Here's the interesting thing about Leonardo DiCaprio's career - Your favorite movie of his is likely tied to when you were at your most impressionable. I'll explain.

For many, their hearts will always go on for his performance as Jack in Titanic. For other, later fans, it might be Inception, The Revenant, or Django Unchained when they first fell in love with Leo. But for me (and here's the weird thing), my favorite film of his came quite a bit later in my life.

That's because my favorite Leonardo DiCaprio movie is 2021's Don't Look Up. I know it's not the most conventional, or even the most beloved–we gave it a pretty low review at the time–pick for a favorite film of his, but I still love it, and here's why.

When Do We Ever Get To See DiCaprio Play A Bumbling Character This Far In His Career?

Leonardo DiCaprio has a pretty wide range. He played an individual with an intellectual disability in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, an ex-revolutionary in the recent One Battle After Another, a conniving stockbroker in The Wolf of Wall Street, and a dream thief in Inception. What range!

However, how often do we get to see a less-than-confident Leo playing a scientist? Not only that, but how often - nowadays, anyway - do we see a Leo who nobody takes seriously, even though he's one of the smartest people in the room? Let me tell you. As someone who has seen almost every single Leonardo DiCaprio movie (Celebrity has somehow escaped me), I can tell you that this is a Leo I haven't seen in any other film.

And I LIKE this Leo. Yes, the character lets celebrity (no pun intended) get to his head, and he's unfaithful to his wife, but this is such a different turn for DiCaprio that it's one that I kind of cherish.

Some of my all-time favorite performances of his come from Martin Scorsese films (namely Killers of the Flower Moon, where he plays another less-than-capable man), but this is still my favorite performance of his because it’s just so…goofy! Which brings me to my next point.

The Story Is A Comedy, But There's A Lot Of Truth To It

In our original review of the film, we noted that it’s a satire, and that satire “is really hard,” given the current state of things (and listen, I'll keep this article as apolitical as possible). Even so, there’s still a lot of truth to this comedy from 2021, especially now that A.I. has become such a major part of our lives. It’s to the point where we're no longer sure what we can trust, and now we might form opinions based on things that may not even be real.

In the film, Jennifer Lawrence's character, Kate Dibiasky, finds a comet heading toward Earth, and her advisor, Dr. Randall Mindy (DiCaprio), confirms that, yeah, we’re screwed. They try to warn people, going all the way up to the President, played by Meryl Streep, but everybody downplays the incoming doom, choosing rather not to look up at the comet (hence the title).

Now, even though the events that follow are funny (I think so, at least), there’s a lot of truth to the general population choosing to ignore the truth, since the truth can be scary. Though this post-pandemic film was more of a commentary on climate change, I think the same could apply to our current march toward A.I.

Humanity is on the brink of something that will likely change the world forever, and instead of heeding the warnings (I mean, entertainment has been trying to tell us what will happen if we give A.I. control for years), we're instead laughing at obviously fake videos of Pikachu in Star Wars. So, yeah, this movie is still relevant!

It's Also Got An All-Star Cast Outside Of DiCaprio

Would this film be as memorable without its all-star cast? Probably not, which is why I'm glad that it has it. Outside of the aforementioned DiCaprio, Lawrence, and Streep, it also stars Jonah Hill, Cate Blanchett, Timothee Chalamet, Tyler Perry, and so many more! I mean, Ariana Grande is in this movie because…well, why not? She plays a pop star in the film, so you know, fitting.

What’s great about this film is that all of the characters are willing to play doofuses, and they’re all really funny. I especially like Mark Rylance, who plays a mix of Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. He’s really spacey, and yet, the President thinks he has the best plans because he’s rich, which, again, I’m trying not to be political here, but I think he plays a character who doesn’t feel too far removed from people who might actually exist.

Plus, the great thing is that all of the actors have their moment to shine. Michael Chiklis is in the film as a host of a partisan political show, and it’s not the biggest role in the world, but he makes it count. The same goes for Kid Cudi, who becomes attached to Grande’s pop star character. It’s not a big part, but a memorable one.

They’re all, in fact, memorable, making this one of the better ensemble films that I can think of.

It Never Takes Itself Seriously, Unlike Most Of DiCaprio's Other Films

Do you know what Leonardo DiCaprio movie I want to like, but don’t? The Revenant. Yes, I know. It is the movie for which he won his Best Actor trophy, and I think Leo does an excellent job in it. That said, it’s just too hard to watch for me. I mean, there’s no levity whatsoever in the film, and barely any hope. For some films, I can take that, but for this one, I just feel like it’s too serious for its own good.

The same goes for Revolutionary Road. I mean, I actually do like that film, and quite a bit, but it’s just so dang serious. I much prefer tonally lighter fare for Leo, like Django Unchained (Yes, a movie about slavery), Catch Me If You Can, or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In other words, I like serious films that might not take themselves too seriously. That’s when I most enjoy Leo in.

Well, Don’t Look Up is full-on silly. The world is going to be obliterated, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes sense since Adam McKay of Step Brothers and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy fame directed it. But, unlike those aforementioned films, which are pure comedies, Don’t Look Up shares more in common with Vice or The Big Short in that it feels like it has something to say.

Which might be why it was up for film’s highest honor at the Academy Awards, which I’ll get into last.

It Got Nominated For Best Picture For A Reason!

Now, a lot of people may say that 2022 was one of the weaker years for the Academy Awards, and that’s fine. One of the weaker PTA films, Licorice Pizza (which I’ve come to now like), was up for Best Picture, and CODA, while a good film with lots of great inclusion, actually won Best Picture.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t as stacked a year as 2026 will likely be for contenders. Even so, Don’t Look Up was up for Best Picture, and I think it deserved the nom.

One, it’s funny. Two, it’s still topical. And three, it has a lot of great performances, making it my favorite Leonardo DiCaprio movie.

Some of the best movies of all time have, of course, won the Oscar for Best Picture. There are a whole bunch of movies that really had no business even being nominated, at least in my opinion. This list is full of movies that might not be terrible movies, but they don't deserve to be among the greatest ever recognized. Some of the movies on this list even won! So here I go, risking the wrath of the internet with my list of the worst movies nominated for Best Picture.

Vice (2018)

I think Vice got nominated because there are two really wonderful performances from Christian Bale as Dick Chaney and Sam Rockwell as George W. Bush. The movie, written and directed by Adam McKay, is actually a good movie, don't get me wrong, but Best Picture good? I'm not sure. Bush wasn't popular in Hollywood at the time, so it was also a political choice, in my opinion.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

This one is tough for me. I love Rami Malik's performance as Freddie Mercury, and he fully deserved his Best Actor Oscar. However, the history in the movie isn't exactly accurate, especially the end when the producers of the movie combined a number of events to tug on our heartstrings, but instead just made me mad. This one's on me.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is widely considered one of the worst nominees ever. I can't say I disagree. I remember being baffled when it was nominated, and all these years, I still am. I tried to rewatch it a couple of years ago to see if I was wrong, but I wasn't. It's not a movie I like, and I don't think I ever will.

The Greatest Show On Earth (1952)

The Greatest Show on Earth has all the ingredients to be a great movie. A great cast led by Charlton Heston and Jimmy Stewart. A legendary director in Cecil B. DeMille and a fascinating subject in P.T. Barnum. It just doesn't work, though. It feels like what should be a fun watch is actually a chore.

Doctor Dolittle (1967)

Kids movies aren't often nominated for Best Picture, so it's weird that, of all the enduring, wonderful, family-friendly movies to be nominated, it was Dr. Doolittle. It's a fun movie for kids, but it doesn't hold up as an adult, at all. It's too bad it's one of the only family flicks to ever get nominated for Best Picture.

The Blind Side (2009)

Even if you set aside all the revelations that have come out about the real history of Michael Oher and how it is vastly different from how it is portrayed in the movie (and the book the movie is based on). Sandra Bullock is great, as is the rest of the cast, but the movie feels more like a TV movie of the week than a Best Picture nominee.

Crash (2004)

Crash is quite possibly the most notorious and controversial Best Picture Winner in history. It's a fine movie, I guess, but it really never deserved a nomination, much less the win. There is talent in every corner of the movie, but somehow it just misses. I did really like it the first time I saw it, and so maybe the voters were like me. It hasn't held up, though. The fact that it beat out movies like Brokeback Mountain, Capote, and Munich makes it that much more confounding.

Cavalcade (1933)

Cavalcade is based on a wonderful play by Noel Coward, but the movie is... a far cry from the stage play. What's weirder for me is that I love the kinds of stories that bring in real historical events and how they might affect fictional characters, yet something about this movie simply doesn't work.

Babel (2006)

If I'm completely honest. 2006's Babel is completely confusing to me. It feels like one of those movies that feels smarter than it is, or is even trying to be. I add that I've only seen it once, and it probably deserves another chance. I'll have to change that, I think.

The Godfather Part III (1990)

The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are two of my favorite movies of all time, especially the first one. I don't hate The Godfather Part III, but I don't think it comes close to the first two, and I think it only took home an Oscar nomination because it concluded one of the greatest stories ever told on film with the rise and fall of Michael Corleone.

Cimarron (1931)

Despite Westerns being one of the most enduring and popular genres in Hollywood history, only four have ever won Best Picture. Unforgiven, No Country For Old Men, Dances With Wolves, and 1931's Cimarron. The first three on that list are stone-cold classics. Cimarron? Not so much. Partly this is because of the dated attitudes and light racism, but mostly, it's just not all that good, despite being a huge hit when it was released.

Chariots Of Fire (1981)

I know I'm not alone in getting frustrated with Chariots of Fire having won Best Picture in 1982, especially since it beat out Raiders of the Lost Ark. I have a theory that the movie is so loved, and was so loved at the time, because of the amazing score by early electronic artist Vangelis. It also won an Oscar, and that was well deserved.

Les Misérables (2012)

2012's Les Misérables, based on the legendary musical, is a great example of a good movie, but maybe not a great one. The performances are memorable, especially Hugh Jackman, but it's impossible not to compare to the stage version of the musical, which I love, and I'm always going to ding it for that. It's not fair, I know, but it's how I feel. Maybe one day I'll come around on this version.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

This, for me, is the easiest one to add to this list. I really don't care for the Avatar franchise. To be clear, I respect the work here, and the technology used to make them is transformative, but I can't get past the thin plot and the design of the creatures, even if they look really cool, they also come across as very silly to me. I hope James Cameron makes a bunch more, because they are worth the effort, they just aren't Best Picture worthy.

The Big Chill (1983)

This was another easy one for me to list here. I'm a member of Gen X, and this Baby Boomer nostalgia shlock drives me crazy. I do love the soundtrack, though. I wore that cassette out when I was a kid, and I still adore Motown because of it.

War Horse (2011)

There is no question that the Academy has never bestowed enough honor on Steven Spielberg. He is, without question, the best director of my lifetime. Even his weakest movies are usually very watchable. War Horse is the rare exception, and for some reason, it was nominated for Best Picture.

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

This is a prime example of great performances making the movie. Without the absolutely wonderful turns by Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy, Driving Miss Daisy would be completely forgotten these days. I do remember liking it at one time, but subsequent rewatches have left me feeling flat. It beat out a few great movies to win the Best Picture Oscar, too: Born On The Fourth Of July, Field of Dreams, Dead Poets Society, and My Left Foot

Ordinary People (1980)

Is Ordinary People better than Raging Bull? It beat out the Scorsese classic for Best Picture in 1981. It beat out Coal Miner's Daughter, too. It's not a bad movie by any means, it's just not good enough to compete with movies like the ones it triumphed over.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

This one is sure to cause some controversy, as I recognize that many people adore The Deer Hunter. I always think of podcaster John Roderick when he described watching a Russian Orthodox wedding "in real time" in this movie. It is just brutally long (and I like long movies). Add in the wild idea that Russian Roulette was ever a thing in Vietnam (it wasn't), and these days, The Deer Hunter just makes me mad.

The Accidental Tourist (1988)

First, I love that Geena Davis won an Oscar for Supporting Actress for her performance in The Accidental Tourist. It's just not that great of a movie otherwise. It was a cultural phenomenon when it was released, but these days, it's slow and, frankly, boring.

Chicago (2002)

I really want to like Chicago, but I just can't. I think it's because it'll always feel like a high school musical to me. That's not fair to anyone, especially the people who made this movie, but I'll never come around on it. Again, that's on me. It is what it is.

Emilia Pérez (2024)

Emilia Pérez might be a controversial choice for this list, but probably not as controversial as the movie was when it was released in 2024. I really didn't like this movie, but I had a lot of arguments over it with people whose opinions I respect, so maybe I'm wrong, but it's just not for me. It definitely wasn't one of the 10 best movies of the year.

Shakespeare In Love (1994)

Yet another easy one for me. Like others on the list, it's not a bad movie. But is it better than Saving Private Ryan? Pulp Fiction? The Shawshank Redemption? Quiz Show? Those were all released in 1994, and Shakespeare in Love beat them all at the Oscars. That's not the movie's fault, but facts are facts, and Shakespeare in Love was far from the best movie of that year.

Finding Neverland (2004)

I'm frankly shocked that Finding Neverland was a popular as it was, and that it's endured in that popularity by its many fans. It's not for me. Johnny Depp was my favorite actor at the time, so maybe I was too excited for this and felt let down, but I didn't connect with this movie at all.

Don't Look Up (2021)

I actually really like Don't Look Up, but I was really surprised that it was nominated for Best Picture. The performances are great, the script is snarky and dark (two things I love), and the movie is really well done. This is just a case of feel for me. It doesn't feel like a Best Picture nominee, though this was one of the hardest to include, for what that is worth.

Over the years, countless filmmakers have given us movies where almost no one makes it out alive (or no one at all). We’ve seen it in some of the best horror movies, a few Best Picture winners, and in oh so many crazy disaster films. There’s just something about the whole “safety not guaranteed” aspect that keeps drawing us in.

That said, if you want to check out 32 movies where almost no one makes it out alive, stick around because we’re about to break it all down…

Titanic (1997)

Rose DeWitte Bukater (Kate Winslet) and several historical figures who survived the real-life 1912 sinking survived Titanic, but the vast majority of the characters we met during James Cameron’s massive box office hit sank with the doomed ship. Only if the epic’s protagonist had saved some room for her third-class lover on the infamous door.

Scarface (1983)

As soon as Al Pacino’s Tony Montana was introduced in Scarface, we all knew this rags-to-riches story was going to end in a hail of gunfire. And it did just that, as the film’s antihero is massacred alongside most of his men in his massive Miami estate in the film’s explosive and bloody final scene. Tony wasn’t alone, as all but a few of the characters introduced in this iconic crime film bite the dust before it’s over.

