Let’s be honest—noir and neo-noir movies are good old-fashioned cinema catnip for anyone who adores dark city streets, ethically gray characters, and plots that turn and twist until your head is happily fuzzy. Sure, genre classics such as Double Indemnity or Chinatown tend to receive all the accolades, but there exists a treasure trove of lesser-known films in waiting—movies that demonstrate noir’s somber magic never really went out of fashion. Whether you’re a long-time noir fan or just starting to get to know its trance-like depths, these lesser-known gems of the late ’50s through the 2000s are well worth your attention.

1. Merci pour le chocolat (2000)

Dir. Claude Chabrol

Isabelle Huppert and Claude Chabrol are a legendary actor-director pair, and this French psychological thriller demonstrates precisely why. Huppert’s chill performance makes you feel off-kilter, and Chabrol’s subtle direction makes a seemingly polite household into something ominously sinister. There isn’t gore—just an unsettling atmosphere that unsettles you long after the credits have rolled. According to Taste of Cinema, “Everything seems so civil, but at the same time, you feel the chills.”

2. Hollywoodland (2006)

Dir. Allen Coulter

Mixing fiction and reality, Hollywoodland examines the enigmatic death of the first Superman, George Reeves. Ben Affleck received serious praise (and a Volpi Cup) for his tragic performance as Reeves, and the film itself evokes the glamour and tragedy of 1950s Tinseltown. Stylish, sad, and worth seeing.

3. The Crimson Kimono (1959)

Dir. Samuel Fuller

Sam Fuller’s uncompromising crime drama excels not only for its murder thriller but for its pioneering investigation into interracial love. In post-war Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo, it’s a noir that’s ahead of its time—both socially and aesthetically.

4. City of Fear (1959)

Dir. Irving Lerner

Half prison escape, half apocalypse flick, this stripped-down noir traces the escape of a prisoner who flees with a container of radioactive substance, without realizing the risk he poses. The suspense is heightened by Jerry Goldsmith’s jangling score and gritty, location-cinema photography. 

5. Private Property (1960)

Dir. Leslie Stevens

Lost for decades and rediscovered in recent years, Private Property is a raw, disturbing look at male violence and manipulation. Two drifters invade a wealthy woman’s quiet life, leading to a tense, unsettling standoff. Shot in ten days on a shoestring budget, it still packs a psychological punch.

6. Johnny Cool (1963)

Dir. William Asher

Henry Silva stars as a Sicilian hoodlum who becomes an assassin, leaving a trail of revenge through America. It’s a pulpy, breakneck, stylishly brash film with a killer jazz score, and Elizabeth Montgomery and Sammy Davis Jr. cameos. It’s noir energy shot through with a jolt of espresso.

7. Who Killed Teddy Bear (1965)

Dir. Joseph Cates

Filmed in the seedy corners of 1960s New York, this transgressive noir features Sal Mineo as a psychologically scarred stalker stalking a female DJ. It was daring for its era, bordering on erotic thriller borders well before the genre even had a title.

8. Mickey One (1965)

Dir. Arthur Penn

Half Kafka, half Godard, this dreamlike noir features Warren Beatty as a stand-up comedian on the lam from an anonymous danger. Paranoid and surreal, with a Stan Getz jazz score, Mickey One is a tough sell—but for the perfect audience member, it’s a haunting experience.

9. Seconds (1966)

Dir. John Frankenheimer

Suppose you were able to begin anew—to become another person altogether? Seconds traces the journey of a man who does exactly that, only to find that reinvention is its horror. Rock Hudson is wondrous in a performance far outside his expectations as a romantic leading man, and James Wong Howe’s expressionistic camerawork is unforgettable.

10. The Boston Strangler (1968)

Dir. Richard Fleischer

Part procedural, part psychological analysis, this groundbreaking true-crime film features Tony Curtis in a career-best performance. Employing split screens, disorienting cuts, and a chilly, documentary aesthetic, it conveys the terror and unease that seized Boston during the actual murders.

11. The Detective (1968)

Dir. Gordon Douglas

Frank Sinatra delivers a surprisingly complex performance as a detective entangled in a complex of prejudice, corruption, and hidden truths. Daring for 1968, its subject matter—particularly sexuality—was, and its darkly moody tone makes it a stand-out among late-period classic noir.

12. Uptight (1968)

Dir. Jules Dassin

A searing reinterpretation of The Informer, Uptight transposes the tale to post-MLK Cleveland, where a botched robbery touches off tensions among a group of Black revolutionaries. Co-written by Ruby Dee and Julian Mayfield, political noir at its most urgent and emotionally compelling.

