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Sylvester Stallone's "Judge Dredd" is not remembered as one of the best sci-fi movies ever, to say the least. Lambasted by critics and disliked by audiences, the 1995 film earned a disappointing $113.5 million at the global box office against a $90 million budget and remains conspicuously absent from lists of Stallone's finest films.

To his credit, Stallone hasn't attempted to bury his futuristic flop. Instead, he's been known to discuss the film when the opportunity calls for it. In 2006, the star addressed some of the issues "Judge Dredd" had while answering fan questions for Ain't It Cool News:

"I think, from what I recall, the whole project was troubled from the beginning. The philosophy of the film was not set in stone – by that I mean 'Is this going to be a serious drama or with comic overtones' like other science fiction films that were successful? So a lotta pieces just didn't fit smoothly.

John Lithgow is no stranger to playing villains. The actor has played a number of standout roles over the course of his fifty-plus-year career, particularly excelling and gaining notoriety for his memorable supporting characters. In addition to providing the voice of the villainous Lord Farquad in Shrek (2001), Lithgow played villain characters in Ricochet (1991), Bombshell (2019), Blow Out (1981), Raising Cane (1992), and the Dexter TV show. He also appeared as a larger-than-life villain in a 1993 movie starring Sylvester Stallone.

Stallone has been a fixture of the action genre for decades, getting his start with Rocky in 1976 and continuing to play the iconic boxer in a handful of sequels. He's also known for playing tortured veteran Rambo, of course, a role that dates back to 1982's First Blood. Since then, Stallone has appeared in action movies like Cobra (1986), Demolition Man (1993), Judge Dredd (1995), The Expendables (2014), Bullet to the Head (2012) and Escape Plan (2013). His 1993 collaboration with Lithgow,...

Over the course of his acting career, Sylvester Stallonehas not only become a household name himself, but so have his iconic characters. From his breakout role as the titular boxer in the sports drama Rocky back in 1976 to his more recent hits in the mercenary actioner series The Expendables, audiences flock to theaters to watch the onscreen heroes' death-defying exploits again and again. But there was one famous role that not only spurred a five-movie franchise, but also cemented Stallone as an action star for nearly 50 years: John Rambo in Ted Kotcheff's 1982 warfare-thriller First Blood.

The film was based on David Morrell's novel of the same name, and follows the heart-wrenching story of John Rambo, a troubled Vietnam War veteran who must fight to survive a brutal manhunt by local police and military members after trying to get reintegrated into civilian life. Despite Morrell only writing one book about John Rambo,...

This post contains spoilers for "Reacher" season 3 episode 6.

Jack Reacher doesn't need to prove himself as a hero at this point. Across 29 books and what is now almost three seasons of Prime Video's "Reacher" series, the character has proven he is every bit the archetypal American action hero, dispatching armies of enemies with ease and weathering the kind of beatings that would snuff out lesser heroes. He's an itinerant former military policeman with an unwavering commitment to justice and chivalry who is always one step ahead of those that dare to cross him. Fans know the formula and Reacher delivers, time and time again.

But there's no doubt this particular American hero is indebted to those that came before him. While he clearly shares a lot in common with other contemporary characters, such as the similarly unstoppable John Wick, he is also quite clearly the modern equivalent of the muscle-bound...

Rarely has a decade been as closely tied to a film genre in pop culture as the 1980s are to ridiculous action movies. The era of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and others of their stripe certainly blend well into the '90s, but the '80s is where the big, beefy, sweaty, machine-gun-toting hero became a staple of cinema. Of course, as with any genre, there were better and worse attempts at hitting the mark with this particular brand of action film. Titles like "The Terminator" and "First Blood" gave credibility to their respective muscular stars, eschewing the camp and absurdity for high-concept sci-fi and gritty political character drama, respectively. But then there were the less artistically sophisticated films -- features like Schwarzenegger's "Commando" and Stallone's "Cobra," which came out back-to-back in 1985 and 1986.

"Cobra," specifically, has become something of a cult classic, in large part because of its cartoonish protagonist.

Although long-running franchises have become a seemingly permanent part of our current cinematic landscape, there's an argument to be made that even the most consistently high-quality series are subject to diminishing returns. The question of whether a sequel can match or surpass an original is still a topic of debate, and it's one that reaches all the way back to an era when sequels were hardly as common as they are now. While the debate makes sense on the surface — after all, on paper, how can any sequel be as fresh and unique as an original? — it's perhaps based on the wrong question. Maybe, despite all the constant franchise rankings and the like, we shouldn't be asking whether a sequel surpasses its predecessor, but rather what new depths and richness are brought to the material that enhances the franchise as a whole.