Much like the book on which they are based, the various adaptations of All Quiet on the Western Front have all been dark, terrifying, and heartbreaking antiwar films that show the true cost of combat. Edward Berger’s 2022 take on Erich Maria Remarque’s landmark novel is particularly harrowing, especially in the final moments when a last-minute charge of death and destruction shatters hope and survival.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, one of the best movies in the franchise, is admittedly a little bleak with its depiction of a doomed band of spies trying to steal the plan for the Death Star, but there is some hope in their act of sacrifice. The blast of an operational battle station in the final moments is an awesome show of power and a dreadful end for characters we came to know and love.

The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter’s The Thing is a masterclass in tension and paranoia, with its story about a remote research base being taken over by a mysterious shape-shifting alien. If that wasn’t bad enough, the main characters begin getting picked off one by one as the survivors (it ends up only being two in the end) are left trying to make sense of the madness and not knowing if they can trust each other or themselves.

Night Of The Living Dead (1967)

George A. Romero put himself on the map in 1967 with the transformative zombie movie, Night of the Living Dead. On top of introducing heroes that go against the status quo in ‘60s Hollywood, the start of Romero’s legendary horror franchise ended with one of the bleakest moments in horror history.

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

It’s hard to say how many of the thieves from the ill-fated diamond heist in Reservoir Dogs make it out alive, but we know that the vast majority of the color-coded crew don’t make it out alive. Either at the hands of their former partners or the police chasing them down, these lowly criminals meet a violent yet unsurprising end in Quentin Tarantino’s directorial debut.

The Grey (2011)

Joe Carnahan’s 2011 survival thriller, The Grey, is honestly one of the most intense movies to come out in the 2010s. Starring Liam Neeson as a sharpshooter at an oil facility in Alaska, the movie follows the grieving man and a group of other roughnecks as they attempt to survive a plane crash in a remote part of the state. If that’s not bad enough, the wounded and weary men are targeted by a pack of hungry wolves.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Thanks to a clever and very impressive marketing campaign, The Blair Witch Project felt less like a found-footage horror movie and more like a documentary about a trio of filmmakers getting lost and dying in the woods. With one of the most shocking endings in horror history, this trailblazing 1999 movie left no one alive.

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1968)

Though we never see Paul Newman or Robert Redford’s characters die in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, it’s all but guaranteed that these two outlaws die in the final shootout. With figures like this, did anyone expect there to be survivors?

The Departed (2006)

Martin Scorsese’s 2006 crime epic is a remake of a Hong Kong movie called Internal Affairs, but it totally feels like a modern take on a Greek tragedy. Before this one comes to a close, all but a couple of the main characters are in the grave. Heroes, villains, and random characters in one or two scenes, they are all taken down in this Oscar-winning classic.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

A movie primarily set in one location, The Hateful Eight doesn’t hold back with the violence and mayhem. Quentin Tarantino’s 2015 Western introduces and kills characters at such a high rate of speed that you’ll find yourself pausing and rewinding to make sense of all the carnage.

The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

One of the best examples of a disaster film, The Poseidon Adventure follows a group of survivors as they attempt to escape a capsized cruise ship. Though there are thousands aboard the ship before a wave tips it over, only a handful of passengers and crew make it out of this race against time.

Dawn Of The Dead (1978)

George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead introduces some of the best zombie movie characters of all time, but going in, you know most are going to either die or turn into an undead ghoul. By the time everything is said and done, only two survivors make it out, which is far cheerier than what Romero originally had planned.

The Northman (2022)

Based on the ancient legend that inspired William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Robert Eggers’ 2022 epic revenge film, The Northman, is a bloody, violent, and mind-bending experience. And just like any tale of vengeance, it’s not one with a happy ending or a lot of survivors.

Alien (1979)

One of the best things about Ridley Scott’s Alien is how the crew of the Nostromo is picked off one by one by the mysterious and deadly xenomorph after each of the Weylan-Yutani employees is introduced and given time to shine on screen. In fact, it’s only Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley and Jones the cat who make it out alive.

Sunshine (2007)

Sunshine, an oft-forgotten collaboration by director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, follows eight astronauts as they try to reignite a dying sun. Though the movie does give you some hope that the core cast – Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Rose Byrne, and Michelle Yeoh – will survive the mission, it becomes clear that this is a one-way trip to save humanity.

Hereditary (2018)

Ari Aster’s Hereditary is one of the most traumatizing and terrifying horror movies of the past decade, and one that doesn’t leave a whole lot of survivors. In fact, pretty much the entire Graham family is killed in some bloody, fiery, or devastating fashion by the time this is over and done with.

Cloverfield (2008)

When it comes to disaster films with the largest body count, Cloverfield has to be up there on the list. Not only do all the main characters get squashed, eaten, mutated, or killed by the invading alien creatures, but pretty much all of New York City is wiped off the map once the military gets involved.

Don't Look Up (2021)

Don’t let Don’t Look Up’s darkly comedic tone fool you; the 2021 Netflix satirical end-of-the-world disaster film is full of death, destruction, and heartbreak. Even as the members of the ruling class learn centuries after the destruction of Earth, there’s no escaping death.

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is one of the funniest satirical dark comedies of all time. It’s also a political movie with a whole lot of death, especially with the whole ending sequence of atomic warheads detonating around the world, sending what survivors are left into a nuclear winter of epic proportions.

The Alamo (2004)

Before even pressing play on The Alamo back in 2004, we all knew how John Lee Hancock’s historical drama was going to end. One of the most told stories in American history, the Battle of the Alamo in the Texas Revolution, has become the stuff of legends (just don’t ask about the basement). Some 200 Texans, including Davy Crockett (Billy Bob Thornton), Jim Bowie (Jason Patric), and Bill Travis (Patrick Wilson), sacrifice themselves for freedom in this epic.

300 (2007)

Few movies kill off the main character like 300, which sees Gerard Butler’s King Leonidas (and his Spartan soldiers) go out looking awesome. Yeah, it’s sad to see these brave warriors get defeated by the Persian army, but it took A LOT to bring down this king.

The Return Of The Living Dead (1985)

The Return of the Living Dead has to be one of the best horror comedies of all time, as well as a movie that doesn’t end on the happiest of notes. After a zombie outbreak turns Louisville, Kentucky, into a wasteland of brain-eating ghouls, the military gets involved in an attempt to sweep it all under the rug.

Knowing (2009)

Blending elements of sci-fi, thrillers, and disaster films, the 2009 Nicolas Cage movie, Knowing, centers on the discovery of a manuscript that can help predict various disasters in the future. Those familiar with this setup know that survival isn’t likely in this scenario, and that’s what happens when a solar flare turns everyone on the planet into ash.

The Cabin In The Woods (2012)

The Cabin in the Woods is one of the wildest, silliest, and most unique horror movies of the 21st century, and one that kills a lot of people. One by one, a group of college students is killed off by different monsters as they unknowingly become part of a plan to save the world from old gods.

Open Water (2003)

Inspired by true events, Open Water follows a couple as they are mistakenly left behind while scuba diving on vacation. Left alone in shark-infested waters and deteriorating conditions, the couple attempts to survive the situation, which is no easy task.

Silent Night (2021)

Camille Griffin’s Silent Night is one of the funniest, strangest, most brutally honest, and unsettling dark comedies of the past decade. When a deadly fog rolls into England and offers no chance at survival, a group of friends decides to have one final holiday party before dying. But there’s a twist…

Final Destination 5 (2011)

Like its predecessors, Final Destination 5 is a movie about cheating death and what happens if you evade the grim reaper’s touch. Well, in this 2011 installment, a group of survivors think they’ve cheated death for good when they board a plane. However, it’s not just any plane but instead the doomed flight from the first movie.

Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World (2012)

With a title like Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, it should be no surprise that this 2012 romantic comedy starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley was going to end with everyone dying. Despite the obvious ending, this charming little movie has a whole lot of heart and soul.

Melancholia (2011)

There are disaster movies and then there’s Melancholia, Lars von Trier’s 2011 drama about two sisters coming to terms with their lives and past decisions days, hours, and minutes before a planet crashes into Earth. With a heavy focus on the inner and more psychological aspects of impending doom, opposed to the collapse of society outside their picturesque escape, this frightening yet awe-inspiring meditation on life and death is a sight to see.

This Is The End (2013)

This is the End, an over-the-top end-of-the-world disaster film starring Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and some of the biggest comedians of the late 2000s and early 2010s, is an absolute bonkers movie. Going in, you know everyone and their mother is going to die. But it’s what comes after death in this one that’s so much fun.

There is a famous saying that claims, “Comedy is tragedy plus time,” and it appears that some artists like to put an extra emphasis on the more tragic element of that equation. Some of the all-time funniest movies and best TV sitcoms boast a plot that would normally be found in a serious drama if it were not for their more absurd or quirky tones. Hopefully, you have never felt too guilty for laughing at any of these darkly humorous classics of the big and small screen.

Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964)

A film by Stanley Kubrick about a group of politicians and military personnel desperately struggling to find a solution to an imminent nuclear catastrophe sounds like an intense thriller. In truth, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, based on author Peter George's Red Alert, is a blistering, gut-busting satire, brilliantly led by Peter Sellers in three distinct roles.

Barry (2018–2023)

Just about the best thing starring former Saturday Night Live actor Bill Hader, which he also co-created with Alec Berg, is Barry, which follows a hitman struggling to put his past behind him when he takes up an interest in acting. The HBO series starts off as a clever comedy with effective moments of intense drama before slowly evolving into an intense drama with moments of clever comedy.

The Hangover (2009)

Most films set in Las Vegas, no matter the genre, fixate on the more glamorous aspects of the Entertainment Capital of the World, but not The Hangover. As seen through the eyes of three groomsmen (played by Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis) desperate to find the groom (played by Justin Bartha) after a bachelor party they can't remember, Todd Phillips' hilariously unhinged blockbuster boldly embraces the "sin" in Sin City.

Beef (2023)

Road rage is already nothing to joke about, but even an incident that small can evolve into a conflict of uproariously disastrous proportions. This is demonstrated brilliantly in Netflix's Emmy-winning A24-produced TV show, Beef, starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong as two sides of a feud that slowly spirals out of control.

After Hours (1985)

Martin Scorsese is most definitely not a filmmaker who is commonly associated with comedy, but he has a few funny flicks on his resume, such as After Hours. The relatively overlooked '80s movie, in which an unassuming New Yorker (played by Griffin Dunne) becomes embroiled in a series of dangerous situations over the course of one night, actually does sound like an on-brand effort for the Goodfellas director based purely on its plot description.

BoJack Horseman (2014–2020)

BoJack Horseman is one of Netflix's darkest original series, depicting the life of a self-destructive, narcissistic, washed-up actor and the negative effect he has on the people he encounters. The series might not be as funny if it were not animated and the title character (voiced by Will Arnett) was not an anthropomorphic horse.

Evil Dead II (1987)

Even on a shoestring budget, writer and director Sam Raimi achieved "the ultimate experience in grueling terror" with the first installment of his Evil Dead movies. However, the second chapter, following Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) and his fight against possessive spirits, is one of cinema's most perfect blends of horror with comedy of a most nonsensically cartoonish degree.

Rick And Morty (2013–present)

The fate of the world, and even other worlds, often rests in the hands of the titular duo from Rick and Morty: an alcoholic scientist and his anxious teenage grandson. In fact, even some of the bizarre situations they find themselves in, while undeniably threatening, are pretty ridiculous, such as when an alien race challenged Earth to an intergalactic singing competition in one of the best Rick and Morty episodes, "Get Schwifty."

In Bruges (2008)

In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two Irish hitmen who are forced to take a holiday in a mundane Belgian vacation spot after a job goes horribly wrong. Only a storyteller with a sense of humor as bleak as writer and director Martin McDonagh could construct such a witty romp out of an increasingly dark plot such as this.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005-Present)

Perhaps the most definitive example of cringeworthy comedy on television is FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The dim-witted gang of bar owners (played by Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito) often get themselves into situations that are certainly infantile, but also deeply hazardous.

Fargo (1996)

In retrospect, it's a good thing Joel and Ethan Coen's Oscar-winning satirization of midwestern culture, Fargo, is not based on fact, as they claimed, because audiences might feel guilty for laughing at a story of an insurance scheme gone violently awry. Creator Noah Hawley's spin-off series would honor that same tone by telling new, seasonal stories set in similar rural locations and with the same quirky tone.

Succession (2018–2023)

Sibling rivalry of even the most immature kind can last long into adulthood. Exhibit A: the Roy Family from HBO's Succession, a wealthy patriarch (played by Brian Cox) suffers a stroke that sparks a war over his corporate empire between his three youngest children.

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

The life of a vampire, which involves committing murder to satisfy their insatiable bloodlust, is a horrifying concept. However, the beloved horror-comedy movie What We Do In the Shadows (which begat an equally hilarious spin-off series on FX) offers a documentary-style glimpse into that sort of existence that is somewhat relatable and even charmingly funny.

Only Murders In The Building (2021-Present)

A TV show about two elderly men and a young woman teaming up to produce a podcast documenting their investigations of mysterious deaths that occur in their New York apartment complex does not sound very funny. However, with Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez in the lead roles and scripts boasting a razor-sharp wit, Only Murders in the Building is a comical delight.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Anyone familiar with the work of Martin McDonagh should have been able to expect that Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri would not hold back on its heartbreaking material. However, the story of a grieving mother (played by Frances McDormand) at odds with local law enforcement regarding her teenage daughter's unsolved murder, creates a light aura of false security early on with its bold use of humor.

Killing Eve (2018–2022)

Creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Killing Eve is a wildly acclaimed series chronicling the intense cat-and-mouse game between a spy (played by Sandra Oh) and a skilled assassin (played by Jodie Comer). The thriller is renowned for its unique blend of high-wire suspense with absurdism.

Death At A Funeral (2007)

In director Frank Oz's English comedy, Death at a Funeral, anything that could go wrong at a gathering for a deceased loved one does go wrong, and then some. Daniel (Matthew McFadyen) deals with issues that include the wrong body being delivered to his childhood home, a guest going berserk after unwittingly taking a hallucinogen, and a stranger (played by Peter Dinklage) appearing to reveal a secret about his father's past.

Shameless (2011–2021)

One of the best American TV shows based on a U.K. series is the hit Showtime original, Shameless. Developed by John Wells, the series follows the Gallaghers – a large family from Chicago facing extreme poverty and other various, debilitating struggles, with little to no help from their patriarch (played by William H. Macy).

