News

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

It always seems like Netflix has an unending library of great movies and TV shows, but at the same time, it is also quite difficult to figure out what you actually want to watch. So, we thought why not let Netflix make it easy for you, as it removes movies and TV shows from its library every month, and we decided to pick the best of the best films and TV shows you should watch before you can’t anymore and also just a reminder 12 great AMC shows are also leaving Netflix next month.

Dawn of the Dead (August 1) Credit – Universal Pictures

Dawn of the Dead is an action horror film directed by Zack Snyder from a screenplay by James Gunn. Based on the 1978 film Dawn of the Dead by George A. Romero, the 2004 film is set in...

You don't need us to tell you that John Wayne was one of the best Western movie actors of all time, but what was his finest Western film? There are plenty of great picks in a career that spanned five decades, both with his regular and most famous collaborator John Ford and with other directors. Two landmark films with Ford often dominate the conversation: Wayne's star-making turn in "Stagecoach," and his unusually dark odyssey in "The Searchers." Both are brilliant shout-outs, but if you pay any attention to IMDb rankings, the director and star went one better with "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."

Released in 1962, John Ford's absorbing drama explores the clash between the romanticized myth-making of the Old West and the American frontier's hard-won transition to democratic law and order. That might sound like a bit of a snooze if you're expecting classic matinee-style shootouts and horse action,...

Henry Fonda for President. From Fail Safe.“What America needs is a kind of self-demystification,” muses Alexander Horwath in his new documentary, Henry Fonda for President (2024). Horwath, an Austrian film historian and curator, believes this can be accomplished through the medium of Henry Fonda. He sees Fonda, in a decidedly concrete and nonmystical way, as America itself. To prove that thesis, Horwath has filmed an essay, not a biography, and his approach is deliberately eccentric. His own feelings about the US—what its history, principles, and delusions look like to an outsider’s eyes—are at least as much a part of this three-hour film as Fonda is.Horwath, though a deep admirer of Fonda, is not a conventional “fan.” He has no use for “TCM Remembers”–type tropes, even the ones audiences most expect, such as identifying costars; either you recognize John Carradine, Vera Miles, or young Anthony Quinn,...

Remakes are often viewed with tremendous suspicion by moviegoers, especially when the film getting revisited is a bona-fide classic. This is because the rationale for most remakes is pure exploitation. The studio holds the rights to a property that once made it a gazillion dollars, and, because the money people have decided the original's laid fallow long enough, the time is right to splash a fresh coat of paint on it and see if a new generation of viewers will fork over cash to check out a gussied-up retread.

There have certainly been worthwhile remakes over the years, but those were made with tremendous care and purpose by people who had a passion for the material. For the most part, you wind up with lifeless dreck such as 2014's "RoboCop," 2005's "The Fog," and 2006's "The Omen".

Speaking of indistinguishable, what are we to make of 1998's "Psycho," the shot-for-shot...

When Danny and Michael Philippou drop something, you pay attention. The Australian YouTubers-turned-genre-wunderkinds shook the horror scene with Talk to Me. Naturally, when I got the invite to a special A24 event in Los Angeles to see two exclusive scenes from their follow-up feature , Bring Her Back, I showed up like my life depended on it. Because maybe it did.

Talk to Me was truly personal for me. When I escaped Russia and was prepping my second short, The Power of the Strike, I saw the Philippous’ debut feature at its European premiere in Berlin, my jaw unhinged, and then immediately booked another screening. I was obsessed not just with the film’s merciless tension and visceral sound design, but also with the Philippous themselves. These guys get horror. They love horror. And they know how to make you suffer beautifully. That energy is contagious.

Now, this energy is back,...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

This April, Netflix is bringing you a lot of entertainment, from the highly anticipated conclusion to the psychological crime thriller drama series You to the brutal Tom Hardy action film Havoc. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Netflix this month and have an 80% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the seven best films that are coming to Netflix in April 2025 with an 80% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

The Age of Innocence (April 1) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88% Credit – Columbia Pictures

The Age of Innocence is a historical romantic drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jay Cocks. Based on the 1920 novel of the same name by Edith Wharton, the 1993 film is set in the 1870s and it follows Newland Archer, a wealthy...

“I know people speak of me as the typical American: trustworthy, loyal, full of integrity,” says the screen icon at the center of Henry Fonda for President in the film’s opening moments. “I read it, but it doesn’t mean anything to me.” The perception that the frail-voiced Fonda, in his final recorded interview, is referencing was mostly a flattering one for American moviegoers: The unassuming moral rectitude they saw in the actor was a reflection of the better angels of their nature, of a nation not yet disabused of its supposed founding ideals. As Fonda’s ambivalence suggests, though, the truth was more complicated.

