We now know Matthew McConaughey now as the Oscar-winning actor who quit rom-coms to secure dramatic roles. But, during the start of his “alright, alright, alright” era, he took on supporting roles in films like Angels in the Outfield, Boys on the Side and more. At the time, McConaughey was securing gigs that would launch his A-status, and it's since been rumored that amid that time, he turned down the lead role in Titanic. Now, the A-lister is setting the record straight.

Fans of James Cameron's 1997 romance film (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription) know that Leonardo DiCaprio won the leading man role of Jack Dawson. However, other male actors could have been cast in Titanic, and that includes Matthew McConaughey. After there was speculation that the Failure to Launch actor turned down the chance to play Jack, he sought to clear the air during an episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast:

Of course, back then, no one knew how big a movie Titanic would be. However, I still couldn’t imagine any man wanting to turn down the chance to work with Cameron. Based on McConaughey's account, though, it wasn’t a matter of saying no to Jack. He just didn’t get the part.

While McConaughey eventually went on to have a great career even without Cameron's film, it didn't mean that he didn’t envision himself in the part of the poor artist aboard the ill-fated ship. McConaughey had this to say about his audition:

Still, Leo DiCaprio would end up being the Jack Dawson we know, and I'd say that worked out for the best. James Cameron shared his take on picking DiCaprio, making note of all the women swoon over him during his screen test. Clearly, they couldn’t “let go” of Jack either.

While on the podcast, McConaughey was asked if he felt bad watching Titanic, given how successful the movie became. McConaughey simply responded with a shrug because, as he explained, he gave it his all during his audition. With that, he had no regrets, which would've been different had he delivered a bad screen test or phoned it in.

It's truly amazing just how much lore the general public continues to learn about Titanic even nearly 30 years after its theatrical release. I, for one, appreciate these tidbits and love the fact that McConaughey is tied to the movie in this way. Of course, I'm also happy his career flourished without it, as he would star in Contact and Amistad that year, before going on to have decades of more work.

Speaking of Matthew McConaughey’s work, check out his performance in the 2026 movie release The Rivals of Amziah King, which is in theaters now.

Anytime Leonardo DiCaprio takes on a new role, the chances are high that it’ll be one worth considering for awards buzz, and that’s pretty much been the case for the past 30 years, since he co-starred in one of the biggest blockbusters of all time, James Cameron’s Titanic. Of course, if Leo’s former co-star John C. Reilly had anything to do with it, Kate Winslet’s Rose might have been wooed by a completely different actor as Jack.

DiCaprio teamed up for the first time with Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, a big winner at this year’s Oscars. But the icons came close-ish to working together in the late ’90s for Boogie Nights, and the actor has voiced some Sliding Doors-esque regrets about not signing on to play Dirk Diggler, a role that went to Mark Wahlberg. Now, Reilly has spoken out about his advisory role in that process, which arguably amounts to some of the worst career guidance imaginable.

Appearing on Ted Danson’s podcast Where Everybody Knows Your Name, streaming on YouTube, the actor shared that he thought he was doing a former co-star a solid by steering him clear of working on Titanic. As he put it:

At that point, Anderson's only produced feature was 1996's Hard Eight. And while it was acclaimed upon its release, it didn't exactly eclipse all of James Cameron's previous accomplishments. But John C. Reilly still tried to woo the young actor by playing up the same kind of criticisms that Cameron faced as his production's budget expanded beyond expectations. Namely, that nobody wanted to see that historical tragedy on the big screen. He continued:

To be fair, John C. Reilly also addressed the idea that in 1997, making a breezy Hollywood movie about a well-endowed porn star wasn't exactly the norm, and may not have seemed like the most promising role to DiCaprio, especially when he already had a major part locked down.

The way Reilly puts it, DiCaprio doesn't seem like he was ever truly invested in taking his buddy's advice, especially when it ran counter to all the other counsel he'd been hearing from those hired to guide his career. The Walk Hard actor said:

Interestingly enough, Mark Wahlberg met with James Cameron for Titanic, although he was far more interested in driving around in the director’s Hummer than showing off his acting skills. Less than 10 years later, Wahlberg and DiCaprio shared the screen in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, though I’d love to know if that movie would have still happened had their 1997 movie roles been switched.

DiCaprio is once again working with Scorsese for a psychological horror movie releasing in 2026, What Happens at Night, with Jennifer Lawrence, Mads Mikkelsen and Patricia Clarkson co-starring. Meanwhile, John C. Reilly will next be seen in the upcoming action movie How to Rob a Bank from John Wick’s David Leitch. Maybe we’ll hear one day that Reilly tried to talk Keanu Reeves out of playing that franchise’s vengeful hitman.

Latest episode of the Fans can find Titanic streaming via Paramount+ subscription, so if it’s been a while since you’ve seen that ol’ movie about a boat sinking, look no further.

It’s been nearly 30 years since Jack and Rose sailed into our lives aboard Titanic, with all of their “You jump, I jump” and “I’ll never let go.” While James Cameron isn’t too shabby himself as a filmmaker, he absolutely struck gold with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as his leads, and it turns out the latter may have tried to tip the scales in her favor by sending the director a very sweet, very appropriate gift.

James Cameron was asked about letters or items that he’s received from actors to help them land a role in one of his epically high-grossing movies, and while he denied that such a thing would actually have much pull with him, he did recall Kate Winslet making a move. Cameron told ET:

I think that’s actually the sweetest gift, and as someone who loves Titanic, I love that she cared enough to fight for the role of Rose. James Cameron shot down the idea that the flower was what got her the part in what would become one of the best movies of the ‘90s — I’m sure Kate Winslet would rather it have been for her talent anyway — but it doesn’t sound like showing the director how passionate she was about Rose hurt her chances at all.

Plenty of behind-the-scenes facts about Titanic have come out over the past three decades, including how close Leonardo DiCaprio came to backing out of the movie. James Cameron knows how fragile the operation was, and if just one thing had changed — especially his lead actor and actress — the whole thing could have fallen apart.

The casting process for Titanic was reportedly a long one, and many big names were allegedly considered for Jack and Rose. Can you imagine Matthew McConnaughey as Jack Dawson? (“Alright, alright, alright, move over and let me on that door now.”) What about Johnny Depp or Paul Rudd? It would have been a completely different movie! For Rose, other actresses who were reportedly being considered included Uma Thurman and Winona Ryder.

Alas, it was Kate Winslet, who thankfully nailed it into James Cameron’s brain with a gift and note to let him know, “I am your Rose,” and to this day it’s considered one of Winslet’s best roles.

If you want to relive Jack and Rose’s love story, the tragedy of the “unsinkable” ship, or just renew the great Titanic door debate, the 1997 James Cameron classic is available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.

Meanwhile, if you’d rather check out what the director is up to these days, catch Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D), which is playing in theaters now.

The 98th Academy Awards, which we covered extensively on our live-blog, have come and gone, and among the 2026 Oscar winners was beloved director Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another. With PTA’s win, an Oscar’s connection pops up that actually makes you stop and think. One very specific thing links the first Oscar wins of three wildly different directors: Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, and Paul Thomas Anderson. And no, it’s not a shared genre, a studio, or even a similar style.

All three filmmakers earned their first (and, so far, only) Academy Awards for movies starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Once you see it laid out, it’s hard to ignore. Their connection comes from these movies starring the former teen heartthrob:

• The Departed (Martin Scorsese)
• Titanic (James Cameron)
• One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Three directors. Three very different careers. One surprisingly consistent through-line. DiCaprio.

The Leo Pattern Is Hard To Ignore

To be clear, these directors are not in the same position regarding their Award wins, though each of them, in my opinion, could be categorized as shocking Oscar wins.

Martin Scorsese famously had to wait decades before winning Best Director for 2007's The Departed, despite building one of the most respected filmographies in cinema history.

James Cameron, on the other hand, didn’t just win for Titanic; he dominated the Oscars with it, which led to his now infamous 'I'm the King of the World' speech. While his other films, like Avatar, have won Academy Awards across his career, his first major breakthrough and the only time he personally took home trophies came with a DiCaprio-led film.

The same goes for Paul Thomas Anderson. After years of critical acclaim and multiple nominations, One Battle After Another finally got him over the finish line, as he won Best Picture, Director and Adapted Screenplay. (Though I would hardly categorize it as one of PTA's best movies.) Like Cameron, his movies have won Oscars (Daniel Day-Lewis won for his performance in There Will Be Blood, for example). However, PTA's personal trophies didn't come to him until he worked with DiCaprio on OBAA.

So while their careers look very different on paper, there’s a strange overlap in how their Oscar stories actually played out.

The Leonardo DiCaprio Factor

What makes this even more ironic is Leo’s own Oscar history. Despite being at the center of these major wins, he only has one Academy Award himself, and it's for The Revenant. And notably, that win has nothing to do with any of the films that helped these directors secure their Oscars.

In other words, the Inception actor has been a key part of multiple Oscar-winning moments for directors, without personally winning for those same projects. That’s kind of wild.

It also says something about the roles he chooses. The Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood lead has built a career around working with filmmakers at pivotal moments, whether that’s helping bring massive projects like Titanic to life or collaborating on prestige films like The Departed and One Battle After Another.

He’s consistently in the mix when something big is happening, even if the awards don’t always land directly in his hands.

It’s easy to write this off as a quirky stat, but it also highlights how certain collaborations shape awards history in ways that aren’t always obvious. DiCaprio has spent years aligning himself with ambitious directors, and those partnerships have clearly paid off, even beyond his own accolades.

Three directors with multiple Oscars between them, and in each case, a Leonardo DiCaprio-led film played a key role in getting them there, especially when it came to that first big win. At the very least, it’s one of those connections that would make an awesome little piece of trivia at your next Oscar night party.

This year's best picture winner and the movie that got Paul Thomas Anderson his first Oscar, One Battle After Another, is streaming with an HBO Max subscription.

There is no shortage of iconic LEGO sets inspired by movies like Jurassic Park or gargantuan builds depicting legendary movie scenes, but this Titanic recreation is something entirely different. Based on the ill-fated “unsinkable” ship and the classic ‘90s movie that introduced its story to a whole new generation, this massive Titanic build is one of those LEGO sets that’s going to break the bank but also give you hours upon hours of fun.

As someone who spends way too much money, time, and energy thinking about, building, and finding ways to convince his wife and kids to buy him LEGO sets for Christmas and his upcoming birthday, this thing has my attention. Sure, it’s probably going to take 84 years to build it, but I think I’m up to the challenge.

This Is The LEGO Set Of Dreams, But Will Building It Be A Nightmare?

There are LEGO sets, and then there’s this Titanic model. Clocking in at 9,090 pieces, this massive, 1:200 scale model lives up to the “ship of dreams” moniker and then some. I spend a lot of my free time building LEGO sets for my kids, beside my wife, or on my own, and I think I’ll have my work cut out for me if I end up pulling the trigger and getting this one. That said, will building this be a nightmare?

Well, it depends on how you look at it. If you get easily frustrated by small LEGO bricks slipping in and out of place, have sausage fingers like me, or are easily overwhelmed by a model that is 53 inches long, then this is going to be a lesson in patience and meticulous movements. But, if you’re up to the challenge, which I am, then this seems like a great way to kill a few rainy weekends.

The Attention To Detail In This Thing Is Wild, And It Has Moving Parts

The size of this LEGO set is impressive to say the least, but size isn’t everything. What’s even more impressive is the model’s attention to detail (which I know is allowed due to the sheer size of this thing). According to the description, this is an “authentic model,” and you can totally see why after looking at the inside of the ship.

The set is split into three sections, and there’s a lot going on in each. Not only do you have the top of the ship with the four smokestacks, masts, and exterior decks, but you also have all the insides to build before it’s all said and done. Staterooms, hallways, dining rooms, a swimming pool, doors big enough for two minifigs, and even the grand staircase are all there. On top of that (or below that), there’s also a functional engine room where the pistons move to control the propellers found at the bottom of the stern. And this is barely scratching the surface.

Some Quick LEGO Titanic Specs

If you want to take a look at some quick facts, or specs in this case, about the LEGO Titanic set, you’ve come to the right place. Below is a breakdown of the price, size, suggested age, and other key details about this massive and truly magnificent model:

• Price: $679.99
• No. of Pieces: 9,090
• Suggested Age: 18+
• Dimensions: 18 inches tall, 7 inches wide, 53 inches long
• Special Features: Movable propellers and tension lines

Though the pricetag is admittedly pretty steep, if you have the cash, time, and patience, this LEGO Titanic model seems like something fans of naval history or that iconic romance need in their collection.

Wuthering Heights is often referred to as one of the greatest love stories in literature, but now that it’s one of the latest book-to-screen adaptations on the 2026 movie schedule, how much is the movie starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi really going to make us swoon? Writer/director Emerald Fennell has previously revealed her hopes to specifically make it this generation’s Titanic, but it shares one big difference with the epic: it’s rated R.

Emerald Fennell Shares Thoughts On Wuthering Heights MPA Rating

When CinemaBlend’s Hannah Saulic spoke to Emerald Fennell on the movie, she discussed her thoughts on the movie’s R rating. Was she conscious about James Cameron’s movie being PG-13 rather than R? In her words:

As it’s been since 1968, an R rating means that you must either be 17 or older or accompanied by someone who is. Now, based on what we’ve seen about Wuthering Heights, I don’t know that I would have let my parents take me to see this if I was under seventeen right now, but she makes a good point here about it being important as a filmmaker not to let ratings guide her storytelling.

In her comments, she also speaks to the movie’s reputation pre-release. So far, early reports called the film “aggressively provocative” and when Margot Robbie recently recalled screening it with a bunch of her friends they were “frothing at the mouth”. According to the writer/director, the movie might not be what people are “expecting”.

Why Is Wuthering Heights Rated R?

If you’re wondering why exactly Wuthering Heights has been classified as an R-rated movie, honestly it has fewer reasons to be R-rated than Titanic. Here’s the official reason, per Film Ratings:

To contrast, the 1997 epic is PG-13 for “disaster related peril and violence, nudity, sensuality and brief language”. I don’t mean to disappoint the moviegoers looking for a scene in the vein of the famed “paint me like one of your French girls” moment, but per an interview with USA Today, Robbie said “Jacob with his shirt off is the most nudity there is” and “the most provocative moments are when the characters are fully clothed, because there's just been so much buildup.”

You can check out Wuthering Heights yourself (and decide if it earned that R-rating) when the movie hits theaters on Friday, February 14.

There was a time when Titanic’s Kate Winslet said, "You'd have to pay me a lot of money” to work with James Cameron again. Winslet and Cameron, of course, initially worked together on Titanic and, after that, Winslet made comments about Cameron's alleged temper. But 25 years later, she was cast in Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, where she wore full-motion capture gear and did crazy underwater scenes. While Cameron and Winslet are cool, the director did have some thoughts on the comments made about him.

Based on behind-the-scenes fact about Titanic, the film's production was stressful. With long hours of filming in the cold, budget changes and a subsequent wave of bad press, the film's path to becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time (for over a decade) was no cakewalk. But on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, the host spoke about how Kate Winslet said after filming that she was “genuinely frightened” of James Cameron and that he had a “temper.” Here’s what the top-grossing director had to say about that:

James Cameron allowed the proverbial water to go under the bridge after Kate Winslet apologized. It’s not uncommon for people to make emotionally charged comments, especially after stressful experiences. Considering the two ended up working together again decades later for the Avatar: The Way of Water (streamable with a Disney+ subscription) and Fire and Ash, I’d definitely say the pair are on good terms today.

Years ago, people speculated that Titanic would sink at the box office due to reports of the historical romance flick going over budget, release date delays and rumors of harsh working conditions. During his recent interview, Cameron continued to talk about how Winslet’s initial claims could have been sparked by uncertainty about whether their movie would actually succeed:

I can understand the pressure Kate Winslet could have been under as she was still a young star at the time. The English actress' role as Rose DeWitt Bukater made her the tenth-youngest Best Actress nominee at 22, and she became a Golden Globe nominee as well. Honestly, I'd say that everything paid off, given the historical romance film is now considered one of Winslet's best movies.

For his part, James Cameron seems to have gained a lot of perspective in regard to the hard way he treated people on set. Back in the day, he and his crew even went as far as to wear T-shirts to keep people in line that said things like “You either shoot it my way or you do another movie.” The Abyss director got real about those infamous tees:

Even if Kate Winslet recalled James Cameron’s temper back then, she still has fond memories of the director now. She previously stated in 2022 that she understood what “a terrifying experience” filming Titanic was for Cameron. That was because the technology used for the film was experimental, and the crew couldn't afford for anything to go wrong during the shoot.

When the Titanic pair collaborated for Avatar: The Way of Water, on the other hand, the Oscar-winning actress described Cameron as “calmer” as he delved into the familiar world of Pandora and was confident in what he was doing for that shoot.

It goes without saying that James Cameron and Kate Winslet have had some great movie collaborations. The partnership may not have always been easy early on, but I love that they're still close today. You can watch their latest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is still playing in theaters.

James Cameron is one of the most successful filmmakers of all time. With three of the top five highest-grossing films of all time directed by him, there’s nobody else quite at his level. But it’s taken some hard work, and possibly some hurt feelings, to get there. And Cameron admits to not liking the person he used to be on set.

Cameron recently appeared on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, where he spoke at length about his career. The host asked him about previous comments he had made that amounted to the director not liking the way he tended to act while directing. Cameron admitted there was a time when he had a tendency to be so focused on getting the movie made right, that he took even the slightest hindrance to that personally. He explained…

Film is certainly a collaborative medium, but the director is the one in charge, and it seems Cameron may have taken that a little too much to heart in the past. It sounds like those working with him might run afoul of the director’s temper from time to time, as Cameron had little patience for mistakes on set. Although it did appear to work, considering the best James Cameron movies are among the most successful movies ever made.

However, Cameron says he’s worked hard to change that mentality and thinks he’s now found a good balance. He understands that blaming people doesn’t make the movie better and is more tolerant of mistakes because he knows they can be dealt with. He continued…

The specific case of Kate Winslet is brought up, as the actress famously said some less-than-stellar things about Cameron as a director following Titanic. Cameron takes exception to that specific case, while he doesn’t specifically claim that things didn’t happen as the actress claimed, he doesn’t feel that her comments were entirely descriptive of the experience of making Titanic with him. And Winslet had nothing but good things to say when she worked with him again on Avatar: The Way of Water.

Whatever things used to be like, it seems that James Cameron at least thinks working with him is better now. This is good news for whatever his next movie ends up being, whether it’s the next two Avatar films or something else entirely.