The Menu (2022)

At first glance, The Menu seems like the kind of delicious food movie that fine dining enthusiasts could get a nice laugh out of. Indeed, director Mark Mylod's acclaimed hit starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult is funny, but Ralph Fiennes' Chef Slowik has something planned for his carefully selected guests that proves to be truly "to die for."

Weeds (2005-2012)

Mary Louise Parker received three Emmy nominations for her performance on creator Jenji Kohan's dramedy, Weeds, as a widowed suburban mother who relies on drug dealing to make ends meet. It is easy to understand why Vince Gilligan was accused of ripping off the Showtime original when he proposed the idea for Breaking Bad (which he revealed at the Paley Center for Media), but anyone would agree that this show is much funnier.

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Save a few notably fanciful moments (especially at the end), Beau is Afraid is regarded as a relatively authentic representation of what it is like to live with anxiety. Writer and director Ari Aster – known for his more earnest A24 horror movies, Hereditary and Midsommar – achieves this feeling by exaggerating every inconvenience our eponymous hero (played by Joaquin Phoenix) faces to the most absurd degree.

Bad Monkey (2024-Present)

How do you make a complex murder mystery funny? Well, for one, Carl Hiaasen's 2013 novel that inspired the Apple TV+ original series, Bad Monkey, already boasted a satirical tone. However, Vince Vaughn's performance as the hero, sarcastic former detective Andrew Yancy, especially brings the humor to the surface.

Don't Look Up (2021)

Former SNL writer and Anchorman director Adam McKay started to gain newfound respect with his humorous approach to more earnest topics in Oscar-winning movies The Big Short and Vice. He would follow those with an even darker satire, Don't Look Up, in which two astronomers (played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) struggle to warn humanity about Earth's impending doom.

After Life (2019-2022)

Creator Ricky Gervais stars in the Netflix comedy series After Life as a man grieving his wife's death, but does nothing to make the process any easier for him. Tony goes as far as adopting an off-putting, devil-may-care attitude to push away anyone who offers solace or assistance.

The Death Of Stalin (2017)

Some of the best movies about politics offer a farcical take on even the darkest days in history. Case in point, Armando Iannucci's star-studded satire, The Death of Stalin, which is a hilarious and surprisingly accurate depiction of the aftermath of the notorious Soviet dictator's demise. Though some liberties are taken with the actual history.

Santa Clarita Diet (2017-2019)

Not every TV show about zombies needs to be as stone-cold serious as The Walking Dead, especially if you change the rules of reanimation, like in Santa Clarita Diet. The unfairly cancelled Netflix original series stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as married real estate agents forced to turn to murder when Barrymore's role mysteriously becomes a walking corpse who thrives on raw human flesh.

World's Greatest Dad (2009)

Robin Williams stars in writer and director Bobcat Goldthwait's pitch black comedy, World's Greatest Dad, as dissatisfied teacher Lance, who begins to attract overwhelming attention following the news that his teenage son, Kyle (Daryl Sabara), has taken his own life. However, in truth, the insufferably rude Kyle's death was an accident of embarrassing proportions, which Lance has covered up with a phony suicide note in order to take advantage of the subsequent fame.

Dead To Me (2019–2022)

The phrase "misery loves company" serves as the essential hook for creator Liz Feldman's darkly comic Netflix original TV show, Dead To Me. Christina Applegate stars as the recently widowed Jen Harding, who crosses paths with the also grieving Judy Hale (Linda Cardellini). What starts off as the friendly bond that each of them desperately needs son evolves into a complicated grouping that sparks trouble for both.

Burn After Reading (2008)

One of the Coen Brothers' most overlooked dark comedies is Burn After Reading, which imagines what happens when investigative intelligence crosses paths with a severe lack of intelligence. It follows a pair of gym employees (played by Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt) who find a disc holding classified information left by a retired CIA agent and attempt to profit from the discovery.

Search Party (2016-2022)

Search Party stars Alia Shawkat as a young woman who decides to take it upon herself to find her missing past acquaintance. Of course, bizarre hijinks ensue, causing it to evolve into a far crazier situation for her and her friends over time.

Better Off Dead (1985)

One of John Cusack's earliest romantic comedies boasts a premise that would be a challenge to get made in modern times. He stars in the coming-of-age film as a young man who repeatedly tries and fails to take his own life.

Sweetpea (2024)

Ella Purnell earns laughs and screams leading the Starz original series, Sweetpea, as a lonely young woman who adopts a penchant for murder.

The smartest people in the world are often featured in film, sometimes they are real, and sometimes fictional. They don't always have anything in common, either, other than being geniuses. One might be a math wizard, another a musician who hears music no one else could conceive of. Here is our list of people like that, the smartest people in movies.

The Theory Of Everything

It's impossible to have a list like this and not include The Theory Of Everything, a movie about the man, Stephen Hawking, who was considered the smartest man in the world for decades. Eddie Redmayne's award-winning performance as the physics genius is incredible and the movie makes some complicated science actually fun.  

The Big Short

Author Michael Lewis has an uncanny knack for making complicated subjects easily understandable to laypeople. The Big Short is based on one of his best books and breaks down what caused the financial meltdown in 2008/2009 in a way that everyone gets. Margot Robbie explaining it in a bathtub is a nice touch. It also features some really smart, neurodivergent characters based on the real people who saw the crash coming. 

Hidden Figures

Tragically, it took nearly 60 years to tell the story of Katherine Goble Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe). These "hidden figures" were a major force within the US Space Program in its earliest days and their math skills put everyone else to shame. The shame they brought to the program for its racial and gender segregation was even more important. 

A Beautiful Mind

The smartest guys in the room are often neurodivergent or suffer from mental health issues. A Beautiful Mind is one of the best examples of how an incredibly brilliant person, in this case mathematician John Nash (Russell Crowe) deals with schizophrenia while revolutionizing mathematics in this true story. 

Good Will Hunting

Will Hunting wasn't a real person, but he was smarter than everyone else around him. Good Will Hunting won Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Oscars for their wonderful script about a kid from South Boston who is shy about his incredible intelligence but has no patience for people who dismiss him because of his working-class roots. 

Don't Look Up

Adam McKay's apocalyptic satire Don't Look Up was a big streaming hit featuring two of the biggest stars around, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two of the world's foremost astronomers desperately trying to tell the world about impending destruction from above. No one is listening. 

The Social Network

Some people may disagree on whether Mark Zuckerberg is a genius, especially after watching The Social Network. Sure he may have borrowed the idea for Facebook from the Winklevoss twins, but he still built the company that turned into the behemoth we know all too well today. 

Real Genius

it's one of Val Kilmer's earliest roles is still one of his very best. Real Genius is a true cult classic these days and for good reason. It's really, really funny. It's aged much better than the other movie about nerds from that era as well, Revenge of the Nerds. 

American Fiction

A truly brilliant writer on the big screen is as rare as hen's teeth, but Thelonious "Monk" Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) in American Fiction clearly qualifies. He's the smartest guy in every room he's in, except maybe with his family, who are every bit as smart as he is. 

Sherlock Holmes

There is no detective, fictional or otherwise, as smart as Sherlock Holmes. In some ways, every TV and movie detective is based on the Holmes archetype. His insights and pure genius are what makes him so loveable yet annoying at the same time. There are plenty of great versions of him in pop culture as well, with Robert Downey Jr's version ranking among the best of them. 

Ex Machina

Like it or not, the tech bros are defining a lot of nerd culture. Oscar Isaac's character, Nathan Bateman, in Ex Machina, a movie that should have been nominated for Best Picture, but wasn't,  is pretty much the epitome of the modern tech bro, Love him or hate him, he's clearly supposed to be one of the smartest guys in any room he's in. 

The Imitation Game

Alan Turing is a tragic character in history, but there's no questioning just how brilliant he was or how influential his work has been. The Imitation Game finally brought his amazing, sad, and inspiring story to the masses and Benedict Cumberbatch's performance as the troubled genius entranced us all. 

Oppenheimer

Pound for pound, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer just might have the most brilliant people in one movie ever made. And all of them were real people. The scale of the Manhattan Project could only be told in a movie with the scale of Nolan's Best Picture winner. 

Stand And Deliver

Genius doesn't always hail from the hallowed halls of Ivy League universities or big-time board rooms. Sometimes they are just amazing high school teachers like Jaime Escalante, a math teacher in a disadvantaged high school in East LA. Escalante's story, brought to life on screen in Stand and Deliver, starring Edward James Olmos, is one of the most inspiring movies of the 1980s. 

Contact

Long before we had Neil deGrasse Tyson to explain to us mere mortals how the cosmos works, we had Carl Sagan. Contact, based on a novel by Sagan, tells the fictional story of Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) and her discovery of life outside our solar system. 

Limitless

Just like sports, sometimes genius comes from some performance enhancers. Well, at least, that's how it works in Limitless, starring Bradley Cooper as a regular who is transformed into the smartest guy in the world with a drug called NZT. Sure, it's a fictional story and nothing like that exists, but it makes for a really fun movie and some jealousy over what the drug can do. 

Proof

Sadly, genius and mental illness often go hand-in-hand, especially on film. Proof is as much about the latter as it is about the former. Gwyneth Paltrow stars alongside Jake Gyllenhaal as a brilliant mathematician living in the shadow of her even more brilliant late father who struggled with mental illness, something she fears could affect her as well. 

Idiocracy

The geniuses in Idiocracy aren't really geniuses at all. They are just the smartest people on earth in a future where the whole world has gotten really, really stupid. Mike Judge's brilliant, yet somewhat terrifying, vision of the future is something we desperately need to avoid at all costs! It's a brilliant movie about stupid people. 

Moneyball

Every baseball fan knows just how much Sabermetrics has taken over the sport, for better and for worse.  It really all started with Billy Bean, played by Brad Pitt, who leads a brilliant cast in Moneyball, the general manager for the Oakland A's whose story was told first in the book, then in the movie of the same name. There are a lot of really smart people in the movie, though how much better they made baseball in the end is debatable. 

Amadeus

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a towering figure in the history of music. His genius is undisputed and when he was brought to life on screen in Amadeus, the whole world got to see at least one version of the composer. Sure, there are a lot of artistic liberties taken by director Milos Foreman, but the movie isn't shy about showing just how brilliant Mozart was in this amazing biopic. 

The Martian

It turns out Matt Damon is pretty good at playing smart guys. In Ridley Scott's 2015 film The Martian, Damon plays a Mars explorer left for dead after an accident on the Red Planet. With no one around to help, he figures out how to feed himself, make contact with his colleagues, and finally escape certain death on the inhospitable planet. 

Rope

It is possible to be too smart for your own good, or at least think you're smarter than you really are. The characters in Alfred Hitchcock's Rope are one or the other, the viewer has to decide. Loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb murder of the 1920s, two smart college kids try to get away with the perfect murder. 

Pi

There is a fine line between genius and madness, and Darren Aronofsky's first film, Pi, explores that to great depths. It's not an easy movie to watch, both due to its subject matter and its filming techniques, but like the characters in the movie, it's a brilliant film. 

Searching For Bobby Fischer

Chess masters are often thought of as the smartest guys in the room because the complex game is so hard for most people to master. The level of skill on display in Searching For Bobby Fischer is a great example of just how competitive these geniuses can be when it comes to one of the hardest games in the world to conquer. 

Finding Forrester

In Finding Forrester, Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown) is mentored by a brilliant, but reclusive writer played by Sean Connery. The movie shares a lot in common with Good Will Hunting as Wallace is doubted by the elite at every turn, but comes out triumphant in the end. 

WarGames

It's pretty easy to point out the ridiculousness of a high school kid played by Matthew Broderick somehow taking over the nuclear response protocols of the United States during the Cold War, but that isn't really fair to do with WarGames. Broderick plays high school student David Lightman who unwittingly almost starts World War III after he plays a computer game. It turns out he's also the only one smart enough to figure out how to stop it. 

Little Man Tate

You never really know where genius will come from. Sometimes it comes from the most average of places, as portrayed in Little Man Tate. Fred Tate (Adam Hann-Byrd) is a childhood prodigy being raised by a normal working-class mother played by Jodie Foster. He's brilliant in school and seemingly a musical genius. All of this means, of course, that he is ostracized by the other kids in school and the movie highlights just how hard it can be for kids like Fred. 

Steve Jobs

Like a lot of tech billionaires, calling Steve Jobs a genius is sure to rankle some folks. That's okay, but no one can deny just how successful he was in building one of the largest computer companies in the world. In the movie Steve Jobs, the Apple co-founder is played by Michael Fassbender and while it's definitely a loving look at the techie's life, it does show the downside as well. 

Powder

Powder is far from a perfect movie, to say nothing about its very controversial director, Victor Salva. Still, it absolutely deserves a spot on any list of the smartest guys in the room. The main character, Powder, played by Sean Patrick Flanery, is not only the smartest person, possibly on earth, but that intelligence comes with supernatural powers as well, truly unlocking the mind's full potential or something. Yeah, it's not perfect. 

Revenge Of The Nerds

We'll just get this out of the way off the top with this entry: Revenge of the Nerds is one of the most problematic movies of the 1980s. There are a lot of reasons why they aren't worth going into here, except to say they are not trivial. But, it's also a movie about a bunch of really smart nerds who take on the jocks in that classic battle as old as time immemorial.  

Iron Man

Yeah, yeah, how can a comic movie be on this list, you're probably asking yourself. Well, because at least in the MCU, Tony Stark is absolutely stone-cold genius. you can argue that he's not, the guy invented the Iron Man suit in a cave in the desert! Who else could do that? Frankly, it's good that the MCU isn't just about superpowers gifted by the gods or freak scientific accidents. Sometimes it just takes a really smart person to be a superhero. 

Arrival

Denis Villeneuve's underrated Arrival tackles a problem that will surely come into play if and when contact is ever made with extraterrestrials. How will we communicate? It'll take a genius to figure that out and in Arrival, that genius is linguist Louise Banks, played by Amy Adams. She's a different kind of genius than almost all the others on this list, but she qualifies just as much. 

Politics have proven to be fertile ground for storytelling on film. Whether it's true stories like All The President's Men. fictional ones like The Ides Of March, or even a mixture of both, like Primary Colors, stories about politics are ultimately among the most human of stories. We see all our aspirations and all of our flaws in them, like those on this list of great political movies. 

All The President's Men

Watergate and the investigative reporting by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein for the Washington Post changed American politics forever. Not only did it lead directly to the downfall of Richard Nixon, but it changed the way journalists reported on politicians completely. All The President's Men is a fast-paced look at that investigation starring Robert Redford as Woodward and Dustin Hoffman as Bernstein. It's one of the best ever. 