It's through that lens that I view 1975's "French Connection II,...

When director Ted Kotcheff introduced moviegoers to the character of John Rambo in the 1982 action classic "First Blood," Rambo was recognizably human, a tragic figure who was trained to be an elite killing machine in a pointless war that could not be won in a conventional manner. Home from Vietnam for less than a decade, he's found it difficult to reintegrate himself into a society that wants to forget everything for which he risked his life. This is fine by Rambo. He just wants to reconnect with old war buddies and find a safe harbor where he can hopefully get his bearings back. He's not looking for a fight. That part of his life is over -- until a sadistic, power-tripping small-town sheriff decides to mess with Rambo because he can.

Though Rambo is portrayed as an exceptionally lethal man who can outwit a law enforcement hunting party while surviving a series of perilous spills,...

Harrison Ford's first feature film was an uncredited role as a bellhop in the 1966 James Coburn crime thriller "Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round." He was 24. It's wild to think that Ford, when he was 80, also starred in the 2023 blockbuster "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," which was set in 1969. The elderly Indiana Jones, if he was a movie fan, could have seen the film debut of Harrison Ford.

Sylvester Stallone's first feature film came in 1969, when he was 23. He played an uncredited extra in a film called "The Square Root." Indeed, for the first three years of his career, Stallone mostly played uncredited roles, turning up in films like "What's Up, Doc?," "Bananas," and "Klute." Stallone doesn't have a career wraparound like Ford's above, but he was recently the subject of "Sly," a documentary about his career.  

Both Stallone and Ford appeared in one film together: 2014's "The Expendables 3,...

One of my favorite Sylvester Stallone interviews is his 1977 conversation with Barry Norman. In the interview, Stallone comes across as thoughtful, articulate, and perceptive in a way that may surprise casual fans of the star who know him for his action movie prowess. No doubt influenced by Norman's phlegmatic Britishness, Stallone is reserved yet sharp in his observations about his own success following the release of "Rocky" in 1976. In fact, he's so remarkably self-possessed in the clip that it almost seems like an entirely different person to the man we came to know as the very embodiment of '80s action bombast.

In truth, Stallone has always been one of Hollywood's smartest and most perceptive stars. But his record hasn't always reflected that. The time he got tricked into starring in the 1992 flop "Stop! Or my Mom will Shoot" by his longtime rival Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, is one of the most infamous examples,...

Two action titans throwing down both on screen and seemingly off in front of thousands of reporters; a director now known for tentpole disaster flicks working with a big budget for the first time; Replacing another director who couldn’t make it work; a script that dips its toes into at least four different genres; multiple required shots of Jean Claude Van Damme’s naked body; bullets, bombs, and a whole lotta killin’. This is what happened to Universal Soldier.

If you were a fan of action movies with a darker, sci-fi edge to their storylines in the 80s and 90s, Carolco Pictures was likely behind some of your favorites. By the time Universal Soldier darkened their desks around February of 1990, the company had already been involved with films like First Blood and They Live. This even before Terminator 2 and Total Recall. If you had a dark action flick,...

Given the sad news that Gene Hackman, the most legendary of all actors, has passed away, tributes will (appropriately) be coming in non-stop. After all, he was the greatest of the greats, and the fact that he retired relatively early (back in 2004) adds to his mystique, as he went out at the top of his game. Given his rich legacy of work, everyone will no doubt be offering tributes to his best movies, like Unforgiven, The French Connection, The Royal Tenenbaums, and many more. Here at JoBlo, we’re gonna do something a little different and pay tribute to the star by singling out some of his lesser-seen films, hoping that maybe fans of his find something on this list they haven’t seen before and can enjoy for the first time!

The French Connection II:

While everyone will (rightly) be raving about William Friedkin’s The French Connection and...

In the Top 10 on Netflix recently was the 2008 action flick calledRambo. Sometimes called Rambo IV, Rambo: The Fight Continues, or simply John Rambo, the film was the first sequel to the franchise in 20 years, as the title character (played masterfully by Sylvester Stallone) is thrust back into action when a group of Christian missionaries in Burma are kidnapped by a military group. The film itself is incredibly engaging, showing Rambo as a man aimlessly wandering the world in search of peace, only to find himself constantly at war. Of course, even more impressive is that the praises of Rambo were sung by none other than David Morrell, the author of the original First Blood novel, on which the whole franchise is based.

Ryan Gosling has taken on a variety of roles throughout his career, from romantic leads and action-packed heroes to intense characters that have left a lasting impact. But after participating in Only God Forgives following Drive, he realized there was something about these darker roles he didn’t want to revisit. The reason behind this decision?

