Category: News

Tesla stock continued to plunge this week as Elon Musk’s management of Twitter continues to be a source of embarrassment for the once-revered electric car mogul. According to the Wall Street Journal, Tesla shares fell “sharply” on Thursday. The shock is now down 65% from the start of 2022.

Adding insult to injury, a self-driving Tesla car reportedly “triggered” an eight-car pileup in San Francisco last month. The revelation came to light this week, which obviously, Musk does not need right now. He really could’ve done without this latest headache. Via CNN Business:

The report states that the Tesla Model S was traveling at about 55 mph and shifted into the far left-hand lane, but then braked abruptly, slowing the car to about 20 mph. That led to a chain reaction that ultimately involved eight vehicles to crash, all of which had been traveling at typical highway speeds.

Tesla’s driver-assist technologies, Autopilot and “full self-driving” are already being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration following reports of unexpected braking that occurs “without warning, at random, and often repeatedly in a single drive.”

As CNN Business notes, the accident occurred “just hours” after Musk announced on Twitter that the self-driving feature was available to “anyone in North America who requested it.” However, drivers are repeatedly warned that the feature “may do the wrong thing at the worst time,” which are not exactly the words you want to see when handing over control of your two-ton motor vehicle to a software update. Case in point: The aforementioned pileup.

(Via CNN Business, Wall Street Journal)

Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish movies available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.

10. (tie) Enola Holmes 2 (Netflix)

Thank goodness Henry Cavill didn’t sign on to play Superman again before filming this sequel, or there’d be another The Witcher-esque switcheroo in the works. Cavill is back, but more importantly, Millie Bobbie Brown returns as the sassy younger sister of Sherlock Holmes. One of the bigger plot finds roots in the real-life Bryant & May match factory atrocities, but somehow, the overall mood stays light. Enola sets up her own detective shingle and goes undercover, so you can only imagine what hijinks will ensue. Watch it on Netflix.

10. (tie) Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (The Roku Channel)

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story stars Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe as “Weird Al” Yankovic, obviously. The fake biopic depicts the world’s premier polka-loving pop song parodist as a hard-drinking sex maniac, obviously. It also stars Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna, Quinta Brunson as Oprah Winfrey, and Rainn Wilson as Dr. Demento, obviously. Should you watch Weird: The Al Yankovic Story this weekend on the Roku Channel? Obviously.

9. Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (Netflix)

Well, guess what: Scrooge is back. In animated form. In a trippy new animated story that features the voices of people like Luke Evans and Olivia Colman. Which is… fine. It’s fine! There’s a reason this story has been told 800 times. People love it! Now, you could just watch The Muppet Christmas Carol instead, if you want. That’s an option. But this is here now, too. So there’s that. Watch it on Netflix.

8. Disenchanted (Disney Plus)

Amy Adams returns in her breakout role, but she’s a princess who actually isn’t having as much fun as she imagined would be the case. Giselle is still married to Robert (Patrick Dempsey), and they’re still searching for their fairy tale. Maya Rudolph climbs onboard for a semi-evil role as a villain of suburbia, and this is all very G-rated material again because c’mon, Disney. The story will be as charming as always, but the real attraction is James Marsden’s returning Idiot Prince. Basically, I just want the Idiot Prince to get plowed down at every opportunity again. Watch it on Disney Plus.

7. Bullet Train (Netflix)

Bullet Train is chaos. Bloody, funny, frivolous, superficial chaos. Nothing and everything happens in this film about a group of assassins all vying for a briefcase that may just offer the biggest payload of their respective careers thus far. It’s jam-packed with action — the fast-paced, tightly-choreographed kind that gives you whiplash if you stare too long – and with a cast of A-listers, the best of which being Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry, who play a pair of Brit brothers constantly bickering on the job. It’s got enough twists and surprises to keep you entertained plus Brad Pitt unironically sporting a bucket hat for its two hour runtime. It’s just plain fun. We wish there were more movies like it out there. Watch it on Netflix.

6. Spirited (Apple TV Plus)

Apple TV+ is getting into the Christmas movie game with this musically inclined re-telling of that classic Dickens tales. Ryan Reynolds plays the modern-day Scrooge here, a guy named Clint Briggs who doesn’t take his holiday haunting lying down. Will Ferrell plays the Ghost of Christmas Present who’s determined to inject a bit of cheer into the proceedings no matter how many musical numbers and tap-dancing solos it takes. As far as Charles Dickens adaptations go, you could do a lot worse. Watch it on Apple TV Plus.

5. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (Disney Plus)

In the mood for some space-related superhero business this holiday season? Great! Why not?! Here we have the Guardians of the Galaxy — Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Kevin Bacon a little bit — doing a bunch of Christmas things, for you, all month long. Is it kind of cute and sweet? Sure. Would we pay decent money to have our own lil Groot decorated like a Christmas tree? Of course. Would it be fun if they made a movie next year where Hulk had to take over for Santa due to an emergency? It’s worth considering. But for now, there’s this. Watch it on Disney Plus.