The American President

As compared to some of the other movies on this list, The American President is pretty light fare. The Rob Reiner-directed political rom-com, written by Aaron Sorkin and starring Annette Benning and Michael Douglas as the titular president is about the two main characters falling in love, but there is plenty of politics going on in the background to satisfy any political junkie. It also Sorkin to develop The West Wing, so for that we should be forever grateful. 

Wag The Dog

Black comedy is a tough thing to pull off well, but Wag the Dog does it brilliantly. The way it makes the creation of a fake war to build support behind a political candidate is disturbing, but Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro are so great at it, and so charming, that you can't help but laugh at the ridiculousness, just as the creative team behind the movie hoped. 

Don't Look Up

Politics and science are too often at odds with each other. There are a lot of reasons why that happens, and Don't Look Up, from 2021 shows just how hard it can be for the public to focus on anything not directly affecting them at the moment. Even when that is a comet coming to wipe out the world. It also shows how some people still try to exploit even the worst potential tragedies. For a comedy, it's pretty depressing. 

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

Jimmy Stewart's performance as Jefferson Smith in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington is everything we want in our politicians, but so rarely get. While Mr. Smith is supposed to be a stooge appointed to the Senate to be manipulated, he turns the tides on everyone and makes us all proud to be Americans. The country needs more Mr. Smiths. 

The Darkest Hour

2017 was the year of telling stories about the Dunkirk evacuation early in World War II. While Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk told the story of the actual evacuation, The Darkest Hour shows the political wrangling behind it and Winston Churchill's rise to power as a result. They aren't exactly twin movies, but they are great to watch together as a double feature. 

The Post

The publishing of The Pentagon Papers by the Washington Post and the New York Times in 1971 was a landmark moment in journalism. It was also a watershed moment in the Vietnam War, as it was truly the moment that the entire public lost faith in its political leaders. The Post tells the story from the perspective of the journalists and the Washington Post leaders and features excellent performances from two of the best ever, Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. 

Frost/Nixon

Richard Nixon is one of the most enigmatic and interesting men to ever be president. He was brilliant, to be sure, but his paranoia and ego ruined his legacy forever. Frost/Nixon, which was based on a play by the same name, tells the story of a series of interviews that British journalist David Frost conducted with Nixon a few years after the president's resignation in the wake of Watergate. It's a brilliantly written movie and features all-star performances by Michael Sheen as Frost and Frank Langella as Nixon.

Charlie Wilson's War

One thing about politics that makes it so intriguing as a storytelling device is the amount of access politicians have to glamorous high society and, on the other side of the spectrum, the world of spying. Charlie Wilson's War brings that all together and features some knockout performances by Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Julia Roberts. 

The Death Of Stalin

The Death Of Stalin is a brilliant and underappreciated film. You might guess that a dark comedy based on the death of Joseph Stalin and the scramble to fill his spot at the. top of the Soviet Union wouldn't be historically accurate, but not only is it really funny, it's surprisingly accurate as well. 

Being There

Comedic legend Peter Sellers left us too soon when he died at just age 54 in 1980. Luckily, he gave us one last legendary performance as Chance the gardener - or, later "Chauncey Gardiner" in Being There. It's the perfect role for the brilliant Sellers, playing an undereducated rube who accidentally finds himself in the middle of big-time Washington DC politics. 

Primary Colors

In one of his finest performances John Travolta plays Bill Clinton...er...Jack Stanton in Primary Colors. Based on a semi-true book by Joe Klein about Bill Clinton's '92 campaign, Travolta is fantastic as the Clinton-esque Stanton. 

Dave

Believe it or not, Dave is not the first time a movie was made in the era about a lookalike taking the spot of a recently deceased president. Richard Dreyfus made a very similarly plotted movie called Moon Over Parador about five years before Kevin Kline starred in Dave. Both are great movies, but Dave is about the American president, so that gets the spot here. 

The Manchurian Candidate

Frank Sinatra starred in a lot of movies over the years, but The Manchurian Candidate is probably his best role and his best movie. The plot revolves around an army sergeant played by Laurence Harvey and an army major, played by Sinatra, who are captured by the Chinese army during the Korean War. Harvey is a changed man, but we won't spoil it for it, except to say it's worth watching. 

Bulworth

Warren Beatty wrote, directed, and starred in Bulworth which is a highly underrated political satire that remains scarily relevant even more than 25 years after its release. It's a commentary on money in politics and what candidates must do to raise enough to be re-elected. 

The Ides of March

The Ides of March is an old-fashion political drama, released in 2011. It's about a messy campaign in more ways the one, with a love triangle in the middle of it. It seems to fly under a lot of people's radar, but if you like written and well-acted political movies, this one deserves to be high on your list of movies to watch. 

City Hall

City Hall was a big deal when it came out in 1996. Al Pacino stars as the compromised mayor of New York City with John Cusack playing his idealistic, and yet extremely realistic aide. It's a far from perfect movie, but it's a rare example of a movie looking at politics, and the corruption in politics on a local level. 

Path To War

Michael Gambon, who plays Lyndon Johnson in Path To Way is, frankly, brilliant in the role. In a movie all about the horrible decisions made in the escalation of the Vietnam War, audiences can see the pain on the president's face as he grapples with the war and the consequences on the people and his true agenda as president. 

Vice

We mostly left movies off that are more or less biopics, rather than political movies. One of the exceptions is Vice because it's really about the political maneuvering Dick Cheney did to land his role as vice president in the George W. Bush administration. It's also impossible to leave off a movie with a performance as amazing as Christian Bale's as the former VP. 

The Candidate

Robert Redford stars in The Candidate, which is kind of everything we wish politics would be, but isn't. It's like The West Wing of movies. It's idealistic and hopeful, something real-life politics rarely is. 

Milk

Harvey Milk was a trailblazer in the fight for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in America. He was one of the first openly gay men elected to public office when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1978. Tragically, he wouldn't even finish out the first year of his term after being assassinated later in the year. Milk, starring Sean Penn as the titular character, brings Milk's tragic and inspiring story to life. 

Good Night, And Good Luck

Good Night, And Good Luck is really a movie about mass media's role in the public sector in America.  The "fourth estate" as it is often referred to. Edward R. Murrow's public battle with Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare in the 1950s is at the heart of this movie and tells the story brilliantly, highlighting just how important an open and free press really is. 

Network

All you need to know about how Network connects to politics is to watch Ned Beatty's brilliant speech in the movie. "There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM and ITT and AT&T and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and Exxon. Those are the nations of the world today," he bellows. 50 years later, and it still feels all too familiar. 

The Trial Of The Chicago 7

The Trial Of The Chicago 7 is as much a courtroom drama as it is a political one, but politics are at the very heart of the trial, especially the treatment of Bobby Seale, which is a big part of the film.  

The Distinguished Gentleman

The Distinguished Gentleman comes towards the end of Eddie Murphy's golden era that launched his career. It's not as good as Beverly Hills Cop, or Trading Places, but it's not all that terrible either. It's got some very funny moments and Murphy is as charming as ever as a con man-turned congressman. 

JFK

There are quite a few historical problems with JFK, but that doesn't make it a bad movie. You just have to know what you are getting into. The all-star cast carries the far-fetched story, so while it's not an historically accurate film, it is an exciting one. 

Dark Waters

For decades, starting in the late 20th Century, Ohio attorney Robert Bilott has been suing DuPont for chemicals in the environment. In 2019 director Todd Haynes brought his story to the big screen with Mark Ruffalo playing the lawyer. It's an intense movie, filled with great performances, about how one brave man can take on one of the most powerful corporations in the world. 

Fair Game

The Valerie Plame scandal rocked Washington DC in 2003 when Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, Scooter Libby, and others, leaked her identity as a CIA officer to the press. Libby was eventually convicted of lying to investigators but pardoned in the last days of the Bush administration. The movie highlights how she and her husband dealt with the leak and how it affected their lives. 

Thirteen Days

Another movie on the list that plays a little loose with the historical facts is Thirteen Days about John F. Kennedy's handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The facts of the crisis are correct, and the decision-making process is accurate, but the main character of the movie, Kenneth O'Donnell, played by Kevin Costner, didn't play nearly a big a role in the crisis as the movie claims. 

The Front Runner

What makes The Front Runner so interesting is how innocent the Gary Hart scandal seems today. Senator Gary Hart (played by Hugh Jackman) was a Democrat running for President in 1988 and was on top of the polls when his campaign was torpedoed by the public disclosure of an affair. In the world we live in today, it would hardly even be news. 

Canadian Bacon

This one is the most fun movie on the list. The absurd comedy by director Michael Moore sets out to show how a war between the United States and Canada could happen under the most ridiculous of situations. It's hilarious, wonderful, silly, and stupid all at the same time and if you've never seen it, you should. Pronto. Or we'll level Toronto. 

The Contender

The Contender wasn't a success at the box office, but don't let that fool you. The 2000 film, starring Gary Oldman and Jeff Bridges, is a really good movie about the President's search for a new vice president after the death of the sitting VP. It gets the procedure correct and sets up some realistic issues any president in that situation would face. 

Netflix has established itself as one of the best streaming services you can subscribe to, offering an impressive array of original movies and TV series. Over the years its films have starred the best of the best in Hollywood and even racked up numerous Academy Awards. Check out 32 of the most popular original movies to ever hit the Netflix schedule.

Damsel

Millie Bobby Brown stars in Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's action-adventure flick Damsel, playing a young woman named Elodie, who gets the opportunity to marry into royalty. However, she quickly finds out the deal is meant to fulfill an ancient pact made by the royal family, and she is forced to fight for her life against a vengeful dragon.

The Mother

Jennifer Lopez drew in a number of Netflix subscribers with her action thriller The Mother. JLo plays the titular character, a former Army operative who goes after the criminals who kidnapped her 12-year-old daughter Zoe (Lucy Paez), who she gave up for adoption at birth for Zoe's own protection.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

One of the best movies of 2022 — Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery — was a Netflix original. Starring Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc and a murderer's row of A-list talent, including Ed Norton, Janelle Monáe, Leslie Odom Jr. and Kate Hudson, the Rian Johnson murder mystery quickly surpassed its 2019 predecessor to become one of Netflix's most-watched movies of all time. The layered nature of the mystery involving Norton's billionaire Miles Bron and his luxe private island likely even inspired repeat viewings from its audience in order to catch all the clues.

Extraction

If anything "good" can be said about 2020, it's that people sure were streaming a lot of movies. The action/thriller Extraction, starring Chris Hemsworth, was a popular choice, too, with its graphic novel-inspired story of a black ops mercenary on a quest to save the kidnapped son of a drug lord.

Red Notice

When you've got a stacked cast of Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, along with an intriguing plot that sees an FBI profiler teaming up with an art thief to catch an even bigger art thief, what's not to love? Throw in those actors' signature charm (or smarm) and an amusing script, and you've got Red Notice becoming one of, if not THE, most popular Netflix originals ever.

Don't Look Up

Adam McKay's Don't Look Up boasted several Oscar winners in its cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Mark Rylance and Meryl Streep, and audiences were all too eager to show up for the apocalyptic political satire. The story is of two astronomers trying to warn the world about an impending comet that will destroy Earth, with their logic largely being met with indifference.

The Adam Project

In The Adam Project, time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed (Ryan Reynolds) crash-lands in 2022 and meets his 12-year-old self (Walker Scobell). Young Adam is dealing with the loss of his dad in addition to school bullies, and this movie gives us plenty of laughs, tons of heart and an idea of what a smart-mouthed Ryan Reynolds might have been like as a tween.

Bird Box

Bird Box was an absolute phenomenon in 2018, with Sandra Bullock starring as Malorie Hayes, a woman trying to protect herself and two children in a post-apocalyptic world full of entities that caused death to those who looked at them. The movie became Netflix's most-watched film (at the time) within 28 days of its release and remains one of the streamer's most popular flicks.

Leave The World Behind

Netflix audiences sure do seem to like an apocalyptic thriller, and that proved true again in 2023 with Leave the World Behind. The movie starred Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke as the Sandfords, who were guests at the vacation rental owned by Mahershala Ali's G.H. Scott at the start of the end of the world. Sam Esmail's film is a tense statement on racism, class bias and, somehow, our obsession with Friends reruns.

The Gray Man

In The Gray Man, an action thriller from the Russo Brothers, Ryan Gosling stars as the CIA operative known as Sierra Six. The agent uncovers some dark secrets about his employers, putting him on the run from a former colleague and a network of international assassins. The film is considered one of the best action movies of 2022, thanks in part to Chris Evans' deliciously villainous turn as Lloyd Hansen.

We Can Be Heroes

We Can Be Heroes struck a chord with Netflix viewers of all ages, as it was both a standalone superhero film but also a sort-of legacy sequel to the 2005 movie The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. The flick was a huge hit for Netflix, as the children of famous superheroes are tasked with working together to save their parents, who have been kidnapped by aliens.

Purple Hearts

Streamers beware! Purple Hearts left viewers emotionally wrecked when the romantic drama hit Netflix. Nicholas Galitzine stars as Luke Morrow, a recovering addict and Marine being deployed to Iraq, and Sofia Carson as Cassie Salazar, a type 1 diabetic who has to work multiple jobs in order to afford insulin. Despite having just met, Cassie and Luke decide to get married for the benefits, and it would be a shame for me to spoil the emotional roller coaster that follows by saying anything more.

The Unforgivable

Sandra Bullock has had her share of streaming movie success on Netflix, and in 2021's The Unforgivable, she portrayed Ruth Slater, a woman who has just finished serving a 20-year prison sentence for killing a sheriff who tried to evict her and her then-5-year-old sister Katie from their home. Upon her release, she sets out to reconnect with Katie.

The Irishman

Even Martin Scorsese jumped on the Netflix bandwagon with his 2019 gangster film The Irishman, which starred Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel, among others. The film racks up plenty of streaming minutes with its 209-minute runtime, but the 10 Academy Award nominations don't hurt either.

The Kissing Booth 2

In the rare instance of a sequel being better than the original, The Kissing Booth 2 surpassed its predecessor in popularity with its Summer 2020 release. Joey King returned in the sequel as Elle Evans, along with Joel Courtney and Jacob Elordi as Lee and Noah Flynn. This time around Elle and Noah were navigating a long-distance relationship as Elle struggled to choose where her future would take her.

6 Underground

Not only is 6 Underground one of Netflix's most-watched movies, it's also one of the streamer's most expensive. The Michael Bay action thriller had a reported budget of $150 million and starred Ryan Reynolds as one member of a group of vigilantes who fake their death in hopes of taking down a ruthless dictator. Despite success on the streaming platform, a planned sequel was scrapped due to not-so-positive reviews.