If any movie is the king of James Cameron’s world, I think it's Titanic. While some claim his legacy is the Avatar franchise, with its latest installment Avatar: Fire and Ash currently in theaters, I respectfully disagree. That's because, no matter what movie the Aliens director promotes, he is almost always asked about Titanic, and one infamous door scene in particular. You know the one. Cameron recently dropped an F-bomb while expressing his exhaustion with the debate over Titanic’s raft scene (but I still have my doubts after his most recent rant).

Could Jack have fit on the door with Rose? It’s a question that has plagued Hollywood for decades. Titanic stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet have both been asked to answer the question in its resurgence, and of course, the Avatar director has been grilled on it a billion times. Even after he ran a series of scientific experiments to prove Jack couldn’t survive, people continued to question him. Now, he’s trying to squash the debate once and for all on The Hollywood Reporter’s Award Chatter Podcast with an expletive to add some extra umph to his argument:

It’s true, after performing all those scientific scenarios with stunt doubles, Cameron and co. admitted there was a small chance Jack could have survived if they had both sat on the raft, out of the water, instead of Rose lying down. But as Cameron points out, Jack wasn’t exactly a scientific trailblazer:

The Terminator director has previously said it wouldn’t matter anyway if Jack could fit on the door or not. In the end, Rose did have to let go–Jack had to die. While Jack and Rose may be fictional characters, the tragic end to their story was very real for the majority of the passengers on the Titanic. Without his heroic death, you render the movie “meaningless,” as Cameron puts it.

So I understand his frustration, I do. The continued debate of the raft is kind of a middle finger to his whole movie–just proving year after year that people are missing the point entirely. However, I think he might just need to give in and play along. I personally think it’s a tired debate. At this point, though, I think some people are just bringing it up to get a rise out of him.

The True Lies filmmaker can drop as many F-bombs as he likes, unfortunately for him, I don’t believe this debate will ever die. It’s a classic conversation starter at parties, among friends, and even on game shows. The problem doesn’t lie in the science, it lies in the fact that people like Margot Robbie don’t like to watch its sad, tragic ending. Which is totally fine, but James Cameron doesn’t want to hear it anymore, guys! Seriously, maybe we should just let him make his upcoming projects in peace.

While One Battle After Another may be chiefly known as Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest movie, another Leonardo DiCaprio-led vehicle and even one of the best movies of 2025, it’s also notable for being actress Chase Infiniti’s film debut. Infiniti stars as Willa Ferguson, the daughter of DiCaprio’s Bob Ferguson, who gets kidnapped by the military officer who had also been in a relationship with her mother. It turns out that before being cast in One Battle After Another, Infinity had never seen Titanic, one of DiCaprio’s most popular movies. That said, I do approve of the movie of his that did make her starstruck with him.

Chase Infiniti is back on the press circuit for One Battle After Another following it being met with critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including earning eight Golden Globe nominations. Infiniti, who’s been nominated in the upcoming awards ceremony’s Best Actress – Musical or Comedy category, had this to say when asked by W Magazine if she’d seen Titanic by the time she’d done her first chemistry read with Leonardo DiCaprio:

Better late than never on seeing Titanic, and if you’re in the same boat as Chase Infinity once was, or you just feel like rewatching the epic historical romance that co-starred Kate Winslet, it can be streamed with either a Netflix subscription or Paramount+ subscription. More importantly, I’m so glad she shouted out Catch Me If You Can. Like her, I also watched it before I saw Titanic.

Released in 2002 and directed by Steven Spielberg, Catch Me If You Can is the film adaptation of former con man Frank Abagnale Jr.’s semi-autobigjorpahical book. Leonardo DiCaprio played the young Abagnale, where he conned millions of dollars out of people by pretending to be a Pan Am pilot, doctor and prosecutor, all while still a teenager. DiCaprio was joined in Catch Me If You Can by Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye, Amy Adams and James Brolin, among others. It can also be streamed on Paramount+.

While I wouldn’t call Catch Me If You Can an obscure movie by any means, I do think it’s one of the entries on Leonardo DiCaprio’s filmography that doesn’t get as much attention as it should. Regardless, it’s great that Chase Infiniti is a fellow fan, to the point that she geeked out about the Academy Award-winning actor because of that role. Of course, now she and DiCaprio, who’s also up for a Golden Globe this year, have the bond they formed in One Battle After Another to supersede that.

We’ll see how One Battle After Another does in its nominated categories when the 83rd Golden Globes airs both on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ this Sunday. Chase Infiniti’s next movie is the coming-of-age drama The Julia Set, which began filming later this year, and she’s also starring in The Handmaid’s Tale spinoff The Testaments, which premieres on the 2026 TV schedule in April. As for Leonardo DiCaprio, it’s looking like his next movie will be Heat 2, though his role remains undisclosed.

At this point, the idea that anybody would ever bet against James Cameron seems crazy. The man is responsible for three of the highest-grossing movies ever made, and with Avatar: Fire and Ash opening in a couple of months, that number may become four. And yet, there was a time when people were unsure that a Cameron movie would be a massive hit, with quite a few being less than certain about Titanic.

Next month, the memoirs of Cameron’s late producing partner Jon Landau, who passed away last year, will be posthumously published, and Variety has an excerpt from the book, titled The Bigger Picture. In the piece, Landau discusses the difficulty with Titanic’s first trailer, which clocked in at an epic four minutes long. When the cut was first sent to the film’s two studios, Fox and Paramount, it was not received well, with Landau relating…

To be sure, a four-minute trailer is a long trailer for a movie. That said, Titanic is a long movie, and Landau indicates that they simply couldn’t figure out how to boil the movie down any further without losing important elements that were needed to show what the movie was.

Alternate cuts of the trailer were attempted, but Landau says they made Titanic look like an action movie. Landau reveals they were ultimately able to get the approval of Paramount’s CEO to test the trailer at SHOWest, the precursor to the modern CinemaCon event in Las Vegas. If theater owners gave their approval, the trailer could go forward.

Landau says that support from the trailer came from an unlikely source: Kurt Russell, who was there because he also had a Paramount movie getting ready to release, the thriller Breakdown. Landau describes the scenario saying…

Whether the words of Kurt Russell were simply echoing how everybody felt, or Russell actually helped nudge the consensus on the trailer, is unclear. However, theater owners did approve of the four-minute trailer. This actually required a special dispensation from the MPA, as the trailer exceeded limits at the time. And it is one hell of a trailer.

The trailer may be guilty of giving away the entire plot of the movie, but history has shown that didn’t exactly matter. People saw Titanic in droves, making it the highest-grossing movie ever made for years.

Ethan Hawke has never been one to chase traditional Hollywood stardom. While many of his peers starred in some of the best movies of the ’90s, the Training Day alum went another way, starring in smaller movies. He also took time to write novels, direct plays, and teamed up with Richard Linklater on experimental films that have aged into not only Hawke's best films but also classics in their own right. In a recent interview, he reflects on narrowly missing out on the role of Jack Dawson in Titanic and why he’s kinda glad the role ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio.

In a recent interview with GQ, promoting his jam-packed 2025 movie schedule slate of upcoming projects, the Quiz Show actor admitted that he wasn’t the right man for James Cameron’s juggernaut. As he put it:

Hawke isn’t exaggerating. When Titanic hit theaters in 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio’s fame exploded to a level few actors have ever experienced. Practically overnight, he went from rising star to global heartthrob, mobbed by screaming fans at premieres, splashed across teen magazines, and hounded by paparazzi who treated him less like an actor and more like a rock star. It was the kind of cultural frenzy usually reserved for pop icons, cementing his place as one of the most recognizable faces on the planet.

This casting “what-if” is a fascinating behind-the-scenes Titanic moment, and also a candid moment from the actor that is quintessential Hawke. At 54, he’s managed to carve out a career that avoids the suffocating intensity of superstardom while still earning respect across film, television, theater, and even literature. He’s the guy who can star in the upcoming The Black Phone 2 one month, shoot a prestige FX drama like the 2025 TV schedule release The Lowdown, and in the next month, turn around and disappear into Lorenz Hart for Linklater’s Blue Moon. That range, unbothered by conventional box office metrics, is exactly why he’s still here (and thriving) in 2025.

It should come as no surprise that the talented performer’s acknowledgment of missing out on Titanic isn’t just self-effacing, but is, in fact, born of personal experience. The Before Sunrise actor saw up close what overnight superstardom can do. Working alongside talents like River Phoenix and Robin Williams early on, he witnessed how the spotlight could magnify vulnerabilities. By sidestepping the role that turned DiCaprio into a global idol, Hawke avoided a level of fame that he now sees might have broken him. Instead, he built longevity through a commitment to art.

And yet, it’s not as if the Dead Poets Society veteran has avoided mainstream projects altogether. He played second lead to Denzel Washington in Training Day, earning an Oscar nomination, dipped into the MCU with Moon Knight, and appeared in buzzy Netflix thrillers. Still, these have always been detours rather than destinations. As he explained:

“Spiderwebby” is a fitting description, but another way to see it is that, for Hawke, these choices have always been about using commercial gigs to fuel the passion projects that keep him grounded in the craft — and that’s something movie fans should celebrate.

Next up, Ethan Hawke takes on his first leading role in a television series with FX’s The Lowdown, premiering September 23. New episodes will air Tuesdays and hit streaming the following day for anyone with a Hulu subscription. He’ll also return to theaters in the upcoming horror movie sequel The Black Phone 2, opening October 17.

Sometimes there are movies that everyone loves, and you don't. I'm generally pretty open-minded about most movies (it helps to be in this business), and I can usually find something I like in almost every movie. There are, however, some movies that I don't like. These aren't all "hot takes." For most of them, I completely appreciate the quality of the movie in question; they just don't land with me on a personal level.

This is a "me problem" most of the time, but still, I wanted to put this list together to talk about movies everyone loves, but have never done anything for me, so without further ado, let's get into it!

The Shawshank Redemption

Let's just get this big one out of the way. The Shawshank Redemption is generally considered one of, if not the, best movies of the 1990s by many people. The Frank Darabont-directed prison movie, based on a book by Stephen King and starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, is beloved by many, especially those people (like me) who watched it on cable all the time in the '90s. The thing is, I just don't like it. Maybe it's because of the prison element, or that it's a little too... I don't know... cheesy to me. It doesn't work for me.

The Deer Hunter

Where to start with The Deer Hunter? Often cited as not only one of the best war movies ever, it's even thought of as one of the best films of all time. I couldn't disagree more with those assessments. This might be a hot take, but I find it boring. Do we really need to see a Russian-Orthodox wedding as it happens? The history is dubious at best. There is nothing that ties Russian Roulette to POW camps in Vietnam in actual history. While the performances are amazing from the entire cast, the movie, with a runtime of 184 minutes, is about 3 hours too long.

Avatar

The first time I saw Avatar, I was on a double date, and my girlfriend and I spent the whole movie snickering about how silly we thought it was. The other couple on the date loved it (as most seem to), so again, we snickered about how silly the movie is, and how much the other couple loved it. The special effects achievements in Avatar are rightfully lauded, but everything else... I can't take it seriously.

300

People were so excited when the graphic novel 300 got a film adaptation in 2006. While I'm often a stickler for good history in a movie about historical events, that's not what bothers me about this one. For me, the movie just looks and feels incredibly cheesy.

Magnolia

Paul Thomas Anderson is a polarizing director, at least in my own head. I tend to either really love his movies (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, Hard Eight, and Inherent Vice are all movies you can watch over and over) or I really don't like them at all, like Magnolia. I remember being so excited to see his follow-up to Boogie Nights in the theater and walking away disappointed and, honestly, pretty bored by the movie.

Scarface

Scarface has to be one of the most dated movies of all time. Talk about cheesy! Everything from Miami in the '80s to the score by the legendary Giorgio Moroder all feels like they are trapped in time - and not in a good way. Though some might disagree, it's also a really boring movie for most of it. Sure, the action scenes are classics, but Al Pacino's weird accent ruins even some of the best lines for me.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

I'm the perfect age for someone who loves Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, as I was a preteen when it came it. It is a movie directed right at the audience I was a part of when it became a smash hit in 1980. I never really liked it, even then. The humor doesn't land for me at all. I do like the animation, but other than that, it's just not for me.

Sin City

I don't read a lot of graphic novels, and that might be why I don't like adaptations like 300 or this one, Sin City. Both are adapted from works by Frank Miller, some of whose adaptations I do really like, like the third season of Daredevil, then on Netflix, now part of the MCU on Disney+. The style of Sin City does little for me, and I just couldn't get past that.

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid is a movie I really want to like. I love both stars of the movie, Robert Redford and Paul Newman, and The Sting, which I first saw years before seeing Butch and Sundance, is still one of my all-time favorite movies. I'm also a huge fan of Westerns, and despite this being considered one of the best Westerns of all time, I've never been able to connect with this one. I've tried over the years to get into it, but I end up turning it off every time.

Inglourious Basterds

Quentin Tarantino is a director, like some others on this list, who is always a little hit-or-miss with me. Reservoir Dogs is one of my all-time favorites, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is an example where I think Tarantino nailed the alternate history in the story he was telling. Inglourious Basterds is the opposite of that. Outside of the incredible opening scene with Christoph Waltz's amazing performance, the movie is just too silly for me, and the ending drives me nuts. I do secretly love Brad Pitt's wacky accent.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Time for me to come clean: I'm not a big fan of any of the Mad Max franchise. Although I'm the perfect age to have grown up with it, I've never been able to get into it. Mad Max: Fury Road is widely praised, and visually, it is really awesome, but seeing it once was enough for me. I have no desire to watch it again.

Titanic

I know I'm not alone here in my dislike of Titanic. That's not to say I hate everything about the movie. I actually really love the set design and the special effects. Visually, it's an amazing movie. It's the story that does absolutely nothing for me. Frankly, it bores me, and now, by no fault of the movie itself, it's been so meme'd and quoted over the years, it leaves me with no desire to watch it again.

Top Gun: Maverick

The original Top Gun is a near-perfect action movie in my opinion. Its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, was disappointing because it's basically a beat-for-beat remake. That's not why I really don't like it, though. It's that silly ending, which is essentially the exact same idea as Luke blowing up the Death Star in the first Star Wars movie, and that left me really bummed out when I finished watching it.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

When people rank the MCU movies, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is often near the top, or at least in the top third of all the movies. For me, though, it's way down the list. But what do I know? I love Iron Man 2, and everyone else hates that one.

Chariots Of Fire

I'm convinced that the reason people love Chariots Of Fire is solely for the incredible score by Vangelis. I love a good period piece, and by all accounts, I should love this movie, and yet, I don't. It's a movie that somehow won Best Picture over Raiders of the Lost Ark, and that never should have happened!

Heat

Another movie that I think I should really love, but just can't buy some of the ridiculous dialogue is Heat. The epic shootout is amazing, and I remember all too well what a huge deal it was that Al Pacino and Robert De Niro were appearing in scenes together in a movie for the first time. That novelty has worn off, and all we're left with is some silly dialogue now.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

This is where Wes Anderson lost me. I was excited for The Grand Budapest Hotel when it was released, as I was a huge fan of Anderson's earlier work, but this one left me feeling flat and, frankly, a little annoyed at the directing. I love that Anderson has a clear vision and style in his movies, but I'm just not into them anymore.

American Hustle

I once had a friend comment that American Hustle should really be called "American Hair and Makeup." The wardrobe and make-up departments more than earned their money on this one; it's all fantastic. The movie could have been so much better, though.

Once Upon a Time in America

Once Upon a Time in America is one of those movies that has what feels like dozens of different versions. The directors cut, the theatrical cut, the USSR cut... it goes on and on, but I have yet to find a version of the movie that makes me love it. Maybe one day a Redux cut will finally make it click.

The Big Chill

I'm pretty outspoken about my feelings about Gen X nostalgia, and that's my generation. I had to grow up in an America drenched in Baby Boomer nostalgia, and no movie represents that quite like The Big Chill. That said, I will always be grateful for the movie introducing me to Motown with its fantastic soundtrack.

Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump is a movie that never fails to annoy me. Yes, it has a great soundtrack, and I actually love Tom Hanks' performance in it. But it's just dripping in saccharine Boomer nostalgia, and that will always annoy me about it.

Driving Miss Daisy

I remember what a huge deal Driving Miss Daisy was when it was released, and I'm almost positive it was the first movie I ever saw with Morgan Freeman, so it does get points for that. It loses points for everything else.

The Shape Of Water

Let me get this straight... Is The Shape of Water is a better movie than Dunkirk, Get Out, Darkest Hour, Call Me By Your Name, and The Post? That's what the Academy thought when it named the movie Best Picture at the 2018 Oscars. There's just no way. I don't get it. Maybe it's me, but of all the films directed by Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water is by far my least favorite.

Grease

I get, Grease is a beloved movie for generations of kids and teenagers. The musical is one of the most popular movies ever made, and that popularity has never waned. Except with me. It never did anything for me. Except for the song "Greased Lightnin'." That's a great tune.

Harold And Maude

I love a great dark comedy, and Harold and Maude should fit that bill for me, but it just doesn't do anything for me at all. I mean, I kind of appreciate that Maude lives in an old train car; that's fun.

The Iron Giant

The Iron Giant is the perfect example of a movie that just came out at the wrong time for me. I was too old to care about kids' movies and too young to appreciate kids' movies as an adult. It's a movie that I finally watched about 20 years after it came out, simply because it was referenced in Ready Player One, but it still just wasn't for me.

American Sniper

I love a good movie about the military, and American Sniper is a very intense one of those, for sure. This is a case where I don't totally hate the movie, but I don't like it enough to ever watch again. I'm not going to get political here, so I'll leave it at that. Also, the fake baby totally took me out of the movie, and I never really recovered.

Easy Rider

I'm a huge fan of late '60s music and, by extension, the hippie culture. I love literature from the era, and so, by all accounts. I should love Easy Rider. Except... I don't. Like other movies on this list, it feels really dated, as do a lot of movies from the era. The motorcycles will always look cool, though.

Brazil

Terry Gilliam is a genius. I love his work with Monty Python, and I'm a big fan of a bunch of his movies, like Time Bandits, 12 Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and The Fisher King. I'm a huge fan of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, as well. But I just don't like Brazil. I can't put my finger on exactly why I don't, but I find it a little boring, and while I generally appreciate anything weird, this one may just be a little too off-kilter for me.

Moneyball

I read the book Moneyball years before the movie came out, and I have the same issue with the book as I do with the movie. As a baseball fan, it bugs me that the movie completely downplays the epic pitching staff the A's had in this era and gives far too much credit to Billy Beane's rethinking of player evaluation. It's something that I just can't get out of my head whenever I try to watch the movie.