The debut film by Austrian film historian and curator Alexander Horwath, Henry Fonda for President rigorously unpacks the implications of Fonda’s screen image over the course of the next three hours. The film charts a more-or-less chronological course through American history and Fonda...

Of all the "movie brat" directors that came out of the New Hollywood era, Brian De Palma has to be the most underrated. While audiences always remember his most popular films, like Scarface, The Untouchables and Carlito's Way, they tend to overlook some of his most compelling work. Before spending the latter part of his career making gangster movies and crime dramas, De Palma was the "movie brat" most associated with horror and thrillers. Aside from being the first director to adapt a Stephen King book, his love and passion for the history of horror in cinema went on to inspire him to tell those kinds of stories throughout the first decade of his career.

De Palma's first movie to attract audiences was the 1972 thriller Sisters, which highlighted his grasp of edgy material inspired by thrillers of the past. De Palma would make multiple thrillers and horror films in the '70s,...

More so than most other movie genres, thrillers are often judged based on their climaxes. A powerful ending can make or break a thriller. Since the genre is all about suspense and excitement, the ending is important as it offers a chance to pay off the tension of the entire movie. If a thriller's ending misses the mark, the tension can dissipate without any kind of cathartic release.

Many of the best thriller movies of all time are only held in such high regard because they wrap things up so perfectly. Thrillers often use twist endings, and these can be especially risky. Other thrillers try to leave their audiences with one last action sequence to provide a counterpoint to the preceding tension. Whatever technique is chosen, a good thriller can leave a lasting impression. Unfortunately, there are just as many thrillers with underwhelming endings that leave audiences disappointed.

Iconic: Psycho...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Netflix has the biggest content library of any streaming service, and for that reason, many movies from the past are available on it. So, we thought about all the fans of old brilliant movies that are now characterized as classics and decided to compile a list of the best classic movies on Netflix that you should check out right now.

Scarface Credit – Universal Pictures

Scarface is a crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma from a screenplay by Oliver Stone. Based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Armitage Trail and its 1932 film adaptation, the 1983 film follows Tony Montana and his close friend Manny, who build a ruthless and successful drug empire in Miami. However as Tony’s power grows so do his enemies, but the biggest threat to his empire is his own paranoia. Scarface stars Al Pacino,...

Alfred Hitchcock is one of those filmmakers who is considered untouchable. The very idea of remaking a Hitchcock movie, or making a sequel to one of his films, often sounds like sacrilege, although that hasn't stopped people from doing it over the years. Many of Hitchcock's films are considered classics, and I think it's fair to say that one of his most-famous, most-beloved movies is 1960's "Psycho." Adapting the pulpy novel by Robert Bloch, Hitchcock created a brilliant thriller with a killer twist ending, and even if you've somehow never seen the film, you're probably very aware of the famous shower scene, where Janet Leigh's Marion Crane is stabbed to death. It's a scene considered groundbreaking and innovative for its quick editing, which convinces us we're watching Leigh get sliced and diced even though we never actually see the knife pierce her flesh.

Hitchcock shot "Psycho" for under $1 million,...

Alfred Hitchcock: The Iconic Film Collection will collect six of the Master of Suspense’s classics on 4K Ultra HD + Digital: Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds.

Releasing on November 26 via Universal, the six-disc set is limited to 5,150. It’s housed in premium book-style packaging featuring artwork by Tristan Eaton along with photos, bios, and trivia.

In 1954’s Rear Window, “A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.”

It’s written by John Michael Hayes (To Catch a Thief), based on Cornell Woolrich’s 1942 short story “It Had to Be Murder.” James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, and Raymond Burr star.

Rear Window special features:

Audio commentary by Hitchcock’s Rear Window: The Well-Made Film author John Fawell Rear Window Ethics – 2000 documentary Conversation with Screenwriter John Michael...

The Final Girl trope defined characteristics of the last character left alive to confront the killer in horror films, particularly in slasher films. The rise of feminism in the 1970s became a milestone in the genre as the damsel in distress did not need a man to rescue her anymore. Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) in the Alien franchise and Jess Bradford (Olivia Hussey) from Black Christmas all portrayed strong female characters who all fought back against their assailant.

Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is one of the most famous final girls in the Halloween franchise that was first released in 1978 and deemed Laurie as the victim of her brother Michael Myers. As the final girl characteristics have developed, like the franchise, she no longer waits around for Michael instead is ready to fight him and is no longer a target.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

John Wayne, born in Iowa as Marion Robert Morrison in 1907, grew up to become one of the most famous figures in American film history. His family moved to Southern California when he was young, where he eventually attended the University of Southern California on a football scholarship. After an injury cut his athletic career short, Wayne turned to Hollywood. His first job in the film industry was as a prop boy and extra, before landing his first leading role in Raoul Walsh's 1930 film The Big Trail.

