“As soon as I started to learn about people like Oonagh Guinness and how she lived, and Gloria Vanderbilt and Lee Radziwill… they were bucking the tradition of their aristocratic upbringing, which would have been, you know, heirlooms and antiques. No, they didn't want any of that. They wanted to be part of the modern world. They wanted to hang out with artists. They wanted to be bohemian and they expressed that, I feel like, in their personal surroundings.”

Hedda, an adaptation of the Henrik Ibsen play Hedda Gabler, stars Tessa Thompson in the title role, with Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, and Nicholas Pinnock in supporting roles. The film is all set in one location, Hedda’s majestic estate. Its look and feel are essential to reinforcing Hedda as a boundary pusher, and creating the transportive quality of the film. 

“We achieved that through just the layering that we did. We had this Italianate house that was built and cobbled together. They kept building it and building it, building it over decades, adding and adding so you have this house from the 1800s and then we put modern art in it, and then we brought in a lot of art deco silhouettes to furnishings, because that still feels so contemporary,” says Brown. 

“Because of all the layers that we have, it kind of makes it feel timeless. A lot of people have come up to me and said they wanted to know what country the house was in… and then they want to know what year it was set in. We wanted it to kind of feel timeless and transcend any specific year.”

Taking Liberties With Hedda

DaCosta took some liberties from the play, by moving the time period from the late 19th century and gender switching the role of Eilert in the play to Eileen in the film. Those liberties were important considerations for Brown and set decorator Stella Fox.

“I think for me, choosing the furniture and the pieces had more to do with the shapes and the proportions of the pieces. The shapes of the deco pieces and the shapes of ’50s pieces kind of mirror that very elegant, very shapely, just very sexy pieces of furniture. 

"And I think that when we were looking in auction houses we imported a lot of furniture from all over Europe antiques markets. It was more about just finding the perfect shape. But it just didn't matter to me and to Cara, whether it was, you know, ’20s, ’30s, ’40s, ’50s, even ’60s. Like, there were some mid-century pieces that obviously would have been created after them. But it really, it didn't matter, because they had that freedom of slight wildness, I think, to them,” says Fox.

“We did a whole kind of board displaying leopard print, for example, and like it was so on trend in the ’50s… and (Nia) let us put leopard print carpet in the back hallway, and also a taxidermy jaguar on the staircase, just because,” says Fox. “I remember the first time we showed Nia the leopard print carpet. She literally laughed in our face. She was like, ‘Ladies, what are you doing?’ And then, OK, OK, I got it. I got it.”

How did ideas of gender, especially in this time period, influence the set decoration and production design?

“I really think it was just another example about how boundary pushing this person is, and how bold we could be with the furnishing, I think, and the production design, because she's clearly somebody who is not afraid... I really don't know how we would have made this film, or how special this film would have felt without that gender swap,” says Brown.

Hedda’s outward and inner lives are constantly at odds in the film, but the house does offer clues to who she might really be. 

“I feel like she is grasping at anything she can, and so maybe the house is a bit of a creative outlet where she can express herself. Even though she finds that unfulfilling,” says Brown.

“I was gonna say it's for her. It was the drama… It's the show of it, the pomp of it,” says Fox.

Hedda is now streaming on Prime Video.

Main image: Tessa Thompson in Hedda. Prime Video.

The appintment, effective last month, came after a national search for a successor to Rob Davis, who retired as RiverRun’s executive director at the end of 2024. Morin was a key figure at Slamdance, producing eight editions and overseeing its relocation from Park City to Los Angeles. He also oversaw new revenue streams including Slamdance Channel VOD.

Morin has also produced, coordinated, and managed more than 25 productions, including films, TV shows and music videos. Morin also recently wrote This Time Each Year, Hallmark’s first Christmas movie centered on a character who struggles with alcoholism.

Earlier in his career he worked as David O. Russell's executive and writing assistant, contributing to The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook.

“We’re thrilled Michael is joining us as executive director,” said Denise Gunter, Chair of RiverRun’s board. “Michael’s film festival experience is deep and varied, and we believe that he is the right person to lead RiverRun forward.

“Michael is building on a strong foundation established by Dale Pollock, who brought RiverRun to Winston-Salem, our previous executive directors, our outstanding staff and volunteers, and our dedicated board,” Gunter added.

“What draws me most to RiverRun is its deep community involvement and commitment to education. Throughout my career, I’ve prioritized inclusive programming, industry engagement, and artist-first principles—strengthening local ties while maintaining a global reach,” Morin said. “My experience managing multi-format festivals, supervising diverse staff and volunteers, and launching long-term sponsor relationships would translate seamlessly into RiverRun’s collaborative ecosystem."

He added: “My belief in the power of film as a catalyst for social understanding and creative innovation guides everything I do. ... Regional festivals like RiverRun are uniquely positioned to inspire dialogue, foster inclusivity, and strengthen the communities they serve. With deep industry experience and a genuine passion for building transformative artistic spaces, I’m committed to working collaboratively across the region to ensure RiverRun grows boldly and vibrantly in the years ahead.”

The next RiverRun will be held April 17–25. Founded in 1998, RiverRun showcases new films from established and emerging filmmakers around the world, offering narrative, documentary, short, student, and animated films, offering both audience and jury prizes in competition.

Main image: Michael C. Morin. Courtesy of RiverRun.

And it didn't take long for fans — including us — to realize some of the creepy audio in the teaser was music being played backwards. And to reverse that audio.

It may actually be creepier when played forward. Here is the original version, and our reversed audio:

What We Know About The Undertone So Far

The Undertone, from first-time feature director Ian Tuason, debuted at the excellent Fantasia Film Festival last summer. The festival, one of our favorites, was also the one to premiere Skinamarink, which used online fascination to build into a major hit, despite a mere $10,000 budget.

The Undertone hopes to similarly overperform.

The film, which will play the Sundance Film Festival at a midnight screening later this month, follows the host of a popular paranormal podcast who becomes haunted by terrifying recordings that are mysteriously sent to her.

As Sundance explains, "Strained by the responsibility of providing end-of-life care to her dying mother, Evy (Nina Kiri) seeks respite from the loneliness of her fragmented reality. Now living in a house full of sentimental keepsakes and memories, her sanity and structure lies within her work on a supernatural podcast, The Undertone. While she usually plays skeptic to the creepy (and often disturbing) audio files sent to her by co-host Justin (Adam DiMarco) for podcast fodder, the latest submission hits differently.

"A series of 10 unheard recordings from a young pregnant couple are unfurled one by one, each more ominous than the last," the Sundance summary continues. "As Evy draws parallels to her current plight, hidden messages manifest, pushing her further toward madness."

Deadline reported in August that A24 acquired the film in a bidding war, "and that the deal was for mid-7 figures."

In her Fantasia Fest description of the film, programming director Carolyn Mauricette wrote, “Fans of SKINAMARINK and I AM THE PRETTY THING WHO LIVES IN THE HOUSE will love this slow-burn nightmare that will make hackles on your neck rise and your blood chill.”

The film's eerie marketing campaign has also drawn comparisons to those of Weapons and Longlegs, the latter of which came from I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House director Osgood Perkins.

Main image: Nina Kiri appears in undertone by Ian Tuason, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. Photo by Dustin Rabin.

So says Chris Appelhans, who co-directed the film with Maggie Kang. Kang created the concept for KPop Demon Hunters, which follows a trio of young women who sing in the megagroup Huntr/x while secretly battling demons. It's the most-watched Netflix film ever.

In a new oral history of KPop Demon Hunters for The New York Times, Kang, Appelhans and other key creatives behind the film detailed their inspirations and influences over the nine-year process of bringing it to life.

One key to everything was the songwriting of "Golden," in which Huntr/x tell the story of their friendship, and resist the dark side of KPop.

For "Golden,” Appelhans explained, "our references were a Biggie track called 'Juicy.' There was Drake, Eminem, Lil Wayne. Those were songs about starting as nobodies and finding yourself through music."

He's not saying "Golden" sounds like "Juicy," mind you — just that "Golden," like "Juicy," is a song about rising up and achieving your dreams. Here's "Juicy" and here's "Golden."

The Notorious B.I.G., who was born Christopher Wallace and also went by Biggie Smalls, died in a 1997 shooting that is still the subject of endless speculation. He was just 24.

He's mostly been in the news lately because of memories of his association with Sean Combs, who signed him to his Bad Boy Records label. So it's nice to see Biggie get some love for inspiring a new generation of KPop and hip-hop fans.

KPop Demon Hunters and the Making of "Golden"

KPop Demon Hunters' love of hip-hop is clear from the start: Huntr/x's youngest member is rapper and lyricist Zoey, whose speaking voice is provided by Ji-young Yoo and whose singing voice belongs to South Korean singer-rapper Rei Ami. And the song "Takedown," the ultimate anti-demon diss track, is basically a hip-hop song.

Singer-songwriter Ejae told the New York Times that cracking the song "Golden" was one of the biggest challenges of the film. In addition to handling the singing voice of Huntr/x leader Rumi, she co-wrote "Golden" and the Huntr/x songs "How It's Done," and "What It Sounds Like" — as well as "Your Idol," by Huntr/x demonic boy band rivals, the Saja Boys.

Kang told the Times that the film went through about eight versions of "Golden" before landing on the one in the film.

"The last one came in, I was in a car in Vancouver going to the airport. I heard the first tingly notes and I knew, that was it. Not even the lyrics yet, just the track. When we asked EJAE to go as high as she could with her voice, she was like, I hope I don’t ever have to perform this," Kang said.

Ejae told the Times: "It’s not a comfortable register for me. I can hit the notes, obviously. But it would be impossible to sing live. There’s no breathing [room] — 90 percent of it is Rumi singing. That’s unrealistic as hell."

Everything worked out fantastically, of course: "Golden," the second single from the film's soundtrack, hit number one on the Billboard Global 200, became the longest-lasting number one song by a fictional group on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and became the third song in South Korea to achieve a 2025 "perfect all-kill." (A perfect all-kill is when a song simultaneously places at number one on the real-time, daily, and weekly components of iChart, an aggregator of all major South Korean music streaming.)

And "the film"Golden" is very much in contention in the Oscars race for best original song, one of many categories in which KPop Demon Hunters is expected to fare well.

Main image: KPop Demon Hunters. Netflix.

Professor X and Magneto are still playing chess after all these years, and Cyclops' optic blasts are as powerful as ever, in the latest teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. The Doomsday X-Men trailer heralds the long-anticipated entry of the uncanny mutants into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

As the camera pans over scenws in Charles Xavier's rather dusty school for gifted youngsters, we see a chess piece levitate, a call back to the chess games Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) started playing way back in 2000's X-Men, a superhero film that predated the MCU and helped proved the viability of a modern Marvel movie relatively loyal to comics lore.

Soon we see Xavier warmly touching Magneto's arms. The master of magnetism has let his gray hair grow out, and it looks good.

Then all the warm fuzzy feelings dissipate as Scott Summers (James Marsden) unleashes the full fury of his eyes.

You can watch it above or right here.

Details of the trailer leaked earlier this month, but now Disney has released it in its full majesty. It's the third teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, following previous ones that promised the return of Chris Evans as Captain America (last seen in 2019's Avengers: Endgame) and Chris Hemsworth's Thor (last seen in 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder.)

Stewart has flirted with the MCU before, popping up in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But Doomsday marks a more substantive reunion.

The film will also, of course, bring Robert Downey Jr. back to the MCU — though this time instead of playing Iron Man, he'll play Doctor Doom, who debuted in this past summer's Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Doomsday also brings back Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War directors Anthony and Joe Russo.

Who Is In Avengers: Doomsday?

Disney is taking a more is more approach to Doomsday. In addition to bringing back the co-directors and all the stars named above, Doomsday will also feature original X-Men actors Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and Kelsey Grammer, new Captain America actor Anthony Mackie, new Falcon actor Danny Ramirez, and Thunderbolts stars Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, and Hannah-John Kamen.

Oh, did you think we were done? No. Avengers: Doomsday will also feature Black Panther: Wakanda Forever stars Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, and Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Ant-Man star Paul Rudd, Shang-Chi star Simu Liu, Fantastic Four: First Steps stars Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, and Pedro Pascal, and Loki star Tom Hiddleston, as well as Channing Tatum, who played Gambit in Wolverine vs. Deadpool.

Robert Downey Jr. helped introduce them all in this teaser released last year.

There will probably be many more cast announcements, and probably some surprise cameos as well. Stay tuned.

The Avengers and X-Men meeting — to say nothing of the meeting of the Fantastic Four and the heroes of the MCU — once seemed impossible because Fox owned the movie rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four, while Marvel owned The Avengers and their related IP.

Things began to coalesce when Disney acquired Marvel in 2009, and 10 years later acquired Fox. Disney also worked out an agreement with Sony, which owns the cinematic rights to Spider-Man, to allow new webslinger Tom Holland to start appearing in MCU films, starting with 2016's Captain America: Civil War.

So 12-year-old us would like to give a special shoutout to the many, many lawyers involved in the negotiations to finally bring all our childhood heroes to the big screen, together.

Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters December 18, 2026.

Main image: James Marsden as Cyclops in the new Avengers: Doomsday trailer.

The star of The Wrestler and 9 1/2 Weeks took to Instagram to deny any knowledge of the campaign, which was set up by his manager, Kimberly Hines, and her assistant.

“Something’s come up that I’m really frustrated, confused and I don’t understand,” Rourke, 73, said on Instagram Monday to his 489,000 followers. “Somebody set up some kind of foundation or fund for me to donate money, like in a charity. And that's not me.

"If I needed money, I wouldn't ask for no f---ing charity," the Oscar nominee continued, cradling his dog Lucky in his arms. "I'd rather stick a gun up my a-- and pull the trigger. So whoever did this, I don't know if they did it, why they did it — I don't understand it. I wouldn't know what a GoFund foundation is in a million years. ... My life is very simple. I don't go to outside sources like that. And, yeah, it is embarrassing, but, you know, I'm sure I'll get over it like anything else."

He also called the situation "humiliating," and asked people not to give money — and to ask for it back if they've already given. He said his eviction stemmed from a landlord-tenant dispute, and that he stopped paying rent because of problems with the property where he had lived for several years.

"I'm not paying rent because there's mice, there's rats, the floor is rotten. One bathtub, there's no water. ... In two different sinks, there was no water."

He vowed to press on.

"Like all storms, this thing will pass, and I'll go to work, and things will get back to whatever normal is," he said.

Mickey Rourke's Manager Explains GoFundMe

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Rourke's manager, Kimberly Hines, said she and an assistant set up the campaign "with Mickey’s full permission," but pledged to return the money if Rourke doesn't want it.

Hines said she was helping Rourke financially and that he had been set up in a hotel with his three dogs while he waits to move new apartment in Los Angeles' Koreatown neighborhood.

She also said Rourke had never managed money well and was very generous with what he had.

"He doesn’t really know the word moderation," she said. "So he either has a lot or has nothing. He lives check to check. And he’s also been very generous with people. He bought his ex-girlfriend, who had cancer, an apartment. Didn’t buy himself an apartment. He’s given a lot of his money away to people, to friends. He’s loaned people money. Doesn’t have that upbringing or that education to manage money. So a lot of it was spent. A lot of it really was given away. He has very happy ex-girlfriends. He’s been very generous with people, and he just didn’t manage his money well."

But she also said Rourke has been offered several roles since news broke Sunday of the GoFundMe.

"The good thing about this is that he got four movie offers since yesterday. People are emailing him movie offers now, which is great because nobody’s been calling him for a long time," she told THR.

Mickey Rourke Explains Eviction Story

In his Instagram post, Mickey Rourke added that he had made mistakes in the past, but was in a better place, and said his work in recent years reflects that.

"I've done a really terrible job in managing my career. I wasn't very diplomatic, you know, I had to go to over 20 years of therapy to get over the damage that was done to me years ago, and I worked very hard to work through that. And I'm not that person anymore. But, you know, I can't be the one to say that. You've got to talk to the last several people I've worked with. Talk to Robert Rodriguez. Talk to Francis Coppola, Darren Aronofsky."

Rourke worked with Rodriguez on 2005's Sin City and 2014 Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, and received some of the best reviews of his career for Aronofsky's 2008 The Wrestler, which earned him his Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He worked with Coppola on 1983's Rumble Fish.

Main image: Mickey Rourke on Instagram.

From classic Hollywood dramas to modern blockbusters and indie films, casino scenes continue to appear across genres — not because of gambling itself, but because of what it represents on screen.

At their core, casinos are narrative accelerators. They condense conflict, stakes, and character into a single space where outcomes feel immediate and irreversible.

Risk as Visual Language

Film is a visual medium, and casinos communicate risk without exposition. Chips sliding across felt, cards turning over in silence, or a roulette wheel slowing at the wrong moment all convey tension more efficiently than dialogue ever could.

In films like Casino Royale (2006), 21 (2008), and Rain Man (1988), poker and blackjack tables become arenas where intelligence, nerve, and identity collide. The audience doesn’t need to understand the rules in detail; the framing, pacing, and performances do the work. A close-up of a character’s eyes or hands tells us everything we need to know about what’s at stake emotionally.

This efficiency is why casinos remain so attractive to directors and screenwriters. They externalise internal conflict.