4. Reno 911! It’s A Wonderful Heist (Comedy Central)

The Reno 911! gang is back, ringing in the holidays with a nod to It’s A Wonderful Life, decaying shopping malls, and American weirdness. Not to oversell, but this laugh-until-your-face-hurts special once again proves that Tom Lennon, Niecy Nash, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, and company are operating at the top of their game as a collective. Watch it on Comedy Central.

3. Pinocchio (Netflix)

Guillermo del Toro made a stop-action version of the classic “liar puppet becomes a real boy” story and guess what: it’s great! Smart people are saying it’s the best Pinocchio since the first one, which is both high praise and a decently sick burn on the other version that just came out a few months ago. Either way! Feels like a fun one to watch with the family over the holidays. It’s definitely better than, like, talking. No one wants to do that. Let the adorable wooden puppet fill the air with his sweet journey toward being a human. Watch it on Netflix.

2. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)

Daniel Craig returns as Benoit Blanc with a whole new cast of potential murdermakers to relish. Dave Bautista as a scantily clad social media sensation is only one of the ensemble highlights, and the endless buffet of cameos can not be stopped, nor do the story’s twists feel gratuitous or implausible. Instead, the film dances through mischief and swings bigger and better with a series of bewitching wrinkles and knots that will make you forgive the runtime. In fact, you’ll barely notice the passage of time because this film is fun and cerebral and makes perfect sense when all is revealed. Also, one of the greatest TV murder detectives in history makes a (bittersweet) cameo, for crying out loud. Netflix really should have run with a longer theatrical window, but at least it’s streaming for Christmas. Watch it on Netflix.

1. Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Plus)

That loud whooshing sound you heard this summer could have been one of two things: the sound of jet engines blasting out of movie theaters around the country or the sound of massive crowds rushing into and out of those same theaters to hear those jet engines in Top Gun: Maverick. The sequel to the original movie — released over 35 years later, which is kind of wild — picks up right where the first left off, in spirit if not chronology, with Tom Cruise and a bunch of new hotshot pilots (Miles Teller and Glen Powell leading the way) taking back to the skies and talking trash and sometimes riding motorcycles. It is a lot of fun and better than it has any right to be and one of the first real-deal, must-see movie theater movies we’ve had in a while. It was nice to get one of those again. Let’s do it again in another 35 years when Tom Cruise is… uh, 95 years old. He’ll probably still be up for it. You will, too. Don’t lie. Watch it on Paramount Plus.

Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.

Get more streaming recommendations with our weekly What To Watch newsletter.

10. (tie) Wednesday (Netflix)

Yes, Rob Zombie and Tim Burton are all up in the goth-nostalgia resurrection this fall, but while Zombie veers into wild kitsch, Burton decided to reinvent his character’s mission a bit while creating a “eight-hour Tim Burton movie.” Call it a passion project, of course, while Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán step in as Morticia and Gomez, respectively, and Jenna Ortega slides into view as the title character. Don’t expect a typical reboot feel. Rather, Wednesday is on some missions here, and the show justifies its existence as a separate entity.

Watch it on Netflix

10. (tie) Dead To Me (Netflix)

How do you end a show the “right” way? Do you try to say something profound, pay off longtime viewers with fan service, or end with a shocking twist? For Dead To Me‘s just-released final season, the answer is an emphatic yes to all of the above as creator Liz Feldman delivers a triumphant close, leaning on the otherworldly onscreen chemistry of stars Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini as they lead us through the twisty chaos of the show’s central story while dealing with heavy matters of life, family. love, and death before ending on high with a tear and a tease.

Watch it on Netflix

10. (tie) Slow Horses (Apple TV Plus)

The first season of this spy drama was a trip. There were twists and turns and Olivia Cooke from House of the Dragon, and at one point Gary Oldman’s character farted himself awake. It was a pretty good time, even if it got dark at times. If you worked your way through season one, it’s time to dive in again. If not, it’s a great time for a binge. You have lots of options, is the point.

Watch it on Apple TV Plus

9. Harry & Meghan (Netflix)

The Royal family can’t be thrilled about this docuseries that follows not too long after The Crown (fictionally) made Prince Charles look like the pettiest of future kings. This Netflix project follows up on Meghan Markle’s allegations of not-so-great treatment from the Windsors and Prince Harry’s decision to essentially put half a world between all of them. So get ready for all of the controversy to spill forth and for Piers Morgan to probably blow a few fuses in the aftermath.

