As of December 23rd, the movie Red One is the second most popular title on Prime Video, moving up one position from the day before, according to FlixPatrol. It’s currently just behind the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Completing the top 5 on Prime Video are Oh. What. Fun (scheduled for 2025), Candy Cane Lane (2023), and Merv (also planned for 2025).
Although movie theaters are struggling right now, the first 25 years of this century gave us an amazing number of great films, spanning all kinds of genres – and even creating some entirely new ones. It’s fascinating to imagine what the pioneers of cinema, like the Lumière brothers and Thomas Edison, would think of modern filmmaking trends like screenlife movies or legacy sequels.
Horror films have evolved over time, starting with the iconic monsters of Universal Horror and the suspenseful films produced by Val Lewton. Japan then added the thrilling genre of giant monster movies. Throughout this history, incredible films have emerged in all types of horror, including psychological thrillers, classic monster features, slasher films, and stories that explore social issues.
The film gets off to a promising start with its opening scenes. Though not groundbreaking, director Roache-Turner takes the time to develop his characters, showing us their experiences in boot camp. Set in 1942, the film introduces a group of eager young Australian soldiers preparing for war. Between training exercises, they joke around, playfully fight, play rugby, and flirt with the nurses stationed at the camp. While some characters initially feel a bit like stereotypes, it doesn’t become distracting. These early moments help make the later violence feel more impactful.
It’s quite a turnaround. Marvel first convinced the directors of Endgame (and several other popular Avengers and Captain America films – Joe and Anthony Russo) to helm the Doomsday project after it underwent changes following the dismissal of Jonathan Majors. Apparently, the planned Kang storyline didn’t pan out. Then, they managed to bring Robert Downey Jr. back to play Doctor Doom, despite his Iron Man character’s sacrifice in Endgame.
Set during a chaotic period in Korean history, this drama follows Baek Gi-tae (Hyun Bin), a complex character who lives a dangerous double life. He pretends to work for the country’s intelligence agency while secretly running a drug operation, using his position to cover his tracks. But when determined prosecutor Jang Geon-yeong (Jung Woo-sung) begins to suspect something is wrong, a powerful and unforgettable conflict begins.
I’ve been a fan of Tomb Raider for ages – it really paved the way for so many action and survival games like Uncharted. But honestly, the movies haven’t always been great. I was so happy to see the recent animated series on Netflix was a big improvement, and I’m really hopeful the new live-action show coming to Prime will be even better! It feels like they’re finally getting it right.
Isao Yukisada, the director of the popular film Go, brings us Revolver Lily, a sleek new action-thriller. Starring Ayase Haruka (known for Our Little Sister and Ichi), who received a Best Actress nomination at the 2024 Japanese Academy Awards, the film follows a highly skilled assassin who appears to have left her dangerous life behind to run a brothel. But when a former coworker is killed, she’s forced to use her deadly talents once more, protecting the man’s young son and leaving a trail of enemies in her wake.
Since its limited release in theaters and arrival on Netflix on December 5th, Jay Kelly has consistently been popular, appearing on the Top 10 lists worldwide and in the US. This is especially impressive for a dramedy directed by Noah Baumbach, known for films like The Squid and the Whale.
Kumail Nanjiani recently shared on the NPR podcast Wild Card that he’s very pleased with his work in Eternals, and surprisingly, wouldn’t change a single thing about his performance.