Spenser Confidential

Spenser Confidential was a pretty by-the-book buddy copy movie, but Mark Wahlberg and Winston Duke drew people in as former Boston police officer Spenser and aspiring MMA fighter Duke, respectivly. Spenser gets Duke to help investigate the murder of two ex-co-workers, one of whom the former was suspected of killing.

Enola Holmes

In Enola Holmes, Millie Bobby Brown portrays the little sister of famous detective Sherlock Holmes. Brown is charming and funny in this action-packed flick and audiences liked it so much that Netflix ordered more.

Roma

Alfonso Cuarón’s 2018 drama Roma won three Academy Awards of the 10 it was nominated for, so it's so surprise that this Netflix original is popular amongst viewers. Shot in black and white, Roma does tackle some tough themes in its tale of a Mexico City housekeeper in the 1970s, but the performances are amazing, especially those of Marina de Tavira and Yalitza Aparicio.

Army Of The Dead

Army of the Dead is what happens when you take Zack Snyder, throw in some Ocean's Eleven and sprinkle in a healthy dose of zombies. Who could resist that? Why would you want to?

The Old Guard

Another film that likely got a streaming boost from the pandemic days was The Old Guard. Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne are among the stars of this comic book adaptation, which received critical praise for its plentiful action and portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters.

Murder Mystery

Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler play a married couple in the comedy Murder Mystery, which, yes, is also a murder mystery. Nick and Audrey find themselves in the middle of a complex family situation after being invited to a party on a billionaire's yacht, and it gets even more complicated when that billionaire winds up dead.

Troll

Two years after its release in 2022, Troll boasted the most views of any non-English Netflix original. The Norwegian monster movie follows a motley crew of people who must work together against an ancient troll that was awoken in the mountains.

Blood Red Sky

Vampires meet plane heist in the 2021 action-crime-horror-vampire-thriller Blood Red Sky, which sees an ailing woman going up against a group of terrorists attempting to hijack an overnight flight. The movie was viewed 50 million times in its first month, making it the streamer's most successful German title.

Society Of The Snow

For fans of survival films, Society of the Snow chronicles the true story of a rugby team from Uruguay whose Air Force Flight 571 crashed in the Andes mountains in 1972. The film was nominated for Oscars in the categories of Best International Feature Film and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

The Platform

Making statements on imprisonment, class and poverty, the dystopian thriller The Platform sees a man voluntarily check himself into a prison where inmates are housed in vertical cells and fed once a day via a platform. The platform is filled with food at the top, but less and less is available to each inmate the further it descends.

All Quiet On The Western Front

The 2022 war epic All Quiet on the Western Front was the third adaptation of the 1929 novel of the same name. The Netflix original was the most successful version, too, boasting seven British Academy Film Awards from 14 nominations and four Academy Awards from nine nods among its many accolades.

Hustle

Adam Sandler may be known for his comedy, but Netflix audiences have learned not to sleep on his more dramatic turns either. Hustle features the Sandman as Stanley Sugerman, a down-on-his-luck NBA scout who longs to be a coach. Stanley finds a player in Spain who might just earn him the respect he deserves, but getting Bo Cruz (played by real-life professional basketball player Juancho Hernangómez) ready for the NBA draft turns out to be more challenging than he anticipated.

Extraction 2

Chris Hemsworth's first go as Tyler Rake was a big win for Netflix, so imagine the delight of audiences to discover that Extraction 2 was even more thrilling. The black ops mercenary is back on another mission, and this one is wall-to-wall action, including an iconic prison break scene that's edited into a 21-minute, action-packed one-shot.

The Man From Toronto

An action-comedy starring Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson, The Man from Toronto may not have gotten the most positive reviews, but that didn't stop Netflix subscribers from hitting Play to see the hilarity that ensued when an assassin and a screw-up were mistaken for each other at a vacation rental.

The Tinder Swindler

It's hard to resist a good true crime story, and The Tinder Swindler was all the rage when it hit Netflix. The documentary explored the story of Simon Leviev, who connected with people on Tinder and swindled them into giving him money by saying he needed to escape his enemies.

Luther: The Fallen Sun

It's no secret why Luther: The Fallen Sun struck a chord with Netflix viewers, as Idris Elba reprised his role from the popular series Luther for a Netflix film continuation. Co-starring Cynthia Erivo and Andy Serkis, The Fallen Sun sees the titular detective attempting to stop a wealthy serial killer.

Over the years, few genres have brought moviegoers to theaters and packed auditoriums quite like the disaster film. For pretty much the entire existence of cinema, movies like Airport, Independence Day, and Contagion have entertained and terrified audiences with stories about natural disasters, alien invasions, pandemics, and other end-of-the-world type events.

Come with us as we break down 32 crazy disaster movies that have us preparing for the end times. And while it may be the end of the world as we know it (at least for characters in these movies), we feel fine… with these choices.

2012 (2009)

Roland Emmerich’s 2012, which was released in 2009, is definitely one of the longest and craziest disaster movies to come out in the 21st century and is full of every one of the genre’s best tropes. Cities are destroyed, families are torn apart and brought back together, and there’s a whole subplot about the presidential line of succession. But hey, it taught us that cars can drive on broken roads, if they’re limos.

The Impossible (2012)

Bet you can’t watch The Impossible without crying. Bet! J.A. Bayona’s 2012 drama about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami is one of the most terrifying disaster films and will make you think twice about going on a beach holiday. More realistic than most movies from the genre, this family-centric drama has its share of horrifying and traumatizing episodes before it’s said and done.

Independence Day (1996)

Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day, one of the biggest ‘90s movies, has become a staple of the Fourth of July holiday and a movie with so many quotable moments. And after years of watching it, we’ve all been conditioned to freak out at the sight of bright lights coming down from the sky.

Armageddon (1998)

Is Armageddon a realistic, or even good movie? No, not really. But Michael Bay’s over-the-top 1998 disaster film about a group of oilmen going to outer space to blow up a planet-killing asteroid is just so much fun.

Greenland (2020)

Gerard Butler has become the king of mid-level action and disaster movies in the past decade or so, and one of his best additions to the genre is Greenland. Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, this 2020 spectacle was a race against time to reach an underground bunker on Greenland before the arrival of a comet with the potential to wipe out all life.

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

The Day After Tomorrow, a Roland Emmerich picture, hasn’t really stood the test of time, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy this 2004 disaster film. A young Jake Gyllenhall and a very paternal Dennis Quaid taught us about family and the movie itself showed us what happens when wolves get trapped on a medical ship in the middle of Manhattan.

Volcano (1997)

One of two similar disaster movies released in 1997, Volcano showed what would happen if there was a massive volcanic eruption beneath the streets of Los Angeles. Would people put aside their differences and work together or turn against one another in spite of themselves? Both, it turns out.

Don’t Look Up (2021)

The 2021 Netflix original satirical comedy, Don’t Look Up is probably one of the most frighteningly accurate disaster movies ever made for one reason: humans don’t listen to reason, logic, or the smartest person in the room. Instead, they listen to the “smartest” person in the room, or in the case of Adam McKay’s movie, the loudest.

Contagion (2011)

Watching Contagion before and after the COVID-19 pandemic are two completely different experiences. Upon its release, this star-studded thriller about a deadly pathogen killing millions around the world felt like a work of fiction; now, a documentary.

Airport (1970)

Airport, not to be confused with the Airplane! parody film, was released in 1970 and knocked it out of the park with both its story and theatrics. What happens when a massive snowstorm, a bomb threat, and other issues impact a Chicago airport all at once? Well, George Seaton’s massive movie (with an even bigger cast) offers a look at the very scenario.

The Wave (2015)

Not all disaster films are set in America or American-made, which is the case for the 2015 thriller, The Wave. This white-knuckle thrill ride follows a Norwegian geologist as he tries to save his family and countless others from being swept away by a massive, once-in-a-generation wave reaching heights of 250 feet. Less came and more drama, this European film is pretty much the antithesis of most disaster films.

Moonfall (2022)

Roland Emmerich’s 2022 action spectacle, Moonfall, offers a scenario in which an alien lifeform has taken control of the Moon and is throwing it into Earth’s gravitational pull, which could result in death and disaster for all living things. It’s wild, it’s overstuffed, and it has every trope in the book, but this movie is so much fun to watch.

San Andreas (2015)

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has taken on Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and John Cena over the years, but the 2015 disaster film, San Andreas had him facing his biggest threat yet: an earthquake. 

Dante’s Peak (1997)

Starring Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton, Dante’s Peak follows a volcanologist and the mayor of a Washington mountain town as they fight for survival when a long-dormant volcano erupts. This movie packs a punch and shows you why not to walk in a lake field with volcanic ash.

The Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961)

Let’s go back to 1961 and talk about The Day the Earth Caught Fire, about a group of reporters who find themselves in a life-or-death situation after dual nuclear blasts by the USA and USSR alter the planet’s rotation. If there’s a natural disaster, it appears in this black-and-white thriller.

Geostorm (2017)

Though it lost a lot of money at the box office, Geostorm is still an enjoyable experience, especially if you’re a fan of the disaster film genre. Two brothers (played by Gerard Butler and Jim Sturgess) are forced to put aside their differences as they race to fix a weather-controlling satellite that is about to put Earth, and everything on it, out of commission.

World War Z (2013)

One of the best zombie movies of the past decade or so, World War Z follows Brad Pitt’s Gerry Lane, a former UN investigator trying to come up with a solution for a global outbreak. Big set pieces, great special effects, and a relatable protagonist make this a disaster film worth checking out.

The Core (2003)

If you’ve ever wanted to see what happens when the Earth’s inner core stops rotating and how humanity comes up with a plan to fix that issue, then now’s the time to check out The Core. This 2003 action-thriller follows a group of scientists as they travel deep into the core to essentially kickstart the planet and save the day before it’s too late.

Deep Impact (1998)

Moviegoers had a big decision to make when it came to asteroid movies in 1998: Armageddon or Deep Impact. The second of those two films, which had a cast that boasted the likes of Morgan Freeman, Tea Leoni, and Robert Duvall, focused just as much on the stakes at home as it did in the sky, creating a wild, albeit a tad bit melodramatic, affair.

War Of The Worlds (2005)

Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise came together in 2005 for the biggest, loudest, and most harrowing adaptation of War of the Worlds. Though technically an alien movie, this sci-fi epic has some great disaster film staples and set pieces you wouldn’t believe.

Twister (1996)

Though Twister doesn’t deal with an end-of-the-world situation like other movies on the list, natural disasters still count for something. This 1996 summer blockbuster about a group of storm chasers driving up and down highways of Oklahoma in search of the big one has something for everyone, especially fans of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Virus (1980)

Kinji Fukasaku’s 1980 post-apocalyptic disaster film, Virus follows what’s left of humanity as it tries to rebuild following a worldwide catastrophe. Governments vying for control, survivors making sense of their grief, and anti-war sentiments are galore in this one.

Earthquake (1974)

Released during the height of the ‘70s disaster film craze, Earthquake follows all kinds of survivors (with their own personal issues) as they attempt to survive and make sense of a natural disaster of epic proportions. Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and Richard Roundtree make this a gem 50 years later.

Melancholia (2011)

Okay, Lars von Trier’s Melancholia isn’t your standard disaster film with massive set pieces and acts of heroism, but it does deal with the ramifications of a rogue planet crashing into Earth. The movie, which follows a family as they await the death and destruction of everything they know and love, is heavy and full of emotion.

Pompeii (2014)

Everyone who bought a ticket for Pompeii did so for one reason and one reason only: the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of the ancient titular city. Yeah, there are some cool moments before, but let’s be real and call it like it is.

Into The Storm (2014)

Like Twister but want a movie that approaches the whole “tornadoes on the attack” in the found footage format, then look no further than Into the Storm. More of a style-over-substance disaster, this 2014 thriller has some incredible set pieces.

Knowing (2009)

When college professor John Koestler (Nicolas Cage) gets his hands on a coded document accurately predicting the past five decades of disasters and several more in the future, he races against time to stop them from coming to fruition. Knowing blurs the lines of disaster film and sci-fi thriller to create one heck of an experience.

Outbreak (1995)

Released in 1995, Outbreak poses the scenario in which a quiet California town becomes the epicenter of a viral disaster after a monkey stolen from a lab ends up in the nearby forest. Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, and other ‘90s stars attempt to bring the epidemic to an end (in various ways) before it’s too late.

The Midnight Sky (2020)

Not the best George Clooney-directed movie, but also not the worst, The Midnight Sky has a rather simple premise: a lone scientist who is seemingly the sole survivor of an earth-shattering catastrophe goes to great lengths and takes extreme measures to alert a crew of astronauts returning from an extended mission. Far more psychological and emotional than your standard disaster film, this 2020 Netflix film has a lot of surprises along the way.

The Wandering Earth (2019)

One of the best space travel movies of the past decade, as well as one of the most unique disaster flicks, The Wandering Earth, is an epic sci-fi adventure in which the inhabitants of Earth are two millennia removed from leaving our Solar System because of a dying Sun. Though safety and the prospect of a better tomorrow were long ago promised, both become far from certainty and those left on the planet are still forced to fight for survival some 2,000 years later.

Silent Night (2021)

On the surface, Camille Griffin’s Silent Night, which should not be confused with the multiple other movies with the same title, feels like just a normal holiday comedy about friends and families coming together for Christmas. But once you learn that they are getting together for one final hurrah before a mysterious apocalypse wipes out all of humanity, it doesn’t feel as cheery. Still, this movie has as many funny moments and unsettling revelations and perhaps one of the most hilariously disturbing endings in recent memory.

The Andromeda Strain (1971)

Based on the Michael Crichton novel of the same name, The Andromeda Strain is both one of the most iconic sci-fi movies of all time and an all-time great disaster film. When a deadly extraterrestrial organism catches a free ride to Earth on a satellite, a group of scientists try their hardest to understand and contain it before it’s too late.

Each of these movies offers some kind of end-of-the-world disaster situation that is both terrifying and entertaining at the same time. Are they all good? No, not really. But they are crazy and will keep your attention, that’s for sure.

Accidents happen. They happen to you, they happen to me, and they even happen to actors on the set of major movies. Over the years, several of the best action movies, some all-time great psychological thrillers, and countless others have had to halt production, either for a short period of time while their star recovered or indefinitely because of an accident that caused an injury.

Here are 32 movies that had to press pause on shooting due to an injury that either happened on set or in an actor’s off-time.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Tom Cruise is known for pushing himself to the limit, which, more times than not, leads to some unforgettable moments in his movies. But the action star’s habit of performing his own stunts led to production on Mission: Impossible – Fallout temporarily being put on hold after Cruise broke his ankle performing a stunt, THR reported in August 2017.