Watch it on Netflix

8. The Witcher: Blood Origin (Netflix)

The days of a grunting, leather-clad Henry Cavill are numbered since he will depart the franchise’s building after the flagship series’ Season 3, but this limited prequel series takes things back to where it all began. Watch for the inception of the first Witcher prototype, over 1200 years Geralt’s monster-killing tour of the Continent. Michelle Yeoh portrays Scian, an elven swordmaster whose ferocious reputation may precede her, and expect plenty of swordplay and axe swinging. And Jaskier, too? I sense another banger coming.

Watch it on Netflix

7. Doom Patrol (HBO Max)

Brendan Fraser’s back as the eternally frustrated disembodied brain inside of a robotic body. It is his finest performance (yes yes, we know there’s Oscar chatter elsewhere), and he’s backed up by Diane Guerrero as many iterations of Crazy Jane, along with Matt Bomer as Negative Man, April Bowlby as Elasi-Girl, and Jovian Wade as Cyborg. DC’s misfit superheroes are facing what might be certain doom, but at least some of them other than Fraser’s Cliff got to have a collective orgasm already.

Watch it on HBO Max

6. Kindred (Hulu)

Okay, here’s what we have going on: FX and Hulu have made a live-action series based on Olivia Butler’s 1979 science fiction novel, and it follows a woman who has dreams of writing and uproots her entire life to move to Los Angeles to follow that dream, and then things happen and she ends up getting ripped back and forth through time for various terrifying adventures. It’s a lot, and it’s definitely an ambitious undertaking, which is always to be applauded. Fans of Butler’s writing and science fiction and the general concept of time travel could do way worse than to give this one a shot.

Watch it on Hulu

5. 1923 (Paramount Plus)

As wild as it feels to say “there’s now a cowboy show that stars Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren that serves as a prequel to a massively popular Kevin Costner show where he runs a ranch and sometimes murders happen there,” that is really what is happening here. We swear. It’s going to be on television and on the internet and everything. The future is a lot weirder than any of us expected, less so in a “flying cars and robots” way than, like… this. It’s not a bad thing. Just really wild

Watch it on Paramount Plus

4. Emily in Paris (Netflix)

Don’t even try to resist this series if you’re even slightly predisposed to enjoy primetime soap-opera king Darren Star’s work. This season, Emily Cooper isn’t as unsophisticated as in previous years, but she’s still less so than Sex and the City‘s Carrie Bradshaw, which says a lot. Emily’s French still isn’t great, and she’s effortlessly conquering her professional world, but the charm of this silly show cannot be denied. Her romantic attraction to Hot Chef Gabriel also isn’t great, since they’re dating other people, but I surrender to the madness anyway. Bring on the dirty-skillet controversy, please.

Watch it on Netflix

3. Mythic Quest (Apple TV Plus)

It’s easy to think of Mythic Quest, now in its third season, as Rob McElhenney’s “other” show, but that would be a mistake. Yes, sure, he’s best known for the incredibly long-running Always Sunny, which is fair because that show rules. But this one is great, too. It’s sweet and mean and funny and everything a workplace comedy — this time in a video game studio — should be. No television show did a better job of grasping the pandemic while it was still new and really scary, too. Do not miss this because you relegate it to second-tier Mac status. This is the good stuff, too.

Watch it on Apple TV Plus

2. Fleishman Is In Trouble (Hulu)

I hear what you’re thinking here. The title of this show doesn’t sound particularly fascinating. Maybe it even sounds a little bit pretentious. Yet this show’s actually a satiric little jaunt that turns marriage-divorce drama on its head. Jesse Eisenberg plays the dude whose wife, played by Claire Danes, leaves him and then quite literally leaves the building. He’s suddenly in the midst of parenting and awful dating experiences, and all of this wouldn’t be as fascinating if Eisenberg wasn’t so good at being awkward. He’s flanked by Lizzy Caplan and Adam Brody (there are worse companions out there) while trying to find his way.

Watch it on Hulu

1. Abbott Elementary (Hulu)

The first season of Abbott Elementary was a feel-good network sitcom that caught a massive wave of popularity and won a bunch of Emmys in a time when feel-good network sitcoms are kind of not supposed to do that. Credit for this goes to creator and star Quinta Brunson, who realized that an underfunded inner-city public school was exactly the right place to show us people with good hearts working inside a system that can be cold. Kind of like Parks and Recreation but in Philadelphia. The second season is underway and does not appear to be missing a beat. This is basically a miracle, all around.

Watch it on Hulu

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

On “Uh Uh,” the fifth song from Young Dolph’s first posthumous album, Paper Route Frank, he asserts, “You will never meet another real one like me.” Truer words, unfortunately, were never spoken.