The Fifth Element

I get why people love The Fifth Element. It's visually stunning, and the cast is amazing. It's missing something that I can't put my finger on. Maybe I need to try this one again, but I'm not sure I'll like it anymore than I used to.

Terms Of Endearment

For me, Terms of Endearment isn't one of those movies that is so good, but so brutal to watch that you can never watch it again; it's just a bland movie that I'll never understand how it won so many awards or was so popular at the time. It's a stellar cast, to be sure, but it seems only to serve one purpose: to make people cry. That isn't my kind of movie.

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.

The best kind of cinematic experiences offer two movies for the price of one, but I am not talking about a double feature. I am talking about one film that shifts its tone so dramatically at one point in the story that it almost feels like it becomes a new movie entirely. The following are some of the best flicks that gave audiences an evolutionary experience in one sitting.

Parasite (2019)

One of cinema's biggest surprises of 2019 is writer and director Bong Joon-ho's Best Picture Oscar winner, Parasite, which, at first, is presented as a smart and quirkily funny economic satire about a poor family conning their way into a wealthy family's lives. At the almost exact halfway point, the Korean-language film becomes a bleak cautionary tale when the main family's taste of the high life suddenly begins to unravel before their eyes.

Predator (1987)

If not for its ominous title and opening shot of a strange ship entering Earth's atmosphere, you might assume that Predator is a simple military action thriller. Its sci-fi elements become most apparent when Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch and his crew members are slowly picked off one by one by one of the most terrifying extraterrestrials in cinematic history.

Shaun Of The Dead (2004)

Director Edgar Wright and star and co-writer Simon Pegg made their breakthrough with a relatively grounded sitcom called Spaced, which might lead one to assume that their first cinematic collaboration would be a relatively grounded comedy. Indeed, Shaun of the Dead feels like nothing more than a simple rom-com for a good while before it becomes apparent to the audience and our characters, through darkly hilarious circumstances, that London has become overrun with hungry, reanimated corpses in the instant horror-comedy classic.

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

Roberto Benigni is a master of both broad comedy and tender drama and utilizes both brilliantly as the co-writer, director, and star of the World War II film and Oscar winner, Life is Beautiful. He plays a father anyone would be proud to have named Guido, whose clumsy nature and charming courting of the future mother of his son provides some lighthearted comfort, until it becomes a devastating tragedy when the film depicts the Holocaust through his family's eyes.

Sorry To Bother You (2018)

If you take out Cassius Green's (Lakeith Stanfield) uncanny "white voice," Sorry to Bother You feels like a relatively grounded economic satire set in the world of telemarketing at first. It becomes clear that Boots Riley's dazzling debut is not quite set in the real world when things take an unapologetically bizarre, surreal turn near the end.

Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984)

Temple of Doom may be one of the lower-ranked Indiana Jones movies by many, but I have always admired the prequel, especially for being such a dramatic departure from its predecessor. Of course, it does feel like the same fun, breezy action-adventure story that Raiders of the Lost Ark is in its first half, but once Indy (Harrison Ford), Willie (Kate Capshaw), and Short Round (Ke Huy Quan) come across the Thuggee Cult, it's a straight-up horror flick.

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Taika Waititi achieves an astonishing balance act with the way he pokes fun at the politics of 1930s Germany in Jojo Rabbit. In fact, the Oscar-winning period satire does such a good job establishing itself as a lighthearted comedy that its tragic turns in the second half are especially shocking.

Man On Fire (2004)

In its earliest moments, director Tony Scott's Man on Fire establishes itself as an uplifting redemption tale, following a depressed former CIA agent (played by Denzel Washington) and his healing bond with the young girl he is hired to protect (played by Dakota Fanning). However, it becomes a gritty revenge movie when the child is kidnapped and our hero moves heaven and earth to find her.

Psycho (1960)

Those who saw Psycho when it was first released might have assumed the title refers to Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and her choice to go on the run with stolen money. Of course, the Alfred Hitchcock thriller's true purpose is revealed when Crane makes a stop at the Bates Motel, which turns out to be her final destination.

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Director Robert Rodriguez and writer and star Quentin Tarantino collaborate on a gritty crime drama about a pair of ruthless brothers (played by George Clooney and Tarantino) on the run who take a vacationing family hostage. Once they reach their intended destination, a mysterious roadside bar, From Dusk Till Dawn suddenly erupts into a crazy vampire movie.

Audition (1999)

Takashi Miike's Audition is one of the most shocking Japanese horror films of all time, particularly because it presents itself as a redemptive romantic drama at first. Widowed Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) hosts a fake movie casting call to find a new wife and immediately falls for Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina), whom he eventually discovers is a brutal sadist when she subjects him to her torturous hobbies.

Click (2006)

Click proved that Adam Sandler was making a move toward more mature films by having its story slowly evolve into something more mature than its first half. The sci-fi comedy indulges in the same childish humor the SNL star was best known for before his character's truly universal remote and its auto-fast forward function begin to take over his life in surprisingly heartbreaking ways.

True Romance (1993)

Quentin Tarantino was not yet a household name when a film he penned called True Romance was released, so audiences could not prepare themselves for its wild twists and turns. Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) and Alabama Whitman's (Patricia Arquette) indulgent but irresistibly charming pairing promises a sweet, lighthearted comedy before things turn violent.

Fresh (2022)

Without any prior knowledge of its plot, Fresh seems like nothing more than a funny, yet frighteningly realistic, rom-com until 30 minutes in its when its opening titles finally kick off and it becomes frightening for another reason. Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) believes her horrific dating streak has ended when she meets Steve (Sebastian Stan), until she discovers his shocking true intentions for her.

Lost Highway (1997)

One of the most infamously discombobulating David Lynch movies, Lost Highway, begins as a story about a married couple (played by Bill Pullman and Patricia Arquette) suffering from a bizarre and distressing situation, among other personal matters. However, things get even stranger when Pullman's character is inexplicably transformed into a younger mechanic, played by Balthazar Getty, who suddenly becomes the new protagonist.

Barbarian (2022)

Writer and director Zach Cregger was not even sure what type of story he was going to tell when he began penning Barbarian as a writing exercise, which certainly explains its subversive shifts in tone. It starts off feeling more like a rom-com with an otherwise terrifyingly awkward meet-cute (Georgina Campbell and Bill Skarsgård's characters meet at a mistakenly double-booked Airbnb) before revealing itself as a grotesque horror flick when they discover the house is hiding a secret.

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Despite its somber tone and gradual pacing, die-hard fans of the genre would agree that S. Craig Zahler's Bone Tomahawk, depicting a trip to rescue a doctor kidnapped from her 19th-century village, is one of the best Western movies of its time. Once Kurt Russell's Sheriff Hunt and his comrades come across the kidnappers, a tribe of indigenous cannibals, it becomes one of the best horror movies of its time, let alone one of the most hauntingly brutal.

About Time (2013)

In the category of great time travel movies, About Time, starring Domhnall Gleeson as Tim, who discovers the ability to travel through time runs through his family, is one of the funniest, most uplifting, and most romantic entries, particularly when he falls for Mary (Rachel McAdams). However, at one point, it takes a heartbreaking turn into a story of loss.

Sinners (2025)

In Eric Eisenberg's Sinners review for CinemaBlend, he says he cannot decide if he loves Ryan Coogler's period film more as a crime drama or as a horror movie. Most critics and audiences would agree that the vampire-infested second half of this tale about twin gangsters (both played by Michael B. Jordan) returning to their home in the Jim Crow-era South is as strong and powerful as its more grounded first half.

Titanic (1997)

James Cameron's Oscar-winning historical blockbuster Titanic saves its breathtaking dramatization of the eponymous luxury passenger ship's tragic sinking in 1912 for its second half. Much of the story up to that point is a sweeping romance, following the passionate love affair between two fictional passengers: the wealthy, engaged Rose Butaker (Kate Winslet) and the impoverished, charming artist, Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Co-writer and director Scott Glosserman's criminally overlooked horror-comedy, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, is a brilliant send-up of classic slasher movie tropes filmed predominantly in a documentary style. That is, until the final act when the title character (played by Nathan Baesel) embarks on his big murder spree, and the film becomes a more traditionally dramatic masked killer flick.

Shutter Island (2010)

One of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's best collaborations, Shutter Island, seems like a standard detective noir, following US Marshals Teddy Marshall (DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) investigating a disappearance at the eponymous mental health facility. However, the shocking plot twist, which I will let you find out on your own, changes the story into something else entirely.

Terms Of Endearment (1983)

Writer and director James L. Brooks' Oscar-winning adaptation of Larry McMurtry's novel, Terms of Endearment, is one of the most traumatically shocking tearjerkers in cinematic history, particularly for the way its heatbreaking plot points sneak up on you. The Oscar-winning film is largely a light dramedy focusing on Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her relationship with her daughter, Emma (Debra Winger), until the film shifts to a story of grief and loss when Emma is diagnosed with cancer.

Primal Fear (1996)

At first, the main pull of Primal Fear is Richard Gere's central character, defense attorney Martin Vail, and his moral flexibility and craving for an attention-grabbing case. The plot takes a bewildering turn near the end of the legal drama when the truth about Vail's client, a young murder suspect named Aaron (Edward Norton in his debut), is revealed

Bridge To Terabithia (2007)

A perfect example of movie marketing that misled its audience is Bridge to Terabithia, which was promoted as a fun family film following Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb) and Jess' (Josh Hutcherson) adventures in the eponymous fantasy realm. That description does match the tone of the film, but only up to a point when tragedy turns it into a traumatic gut-punch.

Overlord (2018)

Early on, Overlord was assumed to be an unofficial cinematic adaptation of the Call of Duty video games' zombie level, but it is not exactly that. In fact, the World War II-era combat drama remains relatively grounded for much of the first half before revealing its imaginative take on real-life, horrific experiments in reanimation.

Something Wild (1986)

Director Jonathan Demme's Something Wild certainly wears its darker properties on its sleeve throughout, but the story of a straightlaced businessman (played by Jeff Daniels) roped into an adventure with a free-spirited woman (played by Melanie Griffith) is largely outweighed at first by its fun, breezy romantic elements. However, it does begin to gradually evolve into a more earnest and alarming thriller once Ray Liotta shows up as the female lead's convict ex-husband.

The Wailing (2016)

Do not underestimate the blood-curdling twists and turns in store in the acclaimed Korean horror movie, The Wailing. You may feel safe to let your guard down by the comedic elements of this cop drama before its true identity as a harrowing supernatural thriller is unveiled.

Miracle Mile (1988)

You might have forgotten about the '80s movie Miracle Mile, which is a quirky comedy following Harry Washello (Anthony Edwards) and his blossoming romance with Julie Peters (Mare Winningham). Things change when Harry overhears evidence that the United States is launching a nuclear war with the Soviet Union and races against time to get him and Julie to safety.

Very Bad Things (1998)

Writer and director Peter Berg's feature debut, Very Bad Things, is a precursor to The Hangover, but takes things in even darker directions. It starts off as a light, funny party movie about five friends enjoying a bachelor party in Las Vegas, until an accidental murder brings the fun to a screeching halt and causes the story to descend into a maddening thriller.

Downsizing (2017)

In my opinion, Alexander Payne's Downsizing is, unfortunately, a go-to example of a disappointing movie with a great concept, namely a scientific breakthrough that helps people become more financially solvent by shrinking to five inches tall. The issue for me is that it shifts from a sci-fi economic satire to an environmental PSA in such a sudden, jarring succession.

Fantastic Four (2015)

There are many reasons why Josh Trank's Fantastic Four is one of the most critically reviled superhero movies of all time, but I don't consider its shift into a body horror movie to be one of them. In fact, portraying Marvel's superhero family as victims of their amazing abilities could have worked well had the film not used up so much time as a slow-paced inter-dimensional expedition thriller first, and so weakly tried to wedge in a generic comic book movie finale at the end.

Titanic, the iconic 1998 Best Picture winner currently available streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription, sure looked like a wild ride to put together. Since behind-the-scenes facts about the movie include that its release date was delayed to finalize the special effects as well as a wooden staircase mishap, I can imagine how difficult filming must have been to create a masterpiece. However, star Kate Winslet tells the story of one Titanic scene that was “a nightmare” to film, and I never would have guessed it.

If I had to guess which Titanic scenes were the hardest for Kate Winslet to shoot, I’d think it was when she was hanging off the side of the boat after meeting Jack, or having to swim in a freezing 17-gallon water tank where she “sometimes peed.” Instead, she told Vanity Fair that a tough scene for her was Jack and Rose’s first kiss, with her reasoning making a lot of sense:

Corsets often do look uncomfortable in photos and movies. Now, we know from Kate Winslet that the struggle is real of wearing the constricted old-fashioned garment for a project like Titanic. At the same time, there are so many iconic outfits from the ‘90s movie that I still love to look at, like Rose’s dinner dress or the white dress she wore at the very end of the movie.

The memorable scene of Titanic wasn’t only “a nightmare” for Kate Winslet because of her costume. There were also a lot of technical aspects of the “I’m flying!” scene that were frustrating for her, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio’s laughing:

I would probably feel like losing my patience, too, if a scene had to be re-shot because of lighting issues and a certain co-star’s laughing. But Jack and Rose’s first kiss was a very important scene for Titanic to get right as it was the last sunset the ship had before its sinking, and for starting off the romance of our favorite doomed couple.

As you probably guessed by now, Titanic was not actually filmed on a real ship. It was a real-life-size replica built to be 90% the size of the real RMS ocean liner. However, Kate Winslet said that particular set for the juicy kiss scene was actually a real pain to shoot on:

That doesn’t sound like fun for Kate Winslet to have to climb up a ladder wearing the long dresses that she had to for the movie. It must have been a tough climb if hair and makeup couldn’t join them up there for touch-ups.

So, without hair and makeup joining the cast and crew, how did Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio get their makeup fixed between takes? The British actress had an inventive technique that proves corsets have their uses outside of fashion:

Now, that’s teamwork! So, now we know Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio’s makeup in that scene was on point because of the Oscar winner’s hidden talent. I’m sure with all of that in mind, Rose having to climb up the dock pretending to fly with Jack must have been nothing compared to everything else the stars had to deal with.

I never would have thought that “a nightmare” scene for Kate Winslet to shoot was the scene of Jack and Rose’s first kiss. But if I had to wear a tight corset, climb up a ladder in a long dress, and fix my laughing scene partner’s make-up, it would be a challenge for me to feel the mood of the romance scene too.

They say that “Mother knows best,” but I can think of a few movies and TV shows that challenge that belief. The following are some of the rudest, most cruel, and just plain evil fictional moms whom I am eternally thankful I never had to grow up with.

Margaret White (Carrie)

Sissy Spacek's title character from Brian DePalma's 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie possesses telekinetic abilities that make her a danger to others, but she is not the villain of the story. That would be her mother, Margaret (Piper Laurie in an Oscar-nominated performance), who is an abusive, extreme religious fanatic with deluded reasoning for cruelly punishing her daughter, whom she even considers to be a punishment for her own past sins.

Lucille Bluth (Arrested Development)

There are very few members of the Bluth Family from Arrested Development who do not boast hilariously despicable personalities. The worst of them all might just be the matriarch, Lucille (Jessica Walter), whose self-serving, elitist ego drives her to manipulate and arrogantly berate all of her "loved" ones, with her own children facing much of the brunt.

Momma Lift (Throw Momma From The Train)

In the 1987 dark comedy movie, Throw Momma from the Train, Owen Lift (Danny DeVito, who also directs) agrees to kill the ex-wife of his writing professor, Larry Donner (Billy Crystal), in exchange for murdering his mother. Honestly, it is hard not to empathize with Owen when Anne Ramsey first appears in her Oscar-nominated role as the loud, nasty, belligerent, and physically abusive Momma Lift.

Livia Soprano (The Sopranos)

Every Sopranos character has their standout qualities, but Livia Soprano (Nancy Marchand) has absolutely none. Her gangster son Tony (James Gandolfini) enters therapy to get over issues stemming from his terrible childhood living under her roof. However, she committed her worst sin against him when he was grown up, attempting to orchestrate his murder.

Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)

You could look at any iteration of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, and the title character's wicked stepmother could be considered an all-timer in this category, based on her unjustifiably horrid treatment of the innocent young woman. However, Eleanor Audley's portrayal in the Disney animated classic from 1950 is perhaps the most bloodcurdlingly cruel and chillingly intimidating.

Selina Meyer (Veep)

In Armando Iannucci's hilarious political satire, Veep, Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) uses and abuses as many people as possible to rise in the ranks of the United States Government. Receiving the worst treatment, however, is her own daughter, Catherine (Sarah Sutherland), whom she constantly belittles and shamelessly uses as a tool in her campaigns.

Mary Jones (Precious)

One of the most stunning examples of a comedian giving a stellar dramatic performance is Mo'Nique's Oscar-winning role in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire as the title character's mom, Mary Jones. Not only does she physically and verbally abuse her teenage daughter (played by Gabourey Sidibe), but she also stands by when her husband takes advantage of her, only to blame her for the situation and accuse her of "stealing her man."

Cersei Lannister (Game Of Thrones)

In the world of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, there are many noble royals who breed despicable children, and just as many noble royals bred from despicable parents. However, Cersei Lannister (played by Lena Headey in HBO's Game of Thrones cast) is an example of a sadistic woman who also bred sadistic children, all of whom would end up meeting a bitter end as a result of her manipulative ways.

Joan Crawford (Mommie Dearest)

Arguably, the mother of all mean movie mothers is not a product of complete fiction, but allegedly based on fact. Faye Dunaway gives a frighteningly over-the-top performance as Academy Award winner Joan Crawford in a 1981 adaptation of Mommie Dearest, a memoir by the screen legend's own adoptive daughter, Christina.

Cookie Lyon (Empire)

The dog-eat-dog nature of the music industry has rarely been captured better than in Lee Daniels and Danny Strong's hit series, Empire, especially as seen through the eyes of Loretha "Cookie" Lyon. Portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in a Golden Globe-winning performance, the record executive and former convict is not opposed to pitting her own children against each other to benefit her own influence over the family's company, Empire Entertainment.

Pamela Voorhees (Friday The 13th)

If you really think about it, Pamela Voorhees (portrayed by Betsy Palmer in the 1980 horror movie classic, Friday the 13th) is not, in essence, a bad mother. It was her loving commitment to her son that drove her to murder the camp counselors she believes were responsible for his fatal drowning. In fact, proof that the sympathetic horror villain was a good mom lies in the mysteriously resurrected Jason and his bid to continue killing debaucherous teens in her honor.