F9 (2021)

The Fast & Furious movies are known for their reality-defying stunts and massive action set pieces. But an accident on the set of F9 brought the production to a screeching halt in July 2019, when, according to Variety, a stuntman fell and injured his head while filming one of those scenes.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

In November 2021, a little more than a year before the film’s release, production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was temporarily put on hold several months after Letitia Wright sustained an injury on set. According to THR, production originally went on without Wright, but it was ultimately put on hold after director Ryan Coogler shot everything he could without the star.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)

Maze Runner: The Death Cure was forced to undergo an extended production freeze in Spring 2016 after star Dylan O’Brien was involved in an on-set car accident, per Variety. The delay was originally supposed to be short, but 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios) pushed the start date back to allow O’Brien’s injuries to further heal.

Don’t Look Up (2021)

Adam McKay’s 2021 Netflix original movie, Don’t Look Up, had to temporarily be put on hold after one of its stars, Jennifer Lawrence, was injured after a trash can went through a window, according to the Boston Globe. The shoot was put on hold for the rest of the day.

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Though he played one of the MCU’s best superheroes for more than a decade, Robert Downey Jr. wasn’t immune from injuries. In August 2012, E! News reported that RDJ injured his ankle on the set of Iron Man 3, which put the shoot on hold while he healed. The delay was brief and the massive threequel premiered in May 2013.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Harrison Ford has a long history of being injured on set, like the time a piece of the Millenium Falcon fell on him on the set of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. According to the NY Daily News, production on the 2015 blockbuster was put on hold for two weeks while the Han Solo actor recuperated.

No Time To Die (2021)

Back in May 2019, the set of No Time to Die temporarily went dark after Daniel Craig sustained an injury in Jamaica. According to the Sun, Craig, who was playing James Bond for the fifth and final time, slipped while filming a running scene and had to be flown to the United States for X-rays.

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny (2023)

Harrison Ford had to be put on the sidelines after he hurt himself rehearsing a fight scene for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in June 2021. Deadline reported at the time that the production would film around Ford’s injury and that the schedule would be configured as needed after that.

Rocky IV (1984)

Rocky IV, considered one of the best ‘80s movies, was quite a ride, and unfortunately one that put star and director Sylvester Stallone in the hospital. According to THR, Stallone was in the ICU for nearly two weeks after he told Dolph Lundgren to actually hit him during their boxing scene. Lundgren’s uppercut was so strong the impact caused Stallone’s heart to hit against his ribcage.

Bruised (2020)

The same year she kicked all kinds of butt with Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Halle Berry suffered a minor injury on the set of her 2020 Netflix movie, Bruised. In November 2019, Deadline reported that the Oscar winner was hurt during a fight scene and that a brief production delay was taken as a precautionary measure. 

Aeon Flux (2005)

In September 2004, the Guardian reported that production was put on hold for Aeon Flux after its star Charlize Theron sustained injuries while performing stunts. At the time, it was believed that shooting would be halted for a minimum of a few weeks so that the actress could heal.

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

The making of Moulin Rouge! was no easy task for director Baz Lurhmann, as the filmmaker had to overcome multiple obstacles to get the movie into theaters. One of those issues was a knee injury sustained by Nicole Kidman, which contributed to the director stopping production and resuming a few months later, according to EW.

American Made (2017)

Production on Tom Cruise’s American Made was temporarily put on hold in September 2015 after a crew member was killed in a plane crash. The shoot eventually started back up, but faced legal issues in the months and years following, per THR.

Motherless Brooklyn (2019)

A blaze on the set of Edward Norton’s Motherless Brooklyn resulted in the death of a New York firefighter in March 2018, according to ScreenDaily. The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known and production was suspended as a result of the event.

Syriana (2005)

George Clooney won an Oscar for his performance in Stephen Gaghan’s Syriana, but the actor was also left with a lingering back issue after being injured on set. Clooney later told Rolling Stone (via THR) that he suffered a spinal injury during a botched stunt that left him in rough shape. He was hospitalized following the accident and suffered a great deal of pain.

Exit Wounds (2001)

Exit Wounds, the 2001 action thriller starring Steven Segal and the late DMX was hampered by an on-set accident involving a stuntman. According to THR (via ABC News), the stuntman allegedly hit his head while jumping from a moving vehicle during a scene. He was taken to a Toronto hospital where he passed away less than a week later.

The Rhythm Section (2022)

Production on Blake Lively’s spy thriller, The Rhythm Section, was halted after the actress sustained a hand injury. According to THR, the shoot was initially only going to be on hold for a short amount of time, but the freeze was extended after a surgery failed to fully address the issue.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales faced all kinds of issues that negatively impacted the production of the fifth film in the Disney franchise. In March 2015, Empire reported that star Johnny Depp suffered a finger injury in an off-set incident, which resulted in another delay. The injured finger situation became a major part of the legal drama involving Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard.

Hercules (2014)

During the conclusion of his two-year WWE feud with John Cena, Dwayne Johnson suffered a pelvic injury at WrestleMania 29, which caused some major issues with the production of Hercules. The film was delayed two weeks while its star recuperated, according to USA Today, and was released in July 2014.

In Time (2011)

Andrew Niccol’s 2011 sci-fi thriller, In Time, was forced to press pause on production back in December 2010 when star Justin Timberlake suffered a leg injury, per UPI. The filming of the movie, which was called Now at the time, was halted for a short amount of time.

Scarface (1983)

The 1983 crime epic, Scarface, is still regarded as one of the best crime movies of all time, but it had quite a troubled production. According to Vulture, after the movie was delayed multiple times due to weather conditions, the shoot was put on hold for another week in March 2013 when star Al Pacino fell on a machine gun and severely burned his hand.

Back In Action (TBD)

In April 2013, Jamie Foxx suffered a medical emergency on the set of the yet-to-be-released Netflix comedy, Back in Action, which resulted in the production shutting down for the day, according to People.com. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution later reported that body doubles were used to complete Foxx’s remaining scenes while he recovered in the hospital.

Quantum Of Solace (2008)

Production on the 2008 James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, was put on hold after a stuntman was injured and left in a coma following an on-set accident. According to the Telegraph, this was the third such incident on the set in a period of five days.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

Filming Raiders of the Lost Ark doesn't sound like it was the best time for Harrison Ford, as the actor in the titular role had to overcome a torn ACL and a battle with dysentery while filming in Tunisia. In a 2014 Reddit AMA, Ford explained that the scene where he shot the swordsman was supposed to be much longer, but with his physical state (he couldn’t spend more than 10 minutes away from his trailer), he and director Steven Spielberg called an audible, which allowed them to go back to England to complete the shoot earlier than expected.

Armour Of God (1986)

Jackie Chan has put his body through the wringer multiple times over the years, but his injury on the set of Armour of God sounds like it's on another level. In his autobiography, Never Grow Up (via ScreenRant), Chan revealed that he fell on the set of the 1986 Hong Kong action movie after jumping onto a tree branch, which gave out. He suffered a partially collapsed skull and had to undergo emergency surgery. However, he was back filming a week later.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh made a name for herself in the world of Hong Kong cinema, where she performed many of her own stunts. While filming Ang Lee’s 2000 epic, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Yeoh injured herself during a major fight sequence and she tore her ACL. She was forced to undergo surgery and returned to complete her scenes several weeks later, according to the New York Times.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

One of the best war movies ever made, Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 epic, Apocalypse Now, had one of the most tumultuous productions of any major Hollywood film. The biggest incident on set was Martin Sheen’s heart attack, which kept him out of action for a month. Sheen discussed the scare with Yahoo! Entertainment where he talked about being a changed man after it all.

Geechee (TBD)

Andrea Riseborough’s Geechee was in the middle of production in September 2020 when police in the Dominican Republic opened fire on several members of the production crew, striking one person multiple times, per Deadline. As of November 2023, the film has yet to resume production.

Panic Room (2002)

David Fincher had to go back to the drawing board for his 2002 home invasion thriller, Panic Room, after the film’s original star, Nicole Kidman, was forced to drop out of the production due to a lingering knee issue from her work on Moulin Rouge!, according to EW. Jodie Foster eventually replaced the actress.

Flora Plum (Not Completed)

Back in the early 2000s, Jodie Foster was set to direct Flora Plum, a movie about 1940s circus performers starring Russell Crowe, but the Gladiator actor suffered a shoulder injury before the cameras started to roll and he was forced to drop out, per Fox News. The movie has still never been made.

211 (2018)

In 2017, Nicolas Cage’s crime thriller, 211, was put on hold for about a month after the actor broke his ankle. According to Deadline, the freak accident occurred while Cage was filming a scene in Bulgaria, and flew back to Los Angeles to receive treatment.

While a couple of these movies have yet to be released or haven’t resumed production for one reason or another, the vast majority of these films saw the light of day after injuries healed and filming picked up where it left off – just with more caution…

Tyler Perry has long been one of the most prolific, successful, and recognizable figures in show business with surprise hits like Diary of a Mad Black Woman and appearances in gripping psychological thrillers like Gone Girl. Perry, thanks to his tremendous work ethic, has put together a string of hit stage productions, movies, TV shows, and more, with his unique blend of comedy, drama, and sentimentality that largely goes unmatched.

With dozens of titles to his name, keeping track of where you can watch Tyler Perry movies streaming is about as easy as keeping up with all of his philanthropic contributions (both are staggering, to say the least). However, to showcase the best the writer, director, producer, and angry grandma has to offer, we’ve gathered some of Perry’s best movies and shows and how you can watch them online. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s get started…

Tyler Perry’s Diary Of A Mad Black Woman (2005)

After her husband reveals that not only has he been cheating on her but he is also filing for divorce, Helen Simmons-McCarter (Kimberly Elise) turns to the one person she can trust: her tough yet loving grandmother, Mabel “Madea” Simmons (Tyler Perry). When Madea takes matters into her own hands and destroys Helen’s soon-to-be-ex’s home and property, the temperamental and boisterous grandma lands herself in deep trouble. But, this is just the beginning of the many troubles in Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman.

Stream Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman on Starz.
Rent (or buy) Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman on Amazon.

Vice (2018)

Adam McKay’s 2018 Academy Award-winning (Best Makeup and Hairstyling) biographical drama, Vice, centers on former Vice President Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) and the various people whom he crossed paths with during his decades-long rise to power in American business and politics. One of those figures is the late Secretary of State Colin Powell (Tyler Perry), who essentially becomes the public face for the botched 2003 invasion of Iraq, especially during the former general’s fateful and disastrous February 2003 speech in front of the United Nations Security Council. 

Stream Vice on Netflix.
Rent (or buy) Vice on Amazon.

Don’t Look Up (2021)

Tyler Perry worked again with Adam McKay three years later for the 2021 Netflix satirical comedy, Don’t Look Up, in which he portrayed The Daily Rip co-host, Jack Bremmer. Not wanting to hear what Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, or Rob Morgan’s characters have to say about the approaching planet-killer asteroid, Bremmer and his morning show co-host, Brie Evantree (Cate Blanchett), joke about the situation when not dismissing it entirely.

Stream Don’t Look Up on Netflix.

Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016)

The 2016 comedy, Boo! A Madea Halloween, takes what worked for the franchise in the past and adds an “All Hollow’s Eve” element into the equation. After crashing a frat party (Tyler Perry) and taking her teenage granddaughter home, Madea and assorted family members find themselves being targeted by a group of revenge-obsessed pranksters who continually up the ante. But, these ghosts, goblins, and zombies are no match for Mabel Simmons and her mean right hand.

Stream Boo! A Madea Halloween on Peacock.
Rent (or buy) Boo! A Madea Halloween on Amazon.

Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

When a young boy becomes the target of a pair of highly-trained contract killers, fire lookout Hannah Faber (Angelina Jolie) becomes his only hope for survival in the wilderness of Montana hill country. Directed by Taylor Sheridan, Those Who Wish Me Dead, features a performance by Tyler Perry that is more stern, intimidating, and unsettling than anything else in his filmography.

Stream Those Who Wish Me Dead on HBO Max.
Rent (or buy) Those Who Wish Me Dead on Amazon.

Why Did I Get Married? (2007)

For years, eight close friends have gone on a couples vacation to catch up and relax. But unlike previous years, the trip at the center of Why Did I Get Married? doesn’t go as smoothly, as revelations about their private lives rise to the surface, leading to one explosive meltdown and fight after another high up in the Rocky Mountains. While a sequel quickly followed three years later, there is no telling when, or if, a third movie in the franchise will happen.

Stream Why Did I Get Married on HBO Max.
Rent (or buy) Why Did I Get Married on Amazon.
Also Try: Why Did I Get Married Too? on Starz.

House Of Payne (2006 - Present)

Since its debut on TBS (the show later moved to BET) in June 2006, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne has spent 11 seasons and 300+ episodes focusing on the titular family, with a primary focus on family patriarch Curtis Payne (LaVan Davis) and his wife Ella (Cassi Davis). Although Perry does not appear as an actor on the long-running sitcom, he has directed a large portion of the show’s episodes and written several dozen chapters over the years.

Stream Tyler Perry’s House of Pain on BET+ (Amazon Add-On).

Tyler Perry’s A Madea Homecoming

Released 17 years after Diary of a Mad Black Woman, the 2022 Netflix movie, Tyler Perry’s a Madea Homecoming, takes the familiar characters from Perry’s body of work, adds in some new faces (including some from across the pond), and creates another fun and heartfelt story as Madea’s great-grandson prepares to graduate from college.

Stream Tyler Perry’s A Madea Homecoming on Netflix.

Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes To Jail (2009)

Following a high-speed police chase, Madea finds herself in trouble with the authorities once again, this time ending up behind bars. But, in the slammer happens to be the place the strong, intimidating, and caring grandma needs to be when a recently incarcerated woman needs a helping hand in Madea Goes to Jail.

Stream Madea Goes To Jail on Starz (Amazon Add-On).
Rent (or buy) Madea Goes to Jail on Amazon.

Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion (2006)

If planning a family reunion wasn't a difficult enough task, Madea finds herself in trouble with the law once again and agrees to take in a teenage foster child named Nikki (Keke Palmer) to avoid going back to jail. But, those are just two of the many struggles the grandma is forced to overcome in 2006’s Madea’s Family Reunion. And, who knows, maybe Palmer and Perry will work together again if the Nope star lands a role in Sister Act 3.

Stream Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion on Starz (Amazon add-on).
Rent (or buy) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion on Amazon.

Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family (2011)

After her niece, Shirley (Loretta Devine) is diagnosed with cancer and her children are too busy dealing with their own issues to come through for their mom, Madea steps up to the plate once again. Teaming up with Betty Ann “Aunt Bam” Murphy (Cassi Davis), the family matriarch attempts to get everyone on the same page and through their own respective battles so they can be there and support Shirley during her most trying time.

