as a pair of notorious thieves with the genius method of kidnapping bank managers at their homes the night before, earning the nickname "The Sleepover Bandits." Intercut between the main story are clips from their interview with a true crime host, during which Willis' character, Joe Blake, facetiously details his methodology.

"All Things Being Equal, I'd Rather Be In Philadelphia" - Die Hard

Fun fact about this John McClane one-liner: Bruce Willis actually did grow up in Philadelphia, as did Die Hard screenwriter Steven E. deSouza.

"You Wanna Take That Knife Out Of My Balls Now?" - RED

In RED, Bruce Willis stars as retired secret agent Frank Moses, who must call upon the help of his former colleague, Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich), when his life is threatened. However, their reunion is initially hostile, due to the paranoid Marvin's security measures.

"Thanks For The Advice" - Die Hard

When John McClane misses the chance to take out Marco (Lorenzo Caccialanza), the goon, sitting on top of a table that our hero is hiding under, tells him that he should not hesitate when he has the chance to kill somebody. McClane takes this to heart and promptly unloads his magazine through the table.

"I Remember When They Told Sylvia Plath, 'Hey, Syl, Cheer Up!' I Remember When They Told e. e. cummings, 'e, Baby; Use Caps!' But Did Ol' e Listen? No. Little n. Little o" - Moonlighting

In this line from Moonlighting, Bruce Willis' David Addison refers to the fact that poet e. e. cummings stylized his name in all lowercase letters. He did not, however, write entirely in lowercase letters.

"Death Is An Art Form In Russia" - RED 2

In Red 2, we meet Frank Moses' Russian former girlfriend, Katja (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who talks of taking a life like she is a painter in an art studio.

"Hey, You Guys Wouldn't Be Able To Tell Us Who Actually Killed Kennedy, Would Ya?" - Armageddon

If the U.S. Government asked me to help save the world, I think I would also try to see if they could reveal one of the most perplexing mysteries in American history as repayment.

"Oh, Wouldn't It Be Great If I *Was* Crazy? Then The World Would Be Okay" - 12 Monkeys

Bruce Willis stars in Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys as a man from a future ruined by a catastrophic virus who is sent back in time in hopes of preventing it. However, his attempts are thwarted by people trying to convince him that his warnings are a delusion, which is what he would prefer they be.

"DOD Says I Can't Come Out Of Retirement. They Didn't Say Anything About Reenlisting." - G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Bruce Willis shows up in G.I. Joe: Retaliation as retired General Joseph Colton, the original G.I. Joe, who decides to bend the rules to help save the world.

"Try This Salsa. Go On. It Makes You Feel Like You Got Shot In The Tongue" - That '70s Show

As a friend of Ashton Kutcher, Bruce Willis guest-starred on That '70s Show as Playboy Club security manager Vic. The sleazy dude offers Kelso (Kutcher) some of his personal salsa, which he insists is hot enough to feel like you are experiencing injury, before offering him a job.

Every great action hero has their own epic catchphrase, and I firmly believe that Die Hard’s John McClane, played by Bruce Willis, has the absolute cream of the crop. I mean, I don’t know about you, but it never fails to invigorate me whenever I call out, “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!”

Thus, I am so relieved that this is the signature line from the 1988 action movie classic (and one of the best Christmas movies ever made, whether or not you agree) and not a significantly less badass option that was suggested on set. Before we get into the Die Hard detail that could have changed the hit franchise forever, first allow me to explain where the iconic action movie quote came from.

The Origin Of John McClane's Explicit Catchphrase

John McClane utters “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!” once in each of the Die Hard movies, typically at the end, right after or before defeating the main antagonist. However, the phrase makes its debut early on in the original film after essential ‘80s movie villain Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) calls the New York cop a “cowboy” during their first conversation via walkie-talkie. Fittingly, one of pop culture’s most famous “cowboys” would serve as the inspiration for the line.

Writer Steven E. de Souza explained to Matt Gourley on the I Was There Too podcast that, while meeting Bruce Willis for the first time, he learned they both originated from Philadelphia and even grew up watching The Roy Rogers Show, which had the famous catchphrase, "Yippee-ki-yay, kids!" That later gave him the idea to incorporate their own spin on the line in the film as the insult McClane spews at Gruber. In fact, it was one of many last-minute additions to the script while filming was taking place, which explains why there are just a few details about Die Hard that don’t make much sense.

There Was A Discussion Over How The Line Should Be Said

Speaking of, it does not make any sense to me why anyone would want to change the line “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!” to anything else. However, one Die Hard producer suggested an alternative, as Willis revealed during a press conference for 2007’s Live Free or Die Hard (which some believe is the second best in the franchise) in the following quote:

“Yippee-ti-yie, motherfucker!?” Yeah, I cannot imagine a world in which that phrase stands the test of time like the line we got. So, I guess we can say that Bruce Willis, who has, unfortunately, retired from acting due to health issues, was the hero for Die Hard in more than one way, having potentially saved his character’s signature line from falling into obscurity.

Spoilers for the Season 2 finale of 1923 are ahead! To stream the first two seasons in full, all you need is a Paramount+ subscription.

In the Season 2 finale of 1923, there is a ton of jaw-dropping action (the train station and ranch fights) and reveals (Alex’s baby being named John). However, I’d argue that the most badass moment of this whole episode came after Spencer Dutton killed Donald Whitfield and then walked out of his burning house next to Jacob Dutton. So, obviously, I had to ask Brandon Sklenar what it was like to film such an epic moment with Harrison Ford, and he compared it to Die Hard and John Wick.

As the finale aired on the 2025 TV schedule, and I watched this scene specifically for the first time, I couldn’t help but think about some of the best action movies and moments where characters walk away from an explosion or a burning building without looking back at it. It turns out, Sklenar couldn’t either, as he understandably likened this scene to Die Hard and John Wick, telling me:

It feels important to note that the fact that John McClane is nicknamed Mr. Cowboy by Hans Gruber in Die Hard makes this even better.

Plus, in a lot of ways, Sepncer’s absolute annihilation of everyone trying to take down his family reminded me a lot of Bruce Willis' iconic movie and his characters’ actions in it. So, the walk out of the burning building after killing Whitfield was the cherry on top, and it 100% gave big Die Hard and John Wick energy.

Sklenar also loved filming this scene because it paid homage to iconic action films and, you know, he got to do it with Harrison Ford, as he explained:

While Bruce Willis and Keanu Reeves are action heroes Sklenar specifically mentioned, let’s not forget that Harrison Ford is at the center of the Indiana Jones films and Star Wars movies. So, not only did the Drop actor get to play out a classic action moment, he also got to do it with a bonafide action star.

He was very aware of that too, gushing about the Shrinking actor while he told me about filming this epic instance.

At one point while filming the scene where Spencer and Jacob walk out of the burning house, Slkenar said he and Ford just kept walking and walking toward the cameras without stopping. Then, at one point, his co-star told him to make a run for it:

Well that story just makes this whole entire situation even better. While they looked totally badass in the moment, I’m maybe even more obsessed with how much fun the seemed to be having while shooting it.

There’s no denying that these action-packed and death-filled episodes of 1923 have been epic and done on a grand scale, and this scene specifically is a great example of that. So, yeah, I can see why the real Mr. Cowboy compared it to Die Hard’s Mr. Cowboy and other beloved action flicks.

The late actor Alan Rickman may have never been nominated for an Oscar, but his unforgettable performances left a huge mark on cinema. Particularly, his masterful performances of portraying villains in movies like Die Hard and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves have made Rickman one of the most compelling actors of this generation. Apparently, the British actor’s ability to crush iconic villain roles led to a wild “mandate” in Hollywood about how they should be written going forward.

Alan Rickman absolutely crushed his first major film role as terrorist leader Hans Gruber in Die Hard (which can be streamed on your Hulu subscription). For someone who originally didn’t want his film debut to be an action movie, Rickman brought Hans Gruber to life with his cold demeanor and darkly humorous wit, stealing the show. But take it from another actor known for playing hated villains, Jason Isaacs, to reveal to Collider about the wild “mandate” that his Harry Potter co-star set for villains down the road:

So, we can look to Alan Rickman for changing the game of villains and why they should never steal the spotlight again. I can understand how conflicting that can be when the hero is supposed to be the scene-stealer, only for the villain to be the unexpected standout. The Love, Actually star was just the actor to accomplish that. Other than Die Hard, the Royal Shakespeare Company member continued to captivate audiences with antagonist roles like playing the campy Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Princes of Thieves and the sadistic Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd.

You could even argue that Alan Rickman’s role as Snape in the Harry Potter movies first started out as an antagonist to the Hogwarts student. Before Rickman got to know Snape’s character journey, he was reluctant to play the Slytherin character to avoid being typecast as a villain. But a conversation with author J.K. Rowling about the direction the two-dimensional Severus Snape would go to from book one to book seven changed his mind. Rickman’s portrayal of a professor who balances a cold exterior with inner vulnerability made him one of the most captivating Harry Potter characters.

Even though the wild “mandate” in Hollywood said a villain can’t steal a movie ever again, thanks to Alan Rickman, there were plenty of times that rule didn’t quite stick. For example, Heath Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker became the movie’s most definable performance and even landed him a posthumous Oscar win. There’s also Tom Hiddleston’s Loki in the Thor and Avengers movies whose charm and wit turned him into a fan-favorite villain of the MCU. And we can’t forget about the walking nightmare of Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men, whose quiet intensity led the actor to win a Best Supporting Actor Award. Clearly, villains continue to overshadow the good guys.

So, Alan Rickman receiving love for playing bad guys may have led to a wild “mandate” in Hollywood about no more scene-stealing villains. However, an actor’s chilling portrayal of an antagonist can be so effective that it’s hard to ignore, even by the Academy. But we can thank the Golden Globe winner for showing actors how to create a layered villain to keep audiences shocked and entertained.

Have you ever heard someone describe your favorite movie in a way that completely changed your perception of its story forever… or at least made you chuckle a little? Cinephiles have been coming up with examples to describe a film plot badly (or just in simpler, funnier terms) for years.

I scoured the internet for some of the wittiest examples I could find and also managed to come up with a few decent ones of my own that I now present to you. You may never think of these classics the same way again.

A Father Asks His Long Lost Son To Take Over The Family Business (The Empire Strikes Back)

This one is inspired by an X post (from when it was still called Twitter) by Mitch Poppe, who makes, arguably, the best Star Wars movie sound more like a sweet Earthly drama (or even an organized crime thriller). Of course, it is not until the stunning climax of 1980's The Empire Strikes Back that we discover Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) is the father of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who is then tempted by the Sith Lord to come to the Dark Side and rule with him.

The Story Of One Man's Catastrophic Inner Conflict (Fight Club)

SPOILER WARNING: In one of the best movie plot twists ever, 1999's Fight Club reveals that the chaotic Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) is a dissociative identity of Edward Norton's "Narrator." Unfortunately, he comes to that realization only after his other half has converted their unconventional male support group into a terrorist organization that he immediately intends to stop.

An Accident-Prone Dinosaur Theme Park, Shockingly, Still Exists (Jurassic World)

I also turned to my co-workers for help to come up with some of these simplified movie plot descriptions and one suggested this bit that, admittedly, points out just how ludicrous the plot of 2015's Jurassic World really is. It was already established in Steven Spielberg's 1993 original Jurassic Park movie that a theme park with real, living prehistoric creatures has the potential to result in disaster, much like the very plot of this sequel.