Marie Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)

On the beloved TV sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frank Barone (Peter Boyle) is the more outwardly spiteful parent to Ray (Ray Romano) and Robert (Brad Garrett). At least he does not treat his sons like children, even as grown-ups, like his wife, Marie, does. Doris Roberts' multi-Emmy-winning role might be an even worse mother-in-law, with the way she puts down Ray's wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), at seemingly every chance.

Lavona Golden (I, Tonya)

I believe the key to Allison Janney's Oscar win for portraying Tonya Harding's mother, Lavona Golden, in I, Tonya is how persuasively she argues that she is responsible for pushing the Olympic figure skater (played by Margot Robbie) to greatness. However, she takes absolutely no responsibility for instilling qualities of poor sportsmanship, incessant verbal and physical abuse, and her shamelessly manipulative ways.

Evelyn Harper (Two And A Half Men)

Holland Taylor is dynamite in her ferocious, four-time Emmy-nominated performance as the cold and vindictive Evelyn Harper on Two and a Half Men. It is no wonder that her sons, the commitment-phobic Charlie (Charlie Sheen) and hopelessly dissatisfied Alan (Jon Cryer), turned out to be, when you imagine what living with her must have been like.

Petunia Dursley (The Harry Potter Movies)

What makes Petunia Dursley (Fiona Shaw) easily one of the most despicable Harry Potter characters is her terrible role as a parent, but in more than one way. She treats her son, Dudley (Harry Melling), far too well, spoiling him beyond repair. Yet, her treatment of her eponymous orphaned nephew (played by Daniel Radcliffe) is abhorrent, from locking him in a cupboard under the stairs as punishment to making him into her home's indentured servant.

Colleen Donaghy (30 Rock)

Elaine Stritch earned five Emmy nominations for appearing on 30 Rock as the domineering and mercilessly critical mother of Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), Colleen. Jack once accidentally hit her with his car and, as a result of her unfavorable behavior, proceeded to wait eight minutes before deciding to call 9-1-1.

Ruth DeWitt Bukater (Titanic)

Frances Fisher's role in the Titanic cast, Ruth DeWitt Bukater, is an essential example of an overbearing, elitist, and manipulative movie mother. Perhaps her worst offense is forcing Rose (Kate Winslet) to marry her loathsome fiancé, Cal (Billy Zane), purely for the social status it will earn their family.

Brianna Barksdale (The Wire)

On The Wire, the only thing standing in the way of D'Angelo Barksdale's (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) switch to the right side of the law is his mother. Brianna (Michael Hyatt) is constantly manipulating her son into giving up so much for the benefit of their family's unlawful business, including serving a long prison sentence on behalf of his uncle, Avon (Wood Harris).

Eleanor Shaw Iselin (The Manchurian Candidate)

Discovering that you have been brainwashed into becoming a political assassin is terrifying. Discovering that your own mother is involved in the conspiracy, like what Eleanor Shaw Iselin (Angela Lansbury) does to her son, Raymond (Laurence Harvey), in the 1962's The Manchurian Candidate, is simply devastating.

Endora (Bewitched)

Some of the funniest moments on Bewitched would come courtesy of Agnes Moorehead as Endora, a literal witch who never once held back from expressing her resentment toward her mortal son-in-law, Darrin Stephens (original Dick York and later Dick Sargent). Of course, Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) is as much a victim of her mother's domineerance, and one can only imagine what sorts of wicked things she must have put up with while growing up with her.

Mrs. Robinson (The Graduate)

Watching The Graduate from the perspective of Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) makes the 1967 dramedy an even more maddening trip. It is bad enough that her mother (played by Anne Bancroft) attempts to ruin her relationship with Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), but to discover that he is her lover, too, sounds like a nightmare.

Irina Derevko (Alias)

To get a more authentic look at what the life of a spy must be like, I would not recommend checking out the James Bond movies, but the hit ABC series, Alias, which follows the adventures of double agent Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner). She was prepped for the traumatic hardships of espionage at an early age when her mother, Irina Derevko (Lena Olin), faked her death, but even that could not prepare her for when Irina betrayed her daughter in favor of the KGB.

Beverly Sutphin (Serial Mom)

The central character of writer and director John Waters' uproarious dark comedy, 1994's Serial Mom, is Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner), a suburban housewife who would never harm her own children. However, she has absolutely no qualms about brutally harming other people for the sake of her children, which does not make things any better, of course.

Maya Lewis (Scandal)

Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) had dedicated her life and career to making crises disappear on Scandal. On the other hand, her mother, Maya Lewis (Khandi Alexander), has, ironically, dedicated her life to making them happen. However, Olivia did not know that for almost two decades, and, in fact, she was under the impression that her mother was dead that whole time.

Mrs. Windle Vale (Now, Voyager)

Bette Davis stars in director Irving Rapper's 1942 drama, Now, Voyager, as Charlotte Vale, who longs for independence from her overbearing mother (played by Gladys Cooper), who constantly belittles her with comments about her being an embarrassment to their family. Apparently, Mrs. Vale could not stand the idea of her daughter protesting her dominance because the day she does just happens to be the day she succumbs to a sudden heart attack.

Ida Welker (Malcolm In The Middle)

While Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) could be seen as a mean mom, in retrospect, she put up with a lot while raising her five boys (six if you count Bryan Cranston's Hal) on Malcolm in the Middle. While I have nothing but respect for her, I have nothing but disdain for her mother, Ida (Academy Award winner Cloris Leachman), who is a cold, conniving, and downright horrid woman right to her core.

Zinnia Wormwood (Matilda)

Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, 1996's Matilda stars Mara Wilson in the title role of a young girl gifted with telekinetic powers but cursed with despicable adult peers, including her uncaring parents. Not only is her mother, Zinnia Wormwood (Rhea Perlman), a vain, airheaded narcissist, but her father (played by Danny DeVito, who also directs) is just as bad.

Dr. Beverly Hofstadter (The Big Bang Theory)

Almost every member of CBS' The Big Bang Theory cast has a mother with a strong personality, to say the least, but Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) has that claimed unmatched. Psychologist Beverly Hofstadter (Christine Baranski) never bothered to show Leonard any affection, considering she only had children for experimental and research purposes anyway.

Alice Ward (The Fighter)

Melissa Leo gives an Academy Award-winning performance in 2010's fact-based, acclaimed boxing movie, The Fighter, as Alice Ward. The portrayal paints her as a woman who is more concerned with what is best for the athletic careers of her sons, Micky (Mark Wahlberg) and Dicky (Christian Bale), than what is best for their well-beings.

Constance Langdon (American Horror Story)

As one of the most frequent recurring American Horror Story actors, Jessica Lange has played an amusing variety of characters on the seasonal horror anthology TV show. However, her scariest role may be the first, Constance Langdon, whose horrid parenting skills and refusal to take responsibility for them have resulted in chaos in her household and for others affected by her children's actions.

Lilly Dillon (The Grifters)

One might assume that Lilly Dillon (Anjelica Huston) would be happy that her son, Roy (John Cusack), has found love with Myra (Annette Bening), who is in the same line of work as she is: con artistry. However, Lilly is the type of mother who does not believe any woman is good enough for her son, which is why she plots to murder Myra in 1990's The Grifters.

Norma Bates (Bates Motel)

We never actually meet Norma Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's seminal 1960 thriller, Psycho, but we can imagine, from the way her son, Norman (Anthony Perkins), takes on her likeness when murdering people, that she was not an easy person to get along with. The A&E original series, Bates Motel, offers an inside look at the complicated relationship between Norma (Vera Farmiga) and young Norman (Freddie Highmore), which is littered with lies, manipulation, and murder.

I have seen Titanic countless times over the years. Between experiencing the massive ‘90s movie on the big screen twice, owning it on VHS (remember that double-tape set?), DVD, and Blu-ray, and having access to it on some of the best streaming services, I’ve grown up with this epic disaster and romance film. However, it wasn’t until recently that I discovered the existence of a deleted scene that I totally think should have made the final cut.

No, I’m not talking about the Titanic alternate ending, or one of the more than two dozen minor scenes with the late Bill Paxton that were left on the cutting room floor of James Cameron’s box office juggernaut. Instead, I’m referring to an incredibly tense and awesome fight during the sinking of the famous ship involving Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack Dawson and one of the movie’s main villains. And after watching it for myself, I’m bummed this wasn’t in the final release.

The Jack Dawson And Spicer Lovejoy Fight Is Seriously One Of James Cameron's Tensest Sequences

There's a deleted scene on my 2012 Blu-ray copy of Titanic (It may be on other releases as well) that features a full-on fight between Jack Dawson and Spicer Lovejoy (the late David Warner) that takes place right after Caledon Hockley realizes he put the Heart of the Ocean diamond in his coat, which he then put Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), after his fiancee ran off with Jack.

In the final cut of the film, we cut to Jack and Rose escaping to steerage and then eventually to the main deck when the ship ultimately sinks, but the deleted scene follows the two lovers as they have one final encounter with Cal’s right-hand man in what is one of James Cameron’s tensest sequences. Seriously, Lovejoy chasing Jack and Rose through a partially flooded first-class dining room, with all those flickering lights, creaking sounds from the sinking ship, and furniture floating around them, is like something out of Cameron’s great sci-fi movies or horror flicks, not a historical drama.

It Also Features One Of Jack Dawson's Most Badass Lines

The slow-paced yet incredibly intense chase sequence, the short yet brutal fistfight between Jack and Lovejoy, and the general atmosphere of the deleted scene are all cinematic as hell, but the whole set piece also features one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character’s most badass lines as he punches the mean ‘90s movie villain:

Not only is this line great on its own, but it’s also a great callback to a similar line spoken by Lovejoy after he punched a handcuffed Jack and left him to die in the sinking ship earlier in the night. I’m not saying Jack Dawson wasn’t a great ‘90s movie character before this, but this scene would have made him even more memorable.

I Honestly Think Including The Scene Would Have Made For An Even Better Movie

Though I can totally see why co-editors Conrad Buff, James Cameron, and Richard A. Harris decided to cut this five-and-a-half-minute sequence from the final product (the movie is over three hours long), I think including it would have made Titanic an even better movie. Outside of adding a few minutes to an already exhausting runtime, the fight doesn’t take away anything from the movie, it gives us a great James Cameron scene, and fixes a minor continuity error with Lovejoy’s bloodied face.

I’m not saying I want a five-hour cut of Titanic, but this incredible fight scene should have been included, if only for Jack Dawson’s “Compliments of…” line.

Typically, audiences can rely on seeing a movie’s protagonist make it to the end unscathed. However, every so often, filmmakers like to defy expectations by having the character we have been following meet their maker, usually at the story’s conclusion, but sometimes even earlier. Beware of SPOILERS as we revisit some iconic movies that shocked the world by showing the main character’s demise.

Ghost (1990)

The acclaimed romantic “horror” movie Ghost is a prime example of a film in which the main character is dead for the majority of the story. Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) is murdered about 20 minutes in, but his spirit remains to solve the truth behind his death and reach out to his longtime girlfriend, Molly (Demi Moore), with the help of a medium named Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg, in an Oscar-winning performance).

Titanic (1997)

The fictional romance at the center of James Cameron's Titanic comes to a tragic end when Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) succumbs to the ocean's freezing temperatures – a death many believe could have been prevented if Rose (Kate Winslet) shared her makeshift liferaft. She is later reunited with her lover, however, when she succumbs to old age at the end of the Best Picture Oscar winner based on a true story.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Tom Hanks' Captain John H. Miller does, indeed, accomplish his eponymous mission in Steven Spielberg's harrowing war movie classic, Saving Private Ryan. Unfortunately, he does not survive the task, but not before urging Private John Francis Ryan (Matt Damon) to "earn" the life he has been given, thanks to this rescue.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Avengers: Endgame comes to a bittersweet conclusion when the team is forced to say goodbye to the hero who kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the first place, Tony "Iron Man" Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), after he saves the universe. Using nano-bot equipped armor to form a makeshift Infinity Gauntlet, he erases Thanos (Josh Brolin) and his army from existence with a finger snap that is, unfortunately, too much for his mortal body to handle.

Gladiator (2000)

Director Ridley Scott's Gladiator is the story of Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe), who is sold into slavery by corrupt emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who also murders his family. However, he does reunite with them in the afterlife after defeating Commodus in a duel that he does not survive, having been previously and unfairly wounded by his opponent.

Beetlejuice (1988)

The title character is not the main character in Tim Burton's ghoulish comedy, Beetlejuice, although Michael Keaton's mischievous bio-exorcist (whose name is actually spelled "Betelgeuse") is dead throughout. The plot kicks off when Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara Maitland (Geena Davis) suffer a fatal accident and then try to rid their house of its new living tenants.

Alien (1979)

We all think of Scream Queen Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley as the hero of the Alien movies, but that is not quite the case at the beginning of the saga. Ripley is promoted to the hero of the story and captain of the Nostromo after the Xenomorph attacks Dallas (Tom Skerritt) in a shocking twist.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

There is not exactly one true protagonist in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, as each of its three non-linear stories ultimately has a different lead. However, John Travolta does get top billing for the Oscar-winning drama and his character, Vincent Vega, is mowed down with an uzi by Butch (Bruce Willis) in the second chapter, which is also the film's chronological finale.

No Country For Old Men (2007)

Technically, Tommy Lee Jones' Ed Tom Bell is the true central character of Joel and Ethan Coen's Oscar-winning adaptation of author Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men. However, much of the modern Western movie classic follows Josh Brolin's Llewellyn Moss and his struggle to outrun and outwit the sadistic Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), up until his abrupt murder.

Psycho (1960)

It at least seems like Janet Leigh's Marion Crane is the central focus of Alfred Hitchcock's masterful horror movie, Psycho, until about halfway through the story. After the real estate secretary is brutally killed while taking a shower in her motel room, we realize the true "psycho" is Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), who murders Marion and others while subconsciously taking on the identity of his dead mother.

Logan (2017)

Hugh Jackman's retirement from the role of Wolverine was confirmed by the end of Logan, in which the former X-Men member, whose healing ability had been diminishing, gives his life to protect Laura (Dafne Keen) and other young mutants. Of course, seven years later, a variant of the Adamantium-clawed mutant would star in Deadpool & Wolverine, but the emotional conclusion of James Mangold's Oscar-nominated film is no less effective for it.

Citizen Kane (1941)

The first scene of co-writer and director Orson Welles' revolutionary drama, Citizen Kane, depicts the death of the megalomaniacal title character, Charles Foster Kane (Welles). The succeeding story follows an investigation regarding the meaning of his final word, "Rosebud."

Hereditary (2018)

The marketing for first-time feature director Ari Aster's stunning A24 horror movie, Hereditary, made it seem as if the story would follow young Charlie (Milly Shapiro), making her demise all the more shocking. The unsettling twist confirmed that Charlie's mother, Annie (Toni Collette), was the film's true protagonist, but, of course, she would end up losing her head as well.

The Departed (2006)

Director Martin Scorsese's The Departed is the story of two men on opposite sides of the law, namely undercover cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Sgt. Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), who has ties to Boston's Irish Mob. Both lose their lives by the end, with Costigan getting killed by James Badge Dale's also corrupt Trooper Barrigan, and Sullivan getting killed by Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam (Mark Wahlberg).

The Sixth Sense (1999)

In The Sixth Sense, child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) tries to help a young boy (played by Haley Joel Osment) come to terms with his ability to see ghosts. At the end, in just about the best M. Night Shyamalan movie twist, it is revealed that Malcolm himself is a ghost, but neither he nor the audience knew the entire time.

Promising Young Woman (2020)

The Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman is a unique type of revenge movie, following Cassie (Carey Mulligan) and her bid to punish those involved with the assault that drove her friend, Nina, to take her own life. In the end, she achieves her goal, but by allowing herself to get murdered by the man who assaulted Nina, Al Monroe (Chris Lowell), which finally incriminates him.

The Place Beyond The Pines (2012)

The Place Beyond the Pines is widely considered one of the best Ryan Gosling movies, despite the fact that the actor is not actually in the film for very long. Roughly halfway through the story, his character, Luke, dies whilst struggling to get away from a bank robbery job gone wrong.

A Quiet Place (2018)

In the heartbreaking final act of the acclaimed post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller, A Quiet Place, Lee Abbott (John Krasinski, who also co-writes and directs) lets out a loud scream to attract the vicious, sound-hunting aliens away from his children, ultimately sacrificing himself for them. In addition to returning to helm the sequel, A Quiet Place Part II, Krasinski reprises the role in a flashback to the day the Death Angels' invasion begins.

Uncut Gems (2019)

Josh and Benny Safdie's Uncut Gems sees self-destructive jeweler Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) jump through hoops to pay off his insurmountable debt. At the shocking end of the intense, acclaimed A24 movie, just after finally landing the big win he needs, he is abruptly shot in the head by his brother-in-law's unstable goon, Phil (Kevin William Richards).

Train To Busan (2016)

An essential reason why South Korean import Train to Busan is regarded as one of the greatest zombie movies ever made is its heartbreaking conclusion in which Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) is bitten trying to protect his daughter, Su-an (Kim Su-an). The father is seen reminiscing about Su-an's birth right before he becomes one of the undead and, with all the humanity he has left, makes the decision to throw himself off the train and not bring harm to anyone else.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is not only a film that gets real about mental health, but depicts one of the bleakest realities imaginable for an asylum patient, as seen in the eyes of criminal Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), who only ended up in the institution by pleading insanity. After discovering that McMurphy has been lobotomized and that life has left his eyes, "Big Chief" Bromden (Will Sampson) mercifully suffocates his friend to death before escaping.

Soul (2020)

One of Pixar's best movies, Soul, tells the story of a jazz musician (voiced by Jamie Foxx) who dies in an accident just after landing the gig of his life. He then explores the afterlife, struggling to figure out a way to return to Earth.

Terrifier (2017)

Terrifier 2 introduces one of the most beloved horror movie Final Girls in Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera), but the woman you expect to make it out alive in its predecessor is not so lucky to be called a Final Girl. In fact, Tara Heyes (Jenna Kanell) even dies in a subversive way, as it seems she is about to put an end to Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) before the sadistic harlequin pulls out a pistol and shoots her in the head.

300 (2007)

Zack Snyder's 300 is an intense, highly fictionalized account of events surrounding the Battle of Thermopylae. One detail that the film does get right is that the Spartan King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) was killed in battle.