Stream Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family on Starz.
Rent (or buy) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family on Amazon.

Alex Cross (2012)

In 2012, Tyler Perry tried his hand at the action thriller genre when he starred as the titular character in Rob Cohen’s Alex Cross, an adaptation of James Patterson’s Cross novels. The movie follows Perry's Alex Cross as he attempts to nab the self-proclaimed Picasso Killer, only for the hunter to become the hunted after the Detroit detective and psychologist stops the sadistic madman from picking off one of his high-profile targets.

Stream Alex Cross on Pluto TV.
Rent (or buy) Alex Cross on Amazon.

A Madea Christmas

When Madea’s great-great-niece refuses to come home for Christmas, the family matriarch does what anyone in her position would do: she makes a surprise visit to rural Alabama to bring her family back home (or at least find out what’s going on) in A Madea Christmas. While down there, Madea finds herself giving a rather unorthodox version of the Christmas story, earning the ire of the locals, and learning a whole lot in the process, in addition to bringing her family close together.

Stream A Madea Christmas on Prime Video.

Meet The Browns (2009 - 2011)

Meet the Browns aired on TBS for five seasons and centers on Leroy S. Brown (David Mann) and Cora Jean Simmons-Brown (Tamela Brown) as they try to balance love, life, and their multi-generational family who just can't find a way to keep themselves out of trouble. Like House of Payne, Tyler Perry doesn't appear as an actor, but he had a major role behind-the-scenes of the popular sitcom.

Stream Meet the Browns on BET+ (Amazon Add-On).

Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls (2007)

After his ex-wife wins custody of his three young daughters, struggling mechanic Monty James (Idris Elba) enlists the services of young yet determined attorney Julia Rossmore (Gabrielle Union). While things initially remain professional for the single father and his legal counsel, sparks begin to fly in Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls.

Stream Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls on Starz.
Rent (or buy) Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls on Amazon.

Gone Girl (2014)

In 2014, Tyler Perry appeared in David Fincher’s Gone Girl, a gripping psychological thriller about Nick Dunner (Ben Affleck), a Missouri schoolteacher who becomes the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance and possible murder after she goes missing. Perry shows up as high-profile attorney Tanner Bolt, who specializes in representing men falsely accused of committing crimes against their wives.

Rent (or buy) Gone Girl on Amazon.

This is just a small portion of the Tyler Perry movies and TV shows that are available online, and there seem to be more and more released each year.  

Timothée Chalamet is only 26 years old and has been in a number of award-winning films. His best works include his Oscar-nominated movies like Call Me By Your Name, Lady Bird, and Little Women. But like any career, the important thing to remember is to keep it up. Luckily, he received career rules from his Don’t Look Up co-star Leonardo Dicaprio which he lives by.

Leonardo DiCaprio has graced us with his on-screen presence since the early ‘90s who was as young and impressionable as young Timothée Chalamet. In an interview with Vogue, the Bones & All actor spoke about the career rules DiCaprio gave him when they first met in 2018.

That’s seriously the simplest way to pass on the acting baton. Don’t allow DiCaprio's movies that feature drug cartels and cocaine-in-butt scenes to fool you. The Revenant star is a prime example of a former child actor who has not allowed drugs to ruin his life. And not to mention, he doesn’t have a single superhero movie under his belt either. It's not necessary as he already sold us with his best performances as the ill-fated Jack Dawson in Titanic that helped him launch his career worldwide as well as The Revenant which brought him the Oscar fame we’ve all been waiting for. Clearly, the man knows what he’s doing.

Timothée Chalamet has been doing a great job taking Leo DiCaprio’s acting advice so far in his career. Like DiCaprio, he's been in movies where he played characters dealing with drugs in some aspects like Hot Summer Nights and his devastating performance in Beautiful Boy as a teenager struggling with drug addiction. But thankfully, there have been no reports of this up-and-coming actor using hard drugs himself in real life. And even if there are Marvel characters Chalamet would be perfect to play, it doesn’t mean he needs to take on those roles to achieve the stardom and fame he has now.

The Dune star’s success in landing roles just keeps on coming. He’s currently filming Wonka where he’ll be transforming as chocolatier Willy Wonka with seven musical numbers to show off his theater talent. He’s also been in the middle of filming Dune Part 2 in Budapest. We will also have a twisted movie to look forward to with Chalamet starring in the cannibalistic Bones & All which had a successful premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. If Chalamet keeps this up, his career will be going nowhere but up.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s clever advice to Timothée Chalamet is advice all young actors should have in order to be kept out of trouble and have a successful Hollywood career. Keep up with CinemaBlend’s new movie releases so you won’t miss a single new movie by these two talented actors.

2021 wasn't quite the "back to normal" year at the movies that we were all hoping it would be, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. If nothing else, most of the 2022 Oscar nominees were at the very least released in actual movie theaters. And 2021 was a solid year for movies with strong contenders expected to do well tonight including The Power of the Dog, West Side Story and Dune.

While this year's Academy Awards broadcast will be dealing with some degree of controversy following the decision to not give out all the Oscars live, it should nonetheless be an interesting show. Follow along with us live as we update the list below as the awards are given out.

Best Picture

• Belfast
• CODA
• Don't Look Up
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Directing

• Belfast, Kenneth Branagh
• Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi
• Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion
• West Side Story, Steven Spielberg

Best Actress In A Leading Role

• Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
• Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers
• Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
• Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Best Actor In A Leading Role

• Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos
• Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
• Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... BOOM!
• Will Smith, King Richard
• Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

• Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter
• Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
• Judi Dench, Belfast
• Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
• Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard

Best Actor In A Supporting Role

• Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
• Troy Kotsur, CODA
• Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog
• J.K Simmons, Being the Ricardos
• Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

• Belfast
• Don't Look Up
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• The Worst Person in the World

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• CODA
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• The Lost Daughter
• The Power of the Dog

Best Animated Feature Film

• Encanto
• Flee
• Luca
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines
• Raya and the Last Dragon

Best International Feature Film

• Drive My Car, Japan
• Flee, Denmark
• The Hand of God, Italy
• Lunana: A Yakin the Classroom, Bhutan
• The Worst Person in the World, Norway

Best Documentary (Feature)

• Ascension
• Attica
• Flee
• Summer of Soul(...Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
• Writing With Fire

Best Production Design

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Cinematography

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Costume Design

• Cruella
• Cyrano
• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• West Side Story

Best Film Editing

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• King Richard
• The Power of the Dog
• Tick, Tick...BOOM!

Best Makeup And Hairstyling

• Coming 2 America
• Cruella
• Dune
• The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• House of Gucci

Best Music (Original Score)

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• Encanto
• Parallel Mothers
• The Power of the Dog

Best Music (Original Song)

• "Be Alive," King Richard
• "Dos Oruguitas," Encanto
• "Down To Joy," Belfast
• "No Time to Die," No Time to Die
• "Somehow You Do," Four Good Days 

Best Sound

• Belfast
• Dune
• No Time to Die
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Visual Effects

• Dune
• Free Guy
• No Time To Die
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home

Best Short Film (Animated)

• Affairs of the Heart
• Bestia
• Boxballet
• Robin Robin
• The Windshield Wiper

Best Documentary (Short Subject)

• Audible
• Lead Me Home
• The Queen of Basketball
• Three Songs For Benazir
• When We Were Bullies

Best Short Film (Live Action)

• Ala Kachuu - Take And Run
• The Dress
• The Long Goodbye
• On My Mind
• Please Hold

Did your favorite film of 2021 take home an Oscar?

It’s that time of year again - the 2022 Academy Award nominations have come through and they are looking good as heck. With so many amazing movies that released during 2021, it was only a matter of time before these picks were solidified. And with ten solid movies, I think it’s time we find a way to watch all of them. Here is how you can watch every single Best Picture nominee this year. 

Belfast  

In this British/Irish coming of age drama, Belfast is told through the eyes of a child, chronicling the struggles that his family went through during “The Troubles,” a period of conflict that lasted for thirty years within Ireland, and how his family survived. 

Directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring names such as Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, and more, Belfast is a film that will change you. Belfast is now available to rent and buy on Amazon.

Rent/Buy Belfast on Amazon.

Coda 

Apple TV+ is coming for the Best Picture crown this year. Coda tells the story Ruby, a “coda,” which means “child of deaf adults,” and she is the only hearing member in her family. While she wants to pursue her dreams, she’s terrified of leaving her family behind when their business is threatened, and has to make a choice. 

Coda is directed by Sian Heder and starts Emilia Jones as Ruby, and the film very much shows the struggle that these children can face, as well as showing life through a different perspective of a deaf person. Since the film was released by a streaming service, Coda is available to stream right now on Apple TV+. 

Stream Coda on Apple TV+.

Don’t Look Up 

Directed by Adam McKay, Don’t Look Up is a Netflix original movie about two scientists who discover an extinction-level asteroid hurtling towards Earth. The only issue is that it seems no one cares - not even the President of the United States. 

With a brilliant Don’t Look Up cast, including stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and so many more, this movie has certainly made news and broken records, even with its wild ending. If you’re looking to watch this black comedy/apocalyptic movie, it’s available right now to stream on Netflix. 

Stream Don’t Look Up on Netflix.

Drive My Car  

There’s always one film each year at the Academy Awards that’s an under the radar movie but is still so good, and Drive My Car was the pick. This drama that comes from Japan follows a prominent stage actor and director who has recently lost his wife, and now has to deal with the young women who was appointed to drive his car while directing a huge production. 

Drive My Car was directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, and stars Hidetoshi Nishijima.  Drive My Car is available to stream on HBO Max, so you better jump on over there now to check it out before the ceremony. It's also available to rent on Amazon.

Stream Drive My Car on HBO Max. 

Rent Drive My Car on Amazon.

Dune

I know you’ve heard of it at least once this year. Based on the novel of the same name, Dune follows a young man who finds himself on a dangerous adventure in order to protect his family as well as his people. 

Dune was certainly the talk of the town in 2021 for many months, breaking box office expectations and already scoring a sequel with its brilliant visual effects and sci-fi story. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and featuring a star-studded cast with names like Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac and more, Dune is available to stream on HBO Max, as well as rent on Amazon.

Stream Dune on HBO Max.

Buy Dune on Amazon.

King Richard 

If you want a brilliant biopic, check out King Richard. This movie, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Will Smith, tells the story of the father of Venus and Serena Williams, and the lengths he had to go to make sure that his daughters could reach the greatness they so rightly deserved. 

The King Richard cast is full of stars, and with Will Smith receiving a Best Actor nomination for his leading role, that should be even more of an incentive to watch. King Richard is available to stream on HBO Max, as well as rent on Amazon.

Stream King Richard on HBO Max. 

Rent King Richard on Amazon.

Licorice Pizza 

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza is a coming of age dramedy telling the story of Alana and Gary, from their meeting to their love story to everything else in-between, showing what it’s like to experience that first love in 1973. 

Starring Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman in their film debuts, Licorice Pizza is a great movie with a love story that will stick with you long after you finish the movie. Licorice Pizza is available to rent on Amazon right now, so if you want to check out this dramedy, be sure to give it a try. 

Rent Licorice Pizza on Amazon.

Nightmare Alley 

Directed by the master of horror and fantasy himself, Guillermo del Toro, Nightmare Alley tells the story of Stanton Carlisle, who’s worked at a carnival for many years, and ends up using the tips and tricks from a psychic to somehow get into the minds of patrons, tricking them into thinking he's also clairvoyant. Using that, he works his way up in society, conning everyone he meets, and changes his life for the better - until it gets worse.

Nightmare Alley is a thrilling movie, and considering it has a stellar cast composed of stars such as Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and more, this movie is certainly worth the watch. Nightmare Alley is available to stream on both Hulu and HBO Max, but if you want to rent, it is also available on Amazon.

Stream Nightmare Alley on Hulu. 

Stream Nightmare Alley on HBO Max. 

Rent Nightmare Alley on Amazon.

The Power Of The Dog 

Next up, we have The Power of the Dog, a Netflix original starring Benedict Cumberbatch and directed by Jane Campion. This great western movie follows Phil Burbank, a rancher who has a bit of an attitude problem when his brother brings home a new wife.

As someone who’s a big fan of Cumberbatch’s work, he certainly puts on a great performance, and the rest of the cast is superb as well. Since it is a Netflix original, The Power of the Dog is available to stream on Netflix right now. 

Stream The Power of the Dog on Netflix.

West Side Story 

Last but not least, we have West Side Story, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring newcomer Rachel Zegler, as well as Ansel Elgort, Ariana DeBose, and more. This adaptation of the classic Broadway show tells the story of Maria and Tony, a classic Romeo and Juliet tale where they want to run away together, but have to deal with the ongoing gang battle between the Jets and the Sharks, two groups of immigrants with different ethnic origins fighting for their neighborhood in 1950s NYC.

Many fans believe that Spielberg even improved on the original adaptation of West Side Story in 1961 (which won the Academy Award for Best Picture), so you know it’s worth the time to watch. West Side Story is currently available to stream on Disney+ and HBO Max, and rent on Amazon.

Stream West Side Story on Disney+. 

Stream West Side Story on HBO Max.

Rent West Side Story on Amazon.

With so many outstanding films, I’m sure you have your hands full now. Better schedule out some time to binge, because you’re going to want to watch every single one of these movies. 

Ratings for awards shows have been in steady decline. Not just the Oscars, but the Emmys, Grammys, Critics Choice Awards… all of the annual celebrations of artistic accomplishment are slipping in stature as audiences seek different distractions. Some of this might be tied to the movies that are nominated, with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honoring distinguished feature films that precious few have seen. Is this year any different? 

The nominations for Oscars 2022 were announced by Leslie Jordan and Tracee Ellis Ross, establishing the field of contenders that will compete for Academy gold when the ceremony is held on Sunday, March 27. Those sounds you hear are the revving engines of publicity campaigns preparing to shift into the next gear, and champion the movies, performers, and craftspeople recognized by the Academy this year. Here’s the complete list of 2022 Academy Award nominations:

Best Picture

Belfast

CODA

Don’t Look Up

Drive My Car

Dune

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza)

Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)

Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)

Steven Spielberg (West Side Story)

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car)

Best Actress

Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)

Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)

Penélope Cruz (Parallel Mothers)

Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)

Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Best Actor

Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)

Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)

Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick … Boom!)