Three Escaped Convicts Start A Boy Band (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

There is a reason why O Brother, Where Art Thou? is considered to be one of the best music movies ever made and the X account Explain A Movie Plot Badly recognizes this in its simplified explanation. Joel and Ethan Coen's 2000 comedy is a retelling of The Odyssey, redefined as the story of Depression Era inmates (played by George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson) who ditch the chain gang and find success as singing folk songs as The Soggy Bottom Boys.

Deja Vu Cures A Weatherman's Cynicism (Groundhog Day)

When you really think about it, all of the best time loop movies are tales of redemption and self-rediscovery. In other words, my colleague's clever description of 1993's Groundhog Day could be applied to almost any one of them, save the mention of Phil Connors' (Bill Murray) profession as a TV weather reporter.

A Teen Plays Matchmaker For His Own Parents (Back To The Future)

Back to the Future, stars Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, who accidentally takes Doc Brown's (Christopher Lloyd) time machine 30 years in the past and nearly prevents his own existence by getting in the way of his mother (Lea Thompson) and father (Crispin Glover) falling in love in high school. If you did not realize that I was talking about the 1985 time travel movie classic, you might assume I was describing the story of a child trying to get their divorced parents back together.

A Young Man Goes Through A Lot Of Trouble To Return Some Jewelry (The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy)

I almost hate to admit this, but I have never been very interested in epic fantasy stories like the Lord of the Rings movies. However, Eser Ünsalan's X post helped me realize just how relatable Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy is if you break down Frodo's (Elijah Wood) journey into its simplest terms.

A Man Constantly Loses His Prized Possessions To This French Jerk (Raiders Of The Lost Ark)

Many would agree that the best Indiana Jones villain is Dr. René Belloq, who claims at the beginning of 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark that there is nothing Harrison Ford's heroic archaeologist can possess that he cannot take away. Actor Paul Freeman has said that he believes his sniveling, French explorer is not so different from Indy, save for his reluctance to do the work himself and alliance with fascist organizations, of course.

A Fight Breaks Out Between Two Angry Orphans (Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice)

Despite their differing methods of justice, overall sense of optimism, and respective species, Batman and Superman relate to each other in many ways, most notably that they both know what it is like to lose their parents. Explain a Movie Plot Badly reflected on that in the X post that inspired this joke, which references 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, even though Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne did not know Clark Kent's (Henry Cavill) own tragic backstory until a little too late into their quarrel.

A Man Wins Back His Wife By Throwing Out Uninvited Christmas Party Guests (Die Hard)

Many have debated whether or not Die Hard – in which Det. John McClane (Bruce Willis) wages a war against ruthless thieves taking his wife (played by Bonnie Bedelia) and her colleagues hostage in an L.A. high-rise – it deserves a spot among the best Christmas movies ever made. Well, if you strip away its more violent content, the 1988 action movie classic's plot is clearly not much different from your typical holiday rom-com.

A Man Goes Through A Lot To Have The Perfect Suit (The Silence Of The Lambs)

One would have to have a pretty bleak sense of humor to paint Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb (Ted Levine) from 1991's The Silence of the Lambs in a sympathetic light and it appears that the people at Explain A Movie Plot Badly do. Their X post, referring to a serial killer fixing to make a suit of human skin in Jonathan Demme's unsettling Best Picture Oscar winner, inspired this also quite unsettling joke.

A Teen Becomes Upset When His Computer Dies (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

In addition to its astonishing action sequences, what really makes 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day a classic sci-fi movie is the endearing relationship between the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and young John Connor (Edward Furlong). Of course, no matter how misty-eyed you may get from their final goodbye at the end, you cannot ignore the fact that this kid's father figure was still a machine.

Two Men Turn To The Bible To Solve Their Problems (Se7en)

Let me just make this clear: Se7en is not a religious movie. However, faith does play a pivotal role in how veteran detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and rookie Mills (Brad Pitt) investigate a multiple murder case in David Fincher's 1995 thriller. They recognize that the sadistic killer's pattern is related to the biblical seven deadly sins.

Water Helps A Family Survive (Signs)

One of the most divisive M. Night Shyamalan movie plot twists comes from Signs, in which it is revealed that the extra-terrestrial intruders die when water touches them. It is easy to understand why this is underwhelming, but we also should not ignore the fact that Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) and his family might not have made it through the alien invasion if not for the invaders' strange weakness.

A Man Sleeps Through A 10-Hour Flight (Inception)

Due to its visually stunning appeal, it is easy to forget that much of what we see in Inception is not even real and the main characters are all asleep as it happens. In fact, much of the film takes place in the mind of a sedated Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy), whose subconscious is invaded by Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his crew while on a long plane trip to the United States.

A Guy Jumps Through Many Hoops To Complete His Rock Collection (Avengers: Infinity War)

I do not in any way mean to undermine the efforts that the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and other concerned parties go through to prevent a cataclysmic event that, tragically, does end up happening anyway. However, darthyogi on Reddit makes a really good point in the way they describe Thanos' (Josh Brolin) ultimate goal in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War. I mean, a fitting alternate title for the acclaimed Marvel movie could have been Avengers: Geology War.

Six Men Dress The Same For Their First Day At Work (Reservoir Dogs)

It is really nothing unusual for a group of coworkers to have matching uniforms. Of course, Explain A Movie Plot Badly's tweet that inspired this reimagining of Reservoir Dogs' storyline leaves out that this "first day at work" is also their last, since the jewelry store heist they volunteer for goes terribly, and fatally, wrong.

Boy Meets Girl, Boy Loses Girl, Boy Forgets Girl, Boy Meets Girl (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Arguably Jim Carrey's best movie, 2004's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is such a conceptually, visually, and even structurally unique experience, as acknowledged in this bit from the mind of my coworker. It is such a clever twist to learn that the beginning, when Joel (Carrey) meets Clementine (Kate Winslet) on a train, is actually the end of the sci-fi rom-com, taking place after they each unwittingly erased the memory of their relationship.

A Millionaire Is Forever Haunted By The Loss Of His Favorite Toy (Citizen Kane)

The end of 1941's Citizen Kane reveals that the titular, late publishing tycoon (played by co-writer and director Orson Welles) was remembering the sled he used to play with as a child when he spoke his final word: "Rosebud." For decades, this seminal film's conclusion has been heralded as one of all-time finest, but I cannot help but wonder how divisive this twist would be if the film had come out in modern times, especially if you think of it in the same terms as this joke.

A Clown Provokes An Angry Cosplayer (The Dark Knight)

Without the proper context, this sounds like a headline for a newspaper article reporting a fight that broke out on Hollywood Boulevard. Actually, even with the proper context, it does not just sound like the plot of 2008's The Dark Knight but of a few of the best live-action Batman movies.

A Divorced Dad Kills An Intruder And Takes His Job (The Santa Clause)

Even before finding Explain A Movie Plot Badly's X post that inspired this simplified film story, I had been made aware of just how dark the concept of 1994's The Santa Clause truly is in retrospect. However, that does not stop me from recognizing Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) as one of the coolest cinematic movie Santas for the way comes to wholeheartedly accept the job (after some convincing) when he accidentally causes his successor's fatal accident from the top of his roof.

A Princess Convinces A Millionaire And A Cat Lady To Give Up Their Dreams (Wonder Woman 1984)

Perhaps my favorite tweet from Explain A Movie Plot Badly offers the funniest way to describe 2020's Wonder Woman 1984 that I think anybody could imagine. The DC movie sequel features two villains for Gal Gadot's Amazonian warrior to take on: the wealthy Max Lord (Pedro Pascal), who gets ahold of a mystical rock that grants wishes, and geologist Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), whose wish turns her into "Cheetah."

A Young Man Has A Bunny To Thank For Saving His Life (Donnie Darko)

The plot of the mind-bending high school movie Donnie Darko (a personal favorite of a friend of mine who helped come up with this bit) is set in motion when the titular teen (Jake Gyllenhaal) narrowly escapes a tragic death when he follows the voice of a possibly hallucinatory man named Frank (James Duval). I am not sure where writer and director Richard Kelly got the idea to dress Frank in the most disturbing rabbit costume imaginable, but I also believe it is essential to the 2001 thriller's legacy as an enduring cult favorite.

A Woman's Motel Room Shower Is To Die For (Psycho)

I cannot imagine there exists a motel with a bathroom shower this impressive. But, do you know what is impressive? The shocking, iconic scene from Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 masterpiece in which Marion Crane (Scream Queen Janet Leigh) is murdered by who we assume is the mother of Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) while taking a shower at the Bates Motel.

A Divorced Father Fights To See His Daughter (Taken)

One of the most matter-of-fact X posts by Explain A Film Plot Badly takes aim at Taken, in which retired CIA agent Brian Mills (Liam Neeson) takes action to locate his kidnapped daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), in France. Without knowing what the 2008 action flick is actually about, one might hear this description and assume it is a wholesome family film.

A Group Of Men Learn To Never Trust Dogs (The Thing)

The best kind of dog movies are the ones where the dog saves the day, but that is certainly not the case in John Carpenter's The Thing. The 1982 horror movie classic opens with the central characters taking in a Canadian timber wolf-Alaskan Malamute hybrid that turns out to be a malevolent, shapeshifting alien in disguise.

Amateur Gambler Loses Everything, But Still Keeps His Job (Casino Royale)

A coworker of mine who has a special affinity for the James Bond movies had the perfect way to summarize the events of Daniel Craig's debut as 007 in Casino Royale.

A Woman Falls In Love With The First Guy She Sees After Waking Up (Sleeping Beauty)

Many of Disney's animated princess movies take on a more creepy, problematic guise in retrospect. Take, for example, this summarization of Sleeping Beauty, inspired by a tweet from Marisa Nocito.

First Responder Uses Government Resources To Exclusively Rescue Personal Family Members After An Earthquake (San Andreas)

The coworker of mine who came up with the idea for this bit inspired by 2015's San Andreas actually had some harsher words to describe Dwayne Johnson's central hero, who probably would have lost his job for acting in his own self-interests in the wake of a natural disaster.

A Powerful Corporation Benefits From Child Endangerment (Monsters Inc.)

I just might have ruined one of my own favorite Pixar movies for myself by the way I reinterpret 2001's Monsters Inc. and the titular company's bid to collect children's screams in this joke.

A Man Walks Up And Down A Flight Of Stairs (The Woman In Black)

The 2011 adaptation of Susan Hill's The Woman in Black certainly boasts some effective frights. However, there is a shocking amount of scenes in which Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) is seen walking up a flight of stairs to find something scary before walking back downstairs to avoid the creepy entity, only to find something else freaky, and the situation repeats.

A Team Of Athletes Try New Eating Habits (Alive)

One of the darkest posts on X by Explain A Movie Plot Badly references the 1993 thriller, Alive, which is based on the harrowing true story of a Uruguayan rugby team forced to do the unthinkable when their plane crashes in the middle of the Andes Mountains.

Did you know it’s Bruce Willis’ 70th birthday? Well, welcome to the party, pal, because the beloved Die Hard actor has a milestone birthday to celebrate. While he retired from acting back in 2022 due to a disorder called aphasia, his wife Emma Heming Willis continues to be a sweet direct line to him with her continued dedication to the Hollywood actor known for starring in one of the best action movies of all time.

Emma Heming Willis let Bruce Willis’ big birthday be known to the public by sharing a message on Instagram to fans on her social media. As she wrote:

Willis chose to send some praise over the Bruce Willis’ fanbase on his birthday by calling them “one powerful bunch” that often rallies to support him, and of course the Instagram post was flooded with all sorts of happy birthday messages. Check out the cute photo of Willis his wife shared with the birthday shoutout:

Bruce Willis and Emma Heming Willis have been husband and wife for just about 16 years, and it’s clear the model, actress and businesswoman has a lot of love for the ‘80s icon. We can only imagine the rough go of it the couple have had following Willis’ frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis, which has impacted his cognitive abilities in recent years.