To Live And Die In L.A. (1985)

Director William Friedkin's intense crime thriller, To Live and Die in L.A., follows Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen) and his determination to find Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe), a counterfeiter who killed his partner. Unfortunately, Masters manages to escape as Chance and Masters' associate, Jack, fatally shoot each other.

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

One of the most essential reasons why Deep Blue Sea is a classic shark movie is the moment when the film takes a literal bite out of its biggest star, Samuel L. Jackson. The actor's character, Russell Franklin, is in the middle of a heroic speech when a genetically engineered shark leaps out of the water, pulls him underneath the surface, and eats him alive.

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

A movie dad we would be proud to have is Guido Orefice, played by co-writer and director Roberto Benigni in the heartbreaking Holocaust-era drama, Life is Beautiful. The Jewish-American man remains committed to using humor to shield his young son from the unspeakable tragedy surrounding him up until the very moment he is shot by Nazi officers.

Carnival Of Souls (1962)

In the cult horror film Carnival of Souls, Candace Hilligoss stars as Mary Henry, who takes a job as an organ player for a traveling carnival after suffering a terrible car accident. However, as the final scene reveals, Mary never actually survived that accident.

The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

Sean Connery was open about how much he disliked one of his last movies, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which is based on a comic book by Alan Moore that groups various iconic figures of literature together, including Captain Nemo and Tom Sawyer. At least, if there had been a sequel, the former James Bond actor would not have needed to show up for it as his character, legendary adventure hero Allan Quatermain, passes away at the end.

15 Minutes (2001)

15 Minutes is a buddy cop action flick in which veteran New York detective Eddie Flemming (Robert De Niro) teams up with fire marshal Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns) to investigate the crimes of two Eastern European convicts seeking fame and fortune by selling off video recordings of their violent acts. One video they successfully sell to a popular news program is the murder of Flemming, who is suffocated to death roughly halfway through the film.

Alien 3 (1992)

Sigourney Weaver explained to the Chicago Tribune that she only agreed to star in Alien 3 if Ellen Ripley is killed off, which does occur when she jumps into a burning furnace as a baby Xenomorph bursts from her chest. Of course, the actor would come back just once more for Alien: Resurrection, but as a clone of Ripley.

The Lovely Bones (2010)

Many critics and audiences agree that director Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones is not a great movie despite its interesting plot. Based on author Alice Sebold’s novel, it stars Saoirse Ronan as a teenage girl watching over her family, and the man who murdered her, from the afterlife.

When thinking of the iconic filmTitanic, Bill Hader doesn’t immediately rank in association with the James Cameron masterpiece. Funnily enough, though, the Saturday Night Live alum has a pretty hilarious connection to it because it's the reason he got canned from his ticket-taking duties at his local cinema. And recently, he recalled the full story behind why the Titanic's (and Jack's) fate led to his firing.

Now, this story was told on the latest episode of Everybody's Live with John Mulaney (which you can stream with a Netflix subscription). If you’ve seen the show that's airing on Netflix's 2025 schedule, you know there’s a nice surprise of layers of personal touches throughout, including the conversations had. The specific topic for Episode 5 had to do with getting fired from a job, and while Hader admitted he’d been canned from a few, the one he elaborated on involved him working at his local cinema.

His story began with a group of sorority girls showing up to see Titanic at said cinema, as he explained:

Now, since Titanic has been out for well over 25 years and it's available with a Prime subscription, it's hard to imagine spoiling it. However, when it first came out, giving up the ending must have been an absolutely massive deal, because while we all know the ship sinks, Jack and Rose's fates were unknown.

OK, keep that in mind, that information will be important later.

Hader continued his story, and noted that the members of the sorority weren’t being cooperative and even started poking fun at his appearance, likening him to a cult leader (which he agreed with, a little). The funnyman shared:

The whole scene is so ‘90s, and weirdly, Bill Hader to me. It’s an incredibly niche happening, fit for an SNL skit, and I can only imagine young him processing it all in real time (and in a cummerbund, no less).

As he continued the saga, he shared that spoiling Titanic, in his mind, would be how he got them back. When it was time for their showing, he tore their tickets, like normal, and told them to have a good time. But he also shared some major spoilers, saying:

Now, don’t get me wrong, him ruining the ending for the girls isn’t anything I usually advocate for. The fact that the Skeleton Twins actor slickly stymied their viewing experience after the whole interaction is what I’m mostly here for. Although, the thought of someone spoiling any 2025 movie schedule title like that would make me pretty upset.

But, don’t worry, if you’re on the fence about the whole morality of it, that’s when the firing happened. Hader said it happened almost immediately after the group left his area, and while the manager was amused by it all, he still kicked him to the curb all the same:

Again, the story of Hader revealing one of the most heartbreaking movie deaths to a group of bully-esque sorority sisters is comedy gold. My mind goes to a few places. First, it makes me even sadder that Hader didn't appear at SNL 50 (understandably, though). Second, I wonder if any of those women turned into viewers who only watch the first half of Titanic because of their run-in while seeing it for the first time.

Either way, the Titanic and Bill Hader may now be synonymous in my head, and I can't say I'm mad about that.

Titanic easily ranks as one of the best movies of the '90s. Between Jack and Rose’s fated love story to the largely historically accurate elements of the Unsinkable Ship, the movie was slated for big and emotional reviews. That said, the actress behind Cora Cartmell, one of the ship’s younger passengers, shared that the film could have been even more heart-wrenching if one of her deleted scenes were included. Learning of the specific contents within the young girl’s storyline, it’s no wonder why it was cut.

The After We Wrap podcast had Alex Owens-Sarno, the actress who played Cora in Titanic, on to chat about her experience on set among other entertainment industry topics. Even though Cora had a minor role in the film, she is showcased throughout it, including in moments with Jack and Rose. The performer explained that her (almost official) death scene was her most "acting" moment during her time on the James Cameron set. She also noted that this original ending on the tumultuous trip was rejected by a certain population of pre-screeners, saying:

The powerful deleted scene is sure to leave an impression on many, including Owens-Sarno. I’m sure while reflecting on her experience as a child in this weighted moment, there was a lot to process. While Cora may not have been a real passenger, the thought of her (or any of the fictitious kids on the ship) passing in this manner could have been a way to honor many young travelers who perished in 1912. Regardless of whether the deleted scene made the cut or not, it’s heartbreaking to take in.

The 36-year-old then added that Cameron was the one who wanted the scene to be included. Along with that, she shared that it was her, and not a stunt double in the cut footage, saying:

Again, the deleted scene, while powerful, is arguably too visceral for many viewers. It’s a little shocking to hear that a young Owens-Sarno didn’t have any sort of altered experience with the moment compared to her adult counterparts. I also agree with those who think that Cora’s fate–whatever it may be–shouldn’t be that directly portrayed. There are already fans of the historic boat and movie who regularly only watch the first half of Titanic because of the sadness and weight the second half brings, so the thought of Cora being included is too much.

Even with the star-crossed lovers and sad, but semi-historically accurate story, John Jacob Astor IV actor Eric Braeden knew Titanic would be a hit before it reached the public. Cameron’s homage to the Wonder Ship's harrowing voyage educated multiple generations about a monumental historic event. That legacy lives to this day, while supplying viewers with plenty of iconic Titanic scenes that round out the movie.

With this new angle on the Titanic's script brought to light, it's good to know that we are in the dark about Cora's fate. It's even better to know that Cameron and production were receptive enough to cut the stark scene before it hit theaters. If you’d like to watch Titanic and its fateful events, you can stream it with a Hulu subscription or Paramount+ subscription.

For every heartfelt, sweeping, inspirational storybook romance story, you can find plenty of violent and traumatizing nightmare couplings, too. In both fiction and reality alike, too many innocent victims wanting nothing more than to receive a person's love and support end up suffering a life of abuse and neglect from the person they, unfortunately, chose to spend it with. The following are some of the most essential examples of movie and TV characters you should never get into a relationship with.

Caledon Hockley (Titanic)

Some might call Rose (Kate Winslet) a bad girlfriend, let alone the worst character from the movie Titanic for some of her own childish behaviors and, especially, her affair with Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio). However, nothing she does in James Cameron's Best Picture Oscar winner justifies the way her arrogant, elitist, industrialist fiancé, Cal Hockley (Billy Zane), treats her, ranging from his possessive dominance to his nearly murderous reaction to Rose's relationship with Jack.

Sarah Marshall (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

In the uproarious, 2008 romantic-comedy movie favorite, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Peter Bretter (writer Jason Segel) fails to realize how little support his eponymous girlfriend (played by Kristen Bell) shows him until after she dumps him for rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), whom we discover she was cheating with. The cop TV show actor may even be a worse ex-girlfriend from how she enviously sabotages Peter's newfound happiness with Rachel (Mila Kunis) by making a move on him when they accidentally book a vacation on the same Hawaiian island.

Ross Gellar (Friends)

For every reason a Friends fan may have had to root for Ross Gellar (David Schwimmer) and Rachel Green's (Jennifer Aniston) on-and-off romance, there are even more reasons why Ross is just the worst. He reveals himself to be extremely possessive when Rachel meets a handsome coworker at Bloomingdale's, refuses to take responsibility for cheating on her ("We were on a break" is still no excuse), and even continues to obsess over her while in relationships with other women.

Rose Armitage (Get Out)

In 2017, Get Out introduced one of modern cinema's scariest female horror movie villains in the form of Rose Armitage (Allison Williams), whose relationship with Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) was a ruse to coerce him into falling prey to her family's racist procedure that would cause him to lose control of his body to a white host. He was only one of several Black people she pulled this horrific con on, as we discover in Jordan Peele's terrifying, Oscar-winning directorial debut.

Billy Loomis (Scream)

While easily one of the most iconic examples of the classic slasher movie trope of the killer boyfriend, Skeet Ulrich's Billy Loomis is an undeserving partner even before the big reveal in 1996's Scream. He constantly pressures Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) into having relations, flirts with other women behind her back, and even belittles her for not fully recovering from her mother's murder only a year afterward.

Melissa (The Hangover)

Rachael Harris' character in 2009's The Hangover belittles and manipulates Stu (Ed Harris) to the point that he becomes helplessly defensive of her controlling nature and, even worse, her adultery. Luckily, after meeting and marrying an exotic dancer named Jade (Heather Graham) in a stupor during Doug's disastrous Las Vegas bachelor party, he gains the courage to stand up to Melissa and call her out as a "bad person all the way through to [her] core."

Michael Kelso (That '70s Show)

To be fair, Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis) is certainly not without her shortcomings, showing extreme evidence of vanity and narcissism especially in the earlier seasons of That '70s Show. However, she ultimately deserved better than her on-and-off boyfriend, Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher, who went on to marry Kunis in real life), who shares those same toxic traits in addition to being a helplessly absent-minded serial womanizer.

Judith Fessbeggler (Saving Silverman)

Dr. Judith Fessbeggler (Amanda Peet) is a psychiatrist in great need of psychotherapy, as evidenced by the way she treats Darren (Jason Biggs), the title character of the 2001 comedy, Saving Silverman. She ruthlessly controls everything in his life, from his wardrobe to the music he listens to, even forcing him to receive cosmetic surgery on his behind, which prompts his lifelong friends, Wayne (Steve Zahn) and J.D. (Jack Black), to stop their impending nuptials.

Martin Burney (Sleeping With The Enemy)

In director Joseph Ruben's 1991 adaptation of Nancy Price's novel, Sleeping with the Enemy, a constant pattern of abuse from her husband, Martin (Patrick Bergin), leads Laura Burney (Academy Award winner Julia Roberts) to fake her death and escape the marriage. Unfortunately, after donning a new identity and settling down in Iowa, where she strikes up a romance with a local named Ben (Kevin Anderson), she discovers that Martin has managed to track her down, not willing to let her go.

Amy Dunne (Gone Girl)

Early on in Gone Girl, director David Fincher's 2014 adaptation of Gillian Flynn's bestselling mystery, it seems obvious to suspect the adulterous and emotionally distant Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) of foul play when his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), suddenly goes missing. The truth is, however, that the woman left on her own accord and strategically planted evidence to incriminate her husband, which is in no way a healthy method for dealing with marital woes.

Jack Torrance (The Shining)

In Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining, Jack (Jack Nicholson) and Wendy Torrance (Shelley Duvall) do not seem to have a particularly perfect marriage before they become caretakers at the Overlook Hotel. Things grow infinitely worse when the malevolent spirits of the Colorado resort drive Jack to become a vicious, deranged monster.

Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

Some Gilmore Girls fans believe that the show was ruined by the "will they, won't they" dynamic between Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) and Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia), and not just because it killed her relationship with Dean (Jared Padalecki). The ill-fated romance was merely the first of many selfish mistakes that Rory would make against her significant others that would ultimately cause some fans of the dramedy to completely turn on the character.

Christian (Midsommar)

Ari Aster told Birth.Movies.Death that he wanted to make his sophomore feature, 2019's Midsommar, a break-up movie based on a previous relationship of his, which makes a lot of sense when you consider the volatility of the relationship at the center of the folk horror story. You almost cannot help but feel happy for Dani (Florence Pugh) as she watches the selfish, emotionally stunted, and gaslighting Christian (Jack Reynor) burn to death before her very eyes at the end of the shocking A24 horror movie classic.

Ginger McKenna (Casino)

Sharon Stone's character from the 1995 Martin Scorsese movie, Casino, has just about all the most essential criteria for an unfavorable wife, from her hustling schemes, her greedy motivations, and her adulterous habits. Of course, in addition to being a bad spouse, Ginger is an even worse mother, having tied her daughter to a bed so she could have a night out clubbing on her own.

David McCall (Fear)

While there are quite a few romance movies that try to discredit the fatherly character's disapproval of his daughter's suitor, 1996's Fear is the movie that would teach audiences dad might know what he is talking about. Steven Walker (William Peterson) is the first to suspect that something is off about his daughter, Nicole's (Reese Witherspoon), new boyfriend, David (Mark Wahlberg) and, boy, do his instincts prove correct when he leaves a bloody trail that culminates in a terrifying attack on Nicole's family all for the sake of having her to himself.

Jan Levinson (The Office)

One of the best episodes of NBC's The Office, "Dinner Party," offers an inside look at the torrid relationship between Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin), who invite their Dunder Mifflin coworkers into their condo for a memorable night. The couple's heated dispute over Michael's multiple vasectomies, Jan's obsession with her assistant (an aspiring musician), and more discords ultimately get the cops involved.

Nate Cooper (The Devil Wears Prada)

A good partner supports their significant other's professional career – a concept lost on Nate Cooper (Adrian Grenier) from 2006's The Devil Wears Prada. Grenier would even agree, in a 2021 oral history by Entertainment Weekly, that his character was a "fragile, wounded boy" who was not as grown-up as Andy (Anne Hathaway) and, thus, selfishly criticized her career decisions. Not to mention, reacting to her getting hired at a fashion magazine by asking if it was a phone interview is unforgivably rude.

Asami Yamazaki (Audition)

The premise of Takashi Miike's acclaimed Japanese horror movie, 1999's Audition – in which a widower holds a fake movie casting session to find a new wife – seems to paint Ryo Ishibashi's character as the villain. However, one might agree that his actions, which did come from a place of sincerity, are not worthy of the sadistic, demented punishment that his new lover, Asami (Eihi Shiina), performs on him.

Josh (Companion)

Including Jack Quaid's character from the 2025 sci-fi movie, Companion, might be a bit of a stretch, considering Iris (Sophie Thatcher) is not really Josh's girlfriend but a highly advanced machine he purchased – er, rented. Discovering this helps her realize that the man she thought she loved is a pathetic, selfish, controlling, and violent loser, making this friendly robot the hero of the story.

Lisa (The Room)

In 2003's The Room, Lisa (Juliette Danielle) decides, completely out of the blue, that she no longer loves her "future husband," Johnny (writer, producer, and director Tommy Wiseau), and engages in an affair with his best friend, Mark (Greg Sestero), which ultimately drives Johnny to take his own life. Regardless of the cult favorite's reputation for its thoroughly nonsensical storyline, if there is one earnest analysis we can make about this awesomely cheesy movie, it is that Lisa was wrong to tear Johnny apart like that.

Nate Jacobs (Euphoria)

One of the strongest aspects of HBO's acclaimed coming-of-age drama, Euphoria, is the grounded ways it depicts certain archetypes that are commonly found in the modern high school environment. For instance, Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) – the former boyfriend of Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) and Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) – is, practically, the teenage poster child for toxic masculinity and internalized homophobia.

Lila West (Dexter)

Sometimes it is crazy to think that one of the worst major villains on Dexter was, at one time, a love interest of Michael C. Hall's titular homicidal vigilante. When his relationship with Rita hits a rough patch in Season 2, Dexter indulges in a relationship with his rehab sponsor, Lila West (Jaime Murray), who proves to be a worse sociopath than he is.

Alex Le Domas (Ready Or Not)

In 2019's Ready or Not, instant classic horror movie final girl Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she is the target of her in-laws' deadly game of Hide-and-Seek, which her husband, Alex Le Domas (Mark O'Brien), initially tries to help her escape. However, when she rejects him as a result of the trauma his murderous, Satanic family caused (and which he failed to properly warn her about before tying the knot), he betrays her and submits to the ritual to sacrifice her which, thankfully, gloriously backfires on them.

Stacey (American History X)

Derek Vinyard's (Edward Fulong) relationship with his girlfriend, Stacey (Fairuza Balk), in 1998's American History X, seemed to be at its best before his three-year stint in prison when they both were on the same page about white supremacy. After he returns and tries to convince her to leave the neo-Nazi movement with him, she thinks he is nuts to abandon that kind of life, which is an automatic dealbreaker. Good on him.

Jeffrey Fecalman (Family Guy)

In a rare dramatic moment from Family Guy, the animated series addressed the topic of domestic abuse by introducing Quagmire's (creator Seth MacFarlane) sister, Brenda (Kaitlin Olson), and her vile, deadbeat boyfriend, Jeff (Ralph Garman). After suffering to see her submit to Jeff's verbally and physically cruel treatment, Quagmire conspires with Peter (MacFarlane) and Joe (Patrick Warburton) to actually murder him.

Mrs. Griffith (Easy A)

Not only does high school guidance counselor Mrs. Griffith (Friends cast member Lisa Kudrow) cheat on her dear husband and coworker (played by Thomas Haden Church) but she does so with a student. This makes her one of the least likable characters in 2010's Easy A by a landslide.

Jason "J.D." Dean (Heathers)

In 1988's darkly comic high school movie favorite, Heathers, Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) falls for J.D. (Christian Slater). Of course, their relationship is ruined when she discovers he is a homicidal sociopath.