John Wayne's roles embodied the spirit of the American West, making him a symbol of the Western genre in Hollywood. His partnerships with legendary filmmakers like John Ford and Howard Hawks would yield numerous classics, including The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and El Dorado two of the best movies of his career. While it...

Everyone remembers watching a movie on network TV channels and being annoyed by a voiceover cutting in over the credits to announce what is coming next. Now Apple TV+ has been called out on X/Twitter for going one step further and ruining the ending of Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho by auto-minimizing the films final moments to promote The Big Bang Theory.

While it is one thing to cut out the end credits of a movie, something that every streaming platform does now, the problem with a movie like Psycho is that the film doesnt really have any end credits, so in order for Apple to get in their few seconds of self-promotion, they interrupt the chilling moment Antony Perkins Norman Bates stares directly into the camera, and the subsequent footage of Marion Cranes car being pulled out a filthy lake.

Psycho R HorrorDocumentaryMysteryThriller Where to Watchstreamrentbuy

Not available

*Availability...

Presented by Paramount Scares, Friday the 13th Week sees Bloody Disgusting heading to Camp Crystal Lake for a series of features that celebrate the Voorhees family and their influence. Yesterday, Luiz H.C. took inventory of all the horror movie fans in horror similar to franchise hero Tommy Jarvis. Today, Jenn Adams celebrates the franchise’s final girls.

As long as there have been slashers, there’ve been final girls; the lone–traditionally female–survivor at the end of the film. Fans of the lovably formulaic sub-genre have strong opinions about which character originated the trope. From Lila and Jess to Sally and Laurie, we each have our favorites and will defend them tooth and nail.

Most slasher franchises become known for specific final girls who appear alongside iconic villains in multiple films, but Friday the 13th is the rare exception that proves the rule. Known for killing off heroines early in subsequent films,...

August 9

Q: On this day exactly 50 years ago, August 9 1974, Richard Nixon became the first and only President to resign his office. Nixon also significantly brought Best Actor nominations to two actors who played him on screen. Who are they?

A: Anthony Hopkins was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for 1995’s Nixon. Frank Langella was nominated in the same category for 2008’s Frost/Nixon. Langella had previously won a Tony Award for the play on which that movie was based. Only one actor has ever won a Best Actor Oscar for playing a real life U.S. President. Daniel Day Lewis took his third Lead Actor Academy Award in 2012’s Lincoln. Raymond Massey was also previously nominated as Lincoln for Best Actor in 1940’s Abe Lincoln In Illinois. Nixon and Lincoln are the only real life U.S. Presidents to be responsible for multiple Oscar nominations for those who played them.

A historian rates The Searchers' Wild West scenes abysmal for realism, particularly the depiction of Cowboys versus Indians. The film is considered an iconic masterpiece but criticized for historical inaccuracies, and stereotypes about Comanche culture and Native Americans. The Searchers is based on true events but misrepresents the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, while white actors in redface reinforce racial stereotypes.

The Searchers receives an abysmal score for realism from a historian who calls it "just ridiculous." Directed by the legendary John Ford, the 1956 Western epic is set during the TexasIndian wars and follows a Civil War veteran, accompanied by his adopted nephew, who spends years searching for his niece who was abducted by Comanches. John Wayne leads the cast alongside Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, and Natalie Wood.

In a video from Insider, the cowboy and Old West historian Michael Grauer rated Wild West scenes in movies and television for realism,...

This August, Prime Video is bringing you a lot of entertainment with the highly anticipated Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, an all-new action-comedy film starring John Cena and Awkwafina titled Jackpot!, and an animated Batman series titled Batman: Caped Crusader. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Prime Video this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 10 best films that are coming to Prime Video in August 2024 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Fargo (August 1)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

Fargo is a dark comedy crime drama film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The 1996 film follows the story of Jerry, a sales manager who is under a huge debt. To repay his loan he hatches a plan to hire two henchmen to kidnap his wife and...

The Searchers is a classic film loved by many for its groundbreaking visuals and storytelling. John Ford's epic Western drama is a visual masterpiece that influenced many filmmakers. Despite some problematic depictions, The Searchers remains one of the best films in history.

What makes a movie a classic? The very definition of a classic film is often left in the hands of film connoisseurs, who are entitled to share why a film should be categorized as such. However, the reality is that anyone could say a movie should be considered a classic if enough fans agree. The beauty is that there are no winners or losers in the rocky field of film discussion.