As Heming Willis has become a caretaker to Bruce Willis along with his wife, she has taken their high-profile names to spread awareness about the disorder and advocate for the community who deals with the same condition in their family and friends. After Gene Hackman and his wife died last month, she spoke out about how “caregivers need care too” given their situation dealing with medical conditions at home as well.

We imagine Bruce Willis is surrounded by family today, which includes the actor’s five daughters: Rumer, Scout and Tallulah, who come from his marriage with Demi Moore, and Mabel and Evelyn from his current marriage. Considering all the support Moore’s kids threw in for their mom winning a Golden Globe earlier this year, surely he’s feeling the love today.

While Bruce Willis’ place in the public eye is unlikely to change anytime soon, it’s great to see this picture of the actor and kind words from his wife to the fans. Willis’ work is constantly being referenced – next in Glen Powell’s The Running Man performance, and his giant body of work has entertained us for decades. Happy Birthday, Bruce!

There are a lot of bad companies in the world of film and TV, companies that would be brutal work for like Inotech in Office Space. Those are hardly the only ones. Imagine having to show up to work every morning for Lumon in Severance. Or even a place that might seem like fun like Dunder Mifflin in The Office, would really be awful. Here is our list of companies that would be terrible to work for from TV shows and in movies.

Inotech (Office Space)

Bill Lumberg (Gary Cole) from Inotech in Office Space would be just a terrible boss to work for. The worst part is that he was just one of the many bosses working for the company. It's no wonder everyone was so miserable that everyone had their idea on how to get out of the rat race, from embezzling money to burning the place to the ground.

InGen (Jurassic Park)

Sure, on the surface InGen in Jurassic Park would be an amazing place to work. It's on a tropical island, there seem to be great benefits, and if you're a scientist, it's cutting edge work. Of course, then you have to consider the dinosaurs. Life will find a way and when it does, you're going be in a lot of trouble.

Nakatomi Trading (Die Hard)

Let's be honest, just having to work with a guy like Ellis (Hart Bochner) would be bad enough. Adding in an attack by a bunch of psycho thieves at the Christmas party and well, yeah, it would be pretty awful working for Nakatomi Trading in Die Hard.

The Dharma Initiative (Lost)

It's pretty hard to decide what the worst job would be if you were a part of the The Dharma Initiative in Lost. Desmond being stuck in the hatch typing in the numbers ever few hours has to be close to the top of the list. It's also very cult-like and for anyone who has worked for a company like that, they know just how weird it can be.

Omni Consumer Products (RoboCop)

Omni Consumer Products in RoboCop does some terrible stuff. It's basically a company, led by an egomaniac, that has absolutely no moral compass. Sure, it's a pretty dystopian situation in the world of RoboCop, but that's no excuse, you need to do better than work for an awful company like Omni.

Kruger Industrial Smoothing (Seinfeld)

George (Jason Alexander) in Seinfeld had a few bad jobs on the show. When working for the Yankees is the best job, you know the rest have to be bad. Kruger Industrial Smoothing has to be the worst though. Mr. Kruger is a guy who just doesn't seem to care about anything at all, and what in the world is "industrial smoothing"? Christmas at Kruger Industrial Smoothing seems especially annoying.

Pierpoint & Co. (Industry)

The British hit Industry shows all the worst sides of investment banking. One of the worst aspects of working in that industry is the cut-throat competition that all bankers deal with, especially at Pierpoint & Co o the show. Some may thrive, but most people would hate it.

Weyland-Yutani Corporation (Alien)

Weyland-Yutani Corporation from the Alien franchise is one of the most morally bankrupt companies on this list, and that is really saying something. Over and over it is clear that the powers that be don't care one bit for the health and safety of their employees. Over and over, those employees wind up dead. You'd think someone would blow the whistle, but all these years later, Weyland-Yutani is still at it.

Dunder Mifflin (The Office)

Everyone loves The Office and we all love laughing along with all the whacky stuff that goes on every day at Dunder Mifflin. But think about it, how awful would you feel if you had to deal with Michael Scott (Steve Carell) every day of your life. IT wouldn't take long before you lost it on him, right? It's easy to understand why Jim (John Krasinski) is so miserable all the time.

Wernham Hogg (The Office - UK)

Perhaps the only place worse to work in a sitcom world than Dunder Miflin would be Wernham Hogg in the British version of The Office. Michael Scott is terrible, but David Brent (Ricky Gervais) is mean-spirited and just plain nasty sometimes, in addition to being a total idiot. How anyone ever works for Brent is really hard to understand.

Lumon (Severance)

This list has a lot of sketchy, miserable companies on it, but Lumon from Severance probably takes the cake for the worst. It has everything that makes everyone else terrible all wrapped up into one. Menial tasks with little reward, shady technology, psychopathic leadership, a cult-like atmosphere... the list goes on and on.

The Wonka Chocolate Factory (Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory)

Working at a candy company might sound like a dream for many people, until you learn that all of your co-workers are weird orange beings that are liable to burst into song at the drop of a hat. Add on to that a wildly narcissistic CEO who is completely unpredictable and throws up little tests all the time to test your loyalty and it's safe to say you'd want no part of working for Willy Wonka.

Miller/Gold Talent Agency (Entourage)

Nobody wants to work for a boss whose base level is "yell as much as I can at everyone." It might be a great place to get ahead in a tough entertainment industry, but working for Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) on Entourage would be completely soul-sucking, right? Right.

Tyrell Corporation (Blade Runner)

Anyone working in a giant building that looks like a cross between an Imperial ship from Star Wars and a mid-century brutalist building in Germany should know exactly what kind of company they are working for, right? Building and designing replicants, who are basically enslaved techo-humans, seals the deal. You don't want to work here.

The Springfield Nuclear Power Plant (The Simpsons)

Being a low-level drone in Sector 7-G at a nuclear power plant would be a pretty miserable existence. It seems to work for Homer Simpson, and he's never permanently lost his gig, no matter what he does, but let's be honest, Homer is an idiot. Anyone of even normal intelligence would be out there in a hurry.

Bluth Company (Arrested Development)

A family filled with morons running a company mired in controversy and corruption like the Bluth Company in Arrested Development sounds pretty awful on its face alone. When you get in there, you'd realize that the one family member who is trying to make it work can't control anyone else in his family. Even working for the Banana Stand would be better than going into the office every day at Bluth.

Spacely's Sprokets (The Jetsons)

Even back in the 1960s no one wanted to work for a giant corporation like Spacely's Sprokets. Not only do they not make a real product (sprockets?) but Mr. Spacely is the worst kind of CEO, the kind that rules with fear and intimidation. That's no way to run a company no matter what year it is. We should all have flying cars by now though.

Umbrella (Resident Evil)

As the name of the show implies, Umbrella, the over-arching company in charge of seemingly everything in the world of Resident Evil is, well, evil. The list of things it does that are pure evil is far too long to list in one place, but it's safe to say that you could never truly feel good about your job here.

BiffCo (Back To The Future 2)

The future looks pretty bleak if Biff is in charge. After stealing the time machine and the Sports Almanac, Biff rakes up so much money that he can pretty much do whatever he wants. No one should have to work for a boss like Biff or a company like BiffCo. Who names a company "BiffCo" anyway? Beware the man who builds monuments to himself.

J. Peterman Company (Seinfeld)

The J. Peterman Company on Seinfeld doesn't seem like the worst place to work. it's a trendy catalog, and there is cake in the break room all the time. The serious drawback is working for an egomaniac like Peterman himself. It would be impossible to take orders from a guy like that.

Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory (Family Guy)

It would take about ten seconds to sour on a CEO like Jonathan Weed, owner of the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory on Family Guy. His smug, pretentious behavior would get old quickly and there aren't enough toys in the world to make going to work for a guy like that every day worth it. Peter got lucky when Mr. Weed died and the whole factory was torn down.

Sunshine Taxi Company (Taxi)

Two words, Louie De Palma. Or is that three? Either way working for Danny DeVito's character on Taxi would be miserable. There are some appeals to driving a cab. You can make your own hours, and you can be alone with your thoughts a lot, but then you remember you have to return to the garage and put up with that jerk. No thanks.

Veridian Dynamics (Better Off Ted)

Senior vice-president of the Research and Development department at Veridian Dynamics sounds like a pretty sweet gig for Ted on Better Off Ted and for the most part, the day-to-day isn't bad at Veridian. The problem is that it is the definition of a soul-sucking multinational conglomerate and it takes a real toll over the long term when you realize you are a completely replaceable cog in a giant machine.

E Corp (Mr. Robot)

A company like E Corp - what kind of name is that anyway? - would make anyone want to be a bad hat hacker working to bring the whole place down. They prey on the most vulnerable and have no morals or ethics whatsoever. This is easily one of the worst companies in television history

Hooli - (Silicon Valley)

It's pretty easy to understand why anyone worth their salt would want to ditch Hooli and strike out on their own. Anyone would have been in the same kind of position with a company like Hooli, knows what it's like to watch others benefit from your good ideas and hard work. Pied Piper is chaotic, but it's theirs.

Zorg Industries (The Fifth Element)

Gary Oldman is brilliant as Zorg, the leader of Zorg Industries on The Fifth Element. The character is completely unhinged and that is not the kind of person anyone wants to work for, setting aside how awful the company itself is. It's simply a company with way too much power.

ENCOM (Tron)

On its surface ENCOM seems like a pretty standard technology company that could do a lot of good for the world. Then you realize it's being run by a total megalomanic. Ed Dillinger cheated his way to the top, and holds onto his power in a ruthless and morally bankrupt way. He's despicable.

MomCorp (Futurama)

Planet Express in Futurama may have it's own set of issues, but working for its rival, MomCorp and dealing with Mom would be way, way worse. At least Planet Express feels like a family. Sometimes, anyway.

Soylent Corporation (Soylent Green)

There is nothing worse on this list than people serving people to other people and Soylent Green is people! That's really all that needs to be said. It's not the only terrible thing that the Soylent Corporation does, it's just the worst thing in the world.

LexCorp (Superman)

It's good to have a hard and fast rule that working for a supervillain like Lex Luther is never a good idea. LexCorp does so many evil things it's hard to know exactly where to start when it comes to reasons why no one should work for a company like that. The worst thing might be that Superman, of all people, could show up and end everything you're doing in a hurry.

Buy N Large Corporation (WALL-E)

The Buy N Large Corporation might have started as an innocent yogurt company but it grew into something far too large, with far too much influence and power. Like other companies on this list, it's just too good for anyone's own good.

Oscorp (Spider-Man)

Oscorp wasn't started by one supervillain, it was started by two! Yeah, there's no way anything you could do at that company would be for the good of anyone except the two evil geniuses that run it. Easy pass.

We do not necessarily believe that a film’s overall quality lives or dies by the strength of its final line. However, quite a few films have managed to absolutely stick the landing with a concluding quote that would continue to ring in audiences’ heads long after the credits rolled. Relive some of the most iconic last lines in cinematic history in this list and be sure to keep SPOILERS in mind.

"After All, Tomorrow Is Another Day" - Gone With The Wind

When it comes to classic movie quotes, 1937's Gone with the Wind is full of them, with the most memorable of the bunch said by Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) just as he leaves Scarlet O'Hara (Vivien Leigh). However, the undeniably iconic and even inspirational final line of the Best Picture Oscar winner is said by her as a form of self-encouragement that there may be some hope for her and her husband.