If you assumed noir was strictly about fedoras and femme fatales, you’d be wrong. These movies push the boundaries of the genre, incorporating social commentary, psychological depth, and stylistic flair. From cheap sleepers to underrated auteur films, these slept-on noirs attest that there are still plenty of shadows left to play in the genre.

Computer-generated imagery has revolutionized contemporary filmmaking, taking the impossible and turning it into spectacle. But when CGI fails, the outcome is at best a laugh riot and at worst cringeworthy. Let’s take a glance through some of the most notorious CGI errors in film history—and find out what leads these visual effects to derail.

1. Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2’s Uncanny Valley Baby

In a movie full of melodrama, the one thing that raised the most furor was the digital baby Renesmee. Supposed to be an otherworldly, hybrid baby, the CGI creation looked unnervingly artificial, so much so that it was quickly reduced to an internet meme. Supposed to be awe-inspiring, the effect fell squarely into the uncanny valley.

2. The Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns

Dwayne Johnson’s Hollywood debut should have been iconic. What fans received was a half-scorpion, half-human abomination with PS2 graphics. The impact was so disorienting that it stole the show from the film’s conclusion, and it’s a cautionary tale about hasty effects work.

3. Henry Cavill’s CGI Lip in Justice League

When Warner Bros. digitally removed Cavill’s mustache because reshoots interfered with his “Mission: Impossible” commitment, the result was an odd, rubbery-looking top lip that commanded attention for the wrong reasons. Even with the huge budget on the film, the effect made Superman’s scenes all but unwatchable.

4. Dragon Fight in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation

As if the plot of the film wasn’t crazy enough, the climactic dragon battle strained fans’ suspension of disbelief to the breaking point. Brought to life through agonizingly dated animation, it resembled a mid-’90s computer game more than a big-screen release.

5. James Bond’s Surfing Scene in Die Another Day

Bond has conquered countless impossible missions, but CGI surfing a virtual tsunami was too much. The unrealistic water dynamics and stiff animation made viewers more entertained than intimidated, spoiling what was intended as a climactic scene.

6. Wolverine’s CGI Claws in X-Men Origins

For years, Hugh Jackman’s famous claws were made real with practical effects. But when X-Men Origins: Wolverine changed to CGI, the contrast was apparent. The claws tended to resemble floating digital attachments, with cringeworthy lighting and movement that interrupted all action scenes.

7. The Overload of The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl

Robert Rodríguez’s vividly colored superhero fantasy was made for children, but even they were forced to wince through some of the most frenetic and garish CGI ever screened. Made to be seen in 3D, the effects tended to look like overly processed candy—adorable, no, simply overbearing. 

8. Mama’s CGI Monster Miss

Andy Muschietti’s horror film built tension well until the reveal. The mix of practical effects and computer graphics didn’t blend, leaving audiences with a creature that felt more cartoonish than frightening. It’s a perfect example of how poor VFX integration can derail even a solid story.

9. The Lawnmower Man’s Dated Digital World

Groundbreaking in its day, 1992’s The Lawnmower Man is now a reminder of the limitations of early CGI. Its jerky, dreamlike imagery has not stood the test of time and resembles an arcade game more than a feature film. Even Stephen King didn’t want anything to do with the final product.

10. Green Lantern’s Overly Animated Universe

Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern is recalled more for the excess of its digital environments and suit than its plot. The choice to do almost everything in CGI made it feel light and cartoon-like, weakening the film’s efforts at grandeur. 

Why Does CGI Fail?

It’s easy to blame VFX departments or tight budgets, but the underlying problems go deeper. Visual effects artists themselves are frequently subjected to brutal conditions—unrealistic deadlines, excessive overtime, and constantly changing creative direction. Several insiders have characterized working on big franchise films, such as Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as a “crunch nightmare,” with some artists working 80-hour weeks simply to get products out the door.

Marvel Studios, for example, is notorious among VFX artists for overmicromanaging, in which small tweaks snowball into weeks of gratuitous reworking. In most instances, visual effects facilities have to treat premium projects favorably while smaller scenes or even whole movies are rushed or underbudgeted.

When Bad CGI Becomes Iconic

Ironically, a few of these bombs have established their niche in popular culture. Clips are still shared, scenes are recreated, and people guffaw at the mere ridiculousness. It’s either Bond riding an on-screen wave or a baby that appears to have stepped out of a horror film. These are reminders that even Hollywood cannot escape mistakes, and those mistakes might end up being the most enduring part of all.