Ryan Gosling in Only God Forgives | Credits: Lionsgate Entertainment

It wasn’t just about the challenges of the role itself. Gosling explained that it was more about how it affected him mentally, and how that spilled over into his personal life.

How did only Only God Forgives change the way Ryan Gosling chooses roles?

Ryan Gosling has always been the kind of actor who can do just about anything. Whether it’s a heart-wrenching love story, a fast-paced action movie, or a musical that has everyone singing along, he has never let himself be...

Sylvester Stallone has had a diverse career which includes acting, writing, producing, and directing. With a series of hit roles, he has two career-defining roles: Rambo and Rocky.

Both roles have spawned successful franchises that have added new installments decades after its first installment. The Rambo franchise kicked off in 1982 with First Blood, and the last film was released in 2019, Rambo: Last Blood, which has also become a hit on Netflix,Tudum reports. For the week between Feb. 10 and 16, Rambo: Last Blood debuted in the Top 10 charts in the U.S. on the sixth spot.

RelatedSylvester Stallone Shares The Godfather Reboot Concept Art of Himself as Don Corleone

Fans react after Sylvester Stallone shares an image of himself in a Godfather reboot, leading to speculation about the possibility.

Netflix doesn't reveal viewership numbers for territory-specific titles, but it beat other films like the French rom-com Honeymoon Crasher, the dark comedy The Menu,...

To fans of classic sports movies, Sylvester Stallone will always be known as Rocky, but he also played an action icon for nearly four years over multiple movies. Stallone first made his debut as John James Rambo in the 1982 film First Blood, and it wasn’t until 2019 that he portrayed the character for what will likely be the final time in Rambo: Last Blood. The 2019 Rambo film recently began streaming on Netflix, and it has wasted no time becoming one of the most popular movies on the platform, sitting at #5 at the time of writing. Rambo: Last Blood earned divisive scores of 26% from critics and 81% from audiences on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, and the film earned $91 million at the global box office on a budget of $50 million.

If there's anyone that doesn't need saving, it's Rambo. But even Sylvester Stallone's nigh-on invincible action hero needs a helping hand from time to time — especially when his movie flops with critics. Enter: Netflix. The king of the streamers has extended its own muscular arm to John J. Rambo, making for the streaming version of that "epic handshake" meme. That is to say, the streamer has given "Rambo: Last Blood" a small reprieve following a devastating critical response upon its 2019 debut.

Back in the mid to late 2000s, Stallone returned to his two best-known characters, giving Rocky a heartfelt and surprisingly solid legacy sequel in 2006's "Rocky Balboa." Given how these legacy sequels typically go, it was an impressive feat for Stallone to have pulled off, especially since critics were mostly complimentary of the movie. He followed it up with yet another revisit, this time to the world of John Rambo.

Some cliche somewhere said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ This has proven to be the case for me and especially when it comes to fan art. I have always sought out great fan art and have wanted to share it with as many people as possible. “Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net” is the outlet for that passion. In this column, I will showcase the kick-ass artwork of some great artists, with the hopes that these artists get the attention they deserve. That’s the aim. If you have any questions or comments, or even suggestions of art or other great artists, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.

Bram Stokers Dracula by Şahin Düzgün

The Brutalist by Siddharth Vinod

Captain America: Brave New World by Bruno Carvalho

The Fantastic Four: First Steps by Nuno Sarnadas

First Blood by Forsaken...

One of the most divisive action movies in the repertoire of Hollywood icon (and now a so-called "Special Ambassador" tasked with saving the industry) Sylvester Stallone is climbing the charts on Netflix. Released back in 2019, Stallone leads the final outing for one of his most beloved characters, John Rambo, in Rambo: Last Blood, which finds the hero battling a cartel after someone close to him is kidnapped.

Rambo: Last Blood is now #7 on the Netflix chart, just behind the likes of other action outings Miss Congeniality, Rogue Agent, and the Die Hard-esque Aftermath, which holds the top spot. Directed by Adrian Grünberg from a screenplay co-written by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone, Last Blood stars Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal, Genie Kim aka Yenah Han, Joaquín Cosío, and Óscar Jaenada alongside Stallone. You can check out the official synopsis below.

“Vietnam War veteran John Rambo tries...

Action films are one of the biggest box office draws today. Every year, more and more action flicks are released in theaters, and viewers can't get enough. And an integral part of an action film's historical success is it's ending.

Endings can make or break a movie, especially when it comes to the action genre. Either because of how incredibly it closes out the film, or because of what it means for the genre, the ending needs to be perfect.