LAURIE: "It Was The Boogeyman"; LOOMIS: "As A Matter Of Fact, It Was" - Halloween

Throughout John Carpenter's 1978 slasher movie classic, Halloween, the boy Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) babysits, Tommy Doyle (Brian Andrews), expresses great fear of the Boogeyman, whom she insists is no one to be afraid of until she comes face to face with Michael Myers. When Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasance) stops the murderer from attacking the young woman, she declares he is the fabled monster and Loomis agrees.

"In Case I Don't See You, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, And Good Night!" - The Truman Show

The prophetic, paranoid 1998 dramedy, The Truman Show (also one of the best Jim Carrey movies), follows the eponymous everyman as he slowly begins to realize his life is fabricated for television. He gives his fans the perfect send-off with what he had unwittingly made into his official catchphrase before we hear a devoted viewer utter the film's actual final line, "Where's the TV guide?"

"I'll Be Right Here" - E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

More than just a great sci-fi movie, Steven Spielberg's 1982 blockbuster, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, is the story of a wonderful friendship that must come to an end when the titular otherworldly visitor boards a spaceship to his home planet. Right before he leaves, he lets young Elliott (Henry Thomas) know that, while they will be worlds apart, he will always remain in his memory.

“All Right, Mr. DeMille, I’m Ready For My Close-Up” - Sunset Boulevard

Every aspiring actor has brought out this oft-quoted line from Sunset Boulevard when living out their dreams of Hollywood stardom. Of course, those who have not seen the 1950 drama may not realize that Gloria Swanson's Norma Desmond says this at the peak of her deluded madness and is not even speaking Cecil B. DeMille at the time.

"Well, Nobody's Perfect" - Some Like It Hot

Co-writer, producer, and director Billy Wilder was way ahead of his time when he came up with the gut-busting final stinger of his classic 1959 fish-out-of-water comedy, Some Like It Hot. Jerry (Jack Lemmon), posing in drag as "Daphne," reveals to his fiancé, Osgood (Joe E. Brown), that he is really a man, which the millionaire seems pretty open-minded to.

"Ernest Hemingway Once Wrote, 'The World Is A Fine Place And Worth Fighting For.' I Agree With The Second Part" - Se7en

If not for its final line, spoken by Morgan Freeman's Det. William Somerset in a voiceover, David Fincher's masterful 1995 crime thriller, Se7en, would be entirely devoid of any shred of optimism. Of course, the iconic Black detective's perspective on author Ernest Hemingway's philosophy is still relatively bleak.

"Forget It, Jake. It's Chinatown" - Chinatown

The 1974 film noir movie classic Chinatown ends with private investigator J.J. "Jake" Gittes (Jack Nicholson) forced to move on from the tragedy and injustice he witnessed while investigating a bizarre case in 1930s California, with some plodding encouragement from Lawrence Walsh (Joe Mantell).

"You Met Me At A Very Strange Time In My Life" - Fight Club

The wild ending of 1999's Fight Club sees Edward Norton's Narrator effectively remove his evil other half, Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), via gunshot before being reunited with Marla (Helena Bonham Carter). He assures her that the bizarre circumstances they faced together were not typical for him as they watch the buildings surrounding them crumble to the ground.

"Louis, I Believe This Is The Beginning Of A Beautiful Friendship" - Casablanca

Quite a few of the most iconic quotes in cinematic history come from 1942's Casablanca, including the concluding line, said by Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) to Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) to signify an unlikely bond forming between them.

"And In The Dream I Knew That He Was Goin' On Ahead And He Was Fixin' To Make A Fire Somewhere Out There In All That Dark And All That Cold, And I Knew That Whenever I Got There He Would Be There. And Then I Woke Up" - No Country For Old Men

The ending of 2007's No Country for Old Men, in which the now-retired Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) describes a dream he had about his father to his wife, was polarizing upon release. Of course, it was only disappointing to those who did not initially realize Joel and Ethan Coen's modern Western movie classic is really about the aging lawman's struggle to find meaning in a world full of meaningless violence.

“Because He's The Hero Gotham Deserves, But Not The One It Needs Right Now. So, We'll Hunt him. Because He Can Take It. Because He's Not Our Hero. He's A Silent Guardian, A Watchful Protector. A Dark Knight” - The Dark Knight

It may be an old cliché to start the credits after a character speaks the film's title, but 2008's The Dark Knight makes great use of it with Commissioner James Gordon's (Gary Oldman) explanation to his son, Jimmy (Nathan Gamble), why Batman (Christian Bale) is taking the fall for the tragedies he tried to prevent.

"The Greatest Trick The Devil Ever Pulled Was Convincing The World He Didn't Exist. And Like That... He's Gone" - The Usual Suspects

The mindblowing ending of 1995's The Usual Suspects sees Agent Dave Kujan (Chazz Palmenteri) realize he had been fed a phony, completely improvised story by Roger "Verbal" Kint (Kevin Spacey), the real "Keyser Soze." This is followed by a shot of the clever criminal likening himself to Satan and his cunning nature.

"Life Moves Pretty Fast. You Don't Stop And Look Around Once In A While, You Could Miss It" - Ferris Bueller's Day Off

While Matthew Broderick's fourth-wall-breaking character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a mischievous troublemaker, he makes a great point about the importance of occasionally taking it easy in his final line in John Hughes' 1986 high school movie classic (not counting the post-credit scene, that is).

"I'm Finished" - There Will Be Blood

It is not until the final scene of Paul Thomas Anderson's Oscar-winning 2007 masterpiece, There Will Be Blood, when blood does hit the screen after Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) murders his rival, Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), with a bowling pin at his home, which seems to be the one thing he needed to make his life feel complete.

“Oh No, It Wasn’t The Airplanes. It Was Beauty Killed The Beast” - King Kong

The seminal 1933 monster movie, King Kong, ends with the eponymous ape falling to his death, which filmmaker Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) remarks was truly caused by his affection for Fay Wray's Ann Darrow.

RAY: "You Wanna Have A Catch?"; JOHN: "I'd Like That" - Field Of Dreams

In one of Kevin Costner's best baseball movies, 1989's Field of Dreams, Ray Kinsella (Costner) is reunited with the ghost of his dead father, John (Dwier Brown), with whom he gets to share a long overdue catch.

"The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of" - The Maltese Falcon

The 1941 adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon ends with the discovery that the eponymous artifact is a fake. Yet, considering the trouble so many endured to get their hands on it, private investigator Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) acknowledges one way it does possess some value.

“Roads? Where We’re Going We Don’t Need Roads” - Back To The Future

Initially, there were no plans to make the 1985 time travel movie, Back to the Future, a trilogy, which means that Doc Brown's (Christopher Lloyd) hint at what awaits them 30 years from then was merely a wildly imaginative joke before director Robert Zemeckis brought a "roadless" future to life in the follow-up.

"So Long, Partner" - Toy Story 3

Woody's (Tom Hanks) final goodbye to the grown-up Andy (John Morris) after he leaves him and his other child's playthings to Bonnie was not only a perfect way to end 2010's Toy Story 3, but also the franchise of beloved Pixar movies as a whole. Thus, some feel the otherwise entertaining fourth installment was needless, but we digress.

"Aren't You His Mother?" - Rosemary's Baby

Some great horror movies like to end with a jump scare, but Rosemary's Baby proved that all you need is a chilling final line, such as when Mia Farrow's titular character from the 1968 thriller accepts her role as the mother of the Antichrist in response to Roman Castevet's (Sidney Blackmer) reassuring question.

“I Do Wish We Could Chat Longer, But I’m Having An Old Friend For Dinner” - The Silence Of The Lambs

The escaped Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) ends 1991's The Silence of the Lambs by phoning Agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) from the Bahamas and hinting that he has some gruesome plans for the recently arrived Dr. Frederick Chilton (Anthony Heald).

“The Truth Is, I Am Iron Man” - Iron Man

The Marvel Cinematic Universe was essentially born the moment Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) revealed his identity as an armored vigilante at the end of 2008's Iron Man. The now iconic line made an astonishing reprise 11 years later when Stark sacrificed his life to stop Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Endgame.

GORDON: "I Never Said 'Thank You'"; BATMAN: "And You'll Never Have To" - Batman Begins

After a rooftop meeting with Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman), Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) nobly acknowledges and accepts that his crusade against injustice is a thankless job at the end of Christopher Nolan's first live-action Batman movie, 2005's Batman Begins.

"I Think I Can Go Now. I Just Needed To Do A Couple Things. I Needed To Help Someone. I Think I Did. I Needed To Tell You Something: You Were Never Second. Ever. I Love You. You Sleep Now. Everything Will Be Different In The Morning... Good Night, Sweetheart" - The Sixth Sense

Most would agree that the greatest M. Night Shyamalan movie twist remains that child psychiatrist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is one of the dead people his patient, Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), can see, which he realizes at the end of 1999's The Sixth Sense before saying goodbye to his wife Anna (Olivia Williams).

"If This Is Their Idea Of Christmas, I Gotta Be Here For New Year's" - Die Hard

In addition to being a classic action flick, 1988's Die Hard is also a holiday favorite, albeit an unconventional Christmas movie, which is reflected by limo driver Argyle's (De'voreaux White) enthusiastic reaction to the truly explosive event that took place at Nakatomi Plaza on the night before Christmas.

"Why Don't We Just Wait Here For A Little While, See What Happens?" - The Thing

After seemingly defeating the shapeshifting alien that terrorized their Antarctica research base, R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) essentially accepts his fate as he and Childs (Keith David) are the only survivors of the ordeal... or are they? There has been much debate over who is still human at the end of 1982's The Thing, which makes MacReady's quip such a haunting final line.

"I Just Never Want It To End" - MaXXXine

After the traumatic circumstances that Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) endures in both X and her '80s-set self-titled sequel, MaXXXine, seeing her finally achieve her dream to be a Hollywood actor and tearfully wishing that it lasts is an unusually heartwarming moment in Ti West's A24 horror movie.

"It Was Perfect" - Black Swan

Natalie Portman won a rare Oscar for a horror movie performance as Nina Sayers in Darren Aronofsky's 2011 thriller, Black Swan, which ends with the dangerously ambitious ballerina performing the final dance with a bleeding abdomen, which she believes was her magnum opus.

“Now, Where Was I?” - Memento

The ending of Christopher Nolan's 2000 breakthrough thriller, Memento, is really the beginning when Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) learns that the search for his wife's killer has been long over but allows his short-term memory condition to keep him on the case.

"Oh, God" - Avengers: Infinity War

Never had a Marvel movie ended as hopelessly as 2018's Avengers: Infinity War, in which Thanos (Josh Brolin) successfully uses the Infinity Gauntlet to eradicate half of all living beings, leaving the surviving Avengers to helplessly reflect on their defeat, including Steve "Captain America" Rogers (Chris Evans), who utters the final line with heartbreaking desperation.

"I Told Ya" - Accepted

In the underrated college comedy, 2006's Accepted, Jeremy Howard's character, "Freaky Student," aspires to learn how to blow things up with his mind. At the very end, he proves this is possible by demonstrating his ability on the Harmon University dean's car in a hilarious "I told you so" moment.

There are two things about the 1980s that will be forever linked, the movies and the music. It was a unique decade for both and there are so many great songs that came from movie soundtracks that it's almost impossible to limit this list, but we're going to do our best. Here is our list of some of the very best music moments in classic 1980s movies like Dirty Dancing and Top Gun.