Film franchises have become the pulse of contemporary cinema, providing a combination of nostalgia, spectacle, and billion-dollar storytelling that brings people back to theaters (and streaming services) repeatedly. These cinematic behemoths don’t simply rule the box office; they influence pop culture, set eras, and forge entire worlds for people to get lost in. Below is a rundown of the greatest film franchises of all time—and why they continue to succeed.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: A Box Office Giant

No franchise has reshaped the film industry quite like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With 35 films and counting, the MCU has raked in more than $31.4 billion globally, according to Investopedia, making it the most lucrative film series in history by a wide margin. The Avengers films alone have earned $7.7 billion, led by Avengers: Endgame, which remains the second-highest-grossing film of all time at $2.79 billion.

Disney’s 2009 Marvel Entertainment buy was a risk, particularly with so many character rights spread out among other studios. But with Marvel taking back control of its superheroes, the MCU exploded into a pop-culture juggernaut. Now, it’s not only a slate of movies—it’s an entire ecosystem of merchandise, theme parks, TV shows, and devoted fandom.

Star Wars: Generations of Galactic Loyalty

The Star Wars franchise has long been a part of cinematic history, and under the support of Disney since 2012, it’s only grown larger. The franchise has made $10.32 billion globally from 12 movies, ranking second only to Marvel. The Force Awakens alone in 2015 grossed over $2 billion and brought back the fandom to a new generation. Disney’s $4 billion acquisition of Lucasfilm has paid for itself many times over, particularly when you include the huge merchandise, licensing, and theme-park-attraction revenue. With an expanding lineup of streaming shows and new movies in the pipeline, Star Wars remains something greater than a franchise—it’s an institution.

Harry Potter (Wizarding World): Enchantment Throughout

The Wizarding World—the core Harry Potter films and Fantastic Beasts spinoffs—has cast a spell of $9.6 billion at the box office. Deathly Hallows: Part 2 alone made $1.3 billion, closing out the central saga on a high note. Outside of film, the franchise has taken its magic to the stage with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, theme park rides across the globe, and a TV re-do already in production. Over 20 years after the first movie’s release, the world of magic continues to hold a strong enchantment for people of all ages. 

Spider-Man: A Multiverse of Money

Spider-Man’s film run has traversed studios and universes, but one thing has stayed consistent: it’s a box office smash. The web-slinger’s movies have grossed $8.9 billion globally, with No Way Home closing in on $2 billion alone. Sony Pictures retains the film rights to the character, yet the collaboration with Disney’s Marvel Studios produced an uncommon and highly profitable cross-studio deal. With negotiations ongoing regarding future films and prospective spinoffs, Spider-Man is one of the most profitable heroes in cinema.

James Bond: Timeless Spycraft

James Bond has enthralled people for over six decades, with 27 movies and eighdifferentus actors portraying the 007 role. The franchise has grossed $7.9 billion worldwide, with Skyfall being the highest at $1.1 billion. The latest addition, No Time to Die, was pandemic-induced in its delays but still performed well at the box office. Under Amazon MGM Studios’ helm, the new generation of Bond is promised to be innovative and contemporary while still sticking to the old-school spy charm.

New Box Office Breakers: Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible’s Holiday Duel

As old franchises rule, fresh and reimagined ones continue to break box office records. Disney’s live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch caught the industry by surprise with a $192.7 million opening domestically and $361.3 million internationally over the Memorial Day weekend, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

It topped that of Top Gun: Maverick to rank as the largest Memorial Day opening ever at the box office (unadjusted for inflation). What stands out is the demographics of the audience—56 percent of the ticket purchasers were not parents or children. Rather, it was Gen Z and millennials motivated by nostalgia for the 2002 animated original. That demographic connection, coupled with Disney’s refined live-action formula, worked to bring a breakout hit.

In the meantime, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning crossed $79 million at the domestic box office and $191 million worldwide, driven in large part by older filmgoers. With a whopping $400 million price tag, it is one of the most costly movies ever produced. But every new entry in the Mission: Impossible franchise contributes to long-term value in theatrical, digital, and streaming windows.

Franchises as Cultural Forces

Whether it’s a superhero franchise, a wizarding epic, a legendary spy, or an animated classic revivified, film franchises are not merely box office gambles. They are world-building engines that grow with their public, spark fan bases, and establish the template for cinematic narrative. Provided the stories continue to expand and the characters remain engaging, these franchises will keep shaping not only Hollywood but the very way we view movies.

When House of Cards initially hit Netflix, it didn’t just seem like a hit—it seemed like a revolution. Streaming originals weren’t just possible anymore; they were a must-watch. With Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood speaking to the camera and Robin Wright’s Claire keeping pace with him beat for beat, the series rapidly became the standard for prestige political drama. But when its sixth and last season came around, House of Cards was a cautionary tale—a reminder of what goes wrong when a show not only loses its main actor but also its direction.