Will Smith (King Richard)

Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)

Best Supporting Actress 

Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter)

Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)

Judi Dench (Belfast)

Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)

Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)

Best Supporting Actor

Ciarán Hinds (Belfast)

Troy Kotsur (CODA)

Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog)

J.K. Simmons (Being the Ricardos)

Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)

Best Original Screenplay

Belfast (Kenneth Branagh)

Don’t Look Up (Adam McKay & David Sirota)

Licorice Pizza (Paul Thomas Anderson)

King Richard

The Worst Person in the World

Best Adapted Screenplay

CODA (Sian Heder)

Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi & Takamasa Oe)

Dune (Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts & Denis Villeneuve)

The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal)

The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion)

Best Animated Feature

Encanto

Flee

Luca

The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Raya and the Last Dragon

Best International Feature Film

Drive My Car (Japan)

Flee (Denmark)

The Hand of God (Italy)

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan)

The Worst Person in the World (Norway)

Best Documentary Feature

Ascension

Attica

Flee

Summer of Soul

Writing With Fire

Best Production Design

Dune (Zsuzsanna Sipos & Patrice Vermette)

Nightmare Alley (Tamara Deverell & Shane Vieau)

The Power of the Dog (Grant Major & Amber Richards)

The Tragedy of Macbeth (Stefan Dechant & Nancy Haigh)

West Side Story (Rena DeAngelo & Adam Stockhausen)

Best Cinematography

Dune (Greig Fraser)

Nightmare Alley (Dan Lausten)

The Power of the Dog (Ari Wegner)

The Tragedy of Macbeth (Bruno Delbonnel)

West Side Story (Janusz Kaminski)

Best Costume Design

Cruella 

Cyrano 

Dune 

Nightmare Alley 

West Side Story 

Best Film Editing

Don’t Look Up (Hank Corwin)

Dune (Joe Walker)

King Richard (Pamela Martin)

The Power of the Dog (Peter Sciberras)

Tick, Tick… Boom! (Myron Kerstein & Andrew Weisblum)

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

House of Gucci

Coming 2 America

Cruella

Dune 

Best Score

Don’t Look Up (Nicholas Britell)

Dune (Hans Zimmer)

Encanto (Germaine Franco)

Parallel Mothers (Alberto Iglesias)

The Power of the Dog (Jonny Greenwood)

Best Original Song

“Be Alive” — Beyoncé Knowles-Carter & Darius Scott (King Richard)

“Dos Oruguitas” — Lin-Manuel Miranda (Encanto)

“Down to Joy” — Van Morrison (Belfast)

“No Time to Die” — Billie Eilish & Finneas O’Connell (No Time to Die)

“Somehow You Do” — Diane Warren (Four Good Days)

Best Sound

Belfast

Dune 

No Time to Die

The Power of the Dog 

West Side Story

Best Visual Effects

Dune

Free Guy

No Time To Die

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Best Animated Short

Affairs of the Art

Bestia

Boxballet

Robin Robin

The Windshield Wiper

Best Documentary Short

Audible

Lead Me Home

The Queen of Basketball

Three Songs for Benazir

When We Were Bullies

Best Live Action Short

Ala Kachuu — Take and Run

The Dress

The Long Goodbye

On My Mind

Please Hold

Congratulations to all of the nominees in the various Oscar categories. We will continue our coverage of this year’s awards race, but you can also keep track of 2022’s upcoming movie releases using the guide that we periodically update. 

With Oscar nominations right around the corner, CinemaBlend is taking a look at which films and performances are likely to be in contention for nominations. Let’s look at a the Best Picture race. 

Locked In

Nine films this year received Best Picture nominations from the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and Producer’s Guild awards. Those are The Power of the Dog, Belfast, Dune, Licorice Pizza, King Richard, Don’t Look Up, CODA, West Side Story and Tick, tick… Boom! With ten guaranteed slots this year, it’s a good bet that nearly all of these films, if not all, will be nominated. 

The flimsiest of the bunch is likely Tick, tick… Boom!, which has succeeded as a passion pick this season, but hasn’t picked up a lot of support outside of Andrew Garfield in lead actor. Still, it could join films like Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Post, and The Blind Side as films that coupled their Best Picture nominations with just one acting nomination. 

Likely Bets

The last slot is a real wildcard. Being the Ricardos has strong support for Nicole Kidman’s performance and Aaron Sorkin’s script, but mixed reviews might mean it doesn’t have the passion to go all the way. Drive My Car is the opposite. It’s an international film with no star power, and is in the conversation solely due to word of mouth. The film is currently the International Feature frontrunner, and could score nominations in Adapted Screenplay and Director as well. Passion could carry this one a long way. It’s possible that fewer voters will watch it, but that it may rank higher on the ballots of those who have seen it.

Dark Horses

Nightmare Alley has all the hallmarks of a Best Picture nominee: a star-studded cast, stunning visuals and Oscar-winning director behind it. However, reviews weren’t through the roof, and the film was unfortunately a box office failure. It looks like it’ll be hanging on in just a few tech categories.

House of Gucci was embraced heavily at SAG with nominations for Gaga, Leto, and the ensemble cast. However, reception was very mixed for this one. It could surprise due to having a higher profile than other contenders, but I’m not counting on it.

It’s possible that The Tragedy of Macbeth or The Worst Person in the World find themselves embraced more heavily than they were with other precursors. Certainly both films have passion behind them, and could score surprise nominations elsewhere. 

The 10th slot this year could be just another generic, lackluster Oscar bait film, or something really special. We’ll find out soon. 

With Oscar nominations right around the corner, CinemaBlend is taking a look at which films and performances are likely to be in contention for nominations. Let’s look at a the Original Screenplay race.

Locked In

Kenneth Branagh is hot off of a Golden Globe win for Belfast, which is likely to be a massive awards player across the board. He’ll easily be nominated here, and if he scores Director and Picture nominations for his film, he’ll have 8 nominations to his name without a win. That’s a compelling case to finally give the filmmaker and actor his first Oscar, but Paul Thomas Anderson will likely have even more nominations without a win. Should the filmmaker score Director, Producer, and Screenplay nominations for the critically acclaimed Licorice Pizza, that will put him at a whopping 11 nominations total. It’s very likely that the winner will be one of these two.

Adam McKay is very likely to land another nomination for Don’t Look Up as well. The Academy has embraced both of McKay’s previous exercises in political outrage, and the film is a massive hit on Netflix. Mixed critic reviews likely won’t hurt this one, given the amount of buzz behind it.

Likely Bets

Recently, the Academy has heavily embraced scripts penned by their directors in this category. King Richard is the only film in contention without that factor, which could hurt it if voters are looking to nominate writers they are familiar with. Still, there’s plenty of wit and humor in the script, and it’s a likely Best Picture nominee, which makes it a safe bet.

Aaron Sorkin is back in contention with Being the Ricardos. While it’s hardly his most acclaimed film, having Kidman, Bardem, and Simmons in contention for acting nominations will help the film maintain a high profile. However, Sorkin surprisingly missed a nomination for Steve Jobs in 2016, which makes me skeptical the Academy will nominate him if his film is left out of the Best Picture lineup. 

Dark Horses

If the Academy picks an alternate option to one of the aforementioned two, it might be either C’mon C’mon or Mass. Both are independent films with excellent dialogue and a deep focus on character building over plot. Unfortunately, these deserving scripts have not gained much traction outside of critics nominations. Working in C’mon C’mon’s favor is that Mike Mills scored a surprise nomination for 20th Century Women back in 2017. Mass is a first time script from actor turned filmmaker Fran Kranz. Working in its favor is that critics have nominated and awarded the script heavily, but it has been struggling for visibility with industry voters. A nomination for either film could be a way to throw some of 2021’s hidden gems a bone, since they may see no other nominations.

Michael Sarnoski’s acclaimed debut Pig has also received a fair amount of nominations from critics, as did Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch. Both films aren’t too likely to make the lineup, as they aren’t strong enough contenders in Best Picture. Other outside shots might include Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter, Asghar Farhadi’s A Hero, and Pedro Almodovar’s Parallel Mothers. 

Check back here at CinemaBlend for more category breakdowns.

Major spoilers for Don’t Look Up lie ahead.

2021 saw the release of a number of interesting films, but few were arguably as intriguing and polarizing as Don’t Look Up. Adam McKay’s apocalyptic satire raised a lot of eyebrows when it was released back in December, and many are still talking about it. One point of contention among viewers is the film’s ending, which borders on both silly and sentimental. But as it turns out, there was another moment cut from the final few minutes that would’ve leaned heavily into the latter category. But apparently, it was too “gut-wrenching” to include.

Don’t Look Up centers primarily on two astronomers (Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio) who seek to warn the people of Earth of a major comet that’s set to destroy the planet. By the end of the movie, the cosmic rock does indeed hit, though the aforementioned characters spend their final moments at a dinner table surrounded by their loved ones. Meanwhile, other characters accept (or escape) their fates in more humorous ways. 

Hank Corwin, the film’s editor, sought to execute Adam McKay’s vision in a detailed way. This apparently included trimming a scene that depicted a suicide during the movie’s final montage. However, he had to completely cut a religion-based scene that was even too much for McKay to handle. And to be quite honest, I think there may be others who might’ve felt the same: 

Some may find it hard to believe that the Big Short director, known for his sharp wit and occasionally cynical brand of storytelling, couldn’t bear to keep that sequence in. But of course, like all of us, he is human, and such a shot would draw plenty of emotions from viewers. Admittedly, it is a beautiful-sounding scene, though and one that could’ve added another layer of emotional resonance during the ending. Hank Corwin, however, told Insider that he has no regrets in regard to the creative decision his director made: 

The reactions to said story and script have been interesting, to say the least. In the early reviews for Don’t Look Up, many critics derided the film for not delivering on big laughs or sharper social commentary. Day After Tomorrow director Roland Emmerich also thought it lacked bite. However, many pundits and general viewers seemed to enjoy the film, with many taking to the web to defend it. High-profile creatives like Seth MacFarlane even praised it. The film also received support from its stars, including Leonardo DiCaprio who defended the controversial ending. Meanwhile, Ron Perlman dropped a few F-bombs while chastising those who panned the flick. 

Regardless of how you feel about Adam McKay’s latest, I think we all can agree that the movie is generating some interesting discussions amongst viewers. Based on the way things are going, it would appear that the discourse could continue for a little while. It’ll be interesting to see how viewers feel about the ending, and the movie as a whole, a decade from now. 

If you’re hoping to get in on the Don’t Look Up discussion as well, you can grab a Netflix subscription and stream it!

When you’ve made a disaster movie, it probably qualifies you to speak about other movies in the same genre. And Roland Emmerich has made his share of movies about the end of the world, so he probably knows more than most. The Day After Tomorrow director recently admitted that he wasn’t a big fan of Don’t Look Up, Netflix’s new satirical take on disaster movies, and had some thoughtful reflections on what the movie’s impact (no pun intended) could be. 

On paper, Don’t Look Up was an almost sure-fire hit. In reality, the film’s wild-but-maybe-not-that-wild premise that barely anyone would care about an impending apocalypse (except for Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence), didn’t really land for everyone. For instance, director Roland Emmerich, who told The Hollywood Reporter exactly why he "didn't care too much" Adam McKay’s Netflix comedy: 

The new movie has been viewed as a metaphor both for the ongoing pandemic and the threat of climate change. While it’s too early to say whether the director is right about its potential impact on audiences (or lack thereof), he’s not alone in his criticism of the movie. Despite boasting one of the most star-studded casts in Netflix history, the movie hasn’t resonated with a lot of viewers. Many fans and critics have agreed that its comedic approach to the end of the world was a miss. 

The ending of Don’t Look Up, including Leonardo DiCaprio’s gut-punch of a final line, has also been controversial. Some, like Roland Emmerich, found it dissatisfying. But in Sean O’Connell’s review of Don’t Look Up for CinemaBlend, he argued that the ending did resonate for him, albeit too late. All in all, it's pretty clear that it doesn't exactly sit alongside the best movies on Netflix.

Whether you agree with Roland Emmerich’s appraisal of Don’t Look Up or not, it’s hard to deny that he has made quite an impression on the disaster movie genre. In addition to The Day After Tomorrow, which sees the world being destroyed by a climate-change induced weather storm, he also directed the End Times-themed 2012 and everyone’s favorite alien invasion blockbuster Independence Day. 

He also helmed the new sci-fi thriller Moonfall, one of the many new movie releases in 2022. We’ll see if he manages to captivate audiences one in a way Don’t Look Up didn’t manage to do for him when the Halle Berry-led flick hits theaters on February 4. 

Last month, three years after Adam McKay delivered the Christian Bale-led Vice to the public, the filmmaker returned with a new movie: Don’t Look Up. This more recent addition to the library of Netflix movies has generated a lot of conversation, but critically speaking, it’s been met with polarizing reception. Now Ron Perlman, a member of Don’t Look Up’s ensemble cast, has sounded off against the satirical science fiction movie’s detractors, complete with an F-bomb.

At the time of this writing, Don’t Look Up has a 55% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, while the Audience Score rests at 78%. Here’s what Ron Perlman had to say about the critics that didn’t like Adam McKay’s latest movie to The Independent:

Ron Perlman didn’t mince any words sharing his displeasure over the professionals who gave Don’t Look Up a negative review, adding that he “understands that it’s part of how the internet has almost killed journalism,” and that “journalism is trying to do everything they can to co-opt and maintain their importance.” Don’t Look Up is tied with Step Brothers as the lowest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes that he’s directed, while 2015’s The Big Short is at the top of the pack with an 89% Tomatometer. CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell gave Don’t Look Up 2 out of 5 stars in his review.

Ron Perlman has made a name for himself across film and television for decades, from playing Hellboy in the Guillermo del Toro-directed movies to his time as Clay Morrow in the FX series Sons of Anarchy. In Don’t Look Up, he plays Colonel Benedict Drask, who’s chosen to go into space to stop a comet from hitting Earth, only for the mission to be scrapped once it’s discovered said comet might be worth trillions of dollars. Perlman’s cast-mates in Don’t Look Up include Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry and Ariana Grande. Make sure your Netflix subscription is in working order if you’re interested in streaming the flick.

Although Don’t Look Up has earned enough negative critical reception to warrant Ron Perlman speaking out against those who didn’t like it, the movie has also garnered various accolades. This includes being nominated for four Golden Globes and winning Best Ensemble at the San Diego Film Critics Society Awards. The nominations for the 94th Academy Awards will be announced on February 8, so we’re only a few weeks away from learning if Don’t Look Up gets any attention at the ceremony that will be held on March 27.

Along with Don’t Look Up being readily available on Netflix, learn what the streaming service has coming up in our 2022 Netflix movie schedule. As for Ron Perlman, he can be heard later this year in Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson’s stop-motion animated movie Pinocchio, and he’ll also voice Optimus Primal in 2023’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.