Control vs. Chance: A Storytelling Paradox

One of the reasons casinos work so well in film is the inherent contradiction they embody. Gambling is built on chance, yet cinematic storytelling demands intention. Films resolve this tension by turning randomness into destiny.

Characters don’t simply gamble; they outplay, outthink, or outlast their opponents. The casino becomes a battleground where chance is framed as something that can be mastered — at least temporarily. This illusion of control is crucial for narrative momentum, even if it departs from real-world probability.

This contrast between reality and representation is part of the fascination. In Mike Waters' guide about blackjack sites in Australia, we can see just how advanced online platforms have become, most of which now offer live dealer games that mirror a real-world experience.

For filmmakers, this evolution reinforces why blackjack and casinos continue to resonate culturally — they straddle the line between strategy and unpredictability in a way few other settings can.

Character Revelation in High-Stakes Environments

Casinos are not just about money. On screen, they function as psychological pressure cookers. How a character behaves at a table often reveals more than pages of dialogue.

Confidence, arrogance, restraint, desperation — these traits surface quickly when something valuable is on the line. In Rounders (1998), poker scenes aren’t about cards so much as identity and belonging. In The Hangover (2009), the casino becomes a comedic inversion of competence, where success feels absurd rather than earned.

For screenwriters, casinos offer a shortcut to character development. Place someone in a high-stakes environment and their values become visible.

The Casino as a Neutral Moral Space

Interestingly, casinos in film are rarely framed as purely good or evil. Instead, they operate as morally neutral spaces where characters make choices. This neutrality gives filmmakers flexibility.

A casino can be glamorous (Ocean’s Eleven), oppressive (Casino), surreal (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), or comedic (Vegas Vacation). The environment adapts to the story rather than imposing a single moral interpretation.

This flexibility explains why casinos appear in everything from thrillers and heist films to character studies and comedies. They are narrative blank canvases filled by the people who enter them.

Why Audiences Keep Watching

Audiences respond to casino scenes because they simulate decision-making under pressure — something universally relatable. Even viewers who have never gambled understand the fear of loss, the thrill of risk, and the temptation to push further than intended.

Cinema exaggerates these emotions, but the foundation remains familiar. The appeal lies not in gambling itself, but in watching characters confront uncertainty in a compressed, visually engaging form.

According to an article published by FilmThreat, gambling scenes have historically been used to explore themes of class, power, and masculinity, particularly in post-war cinema, where risk-taking often stood in for broader social anxieties.

Casinos in the Age of Digital Entertainment

As entertainment increasingly moves online, the symbolism of casinos continues to evolve. Digital interfaces, live dealer formats, and global access have reshaped how gambling exists culturally, even as films continue to draw inspiration from traditional table-based imagery.

What matters for filmmakers is not the medium, but the metaphor. Casinos remain effective because they dramatise choice under uncertainty — a timeless storytelling engine.

Whether depicted as sleek and controlled or chaotic and overwhelming, casinos persist because they offer filmmakers a place where consequences feel immediate and fate feels negotiable.

A Setting That Endures

Casinos endure in cinema not because audiences want to watch gambling, but because they want to watch decisions matter. The turn of a card or the slide of a chip becomes a stand-in for much larger questions about identity, control, and consequence.

As long as stories continue to explore those themes, filmmakers will keep returning to casinos — not for the games themselves, but for the human drama they so effortlessly expose.

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E-wallets are usually the fastest option, though exact processing times are not listed. Players from Canada can use multiple payment methods. The C$20 minimum is very low, so it’s perfect for testing small withdrawals without needing complete ID verification first.

Bonuses and Wagering Rules 4.8/5

The welcome package gives C$2,500 and 225 FS over four deposits, with free spins subject to 50x wagering on winnings, which is high. The first deposit bonus offers 100% up to C$1,000 with up to 100 FS. Always finish wagering before withdrawal or lose the bonus.

Game Selection and Overall Player Experience 4.7/5

Multiple game providers supply slots, live dealer games, and tables, including popular titles. All offers are available in mobile and desktop versions. 

Pros:

• Fast e-wallet withdrawals.
• C$20 min deposit.
• CAD supported.

Cons:

• 50x wagering on spins.
• Low high-roller bonus.

#6. BitStarz: 1-Hour Payout Guarantee Crypto Casino

We highlight BitStarz for its Curacao license and speedy withdrawal system. Most of its crypto payouts clear within 5-10 minutes, with a maximum crypto transaction of up to C$50,000. This combination makes the platform perfect for players seeking instant cashouts.

Speed of Withdrawals and Supported Payment Types 4.8/5

BitStarz pays 90%+ withdrawals instantly, with an average of 10 minutes. Crypto handles up to C$50,000 with no fees, while wallets like MuchBetter have a maximum of C$10,000. Crypto transactions offer more privacy – KYC is often optional for crypto, especially for smaller sums. Also, automated approval runs 24/7.

Bonuses and Wagering Rules 4.7/5

The 300% welcome package covers C$2,000 or 5 BTC plus 180 FS. You’ll need to wager both bonus and spin winnings 40 times and have 7 days to clear deposit bonuses. Remember that table and live games only count 5% toward requirements. 

VIP & Loyalty Perks 4.6/5

BitStarz operates a loyalty program without strict VIP tiers, while regular players have access to better bonus terms and faster support. The casino occasionally offers increased limits for established accounts.

Game Selection and Overall Player Experience 5/5

Here are 3,000+ games from NetEnt, Microgaming, and others. Their slots cover progressive jackpots, and live dealer games create the sensation of true-to-live casino atmosphere. BitStarz Originals are exclusive games. 

Pros:

• 10-minute average payouts.
• 90%+ instant processing.
• Zero fees.

Cons:

• 40x wagering requirements.
• Tables contribute 5%.

#7. Wild Tokyo: MiFinity Fast Withdrawal Casino

Wild Tokyo stands out for its MiFinity support, allowing fast and secure withdrawals for Canadian players. Cashouts are processed quickly during business hours. This makes it a reliable choice for those who value speed and convenience.

Speed of Withdrawals and Supported Payment Types 4.8/5

MiFinity is available for Canadian players, with processing taking 24-48 hours plus arrival time. The Finance Department works Monday-Friday only. You must wager your deposit 3x before you can withdraw. A minimum of C$30 lets you test with small amounts first without needing complete verification. 

Bonuses and Wagering Rules 4.8/5

The welcome package gives C$2,650 and 550 FS, but its 50x wagering is very high. Most slots contribute 100%, while roulette adds 5%; other games don’t count. The bonus expires if wagering isn’t completed within 5 days. Don’t request a payout early, or the platform will cancel the bonus and any winnings. 

VIP & Loyalty Perks 4.7/5

VIP system increases limits. Daily restrictions go from C$750 to C$2,300, while monthly limits go from C$10,500 to C$30,000. Your level depends on 90-day play. This means if you cease playing, you'll fall back to the first level.

Game Selection and Overall Player Experience 4.5/5

Here are 3,000 slots from leading providers, table and live games, and video poker. Mobile sites work well on devices, so you can play anywhere.

Pros:

• MiFinity available.
• Interac for Canadians.
• C$30 minimum.

Cons:

• Payout requests approved during business hours only.
• 24-48 hour processing.

#8. NeoSpin: Fast Payout Casino with C$45,000 Monthly Limit

NeoSpin offers players CAD support and fast, fee-free withdrawals. You can cash out via iDebit, e-wallets, or crypto with no fees. Additionally, the casino offers a monthly withdrawal limit of C$45,000, making it convenient for those who require large cashouts.

Speed of Withdrawals and Supported Payment Types 4.8/5

Interac, iDebit, MuchBetter, and MiFinity all instant once approved. Crypto works with Ethereum, LTC, and others – all free. Bank transfer needs 1-3 days, but with the 0-48 hour processing, most are finished the same day. Starting with smaller amounts under C$500 might skip ID checks. You can always ask customer support if you have questions about transactions.

Bonuses and Wagering Rules 4.7/5

The welcome package gives up to C$11,000 and 300 FS over four deposits. The bonus and spin winnings come with a 40x playthrough requirement and 14 days to finish. This is standard for the industry. To meet requirements faster, focus on slots - they count 100% while tables don’t help.

VIP & Loyalty Perks 4.6/5

NeoSpin has a 16-level VIP system, where higher tiers unlock cash rewards and increased limits. Status depends on 90-day activity, and it drops to Level 1 after one month of inactivity. Daily cashback offers up to 20% with only 3x wagering.

Game Selection and Overall Player Experience 4.8/5

3,000 slots from Evolution, Hacksaw Gaming, Playson, and others, plus live dealers, tables, video poker, and crash games. All games use certified RNG.

Pros:

• Instant crypto payouts.
• Zero cash-out fees.
• 16-level VIP system.

Cons:

• 40x wagering.
• Internal pending can take up to 48 hours.

#9. Rolling Slots: Bitcoin Instant Payout Casino in Canada

Rolling Slots is a Curacao‑licensed gaming platform with both crypto and traditional banking methods. It supports Ethereum, Litecoin, Interac, e‑wallets, and more. Crypto cash-outs are typically completed within an hour after verification.

Speed of Withdrawals and Supported Payment Types 4.7/5

Crypto and Interac are available, with processing times ranging from 1 hour to a few days. The finance team works Monday-Friday only. You must wager your deposit 3x before withdrawal or pay a 10-15% fee. C$30 minimum is low and suitable for testing small payouts first.

Bonuses and Wagering Rules 4.6/5

The Christmas package offers 330% up to C$5,000 + 370 FS and spreads over 4 deposits. The casino sets a 45x wager both for cash and FS, and you have only 5 days to finish after activation. The maximum bet is C$7 during bonus play.

Game Selection and Overall Player Experience 4.5/5

Here are 3,000 slots from BGaming, Mascot Gaming, and others. Games with real dealers and table options complement slots, and with a mobile-optimized platform, they work across devices.

Pros:

• Low C$30 minimum.
• Interac support.
• Crypto available.

Cons:

• 45x wagering.
• 10-15% potential fee.

#10. ViciBet: 5-Level VIP Fast Withdrawal Casino

We chose ViciBet for its Anjouan license and strong mix of banking options that suit Canadian gamblers. The casino processes e-wallets and crypto withdrawals quickly. Often, it takes hours once approved.

Speed of Withdrawals and Supported Payment Types 4.4/5

E-wallets arrive instantly after 3-business-day processing. Interac supports C$45-C$3,000, while MuchBetter handles up to C$7,500, and Jeton processes C$10,000 maximum. Players skipping 1x deposit wagering face 10-15% commissions. Many casinos exempt small withdrawals, typically under C$500, from additional verification.

Bonuses and Wagering Rules 4.3/5

The welcome package offers up to 325% bonus up to CA$4,500 + 300 free spins + 1 Bonus Crab across four deposits. The casino sets a 50x wagering requirement on the bonus amount plus the deposit. Yet, free spin winnings must be wagered 40x before withdrawal. The maximum bet while the bonus is active is CA$7.50 per spin.

VIP & Loyalty Perks 4.6/5

5-tier VIP system increases limits from C$10,500 monthly at Level 1 to C$110,000 at Level 5. Higher levels also unlock faster processing and dedicated support. Remember that VIP status depends on 90-day activity.

Game Selection and Overall Player Experience 4.4/5

Multiple software providers supply slots, tables, and live games. The casino supports responsible gaming by segregating customer funds. Also, a well-optimized mobile platform lets you play seamlessly on any device.

Pros:

• Instant e-wallet arrival. 
• Interac support.
• C$110,000 at Level 5.

Cons:

• Business hours only for processing.
• 10-15% fee risk.

Instant-Payout Casinos vs Fast-Payout Casinos: What's the Difference?

This section explains the difference between instant payout casinos in Canada, under 1-hour withdrawal casino options, and same-day payout casinos so that you can pick the right one for yourself.

Instant Crypto Withdrawals Casinos

Instant withdrawal casinos in Canada offer the fastest cashout at 1-10 minutes. These sites use automated systems with fast withdrawal blockchain networks, such as Bitcoin Lightning or LTC. Crypto-focused casinos with proactive verification make this possible. Such a platform is best for players who want instant withdrawals and have crypto wallets ready. Yet, network conditions may affect speed.

Under 1 Hour Withdrawal Casinos

There are platforms which deliver winnings within one hour after automated 24/7 processing. Payment methods like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and wallets (MuchBetter, Skrill) enable this speed at casinos. No manual review means a shorter approval period. An under-1-hour withdrawal casino in Canada is perfect for players seeking quick access to funds with fast payouts similar to those in land-based casinos.

Same Day Payout Casinos

Same day withdrawal online casinos process funds within 24 hours through a brief approval time. Payment methods include Interac, bank transfer options, Visa, Mastercard, and debit cards. Most casinos in Canada use this timeframe with standard KYC verification - the best choice for casino players wanting a reliable, fast cashout with familiar banking options.

How to Find the Fastest Payout Online Casino

Our rankings show which fast payout casinos truly deliver instant withdrawals. Below are the key factors that distinguish genuinely fast sites from slow ones.

• Actual Withdrawal Speed Testing. Payout speed is tested by making real cash-out requests at each site. Internal processing time reveals which online casinos actually deliver on their speed promises. It helps prove which instant withdrawal casinos deliver fast payouts within 1 hour.
• Checking Limits and Fees. Withdrawal limits are checked for fairness, and any hidden fees are flagged. The best fast payout sites offer no-limit withdrawals for verified players. Casinos adding charges for quick cash-outs are clearly noted.
• Available Casino Canada Payment Options. Payment methods matter most for speed. We check if casinos offer Interac, Instadebit, Visa, Mastercard, debit cards, and crypto. Quick withdrawal casinos in Canada need reliable payment options for quick cash-outs.
• Bonus Terms Review. Welcome bonus offers were validated for fair rules. Quick payout online casinos should have low wagering (under 40x) and clear terms. It’s recommended to avoid casinos with tricky rules that delay instant withdrawals or block winnings. 
• Safety and Licensing Check. Of course, speed matters, but always prioritize casino safety and security. We only list licensed sites with proven casino payout history. Fastest payout online casinos must have good customer support and protect your money with a secure verification process.
• Mobile Testing Results. We test fast payout online sites on phones and tablets and they work perfectly on mobile for instant cash-out anytime. These sites have easy cashier access and smooth withdrawal requests. 

Bonuses with Quick Withdrawal Options

Not all bonuses are the same when it comes to withdrawal speed. Some of the fastest paying online casinos lock your money for weeks, while others let you cash out in hours.

Free Spins That Pay Fast

FS winnings often need higher wagering than regular bonuses, so look for 20-35x wagering or less for fast withdrawals. Some casinos offer wager-free spins, where winnings are paid out in cash. For example, BitStarz offers 180 FS with a 40x wagering requirement as part of its package. Check spin terms before playing at any fastest payout online casino in Canada.

Money-Back Bonuses You Can Keep

Non-sticky means your deposit stays separate from bonus funds, while sticky rewards cancel out any rewards if you withdraw early. BitStarz and Casino Rocket offer non-sticky bonuses. This ensures rapid access to your real money with fast payout online casinos.

Get Money Back Offers

Cashback gives you 5-20% of your losses back as real cash, not bonus money. You can withdraw it fast at instant withdrawal casino sites. Rakeback works the same for regular players. BC.Game includes rakeback in its welcome bonus package and 22Bet offers cashback for active players. Some cashback offers have wagering requirements, so always check them first.

Easy-to-Clear Bonus Deals

Wagering requirements require you to bet the bonus money multiple times before you can withdraw it instantly. Low wagering means 35x or less. No-wagering bonuses help you to get your cash when you want. BC.Game has 20x wagering on cash bonuses - that’s very low. Always check the wagering requirements before claiming any bonus.

What Affects Withdrawal Speed at Fast Paying Casinos?

Getting your money quickly from instant payout casinos depends on what you do and how the site works behind the scenes.

What the Casino Controls

The online casino offers several choices. So, you need to check them before playing:

• Consider how they approve. Some sites auto-approve small amounts, while others check every request manually. Auto systems give instant withdrawal.
• Consider when they work. Such platforms handle cash-outs in under a day. Others only work during business hours, which adds to processing times. 
•  Study holding periods. Many casinos hold funds for 24-48 hours for fraud checks. This is standard even at the fast payout online casinos.
• Consider their rush times. Weekends and big promos create queues at online casino sites. Higher request volumes during peak times slow down processing for all players.

What Payment Networks Decide

Payment methods providers add their own delays. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:

• Crypto networks. When crypto networks experience high transaction volumes, confirmation time can be significantly delayed. The fastest withdrawals happen when networks are quiet.
• Bank speed. Interac is fast, while wire transfers are subject to your bank’s schedule.
• E-wallet checks. Some credit instantly. Yet, other wallets review first before releasing funds.

How You Speed Things Up

What you do plays a key role in how quickly payouts are processed. Here’s what helps:

• Pick the correct method. Casino payment options like crypto enable fast withdrawals. As wire transfers take days, it’s better to choose wisely for quick payouts
• Verify your account first. Don’t wait to verify your account - complete verification early to ensure the fastest cash-out.
• Clear your wagering. Meet bonus requirements before asking for money. This avoids delays at fast payout casinos.
• Stay under limits. Keep amounts below daily withdrawal limits. Significant sums need manual checks, which slow things down.