The abrupt firing of Kevin Spacey in the wake of serious sexual assault allegations moved the series into uncharted ground. The initial trajectory was supposed to conclude with an intense showdown between Frank and Claire, a power struggle between two ruthless equals. Instead, Frank was murdered off-screen, and the writers were left reeling.

What ensued was a disjointed and hastily constructed final season, with characters reacting to a never-revealed protagonist. As Vox explained, “Its eight episodes are a centerless, ham-handed kludge of a season… attempting to get you to believe that everything that’s happening is Important.”

Claire was front and center during House of Cards in Spacey’s absence. The show attempted to reinvent itself as being about her presidency, positioning her against patriarchal power structures represented by the Shepherd brothers and other long-time political players. There were glimpses of something intriguing here, an exploration of power, gender, and the cost of ambition. Claire’s quest to shatter the glass ceiling and be as cunning and ruthless as Frank could’ve been real-time commentary. But those moments were few. The show tended to short itself, collapsing into contrived territory, particularly with Claire’s spontaneous pregnancy, a development that was more of a hedge than an organic aspect of character.

One of the season’s central conflicts was Claire’s breaking with Doug Stamper, Frank’s loyal chief of staff. On paper, their relationship had the potential to center the season. Doug’s stubborn devotion to Frank and skepticism toward Claire might have been a satisfying, character-driven conflict.

Instead, the story disintegrated into indecipherability. The climax of a brawl in the Oval Office attempted to create closure but resulted in muddled motivations. Doug’s surprise that he had killed Frank to save his reputation came across as forced and dramatically stagnant. As Vox noted, the exchange boiled down to emotional whiplash: friends one minute, sworn enemies the next, in a matter of lines.

And for all this, the show was still fixated on Frank. The series was haunted by his ghost every week. His legacy, his will, and his power hung so large that it was apparent the series never quite knew how to proceed. While the original British show offered a scathing commentary on power and corruption, the American adaptation appeared to lose its thematic compass. By the time it was done, the message wasn’t so much how power corrupts—it was how power only counts if you’re able to maintain it, no matter the expense.

And then there was the body count. What was initially a dark tool for storytelling—Peter Russo’s downward spiral, Zoe Barnes’ sudden demise—would become a budgetary gimmick by the end. The show’s willingness to kill off major characters grew more and more frequent season by season. Claire’s poisoning of Thomas Yates, the manipulation of political opponents’ deaths, and finally Doug Stamper’s death all were part of a sense of diminishing returns.

As Screen Rant pointed out, the Underwoods had a tally of victims that included Peter Russo, Zoe Barnes, Elizabeth Hale, Thomas Yates, LeAnn Harvey, Tom Hammerschmidt, Catherine Durant, Jane Davis, and Doug himself. But seldom did the show ever stop to reflect on the moral significance of these deaths—it simply continued to advance the plot, consistently pursuing the next plot twist.

By its conclusion, House of Cards had devolved from biting political drama into a series attempting to top itself at every turn and confusing shock with substance. It couldn’t shake the shadow of Frank Underwood, and it never really settled on what it wished Claire’s period to mean. What resulted was a finale that was empty, featuring much ado about nothing.

All six seasons are still streaming on Netflix. For those who wish to rewatch the show that started the streaming age, it’s an interesting time capsule. But for many fans of long-standing, the actual drama is how House of Cards—once a trailblazer—ended with such an uncertain, unsatisfying whisper.

The music industry’s biggest night is also its most volatile—where legends are born, careers rise (or fall), and the world gets a front-row ticket to the wildest, craziest, and most jaw-dropping pop culture moments.

1. M.I.A. Performs Nine Months Pregnant

Forget getting a break—M.I.A. stormed the 2009 Grammy stage on her very due date, contractions and all, playing “Swagga Like Us” in a nude-colored polka-dot dress with Jay-Z, T.I., Lil Wayne, and Kanye West. Three days later, she had the baby, but not before giving everyone an idea of what commitment means. As she explained to the red carpet, her baby was just “getting his swagga on” (Vogue).

2. Lady Gaga Emerges from an Egg

In 2011, Lady Gaga appeared within a huge, climate-controlled egg, emerging only to sing “Born This Way.” She subsequently admitted to staying 72 hours before preparing for the performance. That’s commitment to the bit (Vogue UK).

3. Nicki Minaj’s Exorcism Routine

Nicki Minaj arrived with a pretend pope as her guest in 2012, followed by a full-scale exorcism on stage during “Roman Holiday.” The Catholic League termed it “tasteless” and “vulgar,” but Minaj dismissed it as work for a movie she was scripting (Vogue UK).

4. Jennifer Lopez’s Green Versace Dress Breaks the Internet

J.Lo’s low, jungle-print Versace dress at the 2000 Grammys was so legendary, folks crashed the internet looking for pictures. Google Image Search existed because of this one dress (Business Insider).