Not to get all melodramatic, but the spooky prescience on display in that boastful bar stings all the more when contrasted with the wealth of material Dolph’s perhaps final testament offers. He wasn’t really a rapper who was obsessed with death — rather, he seems obsessed with life. For many, if not most trap rappers, the specter of death seems to haunt every bar, whether it’s a vaunted flex or hushed confession of wrongdoing. They keep all those choppers around for a reason.

It never really seemed like that with Dolph. Sure, he’d casually toss off the obligatory threats and warnings to opps or ruminate on the passing of loved ones. But throughout his catalog, he was always more concerned with living in the moment, taking it all in, and planning for the future. Practically the only time he mentions his own death here is on “Always,” and even then, he’s more concerned with the guestlist at his funeral and being casket clean than he is with the “how” and “why” he departed. It’s a gut check, nonetheless.

I’ve written before about how tricky the prospect of completing rappers’ posthumous albums can get, and I’m not interested in rehashing those arguments here. But Paper Route Frank represents perhaps the best-case scenario for such an endeavor. This sounds like Dolph, like something he’d make, from the beat choices down to the sequencing and the relatively sparse features list — which consists mainly of Paper Route Empire signees like Big Moochie Grape, Key Glock, and Big Snupe Bandz, and fellow trap elder statesmen 2 Chainz and Gucci Mane.

It’s easy to observe a thread of maudlin in albums finished after an artist’s death — especially sudden, violent ones like Dolph’s. Perhaps, because of Dolph’s relentlessly motivational persona, he just never recorded all that much melancholy material, or maybe the friends and family involved in this album’s creation just knew he wouldn’t have wanted such a project to get bogged down with introspection and paranoia. Still, it’s hard not to get choked up when he tag-teams with Key Glock for perhaps the last time on “That’s How” or passes the torch to his other PRE proteges on “Infatuated With Drugs.”

It’s the album closer, “Get Away,” that throws into sharpest contrast everything that Dolph really was as a rapper though. He declares that he’s “sick of rappin’,” but we all know that within months of announcing his retirement, he was right back in the studio, perhaps recording this very song. It’s when he juxtaposes being “sick of countin’ millions” with his aspiration to trade those “Ms” in for “Bs” that it becomes clear that all this moody reflection is just lyrical exercise. He’s not ready to stop just yet. He’s just ready to elevate his game and step up to a higher plateau of success.

The worst thing about closing Paper Route Frank on these contemplations is knowing he had all the tools and time in the world to see his ambition through — right up until he didn’t. The next level was right around the corner. Despite half a decade in the rap business — an eternity to many — he still had further to go. If he was stuck in a rut, it was only until the next flash of inspiration struck, energizing him for the next go-around.

Paper Route Frank is out now on Paper Route Empire.

As more and more streaming services opt to put their movies directly online instead of, say, in the movie theaters, the choices for home viewers are becoming very hard. With hundreds of titles across every streaming service, it’s no wonder cable was such a hit all those years ago! They just decided what movie you were going to watch at any given time, and now we have choices. With the power of choice, comes the power of trying to sort through what’s actually worth watching.

When it comes to Disney+, you’ve got a lot of options. There’s various Star Wars content, Pixar classics, and, of course, the extensive Marvel catalog. But only some of these movies are the best of the best. If you’re looking to settle in with a worthwhile flick, here are the 25 best movies on Disney+ as of this very moment.

1. The Incredibles

Year: 2004
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson
Genre: Family, Action-Adventure
Rating: PG
Runtime: 116 minutes
Director: Brad Bird
Trailer: Watch here

It’s hard to go wrong with any early-ish entry in the Pixar lexicon, though The Incredibles is still a top-tier film. If you’re tired of all of that Marvel bloat that’s been going around, The Incredibles is a perfect solution for anyone who wants to watch some lowkey-superhero fun. Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter voice Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, a couple of supers who used to dabble in some crime fighting. Now, they are just regular old parents juggling three kids… who also have powers. In order to stop a new threat, they must band together as superheroes AND as a family to protect the city. It probably makes your family get-together look pretty tame.

Watch it on Disney+

2. Avengers: Endgame

Year: 2019
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo
Genre: Superhero, Action-Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 185 minutes
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Trailer: Watch here

Every time The Avengers meet with the most powerful beings in the galaxy, they end up beating them and going out for dinner after because they are just that good. But Endgame proved that sometimes, superheroes don’t survive, and things can get dark before they get better again. After Thanos snaps half of the world from existence, The Avengers have to scramble to try to get the universe back into its place, but not before facing deadly consequences.

Watch it on Disney+

3. The Lion King (1994)

Year: 1994
Starring: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones
Genre: Family, Musical, Animated
Rating: G (but it should be PG-13, honestly)
Runtime: 93 minutes
Director: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Trailer: Watch here

To address the elephant and lion in the room, yes, there is a 2019 live-action rendition of The Lion king and yes, Beyonce is in it. It is also on Disney+ so you are welcome to watch that one, but if you are looking for something with a little more dancing and a little less like a nature documentary, the original is the way to go!