It’s Never “Hasta la Vista” With the Terminator Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day, written and directed by the great James Cameron, is considered to be one of the greatest action films of all time. For the classic ending, after an intense battle against the indestructible T-1000, played by Robert Patrick, Sarah Connor finally puts an end to the machine, as well as the possibility of Skynet's future world-ending rise.

With the awards season and best of 2024 lists piling up after the end of the year, audiences and critics are looking back on the films that inspired, awed and captivated them over the last 12 months. With streaming services and digital distribution platforms creating space for exponentially more films to be created and released in a given calendar year, more and more great films are lost in the sea of algorithms and vacuum of social media that narrows the best movies of a given year to a small pool of options.

One of the smartest and most interesting thrillers of recent years, Jeremy Saulnier's Rebel Ridge, is not on track to win any awards at the upcoming 97th Academy Awards, despite its fantastic 96% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. But the film should not be dismissed, especially by fans of the tropes of classic Western films; the movie's impeccable use of...

Quick Links Sylvester Stallone's Rip-Roaring Action Thriller 'Alarum' Sylvester Stallone Continues Doing What He Does Best

For over 50 phenomenal years, Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone has been one of the cinema's most prominent movie stars, with the veteran actor having appeared in countless knockouts, including the enduring Rocky franchise, First Blood, Cliffhanger, The Suicide Squad, and The Expendables series (to name just a few in his ever-growing repertoire). At 78 years old, Stallone remains a force to be reckoned with on both the big and small screen and currently stars in the Taylor Sheridan-created crime drama Tulsa King while also appearing alongside Scott Eastwood in the newly released action thriller Alarum.

In the pulse-pounding flick, Stallone portrays a seasoned spy who is sent to hunt down a top-secret hard drive believed to be in the possession of rogue agents who ran off to be together in order to start a new life.

A protagonist can only be as compelling as the forces of antagonism, Robert McKee once said. And while Donald Trump surely never took a screenwriting class, he instinctively understands this — and many other axioms — of Hollywood storytelling.

More than any national politician in history, the incoming president — who was inaugurated on a cold Washington D.C. afternoon Monday — has relied on the mechanisms of modern entertainment, starting with his perpetual casting of Hollywood as the villain. Yet even as he continues to find new ways to bring together backroom politics and backlot note-giving, Trump in his second term is poised to have a more complex relationship with the entertainment business than with almost any other industry, plunging its interests into financial and legislative uncertainty.

Whatever you think of him, Trump’s appropriation of Hollywood techniques is a fresh notch on the political belt. Ronald Reagan, who actually came from Hollywood,...

The 1990s were a phenomenal decade for the action movie, with almost every year seeing the release of multiple iconic films in the genre. Many of the best action movies were released in the 90s, the decade simply being something special when it came to dreaming up long-lasting action franchises and memorable one-off thrillers with plenty of heart, humor, and creativity. From 1990 to 1999, some of the greatest names in the space saw their debut for a very lucky generation of movie goers.

The big action movies of the 80s like First Blood and Commando had come and gone by the start of the 90s, with some of them carrying their influence into future action spectacles. However, the 90s also saw a rise of action heroes that were more like relatable everymen compared to the unstoppable muscular juggernauts of the 80s, creating a unique voice for the generation of films. More...

Re-watching the Rambo movies proves that Sylvester Stallone’s franchise lost touch with the thing that originally made the series work. Adapted from author David Morrell’s novel of the same name, First Blood was a 1982 vigilante action movie starring Sylvester Stallone as the Ptsd-afflicted Vietnam veteran John Rambo. Rambo’s first movie was followed by 1985’s bombastic sequel Rambo: First Blood Part II, 1988’s Rambo III, 2008’s franchise reboot Rambo, and 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood. Each of these movies grew gradually gorier, more over-the-top, and more cartoonishly absurd in their depiction of Stallone’s indestructible antihero.

Related Rambo’s 4 Sequels All Forgot The Most Important Thing About Stallone’s First Blood Character

Rambo: First Blood is a complex and compelling character drama that is undermined by the more bombastic approach to the Rambo franchise.

However, the Rambo series also lost touch with its original purpose as the franchise continued.

Ridley Scott continued his endless press tour in a new interview with GQ today, where he proudly talked shit about the studio behind his most recent success, Gladiator II. One would think the studio was happy enough with the returns of that movie to let this guy keep making these massive,...

Some viewers may say Supernatural lost steam in its last few seasons, but certain episodes prove otherwise. Running for an impressive fifteen seasons, Supernatural delivered over 325 episodes of television from 2005 to 2020. While some of those episodes were bound to be weaker than others, Supernatural maintained a surprisingly high caliber of storytelling throughout all fifteen seasons. Creator Eric Kripke left after season 5, which ended with the near-perfect season finale, "Swan Song." While Supernatural may have dipped slightly in quality after Kripke's exit, it soon found its footing again and continued to deliver consistently solid television.