However, some movies have been labeled as classics, and just about everyone agrees with very little debate. John Ford's epic Western drama, The Searchers, is undoubtedly an excellent example of a classic film with enough legacy...

John Ford’s classic Western “The Searchers” is back on the big screen — and this time, in 70mm.

IndieWire can exclusively unveil the full lineup for Museum of the Moving Image and Mubi’s ninth annual “See It Big: 70mm” film festival, with “The Searchers” headlining. The annual summer 70mm series is New York City’s only festival of 70mm films. The festival takes place from July 18 through August 18.

Ford’s “The Searchers” in 70mm will make its East Coast premiere after the print debuted at the American Cinematheque earlier this year. From July 18-21, the 1956 masterpiece will be presented seven times in a new restoration and newly struck 70mm print. The film was scanned from the original 35mm VistaVision camera negative for this print and has been approved by The Film Foundation, which was founded by Martin Scorsese. (He’s credited “The Searchers” for being a direct influence on his Oscar-winning film “Taxi Driver.

Major plot twists can lose their impact over time due to endless copycats and spoilers. Memorable twists from iconic films like Star Wars and Fight Club have been copied many times, lessening their original impact. Despite the widespread use of classic twist endings in modern cinema, the influence of groundbreaking films like Psycho and The Wizard of Oz remains significant.

A well-executed plot twist can take a movie to the next level, but the best twists can lose their impact over the years as countless other movies try to copy them. Unfortunately, bad plot twists are far more common than good ones. This means that when a movie comes up with a fresh and exciting idea, it inevitably spawns scores of copycats that never quite recapture the magic of the original.

A good plot twist can reframe everything that has happened up to that point, and audiences can never see...

To celebrate the release of Columbo: The 1970’s Complete Collection on Blu-Ray available now, we have the Blu-Ray Boxset to give away to a lucky winner!

Peter Falk stars as the cigar chomping, trench coat wearing, police lieutenant Columbo in the series that set the standard for the murder mystery genre. This 20-disc Blu-ray set contains the first 7 seasons of this ground-breaking series, including the 2 original pilot TV movies, now restored and remastered by NBC Universal in 4K. Enjoy once again this classic series that won a staggering 13 primetime Emmys®!

The list of guest stars is endless (many of which appeared in more than one episode in more than one role) and includes Jack Cassidy, Vincent Price, Martin Sheen, Vera Miles, Vitto Scotti, Johnny Cash, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Vaughn, Janet Leigh, Ed Begley Jr., George Hamilton, Leonard Nimoy, Pat Morita, Leslie Nielsen, Patrick McGoohan, William Shatner and Falk...

Fabulous Films have released the Columbo – The 1970s Complete Collection Seasons 1- 7 on Blu-ray in the UK.

Peter Falk stars as the cigar chomping, trench coat wearing, police lieutenant Columbo in the series that set the standard for the murder mystery genre. This 20-disc Blu-ray set contains the first 7 seasons of this ground-breaking series, including the 2 original pilot TV movies, now restored and remastered by NBC Universal in 4K. Enjoy once again this classic series that won a staggering 13 primetime Emmys®!

The list of guest stars is endless (many of which appeared in more than one episode in more than one role) and includes Jack Cassidy, Vincent Price, Martin Sheen, Vera Miles, Vitto Scotti, Johnny Cash, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Vaughn, Janet Leigh, Ed Begley Jr. George Hamilton, Leonard Nimoy, Pat Morita, Leslie Nielsen, Patrick McGoohan, William Shatner and Falk’s second wife Shera Danese who played 6 roles in 6 different episodes.

I'm sure you all know the famous, then-shocking twist of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho." Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is set up as the film's protagonist; the opening scene is an intimate moment between her and lover Sam Loomis (John Gavin), who can't commit until he pays his debts. So, she impulsively steals $40,000 from her boss' client. Surely the movie will be about her on the run.

Well, it is for a while, but then she makes it to the Bates Motel. She chats up polite young innkeeper Norman (Anthony Perkins), but his elderly mother sure seems creepy. With an hour to go, Marion is murdered by a knife-wielding assailant in the motel shower (a scene so scary it left Leigh scared of showers). The film's second half becomes a new story about Sam and Marion's sister Lila (Vera Miles) investigating her disappearance. They stumble onto the truth -- that Marion was killed by Norman,...

Bong Joon-ho's films showcase his eclectic style and focus on social commentary, winning him multiple Oscars. Hitchcock's influence is evident in Bong's works, notably seen in the thriller Mother and the Oscar-winning Parasite. Bong's obsession with stairs, inspired by Psycho, is a recurring motif in his films, symbolizing class dynamics.