Watch it on Disney+

4. The Empire Strikes Back

Year: 1980
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Genre: Science Fiction, Action-Adventure
Rating: PG
Runtime: 128 minutes
Director: Irvin Kershner
Trailer: Watch here

You could go with any Star Wars title here, but we all know that this is the one you want to watch, right? The third film in the iconic series, The Empire Strikes Back follows the aftermath of the destruction of the Death Star, as the Imperial forces hunt the Rebel Alliance, which includes Princess Leia, Han Solo, and the cuddliest guy in the galaxy, Chewbacca. How will they make it out of this one?

Watch it on Disney+

5. Up

Year: 2009
Starring: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer
Genre: Family, Drama, Animated
Rating: PG
Runtime: 96 minutes
Director: Pete Docter
Trailer: Watch here

Up is a Pixar staple because it checks off all of the boxes that make a hit children’s movie: a cute little kid, a lovable animal sidekick, and a dead adult. The opening sequence is not for the faint of heart (or for anyone who has elderly people in their life) but the heartwarming tale of a young boy and his grumpy neighbor really does tug at those emotions. Plus, it has one of the best Pixar soundtracks, so even if you don’t enjoy the movie, you’ll get some great music out of it.

Watch it on Disney+

6. Thor: Ragnarok

Year: 2017
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston
Genre: Action-Adventure, Superhero, Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 132 minutes
Director: Taika Waititi
Trailer: Watch here

There are a lot of Marvel movies for you to enjoy on Disney+ (over 20) but only one has Cate Blanchett, and that one is Thor: Ragnarok. Thor is once again fighting to protect his home planet of Asgard, though he has to find that pesky little hammer first, as he’s been imprisoned across the galaxy. It happens!

Watch it on Disney+

7. Toy Story

Year: 1995
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
Genre: Family, Comedy, Animated
Rating: PG
Runtime: 84 minutes
Director: John Lasseter
Trailer: Watch here

At one point or another, everyone thought that their toys came to life whenever they left the room, right? Though you probably never expected that they would have the familiar voice of Tom Hanks. Toy Story is the first movie in one of Disney’s most beloved franchises, and it’s always a good watch, whether it’s your first or fortieth view. Andy’s favorite toy, Woody, feels threatened when a shiny new toy joins the gang, and the duo set out on their own adventure after accidentally being given away. It’s also one of those rare Disney stories that get even better with its sequels.

Watch it on Disney+

8. Deadpool 2

Year: 2018
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz.
Genre: Superhero, Comedy
Rating: R
Runtime: 121 minutes
Director: Devid Leitch
Trailer: Watch here

This may or may not be the movie that required Disney+ to establish their parental controls, but we’ll never really know. What we do know is that Ryan Reynolds fought pretty hard to get his raunchy superhero movie on the streamer, and it worked! In this second installment, Wade Wilson joins forces with another familiar team of supers, though not too familiar, because they don’t have all of those rights. Isn’t Hollywood amazing?

Watch it on Disney+

9. Black Is King

Year: 2020
Starring: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
Genre: Music, Dance
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 85 minutes
Director: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
Trailer: Watch here

Black Is King is a mesmerizing visual and musical reimagining of The Lion King that centers on Black families and self-identity by using the themes and lessons from the classic 1994 animated film (and the 2019 remake, for that matter). Beyoncé uses stunning visuals and extravagant sets along with some special guests in order to create a powerful piece of art focused on family and community.

Watch it on Disney+

10. Monsters Inc

Year: 2001
Starring: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi
Genre: Comedy, Animated, Family
Rating: G
Runtime: 92 minutes
Director: Pete Docter
Trailer: Watch here

Mike and Sully are just a couple of well-meaning monsters who are trying to make an honest living by scaring children by jumping out from the inside of their closets. Who can’t relate? But after one of the kids gets lost in the monster world, the duo has to find a way to get her back safely before the other monsters want to use her for her screams. It might seem evil, but it’s very eco-friendly to use vocals to power a city!

Watch it on Disney+

11. Pirates Of The Caribbean

Year: 2003
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightly
Genre: Fantasy, Action-Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 142 minutes
Director: Gore Verbinksi
Trailer: Watch here

While the Pirates movies have a long, complex history, there is one positive thing that came from the franchise, which is that it brought the word “swashbuckling” back into the cultural consciousness. The movie that started it all, based on the iconic Disney ride of the same name, follows the eccentric pirate Jack Sparrow as he sets out to steal his ship back from a gaggle of ghost pirates who took it. Yo-ho! It’s a pirate’s life, after all.