Fastest Payment Methods at CA Online Casinos

Your payment method determines how quickly you get paid from online casino sites. Many players think that all withdrawal methods work at the same speed, but they don’t. Yet, some take minutes, others take days. This guide shows you the fastest payouts that work best for Canadians at any online casino.

Cryptocurrencies – Secure and Fast

Crypto cuts out banks completely at instant payout casinos. Your money moves through blockchain networks in minutes after the fast withdrawal platform approves it. 

• Speed. Usually, 5-30 minutes after approval.
• Pros. Very fast, low fees, high withdrawal limits, works anywhere.
• Cons. Prices change, beginners need to learn wallets, and not every online casino accepts them.
• Pro tip. Use the Lightning Network for stablecoins like USDT to achieve the fastest withdrawal times and stable prices.

E-Wallets – Fastest Withdrawals

Wallets like MuchBetter, Skrill, and Neteller are the best, fastest withdrawal options most online casino sites accept. They’re simple and trusted.

• Speed. 15-60 minutes after fast withdrawal, the casino approves it.
• Pros. Most sites accept them, easy to use, safe, and people know them.
• Cons. Some wallets charge fees and have a lower maximum withdrawal than crypto.
• Pro tip. Get quick payout times when you deposit and withdraw via the already used wallet.

Interac – Secure but Can Be Slower

Interac is made for gamblers from Canada and is safe because banks back it. Speed matches fast withdrawals at online casinos that accept crypto.

• Speed. Up to 1 hour mostly, can be immediate
• Pros. Built for Canadians, bank-backed security, most locals know it.
• Cons. Daily limits might be too low for big wins; not all international online casinos offer them.
• Pro tip. Choose Interac over wire transfers for the fastest cash-outs.

Payment Methods to Avoid for Instant Payouts

Waiting days for your money is frustrating when online casino sites say they’re fast paying. Some payment methods work fine, but take over an hour.

Credit card takes 3-7 days, and the same applies to the debit card. Your money goes through card networks, banks, and fraud checks before it reaches your account. Bank wire transfers also take 3-5 days. These online casino payment methods can’t offer quick withdrawals. If you want quick payout times, skip cards and wires.

Bank Transfers

Players often choose bank transfers for their transactions. Yet, there are many other methods. Key payout details are shown below:

Cashout Limits at Online Casinos with Fast Payouts

Even instant withdrawal casinos have limits. Knowing them helps you plan when to cash out and avoid surprise delays. There are three main types: daily, weekly, and monthly.

Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Withdrawal Limits

Online platforms typically set daily limits of $5,000 to $10,000. Weekly allowances range from $10,000 to $50,000. Monthly maximums are $50,000 to $100,000. When your winnings exceed them, the casino distributes your funds through multiple transactions across several days or weeks.

Instant Withdrawal Limits vs. Total Withdrawal Limits

A casino might say you can take out $50,000 each month. But each time you ask for money, they only give you $2,000-$5,000 right away. If you want more money at once, you have to check it first. This takes an extra 1-2 days. They do this to make sure no one is stealing or cheating.

How to Increase Your Withdrawal Limits

Join the VIP program to reach bigger limits at each level. Complete your account verification early to build trust with casinos. Make successful withdrawals regularly, and some sites will automatically raise your limits. Ask live chat support - some casinos increase limits manually for loyal players.

Best Same Day Withdrawal Online Casinos by Payment Method in Canada

Different casinos are strong at multiple payment options. This part helps you find the best casino for how you want to receive your payments.

Best Canada Crypto Casinos for Instant Payouts

BitStarz works for crypto fans. Here, players receive payments in 10 minutes across many popular cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, Litecoin, and 30+ others. It has no fees. Unlimited cash-outs are available for players with verified profiles.

Leading Casinos for Big Wins and Fast Payouts

Bitcasino.io is best for larger withdrawals. Verified accounts have unlimited crypto withdrawals and get paid in 2 minutes. No maximum limits mean you can cash out any amount. 

Fastest E-Wallet Withdrawal Casinos in Canada

22Bet is perfect for e-wallets, because you get paid in 15 minutes with Skrill and Neteller. No fees on e-wallet withdrawals. The casino processes payments 24/7, so you can get money anytime. Perfect for quick cashouts.

Fastest Interac Payment Casinos in Canada

Casino Rocket is the best choice for e-transfer, because you receive payments instantly after account verification. The casino has no cash-out fees, and you can withdraw C$20 to C$6,000 per transaction. It beats the competition by offering fast cashouts for players using local payment methods.

Common Misconceptions About Online Casinos That Payout Instantly

Players believe many false things about fast payout casinos. Understanding the real facts helps you pick the right site and set realistic expectations for your withdrawals.

• All cryptos process equally fast. Network congestion affects crypto speed differently. Bitcoin takes longer when it's busy, while Litecoin and USDT process faster.
• Speed means less safety. Fast sites use modern technology and automated systems while maintaining all standard safety measures.
• Full balance available instantly. The casino applies limits per transaction and timeframe. Bigger cashouts get human review, so it causes delays.
• Instant means literal seconds. Fast payout casinos call it instant when payments arrive within one hour. Payment networks create delays even after quick approval. 

Pros and Cons of Fastest Payout Online Casinos

Quick paying sites offer real advantages but aren’t perfect for everyone. Understanding both sides helps you to decide if speed matters most for your gambling style.

Pros:

• No reversal temptation risk. Fast withdrawal online casinos prevent you from canceling and losing money back to games.
• Better money management control. You can reinvest winnings quickly for personal expenses.
• Casino reliability test. Quick payout lets you verify the site’s trustworthiness with small test withdrawals first.

Cons:

• Limited traditional banking options. Fastest paying online casinos rarely support checks, wire transfers, or standard bank deposits.
• Higher wagering requirements. Some immediate payout casinos set 45x-50x bonus wagering to offset processing costs. 

Cashing Out Your Winnings in Canadian Casinos - a Quick Guide

Getting your money shouldn't take days. We tested which fast payout casinos live up to their claims and found the exact steps that speed things up versus the ones that slow you down:

1. Open the cashier. Sign in to your immediate withdrawal casino account, then select the banking or cashier tab. The withdraw button usually sits right in the menu or under account settings.
2. Choose the option and the sum. Type in your withdrawal amount. Also, consider the site’s limitations and verify them beforehand. Pick your payment method from the dropdown.
3. Verify transaction. A quick withdrawal casino might ask you to confirm via SMS code or email verification before processing. Once approved, instant payout casinos usually release funds within minutes to your chosen method.
4. Confirm the request. You’ll receive a confirmation on-screen or by email. The best fast withdrawal casinos provide a tracking number, which can be a transaction ID, code, or wallet reference. 

Responsible Gambling at Online Casinos

Gaming should be entertainment, not a means to earn cash. Always play responsibly: control your spending, take breaks, and call for help if your play becomes unenjoyable. Useful links for Canadian gamblers include the Responsible Gambling Council and Gambling Therapy.

Fastest Withdrawal Online Casinos Summary

Fast cash-outs give you more control over your money and less worry. Our experts tested these sites by signing up, playing, and making real withdrawals. Each of the fastest online casinos in Canada has proven its reliability through testing. Choose one of our listed sites to enjoy fast, stress-free withdrawals with complete transparency and robust player protection.

FAQs About Casinos with Under 1 Hour Withdrawals

What's the Top-Rated Fast Payout Casino for Canadians?

One of the fastest payout casinos for Canadians is BitStarz for crypto cashouts. The best choice still depends on which payment option you choose. 

Do Quick Withdrawal Casinos Charge Extra Fees?

Many fast payout casinos offer no extra fees, such as Casino Rocket and BitStarz. Some payment options, such as wire transfers or cryptos, may still incur small service fees. 

What Are the Advantages of Using Crypto for Instant Withdrawals in Online Casinos?

Crypto payments are swift and do not use banks. Players often get their money in minutes.

What Canadian Casino Has the Quickest Cashout Process?

Casinos with crypto usually pay the fastest. They approve withdrawals more quickly than traditional methods.

Do Any Online Casinos Offer Instant Payouts?

Yes, some of the fastest withdrawal casinos pay out in crypto almost instantly. Other methods are quick but not always instant.

"Instead I learned that I was the kid who celebrated the different holiday, and very few knew the game," says Schloss, a Boston-based filmmaker who says the experience helped inspire his Hannuhah-themed horror short "Gimme."

He wrote the film, which recently won Best Horror Short at Filmquest and was an official selection of the Dances with Films horror program, with producer Aidan Payne. It tells the story of a young girl named Lev (Taylor Pezza) and her grandfather Papa Alan (Paul Kandarian) as they cope with the loss of the girl's mother around Hannukah. A mysterious dreidel seems like a way to connect with her, but things go badly.

Schloss is also an executive producer of the New England based production company Hot Brick Entertainment. His previous shorts “Katie’s Skin” and “Writer’s Block” have earned him a reputation for skillfully made, uncompromising horror.

"Gimme" has already been picked up by Screambox for distribution in December 2026 — just in time for next Hannukah.

We talked with Steve Schloss about the audience for Jewish horror, not settling for the easy version of "Gimme," and how if you do the thing you love, you'll never work a day in your life.

Steven Schloss on Making 'Gimme'

MovieMaker: How did you become a filmmaker?

Steven Schloss: The million dollar question. Truthfully, I think the desire and skillset of being a filmmaker has always been inside me, waiting. When I was little I would beg my dad to take me to Blockbuster a few times a week. Sometimes just to browse the horror aisle to look at the VHS cover art of the movies I wasn’t allowed to watch, yet. Growing up I was more interested in staying inside getting lost in video games, action figures and my evolving VHS/DVD collection than playing outside with other kids.

Unless it was competitive paintball, my first obsession prior to filmmaking that scratched my itch for creative problem solving and collaboration. Classrooms were tough for me, unless it was art class. When I picked up my first mini DV video camera in high school, it felt so natural with the whole run and gun aspect of it. Finally I found something in my education to chase. Somewhat by default, since I really did suck at school. That passion led me to Boston University where I studied film and TV, eventually interning with Richard N. Gladstein the producer of Pulp Fiction, Cider House Rules and The Bourne Identity to name a few. I’ve been using film as a medium to share stories since 2010 and most recently I’m leaning more into the realm of horror.

MovieMaker: Where did the idea for "Gimme" originate?

Steven Schloss: When I was 10 I brought a dreidel to school for show and tell. I was expecting the class to at least know what it was and comment on how cool it was but instead I learned that I was the kid who celebrated the different holiday and very few knew the game. I craved a Hanukkah horror movie when I was growing up as the holiday was greatly overshadowed by Christmas. I grew up in a non-religious, yet culturally Jewish family, and I’ve seen less pride in our identity lately, especially as antisemitism rises in the U.S. That’s one of the reasons I made "Gimme," a film rooted in Jewish culture that anyone can relate to. It’s the movie I wish I was able to watch during Hanukkah at 14.

MovieMaker: Are you surprised there isn’t more Jewish-themed horror?

Steven Schloss: Yes. When Eli Roth’s 2023 Thanksgiving was announced it felt to me like the world just skipped over Hanukkah. That’s when I started to develop this idea. I couldn’t help but ask why: Why isn’t there a carousel of Hanukkah movies on Shudder or Screambox like there is for Christmas? Do we not deserve it? Are there not enough metrics behind the concept to sell studios on?

I wanted to be the one to change that by making something bold, unforgettable and true to the themes of Hanukkah. A sinister dreidel that brings a family closer together through horror fit the bill.

MovieMaker: What was the biggest challenge you faced in making this film?

Steven Schloss: Telling the right story to represent the themes of culture, ritual and family
traditions around Hanukkah. "Gimme" went through two rounds of production. On the first round, the end held no merit. For me it was either reshoot the third act or let the project die, and I couldn't be happier with my decision to reshoot with the encouragement of fellow collaborators.

MovieMaker: I know you debated — spoiler alert — whether to have a child character be harmed in this film… why did you make the decision you did?

Steven Schloss: Yes, spoiler alert. I like to see the thing I don’t want to see in horror. That’s part of my attraction to the genre — it’s not safe. Thematically the story is about a dying family tradition so it’s only fitting that it ends with a female first born child. If I were to save the character it would be out of sensitivity and feel like the 2015 film Krampus. This was where I really wanted to be different while still feeling familiar in other areas.

MovieMaker: You also are a freelance cinematographer – how do you balance that with directing films?

Steven Schloss: Yes, that’s my livelihood and main funnel into raising enough money to make my own movies. It’s a lot of bright happy stuff so my escape is evidently in the darkness. Balancing is easy, I make my own schedule and since I’m not with a studio while I’m producing my films there is no deadline, so I really take my time with things. It’s also nice being able to still work in the same medium for my main job and passion.

MovieMaker: What’s next?

Steven Schloss: I hope to see "Gimme" evolve into a feature and believe the world would eat it up with a plate of Latkes and a side of apple sauce. Hold the sour cream, please.

Main image: The dreidel in "Gimme," designed by Jordan J. Estrada.

Disagree? That's great — let us know in the comments. But here's our list.

12. Logan (2017)

A break-all-the-rules story of sacrifice, loss, and one loner's struggle to get through centuries on this planet doing more good than harm. Director James Mangold proved once and for all that comic book movies aren't just for kids with a metaphorical story of aging as gracefully as you can.

Mangold returned to the theme of an aging action hero, meanwhile, in the recent Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. But honestly, we prefer Logan.

11. Blade (1998)

Blade isn't perfect, but it expanded everyone's idea of what a superhero movie could be by pulling from one of Marvel's lesser-known heroes: a vampire hunter who wears a leather jacket instead of a cape or tights. Blade opened the door to the reality that Marvel could have as much or even more success with its second-tier or forgotten characters, like Ant-Man or the Guardians of the Galaxy, than it could with heroes we had seen onscreen before.

We also love a superhero movie that managed to keep us rapt without excessive CGI that has ruined so many otherwise good superhero films, like Wonder Woman.

And of course Wesley Snipes is awesome in the lead role, and delivers the classic line, "Some mother----er's are always trying to ice skate uphill."

10. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

A fairly faithful screen adaptation of one of Christopher Claremont's most iconic storylines from the comics, though it puts Logan (Hugh Jackman) center stage instead of Kitty Pryde and ambitiously melds the X-Men movies of the 2000s and their prequels of the 2010s.

Long before the many movie metaverses made time travel or alternate realities feel exhausting, this X-Men film had what was then a fresh and thrilling take. The 1970s set-section is astonishingly good, but it loses points for the dreary bookends set in a dismal near-future, in which the CGI is uninspiring.

9. Deadpool (2016)

The most flat-out hilarious comic-book movie ever made, which made it to the screen through Ryan Reynold's stubborn insistence that one of Marvel's weirdest, least likely screen stars could be one of its greatest.

And yes, we're excited for Hugh Jackman to pull his claws out of retirement for Deadpool 3.

8. X2: X-Men United (2003)

2003’s X-Men 2 far improves on the original from the first scene: It starts with Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming) operatically invading the Oval Office, and never slows.

The fight between Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Lady Deathstryke (Kelly Hu) feels far more grounded and high-stakes than terrible CGI fights that would ruin so many superhero movies in the years to come, and a pre-Succession Brian Cox is menacingly flawless as Col. William Stryker, a very believable nemesis to our favorite band of mutants.

7. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) learns that with great power comes not just great responsibility, but great sacrifice, as he realizes that his role as Spider-Man endangers the love of his life, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). Doc Ock (Alfred Molina) is one of the all-time best spider villains, and the highlight of the whole film comes in a truly marvelous sequence in which New York City saves Spidey, for a change.

And it's the most romantic of all superhero movies — except for the movie at No. 2 on our list.

6. Black Panther (2018)

The world-building is stellar and acting top-notch throughout. Michael B. Jordan plays perhaps the MCU's best villain ever, and Chadwick Boseman delivered a beautiful turn as a king torn between his people and the people of the world in this Best Picture nominee from Ryan Coogler.

It's kind of stunning that both Black Panther and Infinity War were released just months apart — the two films clearly mark the high point of the MCU.

5. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

After an astonishing opening that promises anything could happen, Infinity War invests in character development as much as action before ending on a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. Its sequel, Avengers: Endgame, not only resolves that cliffhanger but also pays off more than a decade of Marvel superhero movie storylines.

4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse (2018)

Gadzoinks, 2018 sure was good for super hero movies.

Breaking with every kind of staid tradition, this boldly experimental, utterly gorgeous animated film is a loving, awe-inspiring homage to decades of Spider-mythology and an optimistic look ahead at what comic book movies — and their young fans — can aspire to be.

We just wish its often-fantastic sequel, Across the Spider-Verse, hadn't ended on such a tough cliffhanger.

3. The Incredibles (2004)

Pixar's The Incredibles is both a great family superhero movie and a dark deconstruction of superhero tropes — note that Mr. Incredible bails out on the business because of legal threats, not because of bad guys.

The animation is groundbreaking and stellar, combining dynamic character design with Art Deco touches that harken back to the early days of Batman and Superman. It's funny, it's sweeping, it's curiously dark. The grainy black-and-white rescue segment takes it to a daring new level. It's a super movie in every way.