Bong Joon-ho has established himself as one of the most eclectic and imaginative filmmakers of his generation through several genre-bending films, most notably Bong’s Oscar-winning 2019 black comedy thriller film Parasite, which serves as the ultimate testament to Bong’s distinctive narrative and visual style and his emphasis on social commentary. While Bong, who won three Academy Awards for Parasite, has established himself as a uniquely exciting and innovative filmmaker, Bong’s films also reflect a broad variety of cinematic influences. These span multiple eras and genres, from Orson Welles’ 1958 film noir Touch of Evil to Martin Scorsese...

There's something about doppelgangers that's captivated the minds of so many speculative fiction writers over the years, from Edgar Allan Poe to David Lynch to Jordan Peele. At their core, these types of stories are popular because they provide such an easy opportunity to explore questions around identity. Who would you be if you'd grown up in a different environment? Doppelgängers can shed some light on that. Is having full self-awareness a virtue or a curse? Doppelgängers can help you figure that out. In a visual medium, there's the added benefit that doppelgänger storylines give actors the chance to really show off; it's hard to watch "Us," for instance, and not be amazed as by Lupita Nyong'o's dual performance.

For Rod Serling, part of his inspiration for creating "The Twilight Zone" came from an experience of his a few years earlier. At some point in the late 1950s he...

Born 125 years ago, Alfred Hitchcock’s unparalleled body of work is a towering influence on virtually every corner of filmmaking. But what new insights can we gain into his process? Alfred Hitchcock’s Storyboards, a new book arriving next week by novelist and Hitchcock scholar Tony Lee Moral, contains a wealth of knowledge as it pertains to the Master of Suspense’s thought process. Ahead of its release from Titan Books, we’re delighted to share exclusive storyboards and more from the book, as well as a chat with the author.

Focusing on the storyboards for nine of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movies––Vertigo, The Birds, Psycho, North by Northwest, The 39 Steps, Torn Curtain, Marnie, Shadow of a Doubt, and Spellbound––the coffee-table book includes never-before-published images and incisive text putting the material in context and examining the role the pieces played in some of the most unforgettable scenes in cinema.

1960's Psycho is remembered for many things. It's arguably director Alfred Hitchcock's best movie and is certainly his most famous. Along with Peeping Tom, which came out the same year, it's regarded as the first slasher. Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates is one of the creepiest villains in screen history; the American Film Institute places him as the second-best villain ever, just behind Hannibal Lecter. Then there's that chilling shower scene with Janet Leigh and the twist of the finale. Lost in all of this is one of Psycho's best characters, Samuel Loomis. Played by John Gavin, Sam Loomis is one of the heroes of the film who takes Norman Bates down. When it finally came time to make Psycho II in 1983, Anthony Perkins was back, and so was Vera Miles as Lila Crane, but Gavin and his character were nowhere to be found. The actor had left...

Martin Scorsese loves John Ford's "The Searchers" for its subversion of the classic John Wayne persona. The character of Ethan Edwards in "The Searchers" is similar to Travis Bickle in Scorsese's "Taxi Driver." "The Searchers" has lasting replay value, with the movie's meaning changing over time and its open-ended nature providing a mystery for viewers.

Even the greatest filmmakers in history have their favorite movies and cinematic inspirations. Look no further than the peerless Martin Scorsese, often hailed as the greatest living American filmmaker currently working in Hollywood. As Scorsese makes the promotional rounds for his stirring new dramatic epic, Killers of the Flower Moon, the director has once again professed his undying love for John Ford's classic 1956 western, The Searchers, a movie that has been informing his characters and stylistic techniques since Taxi Driver.

The Searchers stars John Wayne as Ethan Edwards, a former Civil War soldier...

Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film "Psycho" famously employed a gimmick in its advertising to set it apart from the thrillers of the day. Movie posters and other print ads featured pictures of Hitchcock himself, pointing to his wristwatch, declaring that audiences watch "Psycho" from the very beginning, or face ejection from the theater. This came at a time when many theaters were still operating by a non-scheduled system, showing a well-moneyed "A" feature, followed by cartoons, shorts, newsreels, commercials, and a cheaper "B" feature. This is where we get the term "B movie" from. The cycle would then repeat. You could spend four or five hours in the theater if you wanted to. The entire loop would then repeat, and you could catch up with the movie on its second go-'round. This is where we get the phrase, "This is where we came in." 

Hitchcock, of course, was repeating the sensationalist gimmicks of William Castle,...