Watch it on Disney+

12. Black Panther

Year: 2018
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o
Genre: Superhero, Action-Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 138 minutes
Director: Ryan Coogler
Trailer: Watch here

In the first installment in the series, Chadwick Boseman plays the honorable T’Challa, a young king who is expected to rule the futuristic world of Wakanda after the death of his father. But when looming threats put their civilization in jeopardy, he has to rise to the occasion and protect his family as Black Panther. Boseman’s portrayal of the superhero is one that should not be missed, and the movie is even credited as a major turning point for Marvel.

Watch it on Disney+

13. Hamilton

Year: 2020
Starring: Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, Lin-Manuel Miranda
Genre: Superhero, Action-Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 160 minutes
Director: Thomas Kail
Trailer: Watch here

It’s been hard to escape the Hamilton frenzy over the last few years, and now that the iconic musical is on Disney+, it is much more accessible for everyone to watch. Plus you can have your own intermissions, which is great because it is nearly three hours long. Filmed in 2016, the smash hit tells the tale of Alexander Hamilton through a more modern lens, complete with great period-specific costumes and, of course, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Watch it on Disney+

14. Wall-E

Year: 2008
Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight
Genre: Animated, Sci-Fi, Family
Rating: G
Runtime: 99 minutes
Director: Andrew Stanton
Trailer: Watch here

For a movie that has such little dialogue, Wall-E sure says a lot about modern society, mostly about how humans take advantage of every natural resource on the planet until it is barely surviving. But the little robot is so cute, so it’s okay! Pixar’s cautionary tale about planet earth and beyond not only features an adventurous cross-galaxy journey and a robot love story but it also has an original Peter Gabriel track. Those are the three elements of success.

Watch it on Disney+

15. Return Of The Jedi

Year: 1983
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Genre: Action-Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rating: PG
Runtime: 136 minutes
Director: Richard Marquand
Trailer: Watch here

Every Star Wars movie is culturally significant in one way or another, and Return Of The Jedi is known for a few things, like being the last movie in the original saga, and tying up some of those loose ends regarding who is related to who. But the best part about episode six isn’t the monumental action scenes or the climactic conclusion — it’s the movie that brought Ewoks into the world. And that, alone, makes it work watching, in addition to all that galactic war.

Watch it on Disney+

16. Soul

Year: 2020
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey
Genre: Family, Animated
Rating: PG
Runtime: 110 minutes
Director: Pete Docter
Trailer: Watch here

As with most Pixar movies, Soul has some pretty heavy themes juxtaposed with colorful animation and fun music, which makes it entertaining for kids and absolutely gutting for adults. Tina Fey voices 22, a cute little floating being who teams up with Joe, an upbeat jazz teacher as they head out on a quest in the fantastical Great Before to learn what makes a person’s soul their own.

Watch it on Disney+

17. Mary Poppins

Year: 1964
Starring: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke
Genre: Family, Musical
Rating: G
Runtime: 143 minutes
Director: Robert Stevenson
Trailer: Watch here

We all know the saying, “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” which, in Mary Poppins, is taken very literally, as they are actually taking medicine, but it also encapsulates what makes this movie a classic: Marry Poppins encourages everyone to sprinkle just a little bit of positivity in their life to make all the icky parts better. And watching the movie just does that! Julie Andrews stars as the titular babysitter with a heart of gold and a bag that can carry just about anything.

Watch it on Disney+

18. The Princess Bride

Year: 1987
Starring: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin
Genre: Family, Romance, Comedy
Rating: PG
Runtime: 98 minutes
Director: Rob Reiner
Trailer: Watch here

Sure, Disney has a lot of princess movie options, but only one has a character named Humperdink, and that’s The Princess Bride. This charming tale is a non-traditional princess story that has gone down as a cult classic for its absurd bits and a cunning battle of wits. Westley, a very loyal farmhand, has to rescue his one true love, Buttercup, after she is forced to marry Mr.Humperdink. Buttercup Humperdink doesn’t roll off the tongue, does it? Luckily this one has a happily ever after.

Watch it on Disney+

19. Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

Year: 2021
Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh
Genre: Superhero, Action-Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 135 minutes
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Trailer: Watch here

Marvel shuffled into Phase Four of the MCU in 2021 with the introduction of Shang-Chi, a skilled martial artist portrayed by Simu Liu, who wishes to lead a normal life after leaving behind his darker superhero past that he was forced into as a child. After laying low for decades, Shang-Chi’s past catches up with him, and he’s forced to confront both his past and his destiny.