Meredith Blake (The Parent Trap)

In the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap, Elaine Hendrix plays the elitist, materialistic, and, ultimately, evil potential stepmother to Lindsay Lohan's dual roles as estranged twin sisters, Annie and Hallie, who torture her with a series of increasingly brutal pranks. This drives Meredith to force Nick (Dennis Quaid) to choose between her or the siblings and, much to his credit, he promptly ends the relationship by choosing his daughters.

Chuck Bass (Gossip Girl)

There is a case to be made that Ed Westwick's Chuck Bass was one of the more charming characters in the Gossip Girl cast. Of course, this was a façade to downplay his unbelievably toxic and misogynistic behavior, especially at the expense of his girlfriend-turned-wife, Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester).

Jenny “G-Girl” Johnson (My Super Ex-Girlfriend)

In almost any other case, finding out that your significant other is a superhero would be pretty cool. However, in the case of Matt Saunders (Luke Wilson) from director Ivan Reitman's My Super Ex-Girlfriend, it's a nightmare because Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman), who fights crime as G-Girl, is a needy, jealous, manipulative woman who uses her powers as revenge on Matt after he dumps her.

Adrian Griffin (The Invisible Man)

Writer and director Leigh Whannell brilliantly reimagined H.G. Wells' seminal story, The Invisible Man, into something of a sci-fi version of Sleeping with the Enemy with his 2020 hit. It follows Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) who, after escaping her marriage to abusive optics engineer Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), becomes convinced that he has found a way to continue stalking her and controlling her every move without being seen.

Lori (Total Recall)

Imagine finding out everything you thought you knew about your life was a lie, including your marriage. That is what happens to Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in the 1992 sci-fi thriller, Total Recall, who eventually shoots and kills the secret agent he thought was his wife, Lori (Sharon Stone), before quipping, "Consider that a divorce."

Life is full of choices, and there’s always pressure to choose the right option - no matter how small the matter. In the examples we're about to discuss, it only took one bad call to lead to unnecessary drama, and in some cases, death. While not all of them are tragic, beware of some old wounds that may be opened up in the process.

Mayor Larry Vaughn Keeps Amity’s Beaches Open - Jaws

Ok, let’s just get this out of the way: Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) should have never won re-election. Amity Beach’s big wheel politician should have been legislative dust after keeping the beaches open in Jaws. Yes, beach towns depend on revenues from summer tourists - but if there’s no surviving tourists that want to shop, is it really a win?

Dr. Mann’s Hasty Docking With The Endurance - Interstellar

Scientific minds are supposed to be among the smartest and most rational in the world, especially if you’ve been chosen to colonize a potential new home for Humanity. That fact just makes the manner of death that befalls Interstellar’s Dr. Mann (Matt Damon) all the more fitting. Perhaps one should check that the airlock seals are properly aligned before launching into a speech about “all mankind.”

Rose Leaves Jack To Freeze - Titanic

Ok, so Kate Winslet’s 2024 Titanic revelation that it wasn’t a door Rose DeWitt Bukater was clinging to for life kind of changes the equation of whether or not she could have saved Jack Dawson. That being said, it still doesn’t change the fact that people are going to argue there was still room on “the door” for old Jack.

Peter Quill Socks Thanos On The Brink Of Victory - Avengers: Infinity War

Every time someone watches the Marvel movies in order, this moment, in particular, is the definition of an "own goal." As Avengers: Infinity War almost saw the reason for a second half nullified by taking the Infinity Gauntlet away from Thanos, a moment of emotion from the ever-impulsive Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) allowed the Mad Titan to keep his magic glove, and get away.

Marty McFly Buys Gray’s Sports Almanac - Back To The Future: Part II

Oh Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox). Even when you’re greedy, you’re just trying to protect the future. While our lessons in how Back to the Future’s time travel works have taught us time and again that fooling with the past is dangerous, Marty’s decision to buy Gray’s Sports Almanac was one of the greatest mistakes in pop culture history. Who really wants to live in Biff Tannen’s alternate 1985?

Someone Read The Latin - The Evil Dead Movies

This is the movie most people think of when you hear the phrase, “Don’t read the Latin.” The Evil Dead series has seen Ash (Bruce Campbell) and many others learn that lesson the hard way, as a Deadite plague tends to result after this grievous error. What did they think was going to happen when reading from a book bound by human flesh?

Iosef Tarasov’s Gang Kill John Wick’s Dog - John Wick

Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) made two huge mistakes in the John Wick movies. The first was thinking that he could convince retired hitman John Wick to sell his 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429. The second, and more costly mistake, was to kill John’s dog, Daisy. The criminal underworld still hasn’t recovered from the actions of that night, so yeah: we’re thinking that’s a bad decision.

Walter Donovan Chooses Poorly - Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade

Who did you honestly put your money on when it came to winning Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’s game for the Holy Grail? A professor of archeology who has a similarly learned father, or an industrialist aiding the Nazis? If you bet on Walter Donavan (Julian Glover) winning the day, I think you know how the Grail Knight would comment on this particular choice.

Howard Ratner Can't Stop Winning - Uncut Gems

One has to wonder if A24 set up microphones during preview screenings of Uncut Gems if only to measure the decibel level of audience yelling. The moment when Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) makes what would be his final bet had to have been one where people shouted at the screen in terror - which would have only been outdone by shock at the picture’s fatalistic ending.

General Ripper Starts A Nuclear War - Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

If any of us normal people think something’s wrong with our bodies, we usually consult a specialist. But Dr. Strangelove’s General Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) isn’t quite normal, as he decided to initiate “nuclear combat toe-to-toe with the Russkies,” using only a paranoid hunch as his basis. If only the internet had been invented, so WebMD could have debunked his theories.

Icarus II Goes To Visit Icarus 1 - Sunshine

You can almost always count on a bad day in space if you’re the second expedition to venture out on a mission, and you suddenly discover the wreckage of the first. Sunshine’s Icarus II crew is put through the wringer after making the decision to visit the Icarus I. On the literal bright side, at least Capa (Cillian Murphy) saved the day, despite being the deciding vote that caused a chain reaction of deadly events.

Vincent Kapoor Tells Mark Watney His Messages Are On Live TV - The Martian

Never tell a rabble-rouser they’re on live TV, they’re just going to use the moment to misbehave. The Martian’s Vincent Kapoor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) did just that as NASA’s Director of Mars Missions, and it led to astronaut Mark Watney being so creative with his swearing his colleagues had to look it up. Which led to a double whammy of regret, as learning what those phrases meant was quite a shock.

Don Kisses His Wife - 28 Weeks Later

Ok 28 Weeks Later fans, which is the bigger mistake made by our good friend Don (Robert Carlyle): abandoning his wife Alice in the wake of an Infected attack, or kissing her without reservation as she’s in medical quarantine? That second choice seems to be the greater error, as while their reunion did patch up their marriage, the act of kissing and making up turned Don into a very special victim of the Rage Virus.

Dr. Alice Krippin Cures Cancer With Measles - I Am Legend

To be clear: curing cancer is not the poor decision that kicked off I Am Legend’s horrific apocalypse. Not to mention, the idea of Dr. Alice Krippin (Emma Thompson) to use genetically modified measles was a pretty clever twist to this medical marvel. But something suggests that there were not nearly enough human trials, as it only took three years to decimate humanity with the Krippin Virus.

Preston Reveals His Wife’s Secret - Tales From The Darkside: The Movie

Here’s a loophole you could argue until the gargoyles come home: if you confess to your wife a near-lethal encounter with such a creature of stone, but she turns out to be the cryptid in question, is it really breaking your vow not to tell the world? It sadly doesn’t matter as the Tales from the Darkside: The Movie segment “Lover’s Vow” sees James Remar’s struggling artist losing his life - as in this case, it technically counts.

Evelyn Reads From The Book Of The Dead - The Mummy (1999)

“No harm ever came from reading a book.” One of The Mummy’s funniest lines is also a statement that Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) should have known not to make. Then again, could it really be that bad of a decision if it led to a rollicking adventure that ended up with her falling for the dreamy Rick O’Connell? Oh, let us think…YES!

Dr. King Schultz Won’t Shake Hands - Django Unchained

Yes, Calvin Candie is a despicable slave owner, and one could hope he’s burning in Hell. But at the same time, Django Unchained’s big bad was in a position where a simple handshake would have allowed Django (Jamie Foxx) and his rediscovered wife to escape happily. Unfortunately, mentor/moral compass Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) couldn’t bring himself to do so…at least, not without taking his foe out with a hidden pistol.

Tony Stark Creates Ultron - Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Could we please put some more safeguards on genius billionaire philanthropist playboys using artificial intelligence to save the world? Avengers: Age of Ultron almost ushered in the promise of that dangerous title, as vindictive creation Ultron (James Spader) snipped his strings and almost destroyed humanity. Worse: his antics indirectly led to the Sokovia Accords, a set of laws so restrictive, yet so useless that all they could really do was set up a couple of Marvel sequels.

Batman Severely Underestimates Bane - The Dark Knight Rises

Bane (Tom Hardy) is a physically imposing villain so buff, that your dimension’s version of Superman might think twice before beefing with him. Perhaps the Batman of The Dark Knight Rises should have called the Kryptonian boy scout before tangling with the man in the mask, as he could have saved himself a lot of trouble, and all of the medical expenses incurred from a broken back.

Logan Nelson Misreads John Kramer’s X-Rays - Jigsaw

Do you want Jigsaw? Because this is how you get Jigsaw! Careless medical examiner Logan Nelson (Matt Passmore) turned out to be the person who wronged John Kramer in the Saw franchise, which led to his place as one of the first victims turned apprentice to the criminal mastermind. As soon as Mr. Nelson made that mistake, one of the many movie retcon that confused us was born.

Daniel Hillard Creates Mrs. Doubtfire - Mrs. Doubtfire

Some people will create Scottish alter egos to avoid therapy. While Mrs. Doubtfire is still a bittersweet bundle of laughs, and though Robin Williams’ Daniel Hillard did create a fantastic children’s show host, Euphegenia’s creation should have never come from the need to see his kids. It’s kind of a case of the best intentions leading straight into legal hell, isn’t it?

Peter Parker Tries To Erase His Friend’s Memories - Spider-Man: No Way Home

If you’re a genius like Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Peter Parker (Tom Holland), you should probably know better than to bork up your request to a Sorcerer Supreme to erase that knowledge from everyone’s minds. This kid really is Tony Stark’s protege, isn’t he?

David Drayton Gets Impatient In The Apocalypse - The Mist

If David Drayton (Thomas Jane) had waited just five more minutes in The Mist, we may have seen a wildly different ending where everyone lives and learns a powerful lesson about the dangers of mob mentality. Alas, Frank Darabont’s adaptation of Stephen King’s iconic novella did teach us that lesson, but with much deadlier consequences.

Kay Takes Compound Z - Alien: Romulus

We’re not a bunch of medical experts here at CinemaBlend, and we’ll readily admit that. But 9 out of 10 writers would agree that if we were given the choice to take the sketchy and untested Compound Z, we’d pass it up. That didn’t stop Kay (Isabella Merced) in Alien: Romulus, and the results were as messy as you'd think.

Madeline Ashton Forgets To Ask About Potential Side Effects - Death Becomes Her

The first thing that Madeline Ashton (Meryl Streep) could think to ask after being propositioned with eternal youth is “How much is it?” But what she should have asked is “What are the side effects,” as Death Becomes Her sees the “fading actress” panicking after she drinks the mysterious glowing pink liquid that makes it possible. Oops.

Fuller And Lewis Get Flirty With Rusty Nail - Joy Ride

You never know who’s on the other end of a CB radio. While it’s an antiquated form of communication, it didn’t stop brothers Fuller (Steve Zahn) and Lewis (Paul Walker) from having some fun with a random trucker with the handle of “Rusty Nail” in Joy Ride. What began as a flirty prank turned into a game of death…so don’t forget to screen your calls, and watch who you lead on.

The Daltons Turn Back For Hoppy - Speak No Evil

Kids. At some point, they have to grow up, and we’d like to think that the events of the horror remake Speak No Evil helped young Agnes Dalton (Alix West Lefler) get wise pretty quickly. Her family was free and clear from the murderers trying to adopt her for their own, but since she convinced them to turn back for her stuffed rabbit Hoppy, salvation was delayed throughout a long, awkward night.

Paul Hackett Goes On A Date - After Hours

Who says Martin Scorsese doesn’t have a sense of humor? 1985’s After Hours saw the legendary director land one of the best dark comedies of history, thanks to the film putting poor office worker Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) through the night from hell. And it’s all thanks to a blind date, which leads to a tragic death, which only spirals further into a nightmarish farce across New York City.

Harry And Lloyd Get Involved In A Kidnapping - Dumb And Dumber

No one would mistake Harry (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd (Jim Carrey) for being the most brilliant minds of any time. However, Lloyd’s love-sick quest to chase the woman he loves leads Dumb and Dumber’s dynamic duo into a dance with death. Stumbling into the kidnapping of a wealthy businessman, it never becomes a concern until Lloyd realizes the girl of his dreams happens to be that man’s wife.

Marty Bryce Goes Out For Pizza - Sneakers

Chance led to young Marty Bishop (Gary Hershberger) going out to pick up pizza for himself and his dear friend Cosmo (Jo Marr). If only Cos didn’t use his magic trick to force his friend to leave for dinner, he might have had a chance to save his friend from prison, and an eventual grudge.

General Brewster Activates Skynet - Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines

Artificial intelligence is dangerous, kids. But you have to give Skynet credit, as it used a computer virus to trick Lieutenant General Robert Brewster (David Andrews) into giving it full control of the United States’ weapons apparatus. And that is why Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines ends with the most shocking ending of the series, as Judgement Day is allowed to happen because the U.S. government wouldn’t spring for a Norton subscription.

Eli Sunday Begs For Help From Daniel Plainview - There Will Be Blood

Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) and Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) are a pair of foes for the ages. So when There Will Be Blood sees the young preacher begging his oil tycoon rival for financial help, the result is a monologue we could still quote by heart - and a fatal encounter with a bowling pin.

It’s hard to believe that there would ever be any doubts that Titanic would be a success. Now considered one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, the early press believed the James Cameron movie would sink. But one star of the disaster flick, Eric Braeden, claims he knew from the start that Cameron’s passion project would be “a hit” with no fear of saying it.

One mind-blowing BTS fact about Titanic was that the press was saying a lot of bad things about the 1997 movie before its release. Such negativity followed how being the most expensive movie at the time led to cost overruns as well as issues of set safety and release date delays. While many of these setbacks could reasonably mean a box office flop, Titanic actor Eric Braeden made claims to TVInsider that he had faith his epic romance-disaster movie would be a “hit.” Here’s why:

Yes, Eric Braeden would know a thing or two about soap operas. After all, the German-American actor has been on The Young and the Restless since 1980 as the love-to-hate character Victor Newman. The Daytime Emmy Award winner happens to be right about Titanic’s soap opera tropes as the maiden voyage journey starts with Rose being forced to marry a wealthy man and enters a star-crossed lovers relationship with poor passenger Jack Dawson. As viewers live for forbidden romances to see if two people with passionate chemistry will end up together, why couldn’t that be the same case for Titanic?

Eric Braeden’s role in Titanic was John Jacob Astor IV, the richest man on the ship. The actor continued to tell TVInsider that he was one of the lucky actors who got to see the edited cut of the film's first five minutes with his family in James Cameron’s trailer. He recalled experiencing “goosebumps” and telling the Canadian director, “You’re gonna make a shitload of money.”

As fate would have it, Eric Braeden’s predictions that Titanic would be a success as well as its star, Leonardo DiCaprio, ended up coming true. The big-budgeted movie was loved by critics and audiences, won a ton of weekends at the box office to generate $2.264 billion on a budget of $200 million, and won 11 Oscars including Best Picture. Leonardo DiCaprio also became an A-list star after Titanic with his best movies including Wolf of Wall Street, The Aviator, and The Revenant in which he won an Oscar.

James Cameron refused to let any pessimism about Titanic get to him. His clever method of saving his passion project from bad press was to take a step back and allow the negativity to die down on its own. It was sound advice as people saw for themselves what a masterpiece Titanic was when it premiered in 1997. Plus as Eric Braeden said, I’d like to believe what drew audiences into Titanic was that it was a forbidden romance movie. If star-crossed lover stories like Romeo and Juliet are still being read about and adapted today after over 400 years, there’s no reason why Titanic couldn’t achieve the same momentum.

After Eric Braeden saw the first five minutes of his movie Titanic, he wasn’t afraid to make claims that James Cameron’s movie would be “a hit.” Take it from a soap opera star to tell you what audiences crave and that the evidence will speak for itself when viewers watch compared to what bad press spews out. Feel free to go back to one of the best movies of the 1990s available on your Hulu subscription and your Paramount+ subscription.

The 1990s were a great time for film, no doubt — just look at the 100 best movies of the '90s for proof — but it was also an unforgettable decade for fashion. Iconic ‘90s movie characters from Cher Horowitz to Mia Wallace to The Dude strutted into cinema history with their enviable wardrobes packed with cropped plaid cords, chic button-downs, cozy knit sweaters, and more, changing not only how people looked onscreen but how we all dressed in real life. From great ‘90s sci-fi movies like The Matrix and The Fifth Element to hilarious '90s comedies like But I'm A Cheerleader and B.A.P.S., these 32 fashionable flicks served up the decade's most iconic movie outfits.

Cher's Plaid Set From Clueless

Alicia Silverstone's Cher has been sparking closet envy ever since we saw her computer whip up the perfect outfit combination in the first scenes of Clueless. And her sunshine-yellow plaid suit, paired with a Collie-esque faux-fur backpack and her best accessory of all — equally stylish BFF Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash), of course — is as instantly iconic as her trademark rebuttal of "As if!"

Tyler Durden's Leather Jacket From Fight Club

We won't spoil that mind-blowing plot twist — though the film has been out for decades at this point — but we will say that Brad Pitt's Tyler Durden sure packs a punch in the style department. Throughout the 1999 David Fincher flick, the Fight Club character routinely sports a uniform comprised of a wide-lapeled red leather jacket, a patterned button-down and a pair of scarlet-lensed sunglasses. It's a fit so cool, it's almost too good to be true.

The Metallic Dresses From Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

If you're going to make an impression at your high school reunion, coordinating metallic mini-dresses is certainly the way to do it. After shedding their Post-it-inventing businesswomen blazers, besties Romy (Mira Sorvino) and Michele (Lisa Kudrow) make their grand reentrance in ensembles entirely their own: a set of super-shiny, dance-friendly frocks in bubblegum pink and baby blue. Just think of the style moments a Romy and Michele sequel could bring!