"Don't You (Forget About Me)" - The Breakfast Club

One thing fans of The Breakfast Club will never do is forget about you. The song, written and performed by Simple Minds, is one of the most iconic songs of the decade. The use of it in The Breakfast Club is equally iconic, as Bender and the rest of the "club" leave detention at the end of the day.

"Playing With The Boys" - Top Gun

The Top Gun soundtrack produced multiple hits and the whole album is full of bangers. If we're going to pick one iconic moment in the movie that fits the music perfectly, we have to go with the Kenny Loggins' hit "Playing With The Boys" during the volleyball scene. The moment you hear the song, you think of those fit guys playing on the beach... even if Tom Crusie is inexplicably wearing jeans.

"Fight The Power" - Do The Right Thing

While there are great songs all over movies from the '80s, there are few that had the cultural impact as Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" from the equally impactful Spike Lee joint, Do The Right Thing. Both exploded onto the scene and neither music nor movies were the same after them.

"Neutron Dance" - Beverly Hills Cop

Not only is Beverly Hills Cop one of the funniest movies of the decade, but it's also a great action movie, and to top it all off, it's filled with fantastic songs, including the theme song "Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer. But there is no more memorable scene than the opening with Axel (Eddie Murphy) swinging from the back of the truck in an amazing chase with "Neutron Dance" by The Pointer Sisters blasting in the background.

"Holding Out For A Hero" - Footloose

Yet another '80s movie with an iconic soundtrack is Footloose. Sure, we could have gone with the theme song here, but is there a more memorable scene than the game of chicken on heavy construction equipment with "Holding Out For A Hero" by Bonnie Tyler accompanying the ridiculous (and amazing) scene? We think not.

"I Still Believe" - The Lost Boys

There is just something that is just so 1980s about. greased up, topless Tim Cappello shouting out "I Still Believe" as he gyrates around with his saxophone. That scene in The Lost Boys is both ridiculous and ridiculously awesome.

"Christmas in Hollis" - Die Hard

When John McClain asked Argyle if he had any Christmas music in Die Hard and the chauffeur answered with "Christmas in Hollis" it was a revelation for millions of middle-class Americans who had no idea there was Christmas hip hop. It's still the best seasonal rap song, don't you agree?

"Mess Around" - Planes, Trains And Automobiles

A whole bunch of things really go wrong for John Candy and Steve Martin in Planes Trains And Automobiles. The wildest has to be when Candy's character burns down the rental car while he smokes and jams out to the Ray Charles classic "Mess Around."

"Adagio For Strings" - Platoon

The most powerful moment in Platoon is when Elias (Willem Dafoe) is killed with his arms out in a Christ-like pose. Without question, a big reason the scene is so emotional is the choice by director Oliver Stone to use the piece "Adagio For Strings" by composer Samuel Barber. It's the perfect piece of music for the scene and really adds to the incredible impact of it.

"Partyman" - Batman

Sometimes people who weren't around in the 1980s don't really understand what a huge cultural moment Tim Burton's Batman was. It was a huge deal and Burton getting the enigmatic Prince to write some songs for the movie was an inspired moment. The Purple One's "Partyman" is the perfect song for the scene when The Joker (Jack Nicholson) and his henchmen break into Gotham's art museum and deface the art.

"Old Time Rock And Roll" - Risky Business

Is there any way we could put together this list without Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear in Risky Business to the Bob Seeger classic "Old Time Rock And Roll"? No, there isn't and there really isn't anything else to be said here, It's a classic film moment.

"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" - Dirty Dancing

Nobody puts Baby in the corner, and only one person can launch Baby up in the air. When Johnny and Baby finally pull off that lift at the end of Dirty Dancing is one of the most triumphant moments of '80s film. The song that accompanies the moment, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes became just as iconic.

"In Your Eyes" - Say Anything

Walking a fine line between romantic and psychotic is Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) holding his boom box over his head while playing "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel outside Diane's (Ione Skye) window in Say Anything. We're saps at our core, so we'll call it 100% romantic and 100% iconic.

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Big Chill

Boomer culture was in full nostalgia mode in the 1980s and nothing sums that up more than The Big Chill. That's not to say that the movie doesn't have its moments. One of the coolest tricks the movie pulls off is near the beginning when the organ player at the funeral starts playing "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones. It segues perfectly into the actual song as the funeral procession drives across a long bridge. It's probably the best scene in the movie if we're honest.

"Oh Yeah" - Ferris Bueller's Day Off

"Oh Yeah" by Swiss electronic band Yello was used in a few movies in the 1980s, like Uncle Buck and The Secret Of My Success. With all due respect to the Michael J. Fox classic, the best use of the song came at the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off when Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is forced to ride the school bus and learns that he does, in fact, "eat it."

"Let's Go Crazy" - Purple Rain

Prince was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s and his magnum opus was the soundtrack to his movie Purple Rain. Obviously there is a ton of great music in the movie, but the best scene has to be when Prince plays "Let's Go Crazy" in a club before jumping up on an amp and shredding that amazing guitar solo at the end of the song.

"Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" - Beetlejuice

Even songs from the 1950s were able to create amazing musical moments in the 1980s. Take the Harry Bellefonte song "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" in Beetlejuice for example. The wild scene that the song accompanies is when the dinner party is interrupted by the ghosts living in the attic and it's the most memorable moment in the whole movie.

"Moving In Stereo" - Fast Times At Ridgemont High

In the interest of keeping this list rated G, we won't say much about the scene in Fast Times At Ridgemont High that features The Cars' song "Moving In Stereo." expect to say it involves Phoebe Cates in a red bikini and IYKYK.

"If You Were Here" - Sixteen Candles

Director John Hughes had a knack for creating amazing musical moments in between the hilarious quotes from his movies. In Sixteen Candles one of those classic moments happens at the end when Jake and Sam finally kiss over Sam's birthday cake as "If You Were Here" by Thompson Twins plays over the scene.

"Holiday Road" - National Lampoon's Vacation

Fleetwood Mac veteran Lindsey Buckingham provided the classic "Holiday Road" for National Lampoon's Vacation and while it only plays briefly as the Griwolds first hit the road in Chicago, it's been an enduring hit ever since.

"Magic Dance" - Labyrinth

1986's Labyrinth not only launched Jennifer Connelly's career, but if gave one amazing musical moment when the villain, played by the legend himself, David Bowie, sings his song "Magic Dance" along with a whole slew of Jim Henson puppets. It's as magical and the name of the song implies.

"Eye Of The Tiger" - Rocky III

In the first Rocky movie, audiences were treated to that amazing moment of Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) climbing the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum to "Gonna Fly Now." Of course, that doesn't count for this list of '80s movies, but luckily in Rocky III, we get "Eye of the Tiger" for the training montage. It's a toss-up for which is better.

"Tequila" - Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

For years after Pee-Wee's Big Adventure was released, people were still doing the Pee-Wee dance whenever they heard "Tequila" by The Champs. The '60s classic created a classic '80s moment.

"These Boots Are Made For Walking" - Full Metal Jacket

What makes "These Boots Are Made For Walking" by Nancy Sinatra so amazing in Full Metal Jacket is that it feels so upbeat immediately after the darkest moment in the movie when Private Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) kills his drill sergeant and then himself. It's director Stanley Kubrick at his finest.

"Big Bottom" - This Is Spinal Tap

Well, once again, we've come to a movie that there was no way we could leave off this list. The rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. There are at least a dozen scenes we could choose here, but the most iconic has to be the song "Big Bottoms" and that was proven years later when literally dozens of bass players joined the sort of fake, sort of real band for the song at Live Earth concert in 2007.

"The Power Of Love" - Back To The Future

We just had to include the meta moment in Back To The Future when the fictional band led by Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) starts playing a rocking version of the movie's theme song "The Power Of Love" only to be shut down by a teacher played by Huey Lewis who, with his band The News, actually played the song for the movie. It's just too darn loud.

"Werewolves Of London" - The Color Of Money

Warren Zevon is one of the most beloved songwriters in rock history, but he didn't have a ton of hits. One exception is "Werewolves of London" a song that was a hit when it came out in 1978 and then fans fell in love with it again when it appeared in an amazing scene in The Color Of Money in 1986.

"If You Leave" - Pretty In Pink

Like all his other movies, John Hughes using "If You Leave" by Orchestral Movements in the Dark in Pretty In Pink created one of the all time combos of music and movie. It's still weird that Andie didn't end up with Duckie, though.

"Lollipop" - Stand By Me

For many in Gen X, their first introduction to classic early '60 music came from Stand By Me. One of the songs used, "Lollipop" is almost a novelty song, but it's an incredibly infectious earworm too, so it ended up being one of the most iconic moments in the movie, music-wise.

"Into The Groove" - Desperately Seeking Susan

Desperately Seeking Susan isn't a great movie. It feels rushed and half-baked, and it was, really, as it was an attempt to capitalize on Madonna's burgeoning fame. It's the Material Girl's first major foray into film and the most memorable moment came when she is in a bar, listening to her own song, "Into The Groove."

"Gimme Shelter" - Adventures In Babysitting

If you aren't paying attention, you might miss "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones in Adventures In Babysitting, but it adds a real foreboding as the kids hitch a ride back to the station wagon that they hope has been repaired and they can finally wrap up their crazy night.

"Imagine" - The Killing Fields

John Lennon, and later Yoko Ono, were very protective of the former Beatles' music, especially his iconic "Imagine." Ono gave permission to the producers of The Killing Fields to use it at the end when the two protagonists are reunited after the horrors of the Khmer Rouge are finally over and it's an incredible emotional moment, in no small part to the song.

Have you ever heard of a “drop the remote” movie? It implies that a particular movie is so good, if you should encounter it while channel surfing – no matter what part the film happens to be on – you are going to drop the remote and watch it all the way ‘til the end. Usually, “drop the remote” movies tend to be comedies, which explains why Christopher Nolan named some top Will Ferrell comedies as his “drop the remote” choices. Other times, it’s guilty-pleasure action movies, ones that allow us to turn off our brains and just enjoy explosions, adrenaline, and fun.

The first Den of Thieves qualified as a “drop the remote” movie for a lot of people as it screened on cable. The heist thriller, starring Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr., didn’t thrill critics, and had a meager box-office performance. But audiences found it eventually, and really loved it. Heck, The Rewatchables basically claimed it as one of their own, boosting the movie’s profile through their podcast. This proved valuable when Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera recently opened. Our own Eric Eisenberg didn’t love it, but the movie made enough to lead the box office.

A new “drop the remote” movie might have been born.

While speaking with Gerard Butler on behalf of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, I asked the London Has Fallen actor if he had any movies that had that effect on him. Specifically, were there any action movies he could think of that, when they came on, he threw down the remote and watched to the end. And he came up with the best possible answer. Said Butler:

Gerard Butler isn’t exaggerating. Whether it be 300 or Greenland, the actor has so many action movies on his resume. But he wisely deferred to the best Bruce Willis action movie of all time: the original Die Hard. Christmas movie? Who cares? No matter what time of the year it is, we’re always game to watch John McClane (Willis) methodically working his way through a skyscraper filled with terrorists. There’s a reason Samuel L. Jackson told an interviewer that Die Hard with a Vengeance had a bigger impact on his career than Pulp Fiction did. Die Hard is massive. It’s global. It’s Die Hard!