From ghosts and vampires to angels and demons, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester went up against too many monsters to count throughout Supernatural's fifteen seasons. With their relatable sibling dynamic and compelling character journeys, Sam and Dean made Supernatural worth watching even during its weakest episodes. Brilliant supporting characters like Castiel (Misha Collins...

Tulsa King, the crime drama starring Sylvester Stallone, is facing an uncertain future after troubling accusations about the actor’s behavior on set. Following a less-than-impressive reception for Season 2, the show now finds itself under intense scrutiny. To make matters more interesting, reports of the actor’s alleged disrespect toward background extras have surfaced, with claims of hurtful comments and inappropriate requests adding fuel to the fire.

Sylvester Stallone in Tulsa King [Credit: Paramount Network]

As Tulsa King looks ahead to its third season, these controversies may threaten its future. With the show’s reputation on the line, the production faces a tough road ahead.

Could Sylvester Stallone’s on-set behavior doom Tulsa King’s future?

Tulsa King could be facing serious challenges after accusations about Sylvester Stallone’s behavior on set have come to light. After a disappointing reception for Season 2, which didn’t live up to the success of the first season,...

Ever since James Gunn announced that a new big-screen Batman would be cast in the upcoming The Brave and the Bold movie, speculation has run rampant about which actor might have been enlisted to suit-up as the iconic DC Comics hero.

Now, we might just have our answer!

The latest episode of Creature Commandos officially unveiled the Dcu's Dark Knight in a moment that's had the internet abuzz, and while we were only given a quick glimpse of Gotham's protector in animated form and in silhouette, it seems so very obvious which actor Gunn and DC Studios co-ceo Peter Safran have brought on board to don the cape and cowl.

Clearly, we're looking at a Batman who spends quite a lot of time in the gym, and definitely doesn't skip leg day - not to mention arm day, ass day, shoulder day, waist day, head day, wrist day, and ankle day.

In the 1970s, Sylvester Stallone became synonymous with the Rocky movies. Both the first film in 1976 and its sequel in 1978 cemented the underdog boxer as an iconic character, endearing the actor to millions around the globe. Rocky III in 1982 further proved his drawing power, as the film grossed $270 million at the box office against a budget of $17 million. However, that same year, Stallone started a new cinematic legacy that has stood the test of time, and it's finally found a new streaming home.

Per Paramount+, First Blood hits the streaming service today, Jan. 1, giving fans a chance to relive the origins of John Rambo, the disenfranchised Vietnam War vet who returns home only to be further traumatized by a small-town sheriff. Based on the excellent 1972 novel by author David Morrell, First Blood helped kick off Stallone's career as a bona fide action star, and was a smash hit with audiences.

The movies that turned Sylvester Stallone into an action star are coming to Paramount+. The original Rambo trilogy will soon be made available to stream for subscribers.

Beginning Jan. 1, Paramount+ subscribers will be able to stream 1982's First Blood, 1985's Rambo: First Blood Part II, and 1988's Rambo III. In the action franchise, Stallone stars as its title character, Vietnam War veteran John Rambo, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and finds it difficult to readjust to normal life. Across the film series, Rambo uses the skills he acquired from serving in the military to fight corrupt police officers, enemy troops, and drug cartels.

Related Sylvester Stallone's Most Famous Rambo Movie Poster Gets Official Anime Makeover

Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo gets reimagined in fantastical woodland fashion thanks to the staff behind a bizarre Summer 2024 hit anime series.

The first Rambo movie, First Blood, based on David Morrell's 1972 novel of the same name,...

One of the most underrated action movies of 2024, Badland Hunters, is essentially Netflix’s take on a gonzo, surreal, Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic thriller. Every once in a while, Netflix’s original movies will deliver their own take on the plot and style of a classic action movie. The streamer will keep just enough of the original formula intact to attract its fans, but change just enough that it feels like its own thing and not just a shallow knock-off.

Rebel Moon, a sci-fi epic about a resistance force banding together to fight an evil empire, is Netflix’s version of Star Wars. Carry-On, a Christmas actioner about an everyman hero foiling a terrorist plot around the holidays, is Netflix’s version of Die Hard. Rebel Ridge, about a corrupt local police department’s manhunt for a highly capable war veteran, is Netflix’s version of First Blood. Extraction, the...

Sylvester Stallone is no stranger to wielding firearms of all kinds throughout his decades-long career as a Hollywood action star, but one expert has debunked the realism of one of his best-known movies. First beginning his acting career in the late 1960s, Stallone’s earliest film appearances were largely relegated to smaller supporting roles and background characters, including an uncredited performance in 1970’s M*A*S*H.