Vivian's Crimson Opera Dress From Pretty Woman

There are many memorable fashion moments in the Julia Roberts classic Pretty Woman, from the $20 white-and-blue call girl outfit we first meet Vivian Ward in, to the pretty, polka-dotted number she later wears to polo. (Heck, the movie pretty much perfected the shopping montage!) But no look was as significant as the stunning red carpet-worth gown the character wears to attend a performance of La Traviata at the San Francisco Opera alongside Richard Gere's Edward Lewis.

The Desert Denim From Thelma & Louise

If you're going to be on the run from the law — in self-defense or otherwise — you might as well look great doing it. And road-tripping pals Thelma Dickinson (Geena Davis) and Louise Sawyer (Susan Sarandon) certainly do in the boundary-breaking Ridley Scott drama Thelma & Louise, which sees the two Arkansas women dash and dart away from police in dusty dungarees, sleeveless tops, ripped neckerchiefs and cowgirl hats. If being stylish was a crime, consider these two guilty.

Neo’s Trench Coat From The Matrix

From Casablanca to Kill Bill, the trench coat is a cinematic fashion staple, but nowhere has it looked cooler than when worn by Keanu Reeves as computer hacker Neo in the sci-fi masterpiece The Matrix. Per Dazed, the iconic black trench the character sports throughout the futuristic franchise was crafted by costume designer Kym Barrett with traditional Chinese robes and clergy garb in mind. Whatever the sartorial inspiration, the outcome was truly otherworldly.

Mia's Bob and Button-Down From Pulp Fiction

Proof that simple doesn't mean snooze-worthy where style is concerned, mob wife Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman, in her breakthrough role) twisted her way into cultural iconography with her blunt brunette bob, crisp white button-down and perpetually lit cigarette in Quentin Tarantino's best movie, Pulp Fiction. Costume designer Betsy Heimann reportedly modeled Mia's signature look after silent film stars and French New Wave figures.

The Cheer Squad Uniforms From Bring It On

The Rancho Carne Toros in San Diego and the East Compton Clovers in Los Angeles may have been rivals on the cheer mat, but they were equals where fashion is concerned. In their peppy, contrasting red and green uniforms, the cheerleading squads led by captains Torrance (Kirsten Dunst) and Isis (Gabrielle Union) looked surprisingly sophisticated while performing their high-flying routines. And the looks are still relevant these decades later — Union even sweetly broke out her old Clovers uniform as a fun movie-themed Halloween costume alongside her daughter.

The Orange and Blue Tuxes From Dumb and Dumber

Talk about not adhering to a black-tie dress code! Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) made quite a bold fashion statement when they showed up to a formal fundraising event in a bright-orange and powder-blue tuxedo, respectively, in the classic Farrelly Brothers comedy Dumb and Dumber. They're simultaneously some of the best (in terms of funniness) and worst (in terms of fashion) suits ever put to celluloid.

The Goth Schoolgirl Garb From The Craft

The Power of Four, indeed. Each of the witchy teens at the center of the '90s cult hit The Craft — played by Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell and Rachel True — was a style goddess in her own right. But together they made quite a mystical impression with their schoolgirl style edged up with a touch of the occult, from their gothic choker necklaces to their lace-up black boots. Our wardrobes invoke thee!

Catherine's White Turtleneck Dress From Basic Instinct

Funnily enough, Basic Instinct star Sharon Stone believed that nobody would care about what femme fatale Catherine Tramell was wearing during an otherwise straightforward interrogation scene. “The movie was a thriller and we were stopping the action to watch me sit still in a chair, so I thought the possibility of anybody giving two s—ts about it was zero," the actress revealed to InStyle. How wrong she was — that leggy white dress and cashmere Hermès throw helped create one of the most infamous and controversial scenes in movie history, thanks to yet another style choice: her lack of undergarments.

Janet Jackson's Hat and Hoops From Poetic Justice

On stage, on screen, on the street — Janet Jackson is a veritable style icon wherever she goes. And the music legend certainly lived up to that sartorial greatness in the 1993 romantic drama Poetic Justice as the Los Angeles-based poet-hairdresser Justice, memorably accessorized with hoop earrings and a pageboy cap to go with her still-en-vogue ensemble of baggy high-waisted jeans and a black crop top.

Leeloo's Orange Suspenders From The Fifth Element

As a famous model-turned-actress, Milla Jovovich could pull off any costume, even ridiculous outfits from movies set in the future. Her iconic role as Leeloo in the 1997 sci-fi favorite The Fifth Element is certainly proof: the character famously wears rubber neon-orange suspenders — as citrus-bright as her dyed hair — with a ribbed crop top and gold disco pants, all designed by the one and only Jean-Paul Gaultier.

The Dude’s Sweater From The Big Lebowski

The original Westerly men's cardigan by Pendleton Woolen Mills debuted all the way back in 1974, but it become immortalized when the lambswool sweater was worn by Jeff Lebowski. a.k.a. The Dude, in The Coen Brothers' classic The Big Lebowski. The garment became so popular thanks to the groovy Jeff Bridges character that the brand permanently brought the cardigan back in stock. Style abides!

Juliet’s Angel Wings From Romeo + Juliet

Baz Luhrmann's magnetic, modernized Romeo + Juliet adaptation was packed with flamboyant reimaginings of the Shakespearean classic, particularly in the costume department. The most famous example, no doubt, is the ballroom scene that brings together our titular star-crossed lovers (played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes), with Danes' Juliet looking positively ethereal in a chaste white dress and angel's wings. Nineties-era DiCaprio dressed as a literal knight in shining armor isn't too shabby, either.

Ellie Sattler's Safari Styles From Jurassic Park

Few people could make digging through dinosaur poop look fashionable, and Laura Dern is one of them. For much of the 1993 Steven Spielberg-helmed action flick, Dern's beloved Jurassic Park heroine Dr. Ellie Sattler is durably decked out in a salmon-colored shirt tied in a knot over a blue tank, a pair of khaki shorts and some jungle-ready work boots. Dern paid homage to that very outfit when she reprised the iconic character three decades later in Jurassic World Dominion.

Kathryn's Power Suit From Cruel Intentions

Any other high schooler parading around uptown Manhattan in a power suit would look foolish, but not Cruel Intentions' Kathryn Merteuil. Formidably played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, the merciless mean girl made being bad look good in a sleek Dolce & Gabbana suit, with a custom skintight corset hidden underneath and a rosary necklace filled with, well, not holy water. The only thing sharper than that tailoring? Kathryn's manipulative edge.

Josie's First Day-Of-School Feathers From Never Been Kissed

If you're a 20-something newspaper reporter trying to go undercover as a high school student to research for a story, maybe wearing a feather boa to homeroom isn't the best move. Sure, Josie Geller's all-white get-up — worn in one of the best Drew Barrymore romantic comedies, Never Been Kissed — was nonsensical, especially paired with a giant lemon-printed tot in place of a traditional backpack, but overall, it was definitely rufus!

Wooderson's White Tee and 'Stache From Dazed & Confused

Few film breakthroughs have been as indelible as Matthew McConaughey in the Richard Linklater-directed coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused. One of McConaughey's best roles, his Texan townie David Wooderson wasn't just iconic because of his one-liners (including that infamous "Alright, alright, alright" drawl) but also because of his authentic '70s digs: a tight Ted Nugent T-shirt tucked into salmon-pink pants, capped off with a groovy mustache and that easy McConaughey smile.

Nisi and Mickey's Super-Shiny Coats From B.A.P.S.

Nisi (Halle Berry) and Mickey (the late Natalie Desselle) — a.k.a. the "Black American Princesses" at the focus of the cultish 1997 buddy comedy B.A.P.S. —know that a good outfit means serving looks from head to toe. Put together by Oscar-winning costume director Ruth E. Carter, those incredible sky-high hairdos are matched with heavily lacquered outerwear in tropical tangerine and animal print, plus heaps of gold jewelry and a fresh set of acrylic nails.

Corey's Rex Manning Day Outfit From Empire Records

The '90s cult favorite Empire Records takes place over the course of one day in the lives of a plucky group of record store employees. But it's no ordinary day: it's Rex Manning Day when the childhood crush of staffer Corey Mason (played by Liv Tyler) — washed-up pop star Rex Manning (Maxwell Caulfield) — comes in for an album-signing event. Of course, that means Corey wants to look her best and she sure does, in a soft blue mohair sweater, plaid skirt and combat boots that, per Elle, were the actress's own.

The Pink Camp Uniforms From But I'm a Cheerleader

One of the best and most satirical teen rom-coms out there, But I'm a Cheerleader stars Natasha Lyonne as Megan Bloomfield, a high school cheerleader whose parents send her to a conversion therapy camp to "cure" her lesbianism. All attendees of True Directions are made to wear campy color-coded uniforms — pale pink for the girls, bright blue for the boys — a hilariously subversive sendup of absurd gender stereotypes. That candy-colored clothing is made sweeter when Megan falls for another queer girl (played by Clea DuVall) in the program.

Tupac's Layered Outerwear From Juice

The 1992 crime thriller Juice was the feature film debut of rap icon Tupac Shakur, and the rapper made a great big-screen first impression. As Roland Bishop, an aimless Harlem youth walking the chilly, dangerous streets of early-nineties New York City with his friends, Tupac wears a top-notch outerwear uniform — we're talking sporty crewnecks layered over hoodies and topped with an oversized jean jacket. It may be cold, but Pac always looks cool.

Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman Suit From Batman Returns

Superheroes usually have pretty cool costumes, tricked out with gadgets and gizmos, but for Michelle Pfeiffer, all her Catwoman needed was a skintight latex suit and a simple whip to create a seminal cinematic villain. Beyond being "black and sexy and tight and shiny," costume designer Mary Vogt revealed to AnOther, the infamous suit shrewdly incorporated silicon stitching to mimic a calico cat. "Since she was moving around at night, it looked really fluid. That costume is all about the light – and of course, all about Michelle.”

Selena's Purple Performing Jumpsuit From Selena

Jennifer Lopez is a fashion legend in her own right — her famous green Grammy dress literally inspired the invention of Google Images — but in 1997, she had her Golden Globe-nominated breakthrough for portraying another style icon, the late Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, in the music biopic Selena. The titular star had many notable performing outfits throughout her short-lived career, many of which were recreated for the film, but the glittering purple jumpsuit Selena wore while performing at the Houston Astrodome might just be her most unforgettable look.

The Spice Force Five Looks From Spice World

World-famous pop group, The Spice Girls are known for their individual personas and signature styles, from Victoria Beckham's "posh" little black dresses to Geri Halliwell's Union Jack frocks. But in their 1997 musical comedy film Spice World, the gals come together for a true joint slay as the "Spice Force Five," hamming it up as seriously stylish espionage agents in matching silver fits and, of course, massive platform shoes.

Laney's Little Red Dress From She's All That

Some outfits deserve their own slow-mo moment, and the post-makeover red dress that artsy nerd Laney Boggs (played by Rachael Leigh Cook) wears in the classic '90s teen flick She's All That is certainly one of them. "Up until that point her palette was very drab," costume designer Denise Wingate told Interview Magazine. "That’s why when she comes down the stairs to meet Zach that moment was more about the color than the dress itself." (Cue the "Kiss Me"!) Not that we don't love her paint-splattered overalls and bookish eyeglasses, too!

The Beach Hats From How Stella Got Her Groove Back

Angela Bassett always looks incredible, but especially while on vacation — the tropical costuming in one of the actress's best movies, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, certainly proves that point. The island-ready looks worn by Bassett's character Stella Payne and her best friend Delilah (Whoopi Goldberg), complete with fabulous, wide-brimmed beach hats, will make you want to book a trip ASAP.

Madeline's Silver Ensemble From Death Becomes Her

When Hollywood icons like Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Isabella Rossellini come together, you know the fashion moments will be aplenty. The '90s dark comedy Death Becomes Her is packed with them, like the silky silver jacket that Meryl's Madeline Ashton character wears while she blasts a hole straight through the stomach of her former friend Helen Sharp (Hawn). The outfit was so iconic that Adele herself wore it while crooning to Streep at one of her Vegas shows.

Rose's Dinner Dress From Titanic

It's no surprise that, out of its whopping 11 wins, Titanic took home the Oscar for Best Costume Design at the 70th Academy Awards. The ornate lace gown that Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) wears in that romantic scene as she glides down the grand staircase to meet Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) alone was worth the award!

The Wonders' Matching Suits From That Thing You Do!

"You guys look great in red, have I told you that?" It's the go-to compliment from The Wonders' band manager Mr. White (played by Tom Hanks, who also wrote and directed the movie) in the 1996 musical comedy That Thing You Do! And honestly, he's right: the matching suits he makes bandmates Jimmy (Johnathon Schaech), Lenny (Steve Zahn), Guy (Tom Everett Scott) and the bass player (Ethan Embry) wear on tour do look great, especially when finished off with some cool sunnies for "Shades" to wear.

Dickie's Italian Wardrobe From The Talented Mr. Ripley

It would be near-impossible to make film heartthrob Jude Law ever look bad, but the classic Riviera-chic stylings that the actor wears as Dickie Greenleaf in The Talented Mr. Ripley —think striped polo, breezy white trousers, boat-ready loafers and stretches of tanned skin — arguably might be the best he's ever looked onscreen.

I have a confession: I’m a Titanic superfan who watches the James Cameron film at least once a year. But for the last 10 or so of those viewings, I’ve straight up just skipped the disaster portion of the movie, preferring an alternate reality in which Rose and Jack are still busy planning their future on board a beautiful ship with shiny wooden foyers and un-chipped china place settings. My friends have roasted me about this for quite some time, now, but much to my surprise I just learned Margot Robbie is in the very same camp.

In an interview Robbie did with her Barbie co-star Ryan Gosling, the two discussed movies that made them cry. For Gosling, Elephant Man would be the movie that gets him emotional. Robbie looked at him like he was crazy before agreeing with the interviewer it’s the ending of The Notebook, but that wasn’t the bit that held my attention the most. In fact, it was the next thing she told her former co-star and W Magazine.

Per Robbie, she most certainly stops the latter movie before “the guy hits the propeller” much less before we get to the portion of the film where Jack and Rose could (absolutely) probably have fit on the famous door/bannister together, at least according to James Cameron and science. She doesn’t want to cry or see the sad stuff. Finally! A celebrity after my own heart.

You can see the totally vindicating exchange between her and Gosling, below.

I know I’m not the only person who stops at the sad stuff, as I have a college friend who will watch the first part of A Walk To Remember on occasion, stopping before the really tragic stuff in the Mandy Moore film. But the majority of people I know seem to be watching Titanic for the disaster component and not the love story (or at least both) and if they are throwing on the disaster epic with their Paramount Plus subscriptions they are in for the full three-hour and 15-minute slog.

Given quitting the film before the sad stuff is a topic that has absolutely gotten me roasted on no fewer than a dozen occasions, I feel hopeful there are other people out there in the world who are way more here for dancing in steerage and getting help from the Unsinkable Molly Brown. Fly your freak flag and feel free to cut out before any number of tragic moments involving men staying behind on board, pets not making it, flailing lifeboats, and orchestras playing until the bitter end.

It’s a great movie, James Cameron, but for Margot Robbie and I, we’re gonna just stick with the good stuff. Also, not gonna lie. It’s a great call to just skip the last few minutes of The Notebook on re-watch, too. Gonna add that to my list of movies I start every year and fail to finish, and I'm absolutely not judging if you do too.

Some call it the "Mandela Effect," but really, movies have been getting misquoted since the dawn of Hollywood. Usually, the quotes are close to correct, but there is still something clearly off about them. It can even lead to huge arguments when the more famous version of a quote is wrong (We're looking at you Darth Vader). Here is our list of movie quotes that people always get wrong.

"Luke, I am your father." - The Empire Strikes Back

It may be the most famous misquote of all time. At the end of Empire Strikes Back, after Luke and Darth Vader have battled to the edge, and with Luke hanging on for dear life, Darth takes a moment to tell him who his father is. "Luke, I am your father," is not what Vader says, however. Luke tells Vader that Obi-Wan told Luke that Vader had killed his father, and Vader says, "No, I am your father!"

"Play it again, Sam." - Casablanca

Yes, Sam is the piano player. And yes "As Time Goes By" is Rick and Ilsa's song in Casablanca, but at no point in the movie does anyone say "Play it again, Sam." Instead, what most people are misremembering is Ilsa requesting the song when she first walks into Rick's Cafe. What she actually says is "Play it once, Sam"

“Beam me up, Scotty." - Star Trek

"Beam me up, Scotty" has become one of the most iconic quotes from the entire Star Trek franchise. The only problem is that no one, not Captain Kirk, not Spock, not Bones... no one, ever actually used that line in the whole history of the TV or in any of the movies that followed. It is, more or less, completely made up. Kirk does say "Scotty, beam us up," in one episode, but that's as close as anyone gets.

“We’re going to need a bigger boat.” - Jaws

This one is close. Very close. The line Brody actually says in Jaws is "You're gonna need a bigger boat." The confusion may come from Clerks, where Randal misquotes it as "We're."

"Hello, Clarice" - The Silence Of The Lambs

This one is hard for people to believe, but Hannibal Lector doesn't say "Hello, Clarice" when the two characters meet in Silence Of The Lambs. It wouldn't even make sense, as they have yet to formally meet, so he would never be so informal. Instead, he simply greets her with "Good morning."

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” - Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs

This one is a little tricky. In Disney's Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, the witch is often quoted as saying "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" That is, in fact how it is written in the original story that the movie is based on, including in the original German. BUT, in the movie, the quote is actually "Magic, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"

“Do ya feel lucky, punk?” - Dirty Harry

Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) doesn't actually say the exact line "Do ya feel lucky, punk?” in Dirty Harry. It's close, but what the hard-boiled detective says is "You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky? ' Well, do ya punk?”

"Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!" - The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre

The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre is a legendary movie starring Humphrey Bogart, but the most famous line from the movie actually comes from the leader of a Mexican gang they come across as they search for the treasure. The line "Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!" has been misquoted many, many times over the years in many movies and in pop culture. The original line in the movie is, "Badges? We don't have no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges!"

“If you build it, they will come.” - Field Of Dreams

This is another one that people always just miss by a nose. When you hear the famous quote that the voice from beyond in Field Of Dreams says, usually it's "If you build it, they will come." It probably is due to the long line of cars at the end of the movie that coming to watch the baseball and save the farm. Instead, what the mysterious voice actually says is "If you build it, he will come," meaning Kevin Costner's character's father.