5. Queen Latifah Marries 34 Couples Onstage

At Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s “Same Love” performance in 2014, Queen Latifah performed the marriages of 34 gay couples, and Madonna suddenly appeared to sing “Open Your Heart.” It was a history-making moment (Vogue).

6. Beyoncé’s Record-Breaking 2025 Wins

Beyoncé finally won Album of the Year and was the first Black woman to win Best Country Album for “Cowboy Carter.” She was so surprised, she could hardly muster up a thank-you speech, thanking God and embracing Taylor Swift, who had given her the award (The Hollywood Reporter).

7. Kanye West’s Red Carpet and Stage Antics

Kanye West and Bianca Censori shocked the 2025 red carpet when Censori shed her fur coat to expose a sheer, nude-colored minidress, leaving additional security and a unified gasp in photographers’ throats. Kanye’s past of nearly (or actually) invading the stage—such as his near-interruption of Beck in 2015—leaves everyone in suspense (The Hollywood Reporter).

8. Helen Reddy Thanks “God… She Makes Everything Possible”

In 1973, Helen Reddy accepted her Grammy for “I Am Woman” by thanking God specifically, “because She makes everything possible.” The feminist mic drop stunned the conservative audience and became a women’s liberation rallying cry (Business Insider).

9. Aretha Franklin Performs Opera for Pavarotti

When Luciano Pavarotti cancelled at the last minute in 1998, Aretha Franklin emerged to sing “Nessun Dorma”—in Italian—with no rehearsal.

Love Is Blind Season 7 may have concluded its D.C. experiment, but the drama didn’t stop at the altar. The reunion brought back the pod squad into Netflix’s hot seat, and it was tense.

From bombshell baby announcements to surprise style makeovers and a mom who almost stole the show, here are nine of the most memorable moments from the Season 7 reunion.

1. Tyler Denies Rumors of Secret Babies

Tyler and Ashley at last put to rest the rumors that have been surrounding Tyler having secret children. During the reunion, Tyler clarified that he had taken it upon himself to help a friend who had children of her own and was raising them, stressing that Ashley was aware of the situation right from the beginning. “I don’t owe anyone an explanation except my wife,” he maintained. Ashley stood by him, labeling the gossip “insulting to her intelligence.” Despite the couple’s apparent solidarity and indifference, it’s fair to say the internet isn’t finished discussing.

2. Garrett’s Fashion Evolution

Garrett’s post-show style glow-up didn’t escape attention. Taylor, his new wife, jokingly claimed responsibility for the makeover, and Garrett confessed he’d had a passion for style all along—just needed someone to bring it out. Their matching looks and stylish appearances since the show have only served to validate that sometimes, love does indeed come with a new wardrobe. It was a reminder that although not every match made in the pods results in marriage, some of them do result in long-term relationships—and even children.

3. Marissa, Ramses, and a Protective Mom

Marissa and Ramses’ breakup was already dramatic enough, but the drama escalated when Marissa’s mother, Vanessa, attended the reunion. She didn’t mince words, saying to Ramses, “You broke her.”. I had to come and pick her up,” and confessing she’d even considered “punching him in the throat.” Even with the tense moment, Vanessa eventually thanked Ramses for canceling the engagement, stating she felt Marissa would have taken on the emotional baggage of the relationship. Ramses tried to articulate his perspective, especially their argument about birth control, but the wounds had only just healed.

4. Brittany and Leo’s Unlikely Friendship

Leo came clean about his family-wealth obsession and reconciled with Hannah after their angry breakup. But the greatest surprise came when Brittany revealed to Leo that she loved him, as a friend. Although they never exchanged vows, the two left the experiment with a solid platonic connection (and some open-ended arguments about Leo’s practice of taking a sip out of Brittany’s drinks first).

5. Stephen’s Redemption—or Not

Stephen’s reunion moment began on a small health revelation—he has sleep apnea—but quickly turned contentious with news about his sexting scandal with Monica. He profusely apologized, stating he’s in therapy and sorting himself out. Monica wasn’t having it, coolly telling him to stop doing the same thing over and over again. The exchange between them stayed icy.

6. Alex and Tim’s Communication Clash

If there was ever going to be a reconciliation between Alex and Tim, it didn’t last. The two just couldn’t get along about anything, whether their battle in Mexico or the infamous nap that supposedly broke them up. Alex accused Tim of being emotionally unavailable, while Tim accused Alex of being too aggressive. Both finally agreed that their communication styles just didn’t work.