One element of the “drop the remote” movie tends to be that it creates a franchise, and Butler hopes that’s the case with Den Of Thieves. The sequel didn’t set the box office on fire. But the actor and his co-star, O’Shea Jackson Jr., already have cast members in mind if they get to add to the ensemble and make Den of Thieves 3. Sadly, it can’t be Bruce Willis, as he has retired. But you know the spirit of John McClane will infuse every decision that is made on the Den of Thieves franchise, so long as Gerard Butler is in charge.

There are many reasons why Die Hard is my personal choice for the greatest Christmas movie of all time. The most essential, however, is the heart-stopping sequences that also make the 1988 hit an undisputed action movie classic worth watching any time of the year, such as John McClane’s (Bruce Willis) jump from the top of the Nakatomi Plaza right as a fiery blaze erupts from behind him.

Of course, that was probably not the actor himself and just a stunt performer braving that death-defying feat, right? Ehhhhh! Sorry, reader. Wrong guess. Would you like to go for Double Jeopardy where the scores can really change? Or, you could just keep reading this inside look at how the most explosive moment from the beloved Christmas action movie was filmed.

Bruce Willis Performed The Die Hard Stunt Himself

Indeed, it is not a stunt performer you see on camera when New York City detective John McClane leaps from the exploding roof of the Los Angeles high-rise, but the lead star of the Die Hard cast himself, Bruce Willis. However, in reality, he did not brave 40 stories but jumped from the top of a five story parking garage. The actor recalled just how dangerous it was to film one of the most memorable scenes from one of the best Bruce Willis movies in the following quote from a 2007 Entertainment Weekly interview:

Hearing those words would be distressing enough to any actor. Yet, something to keep in mind is that, at the time, Willis was best known for the romantic dramedy series Moonlighting, the 1987 rom-com Blind Date, and starring in commercials for Seagram’s Golden Wine Coolers. So, he had never done anything like this before. In fact, this very stunt was the first of Die Hard’s action sequences he performed.

The Roof Jump Stunt Was The First Die Hard Scene Bruce Willis Shot

In the same EW interview, Willis mentions that the Nakatomi roof stunt was the first scene he shot on the first night of production for Die Hard. Apparently, that was a deliberate decision, according to this quote:

He says this with a laugh but it reinforces just how much Willis (who was not even the bankable movie star this thriller would make him into yet) was willing to risk for the production. Not to mention, he came very close to meeting a bitter end, or at least a world of hurt, when filming the scene.

Bruce Willis Nearly Injured Himself Performing The Stunt

In Die Hard, McClane has nothing but a firehose to keep him from falling to his death as he swings from the Nakatomi rooftop and onto a lower floor through a window that he breaks with a few bullets and his bare feet. Luckily, Willis had an airbag to land on when he performed the stunt but even that was not as reliable as he hoped, as he also mentioned to EW:

When promoting the movie, Willis told Entertainment Tonight that he probably would have been too scared to film the roof jump scene had he seen the “spectacular” sequence beforehand. Furthermore, he swore to never perform a movie stunt like that himself ever again. Who could blame him?

With Christmas around the corner, it’s time to turn on the best Christmas movies you can find on TV and the best streaming services. However, are you one of those people who believe one of the greatest action movies Die Hard should be on this list? As someone who personally doesn’t find the Bruce Willis-led movie to be a Christmas flick, a funny holiday post surrounding the debate truly has me in my feels.

Die Hard isn’t necessarily in your face about its Christmas themes the way classics like the Home Alone movies or Elf are. However, some argue that the action flick technically does follow the holiday-themed genre because of its use of holiday songs, the theme of reconnecting with loved ones, and the obvious fact that it’s set during Christmas. As a true non-believer that Die Hard is not a Christmas movie, a funny Instagram holiday post about those on the other side of the debate really has me in my feels:

I’m not exactly seeing this post with Hans Gruber’s deadpan “Ho ho ho” expression. This has got me cackling! According to @nakatomicorporation’s social media post, the entire country lists Die Hard as their favorite Christmas movie. Even though these stats are fake, it’s still hilarious “evidence” to show others who dare to argue about the John McTiernan film’s Christmas nature.

The debate about Die Hard falling into the holiday movie genre spans through numerous surveys and famed actors chiming in. Back in 2015, Public Policy Polling asked users what their opinion was with 62% saying it wasn’t a holiday movie, 25% not sure, and 13% saying yes. Three years later, the majority also ruled on the matter with a new poll by Morning Consult/Hollywood Reporter saying the 1988 action flick wasn’t a Christmas movie. But it looks like even if the recorded majority are in favor of Die Hard not belonging among the holiday flicks, I have a feeling this cultural debate will forever be ongoing.

In terms of how the actors of Die Hard feel about their action movie being a Christmas film, Bruce Willis settled the debate once and for all after his 2018 Comedy Central roast saying “Die Hard is not a Christmas movie!” However, the OG star of the movie, Reginald VelJohnson, weighed in that he sees his high-grossing action movie as a holiday film based on its annual Christmas showings and all of the fans who tell him it’s so. Director John McTiernan had a more neutral take on the Christmas debate saying that even though the Oscar-nominated movie wasn’t intended to be a holiday movie, it’s ultimately up to the audience to decide.

Even if a funny holiday post has me in my feels about all 50 states considering Die Hard their favorite Christmas movie, I’ll have to respectfully disagree. I just see the praised action flick as Bruce Willis’ John McClane having a strange matter-of-fact Christmas experience of having to save hostages at a Los Angeles skyscraper that happened to fall on the jolly holiday. But if it’s everyone else’s favorite Christmas action movie, who am I to argue? If you want to fill your Christmas movie schedule by watching Die Hard on your Hulu subscription or your Amazon Prime subscription, Happy Holidays!

This list is all about the most spectacular ways that some of favorite characters - the ones we love and the ones we love to hate - have been killed off on screen. Movies and TV have both produced some pretty incredible moments like this. So whether it's the hero or the villain, here are some of the most insane deaths ever seen in movies and on TV.

Marion Crane - Psycho

Almost more than any director in film history, Alfred Hitchcock wrote his own rules. One of the most interesting things he ever did was to kill off who was seemingly the main character in Psycho, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in the first act of the movie. Of course, her murder in the shower has become one of the most iconic scenes in film history.

Radio Raheem - Do The Right Thing

The tension in Do The Right Thing slowly simmers just under the surface until it boils over when Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito) and Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) burst into Sal's Pizzeria and demand changes. After Sal smashes Raheem's boombox, the cops arrive and in the struggle, Raheem is choked out by the police, leading to the destruction of Sal's. It's amazing that the movie is more than 35 years old and we're still talking about the same issues.

Robb Stark - Game Of Thrones

Is there any death on this list more dramatic and shocking than Robb Stark's on Game of Thrones? The Red Wedding is a legendary TV moment, among the best ever broadcasted. It shocked anyone who had not read the books and remains one of the most spectacular deaths, along with his wife, his unborn baby, and his mother, ever filmed.

John Coffey - The Green Mile

It's one of the most heartbreaking moments in film history when John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) meets his inevitable end in The Green Mile. Still, he goes out spectacularly with sparks flying and tears flowing.

Charlie Pace - Lost

ABC's Lost had some pretty memorable deaths, but none more so than Charlie Pace's last moments as he warned about the incoming boat and sacrificed himself in one of the most heartbreaking moments in TV history.

Hans Gruber - Die Hard

It's hard to believe that Hans Gruber in Die Hard was Alan Rickman's first movie role. His death, as he falls from Nakatomi Tower, looking up at the camera as he goes, is iconic. It's become one of the most meme'd scenes in movie history and is easily one of the most spectacular deaths in film history.

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

For years, Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) was one of the most despised characters on TV. His death was worthy of such an amazing villain as he is not only blown up but survives long enough to walk out of the room where it happened and button his jacket before collapsing to the floor.

Thelma And Louise - Thelma And Louise

When Thelma And Louise was first released, the ending completely shocked people. No one expected the movie's heroes to go out like they did, by driving their car off the cliff. Still, it was on their own terms and they did it together, making it all that much more spectacular.

Adriana La Cerva - The Sopranos

There were quite a few deaths over the seasons in The Sopranos, but the episode when Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo) is rubbed out is maybe the most incredible. The tension in the episode is impressive even by The Sopranos standards as no one wanted to see Adriana go, even though everyone knew why it was happening.

The Wicked Witch of the West - The Wizard Of Oz

"I'm melting" is one of the most iconic lines in Hollywood history as the Wicked Witch of the West is dying in The Wizard of Oz. There really isn't much more that needs to be said about this spectacular death.

Maximus Decimus Meridius - Gladiator

For years, Maximus (Russell Crowe) in Gladiator obsessed over avenging his family's death and taking down Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Despite Commodus playing dirty in their final showdown, Maximus finally prevails, killing Commodus before he collapses and dies.

Tony Stark - Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame is the 22nd movie in MCU history and so it was only appropriate that Tony Stark - the character that started it all - would be the one to finally take Thanos out by snapping his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet on. It led to his spectacular death, of course, but it was worth it.

Col. Kurtz - Apocalypse Now

After building for two hours, the climactic death of Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) at the end of Apocalypse Now is one of the most dramatic and violent moments in film history. The scene, juxtaposed with the sacrifice of a cow, is terrifying and amazing.

Glenn - The Walking Dead

The death of Glenn (and Abraham) was one of the most controversial moments of The Walking Dead. That was partly due to the extreme violence that turned a lot of people off, but it was mostly because Glenn was such a beloved character. Still, it was a death that was totally unforgettable.

Kong - Dr. Strangelove

Peter Sellers may be the most celebrated member of the Dr. Strangelove cast (and for good reason), but Kong, played by Slim Pickens steals the show at the end with his death by riding a nuke down as it drops towards it's target.

Kenny McCormick - South Park

We couldn't make this list without including poor Kenny McCormick, the hapless member of the South Park crew. Kenny has been killed over 100 times over the show's incredible run and in some of the most ridiculous and fantastic ways, like getting crushed by a tree, getting hit by a volcanic boulder, and dozens of other ways.

Rosalind Shays - LA Law

Rosiland Shays' death by falling down an elevator on LA Law was one of the most shocking moments in television history. It came completely out of nowhere in a time in television when a death like that wasn't common at all. It actually changed TV storytelling.

Mark Greene - ER

Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) was one of the most beloved characters on ER and his death, while a different kind of spectacular than most of the others on this list. It wasn't a shocking moment, as it was a tragic slow death by cancer. It was still among the most heartbreaking moments ever.

Zoe Barnes - House Of Cards

For the first season of House Of Cards, Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) was one of the most important characters. The journalist was both investigating and getting a little too involved with Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey). Her surprising death shocked audiences as Frank threw her in front of a subway train. It came completely out of nowhere, and yet made total sense in the context of the show.

Roy Batty - Blade Runner

The death of Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) at the end of Blade Runner has become one of the most legendary deaths of all time. It is not at all what anyone in the audience expected when the main villain of the movie turns into a hero at the very end, saving Deckard (Harrison Ford) before smiling as he dies. Time to die.

Alec Trevelyan - GoldenEye

You knew there was no way this list was going to be complete without including at least one death by a Sean Bean character, right? There have been so many spectacular deaths over the actor's incredible career, but for our money, you can't beat the death of his character Alec Trevelyan in the James Bond movie GoldenEye when Bond drops him to his death and he is crushed to make sure it's final.

Lane Pryce - Mad Men

Mad Men was unlike any other show on TV at the time and Lane Pryce's death by suicide is the perfect example of why. The character, played by Jared Harris was a fan favorite and while story-wise his death made perfect sense, it was still shocking.