2. Superman (1978)

The film that started it all. Its earnestness and total reliance on practical effects — as well as stellar performances and moving love story between Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) and Supes make it feel more charming and inspiring with each passing year. Christopher Reeve will always be our Superman, and, as we mentioned, it's the most romantic superhero movie.

Also: John Williams' score is one of the best for any movie ever.

1. The Dark Knight

This is the most obvious choice — Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is a jittery, chilling, masterful morality play in which everyone does everything right, anchored by Christian Bale as the best Batman and Heath Ledger in an Oscar-winning role as one of the best-ever screen villains, a mastermind posing as a clown. The more you watch it, the more you appreciate its witty foreshadowing, hidden-in-plain sigh complexity, and sheer ambition.

One could argue this doesn't belong on a list of superhero movies, since no one has super powers... but that's part of what we love about The Dark Knight.

Main image: Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique in X-Men: Days of Future Past.

But the new documentary The Stringer asks if Ut really took the picture — or if an AP photo editor, perhaps out of guilt, misattributed it to him. The film explains that the editor, Horst Faas, had given Ut's older brother a photo assignment that led to his death, and suggests that Faas may have hoped the photo could help their family.

The photo made Ut's career. He eventually went on to work at The Associated Press in Los Angeles, where I worked with him for three years. He was popular within the bureau and among his fellow photographers — regarded as a veteran with a key news sense, a sharp eye, and good-natured humility. If accurate, the documentary dismantles the widely accepted narrative of his life.

The Stringer gives voice to another photographer, Nguyen Thanh Nghe, who says he is the one who actually took the shot. He came forward after journalist Gary Knight, who is featured in The Stringer, began following up on allegations from former AP editor Carl Robinson that Ut was not the photo's true author.

The film, now streaming on Netflix, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this past January.

When the accusations of misattribution arose, The Associated Press spent roughly a year investigating the authorship of the photo, and concluded in May that there was "no definitive evidence" that someone other than Ut took it. World Press Photo, however, conducted another investigation and decided to suspend attribution of authorship, finding that two other photographers, Nghệ or Huỳnh Công Phúc, may have been better positioned to take the shot.

Ut said in a Facebook post in February: "I took the photo of Kim Phuc, I took the other photos from that day that show her family and the devastation the war caused. No one else has the right to claim that I did not take that specific or any other photo attributed to me because I am the creator of all the work I’ve done since day one. My career spans more than 50 years and, although I am now retired from the AP, I continue to create impacting images for the world to see."

Phuc told The AP that while she has no memories of the attack, her uncle, who was an eyewitness to the events on that day, confirmed that Ut took the photograph. She credits Ut with saving her life by rushing her to a hospital after taking the photo. She went on to become a global advocate for child victims of war.

I sent several questions about the film to Bao Nguyen, director of The Stringer, and received the following responses from him and The Stringer producer Fiona Turner. Here they are.

The Stringer Team on Nick Ut, Nguyen Thanh Nghe, and The Terror of War

Tim Molloy: I should start by disclosing that I worked for the AP for 11 years, from 1997 to 2008, including with Nick Ut in the Los Angeles office for three years. I liked him and never had any reason to question his integrity. In fact, thinking back, I never had reason to question the professional integrity of anyone at AP — they were rigorously ethical and fact-focused. So this film was sad for me. Do you find Ut and the AP sympathetic in this story? It seems like Nick Ut never asked for the photo credit, and that the current AP administration inherited this situation from a photo chief, Horst Faas, who covered Vietnam a generation ago and died in 2012.  

Fiona Turner: As with any investigation it was unclear where the story would lead. The team worked hard to listen to everybody we could find who was either on the road or, in the AP office the day the photograph was made, in order to fully explore the allegations from Carl Robinson, the former AP photo editor. Nick Ut, in 1972 was a fairly inexperienced photographer [who had] only just turned 21 years old. The film is clear that we believe Nick was "victim" in the story. 

The Stringer team was very cognizant of the fact that we were examining a media culture of fifty years ago, that none of the current AP staff nor senior management were responsible nor active in these events, and the film make no assertions as such.  

Tim Molloy: The film makes a compelling case that the photo chief, Horst Faas, gave Nick Ut the photo credit because he felt guilty about sending Nick's brother, Huynh Thanh My, on an assignment on which he was killed. Do you think he was trying to make sure their family was cared for when he gave Nick Ut the photo credit? Or was he just trying to get AP accolades? Could he have known the photo would change Nick Ut's life as it did? 

Fiona Turner: As you are probably aware, Horst Faas is a complex character. The film highlights his sometime bombastic nature and the rigorous discipline that he displayed within the AP office in the relentless pursuit of the most powerful images. At the same time, he had a sensitivity and empathy for the Vietnamese people that more than one witness will attest to. We will never know the true reasons he made the decisions he did.

Could he have known the impact this would have on Nick Ut’s life? Horst recognized immediately that photograph to be a winning image, multiple witnesses confirm this on the day, and he communicated that to his boss in NY, Hal Buell.

Tim Molloy: Do you know if Nick Ut has seen the film? I've reached out to him, as I know you did. Did you have mixed feelings about potentially dismantling a myth? 

Fiona Turner: We don’t know if Nick Ut has watched or not, just that the opportunity was given. Nick Ut’s lawyers were given access to the film around its Sundance premiere. Our attitude is that the alternative to asking the questions we do in the film, is to not ask them, which would put us in the position where we are ignoring accusations about potential wrongdoing in journalism, which we would not contemplate if the same questions were asked about the government, or the church or a corporation. Journalism cannot demand exceptionalism when it holds everyone else in society to account.

Tim Molloy: Does your work on this film shake your faith in AP's journalism in general? It's won 59 Pulitzers, covers and calls elections all over the world, and is used or cited by thousands of news operations worldwide. Having seen its inner workings, I have strong faith in its commitment to fairness and accuracy. But it's always fair to ask — if a news outlet gets one thing wrong without correcting it, what else has it gotten wrong? 

Fiona Turner: This is not a story about AP.  It does not shake our faith in their journalism  in general. AP have produced some very, very fine journalism, and continue to do so — but winning 59 Pulitzers doesn’t mean you cannot and should not be held to account, and continue to be held to high standards. It is important that journalists and news organizations are brave enough to embrace accountablity, because if they can’t do that, they can’t hold anyone else to account, or ask the public to trust their work. 

Tim Molloy: When did you come aboard this film? How far along was Gary Knight in his investigation before you joined the project? 

Bao Nguyen: Carl Robinson first contacted Gary Knight directly, and Gary began looking into the allegation soon after. At that stage, the plan was for him to pursue a written piece. As the early reporting progressed, it became clear that the material was more complex than initially anticipated, and Fiona felt the story warranted a documentary film approach. 

A few months into that initial phase, [producer] Terri [Lichstein] reached out through a mutual contact to bring me onto the project. From that point, we broadened Gary’s early reporting into a full documentary investigation, expanding the research, interviews, and archival work into a more comprehensive examination of the story. 

Tim Molloy: Nick Ut's team has threatened to sue. Has that lawsuit materialized?  

Fiona Turner: Neither the film team nor our lawyers have received any notice that a lawsuit has been filed. 

Tim Molloy: Nick Ut's lawyer, James Hornstein, told Variety that Nguyen Thanh Nghe, the titular stringer who says he took the picture, was serving as a driver for NBC and "was not there as a photographer nor am I aware of any images he claims to have taken that day or any other day close in time.” And Kim Phúc has called the film an “outrageous and false attack on Nick Ut,” whom she credits with saving her life. What's your response to their criticisms? 

Fiona Turner: Nguyen Thanh Nghe had a day job within U.S. Embassy communications. He had a long career as a military cinematographer and had been to film school. He supplemented his income by working as a cinematographer/ photographer mainly for the South Vietnamese press. He did not bring any images with him when he left with one suitcase as a refugee.

The film team have complete respect for Kim Phuc’s understanding of those events which forever changed her life. She declined to speak with us so we were never able to ask her directly about the events. We therefore had to rely on the statements she has given previously, including in her own autobiography Fire Road, in which she states, “Uncle Nick’s memories have become my own." 

Tim Molloy: In the film, we see Nghe and the people who take Nghe's side, on camera. But we don't see anyone arguing Nick Ut's side, in part because he and the AP declined to participate. You mostly give their side in a series of written messages on-screen near the end of the film. What effort did you make to look for any holes in Nghe's account? Do you think AP and Nick Ut erred by not speaking up for themselves on camera?  

Fiona Turner: We were fastidious in not making assumptions about Nghe, and we interviewed him extensively, The journalist team spent the first five months of the project researching  identifying and approaching all surviving characters who were present on the road at Trang Bang  or in the AP office, and inviting them for interview, without prejudice.  No one was able to say they saw Nick Ut take the photo.  

We did find a witness who told us he saw the moment that Nghe pressed the shutter on the advancing group of children.

Regarding AP, initially we were optimistic that they would be interested in engaging with us to explore Carl Robinson’s allegations. We believe it would have been in the spirit of responsible journalism for both AP and any/all of those who disapproved of the investigation to have been open to participating in an on the record interview.

The Stringer is now streaming on Netflix.

Main image: The Stringer. Netflix.

The film's logline promises: "Michelle Yeoh delivers a transformative performance, amid Penang’s vibrant cityscape. In collaboration with Academy Award-winning director Sean Baker, 'Sandiwara' delivers a bold, immersive celebration of womanhood, cultural identity, culinary heritage and the spirit of independent cinema."

"Sandiwara" is named after the Malay word meaning “drama, theatrical performance or play.” The film is an "exploration of Malaysian culture through the lens of food, music and womanhood," according to a news releases, which makes intriguing use of the singular/plural when it says it stars "Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh in the lead role/s."

More Details on the Sean Baker and Michelle Yeoh Collaboration 'Sandiwara'

Baker is making the film for the London-based fashion house self-portrait, which was founded in 2013 by designer Han Chong. Born in Penang, Malaysia, Han Chong studied Fashion Design at Central Saint Martins in London and established a five-year scholarship program with Central Saint Martins offering financial backing for five students to complete their MA degrees, as well as offering mentorship.

In 2024, self-portrait launched Residency, which promotes the brand by bringing in artists from across discliplines. Baker will make the film as part of the program.

“'Sandiwara' is an extension of my pre-existing love for independent cinema, and with the support of Han Chong, Michelle Yeoh, and the many other individuals who helped bring this vision to life, we were able to celebrate Malaysian culture in a big way,” said Baker in a statement. 

“It was incredible to get to experience Penang and to have been given the freedom to create a film that spans beyond traditional fashion and cinema integration.”

"Sandiwara" will be released in February.

Yeoh won Best Actress for her role in 2022's Everything Everywhere All at Once. Baker set a record at the 2025 Academy Awards by becoming the first person to win four Oscars for a single film. With Anora, he earned Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

Baker is also known for his breakout film Tangerine (2015), shot entirely on an iPhone 5S, The Florida Project (2017), which earned Willem Dafoe a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars, and 2021's Red Rocket. among other films.

The "Sandiwara" creative team also includes producer Samantha Quan, who was crucial to bringing Anora  to life. She also worked on The Florida Project and Red Rocket. Also producing is Alex Coco, who worked on Anora, The Sweet East, Red Rocket, and more.

The cinematographer on the film is Christopher Ripley, a Los Angeles–based director of photography whose work includes music videos, narrative features, and short films. He has collaborated with artists including Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion, Rosalía, A$AP Rocky, and The Rolling Stones.

Main image: Michelle Yeoh, the "Sandiwara" script, and Sean Baker. self-portrait.

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TG.Casino Summary Table

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Golden Panda Summary Table

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Samba Slots Summary Table

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Fast Slots Summary Table

Real Money Crash Gambling Guide

A classic crash money game works by letting you place a stake, watch the multiplier rise, and choose the moment to cash out before the crash. Because every round happens in real time, the tension and potential rewards are much higher than in most traditional casino games.

This makes crash game gambling a unique mix of strategy and timing. Instead of relying solely on luck, players can manage risk by choosing low multipliers, setting stop-loss limits, and using early-cashout tactics to protect their bankroll.

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Real-money play is straightforward, and most crash gaming real money platforms accept a wide range of payment methods, including credit cards, crypto wallets, prepaid vouchers, and instant banking options. 

When choosing crash gaming sites real money players trust, look for fast payouts, transparent multipliers, provably fair systems, and clear wagering rules. Beginners should set a fixed bankroll before each session and use small, consistent stakes to stay in control. Focusing on low-risk multipliers and early cashouts is the safest way to enjoy crash gambling real money gameplay without exposing yourself to unnecessary losses.

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Getting started with your first crash bet is easier when you follow a simple plan. 

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Top Crypto Crash Variants You Can Play in 2025

Players now have access to a wide mix of fast-paced crash titles, each offering a different style of gameplay. Below is a quick look at the most popular variants available in 2025:

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Try fast-paced titles like crypto rocket game, high-multiplier crypto crash games, or simple one-tap crash betting games if you prefer shorter sessions with quick cashouts.

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The popularity of crypto-based crash titles has surged, with bitcoin crash gambling leading the way thanks to fast BTC deposits and near-instant cashouts. Modern casinos offer a wide mix of bitcoin crash games, ranging from classic low-volatility modes to high-risk BTC crash game variants that attract players chasing big multipliers. 

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Coin Casino and the Best Crash Gambling Sites

Players looking for the best crash casino sites will find that the best platforms combine fast payouts, transparent odds, and a wide selection of crash titles. These casinos allow you to deposit with crypto or fiat and play for real cash returns while maintaining provably fair results.

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Coin Casino was chosen by experts as the leading casino out there when it comes to Crash games, but the other casinos we ranked are good too. So many crash casinos now offer crypto support, real-money options, and a wide range of crash variants. No matter which title you prefer, sticking to trusted top online casinos ensures a safer, smoother, and more rewarding crash gaming experience.

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"That last five minutes ripped my f---ing heart out," Tarantino says in the latest episode of The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, where he listed his 10 favorite films of this century. "And if I try to even describe the end, I will start crying and get choked up. ... I can't even do it."

Tarantino joined Ellis for the two most recent episodes of the podcast to discuss his 20 favorite films of the 21st century, starting with numbers 20 through 11, which he shared last week.

In that episode, he discussed "laughing a lot" at the extreme violence of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, which was No. 15 on his list.

This week's edition is one of the greatest podcast episodes you'll ever hear if you have even a glancing interest in Bret Easton Ellis, Quentin Tarantino, or modern film. We enjoy all three.

Tarantino runs through a list that includes a sublime Woody Allen film, multiple war movies, and a film made by one of his exes, building up to a very emotional discussion between the author of American Psycho and the director of Inglorious Basterds about 2010's Toy Story 3.

Quentin Tarantino and Bret Easton Ellis on the Genius of Toy Story 3

Ellis found Toy Story 3 as moving as Tarantino did.

"I cannot believe the brilliance of the filmmakers who could get that kind of emotion out of us. It was genius," says Ellis.

Ellis shares that when he saw the movie in a theater upon its release in 2010, "the person I saw it with looked at me worried because I was crying."

Tarantino and Ellis are not outliers in their praise for Toy Story 3: The film was named one of the best of 2010 by The National Board of Review, the American Film Institute and Cahiers du Cinéma, among others, and won Oscars for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

But not everyone places it as high as Tarantino and Ellis: It is not, for example, on The New York Times' list of the 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century, which included several of Tarantino's films and placed Parasite at No. 1.

The Pulp Fiction director also expressed admiration for how the Pixar team managed the rare feat of producing a great third film in a series.

"They never nail the third film of a trilogy. I think the one is The Good, The Bad and the Ugly," Tarantino adds, referencing the third film in Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy. "To me, this is The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of animated films. This, along with The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, is the greatest end of a trilogy."

Of course, there are more than three Toy Story films — Toy Story 5 is due next year. Tarantino says he has never seen Toy Story 4 because he thinks the third Toy Story film so perfectly resolved the story.

The first three Toy Story films, of course, follow a boy named Andy who grows up with his favorite toys, including Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen).

Toy Story 3 is directed by Lee Unkrich, who wrote the story with John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton. Michael Arndt received an Oscar nomination for the screenplay, and previously won for writing Little Miss Sunshine.

In the film, Andy is ready to leave for college, and no longer plays with his toys. Most have been relegated to the attic, until a series of misunderstandings leads the toys to a new home at Sunnyside Daycare. Things at the toys' new home seem idyllic — at first.

"There is just something heartbreaking about how the toys respond emotionally to where they end up in their lives," Ellis notes. "They want love. All the toys want is love. ... I'm sorry. I am getting choked up."

Ellis and Tarantino praise the film for both comic and emotional highs — including an extremely gripping furnace sequence, one of the darkest sequences in any Pixar movie.

Both men agreed that as much as they loved the film, they never want to watch it again, because they don't think their viewing experience can be improved upon.

"It was a perfect experience," Tarantino explains.

Ellis, unlike Tarantino, has seen the 2019 sequel Toy Story 4, and found it "OK."

You're probably wondering at this point: What is Quentin Tarantino's No. 1 movie of this century? For that — and the rest of his list — we urge you to listen to the podcast. But it's Ridley Scott's 2001 war film Black Hawk Down.