The deceptively unassuming figure of Los Angeles homicide detective Lieutenant Columbo (Peter Falk), with his rumpled raincoat, cheap cigars, and seeming absentmindedness, might not call to mind the sprawling existentialist novels of Fyodor Dostoevsky. But Columbo’s ancestry can be traced all the way back to Porfiry Petrovich, the pesky, psychologically attuned investigator in Crime and Punishment.

Like that literary classic, the show that shares Columbo’s name functions as an inverted detective story, not so much a whodunit as a howcatchem. In each episode, we spend time with the murderer, soak up their milieu, and witness the commission of the crime. Only then does Columbo make his entrance onto the scene. From there, it’s an escalating battle of nerves between the dogged detective and the initially arrogant murderer.

While Rodion Raskolnikov, the tortured protagonist of Crime and Punishment, is an impoverished student who kills out of economic necessity...

Tom Holland (not the one who plays Spider-Man) was best known as an actor when he was hired to write the screenplay for a project that sounded like an insane idea: a 23-years-later sequel to the Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho. But somehow, Holland and director Richard Franklin managed to deliver a Psycho II (watch it Here) that is a worthy follow-up to the original. Now, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film, Holland has published – through Holland House Entertainment – a 176 page book called Oh Mother, What Have You Done?, which gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Psycho II.

Authored by Tom Holland and containing unpublished memoirs by late Psycho II director Richard Franklin and conversations with the film’s editor Andrew London, Oh Mother, What Have You Done? offers fans a unique

glimpse into the continuation of the beloved Psycho film franchise, which created nightmares for millions of

people showering worldwide.

Clockwork from top left: A Nightmare On Elm Street (Screenshot: New Line Cinema/YouTube); Child’s Play 2 (Screenshot: YouTube/Universal Pictures); Scream (Screenshot: YouTube/Dimension Films); Halloween (Screenshot: Compass International Pictures/YouTube)Graphic: AVClub

One of horror’s longest running and most popular subgenres, slasher films testify to our enduring appetite for chills,...

Horror movies, particularly slasher movies, often contain a strange paradox. They depict women as two-dimensional victims, often punished for their autonomy and enjoyment of sex. Yet, they often end with a female survivor triumphing against the monster. Author Carol J. Clover discussed the trend in her book Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film, and coined the term "final girl" to describe it.

The term stuck, and today, final girls are a recognized part of the horror movie landscape. More recent movies have explored the idea in depth, both enhancing and subverting it in the process. There have even been films dedicated solely to the idea, such as The Final Girl and Final Girls, both released in 2015. But the trope itself is more complicated.

Related: One Horror Game Deserved the Movie Treatment More Than Fnaf

The Origins of the Final Girl

The first confirmed appearance of a...

While Alfred Hitchcock is best known for the classic films of his late career, such as Psycho, Rear Window, Dial M For Murder, Vertigo, and Rope, Hitchcock had actually been making films since the 1920s. While the British films he made during the first two decades of his career are no less brilliant than his later masterworks, they lacked the star power that came with his later films, which would star Hollywood icons such as James Stewart, James Mason, Janet Leigh, Henry Fonda, and Vera Miles among others. However, Hitchcock’s breakthrough in Hollywood led to an ongoing collaboration with the great Cary Grant, one of the most famously charismatic movie stars in the history of the industry. It was through his work with Grant that Hitcock began adopting techniques on how to depict movie stars and promote their stardom, which became one of his most defining traits — and it...

Baters

It’s nearly time to close out the month of July, which has been another scorching hot one for Trace and me. We kicked things off with Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) to coincide with our coverage of The Red Door, then we talked about another sequel to celebrate the two-year anniversary of Adam Robitel’s Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021).

Now we’re up to a huge milestone: Alfred Hitchcock‘s Psycho (1960) aka one of the original slasher prototypes. In the iconic film, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) steals $40K from her crappy job before stopping at the abandoned Bates Motel. There she meets young proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) who seems a little…off.

Unfortunately for Marion, soon afterward she’s brutally murdered in the shower by Mother, setting off a chain reaction as first private investigator Arbogast (Martin Balsam), then Marion’s lover Sam Loomis (John Gavin) and her...

Freshly announced and put up for pre-order this morning, Arrow Video presents The Psycho Collection on both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD for a limited edition UK release.

The good news? 4K discs are inherently Region Free!

The Psycho Collection will release on September 25, 2023.

Presented together for the first time in the UK on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, featuring all new restorations of Psycho II, III and IV from the original camera negatives, Arrow Video invites you back inside the Bates Motel and wishes you a very pleasant stay.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Limited Edition Contents

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) presentations of all four films New 4K restorations of Psycho II, Psycho III and Psycho IV from the original camera negatives Original lossless mono and 5.1 audio options for Psycho, stereo and 5.1 options for Psycho II and Psycho III, and stereo audio options for Psycho IV Optional English subtitles for...