William Wallace - Braveheart

Braveheart might be one of the most historically inaccurate films ever made, but William Wallace's death at the end is still pretty spectacular ( and not all that different from what really happened to the Scottish hero). We can't go into all the violent details here, but if you know, you know.

Nick Chevotarevich - The Deer Hunter

One of the most tragic characters in '70s cinema has to be Nick Chevotarevich, played by Christopher Walken. Even after the Vietnam War draws to a close and his best friend makes it back home after escaping a POW camp, Nick gets stuck in Saigon, playing dangerous games of Russian Roulette for months. When Mike (Robert De Niro) finds him, Nick is completely checked out, and that makes his horrible death all the more sad.

Quint - Jaws

Quint (Robert Shaw) is the grizzled fisherman who promises to catch "the fish" in Jaws, but in the end, it's the fish that catches him. As has often been pointed out, one of the most effective things about the classic movie is that the shark is rarely seen, so when Quint is eaten it's one of the scariest and most exciting moments of the movie.

Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom - Con Air

Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (John Malkovich) in Con Air is one of the most over-the-top movie villains of the '90s, so of course he had to get killed in an over-the-top spectacular way. First, he is knocked out and handcuffed to a firetruck that crashes into a bridge, tossing Cyrus into some powerlines, and electrocuting him, but that's not all. He then falls into the path of a pile driver doing road work, which comes down on his head.

Private Pyle - Full Metal Jacket

Private Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) is, at the beginning of Full Metal Jacket a hopeless Marine recruit who can't do anything right. As the first act of the movie plays out, he gets more competent but also starts to lose his marbles. It all culminates in an incredibly tense scene when he shoots and kills his drill sergeant before turning the gun on himself.

Marissa Cooper - The O.C.

Say what you want about about The O.C., but the creative decision to kill off one of the main characters and star of the show, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) in Season 3 was a bold one. The way she died, in the arms of Ryan (Ben McKenzie) after a car wreck is just as dramatic as the decision to have the character die.

Jack Torrance - The Shining

That final image of a frozen Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) in The Shining is one of the most enduring snapshots of a movie filled with incredible visual moments. A spectacular villain like Jack deserves a death as memorable as it is.

Sgt. Elias - Platoon

Platoon, as is said in the movie, is a battle for the soul of Chris (Charlie Sheen) between Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Barnes (Tom Berenger). Barnes wins the battle between himself and Elias when he shoots Elias towards the end, but Elias wins Chris' soul with his spectacular death as the helicopters lift away and Elias is left with arms outstretched as the Vietnamese soldiers gun him down for good.

Gennaro - Jurassic Park

We just had to include this one. Donald Gennaro isn't the main character of Jurassic Park, in fact, he's not even one of the main supporting characters. But him getting eaten by the T-Rex while hiding on the toilet is one of the silliest, and most insane deaths, of any movie, ever.

John Doe - Se7en

The ending of Se7en is one of the most talked about and debated, moments in film history. John Doe (Kevin Spacey) completely manipulates David Mills (Brad Pitt) into doing exactly what wants, completely the complete over-the-top murder spree ever seen on the big screen.

One of the best things about movies is that they come in all shapes and sizes, with something for audiences both young and old, near and far, and here and there. Over the years, Best Picture winners have consisted of all kinds of genres ranging from dramas to musicals, biopics to comedies, and so much more.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about just some of the countless different genres, stick around. Let’s break down 32 different genres and an example of a movie that belongs to each.

Action - Die Hard (1988)

One of the best action movies ever made, Die Hard essentially reinvented the genre with its story about a down-on-his-luck cop named John McClane (Bruce Willis) traveling across the country to save his marriage only for the reunion to be thwarted by a group of terrorists. Though Willis’ iconic character isn’t as jacked as those played by Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the everyman quality to him makes him an all-time hero.

Sci-Fi - Jurassic Park (1993)

Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park could fall into multiple genres, but since it deals with genetically modified dinosaurs being brought to life, it’s one of the best representations of sci-fi. One of the best book adaptations of all time, this massive summer blockbuster is as great today as it was back in 1993, both in terms of story and its state-of-the-art visuals.

Comedy - Blazing Saddles (1974)

Whenever talking about the funniest movies ever made, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to turn to Blazing Saddles, Mel Brooks’ 1974 comedy Western about a plot to destroy a frontier town and a sheriff’s attempt to save its good and fair residents. But the plot is just secondary to the countless jokes, ribs, and wild situations that are found throughout this incredibly funny and outrageous comedy classic.

Documentary - Grizzly Man (2005)

As far as I’m concerned, Werner Herzog is one of the greatest documentarians of all time. Much like his feature-length films, the acclaimed filmmaker’s collection of non-fiction titles strays from the norms of the genre, creating unique pieces of art in the process. This is especially true for Grizzly Man, Herzog’s 2005 exploration of the life and tragic death of Timothy Treadwell, a conservationist who thought it was better to die with a bear than live with man.

Mockumentary - This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

There were mockumentaries that came before it, but This is Spinal Tap was a watershed moment for the genre. Rob Reiner’s 1984 chronicle of struggling heavy metal band Spinal Tap turns it to 11 (quite literally) with its scenes of rock n roll, excess, and over-the-top characters who are thinly veiled caricatures of famous English groups of the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Slasher - Scream (1996)

If you were to tell someone where to start with the slasher genre, Wes Craven’s Scream would be a great place to start. Though it’s not the best horror movie of all time, this landmark film is full of references to the films that came before it, has a wonderful meta dynamic, and perhaps the greatest opening scene of all time.

Superhero - The Dark Knight (2008)

To some, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is the pinnacle of the superhero movie genre. This 2008 blockbuster takes elements from comic book movies and combines them with the realism of a gritty crime thriller and classic action flicks like Heat to create an incredible experience. Plus, Heath Ledger’s Joker is a force of pure chaos that needs to be seen.

Animation - My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

One of the most iconic Studio Ghibli films, My Neighbor Totoro is not only a great animated film but also a tremendous introduction to the fantastical world of Hayao Miyazaki. Released in 1988, this delightful film follows two young girls as they move to the countryside with their father a befriend a mythical creature known as Totoro.

Drama - Casablanca (1942)

Deciding on one film to use as an example of the drama genre is no easy task, but Casablanca is a classic that everyone needs to watch at least once in their life. The timeless story of American ex-pat Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) helping old flame Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) and her finance escape the Nazis while also revisiting the events that led to their split is something to behold.

Fantasy - The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the perfect place to start if you want to dip your toes into the waters of the fantasy genre. All the elements that make this type of film so beloved can be found throughout Peter Jackson’s impressive 2001 film that kicks off one of the greatest adventures of all time.

Sports - Major League (1989)

One of the best baseball movies ever made, Major League is also one of the funniest sports comedies you can find. Though not for younger audiences, this hilarious underdog story is all killer and no filler with its tale of the lowly Cleveland Indians defying the odds by putting together an unlikely championship team.

Romantic Comedy - When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Often considered the best romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally is 90-plus minutes of pure joy. The on-screen chemistry between Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in this 1989 classic directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron is off the charts and filled with one iconic scene after another.

Horror - The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter, one of the great horror directors of the 20th century, really outdid himself with The Thing, his 1982 adaptation of John W. Campbell’s Who Goes There. The paranoia, the claustrophobic spaces, the incredible cast led by Kurt Russell, and those terrifying creature effects from Rob Bottin make this an unforgettable classic.

Crime - The Godfather (1972)

Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather is a family drama, an epic coming-of-age story, and a mobster movie, but above it all, it’s a transformative crime film. This sprawling story about the Corleone organization, told through the eyes of Vito (Marlon Brando) and Michael (Al Pacino) is worthy of all the praise it’s received over the past 50-plus years.

Musical - La La Land (2016)

Okay, there are classic musicals like An American in Paris and Singing in the Rain that are far more prestigious than La La Land, but Damien Chazelle’s 2016 throwback is a great entry point. The song and dance numbers performed by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are stupendous and the romance at the center of its story is wonderful, to say the least.

Western - Tombstone (1993)

One of the greatest Western movies, Tombstone has everything you’d want in the genre: shootouts, colorful characters, legendary mustaches, and some of the best movie quotes of all time. Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Bill Paxton, and Sam Elliott were all made for their respective roles as some of the most iconic gunslingers and lawmen in the Old West.

Noir - Double Indemnity (1944)

If you’ve taken any type of class on the history of American cinema, there’s a chance you’ve seen Double Indemnity by now. This 1944 film noir staple follows insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) as he gets in way over his head when dealing with Phyllis Dietrrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), a dangerous femme fatale with a plan to cash in on a life insurance policy.

Suspense - The Sixth Sense (1999)

The Sixth Sense is a lot of things – horror, thriller, family drama. But above all, it’s an intense suspense film about a young boy (played by Haley Joel Osment) who can see dead people and his therapist (played by Bruce Willis) who tries to help him make sense of the supernatural ability.

Coming Of Age - Lady Bird (2018)

Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird is one of the funniest, most sincere, and most realistic coming-of-age stories of the 21st century. Set in the early 2000s, the movie follows Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) as she deals with the fallout of her decision to move across the country upon graduating high school.

Time Travel - Back To The Future (1985)

There’s a good chance Back to the Future comes to mind when most people think about great time travel movies, and for good reason. This 1985 sci-fi adventure film hits in all the right places, features a career-defining performance from Michael J. Fox, and introduces the world to the coolest time machine of all time.

Historical Drama - The Age Of Innocence (1993)

Though Martin Scorsese is known more for his crime films, he put out one of the best historical dramas in 1993 with his adaptation of The Age of Innocence. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder, the film took a lot of chances and pushed the genre in a new direction.

Disaster - The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

One of the craziest disaster films, The Poseidon Adventure has a simple yet effective premise: what would happen if a cruise ship was flipped upside down by a massive wave? Survival, questions about morality, and Gene Hackman in a turtleneck make this a must-watch movie.

Dystopian - Escape From New York (1981)

Escape from New York, which takes place in a future where the city has been turned into a walled-off prison colony, is just such a legendary dystopian film. When the U.S. president’s plane is hijacked and crashed in lower Manhattan, it’s up to Snake Plisken (Kurt Russell) to save the day.

Family - The Princess Bride (1987)

The Princess Bride is one of those movies that just never gets old, no matter how many times you watch it. With a great story, unforgettable characters, and expressions of true love (and revenge), there’s a lot for the whole family to enjoy.

Biographical Drama - Schindler's List (1993)

The same year Steven Spielberg dazzled audiences with Jurassic Park, he made us cry with Schindler’s List, a moving biographical drama about a man (played by Lian Neeson) who goes to great lengths to save Jewish prisoners at a German concentration camp.

Stop-Motion Animation - The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

What’s this? What’s this? Oh, just one of the best stop-motion animation movies ever made. Released in 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a staple of the spooky season with its eccentric characters, sometimes grotesque scenes, and some lovely songs written and performed by Danny Elfman.

War Movie - Platoon (1985)

War is Hell, and few movies capture that sentiment better than Platoon. Released in 1985, Oliver Stone’s Vietnam War movie is neither triumphant nor pleasant, but instead a realistic and gut-wrenching depiction of combat and its effect on people. Truly unsettling and incredibly emotional, this Oscar winner is a tour de force.

Psychological Thriller - Seven (1995)

David Fincher made his mark on the world with Saven, his 1995 psychological thriller about a serial killer obsessed with the seven deadly sins and the two detectives assigned to stop the madness before it’s too late.