Main image: Toy Story 3. Pixar.

Among some of their predictions, or at least hopes: a resurgence of indie films, a renewed focus on storytelling, and more reverence for human experiences no AI can simulate.

We also asked them to please focus their predictions on their expectations for what will happen within their lifetimes. Here’s what they told us.—M.M.

CELIA ANISKOVICH

Aniskovich is a New York–based documentary filmmaker and the founder and editor-in-chief of Switchboard Magazine, a digital publication that produces rich, character-driven long-form nonfiction narratives and also acquires short films. Together, these works form a diverse slate of original content designed to serve as IP for adaptation into television and film properties.

Predictions for film: I believe the future of film will be more democratized, with artists reclaiming ownership over their work and the value it creates. At Switchboard, we’ve built a 50–50 profit-share model because we want to prove that empowering creators is not only possible, but essential. I see filmmaking becoming less about top-down control from studios and more about collaborative, community-driven teams telling stories that matter to them. The tone of those stories will shift, too. From what we’ve seen at Switchboard, narratives of hope, joy, and resilience are outperforming darker ones nearly tenfold — people crave connection and optimism.

Predictions for life: If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that certainty is fragile. But I believe that in my lifetime, what will endure — and maybe even strengthen — is our hunger for connection through story. Technology will accelerate, yes, and change how we consume and communicate, but the need to make meaning out of chaos, to understand one another through narrative, will only deepen. I suspect the future of life will be marked by more fragmentation in how we live, but also more weaving together of experiences through the way we share them. At its best, that can make us feel less alone, and remind us that endurance, resilience, and hope are not abstract ideas, but lived stories.

JESUS BELTRAN

Beltran is a Stanford-trained mechanical engineer with over 20 years in tech, including more than a decade at Apple, and holds more than 15 design patents. In parallel, he has built a filmmaking career with shorts such as “The Grass Grows Green” and “Motos,” which screened at Sundance, SXSW, Indy Shorts, and Cinequest. He is now developing his debut feature, There’s No Place, a character-driven road trip film about family, ambition and identity, set against the backdrop of Silicon Valley.

Predictions for film: AI will not be stopped, but viewers will demand clarity on how much AI was used in films, leading to the emergence of a classification system for film AI use. On one end of the spectrum will be fully AI created films (agentic content) based off a viewer’s past likes. The other end is what we now know as auteur film. Everything in between will be hybrid content where a human chooses to substitute traditional filmmaking roles with AI. More films, more junk, and more diversity in storytelling will emerge — but so will an increased appreciation for AI-free films. Purely human films will be rare and auteurs who create them will be venerated more than they are today.

Predictions for life: Three major global issues are converging and creating chaos and opportunity for humans: climate crisis, the rise of artificial intelligence and a swing back towards authoritarianism. The wholesale control of energy and data are currently in the hands of a select elite under corporate veils and the overreach and abuses that are stemming from that will be countered by independent journalists, artists, engineers, scientists and hackers using decentralized guerrilla tactics for production and distribution of goods, information and stories. It’s gonna be interesting. Three recommendations: read more; support, encourage and participate in civilized debate; and get to know your neighbors.

NIA DACOSTA

DaCosta is the writer-director of the feature films Little Woods, Candyman, The Marvels, and this year’s Hedda. Her latest film, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, arrives in January. Her credits also include the shorts “The Black Girl Dies Last,” and her TV credits include episodes of Top Boy. You can read more about her life and work in this story.

Predictions for film:I think one day we will get back to the mid-budget drama in theaters. I have a hope that we will have movie stars again. Robert Redford was an amazing human being and someone whom I met because of my involvement in the Sundance Institute. He was an incredible man, but he was also a movie star. I think it’s something special.  

Predictions for life:Oh my gosh. I think James Cameron will make two more Avatar films. Honestly, I think we will get through this very difficult time that we’re all in. I think the moral arc of the universe is chaos, but I do think we’ve come back from really terrible, scary times before, and I think we will again. 

GUILLERMO DEL TORO

Guillero del Toro, whose greatest prediction about the future appears in our new cover story, is the director of the new film Frankenstein and such films as Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth, Pacific Rim, and Crimson Peak. He won Oscars for Best Director and Best Motion Picture for 2017’s The Shape of Water and Best Animated Feature Film for 2022’s Pinocchio.

Predictions for film and life: The great wisdom of the yin and the yang is that they take turns, unfortunately or fortunately. Nothing is forever, not the evil, not the good. The very nature of that cycle is that it will never stay put. The fight never ends. And the reason for that is you have to be conscious forever. You never say, OK, now I can not think or feel. Feeling is very important. 

You talk to somebody in the 1860s and you tell them that it takes two hours to get from Italy to London, and they’ll go, "No, it doesn’t." It’s impossible to comprehend. Is technology a tool, or is it an evolutionary step? I don’t know. I don’t know, and I don’t pretend to know.

AVALON FAST

Avalon Fast is a filmmaker from Vancouver Island, British Columbia who makes “girl horror” — stories focused on the eerie horrors of growing up, with female influence. Her debut feature film Honeycomb premiered at Slamdance 2022 and her new feature Camp premiered at Fantastic Fest and won Best Picture in the Next Wave competition. She has acted in the trans epic Castration Movie and the witchy-themed The Serpent’s Skin.

Predictions for film: There will be, as there already is, a hard line dividing artists who are filmmakers from filmmakers who work in the industry. Where in the past it seems these worlds had a way of combining, I see this becoming less and less common, as the work in film in the industry becomes more and more doomy. 

We have this new wave of DIY filmmakers actually surpassing studio films in terms of rating and awareness: I’m talking Louise Weards’ Castration Movie being one of the top 10 highest-rated movies of the year. That’s film revolution. That movie is shot on a Hi8 camera in people’s apartments in Vancouver, for nothing.

Another thing: movie watching is becoming more and more culty. You have to be in and understanding to know what’s cool. News outlets aren’t going to tell you, the box office won’t tell you. In the years to come, filmmaking (the artist’s way) will become increasingly difficult. There will be no money for us, and this will do two things: Weed whack the artists who are unable to make what they want without funding, and bring the people who will do it regardless closer than ever. In a way I look forward to the changes, the depression of filmmaking. For me it has always been an artist’s game and I know how to do what I do for nothing at all. 

Predictions for life: We are totally doomed, but in a similar way to film, with a great potential for full-course revolution. 

COURTNEY GLAUDÉ

Glaudé is a Houston-born, award-winning filmmaker known for bold, emotionally charged storytelling. He first gained attention with The Reading, starring Oscar-winner Mo’Nique, and is a trusted creative voice at Tyler Perry Studios, where he serves as Executive Creator of Scripted and Unscripted. Currently, he has directed episodes of Zatima and Ruthless and is set to helm his first feature film. His short, “Old Gray Mare,” made waves on the 2025 festival circuit, playing at the  American Black Film Festival, Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival and BronzeLens.

Predictions for film: Movies are getting ready to get back to storytelling. The massive budget films aren’t making the money that they once were. Now, creatives must get really creative with the story that they’re telling, because production studios aren’t willing to put up the money for the big shiny movies. And so soon, we’ll see a separation between true story tellers and clickbait movies.

Predictions for life: Truly, I don’t know. I’m enjoying this journey God has me on, and my prediction is that all things that He has planned for me, I will get. 

HIKARI

Hikari is a Japanese American writer, director, and producer. Her latest feature Rental Family, starring Oscar winner Brendan Fraser, follows her acclaimed debut, 37 Seconds, which premiered at Berlinale and was acquired by Netflix. Her TV credits include Beef and Tokyo Vice. Hikari is currently developing new projects, including an original series with Annapurna titled Made in Utah. 

Predictions for film: This is a very hard question so I’m going to begin with this: 20 years ago, we did not expect YouTube to be where it is now. Every minute, there are content creators who upload original videos with millions of viewers watching them for free. Younger generations and people in some parts of the world primarily use their cell phones as a device to watch films because of convenience and economic reasons.

In order to survive we must work alongside mass media and creators by offering a singular experience. It’s important for us as filmmakers to create original works with distinct voices that include “remakes” or “based-on” stories, and for the studios to support the artists’ perspectives. 

Being in a theater and watching a film with an audience is a communal experience that you just cannot get at home. If you can find a way to connect with an audience in a personal way then I think we’ll always have hope.

JONAH FEINGOLD

Jonah Feingold is a New York-based filmmaker known for modern romantic comedies and digital storytelling. A graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, he wrote, directed, and stars in the new 31 Candles. His debut feature, Dating & New York, premiered at Tribeca in 2021. He also directed At Midnight (Paramount+) and Exmas (Amazon). Under his Romantical banner, his videos have earned over 100 million views. He recently wrapped Busboys, starring David Spade and Theo Von.

Predictions for film: With the increasing democratization of content creation—where it’s never been easier to make and share films—our landscape as filmmakers is shifting dramatically. There’s going to be a lot more competition for audience attention, which means our role will increasingly be about strengthening that parasocial relationship with our viewers. It’s not just about getting people to watch what we create; it’s about making them genuinely care and engage on a deeper level.

The beauty of this shift is that it also empowers us as creators. We get to own our work more fully, control how it reaches our audience, and go directly to the people who love what we do. With so much content out there, the tools we put in place will help us reach our core audience more powerfully than ever.

GG HAWKINS

GG Hawkins is a writer-director whose work explores the female experience and millennial ennui. Her debut feature, I Really Love My Husband, premiered at SXSW 2025 to critical acclaim, screened theatrically, and is now streaming. GG also hosts the No Film School podcast and writes the newsletter Making It.

Predictions for film: We’re at the start of a new golden age of indie films — movies made entirely outside the studio system. I think we’ll see a flood of microbudgets bringing in unique voices. The filmmakers who embrace their individuality, who take real risks, will endure. I think audiences will come through many new and different channels, so creators will need to constantly cultivate their community. My hope is that these changes will usher in a new era of business models in filmmaking, one that provides a livable wage for all members of the filmmaking community.

Predictions for life: I hope there will be a reckoning, a push towards empathy in a world where we so easily jump to black and white thinking. Perhaps this will lead to a great slowing down, a rejection of the way we are using technology, social media, which would be a welcome reaction to the current moment. I worry we’re still a ways off from that, but I’m optimistic. I recently had the chance to screen my film for — and lead a discussion with — some college students, and I left feeling invigorated and hopeful about the future.

STEPHANIE LAING

Stephanie Laing is an Emmy-winning director, writer, and producer (Palm Royale, Your Friends and Neighbors, Family Squares). The Sundance alumni’s third feature film, Tow, tells the true story of Amanda Ogle (Rose Byrne), an unhoused Seattle woman who fought her way out of tow-company hell to reclaim her car and life after receiving a $21,634 towing bill. Tow also stars Octavia Spencer, Demi Lovato, Ariana DeBose, and Dominic Sessa.

Predictions for film: I think we’re seeing a resurgence of indie films and that will continue to grow. The Criterion Channel is more and more popular with younger audiences seeking inspiration and unique storytelling. Films like Sinners and Weapons will always shine through while other films like Splitsville will continue to find their people.  I think more films that have something to say about the world we live and the injustices will continue to be popular as well as uniquely told romantic comedies because at the end of the day, everyone is seeking connection.  Films can make a difference and art will save us.

Predictions for life: I hope we look for more in-person connections and that we become less dependent on doom scrolling. That as people, we seek out the truth in news stories and don’t become immune to gaslighting. I think most people want to find a common ground and that hopefully kindness prevails. Storytelling connects us as humans, especially if we have open hearts and open minds.  

RICHARD LINKLATER

Richard Linklater helped kick off an indie film explosion with 1990’s Slacker, and went on to make such classic films as Dazed and Confused, the Before trilogy, and Boyhood, a 2015 Best Picture nominee. One of the most consistent and prolific filmmakers of the last 35 years, he has also made the hit comedy School of Rock and the modern noir-romance Hit Man. He has two new films this fall, Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague, and recently shared with us his 15 Rules for MovieMaking.

Predictions for life and film: I find comfort in knowing people have been asking these questions for millennia. We want to feel like we’re in revolutionary times, and things are changing so quickly and all that. And you know, they might be. This could be the big one, but I tend to go back to, “ehh, life’s been kind of the same.” On one level, there’s a sameness to the human mind and the world that is unchanging. But we’ve never met a match like what’s going on now. 

It’s interesting. I want to see AI as a friend, as a collaborator of some kind, but we’ll see. For 60 years of cinema, if you go back and read the reviews and film thinking, it’s always been under threat. Film’s always been such a fascinating combo of technology, art, and commerce, so it’s kind of vulnerable to disruptions, and people have always felt vulnerable to losing industries and jobs and everything, for good reason. You kind of have to have an antenna up for warnings, and there’s always plenty of those.

Maybe speaking from a place of privilege by birth: I came along at a time when the studios were a little more open. I got Dazed and Confused made at a studio, which, of course, they wouldn’t do today. If you’re getting out of Sundance now, you don’t really have those opportunities. So I acknowledge that. And, you know, I was established. I’m very lucky. 

If you work for nothing, and you can talk other people into things and have a frugal idea, and maybe it’s good, you can still kind of get things done. 

I haven’t used AI, but in film, there’s no purity. We really can’t think in terms of that. Filmmakers use visual effects, digital visual effects. Everything’s a construct and an artist will use whatever is in front of them to perfect what they’re making, and should be allowed to. I think it’s the wrong time and place for purity tests. It’s really just: Does it work artistically, and can you do it ethically? Can everybody be treated well and compensated? Those are concerns. But as far as art goes, hell yeah. Use whatever you got. I wouldn’t apologize for anything that I felt made my film better. 

MALIK HASSAN SAYEED

Malik Hassan Sayeed is a producer and cinematographer who shot the new Luca Guadagnino film After the Hunt, about which you can read more here, and Guadagnino’s upcoming Artificial, about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. His past credits include Clockers, Girl 6, He Got Game and Belly. He has also shot videos for Nas, 2Pac, Jay-Z, Lauryn Hil and Beyoncé.

Predictions for life and film: We just did a movie about AI and OpenAI, and everybody’s scared of AI. And I’m not necessarily scared of AI, per se, because I think I believe in humans. I think humans are the greatest creation that has ever existed. So I don’t think a computer is going to beat us, because we’re just greater. 

Actually the one thing that makes me nervous is people using AI to hide behind, which is what people do. They hide behind nation states. They hide behind corporations, and now they get to hide behind AI. So I’m more concerned about that. 

Photos provided by the filmmakers.

Tarantino didn't laugh through the entire movie, mind you: Just the parts where Jesus gets brutalized.

"Extreme violence is just funny to me," Tarantino said in the latest episode of the Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. "And when you go so far beyond extremity, it just gets funnier and funnier, all right?"

Tarantino joined the podcast to share his list of his 20 favorite films of this century. The Passion of the Christ was No. 15. You can listen to the full podcast episode to hear the rest of the first half of Tarantino's top 20, and the second half will be released soon.

Ellis recalled that he first saw the film in a completely packed theater in which many people were weeping. Tarantino had a very different viewing experience: He watched a print of it with a girlfriend at the time, in his own theater.

"To see that movie packed to the rafters, that movie in particular, all right, would have been fascinating," Tarantino said. "But I had such a special time with my friend. We were laughing a lot during the movie, not because we were just trying to be perverse, laughing at Jesus getting f---ed up."

He explained that they "we were just groaning-laughing at how f---ed up it was," especially because they knew more violence was coming.

"It just ended up being an extremely enjoyable experience. But now that sounds like I'm just being perverse, but no, I actually, I thought he kind of did a tremendous directorial job."

He praised Gibson for capturing the ancient time period of the film, and added:

"I love the fact that he never really chose one tone and carried it through. There are scenes where you feel like you're watching the most realistic Biblical movie you've ever seen. Then all of a sudden it turns into a religious painting and gets completely avant-garde, and gets surreal. And then there's actually horror movie imagery that he invests in, big time. And then there's political s--- in there. You really see the political situation of a Pontius Pilate in a really terrific way. And all those actors just seem amazing because they're not speaking English, and it just seems so convincing."

Quentin Tarantino Describes Mel Gibson Looking at Him Like a 'Nut' for His Passion of the Christ Reaction

Tarantino said he found one moment in the film "incredibly memorable," and said he had once told Gibson about it in person.

"I told him about this and he looked at me like I was a f---ing nut," Tarantino said. "Of course he doesn't understand where I'm coming from on this, and I don't know if anyone else will."

The particularly memorable scene is one in which Jesus is whipped by Roman soldiers. Tarantino noted that Gibson really extends the setup for the whipping, and that the Romans act like true "motherf---ers" even before the whipping begins.

"I mean, they just look like the worst cops you've ever seen in your life. And they're testing it out, and they're passing it around — you're like, 'Oh, my God, this is gonna be f---ing terrible.' And he's stretching it out, stretching — and then it starts happening.

"And then it's like wham. And you feel it. And then it's another one, wham. And like, three, four, five times, and you feel every f---ing blow.

"By the sixth blow, I traded places," Tarantino said. "And I was now a Roman. And I started getting kind of turned on by the beating. But I'm not Jesus getting beat. ... I became the Roman, and all of a sudden the whipping — I started getting the rush of that. And I couldn't believe I was feeling that. But I was feeling it."