Smokey And The Bandit Part 3 Screenshot: Universal Pictures The word “sequel” doesn’t have as many negative connotations today as it did 40 years ago. Back in the day, sequels were often extruded like tasteless gruel with barely a thought for advanced levels of storytelling or filmmaking. And the expectation that...

Clockwise from top left: Staying Alive (Paramount), Jaws 3-D (Universal), Superman III (Warner Bros.), Octopussy (MGM/United Artists)Graphic: The A.V. Club

The word “sequel” doesn’t have as many negative connotations today as it did 40 years ago. Back in the day, sequels were often extruded like tasteless gruel with...

Neve Campbell (right) in Scream (Dimension Films); Mia Goth in X (A24) Graphic: AVClub If you and your buddies were being hunted down by a psychopathic serial killer, who do you think would be most likely to survive? Is it the physically imposing jock who’s always in a fight,...

Marion Robert Morrison, more commonly known as John Wayne or ‘The Duke,’ left a lasting imprint on American cinema. His career spanned five decades, during which time he starred in 179 films and delivered countless illustrious performances.

He rose to fame with his starring role as Ringo Kid in the 1939 classic ‘Stagecoach,’ and would go on to play characters like Ethan Edwards in Ford’s 1956 ‘The Searchers’ – cementing his place in American film history.

In this blog post, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best John Wayne movies, which capture the actor’s undeniable talent and unforgotten legacy. From westerns like ‘True Grit’ (1969) to war films like ‘The Longest Day’ (1962), Wayne left an indelible mark on our collective culture.

The Highest-Rated John Wayne Films on IMDb ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’ (1962) – 8.1/10 ‘Rio Bravo’ (1959) – 8/10 ‘The Searchers’ (1956) – 7.9/10 ‘Stagecoach’ (1939) – 7.8/10 ‘Red River’ (1948) – 7.8/10 ‘The Longest Day’ (1962) – 7.7/10 ‘The Quiet Man’ (1952) – 7.7/10 ‘The Shootist...

The launch of innovative thrillers like “Glass Onion” and “Bullet Train” has re-ignited the love for this classic genre. These films are a potent concoction of action, suspense, crime, and sci-fi – prepared to keep viewers in an endless loop of anticipation (or fear).

IMDb makes it a breeze for thriller fanatics to find the cream of the crop. From award-winning classics like “Witness for the Prosecution” that form this genre’s identity to worldwide successes such as “Parasite.” It even includes two dark superhero movies from “The Dark Knight” franchise among its top-rated gems.

Ranked Best Thriller Movies [Sortable Table] Rank Title Year IMDb Metascore 18 Witness for the Prosecution 1957 8.4 76 17 The Lives of Others 2006 8.4 89 16 Rear Window 1954 8.5 100 15 Oldboy 2003 8.4 77 14 Psycho 1960 8.5 97 13 Aliens 1986 8.4 84 12 Parasite 2019 8.5 96 11 The Usual Suspects 1995 8.5 77 10 Léon: The Professional 1994 8.5 64 9 Memento 2000 8.4 81 8 Joker 2019 8.4 59 7 The Departed 2006 8.5 85 6 The Prestige 2006 8.5 66 5 The Silence of the Lambs 1991 8.6 85 4 Se7en 1995 8.6 65 3 The Dark Knight Rises 2012 8.4 78 2 Inception 2010 8.8 74 1 The Dark Knight 2008 9 84 More About the Best Thriller Movies List...

A new episode of The Arrow in the Head Show has just been released this morning, and in this one hosts John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance Vlcek head over to the Bates Motel to discuss one of the most surprisingly good sequels ever made: 1983’s Psycho II (watch it Here)! A movie that came along twenty-three years after its predecessor and somehow managed to be a worthy follow-up to one of the greatest horror movies ever made, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic Psycho. To find out what Lance and The Arrow had to say about Psycho II, check out the video embedded above.

Directed by Richard Franklin from a screenplay by Tom Holland, Psycho II has the following synopsis: Two decades after the original murders at the Bates Motel, Norman Bates completes his treatment at a mental institution and returns home to find his hotel run down under the management of Warren Toomey.

You know the basics of an Alfred Hitchcock film. Long suspense scenes, twisty murder plots, and blondes. Hitchcock's films were so stylized that his 1956 picture "The Wrong Man" feels anomalous because it's comparitively down to earth. Why the break from convention? It was based on the true story of Manny Balestrero, a New York musician who in 1953 was wrongly accused of armed robbery.