7. Season 8 Teasers and What’s Coming Next

The reunion ended with a preview of what’s to come: Season 8 is already in the works. With the D.C. pod crew bringing this much drama, expectations are high for what’s to come. For the time being, fans have much to digest—and much to discuss—thanks to one of the most dramatic reunions Love Is Blind has ever seen.

Whether you’re Team Ashley or still recovering from Hannah and Nick’s showdown, the Season 7 reunion proved that the drama doesn’t end with “I do.” Stay tuned—if past seasons are any indication, Season 8 is sure to raise the stakes all over again.

The genre is boffo, with filmmakers exploring everything from punk lore and political heroes to baby pangolins and the origins of global disparity. Whether you feel like bawling, getting riled up, or just learning something utterly surprising, this year’s crop of documentaries has something for everyone. Here are 7 must-see docs from 2025 that you won’t be able to resist.

1. Daughters

Prepare to feel all the feels. Directed by Angela Patton and Natalie Rae, Daughters tracks four girls and their imprisoned fathers as they get ready for a special and emotional father-daughter dance within prison walls.

It’s heartbreaking, tender, and impossibly strong. The film, which debuted at Sundance and is now streaming on Netflix, presents a powerful Black girlhood, family, and resilience. As Mashable so succinctly put it, “Daughters is easily one of the best documentaries you’ll see all year.”

2. Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché

This personal documentary delves into the life of punk legend Poly Styrene through the eyes of her daughter and co-director, Celeste Bell. Narrated by actress Ruth Negga and featuring readings from Poly’s diaries, the documentary uncovers a gritty and intensely personal journey beyond music. It’s streaming on Apple TV and Prime Video.

3. We Want the Funk!

Stanley Nelson is back with another lively documentary tracing the origins and ascension of funk music. With interviews from James Brown, George Clinton, and David Bowie, the documentary explores funk’s international influences—from West Africa to contemporary hip-hop. It’s half history lesson and half celebration, and it’s on PBS.

4. Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey

Oscar-winning director Pippa Ehrlich (My Octopus Teacher) is here with another heart-stopping animal tale—this one about a rescued baby pangolin taken from South Africa’s black market wildlife trade. Kulu’s Journey is both a conservation plea and a heartwarming story of unexpected friendship. Available now on Netflix.

5. Planetary Defenders

This documentary provides an inside glimpse of the actual asteroid hunters at NASA. It’s full of compelling science, but it also asks a thrilling question: What if we detect a planet-killing object on its way to us? The film is streaming on NASA+, Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV.

6. The Invisible Doctrine

Based on the bestseller by George Monbiot and co-directed by Peter Hutchison, this documentary charts the history of neoliberalism—a system of thought that remade capitalism. It simplifies complicated history with force and urgency, making the connections between economics, inequality, and climate collapse. In some theaters and on DVD.

7. Titan

This compelling Netflix doc centers on the OceanGate submersible tragedy that resulted in five fatalities while on a Titanic expedition. OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush is under scrutiny by director Mark Monroe, investigating the technology, ambition, and hubris leading to the tragedy. Soon to be available on Netflix.

From the depths of the sea to corridors of power, these documentaries reveal just how interesting real life can be—sometimes stranger, frequently more powerful, and always worth viewing.

Let’s get real—there’s nothing better than the thrill of a true-crime or cult documentary. Whether you’re an old pro at the sleuthing thing or just along for the crazy ride, these shows and movies get their hooks in you, make you question everything, and leave you with a lot to discuss long after the credits are done rolling. From spiritual cults gone bad to art world heists, here are 11 of the best true-crime and cult docs currently streaming.

1. Wild Wild Country

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his disciples weren’t content merely to create a peaceful commune in rural Oregon—they were going to construct an entire city. What ensued was one of the strangest episodes in American history, with wholesale poisonings, political scandals, and a ruthless battle for power. This six-part Netflix series dissects how a utopian dream became a nightmare, with Ma Anand Sheela stealing every scene.

2. The Keepers

This chilling series revisits the decades-past unsolved homicide of Sister Cathy Cesnik, a cherished Baltimore nun and teacher. As the search for answers unfolds, it reveals a horrific pattern of abuse and cover-up within a major institution. What makes The Keepers most unforgettable is its concentration on the survivors—women who won’t allow the truth to remain buried.

3. This Is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist

In 1990, two men posing as police officers entered Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and pulled off the heist of the century—$500 million in art stolen and not recovered. The four-episode Netflix series investigates how it was done, who did it, and why the artwork has never been found. Art enthusiasts and mystery buffs must watch. 

4. The Family

What happens when a secretive Christian organization holds influence at the highest levels of U.S. government? Based on Jeff Sharlet’s investigative reporting, this eye-opening series examines how a quiet, behind-the-scenes religious group has shaped political discourse through events like the National Prayer Breakfast. The Family is a fascinating—and at times unsettling—look at faith and power.

5. Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.

Sarma Melngailis was the queen of New York’s vegan scene. Then she met a guy who would give her dog immortality—and everything else changed. This stranger-than-fiction tale of manipulation, money laundering, and an across-country manhunt will leave you wondering how even the brightest individuals can be made to do the bidding of someone else.

6. Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator

Bikram Choudhury made hot yoga a global phenomenon. But behind the glamour, his empire was founded on fear, domination, and—according to numerous lawsuits—sexual abuse. This incendiary documentary looks at how power and charisma are used within wellness communities to leave a legacy of trauma in their wake.

7. The Tinder Swindler

Shimon Hayut employed dating sites to live life in style, on the back of the women he deceived. The Tinder Swindler dissects how a single man constructed a deceitful web on continents, swindling millions through charisma and emotional manipulation. It’s a warning for the age of the internet, and one of Netflix’s most-watched documentaries for a good reason.

8. Making a Murderer

This influential series rewrote the rulebook on true-crime storytelling. It chronicles the life of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin native who was cleared after serving 18 years behind bars, only to find himself accused of murder shortly thereafter. Featuring hours of courtroom hearings and interviews, Making a Murderer is an emotional and frequently infuriating examination of the American justice system.

9. Tiger King

Quirky zoo owners, large cats, and a murder-for-hire scheme you couldn’t invent if you tried—Tiger King was the docu-series that swept the planet. Under the meme-worthy scenes and frenetic energy lies a narrative of fixation, ego, and the spectrum between passion and exploitation.

10. Life of Crime 1984–2020

Shot over almost four decades, this intimate trilogy tracks three individuals in Newark, New Jersey, as they move through addiction, incarceration, and ephemeral hope. The last part is a stark, unglamorized photograph of cycles that are difficult to escape and lives that are easily ignored. It’s an emotionally powerful examination of the human side of crime and survival.

11. My Octopus Teacher

Though not a crime movie, this Oscar-winning movie belongs on the list based on its emotional resonance and storytelling genius. Director Craig Foster forms an incredible connection with a wild octopus along the coast of South Africa and learns surprising things about trust, connection, and the vulnerability of life. It’s a subdued, compelling reminder that some of the most profound tales originate in nature.

Therefore, if you’re in the mood for a psychological exploration, a suspenseful mystery, or a cult tale that sounds like it sounds too outrageous to be real, these documentaries provide an up-close and personal view of the most intriguing tales real life has to tell.

If you assume animated movies about robots are all existential drama and high-octane action, Robot Dreams will pleasantly surprise you. Directed by Pablo Berger and based on Sara Varon’s graphic novel, this Oscar-nominated animated feature is an emotionally powerful, gentle tale of friendship, memory, and the poignancy of change, communicated with not a line of dialogue.

In a retro take on 1980s New York, Robot Dreams meets Dog, a solitary individual in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic creatures. When an infomercial for an Amica 2000 build-it-yourself robot companion airs late one night, he decides to buy one. The outcome is a kind, instant depth of connection.

Dog and Robot grow inseparable, their lives filled with tiny pleasures, urban escapades, and a connection that seems effortlessly genuine. Their friendship is like a love letter to gentle companionship, expressed through animation that is alive, colorful, and brimming with nuanced emotional expression.

So effective is Robot Dreams because it can convey so much without words. Through thoughtful animation and bold visual storytelling, director Berger, animation director Benoît Féroumont, and art director José Luis Ágreda craft a world in which every movement and look is imbued with emotion.

The slant of Robot’s head, the wag of Dog’s tail, or a wordless stop in a busy street says it all. The animation is subtle and stylized, but never simplistic—every frame is lovingly tended, so that the audience can share the characters’ pleasures and pains intensely.

The environments are no less important. The film’s representation of late-1980s East Village is full of texture: foggy urban landscapes, busy sidewalks, VHS stores, and the shadow of the Twin Towers. To viewers who’ve ever been attracted to a nostalgia for an environment or an era—especially one that is gone—they offer an emotional resonance that rounds out the story. It’s a love letter to a particular New York era, but it was caught with affection and understated respect.

Although Robot Dreams is accessible for younger audiences—it’s light on scares and the edgiest moment is a cartoonish middle finger—it’s adults who will likely connect most deeply with its themes.

The film explores the fragility of connection, the ache of separation, and the way memories continue to shape us long after we’ve said goodbye. In doing so, it softly evokes the affective space of movies such as Inside Out or WALL-E, but it finds a tone that is all its own.

One of the most moving threads throughout the film is its use of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.” The song is an emotional touchstone for Dog and Robot, a reminder of joy, companionship, and loss. It carries a richness of wistful sweetness, reminding us how music has the ability to anchor us in both beautiful and painful memories.