Following his first significant roles in the 1973 independent movie Rebel and the 1974 comedy The Lords of Flatbush, it was Stallone’s decision to pen the script for 1976’s Rocky that finally provided him with the vehicle that would turn him into a household name. During the 1980s, however, Stallone would begin his transformation into one of Hollywood’s leading action stars. Beginning with 1982’s First Blood, Stallone’s tenure as the misunderstood Vietnam veteran John Rambo would eventually spawn a decades-long franchise that...

Last Updated on December 26, 2024

Action fans have plenty of choices when it comes to Christmas viewing. You can watch John McClane take down bad guys at Nakatomi Plaza and Dulles International Airport in Die Hard and Die Hard 2; root for Rambo as he destroys a small town in First Blood; thrill at the sight of Marion “Cobra” Cobretti taking on the Night Slasher; see James Bond deal with love, loss, and Blofeld in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service; have a Shane Black marathon, starting with the Martin Riggs / Roger Murtaugh pairing Lethal Weapon; watch Houston police officer Jack Caine battle an extraterrestrial drug dealer in I Come in Peace (a.k.a. Dark Angel); take in a viewing of Batman Returns… the list goes on and on. But one movie that doesn’t get enough credit for being a sci-fi action Christmas classic is director Charles Band’s 1984 film Trancers…...

Paramount has announced the lineup of movies, TV shows and live sports coming to the Paramount+ streaming service in January. The Paramount Plus January 2025 schedule includes CBS winter premieres, Henry Danger: The Movie, the NFL on CBS, Star Trek: Section 31, and more.

Get ready for an exciting lineup of CBS winter premieres this January. Paramount+ subscribers can stream the new series Hollywood Squares and Watson, plus the return of The Price Is Right at Night, Raid the Cage and NCIS: Sydney.

Star Trek: Section 31

The new year brings new adventures on Paramount+, including the premiere of the action-packed original movie Star Trek: Section 31, starring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, and Henry Danger: The Movie, based on the hit Nickelodeon live-action series.

Football fans can also catch all the action on the field with the NFL on CBS‘s coverage of the NFL Playoffs, including Super Wild Card and AFC Divisional Round matchups,...

Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2024, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.

Reflecting on the past year in film, I find myself at an interesting crossroads where my alignment with the consensus is back off the axis. After 2022 left me feeling a bit out in the weeds regarding cinema culture, last year I was more in tune with the overall vibes––several favorites picked up Academy Awards, including Best Picture. This year is similar to 2022 for me, in that I won’t be surprised if not a single one of my top ten even gets a nomination.

But that doesn’t mean it was a poor year in my eyes; quite the contrary. From massive big swings by long-dormant auteurs or those recently bursting on the scene, to quiet dramas with volumes to say, to a bevy of formally...

Christmas has long been a favorite setting for action movie directors, as there’s something about the juxtaposition of holiday cheer against the hardcore violence of an R-rated action movie that makes the whole thing too tempting an opportunity to pass up. Indeed, there have been some Christmas action movie classics (many of which are written by Shane Black), which we dug into here, but now the time has come for you folks to have your say. What’s the greatest Christmas action movie? Is it a heavyweight like Die Hard or Lethal Weapon, or something more off the beaten path?

In making these lists, I was surprised at just how many action flicks take place around the holiday season. Granted, some of them are more obvious than others. I never realized First Blood was set at Christmas until watching it in 4K, where you can see how the police...

First Blood: Khaled Mansour’s Debut Follows A Man Ready To Fight For The Fate Of His Dog

In First Blood, John Rambo is a quiet and unassuming Vietnam war veteran who is pushed to take extreme measures when he’s bullied by a small town sheriff. Hassan (Essam Omar) is similarly provoked into action by an obnoxious landlord in Khaled Mansour’s tough yet compassionate feature debut Seeking Haven For Mr. Rambo, an intriguing study of different kinds of self-interested masculinity that curses its carriers to miss out on the world around them.

For months, Hassan and his mother (Samaa Ibrahim) have resisted eviction by their landlord Karem (Ahmed Bahaa), the almost cartoonishly villainous owner of the building.…...

Many may not recall Sylvester Stallone starring in a Christmas movie, but there is one film under his belt that secretly falls in the genre. Interestingly, however, the Stallone Christmas movie is a far cry from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s well-known feel-good holiday flick, Jingle All the Way. In their long and prosperous careers as actors, both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone have experimented with different movie genres. While they have mostly played leading roles in action films, they also have other genres like comedy, sci-fi, drama, and thrillers in their portfolios.