Buddy Action - Midnight Run (1988)

The ‘80s gave us all kinds of great buddy action movies, including Midnight Run, a hilarious and endearing cross-country affair about a down-on-his-luck cop-turned-bounty-hunter (played by Robert De Niro) trying to bring a mob accountant (played by Charles Grodin) to his court date. But things aren’t always as easy or clear as they seem.

Raunchy Comedy - Ted (2012)

There have been some great raunchy comedies over the years, with the likes of Porky’s and There’s Something About Mary quickly coming to mind. But one of the best options, especially for more modern audiences, is Ted, the 2012 comedy about a man (played by Mark Wahlberg) and his friendship with his childhood teddy bear (voiced by Seth MacFarlane). Though it sounds innocent, this wild comedy is anything but.

Silent Film - City Lights (1931)

If you’ve ever wanted to jump into the world of silent movies, Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights is going to be a great introduction. Released in 1931, this classic film follows Chaplin’s tramp as he falls in love with a blind flower girl and goes from there. Romance, drama, pratfalls, you name it, it’s all here.

Spoof Film - Airplane! (1980)

There has long been a tradition of spoof films in Hollywood, and no film does the format better than Airplane!. Released in 1980, this legendary comedy pokes fun at the disaster genre with outrageous jokes, scenarios, and so much more.

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself outshined by the villain. That’s how it goes, right? Or something like that. All jokes aside, there have been countless times over the years where villains have resonated so well with audiences we have forgotten about the heroes who’ve tried to vanquish them. But it’s hard to compete with the likes of the “Crown Prince of Crime,” a certain ice-cold assassin with a fondness for coins and bad haircuts, and vindictive and psychotic nurses.

From the best Marvel movies to a handful of Best Picture winners and so many others, here are 32 times the villain stole the show in a movie.

Hans Gruber (Die Hard)

Alan Rickman crushed his first major movie role as Hans Gruber in 1988’s Die Hard. Nothing against Bruce Willis’ John McClane, but there’s no denying the fact that Gruber immediately became one of those unforgettable villains we love to hate. The saying “It isn’t Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from Nataktomi Plaza” says it all.

Darth Vader (Star Wars)

Luke Skywalker is an iconic hero, Han Solo is the coolest scoundrel in the galaxy, and Princess Leia is divine, but we all know that Darth Vader sucks all the air out of the room whenever he’s on-screen in Star Wars. The presence, the physicality, and the powerful voice of the late James Earl Jones, all make Lord Vader one of the best villains of all time.

Erik Killmonger (Black Panther)

Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger is hands down one of the best Marvel villains, with only a couple of other foes topping him in the ranking. The intensity, emotion, and wow factor all go up whenever this long-lost son of Wakanda shows up in Black Panther. 

Colonel Hans Landa (Inglorious Basterds)

Quentin Tarantino pulled off the impossible when he gave the world Colonel Hans Landa, a maniacal yet charming Nazi played by Christoph Waltz in Inglorious Basterds. Seriously, the movie could have been two hours of Landa talking to people (which it pretty much was) and we still would have gone crazy for it. Almost feel bad liking the guy this much.

Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War)

Avengers: Infinity War, for all intents and purposes, is Thanos’ movie and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are just living in it. Rarely do movies allow the villain to take center stage like this, and the 2018 crossover event is better because of it.

Anton Chigurh (No Country For Old Men)

Anton Chigurh, Javier Bardem’s ice-cold killer from No Country for Old Men, is one of those movie villains we’ll be studying for years, if not decades, to come. Every time this assassin with a bad haircut and a unique set of skills comes on screen, you can feel a chill run down your spine.

Annie Wilkes (Misery)

One of the meanest ‘90s movie villains, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) from Misery steals the scene whenever she’s on screen in Rob Reiner’s 1990 Stephen King adaptation. A force of pure evil, this obsessive book fan will forever live in our hearts, even if she fills us with fear.

Terence Fletcher (Whiplash)

J.K. Simmons has played some great villains over the years (Oz fans know what we’re talking about), but even the neo-Nazi Vernon Schillinger couldn’t hold a candle to Terence Fletcher in Whiplash. The angry, petty, vindictive, and obsessive Julliard professor is a force to be reckoned with in this 2014 drama.

The Joker (The Dark Knight)

From the first time Heath Ledger’s Joker appears on screen in The Dark Knight, you know he’s going to be a villain to remember. The anarchy, the carnage, the changing stories about how he got his scars, all of it makes him someone we’ll never forget. 

The Terminator (The Terminator)

James Cameron gave the world one of the best sci-fi movies and all-time great villains when he unleashed The Terminator upon the world in 1984. And while Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) are heroes worth rooting for, we all know we want nothing more than to see Arnold Schwarzenegger’s titular cyborg show up with his one-liners and knack for killing folks.

Hannibal Lecter (The Silence Of The Lambs)

Hannibal Lecter, the role that won Anthony Hopkins an Academy Award, was only on screen in The Silence of the Lambs for 16 years, and he still stole the show. The cannibalistic prison inmate who helps Jodie Foster’s Clarice Starling in the most unorthodox and unsettling ways is still the most talked about part of the movie despite his limited screen time.

Nurse Ratched (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest)

Few nurses or medical professionals have instilled as much fear in the hearts of audiences as Nurse Ratched, Louise Fletcher’s manipulative and sadistic character from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Sure, we all love Jack Nicholson’s R.P. McMurphy, but Ratched stole the show.

Clarence Boddicker (Robocop)

Long before he was the wise-cracking Red Foreman on That ‘70s Show, Kurtwood Smith played the sensationally violent Clarence Boddicker in Robocop. The man who turned Peter Weller’s Alex Murphy into a crime-fighting cyborg had some wild moments throughout the movie, most of which we can’t really describe here.

Nino Brown (New Jack City)

Already on the rise thanks to Major League, Wesley Snipes became a massive star thanks to his portrayal of Nino Brown, the powerful drug lord in New Jack City. Nothing against Ice-T’s Scotty Appleton (who takes things personally), but Nino is in in a league of his own in this sprawling crime epic.

Bodhi (Point Break)

Though he could be considered an antihero we hate to love, Bodhi, Patrick Swayze’s surfing, skydiving, and bank-robbing character from Point Break is also an incredibly interesting villain. Both physical and spiritual, this three-dimensional adrenaline junkie is just so dang cool.

Regina George (Mean Girls)

Villains don’t have to be angry nurses or criminals with a high body count, and Regina George (Rachel McAdams) proved that in Mean Girls. The leader of the Plastics, a group she ran with an iron and pink fist, Regina was for sure one of the most vindictive antagonists of the 2000s and one we still love to hate.

Clubber Lang (Rocky III)

For the most part, the Rocky movies featured iconic and unique villains like Apollo Creed (before he turned good) and Ivan Drago, but Clubber Lang from Rocky III is in a league of his own. Mr. T’s formidable foe in the 1982 movie stole every scene and his presence could be felt even when he wasn’t on screen.

Catherine Tramell (Basic Instinct)

Being bad never looked as good as it did for Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone) in the 1992 erotic thriller, Basic Instinct. The crimes, the head games, the seduction, and the attitude make this femme fatale one of the best villains of all time.

Gordon Gekko (Wall Street)

Though there are some who still miss the message of Gordon Gekko’s “Greed is Good” speech from Wall Street, Michael Douglas’ powerful character is very much the villain in Oliver Stone’s 1987 drama. Poor Charlie Sheen didn’t stand a chance next to this guy.

The Wicked Witch Of The West (The Wizard Of Oz)

Margaret Hamilton’s portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz is one of those villainous performances that we’ll never forget. The way she could say things like “I’ll get you my pretty,” throw fireballs, and call on an army of flying monkeys is still frightening all these years later.

Norman Bates (Psycho)

One of the best slasher horror movies of all time, Psycho also features one of the genre’s great villains in Norman Bates. After his facade of a seemingly harmless albeit off-putting man with mommy issues fades away, we’re left with an unforgettable creep.

Cyrus The Virus (Con Air)

Nothing against Nicolas Cage, but Con Air is Cyrus the Virus’ movie. The way John Malkovich looks on screen with that shaved head and goatee makes him look like a cleanup hitter for the Houston Astros who went crazy and killed a bunch of folks after getting busted for steroids adds such a great dynamic to this iconic ‘90s action movie.

Luther (The Warriors)

Though he’s only in a handful of scenes, Luther, with his “Warriors, come out to play,” delivery, steals the show in this ‘70s classic. Would The Warriors be a good movie without him? Probably. But the leader of the Rogues makes it an all-timer.

Scar (The Lion King)

When it comes to Disney villains from the ‘90s, there are few that come close to the rightful king that is Scar. Voiced by Academy Award-winning actor Jeremy Irons, the brother of King Mufasa (James Earl Jones) takes villainy to a whole new level in The Lion King. Sure, he destroys the natural order of things, brings famine and drought to the Pride Lands, and gives his nephew one major guilt trip after killing his father, but that’s what makes him so iconic, right?

HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey)

You don’t have to be a human or even a living thing to make a good villain, and HAL 9000 proved that in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Voiced by Douglas Rain, this cold and calculated computer goes out of his way to make life miserable for the astronauts aboard the Discovery One spacecraft. What makes him even more menacing is that HAL is mostly depicted as a camera lens with a red dot in the middle.

Howard Payne (Speed)

Though Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock became massive stars following the 1994 release of Speed, it was impossible to be captivated by the maniacal and over-the-top performance of Dennis Hopper as Howard Payne. The cop-turned-bomber has a way about him that’s just so perfect in this landmark action flick. And if it weren’t for the iconic bus jump sequence, he’d probably be what we talk about the most.

Max Cady (Cape Fear)

Whenever we talk about the best Robert De Niro movies, it doesn’t take long for Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake of Cape Fear to enter the conversation. Max Caddy, one of the all-time great movie villains, steals every single scene in this tense revenge thriller, even when the ex-con with a bone to pick with his former defense attorney isn’t on screen. And the way he says “Counselor” when toying with Nick Nolte’s Sam Bowden is just perfect.

Count Orlok (Nosferatu)

Few movie characters have an impact on the viewer like Count Orlok, Max Schreck's vampire from the 1922 silent horror film, Nosferatu. The off-putting appearance, the eerie movements, and the unrelenting nature of the monster are all frightening more than a century after the controversial film was first released.

Joan Crawford (Mommie Dearest)

Frank Perry’s Mommie Dearest is one of the wildest and most terrifying biographical dramas ever made, and the based-on-a-true-story aspect of it makes Faye Dunaway’s portrayal of Joan Crawford even more terrifying. There’s a good chance more people know the “No wire hangers!” line than the movie itself, which says it all.

Agent Smith (The Matrix)

The way Hugo Weaving’s Agent Smith says “Mr. Anderson,” whenever he encounters Neo (Keanu Reeves) in The Matrix is so bone-chilling, so iconic, and so perfect, we just can’t get enough of it. One of the best sci-fi villains of all time, it’s hard to look away from this increasingly powerful computer program.

John Doe (Seven)

Though we don’t meet Kevin Spacey’s John Doe until the final act of Seven, his presence can be felt throughout David Fincher’s 1995 thriller. The nature of his crimes, especially during the movie’s twisted ending, tells us everything we need to know about the bitter, dangerous, and self-righteous killer.

Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare On Elm Street)

When it comes to the best horror movie icons, Freddy Krueger is in a league of his own. Robert Englund’s knife-handed killer from A Nightmare on Elm Street is equal parts terrifying and hilarious, so much so that we don’t really care who plays his victims (except for maybe Johnny Depp).