Watch it on Disney+

20. The Little Mermaid

Year: 1989
Starring: Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes
Genre: Family, Animated, Musical
Rating: G
Runtime: 87 minutes
Director: John Muscker, Ron Clements
Trailer: Watch here

Mermaid Ariel dreams of a life above the sea, but that’s hard when you don’t have human legs and instead are half-fish. But it’s not impossible! The Little Mermaid is the classic cautionary tale of what can happen if you trade a part of yourself in order to date the handsome sailor with the cute dog. But, as it is a Disney movie, of course, it all works out in the end for Ariel and her various sea pals. The upcoming live-action remake will hit theaters next year.

Watch it on Disney+

21. Home Alone

Year: 1990
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern
Genre: Family, Comedy
Rating: PG
Runtime: 104 minutes
Director: Chris Columbus
Trailer: Watch here

‘Tis the season to deck the halls and set a series of elaborate traps in your house just in case two very ignorant burglars try to rob you! Of course, little Kevin McCallister has a lot of fun trying to escape the bad guys after his parents accidentally leave him at the home… alone. See where this is going? It’s a holiday season staple!

Watch it on Disney+

22. Logan

Year: 2017
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart
Genre: Drama, Superhero
Rating: R
Runtime: 139 minutes
Director: James Marigold
Trailer: Watch here

There was a time not too long ago when we all thought that 2017’s Logan would be the last time we would see Hugh Jackman don those piercing claws and grow out his unruly sideburns, though that’s not the case anymore. Still, the final chapter in Wolverine/Logan’s life is an unexpectedly dark drama that acts less like a superhero movie and more like a heartbreaking character study of an ailing man with a conflicting past.

Watch it on Disney+

23. Turning Red

Year: 2022
Starring: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse
Genre: Family, Animated
Rating: PG
Runtime: 107 minutes
Director: Domee Shi
Trailer: Watch here

Who among us didn’t have a hyper-fixation on a pop group when they were a teen? We’ve all been there! 13-year-old Mei is having some trouble adjusting to her teen years, and her mom is having an even harder time than she is. When Mei learns that she turned into a giant red panda when she gets too worked up, she and her friends plan a scheme to attend a concert against her mother’s wishes, and things turn messy. And red.

Watch it on Disney+

24. Cruella

Year: 2021
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson
Genre: Family, Drama
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 137 minutes
Director: Craig Gillespie
Trailer: Watch here

Emma Stone stars as the notorious dog-hater Cruella de Vil in her early days as an aspiring fashion designer with an eclectic taste in clothes (and fur). Sure, of all the Disney villains, it seems a little strange to make an origin story about the only one to kill dogs, but you can look past that for some really great Emma Stone moments set during the London punk revolution.

Watch it on Disney+

25. The Game Plan

Year: 2007
Starring: Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Kyra Sedgwick
Genre: Family, Comedy
Rating: PG
Runtime: 116 minutes
Director: Andy Finkman
Trailer: Watch here

The Game Plan stars The Rock in one of his earlier movie endeavors as Joe Kingman, a hotshot football player who gets the surprise of a lifetime when the daughter he didn’t know existed shows up at his apartment. It’s the classic tale of “this tough guy might have a heart of gold after all” but Madison Pettis really shines as eight-year-old Peyton. The Rock is pretty good, too.

Watch it on Disney+

Thanks to its deep library of timeless classics and burgeoning new series featuring Marvel, Star Wars, High School Musical, and more, Disney+ has one of the more robust offerings when it comes to streaming platform. With so much to choose from, it can be a little daunting to figure out what to watch, so we broke down the 25 best shows on Disney+ for the month.

You can see the full list below:

1. The Mandalorian

Year: 2019
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito
Genre: Science Fiction, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 2 seasons
Created By: Jon Favreau
Trailer: Watch here

When Disney+ launched on November 12, 2019, it made a strong start with its flagship series, The Mandalorian. Not only did the show achieve George Lucas’ dream of a live-action Star Wars series, it was a certified hit from the jump thanks to its badass space western vibes, and of course, Baby Yoda. (That’s not his real name, but we won’t spoil it for you.) The series follows Din Djarin, a member of a hidden sect of Mandalorians and a competent bounty hunter, who’s thrust into a much larger world when he’s tasked with handing the show’s adorable green star over to the tarnished remains of the Empire. His decision sets him on a collision course with his people’s past and the mysterious ways of the Jedi.

Watch it on Disney+

2. The Simpsons

Year: 1989
Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Hank Azaria, Julie Kavner, Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer
Genre: Comedy, Animation
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 33 seasons
Created By: Matt Groening
Trailer: Watch here

Hailed as one of the greatest comedy series of all time, The Simpsons could’ve easily topped the list thanks to its deep bench of classic episodes that are still the source of memes and GIFs to this day. Thanks to its massive cast of iconic characters that expands beyond just the eponymous family, The Simpsons is practically a time capsule of the past 30 years as the citizens of Springfield spent season after season routinely lambasting everything from pop culture to political scandals. Even if you stick to the first ten seasons, which are widely regarded as the best, that’s over 200 episodes of some of the best comedy on TV.

