James Cameron's Activism Makes 'Avatar' More Powerful

The celebrated master of the twist ending, M. Night Shyamalan has, for better or worse, always insisted on giving himself a cameo appearance in the films that he directs. Some think it's a wonderful trademark while others can find it to be a little annoying. Some of his cameos last for just a few seconds while others are credited roles as characters who appear in several scenes. Despite what we think of his penchant for inserting himself into his own narratives, it won't prevent us from giving you a ranking of his best appearances.

Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Episode 4 of The Last of Us.After the devastating events of last week’s episode, “Long, Long Time,” The Last of Us delivered another phenomenal installment with “Please Hold My Hand.” With Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) headed off to find Joel’s brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna), the world opens up to show the other types of threats that they might encounter within their journey. “Please Hold My Hand” marks the first appearance by Melanie Lynskey as the revolutionary leader Kathleen, but she’s not the only familiar face within the rebel group. Fans of The Last of Us games may have noticed that it's none other than Jeffrey Pierce who plays Kathleen’s right-hand man, Perry.

The cinematic landscape is awash with adaptations of Stephen King's body of work; his masterful craft has and continues to inspire filmmakers. King's far and wide-reaching influence continues to spread, as we are now learning via Variety that one of the prolific author's short stories is being adapted for the first time in a foreign language. Per the report, Aladdin star Mena Massoud is part of the producing team behind the Farsi language project, titled The Last King.

It’s hard to believe that Marvel fans are just over a week away until the start of Phase 5 with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The Paul Rudd-starring trilogy will be the epic start to Kang’s (Jonathan Majors) dynasty in the MCU and, of course, with every new film comes new toys. Now Hasbro has unveiled their latest Marvel Legends line for Quantumania.

What is it that we think of when we think of science fiction in cinema? Is it built around witnessing incredible technology that challenges what is possible for our lives? Or perhaps it is about aliens that come crashing down to our planet and take control of society itself? These can be entertaining in their own ways, but there is also something more to the genre that can be rather reserved though no less riveting to behold. In writer-director Sofia Alaoui’s feature debut Animalia, this is made front and center. It takes the ordinary rhythms of life and injects it with a more surreal series of events when mysterious forces begin to warp the world as we know it to be. It is a film that is less interested in making these phenomena fully comprehensible than it is in embracing the eeriness of them. As a result, it is a work that punctuates the commonplace with the peculiar and leaves a lingering impression precisely because of its fluidity. Though its characters may not be as complex as one would hope in a story like this, the experience of letting it all wash over you proves to be quite wondrous.

Horror is made up of a multitude of subgenres like the slasher genre, psychological horror, and supernatural horror, but one of the more recent ones to come along and haunt peoples' dreams is analog horror. Defined by its low-grade video and harsh audio quality, as well as bizarre and cryptic stories, analog horror has quickly come up in the internet age as an incredibly niche yet super effective corner of the genre. While there are not too many analog horror feature films that have come along yet, the internet has been filled with a number of web series, short films, and videos that play within its parameters, booming the popularity of this subgenre early in its life. Being that it is a subgenre in its infancy, there is still plenty of room to grow and expand upon to see what analog horror is capable of. With the recent release of the hit indie-horror film Skinamarink, it seems as though this form of terror is more alive, filled with potential, and rawer than ever.

Cate Blanchett's latest character Lydia Tár in Todd Field's Tár, yet another phenomenal performance added to the actor's rich filmography, brings another chillingly maniacal character to mind - Daniel Day-Lewis' Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood. Lydia Tár, the world’s most acclaimed and ruthless composer, is manipulative, scary, and starkly human on a level that is truly sensational to experience. While Blanchett already has two Academy Awards on her resume, she could likely win another Best Actress trophy in March for a performance that is simply “undeniable.” One of the few actors that already has three acting prizes from the Academy is Daniel Day-Lewis; his second win came for his role as the aforementioned Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood, a performance not dissimilar from Blanchett’s.

In celebration of the success of the Lucasfilm series, The Mandalorian, Disney+ has announced that the series will make its broadcast television debut, introducing a special linear airing for the first episode of the series. The TV broadcast debut comes ahead of the premiere of the highly anticipated third season.

There are few words more synonymous with horror than Frankenstein. The story of the gifted but narcissistic Victor Frankenstein and his misguided pursuit to reanimate the dead is arguably the genre’s most enduring tale, and its flexibility has allowed for a constant stream of fresh interpretations that has made it a favorite for budding writers everywhere. It’s been over two hundred years since Mary Shelley composed her mournful ode to parental neglect and scientific experimentation gone wrong during the volcanic winter of 1816 (the so-called Year Without a Summer), and while time has done nothing to diminish its brilliance, the lax approach taken by its countless adaptations in the years since has made the original story appear increasingly disparate. Shelley’s novel is a very different beast than what centuries worth of reimaginings have decided the stereotypical image should be, and while a few have flirted with sticking closer to her vision, none have embraced this idea better than Kenneth Branagh’s appropriately titled Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – a flawed but nevertheless compelling film that remains the strongest adaption of horror’s greatest story.