Balestrero, unfortunately, resembled the true culprit, who had previously held up an insurance company's front desk. When Balestrero went to borrow money from said company, clerks mistook him for the robber and he was arrested. Balestrero endured a trial before the right man was caught and the stress threw his wife Rose into a depression. These events are depicted with journalistic detail in "The Wrong Man."

It makes sense that Hitchcock was drawn to the story. Many of his films, including "The Man Who Knew Too Much,...

Lee Marvin, Vera Miles and Bradford Dillman shine a military courtroom drama, a TV movie released as a theatrical feature five years later. It’s small-scale but effective, with strong performances and a reasonably credible storyline. Marvin’s Ryker is on trial for his life, with the entire U.S. Army convinced that he’s a traitor. Attorney Bradford Dillman stumbles in his defense — other officers catch him consorting with Ryker’s wife. It’s a treat for Lee Marvin fans, provided they don’t expect the action epic depicted on the posters.

Sergeant Ryker

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1968 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 85 min. / Street Date January 10, 2022 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95

Starring: Lee Marvin, Bradford Dillman, Peter Graves, Vera Miles, Lloyd Nolan, Murray Hamilton, Norman Fell, Walter Brooke, Charles Aidman.

Cinematography: Walter Strenge

Production Designer:

Art Director: John J. Lloyd

Film Editor: Robert B. Warwick

Original Music: John Williams

Written by Seelef Lester,...

Ivana Miloš, The Man Who Made Cacti Bloom (2022), monotype, gouache, and collage on paper.Home Is Where The Plant Grows“His spirit responds to his country's spirit....he incarnates its geography and natural life and rivers and lakes.“—Walt Whitman, PrefaceIn Europe, most people dislike the highly invasive Himalayan balsam. It is spreading aggressively across the continent, suffocating potential plant diversity while suffusing whole areas with a sweet and musty smell. My response to the plant is quite different. I adore everything about it. Its pink-purple flowers bending to the ground like little bells, its toothlike glands, rain dropping from its leaves, and especially the way its oval-shaped seed pods impatiently explode when I touch them with my fingers. And then the way my fingers smell afterwards—I could go on and on. This plant grew right in front of my family home. It was everywhere: Next to the pathway,...

Click here to read the full article.

Gary Nelson, who directed the Disney films Freaky Friday and The Black Hole, served as the in-house helmer on the first two seasons of Get Smart and called the shots for scores of other shows, has died. He was 87.

Nelson died May 25 in Las Vegas of natural causes, his son Garrett Nelson told The Hollywood Reporter.

His father was Sam Nelson, who served as an assistant director on such landmark films as The Lady From Shanghai (1947), All the King’s Men (1949), Some Like It Hot (1959) and Experiment in Terror (1962) and was a co-founder, along with King Vidor and others, of what would become the DGA.

Gary Nelson started out as an A.D., too, working on films including Nicholas Ray’s Rebel Without a Cause (1955), John Ford’s The Searchers (1956) and John Sturges’ Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), before he got a big break thanks to his future wife,...

Hello, everyone! August 23rd is a quiet day for horror and sci-fi home media releases, but that doesn’t mean that this week’s offerings aren’t pretty darn great all the same. Scream Factory has put together a killer Collector’s Edition 4K release for Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers and Kino Lorber has put together reissues of their Blu-ray box sets for seasons one and two of The Outer Limits, which genre fans will definitely want to pick up.

Cheers!

Dog Soldiers: 4K Collector’s Edition

A group of soldiers dispatched to the Scottish Highlands on special training maneuvers face their biggest fears after they run into Captain Ryan – the only survivor of a Special Ops team that was literally torn to pieces. Ryan refuses to disclose his mission even though whoever attacked his men might be hungry for seconds. Help arrives in the form of a...

The movie considered by many to be Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece was also one of his most difficult productions. "Vertigo" stars Kim Novak as a woman who may or may not be playing multiple roles in a detective's (James Stewart) investigation. In an interview with Francois Truffaut, the "North By Northwest" director reveals that he once had Vera Miles set for "Vertigo," going through wardrobe, makeup, and several screen tests with her. Miles had previously worked with Hitchcock on the debut episode of his "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" TV series, followed by his 1956 noir "The Wrong Man" — part of the three-picture deal she signed with the director's Alfred J. Hitchcock production label. She would gain fame as Marion Crane's intrepid sister Lila in Hitchcock's "Psycho" in 1960, but it was her descent into madness in "The Wrong Man" that made her a strong candidate for the role of Madeleine Elster — the...