The two have even collaborated in several movies, like Escape Plan and The Expendables 3. However, despite being two of the biggest stars of the same era of cinema, Stallone and Schwarzenegger have followed significantly different paths as actors. The variance in their acting journey seems more evident when their Christmas movies are considered. While Stallone's only Christmas movie...

Actor Sylvester Stallone changed his fate when he wrote and starred in the sports drama Rocky. The Best Picture winner spawned a franchise that has included five more sequels and a spinoff trilogy on Adonis Creed. While the Rocky franchise may have put Stallone on the map, it was his role in the Rambo franchise that made him an action star.

He starred as the Vietnam War veteran John Rambo in Ted Kotcheff’s First Blood. Contrary to the high-adrenaline action extravaganza that was the sequels, the first film was a poignant exploration of Vietnam War veterans’ struggle to integrate back into society while also dealing with their trauma. This reportedly ended darkly for John Rambo in the film originally.

First Blood Director Revealed The Original Ending Which Would Have Killed The Rambo Franchise Sylvester Stallone in First Blood | Credits: Orion Pictures

Based on David Morrell’s novel of the same name,...

When Kirk Douglas died in 2020 at the age of 103 (!), he left behind a massive legacy of over 90 films that even the most stalwart cineastes haven't been able to work their way through. Known for his affable smile and intense performances, Douglas is one of Hollywood's most famous leading men, and was the industry's most profitable actor throughout the 1950s. He was also a producing powerhouse, having started his own production company, Bryna Productions, which handled some of his best-known films. Bryna backed the Stanley Kubrick movies "Paths of Glory" and "Spartacus," as well as "The Vikings," "Seconds," "Seven Days in May," and, later on, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Douglas never lost sight of the evolving nature of film, rarely resting on trends or genres. 

In 1962, Bryna also backed a neo-Western called "Lonely Are the Brave." Set in the present day, "Brave" stars Douglas as a Korean War veteran...

We've finally reached the time of the year when everyone dedicates an unnecessary amount of time to arguing over the same, cyclical topics ad nauseam — like whether or not "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie or what film deserves the biggest gift under the tree as the best Christmas movie of all time. Just as hotly debated is what constitutes the "worst" Christmas movie of all time, which is a lot harder to determine depending on what you deem "bad." One film that is frequently in the running for the dishonor is 1985's "Santa Claus: The Movie," directed by Jeannot Szwarc, who also gave us "Supergirl" and the equally polarizing "Jaws 2."

On paper, "Santa Claus: The Movie" has a lot going for it. It's about a man named Claus (David Huddleston) who delivers toys in his small village, eventually becoming Santa Claus after crossing paths with an elf toy-maker,...

I Come in Peace… You Go in Pieces!

So goes one of the coolest one-liners I have ever heard, and it’s part of one of the most unheralded Christmas action movies ever. Now, Christmas action movies have always been a thing. Something about the juxtaposition of the holidays and ultra-violent action has always been irresistible to Hollywood. In movies like First Blood and To Live and Die in LA, the holiday theme makes the desperately violent scenario all the more grim. At the same time, other classics like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard ultimately have Christmas messages about friendship and family that come through just as strongly as in a straight-up Christmas movie like It’s a Wonderful Life.

Yet, not every Christmas action flick becomes a classic, which brings me to this special Christmas edition of The Best Movie You Never Saw, where we tackle the Dolph Lundgren Actioner I Come In Peace,...

A project like “The Madness” ought to be a feather in the cap of someone like Colman Domingo. Though the performer has been working steadily for decades, a few years’ worth of increasingly prominent roles — in “Euphoria,” “Zola” and “If Beale Street Could Talk,” among others — has culminated in milestone moments like an Oscar nomination (for “Rustin”), a potential second on the way (for “Sing Sing”) and a spot on the cover of this very magazine. And because limited series are now part of the routine for A-list actors, the eight-part Netflix thriller should help cement Domingo’s status as he once again hits the awards trail.

There’s just one problem: while Domingo acquits himself just fine as an increasingly frenzied man on the lam, “The Madness” itself is a schlocky mess, its pulpy appeal dimmed by a drawn-out runtime and attempts at social commentary that fail to find their mark.

If you’re looking for the best movies to watch on Netflix, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ve put together an expertly curated selection of some of the most exciting, compelling, emotional and funny movies currently streaming right now.

While it can be daunting thumbing through the streamer’s catalog to find out what to watch, we’ve taken the guesswork and mindless scrolling out of it. This post will be frequently updated with new recommendations, keeping you up to date with all the Netflix movies you should be prioritizing in your queue.