If what you’re hungry for is an animated film that touches the heart as much as it astounds the eye, Robot Dreams is a reserved but powerful experience you’ll not quickly forget.

Let’s be blunt: PG-13 fright films are not for children or the weak of stomach. Most of the greatest, most intelligent, and most fun horror films out today proudly sport their PG-13 label. They don’t trust in a focus on gore violence or R-rated sensationalism—instead, they create tension through smart plotting, creepy atmosphere, and just enough suspense. Whether you’re easing into the genre or just in the mood for a thrill without the gore, here are 10 PG-13 horror films that deliver the chills.

1. The Final Girls (2015)

This genre-bending slasher is part tribute, part parody, and all heart. When a grieving teenager is pulled into her late mother’s cult-favorite horror film, she has to navigate a world where the rules of slasher movies come to life. With its combination of humor, nostalgia, and pathos, The Final Girls is Scream crossed with Cabin in the Woods, but with a much better spin. It’s a decent bet for viewers who prefer their horror with a nod.

2. The Mummy (1999)

The Mummy, directed by Brendan Fraser, is an audience-friendly combination of horror, adventure, and period charm. It has everything: curses of the ancients, flesh-eating scarabs, and an eerily frightening undead bad guy, capped off with snappy dialogue and blockbuster action. It’s not the most frightening on the list, perhaps, but it’s a great combination of thrills and chuckles that will delight both horror newcomers and supernatural action fans.

3. The Monster Squad (1987)

The Monster Squad, which came before Stranger Things, is a cult classic about a group of kids who learn that classic-movie monsters—Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolfman—are not only make-believe but are also wreaking havoc on their town. With ’80s nostalgia and tight writing from Shane Black, it’s a ghostly, hilarious ride that conjures up the essence of childhood and Halloween-night adventures.

4. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

A claustrophobic, psychological thriller based mostly in one room, 10 Cloverfield Lane stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as a woman who wakes up in a bunker with a man (played brilliantly by John Goodman) who maintains that the world outside is finished. The less you know, the better—but seek out a masterclass in suspense, atmosphere, and slow-burn narrative that doesn’t let up until the very end.

5. King Kong (2005)

Peter Jackson’s massive reboot of the vintage monster movie is about something bigger than giant apes. King Kong delivers actual horror moments, especially once characters arrive at Skull Island, where hideous creatures—giant insects and crawly threats—make some of the film’s most suspenseful scenes. The action is epic, the effects are stunning, and the scares are surprisingly effective.

6. The Haunting (1999)

This modern reinterpretation of Shirley Jackson’s classic haunted house tale is more gothic suspense and psychological unease than jumpscaress. Featuring Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Lili Taylor, The Haunting stumbles into the world of the supernatural with disturbing visuals and an eerie premonition of dread. It’s perfect for those who prefer mood to madness.

7. Critters 3 (1991)

A wacky slice of sci-fi horror, Critters 3 boasts a young Leonardo DiCaprio making his movie debut, battling hungry alien furballs in a small-town apartment complex. Yeah, it’s cheesy—but in a good way. The franchise mingles creature-feature horror with B-movie camp, so the third entry is an agreeably offbeat addition to your horror list.

8. AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)

What results when two of the most legendary monsters in the history of sci-fi horror face off against one another? You have Alien vs. Predator, a monster battle that perhaps dialed back the gore for its PG-13 rating but still packs a lot of suspenseful action and creature versus creature carnage. It’s not subtle by any stretch, but if you feel like indulging in sheer spectacle, this one delivers.

9. Van Helsing (2004)

Hugh Jackman swaps claws for crossbows in this action-packed monster mash. Playing Van Helsing, he fights Dracula, the Wolfman, and Frankenstein’s Monster in a movie that goes all in on gothic fantasy and Z-grade effects. It’s more swashbuckling adventure than outright horror, but it nails that good, spooky fun vibe that’s great for a Halloween night marathon.

10. 47 Meters Down (2017)

If you’re ocean-phobic, this one will get beneath your skin. 47 Meters Down holds two sisters captive inside a shark cage that descends into the depths of the ocean, their oxygen dwindling and predators closing in. It’s a well-tightened survival horror film that demonstrates that you don’t need blood to make an audience squirm, only the appropriate location and an insidious building sense of fear.

These PG-13 horror movies show that fantastic frights don’t require R-rated frightfulness. From psychological thrillers to creature features and supernatural stories, they pack plenty of suspense, style, and fun. Whether you’re getting into horror or simply want something a notch less intense, these options are sure to entertain—and perhaps even have you glancing over your shoulder.