Ellis, the author of the very violent American Psycho, interjected that he is affected by screen violence, and that the scene was "one of the most upsetting scenes that I can remember seeing."

Tarantino continued: "I liked that it reached into a sadomasochistic aspect in me that I didn't quite know I had, and it kind of turned me on. ... I didn't know I was going to switch horses. I just did."

Tarantino's Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, which recombines his masterful Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2, arrives in theaters December 5, and Gibson plans a two-part sequel to The Passion of the Christ, called The Resurrection of the Christ, for release in 2026 and 2027.

Tarantino isn't the first, interestingly enough, to see a link between the kind of cinematic violence displayed in his films and the violence of Gibson's.

When Christoph Waltz, star of Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained, hosted Saturday Night Live in 2013, the show re-imagined Christ's crucifixion and resurrection as a Tarantino-style revenge thriller, Djesus Uncrossed. Enjoy:

Main image: Jim Caviezel in The Passion of the Christ. Newmarket Films.

That mindset defined her work on a recent collaboration with director Daria Maximova: the construction of a 1920s Soviet residential hallway. The assignment was not small. The hallway needed to feel specific, local, and lived-in — not generic “old Europe,” not romantic ruin, not stage fakery. It had to carry the texture of shared poverty, collective housing, and controlled space. It had to breathe like 1920, not perform like 2025 pretending to be 1920.

Xia treated the hallway like a character.

At the macro level, she worked with Maximova to define the corridor’s entire architecture: its proportions, its linear depth, how narrow the run should feel between doors, how oppressive or generous the ceiling height should sit over the viewer. The wall surfaces were negotiated just as carefully. This was not a glossy paint job. It needed that layered plaster feel — slightly uneven, rubbed down by years of hands and heat and cheap repairs. Even the degree of staining near the baseboards became part of the conversation. The floor wasn’t just “tile,” it was an argument about tile: color temperature, wear pattern, and whether the glaze should read chipped or matte under camera.

Then the focus narrowed.

Doorways became their own study. Xia and Maximova had detailed discussions not just about which doors belonged in that time and place, but how they were built: panel shape, wood tone, proportion, hardware. She did not treat a door as a door. She treated it as evidence of who could afford to replace it and who couldn’t. The placement of the peephole (if there was one), the position and age of the door handle, the style and mounting of the buzzer — none of that was left to guesswork or modern instinct. Every piece had to line up with Soviet material culture of the 1920s. Every piece had to feel like it had been there before the camera ever arrived.

As a foreign production designer working in a Soviet-era setting, Xia was acutely aware that inauthentic detail reads immediately, even subconsciously. That meant research wasn’t optional. It was the build. She spent long hours gathering photographic references, digging into historical visuals, and pulling stills from period films to identify what was plausible, what was common, and — just as importantly — what would be wrong. That process shaped not only the big choices (door frames, tile type, plaster texture) but also the micro-decisions: bells, latches, screws, finishes.

And the work did not happen from a laptop. Xia and her team went physically into prop houses, sometimes staying for hours at a time to chase down the right object, the right weight, the right patina. The process was obsessive and, by necessity, slow. The corridor couldn’t look dressed. It had to look accumulated. She also hit multiple building-material suppliers and salvage sources, not just for budget reasons but because new stock was unusable if it looked “new.” A wrong surface gives you away faster than a wrong reference.

Her collaboration with Maximova continued into a different narrative space — a FedEx commercial built around a very particular character: a taxidermist living in a present-day New York apartment that feels psychologically anchored in the 1920s. The tone of this project was radically different. This was not strict realism. This was a world that existed somewhere between silent film era unease and contemporary isolation — strange, private, a little haunted. The creative language pulled from early cinema, German Expressionism, and something deliberately uncanny, almost museum-like.

To build that interior, Xia and Maximova did what they always do: they went looking for physical input. They walked Los Angeles’ Museum of Jurassic Technology. They visited Vulture Culture oddities spaces. They gathered textures from places that felt wrong in the right way — too quiet, too curated, too still. Those visits weren’t “inspiration trips.” They were spatial studies. The question wasn’t “what looks cool?” The question was “how does someone like this actually arrange their life?”

Together, they mapped the apartment not just as a layout but as a lived pattern. Where does the table sit in relation to the main work surface. Which window is usable light and which is just mood. Where do tools collect. What corner becomes ritual space. The blocking of objects had to match the daily motion of a solitary, meticulous person who lives with specimens.

In that same project, Xia took period thinking all the way down to the hand scale. She fabricated the key prop for the spot: a hollow, heart-shaped taxidermy specimen vessel. It wasn’t outsourced. It was built. She combined 3D printing with hand-finishing to get the exact hybrid language the story needed — part clinical, part intimate, part unsettling. She then dressed it using whatever carried the right organic truth: fallen branches and leaves collected on location, fragments of insect material, even loose strands of hair. Nothing glossy. Nothing “Halloween store.” Every added element needed to feel like it had been handled, cataloged, and kept.

Because the final spot was shot in black and white, Xia also painted the piece in grayscale under live phone camera tests, checking contrast and value instead of hue. She wasn’t painting for the human eye on set. She was painting for the lens, for the grade, for what the audience would actually see.

The result impressed the entire team — not because the prop was complicated, but because it felt disturbingly believable. It felt owned.

Taken together, these projects say something essential about Xia’s practice. She is not just collecting era-correct objects. She is reconstructing how those objects were used, at what point in their lifespan, and under what emotional conditions. She treats period not as a visual filter, but as a living system with rules.

For Cheryl Wenjing Xia, “period design” is never about arranging old-looking objects and capturing a pretty nostalgic frame. Her target is stricter, and more intimate: she wants the space to be lived the way it would have been lived in that era — claimed, worn down, repaired, improvised. She’s not chasing “does it look like the past,” she’s chasing “did this past actually function like this.” That’s why she will spend the kind of time other departments would call excessive on things like the height of a doorbell in a 1920s Soviet hallway, the direction of wear on floor tile, or a single stray hair sealed inside a heart-shaped specimen prop. For her, those details decide whether an audience believes the world or doesn’t. And that’s the difference: environments she builds don’t just resemble an era, they behave like one. They breathe on camera, they carry fatigue and memory, they feel inhabited. A hallway that should exist in 1920s Soviet housing. A New York apartment that still thinks in silent-film logic. This is her signature as a production designer: era isn’t a style choice, it’s behavior — and space isn’t background, it’s narrative.

To learn more about Cheryl Wenjing Xia's work, or to collaborate, contact xia2rt@gmail.com or visit www.xia2rt.com

Armie Hammer is not only back in the new Frontier Crucible trailer, but he's back with a juicy role: He plays an ornery outlaw who rips the leg off a tarantula for "trying to run away."

The film from director Travis Mills also stars Myles Clohessy, Mary Stickley, Ryan Masson, William H. Macy and Thomas Jane. Hammer is second billed. Frontier Crucible is produced by Dallas Sonnier, who also produced Bone Tomahawk, a similarly gritty Western.

The film, from Well Go USA Entertainment, follows a wagon full of crucial medical supplies that is targeted in an Apache attack. The only man who can guide it through to its destination is Merrick Beckford, but he needs to enlist the help of a trio of dangerous outlaws. When they accidentally kill an Apache scout, the stakes are raised considerably.

The film is Hammer's most prominent role since his career collapsed amid revelations that he enjoyed cannibal-themed role play — and he faced sexual assault accusations that didn’t lead to criminal charges.

He said in a January podcast interview that he was making a quiet career comeback that included Frontier Crucible, and that the general perception of him in Hollywood is, “Man, that guy got f—ed.”

Armie Hammer Background

Hammer lost jobs and his representation at his agency, WME, when private messages ascribed to him went viral in early 2021. They included talk of cannibalism, drinking blood, enslavement and rape. Hammer has since contended that they were part of consensual fantasy role playing, taken way out of context.

His once-thriving career had included roles in The Social Network and The Lone Ranger, but it crumbled as police investigated sexual assault accusations by an ex-partner who identified herself as Effie.

In 2023, Los Angeles County prosecutors announced that they would not file charges against Hammer, in part because of the “complexity of the relationship” between Hammer and the woman.

In an interview with Tom Segura and Christina Pazsitzky’s Your Mom’s House Podcast released on New Year’s Day, Hammer explained that he would sometimes send sexual partners graphic, joking messages, laughing as he sent them.

He also said that his understanding of consent has evolved since that period in his life, and that he understands that some of his partners may have thought they were in a more long-term relationship than he intended, and may have felt burned by their interactions with him.

“The worm is turning. And it takes time. It’s slow,” Hammer said on the podcast. “But generally now the conversation when my name comes up with people in the industry is, ‘Man, that guy got f—ed.’ And that feels really good. It’s really encouraging.”

Main image: Armie Hammer in Frontier Crucible. Well Go USA Entertainment.

Olmos made an interesting case for that notion during a recent career retrospective Q&A at the Santa Fe International Film Festival, where he was honored with a lifetime achievement award.

The iconic actor, whose beloved films beside 1982's Blade Runner include 1988's Stand and Deliver and 1992's American Me, explained that he only takes roles in which he's able to play a large part in shaping his characters. He used Blade Runner as an example of how he contributes to a character's development.

In the film, Olmos played Gaff, a mysterious, blue-eyed, bow-tied LAPD investigator who steers Harrison Ford's character, Deckard, in his mission to eliminate replicants — genetically enhanced workers created by the Tyrell Corporation who appear so human that they sometimes believe themselves to be human.

In the film, those charged with hunting replicants — derisively called "skin jobs" — are known as Blade Runners.

Edward James Olmos on Gaff

Gaff sometimes speaks a complex language called "Cityspeak" that combines 10 languages, including French, Hungarian and German. Olmos said he took Berlitz language classes to assemble his Cityspeak lines.

Gaff also has a habit of doing origami — he uses different figures, such as a chicken and a stickman, to reflect Deckard's inner thoughts at different points in the film.

Blade Runner has famously gone through various edits and releases that change some viewers' interpretations of the film. Studio executives and Scott debated several elements that the studio felt would make the film more coherent, including a voiceover by Deckard.

But to Blade Runner director Ridley Scott — and Olmos — one detail is crucial and consistent.

Near the end of the movie, Gaff leaves an origami unicorn in Deckard's home. To many — including Scott and Olmos — this unicorn proves that Deckard is a replicant.

Under one interpretation, it's possible that the unicorn represents Deckard's desire for freedom — which Gaff understands because he knows Deckard is a replicant.

Scott underlined this interpretation in a 1992's "Director's Cut" re-release of the film that added a sequence, about 42 minutes into the story, in which Deckard dreams of a unicorn. This addition adds to the theory that Deckard is a replicant, because Gaff leaving an origami unicorn in Deckard's home suggests that he is aware of Deckard's dreams, which would make more sense if those dreams have been implanted by humans.

For years, Ford and Scott argued over whether Deckard was a replicant, though Ford finally conceded in a 2013 Esquire interview: “I always knew that I was a replicant. I just wanted to push back against it, though. I think a replicant would want to believe they’re human. At least this one did.”

Olmos referenced the unicorn in his Santa Fe Q&A, noting: "That's how we found out that Decker was a damn replicant — and I'm the only Blade Runner in the movie!"

By Olmos' logic, a replicant hunting other replicants can not be a true Blade Runner — only a human can be a Blade Runner. And since Gaff is (by all evidence) a human, that makes him the only Blade Runner in Blade Runner.

Olmos also said he made another key contribution to the film: the scene when Gaff turns and acknowledges to Deckard that his replicant lover, Sean Young's Rachael, is not long for their world.

"I created my own dialogue," said Olmos. "You know that line, 'Too bad she won't live, but then again who does?' At the very end?"

He said he hoped at the time that Scott wouldn't cut the line — "and he used it."

It's unclear who is most responsible for the line, and whether it was a complete ad-lib by Olmos, or a reinterpretation of the script. In the July 24, 1980 draft of the script by Fancher, Gaff doesn't say the line.

But in the February 23, 1981 draft, for which David Peoples did a rewrite, Gaff delivers the line, "It's too bad, she don't last, eh! ... But who does."

In Future Noir, actor M. Emmet Walsh says the dialogue "got changed during production."

May we editorialize? However the final line came about, Olmos' final version on-screen is an improvement.

The Return of Gaff

Olmos also recalled in Santa Fe his delight at returning to the franchise in the 2017 sequel Blade Runner 2049.

In a key scene, he appears with Ryan Gosling's character, K, in an elder care facility, and presents him with an origami sheep.

"They used me perfectly in that movie," Olmos said. "I'm a nurse. I take care of the elderly, and I make these little organic pieces. You don't see it until the very end. And it's a little sheep lamb being led to the slaughter. And they put it up there because he's looking for his father."

How Blade Runner Got Its Name

If you've gotten this far wondering how the film got its very cool but very strange name, please read on.

In the book Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner, author Paul M. Sammon explains that Blade Runner director Ridley Scott didn't want Deckard to be called simply a "detective" and asked screenwriter Hampton Fancher, "couldn't we come up with a different name for his line of work?"

Fancher then went through his home library and found a little-known book by author Williams Burroughs titled Blade Runner: (a movie).

They purchased the title from Burroughs, though his book was not, of course, the basis of the 1982 Blade Runner. The film is loosely based on the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Which gives added resonance to the origami sheep in 2049.

Main image: Edward James Olmos as Gaff. Warner Bros.

The film, released September 26, follows Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob, a burned-out former revolutionary who emerges from hiding when the evil Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) comes after Bob and his teenage daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti).

Many critics on both the left and right see it as a rejection of Trumpism and a celebration of leftist revolutionary spirit.

The film has almost universally positive reviews. The New York Times critic Manohla Dargis, for example, wrote that while she is "still sifting through its ideas and its images," she believes One Battle After Another is "a cry from the heart that’s also a crystallizing image of resistance. It’s one for the ages, wild and thrilling, and every bit as American as the red, white and blue."

She also noted that the film critiques liberals, and not just the bullying tyrants who Bob and Willa resist. She cited one scene, for example, in which an ineffectual Bob gets stoned and watches the classic film The Battle of Algiers, which depicts Algerian fighters battling for freedom from France.

One dissenter about the quality of One Battle After Another is critic Armond White, who sees it as potentially dangerous: In a piece for the conservative National Review, he said the film "undeniably romanticizes political assassination" and called it "the year’s most irresponsible movie." His take led the highly influential Drudge Report on Tuesday and early Wednesday.

Bret Easton Ellis on One Battle After Another

And here enters Bret Easton Ellis. In addition to authoring American Psycho, Less Than Zero, and the recent The Shards, Ellis has become one of our most erudite and bluntly honest film critics. He speaks regularly on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast about movies new and old, never holding back on often unpredictable or contrarian opinions. He was not impressed, for example, with the widely celebrated Sinners.

In the latest episode of the podcast, Ellis noted that he is a huge fan of Anderson, and believes his 2007 There May Be Blood may be the best film of this century. But he was disappointed by One Battle After Another, and the critics' praise of it.

"It's kind of shocking to see these kind of accolades for — I'm sorry, it's a not-very-good movie — because of it's political ideology. And it's so obvious that is what they're responding to, why it's considered a masterpiece, the greatest film of the decade, the greatest film ever made. Because it really aligns with this kind of leftist sensibility," Ellis told his listeners.

The author believes that very soon, the film will be seen as "a kind of musty relic of the post-Kamala Harris era — that thing that everyone gathers around and pretends is so fantastic and so great when it really isn't, just to make a point. And that's unfortunate, but that's where we are now."

Ellis noted on the podcast that he did like aspects of the movie — like Bob's attempts to get in touch with the revolutionary underground, and its gorgeous cinematography.

But he believes liberals and conservatives alike may be misreading the film, and disagreed with Dargis' review stressing how important the film is.

"No, it is not. It has really not read the room. It has not read the room at all about what's going on in America," Ellis said on the podcast.

He elaborated: "There's a liberal mustiness to this movie that already feels very dated by October 2025. Very dated. And it just doesn't read the room. You know, it reads a tiny corner of the room, but it does not read what is going on in America."

He also said be believes Anderson has made three masterpieces — the others, besides There Will Be Blood, are Boogie Nights and Magnolia — but noted that he has also made some films "that I have not responded to at all."

Ellis added later in the podcast that not liking things is OK, and not everyone has to agree on everything. He understands that his book The Shards, for example, isn't for everybody.

But Ellis' podcast does have good news for One Battle After Another: The author said that based on his talks with Hollywood friends — on the left and right, some of who liked the movie and some of whom didn't —there's an expectation that it will get many Oscar nominations.

Main image: Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another. Warner Bros.

Thanks to praise for the film and a new Texas film incentive that gives TV and film productions rebates of up to 31% of their qualified in-state spending, the sprawling, largely Latino city of about 880,000 is having a moment, and aims to seize on it.

At the recent El Paso Film Festival, which coincided with the September 26 release of One Battle After Another, local filmmakers reveled in their moment in the spotlight — and shared stories of watching Anderson and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio del Toro mixing it up with locals.

Usually film commissions across the world frantically compete to host a DiCaprio movie. So how did Drew Mayer-Oakes, El Paso's film and creative industries commissioner, lure One Battle After Another?