So peruse our list of the best movies on Netflix right now below, and happy watching!

21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street Sony Pictures

If you’re in the mood for a comedy, make it a double feature with Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s “21 Jump Street” and its sequel “22 Jump Street.

It is with great sadness that we bring you the news Jim Abrahams, the legendary writer-director who — alongside brothers Jerry and David Zucker — gave us such comedy greats as Airplane!, The Naked Gun, and Police Squad, has died at the age of 80. His son Joseph confirmed the news to THR, telling the outlet that his father passed away of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica earlier today.

James S. Abrahams was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin on 10 May, 1944. The son of educational researcher Louise M. Abrahams and lawyer Norman S. Abrahams, it would be fair to say that young Jim Abrahams didn't develop his love of comedy from studying his folks' vocations. Rather, it was the childhood friendship he formed with the Zucker brothers — sons of his father's business colleague, and classmates at Shorewood High School and then the University of Wisconsin in Madison — that helped Abrahams Jr. find his funny bone.

From Grease in a brawler to Kindergarten Cop in a classic survival horror, movies had a habit of unexpectedly popping up in 80s and 90s videogames.

There’s long been a link between movies and videogames. There were the earliest licenced games, such as Atari’s groundbreaking Star Wars cabinet or the same company’s slightly less successful E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial console tie-in.

Then there are games that take inspiration from the themes, production design or plot points of movies; Technos coin-op Renegade, when reworked for its western release, drew on the urban malaise of Walter Hill’s 1979 movie The Warriors, for example. Then there are all the games that have borrowed from the look of the Alien franchise, which are too numerous to mention.

Every so often, though, films used to make unexpected cameos in 1980s and 90s videogames. In some instances, their appearance was so brief,...

With some of the mega-blockbuster hits coming out in recent years, it's easy to overlook some of the classic action movies from decades past. The 1980s were a golden age for the action genre, focusing on unstoppable action stars, witty dialogue, and fast-paced action that left no time for reflection. With iconic franchises starting like Rambo with First Blood in 1982, some films got lost in the shuffle and, while maybe not impressing or gaining widespread acclaim at the time, more than deserve another watch to appreciate their true brilliance.

The 1980s produced some of the best action films of all time, such as Midnight Run and Heartbreak Ridge, that demonstrate the versatility of the genre, showing a combination of humor, emotion, and heart-pumping action. From paranormal martial arts quests like The Last Dragon to gritty police slashers like Maniac Cop, these films all have a unique hook that makes them...

What if I told you that the late directing legend George Romero wrote and directed an ahead-of-its-time “one bad day” revenge slasher classic back in 2000 that mixed Michael Douglas in Falling Down with Michael Myers from Halloween and featured a live performance by The Misfits… yet no one noticed? It would take Robert Stack and a special episode of Unsolved Mysteries to uncover how a film that was arguably one of George Romero’s best films in the second half of his career went completely unnoticed, and stayed that way even as we speak today… This is just what happened to Bruiser.

Look for yourself and you’ll find a very thin file on the existence of Bruiser (watch it Here). To craft even the video you’re watching right now we had to reach into the time vault of eBay and find a DVD copy featuring a commentary from...

Undeniably one of the silver screen's most recognizable and commanding performers is none other than Sylvester Stallone, who first skyrocketed to prominence when he wrote and starred in the 1976 sports classic Rocky, which went on to win three Academy Awards, including the highly-coveted Best Picture, while also becoming the highest-grossing film of the year. From that moment on, Stallone dominated Hollywood and established himself as one of the industry's most bankable leading men.

Stallone has had the distinct honor of having starred in a number-one box-office film across six consecutive decades, a rare feat for any actor and one that has cemented the action legend's status in Tinseltown. Though there is no shortage of blockbuster hits on Stallone's decorated resume, let's explore some of the cinema staple's most financially successful flicks over the last 60 years.

Stallone Comes Out Swinging on the Silver Screen

Sylvester Stallone emerged as one of the...

The 1990s proved a turbulent time for Sylvester Stallone's career after the highly successful decade that was the 1980s. As the cinematic landscape shifted and action films developed, he found himself picking roles either too similar to previous outings or too dissimilar. Whether it be his often maligned comedies or his attempts to recapture the success of Stallone's best films like First Blood or the previous Rocky movies.

There are still plenty of gems to be found in his work throughout the decade, with some of his best acting on display. He has always had an inconsistent track record with the projects he has picked every decade. Varying from highs like Creed to low points like Rhinestone, but no matter what, Stallone has remained a towering figure in blockbuster cinema. Good or bad, there is rarely a boring Stallone project and many of these movies prove that.

The Good Life...