“I’m king of the world!” - Titanic

This one is really getting pedantic, but while we're here, let's get it right. When quoting Leonardo DiCaprio's character in Titanic, most people say, "I'm king of the world!" What the character actually says on the prow of the ill-fated ship is "I'm the king of the world!" Yeah, pedantic, we know.

“Mrs. Robinson, are you trying to seduce me?” - The Graduate

The Graduate is a stone-cold classic about a college guy having an affair with the older friend of his parents. There is no question what is going on in the scene where this famous line comes from, but doesn't actually go down like this. Instead of asking, "Mrs. Robinson, are you trying to seduce me?" what Ben (Dustin Hoffman) actually declares is, "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me!"

“Mama always said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates.’” - Forrest Gump

This is one that we're really splitting hairs with, but while we're doing this list, we might as well get them all out of the way. In Forrest Gump, Gump actually says "My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." It's usually misquoted as "life is like a box of chocolates."

"Cowabunga, dude." - The Simpsons

This is a pretty odd one. It's pretty clearly a mashup of two different IPs that both came to prominence around the same time. Bart Simpson has never said "Cowabunga, dude" in the whole history of The Simpsons. "Cowabunga, dude" comes from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While Bart does say "Aye Carumba," he doesn't ever quote the Turtles.

"Houston we have a problem" - Apollo 13

This one goes back way further than 1995's Apollo 13. This line, or the real line, was first uttered by Jack Swigert during the actual Apollo 13 mission in 1970. What Swigert actually said was, "Houston, we've had a problem here." Captain Jim Lovell repeated it in real life. In the movie, all you hear is Hanks say "Houston we have a problem." So the movie is actually doing what everyone else had been doing, misquoting the now famous line.

“I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore" - The Wizard Of Oz

“I don't think we're in Kansas anymore" has become one of the most famous misquotes in Hollywood history. It's been said in movies and TV shows for decades. Of course, it's not what Dorothy actually said in The Wizard of Oz. The exact quote is actually, "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.”

"Greed is good." - Wall Street

In Wall Street, Michael Douglas plays one of the best villains of the 1980s, and his character, Gordon Gekko, definitely believes that greed is good. That's not exactly how it expresses the sentiment. In the famous speech, Gekko says, "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." We've all shortened to what many believe is now the actual quote.

"A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do" - Hondo

“A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do," has become more than just a famous line by the legendary John Wayne. It's become a modern mantra. Unfortunately, like the other famous lines on this list, it's quoted incorrectly The real line said by The Duke is "A man oughta do what he thinks is best." Quite different, don't you think?

"What if I told you..." - The Matrix

One of the most famous misquotes ever, and it's all due to modern memes is Morpheus saying "What if I told you..." in The Matrix. Though the meme's photo does come from the scene where Morpheus is telling Neo about the matrix, he never actually says those words at any point.

“I’m ready for my close-up now, Mr. DeMille.” - Sunset Boulevard

The ending of Sunset Boulevard is one of the most iconic scenes of all time. As Gloria Swanson, as NormaDesmond, makes her way down the stairs, she turns to the camera and says “I’m ready for my close-up now, Mr. DeMille.” Except, that's not exactly what she says, we get it backwards. What she actually says is, "Alright, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." Same effect, but slightly different wording, just like most of the quotes on this list.

The virality of some trends on apps like TikTok and Instagram lead to the reveals of some wild stories amongst some Hollywood big hitters you couldn’t even begin to imagine. One of the most recent examples comes from Ed Sheeran. The singer revealed that he and the newly engaged Benny Blanco had a strange trip whilst traveling to the United Kingdom, and it involved the actual Titanic (and a rewatch of the great cinematic equivalent).

A recently launched trend involves social media users sharing a crazy story with a surprising twist, and the aforementioned singer-songwriter's tale delivers. The "Bad Habits" writer posted his version of the Muppet-centric-Pepe trend to his TikTok. As the British star explained in the slideshow, he and Blanco needed to travel from the US to the UK. However, Blanco divulged that he was afraid of flying and hoped to get on a boat with Sheeran to make the trip. While the "Lego House" performer didn't love the idea, especially once he realized it would be a 10-day voyage, he (literally) got on board with the idea.

Ultimately, everything was essentially fine, as the two stars were writing the Game of Thrones' guest star's album, Divide, singing songs into the ocean and more. Amid their first couple of days on board though, it was announced that they reached the spot where the Titanic sank. While Ed Sheeran was rattled by that, Benny Blanco convinced him to watch the iconic film Titanic. Sheeran agreed, and the two enjoyed their viewing, with Sheeran later celebrating that their ship made it through the area.

So you're probably wondering what the big twist (and Pepe moment is here). Well, sometime after the excursion, the "Castle on the Hill" singer learned that Blanco boarded a flight for a different adventure following their exploits on the open sea.

Needless to say, this story is perfect for the Pepe trend. I mean, would any of us have really believed that the two musicians traveled by sea together because of Benny Blanco’s fears and that they both experienced the part of the Atlantic where the Titanic sank together? For me, the answer is no! And, when it comes to the twist, I can't even imagine what it must've been like the moment the Yesterday alum learned about Blanco's eventual flight.

I can only imagine the two of them working on this less than ten years ago in a cabin, and all they can see is the sea. It’s trippy to think about, especially since Justin Beiber’s ‘Love Yourself’ could’ve very well been written on that trip. It’s even funnier and weirder that Sheeran handed it to the young performer after the singer-songwriter’s people didn’t think it was much of anything.

Leave it to the sweet and goofy record producer to pull a fast one or get over his fears quickly enough to leave Ed Sheeran stunned with his next trip. (His hanging with his new fiance on the set of her hit show, Only Murders in the Building seems like a much better experience for all involved.) I would be interested in hearing Benny Blanco's side of the story, though he's likely basking in that post-engagement joy with Selena Gomez.

All in all, I’m glad the two singers live to tell the tale, which is now immortalized on TikTok. Along with it, I’m so pleased to have the strange Titanic-adjacent experience documented in the wild bewildering style of Pepe the Muppet. On that note, anyone who'd also like to partake in a rewatch of James Cameron's Oscar-winning film about the doomed ship can stream it with a Paramount+ subscription.

Kate Winslet’s movies have earned her significant acclaim over the years, but one that truly continues to truly permeate pop culture about the others is Titanic. James Cameron’s romantic epic not only broke the box office and earned Oscars – it also made Winslet a bonafide movie star. However, that level of notoriety also came with its share of downsides, including the fact that the star’s weight became a topic of public discussion. Winslet recently recalled the “horrific” way her figure was discussed and how she confronted those critics.

The Academy Award-winning actress was 22 when she played the role of Rose DeWitt Bukater in the acclaimed Titanic, and she just discussed the film while chatting with 60 Minutes. After acknowledging the infamous door debate (again), the Finding Neverland alum addressed the scrutiny she faced during that time in her life. The segment (which is on YouTube) featured a throwback clip of fashion commentators critiquing the British star’s body during a red carpet event. When reflecting on that time in her life, the Reader star didn’t mince words:

Over the years, Kate Winslet has been quite candid about having been “bullied” over her body when she was younger. She previously said that her Titanic fame “was not much fun” due to the copious amount of eyes that were on her at the time. With that, the star felt that she needed to “stand up” for herself. And, as Winslet explained to 60 Minutes, she ultimately did, in scenario that she now refers to as a “great moment”:

The Mare of Easttown star became visibly emotional as she recounted her experiences with body shaming, and one can certainly understand why. Many people likely know what it’s like to be judged by their appearance, but that’s amplified when you’re a public figure. With that, a star can be left vulnerable to criticism from an array of people. It’s certainly sad that the Steve Jobs star had to endure such criticism, but she now seems to have more than enough confidence and can block out the haters.

Also, earlier in 2024, Kate Winslet discussed past eating habits and how she tried to remain thin. It seems like she doesn’t feel quite as constrained these days. Winslet also just learned about Ozempic, the anti-diabetic drug that some stars have reportedly used for weight loss. In Winslet’s estimation, it sounded “terrible,” and she jokingly said, “Let’s eat some more things! Needless to say, the fan-favorite actress has come a long way since she starred in Titanic.

You can check out the A-lister’s latest performance, which comes by way of the film Lee, which is now available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video. And, of course, you can check out Titanic as well by streaming it on Pluto or with the use of a Paramount+ subscription.

The term "MacGuffin" was coined by Angus MacPhail, an English screenwriter who often worked with Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock himself is often associated with the term, as he used the term often and, indeed, employed MacGuffins often in his movies. The term refers to an object (usually) that is central to the motivation of the characters in a film and is used to move the plot along.

There is debate amongst film fans as to whether a MacGuffin can be a person, or if it has to be something that is otherwise pointless to the plot, but for this list's sake, we're not making any kind of distinction. It can be a person or a character. It can be crucial to the plot, or irrelevant. It is just something that carries the plot forward.

Pee-Wee's Bicycle In Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

One of the classic '80s MacGuffins is, of course, Pee-Wee Herman's bicycle in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. After it is stolen, Pee-Wee embarks on a cross-country trip to the Alamo's basement to find it. Without the stolen bicycle, there is no movie, so it is, indeed, a true MacGuffin.

The Briefcase In Pulp Fiction

One of the coolest uses of a MacGuffin is by Quentin Tarantino in Pulp Fiction. We never even see what the MacGuffin really is, just the briefcase it's housed in. We know it radiates golden light and leaves everyone who sees it a little speechless, so it must be something either incredibly beautiful, incredibly valuable, or both.

Doug In The Hangover

Sometimes, the MacGuffin is a person. You can argue all you want about whether or not that counts, but we're not listening. The best example we can think of to prove it can be a character is Doug in The Hangover. The movie doesn't happen without the search for Doug, and the groom-to-be isn't really much of a character otherwise, with only a few scenes at the beginning and at the end. Without him though, there isn't even a bachelor party to create the hangovers in the movie.

Big Worm's Money In Friday

In Friday Craig (Ice Cube) gets sucked into Smokey's bad day after Smokey (Chris Tucker) gets himself into trouble with the local neighborhood dealer and must come up with the money he owes him or else. It doesn't motivate Smokey all the much, but hey, it finally does by the end.

The Death Star Plans In Star Wars

There is a lot of debate over what the MacGuffin is in the original Star Wars. Some say it's the plans for the Death Star that R2-D2 is tasked by Princess Leia to deliver, others say it's the droid itself. Let's quit splitting hairs here because they are both kind of the same thing, and they are both critical to the whole adventure.

The Letters Of Transit In Casablanca

In the very beginning of Casablanca, it's explained that everyone in Casablanca during World War II is trying to get out and on to their next place of safety, usually the U.S. via Portugal. That's what makes letters of transit so important, especially when you are wanted by the Germans for being a spy, as Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid) is. His hunt for them, and Rick (Humphrey Bogart) hiding them is what drives the plot (along with Rick and Elsa's love story).

The Dude's Rug In The Big Lebowski

The Coen Brothers love to use MacGuffins in their movies, and for The Big Lebowski, they created the perfect one - The Dude's rug. It's a completely meaningless object in the grand scheme of things, but without The Dude's ire at the destruction of it and the hunt to replace it (because it really tied the room together), there would be no adventure at all.

The Ring In The Lord Of The Rings

One of the greatest MacGuffins in film and literature is the one ring to rule them all in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There is no question it's a true MacGuffin, as literally everyone and everything in the franchise is motivated by it.

The Ark In Raiders Of The Lost Ark

All of the Indiana Jones movies have used MacGuffins to send our hero, played by Harrison Ford, on his adventures. In the first of the five movies, it is, of course, the Lost Ark of the Covenant. It's being chased by both Indy and the Germans, and whoever gets it first could change the fate of World War II and, indeed, the whole world.

The Fabergé Egg In Octopussy

A lot of James Bond movies employ MacGuffins to motivate the super spy into action. One of the most fun has to be the Fabergé Egg in Octopussy. Not only is it a really cool-looking MacGuffin, but it's not something you'd ever think a spy like Bond would need to be worried about, yet it also works perfectly within the story.

Rosebud In Citizen Kane

At the very beginning of Citizen Kane, we hear Kane say "Rosebud." For the rest of the movie, we are left wondering what that means. It turns out, as we discover in the final scene that Rosebud was Kane's childhood sled and that his entire motivation in life and through the movie was to find that lost bit of his youth. Without the sled, there is no Charles Foster Kane, tycoon.

The Plans For The Silent Plane In The 39 Steps

Of course, you have to include Hitchcock on this list, as he was the master of the MacGuffin. The most common one people point to comes from one of his earliest movies, The 39 Steps. You can argue over whether it's the secret plans for the plan themselves, or Mr. Memory, who has memorized those plans as the MacGuffin, but either way, the movie's plot relies on those plans to motivate all the characters in the film.

Ruby Slippers In The Wizard Of Oz

Two of the most famous props in history are Dorothy's ruby slippers in The Wizard Of Oz. The twist here is that it's not our hero Dorothy looking for the MacGuffin, it's the Wicked Witch of the West desperately seeking them out and trying to steal them. "Home" motivates Dorothy, while the shoes motivate her enemy.

The Grail In Monty Python And The Holy Grail

The Cup of Christ, or The Holy Grail, is a common MacGuffin in pop culture. Indiana Jones and his father search for it, and so does Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code. The most ridiculous (and hilarious) search for the mythical cup has to be Monty Python's quest for The Grail. Like so many others, they come close to grasping the holy relic, only to be thwarted by the police in the end. It's really a silly story.

Private Ryan In Saving Private Ryan

One great example of a person or a character being a solid MacGuffin is Private Ryan (Matt Damon) in Saving Private Ryan. Ryan is really only there to motivate Miller (Tom Hanks) and his chosen team to save him. He's otherwise irrelevant to the story. Sure, we care if Ryan's been a good man since getting saved, but mostly, we care about the other characters in their hunt for him.

The Maltese Falcon In The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon in The Maltese Falcon is a wonderful example of a MacGuffin being basically just a random object. The object could be anything, it just happens to be the little statue that is motivating everyone in the movie. It's maybe the most basic example of a successful MacGuffin in film history.

The Chimera Virus In Mission: Impossible 2

Every Mission: Impossible movie has a MacGuffin. Some are cooler than others and even though Mission: Impossible 2 is generally ranked as the worst in the franchise, the MacGuffin is kinda the coolest. A virus that could wipe out life on Earth. Now that we've all gone through a traumatizing pandemic, it feels even more motivating.

The Infinity Stones In The MCU

There is no more ubiquitous MacGuffin in movie history than the Infinity Stones in the MCU. They appear in one form or another in more than a dozen movies, culminating with the destruction of Thanos and his minions at the end of Avengers: Endgame when Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr) sacrifices himself to save the world and prove he has a heart.

Colonel Kurtz In Apocalypse Now

Marlon Brando's wild performance as Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now is part of what makes it such an incredible movie. Without it, it would unquestionably be less of a film. BUT, Willard (Martin Sheen) could have been searching for anything important to motivate him and the boat's crew up the river. It just happened to be a rogue psychopath.

The Necklace in Ocean's 8

Obviously all the best heist movies usually have a pretty motivating MacGuffin. In Ocean's 8 it is a pretty traditional one. It's simply a very valuable necklace around the neck of an actress played by Anne Hathaway. How Ocean's crew goes about stealing it is what makes the movie great, but it's still just a thing at the end of the day that could have been anything else.

The Declaration Of Independence In National Treasure

There is no bigger piece of American history than the actual Declaration Of Independence. As a MacGuffin in National Treasure, it makes for the perfect object worth stealing. For Benjamin (Nicholas Cage), the motivation is pathological, as he'll stop at nothing to acquire it.

The President In Escape From New York

There are arguments that the briefcase handcuffed to the President (Donald Pleasance) is the real MacGuffin in Escape From New York, but let's give those going after it a little credit and hope that they at least partly wanted to save the man himself.

The Heart Of The Ocean Necklace In Titanic

James Cameron needed to find a good reason for us to get invested in the love story in Titanic because, without it, it's just a disaster movie that would have been over too quickly. The way he brings us all into the hunt for the ship and the stories on it before it sinks is the fictional "Heart Of The Ocean" necklace owned by Rose and had been in her possession all that time.

Red Ryder BB Gun In A Christmas Story

Ralphie gets berated by Santa, dismissed by his mother, pens a wonderful composition for his teacher, and eventually shoots his eye out all in his desire to own a "Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time." It's the ultimate MacGuffin.

The Briefcase Full Of Money - No Country For Old Men

There is no bigger motivator in the world than money. For better or for worse, that's how it goes. Even someone like Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) in No Country For Old Men, who seems only slightly motivated by money goes through a terrible ordeal to keep the briefcase full of money he found and everyone else is after.

The Buried Money/The Big W In It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World

A MacGuffin doesn't get any plainer than cash at the end of an epic race like in It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World. The price, $350,000 buried under "a big W" in a California state park motivates one of the greatest comedic casts ever assembled to race each other to find the buried money.

Genesis Device In Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan is often thought of as the best of all the Star Trek movies, and certainly the best that features the cast of the original series. In it, both the crew of the Enterprise and their arch-enemy, Khan, are in desperate search of The Genesis Device.

The Buried Treasure In O Brother Where Art Thou?

Yet another movie where the MacGuffin is buried treasure, but we couldn't leave the Coen Brothers' classic O Brother Where Art Thou? off the list. Though it's based on The Oddessy, where the motivation was to get home, this one is a little simpler. Three idiot prisoners trying to get rich quickly. In the end, it's more about the friends we met along the way.

The Diamonds In Diamonds Are Forever

James Bond often has some interesting MacGuffins and as the years have worn on, they've gotten increasingly complicated. It makes us yearn for the days when it was just a simple bag of diamonds, as it is in the aptly titled Diamonds Are Forever.

Turboman Doll In the Jingle All The Way

Every Christmas there is a hot toy that people occasionally come to blows over, like Frank in Seinfeld, for example. In Jingle All The Way, it's a Turbo Man doll and one father is willing to go to extreme lengths to get one for his son!

The Pink Panther Diamond In The Pink Panther

Peter Sellers' portrayal of Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther is one of the all-time great comedic performances. In it, he is searching for the stolen Pink Panther diamond. It's a classic MacGuffin, but worth mentioning because the hunter is such a goof.

Green Destiny Sword In Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Occasionally, a MacGuffin is a supernatural object or even a supernatural weapon like the Green Destiny Sword in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The movie, though highly stylized and more of a visual work of art than a true quest, still has a fairly simple motivating device, just like all the best MacGuffins.