"They came to us," he laughs.

Anderson is no stranger to West Texas, having shot his 2007 classic There Will Be Blood in and around Marfa, about 200 miles from El Paso. In 2022, Mayer-Oakes recalled, Anderson and one of the film's producers, Sara Murphy, traveled parts of the country looking for locations and inspiration.

Murphy contacted Mayer-Oakes that summer, without mentioning Anderson's name. But soon after Mayer-Oakes made clear that El Paso would welcome the production — "that's what we do," he notes — others got involved, including location manager Michael Glaser.

Mayer-Oakes, a veteran of the Texas film scene who has also led San Antonio's film commission, remembers a key phone call with Glaser: "He just confirmed what he thought was the case — 'You guys are open to filming? Can we do stuff in your downtown? It might get a little crazy.'

"And we were like, 'bring it on.'"

The craziness includes a spectacular riot and chase sequence in which DiCaprio's character, Bob, flees from authorities as he tries to find his daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). Bob enlists the help of del Toro's Sensei Sergio St. Carlos, as they race around downtown El Paso locations that included the sensei's dojo and El Paso's character-rich, atmospheric downtown buildings.

One of the most beautiful shots in the film comes as a band of skateboarders — played by real-life El Paso skaters — try to lead Bob across the rooftops to safety.

Mayer-Oakes notes that Anderson seemed to take inspiration from going up on those rooftops, camera in hand. Looking south from a high story in El Paso, you can see border crossings and deep into neighboring Ciudad Juarez.

"He had a specific idea of what he wanted, but he was looking at everything. And I think with filmmakers like him, the location continued to inspire him and help him focus on how he wanted to tell the story," Mayer-Oakes says.

The One Battle After Another production had a crew of about 300, mostly from out of town. but hired local production assistants and traffic control, among others. It also went to local vendors for wood, supplies, and other materials used to build three sets.

"Obviously it's important to to hire people that know the local community when you have to do things quickly," Mayer-Oakes adds.

He estimates that the local economic impact in El Paso was about $4 million over about 16 days of shooting. The film also shot in California locations including the Sacramento rail yards and the Anza-Borrego desert.

How to Get Hired on a Paul Thomas Anderson Film

Some in the El Paso film community wondered if their moviemaking dreams might be hampered by living at the far end of West Texas. But One Battle After Another gave them hope that they might be able to stay in the city they love while still getting jobs on major productions.

El Paso native Celine Dipp was attending Brown University in Rhode Island, with hopes of becoming a filmmaker, when she found out last year that Anderson was shooting in her hometown. She learned of the production when someone working on it mentioned it to her sister.

"And I was like, wait, go back: PTA is shooting in El Paso?" Dipp recalls.

She had considered quitting filmmaking, because she really wanted to live in El Paso and didn't think she could have a viable film career there. But when she came home from college in June 2024, and realized the production was shooting at the same time, she was determined to get hired.

Much of the film centers on Bob trying to remember a series of codes in order to reconnect with his team of rebels, the French 75. Dipp similarly had to solve a few mysteries to become a One Battle After Another production assistant.

She contacted filmmakers she knew in town, repeatedly expressing her interest, until the production learned of her, she says.

"And then I got a text that was like, a bunch of code words, and then, 'Can you hop on the phone tomorrow?' And then we got on the phone and it went really well," she recounts.

The code words included calling the film "the BC project," since at one point it was known as The Battle of Baktan Cross, the name of the fictional community where much of it takes place.

Even after her initial call, the production still maintained an aura of secrecy. She had a confusing follow-up call a week later with "a different sounding production," she says, called either "Desert Path or Desert Way," which was another way of keeping things on the downlow.

When she was hired as a production assistant, she laughs, "even the production office had a fake facade so you didn't even know what was inside. It was so bizarre."

One of her favorites memories of the production was bringing almonds to an actor, and entering through the wrong door — and into an apartment set where DiCaprio, as Bob, was having a meltdown.

"It was that scene where DiCaprio is on the phone getting angry because they won't give him the password in the funky apartment. So I ended up holding this packet of almonds, terrified to walk up to them, because I was totally not supposed to be there in that moment," she recalls.

A gaffer pulled her into a doorway, so it was just "me, him, one other woman, the script supervisor and PTA, sitting on a bed, looking at the monitor, and they ran the scene."

She recalls watching Anderson laughing delightedly as he watched DiCaprio work.

"It was such a massive production... but it kind of distilled into this really artistic and honest moment," Dipp recalls. "And I think getting to witness that — it just reminds you why you're there. You're witnessing the creation of cultural zeitgeist, and it was just a really cool thing to be a part of."

She's now working on four films of her own — two shorts and two features. And feels very optimistic about the El Paso film scene.

El Paso is just 45 minutes from Las Cruces, which has benefitted for years from outstanding New Mexico film incentives that have helped lure productions like the Best Picture winner Oppenheimer. Now El Pasoans have a serious Oscar contender of their own.

"I think a lot of people underestimate how dynamic this area is, because we are the middle point between New Mexico and Texas. New Mexico is such a big film hub, and West Texas is an emerging film hub, and so we're already at a really great position, but it's a newer scene.

"I mean, it's beautiful," Dipp adds. "A lot of people say it's how Austin was years ago. And so it's a really nascent scene. Everyone knows each other. And getting to work on this, and getting the exposure that we got, it was really cool to watch what we can do."

'I Love It Here'

Wally Lozano, an El Paso native, spent years in Los Angeles working on productions including Dragged Across Concrete and Crank. Lozano has acted, produced, directed and much more, but his experience with precision driving got him hired on One Battle After Another.

He delighted in getting to witness crew members like Colin Anderson as work – "Colin Anderson is like the Jimi Hendrix of camera operators," notes Lozano — and he took a moment to thank the other Anderson, PTA, for shooting in El Paso.

He says the director looked at him and said, earnestly: "I love it here."

Lozano had moved back to El Paso from Los Angeles during Covid lockdowns, and decided at the time, "I'll sell insurance. My career's over."

But working on One Battle After Another inspired him, he says: "I cried tears of joy, because I left Hollywood thinking my career was over, and I got here, and my backyard was a Hollywood backlot."

Lozano hopes El Paso will draw a television series next. Just as Breaking Bad helped build up New Mexico, an El Paso-set series could provide steady work for locals.

It could, like One Battle After Another, also capture the zeitgeist: ICE raids have made it impossible for anyone in America to forget the debate over immigration and due process, or lack of it. But in El Paso, where you can see Mexico from the rooftops, living side by side with another culture has never been far from anyone's mind.

A TV show is one of Mayer-Oakes' top priority, he notes. He's seen the work and money that the Taylor Sheridan shows Landman and Lioness have brought to Fort Worth, about 600 miles east.

"One of my primary goals is to get a television show, because that's a game changer. Even if you're doing a streaming show that shoots 10 or 12 episodes a year per season, and it's a drama, even cheaper ones are $4 million per episode," he says. "Multiply that by 10."

Mayer-Oakes is also quick to explain the benefits of the new incentive, which took effect in September. When Kevin Smith attended the El Paso Film Festival, for example, Mayer-Oakes elegantly made it known that El Paso should very much be in play for his future films.

But in the meantime, El Pasoans are just enjoying their moment in the sun. At the end of an El Paso screening of One Battle After Another, on the night it premiered, the skaters in the film — including Gilberto Martinez Jr.and Luis Trejo — posed outside the theater with moviegoers who had just become fans.

This week, Trejo posted a thank you on Instagram to Anderson, DiCaprio, del Toro and casting director Cassandra Kulukundis.

"When art comes to you, don't let it go," he wrote. "Thank you @paulthomasanderson and Cassandra K. for believing in us. Thank you @leonardodicaprio and @benicio_del_toro1 for leading us through this journey. It was an honor to work with everyone on set and do what we love on the big screen."

Main image: Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio del Toro in an El Paso-shot scene in One Battle After Another. Warner Bros.

The film follows Kerr, played by Johnson, as he rises in the ring but struggles with addiction outside of it as he tries to mask intense pain. Emily Blunt plays his long-suffering girlfriend, Dawn, who faces her own struggles.

The film has drawn Oscar talk for Johnson, previously best known for franchise and action films — and it's safe to say he's the only contender in this year's Best Actor race who was willingly, as he describes it, "concussed" for his art.

In our cover story on The Smashing Machine, Johnson and Safdie told us that early in the making of the film, Safdie pitched the bold idea to always keep the cameras outside of the ring, and to avoid quick cuts and editing-assisted illusions.

“Benny and I were in a meeting, and he said, ‘I have something to pitch you. Tell me I’m crazy and I’ll never bring it up again: I would love to never cut away when you’re in the ring or in the cage.’" Johnson told writer Joshua Encinias.

“I said, ‘I would love that. I will train hard, and I will come in in the best, and hopefully decent, shape,’” Johnson recalled.

The most intense result of that approach came in a fight scene that recreates a famous brawl in Japan between Kerr and Kazuyuki Fujita, who is played in the film by actor and MMA fighter Yoko Hamamura.

Dwayne Johnson on Taking a Real Shot to the Face From Yoko Hamamura for The Smashing Machine

Johnson told Hamamura, literally, not to pull his punches.

“I pulled aside Yoko Hamamura,” Johnson recounted. “I said, ‘Hey, you have to hit me in the face.’ And he thought I was kidding. He goes, ‘No, no, I can’t do that.’ I said, ‘I mean it. I’m not trying to be a tough guy. You know what happened in this fight with Kerr and Fujita, and Benny’s not cutting away.’”

Safdie agreed: “I’m not going to cut away. I’m staying right there.”

Johnson insisted to Hamamura: “Please, please rock me. We got one shot with this. … You know how to hit. If you hit me here, I think you’re going to break my jaw. If you hit me up here, you’re going to break my cheekbone. If you could somehow… we get one shot at this, so rock me.’”

Hamamura did as he was asked, with predictably painful results. The fight appears prominently in the Smashing Machine trailer, which you can watch here if you can't see it above.

“He f---ing rocked me so hard,” Johnson said. “It winds up in the trailer, where I’m up on my knees, and I’m wobbly and dazed. I was concussed and wobbly for days after that. But we didn’t cut away. And I’m glad we didn’t because that was a very pivotal fight for Mark that actually changed his life.

“Benny wouldn’t let us fake it,” Johnson added. “If Mark got rocked, I got rocked.”

Safdie and stunt coordinator Greg Rementer meticulously planned out every round and takedown, but there was no getting around the pain.

“There’s a level of respect for what these fighters go through. You can’t fake that. You have to feel it,” said Johnson.

Safdie elaborated: “Dwayne had to learn how to fight like Mark, to really make it feel believable. ... That’s the first thing that takes you out of a movie like this — if you can just tell they’re not doing this stuff.”

The Smashing Machine is in theaters today, from A24.

Between 1946 and 1958, the United States detonated 67 bombs the Marshall Islands, most notably at the Bikini Atoll. Elevated cancer rates soon followed, and many Marshallese fled the islands, considering them uninhabitable due to irradiated land and food: A 2012 United Nations report said “near-irreversible environmental contamination” had led to “indefinite displacement.”

The purpose of the bombings was to test the power of nuclear weapons as the Cold War arms race with the Soviet Union accelerated. One test bombing, Castle Bravo on March 1, 1954, was 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.

The island's leader in 1946, King Juda, had agreed to the U.S.'s request to temporarily relocate residents of the Bikini Atoll so that atomic bomb testing could begin, under the belief that such testing was important for the good of humanity. But wind and miscalculations over a decade irradiated vast swaths of the islands.

Some of the Marshallese featured in 67 Bombs to Enid believe they were also being used as "rats" or "guinea pigs" to see what effect the bombings would have on human life. Adding fuel to that notion is a 1950s news report, featured in the film, that features Marshallese men — described by a newsman of the era as "savages" — being tested for nuclear after-affects.

The film, which played Friday at the El Paso Film Festival, profiles many Mashallese now living in the center of the country that bombed and contaminated theirs.

The documentary shows some Enid locals opening their arms wide, supporting the Marshallese, celebrating their culture, and trying to right historic wrongs. Others express fear that these outsiders are just trying to get checks from the U.S. government, apparently unaware that the U.S. government of past generations is, in fact, the source of their woes.

The Marshallese try to assimilate, in many cases joining the military. And though a compact with the U.S. government allows them to work and pay taxes in the U.S., they are not allowed to vote.

Many came to Enid after a few Marshallese missionaries visited the town for school in the late '70s, and invited friends and loved ones. 67 Bombs to Enid profiles many of them — including a man who, as a young child, watched the bombs light up the ocean sky.

The film details their medical struggles, and troubles fitting in so far from their ancestral home. But it also shows their endurance, pride, and love.

"It's a beautiful community of people, and a resilient community of people. These terrible things happened to them, but they aren't walking around like a tragic people — they're vibrant and lovely," the film's El Paso-based co-producer Zach Passero, said in a post-screening Q&A Friday.

He's one El Paso connection to the film. Another is El Paso-based Andrew Smetek, who handled the meticulous but understated sound design.

Making 67 Bombs to Enid

Taking at the Q&A with El Paso Film Festival founder and artistic director Carlos F. Corral, 67 Bombs to Enid co-directors Kevin Ford and Ty McMahan explained that they made the film with almost no budget because they thought it was an important story to be told. Documentarian Errol Morris agreed, and signed on as an executive producer in the hopes that it would help get the word out.

It's working: The United Nations had reached out to show 67 Bombs to Enid, which is now on a festival journey with an eye toward the widest distribution possible. They hope the film will make audiences take the threat of nuclear bombs more seriously, all over the world.

"There's nuclear weapons in the headlines every single day now. And so the mission became a little bit a bit greater — really trying to shed a light on on nuclear weapons and the dangers," said McMahan, a former Wall Street Journal reporter whose past films include the documentaries The Mundo King, The Toy Cart and The 34 Project.

"Even if we're not using them in war — just all of us as different countries that have nukes — even the accidental detonation of one can wipe out whole regions and create thousands of years of radiation sickness and poisoning," added Ford, whose past films include the Richard Linklater-produced documentary The Pushback.

The El Paso Film Festival, one of MovieMaker‘s 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee and 25 Coolest Film Festvivals, continues through Saturday.

Main image: 67 Bombs to Enid.

“Cancel your @disneyplus @hulu @espn subscriptions!” the Canadian actress wrote on Instagram.

She joined many Hollywood insiders who stood up to the company after it "indefinitely" pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday over comments involving murdered conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Damon Lindelof, who co-created ABC's hit Lost, said on Instagram he would not work with Disney unless Kimmel's show returns.

"I was shocked, saddened and infuriated by yesterday’s suspension and look forward to it being lifted soon. If it isn’t, I can’t in good conscience work for the company that imposed it," he wrote Thursday.

The protests, of course, aren't just about Kimmel, but about the principle that the government shouldn't be able to censor speech it disagrees with.

Amy Landecker, known for shows including Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale, shared an image of the cancellation page from her Disney+ account.

And the box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations shared a post that read "Protest Playbook: Save Jimmy Kimmel" that urged fans to cancel Disney+ and leave the message, “I’m canceling because Jimmy Kimmel was removed.” The company also shared an email address for Disney CEO Bob Iger.

"Bottom line: Companies like Disney only respond when there’s economic pressure + bad PR. A loud, organized, visible campaign gives them a reason to reverse course," Exhibitor Relations wrote.

Representatives for Disney did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment on the calls for cancellations, or on whether they have noticed an uptick in cancellations.

The calls to cancel Disney+ follow objections to Kimmel's suspension by former President Obama, numerous celebrities, and the Hollywood unions SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, among others.

In his monologue Thursday night, Kimmel's fellow late-night host Stephen Colbert said Kimmel's suspension was “blatant censorship.”

Colbert himself had his CBS show cancelled — effective at the end of its current season — after he criticized Trump and Paramount, which owns CBS.

Background on Jimmy Kimmel Being Suspended

Brendan Carr, who Trump appointed as chair of the Federal Communications Commission, threatened on Wednesday that the FCC might take action against Disney-owned ABC, saying on a podcast, "These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the F.C.C. ahead.”

He also called on ABC's network affiliates to say, "Listen, we are going to pre-empt, we are not going to run Kimmel anymore until you straighten this out.”

Within hours, Nexstar, which needs FCC approval for a planned $6.2 billion deal to acquire a rival, announced that it would pre-empt Kimmel's show. Additionally, Sinclair, which also owns ABC affiliate stations, said it would also stop airing Kimmel's show, and called on Kimmel to apologize and “make a meaningful personal donation” Kirk’s family and his conservtive activist group, Turning Point USA. (Sinclair later said it would air a tribute to Kirk during Kimmel's timeslot Friday.)

Late Wednesday, ABC announced that it would "indefinitely" pull Kimmel's show from the airwaves.

President Trump applauded the movie, and called on other networks to cancel their late-night hosts as well.

"Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT" the president wrote on Truth Social.

What Jimmy Kimmel Said About Charlie Kirk

Kimmel is a longtime Trump critic who has often mocked the Republican, including while hosting the 2024 Oscars.

In his opening monologue on Monday night, Kimmel argued that Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Kirk's murder last week, was affiliated with the pro-Trump MAGA movement.