For those who are abreast with all things television, it is no surprise that HBO’s The Last of Us is one of the most beloved shows at the moment. And just like the contagious Cordyceps fungus that has ravaged the continental U.S. and the rest of the world on-screen, the love for the series continues to grow rapidly. According to Variety, viewership for the show’s latest episode comes in at 7.5 million viewers. This is a 17% increase on the 6.4 million viewers who watched the previous episode live. The episode titled, "Please Hold My Hand" refocuses on Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who in their bid to get to Wyoming are trapped in a “liberated” Kansas City.

Recent news that Phoebe Dynevor will not be returning to her role of Daphne (or the Duchess of Hastings, as she later became) has come as a shock to Bridgerton fans, with many questioning what the show will be like without her. But it is necessary to remember that the show’s formula is not built around an ensemble cast. Rather, it spotlights the romantic trials and triumphs of a chosen Bridgerton sibling each season, demanding that we all become a little less attached to its previous stars.

Marvel's new series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur follows the adventures of teenage super genius and superhero Lunella Lafayette (Diamond White) and her giant, cuddly, fire-breathing T. Rex pal Devil Dinosaur (Fred Tatasciore). While the two might spend nights and weekends fighting crime, during the day Lunella is just your average 13-year-old, with school, homework, and of course friends. In a new featurette, which Collider is excited to exclusively share, audiences get the chance to meet Lunella's social circle.

Kevin Hart is on fire in a newly released trailer for his upcoming action comedy Die Hart, and we mean literally. The first look reveals Hart’s latest role as an over-the-top fictionalized version of himself on a quest to change up his comedic type casting and make the major (and dangerous) jump into action films. Quickly realizing that he may have bit off more than he can chew, the star is in for a rude awakening when he goes to study at the top action training facility in the country.

Based on Adam Nevill's 2011 novel, The Ritual has all the makings of a great horror film. A group of friends set out for a hiking trip in Sweden after the recent loss of a friend to a tragedy - it already sounds like a disaster in waiting. While the setup may make The Ritual seem like another low-budget survival horror film, the film presents more than it offers with its chilling atmosphere, sound effects, and ability to hold tension. Directed by David Brucker and written by Joe Barton, The Ritual places its different elements artistically to provide a fascinating and terrifying, underrated horror movie. It also has something to offer all kinds of horror film fans.

With the debut of anticipated sports comedy White Men Can’t Jump so close, 20th Century Studios released a first-look image alongside a teaser which aired during the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. 20th Century Studios also released the premiere date of the comedy movie which will begin streaming on May 19, 2023.

It's something of a cliché to say that good things come to those that wait, but just because something's clichéd doesn't mean it can't come true. This is seen in the world of film, as while most stars (and sometimes even directors) achieve peak popularity when they're younger, others find success when they're older. Sometimes, they start young and grow their skills as they age, and other times, their careers don't truly take off until they've reached their senior years.

Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Episode 4 of The Last of Us.This week's episode of The Last of Us, "Please Hold My Hand," finally has Ellie (Bella Ramsey) get the gun she pestered Joel (Pedro Pascal) for so long about. It took her three episodes, but her guardian finally gave in after she displayed enough awareness of what it meant to wield a weapon to the point of saving his life. This is never an easy topic to deal with and Joel knows it, especially seeing as Ellie is still a kid, but when you live in a post-apocalyptic world infested with zombies, well, maybe it does have its merits, so he lets her keep it.

From creator Jeff Davis (Teen Wolf) and based on the book series by Edo Van Belkom, the Paramount+ original series Wolf Pack follows Everett (Armani Jackson) and Blake (Bella Shepard), as they learn just how much getting bitten by a supernatural creature will change their lives. Drawn to each other, they meet two other teens, Luna (Chloe Rose Robertson) and Harlan (Tyler Lawrence Gray), who share their secret and a mysterious connection to the terrifying California wildfires and the full moon that is calling to them.

Helen Mirren will star as acclaimed author Patricia Highsmith in Switzerland, an upcoming thriller depicting a fictional encounter with a persistent literary agent. The film will be directed by Anton Corbijn, his first feature in eight years. Deadline reports that Mirren will take on the role of the reclusive author, best-known for her novels about amoral con artist Tom Ripley, in an adaptation of Joanna Murray-Smith's stage play of the same name.

Horror has always been a genre that allows creatives to explore all manner of themes, no matter how potentially taboo. While the genre has a history of relegating women to the roles of eye candy or the stereotypical final girl, it has begun changing in recent decades to give women more, better parts that allow them to showcase their talents. Representation in horror has never been as great as it is now.