The Lord Of The Rings’ Connection To Christmas Explained

There’s plenty of evidence suggesting The Lord of the Rings is actually a Christmas franchise. A big part of its appeal likely comes from the fact that all three movies were originally released in mid-December. For three years in a row – 2001, 2002, and 2003 – fans looked forward to seeing Peter Jackson’s latest installment during the holiday season. But that’s not the only reason.

Tim Allen’s Forgotten 5% RT Christmas Movie Just Joined HBO Max (And It’s a Streaming Hit)

You know, as a total Christmas movie fanatic, I’m actually kind of fascinated by what people are watching right now. Apparently, everyone on HBO Max is watching Christmas with the Kranks! It’s that 2004 comedy with Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis where they try to ditch Christmas for a cruise, and things go hilariously wrong. It just landed on HBO Max after leaving Netflix, and it’s shot up to number two on their most-watched list – only beaten by Elf! Honestly, I always thought it was a pretty silly movie, but it’s doing better than classics like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and The Polar Express, even beating out something totally different like The Conjuring: Last Rites to round out the top five. It’s wild how much staying power that movie has!

Red Hood’s Darkest Future Reveals the Truth About Him That Everyone Misunderstands

Jason Todd’s character can be complex, but a recent storyline showed us a truly terrifying version of him at his worst, and it was fantastic. The second issue of DC K.O. Knightfight continued Batman’s journey through a grim alternate reality caused by the Heart of Apokalips. After escaping an alternate version of Dick Grayson, Batman found himself in a world where Jason Todd is the Batman.

Helldivers 2 dev Arrowhead reveals it’s got a roguelite mode that “changes the game fundamentally” prototyped — I’m dying to know what it looks like

Since launching in February 2024, Helldivers 2, the popular co-op shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios, has kept players busy with a steady stream of new content. The developers regularly add ‘Warbonds’ offering unlockable gear, introduce new enemy types to keep battles interesting, and create large-scale events like the defense of Super Earth.

Critics Have Seen Ella McCay, And They Think The Political Drama ‘Should Come With A Sugar-Content Warning’

The film Ella McCay, set in 2008, features Emma Mackey (known from Sex Education) as the unexpectedly appointed governor. The story follows her as she deals with the difficulties of the job, including a possible scandal and an accidental encounter with her brother’s marijuana edibles. Critic Nick Schager of The Daily Beast compares it unfavorably to other work by the director, calling it “as bad as it gets” and suggesting that its witlessness is more memorable than the film’s overall lack of appeal and overly sentimental idealism.

Star Wars Finally Revives a Strange Alien Species Missing Since Return of the Jedi

A recent report has confirmed the appearance of the Amanin in The Mandalorian & Grogu. Star Wars Insider, issue 235, reveals that the cobra-like alien featured in the trailer is an Amani – a species not seen in a Star Wars film for over 40 years. These reptilian aliens were previously seen among the bounty hunters at Jabba’s palace in Episode VI, but haven’t appeared in official Star Wars stories since.