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.

Kimmel's comment begins at the 1:30 mark in the video above, which you can also see here.

The Daily Mail has reported that Robinson's grandmother said "most of my family members are Republican." But CNN reports that prosecutors said Robinson's mother has “explained that over the last year or so, Robinson had become more political and had started to lean more to the left – becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.”

Late-Night Cancel Culture

In July, Paramount paid $16 million to settle a Trump lawsuit. Because the payment came as Paramount sought to seal a $1.5 billion sale — and hoped to avoid federal intervention — Colbert called it “a big fat bribe.”

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was cancelled days later.

Trump subsequently said on Truth Social that he was not to blame for Colbert’s cancellation.

“Everybody is saying that I was solely responsible for the firing of Stephen Colbert from CBS, Late Night,” Trump wrote. “That is not true! The reason he was fired was a pure lack of TALENT, and the fact that this deficiency was costing CBS $50 Million Dollars a year in losses — And it was only going to get WORSE!”

Main image: Tatiana Maslany in a promotional image from She Hulk. Disney+.

"This isn't right," Stiller posted on X.

Sykes, who had been scheduled to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday, before ABC suspended the show indefinitely, said on Instagram that Trump had "didn’t end the Ukraine war or solve Gaza within his first week. But he did end freedom of speech within his first year."

She added: "Hey, for those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy."

Former President Obama posted on Threads: “After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like. This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent — and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it.”

Two prominent Hollywood unions — SAG-AFTRA, which represents actors, and the Writers Guild of America — also spoke out for Kimmel.

"Democracy thrives when diverse points of view are expressed," SAG-AFTRA said in a statement. "The decision to suspend airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone’s freedoms. 

"As a Guild, we stand united in opposition to anyone who uses their power and influence to silence the voices of writers, or anyone who speaks in dissent," said the WGA statement. "If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we needn't have bothered to write it into the Constitution. What we have signed on to – painful as it may be at times – is the freeing agreement to disagree. Shame on those in government who forget this founding truth. As for our employers, our words have made you rich. Silencing us impoverishes the whole world."

O'Donnell lamented on Instagram: "this is unacceptable - f--- this fascist administration and corrupt corporate executives - bowing to the orange monster - america is no more 🥲."

Comedian and director Mike Birbiglia wrote on Instagram: "If you're a comedian + don't call out the insanity of pulling Kimmel off the air — don't bother spouting off about free speech anymore."

He was alluding to many pro-Trump comedians who loudly and frequently complained about cancel culture — before the Trump Administration had a comedian cancelled.

How the Trump Administration Fought Jimmy Kimmel

Brendan Carr, who Trump appointed as chair of the Federal Communications Commission, made threats Wednesday that the FCC might take action against Disney-owned ABC, saying on a podcast, "These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the F.C.C. ahead.”

He also called on network affiliates to say, "Listen, we are going to pre-empt, we are not going to run Kimmel anymore until you straighten this out.”

Within hours, Nexstar, which needs FCC approval for a planned $6.2 billion deal to acquire a rival, announced that it would pre-empt Kimmel's show. Additionally, Sinclair, which also owns ABC affiliate stations, said it would also stop airing Kimmel's show, and called on Kimmel to apologize and “make a meaningful personal donation” Kirk’s family and his conservtive activist group, Turning Point USA. (Sinclair later said it would air a tribute to Kirk during Kimmel's timeslot Friday.)

Late Wednesday, ABC announced that it would "indefinitely" pull Kimmel's show from the airwaves.

President Trump applauded the movie, and called on other networks to cancel their late-night hosts as well.

"Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT" the president wrote on Truth Social.

What Jimmy Kimmel Said About Charlie Kirk

Kimmel is a longtime Trump critic who has often mocked the Republican, including while hosting the 2024 Oscars.

In his opening monologue on Monday night, Kimmel argued that Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Kirk's murder last week, was affiliated with the pro-Trump MAGA movement.

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.

Kimmel's comment begins at the 1:30 mark in the video above, which you can also see here.

The Daily Mail has reported that Robinson's grandmother said "most of my family members are Republican." But CNN reports that prosecutors said Robinson's mother has “explained that over the last year or so, Robinson had become more political and had started to lean more to the left – becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.”

Main image: Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live Monday. ABC.

Anaconda is the story of two middle-aged guys played by Paul Rudd and Jack Black who finally decide to fulfill a lifelong dream: remaking the '90s horror film Anaconda.

When their hired anaconda dies, they go into the jungle in search of new snakes, and encounter a giant anaconda like the one in the movie Anaconda.

We already love this movie. (If you can't see the trailer above, treat yourself to watching it here.)

The film — which carries the tagline, "it's the movie they're dying to remake — comes from writer-director Tom Gormican, who previously did this sort of meta bring-the-movies-to-life thing with the very funny 2022 Nicolas Cage adventure The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, which featured Cage playing himself and getting caught up in an adventure-filled faceoff with Pedro Pascal.

Anaconda also recalls the meta concept of another film in which Jack Black starred, Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder, in which a cadre of pretentious actors go to the jungle to film a war movie and quickly find themselves in the midst of very real violence.

Background on Anaconda

The new Anaconda arrives on Christmas Day — why not? — and also stars ​Steve Zahn, ​Thandiwe Newton, ​Daniela Melchior and ​Selton Mello.

In a delightful nod to Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" — featuring the line "my anaconda don't want none unless you got buns, hon" — the new Anaconda trailer features the opening riff of the song slowed down and played over and over again, like John Williams' theme for Stephen Spielberg's Jaws.

May we again editorialize? Brilliant.

Intriguingly, the film has not yet been rated. So you can bet there are some interesting internal debates going on about just how graphic its snake attacks should be.

The original Anaconda,  released in 1997, was directed by Luis Llosa and starred Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, Jonathan Hyde, and Owen Wilson. It also had a meta aspect: It was the story of a documentary film crew seeking a giant, legendary snake which they of course eventually find.

It received so-so reviews but did well enough at the box office to become a cult classic and inspire several sequels. And many in the cast went on to become A-listers.

It also holds a proud place on our esteemed list of 12 Killer Animal Movies That Used Real Animals. Kudos, everyone.

The new film is co-written by Kevin Etten, who also co-wrote Ghosted and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, among other projects, and executive produced by Samson Mücke. It is produced by Gormican, Etten, Brad Fuller ​​​​​and Andrew Form.

Anaconda arrives in theaters December 25 from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Main image: Paul Rudd and Jack Black in, you know, Anaconda.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our founder and friend Robert Redford," the Sundance Institute said in a statement Tuesday.

"Bob’s vision of a space and a platform for independent voices launched a movement that, over four decades later, has inspired generations of artists and redefined cinema in the U.S. and around the world.

"Beyond his enormous contributions to culture at large, we will miss his generosity, clarity of purpose, curiosity, rebellious spirit, and his love for the creative process. We are humbled to be among the stewards of his remarkable legacy, which will continue to guide the Institute in perpetuity."

In addition to his role in founding the festival, Redford also served as the Sundance Institute's president.

Background on Robert Redford and Sundance

Sundance started in 1978, near the end of a decade in which Redford ruled the screen with films including All the President's Men, The Candidate and The Way We Were.

Originally called the Utah/US Film Festival, it aimed to bring more film to Utah, and was founded by Sterling Van Wagenen, head of Redford's Wildwood Enterprises Inc., as well as the Utah Film Commission. The first edition included films like Midnight Cowboy, The Sweet Smell of Success, and Mean Streets.

In 1981, the festival moved to Park City, Utah, and shifted its dates from September to January, the month in which the festival has taken place since.  It was renamed the Sundance Film Festival in 1991, in honor of one of Redford's most famous films, 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Sundance has become one of the most prestigious of all festivals, known for breaking indie filmmakers into the mainstream and giving the world its first glimpse at major awards contenders, usually long before they arrive in theaters.

Last year, it announced that it will most to Boulder, Colorado, beginning in 2027.

“I founded the Sundance Institute with a commitment to discovering and developing independent artists, with the Sundance Film Festival serving as the platform for stories to help expand audiences and broaden the landscape,” Redford said at the time.

“That mission remains even more critical today and will continue to be our core principle. Words cannot express the sincere gratitude I have for Park City, the state of Utah, and all those in the Utah community that have helped to build the organization.”

Main image: Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid and Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy in a promotional image for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. 20th Century Fox.

Felker-Martin also responded to Kirk's death by writing, “Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie Kirk.” Felker-Martin, who is trans, previously wrote a 2022 novel, Manhunt, in which the Harry Potter author, who has made many anti-trans statements, is burned to death.

Following Felker-Martin statements about Kirk, DC immediately cancelled the run of her new comic series, a Batman spinoff called Red Hood.

DC said in a statement: “At DC Comics, we place the highest value on our creators and community and affirm the right to peaceful, individual expression of personal viewpoints. Posts or public comments that can be viewed as promoting hostility or violence are inconsistent with DC’s standards of conduct.”

Felker-Martin has not responded to MovieMaker's requests for comment.

Wachowksi, who like Felker-Martin is trans, expressed support for the fired author and criticized DC for not backing Felker-Martin.

"DC comics planting their flag on the moral high ground on the side of a white nationalist, transphobe while dutifully carrying on his rotten work in the firing of Gretchen Felker-Martin. The characters of the DC universe would find this despicable," Wachowski wrote on Bluesky.

DC cancelled Red Hook after one issue had been released, explaining in a statement to retailers: “DC Comics cancels existing orders for Red Hood #2 and Red Hood #3, and any orders for future issues of the series. DC Comics will credit retailers for all invoiced copies of Red Hood #1, inclusive of copies that may have already been sold.”

But Wachowski called on retailers to keep selling the first issue, stating "the cool comic shops will carry the #1 of Red Hood even though they were told to stop selling them. Support them too if you can!"

Wachowski also added a link to Felker-Martin's Patreon "to help Gretchen and the lost revenue from losing her book."

Lilly Wachowski has long objected to right wingers using memes from The Matrix. In 2020, when Tesla founder Elon Musk tweeted “Take the red pill” and Ivanka Trump replied, “Taken!,” Wachowski succinctly responded, “F— both of you.”

Background on Lilly Wachowski, Gretchen Felker-Martin and Firings Over Charlie Kirk Comments

Police have arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in Kirk's shooting.

Most people from across the political spectrum have publicly denounced Kirk's murder last week as he spoke at Utah Valley University. Former President Barack Obama, for example, quickly issued a statement saying that ” this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy.”

But some reactions to the shooting led to quick firings, including that of Felker-Martin. Another prominent dismissal was MSNBC's firing of commentator Matthew Dowd, who opined soon after Kirk was shot that Kirk was "constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions." He later accused MSNBC of giving in to a "right wing mob."

Also last week,The Washington Post fired writer and editor Karen Attiah, who later wrote on Instagram, "My offense? Calling out America’s acceptance of hatred and political violence, gun deaths, especially when the violence is carried out by white men. For this, the Washington Post accused me of 'gross misconduct,' putting its staff in danger , and fired me without a conversation or review. I wholeheartedly reject these charges."

In her firing letter, obtained by Status, the Post objected to Attiah's messages on Bluesky in which she wrote, "Refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a white man that espoused violence is…. not the same as violence,” and “Part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence.”

Many in Hollywood have taken care not to say anything that could be construed as disrespectful of Kirk. Kirk's name went unmentioned at the Emmys, for example. And Stephen King quickly apologized for a tweet saying that Kirk "advocated stoning gays to death," explaining that in fact Kirk had been demonstrating "how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages.”

King's tweet came days before the opening of The Long Walk, the latest of many adaptations of his work.

On Monday, Vice President JD Vance pledged a crackdown on "radical left lunatics" he blames for encouraging Kirk's death. He said the Trump Administration would “go after the NGO network that foments, facilitates and engages in violence.”

The conservative-leaning Drudge Report shared a headline Tuesday that declared, "Cancel culture -- now run by conservatives!"

Main image: Red Hood. DC Comics.

In the new Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere trailer, The Bear star Jeremy Allen White transforms into the Boss at a crucial stage in his career: during the making of Nebraska.

The film isn't a biopic, exactly, but rather a look at a short but crucial period in Springsteen's life as an artist. In 1982, as his label seeks a top ten hit, Springsteen opted instead to record quiet, dark, introspective and largely acoustic songs, including "Atlantic City," the eerie story of mob violence that plays throughout the Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere' trailer.

He recorded them largely on a four-track in his New Jersey bedroom.

“This film takes a couple years out of my life and looks at them very closely, a time when I made Nebraska and went through some personal difficulties,” Springsteen said in a statement released Sunday. “I’m so appreciative of Jeremy Allen White and the entire cast for their wonderful and moving performances — and Scott Cooper, one of the most generous collaborators I’ve ever worked with.”

In addition to a striking physical resemblance, White uncannily imitates the Boss' spoken vocal cadences as he explains himself in the trailer for the film: "I'm tryin' to find something real."

What he found included deeply personal songs, as well as songs inspired by Terrence Malick's film Badlands.

You can watch the trailer here if you don't see it above.

Background on Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, Starring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen

Based on Warren Zanes’ book of the same name, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is directed by Cooper (Hostiles), and also stars Jeremy Strong as Springsteen’s long-time confidant and manager, Jon Landau; Paul Walter Hauser as guitar tech Mike Batlan; Odessa Young as Faye; Stephen Graham as Springsteen’s father, Doug; Gaby Hoffman as Springsteen’s mother, Adele; and David Krumholtz as Columbia executive, Al Teller.

“Nebraska is where Bruce chose truth over expectation — a choice that still reverberates through everything he’s written since. At that crossroads, he could have chased the bright lights and the roar of arenas, but instead he turned inward, armed only with silence, a four-track recorder, and the courage to confront himself. For him to trust me with telling that story—the most vulnerable chapter of his life—is the greatest honor I’ve ever had as a filmmaker,” Cooper said in a statement.

The trailer debuted during Sunday night's Emmys, a ceremony where The Bear has been known to clean up.

After debuting this month at the Telluride Film Festival, the film currently holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

It is produced by Cooper, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Eric Robinson and Scott Stuber. Tracey Landon, Jon F. Vein and Zanes executive produce. The film includes an original score by composer Jeremiah Fraites, cinematography by Masanobu Takayanagi, production design by Stefania Cella, costume design by Kasia Walicka-Maimone, and is edited by Pamela Martin.

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere arrives in theaters October 24 from 20th Century Studios.

This year’s Emmys were held under unusually tight security because of the fatal shooting last week of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. And many celebrities chose their words very carefully, in light of recent firings over public reactions to Kirk's death that were deemed distasteful.

But Einbinder didn't censor herself on two particularly divisive subjects — though the CBS broadcast did censor her language.

"I just want to say, finally, Go Birds, f--- ICE and free Palestine," she said from the stage. The Emmys audience roared.

Backstage, she elaborated on her statement, saying she has friends who are working as frontline medical workers in Gaza. She said she feels that "it is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel. Because our religion and our culture is such an important and long-standing institution that is really separate to this sort of ethnonationalist state."

Until Einbinder's declaration, the Emmys had been fairly apolitical. The host, Nate Bargatze, has long been known for working clean and avoiding politics, and Sunday's show was no exception.

He started the show with a funny sketch about Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of television, and used the time that normally might have gone to a monologue to a funny routine in which he explained that he would be donating $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and adding or subtracting money based on whether winners went over or under a 45-second time limit for their speeches. It became a running gag throughout the night.

Einbinder went over her time, but pledged to pay the Boys & Girls Clubs for the difference.

(And if you're wondering about the "Go Birds" declaration: Einbinder is a longtime Philadelphia Eagles fan because her father is from the Philadelphia area.)

Hannah Einbinder, The Emmys and Politics

The other big political moment of the Emmys was unspoken: Stephen Colbert took the stage to hand out the night's first big award, and ask the audience, "Is anyone hiring?"

It worked as a joke about his show's recent cancellation, but also as a moment of defiance, given its context.

This year's Emmys are airing on CBS, owned by Paramount. In July, Paramount paid $16 million to settle a Trump lawsuit. Because the payment came as Paramount sought to seal a $1.5 billion sale — and hoped to avoid federal intervention from the Trump Administration — Colbert called it “a big fat bribe.”

Days later, his series, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, was cancelled.

Trump subsequently said on Truth Social that he was not to blame for Colbert’s cancellation.

“Everybody is saying that I was solely responsible for the firing of Stephen Colbert from CBS, Late Night,” Trump wrote. “That is not true! The reason he was fired was a pure lack of TALENT, and the fact that this deficiency was costing CBS $50 Million Dollars a year in losses — And it was only going to get WORSE!”

Another political moment came later in the show, when Televison Academy chair Cris Abrego called on the industry not to regress, but to keep fighting for inclusion and societal uplift. He cited the long history of groundbreaking television shows, from All in the Family to South Park.

The latter show has spent much of its current 27th season mocking Trump Administration policies. It has also mocked Paramount, which owns Comedy Central, the network that airs South Park, for paying to settle the Trump lawsuit.

Main image: Hannah Einbinder backstage at the Emmys with fellow Hacks star and Emmy winner Jean Smart. CBS.

Editor's Note: Corrects spelling of Hannah Einbinder.