Watch it on Disney+

3. Andor

Year: 2022
Cast: Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgård, Denise Gough, Genevieve O’Reilly
Genre: Science Fiction, Spy/Espionage, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 12 episodes
Created By: Tony Gilroy
Trailer: Watch here

After The Mandalorian delivered an all-ages hit, Lucasfilm pulled off an impressive feat with Andor, a more mature political thriller that wowed critics with its complex characters, rich storytelling, and dramatic tension. Think Game of Thrones by way of Star Wars. Set five years before the events of Rogue One (which you don’t need to watch to enjoy the show), Andor follows its title character as he evolves from an opportunistic thief to a key member of the burgeoning Rebel Alliance that’s being meticulously brought to life by the ruthless and cunning Luthen Rael played by Stellan Skarsgård in one of his most powerful performances.

Watch it on Disney+

4. Loki

Year: 2021
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Jonathan Majors
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Super Hero, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 6 episodes
Created By: Michael Waldron
Trailer: Watch here

After the time-traveling shenanigans of Avengers: Endgame, Loki catches up with its title character in the moments after he uses the Cosmic Cube to escape being captured by The Avengers following the Battle of New York in 2012. However, the God of Mischief’s freedom is shortly lived as he snatched up by the Time Variance Authority, an all-powerful bureaucracy tasked with protecting the “Sacred Timeline,” which Loki threatened with his little time jump. Under the watch of Mobius (Owen Wilson), Loki is given a chance to avoid disintegration if he helps hunt down a culprit who’s murdering their way through time, but what Loki finds will challenge everything he knows about reality and himself.

Watch it on Disney+

5. Duck Tales

Year: 2017
Cast: David Tennant, Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz, Bobby Moynihan, Kate Micucci
Genre: Comedy, Animation, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-Y7
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Matt Youngberg, Francisco Angones
Trailer: Watch here

In a modern update on the ’80s cartoon that kicked off the Disney Afternoon animation block, a staple of countless childhoods, Duck Tales (2017) is a surprisingly fun jaunt that alternates between hilarious stand-alone episodes and building season-wide arcs. Anchored by the brilliant casting of David Tennant as the voice of Scrooge McDuck, the series brings back the whole gang including the nephews, Webby, and Launchpad McQuack and some memorable faces from the original series. As the show progresses, look forward to seeing some old favorites from the Disney Afternoon pop up, particularly a certain caped crime fighter who flaps in the night.

Watch it on Disney+

6. WandaVision

Year: 2021
Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonnah Paris
Genre: Romance, Drama, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Super Hero
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 9 episodes
Created By: Jac Schaeffer
Trailer: Watch here

WandaVision is the first official Marvel series to hit Disney+, and it continues to be one of its strongest entry to date. Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, the series immediately gets to work unfolding its mysterious story through a set of genre-breaking episodes set during various sitcom eras. But underneath the idyllic facade of domestic bliss lies a dark secret that will forever change the lives of its title characters. Featuring outstanding performances by Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, and Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision delivers a gripping and heartbreaking tale that showcases Marvel’s ability to bring its A-game to long-form storytelling.

Watch it on Disney+

7. Gravity Falls

Year: 2012
Cast: Kristen Schaal, Jason Ritter
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Animation, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-Y7
Runtime: 2 seasons
Created By: Alex Hirsch
Trailer: Watch here

In an absolutely solid example of Disney animation firing on all cylinders, Gravity Falls is a hilariously creative series focused on Dipper (Jason Ritter) and Mabel (Kristen Schaal), two siblings sent to live with their great uncle in a mysterious Oregon town populated with some extremely odd characters. After finding a cryptic journal filled with mystical secrets, Dipper and Mabel embark on an epic two season-long adventure to protect their uncle’s beloved town, and each other, in this cool little series that’s a blast to watch with the whole fam.

Watch it on Disney+

8. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Year: 2022
Cast: Tatiana Maslany, Ginger Gonzaga, Tim Roth, Mark Ruffalo
Genre: Science Fiction, Comedy, Super Hero, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 9 episodes
Created By: Jessica Gao
Trailer: Watch here

After a string of action epics, Marvel switched things up the genre-defying She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Starring Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, the series brings to life the classic comic book character who gains her Hulk powers after being exposed to the blood of her cousin Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo). However, Jen’s less interested in being a super hero and more interested in continuing her career as a high-powered attorney — and single lady. Blending together one part Ally McBeal and one part MCU, She-Hulk literally spins the Marvel formula on its head with a fourth-wall breaking legal comedy that hilariously skewers the overly serious world of comic book movies.

Watch it on Disney+

9. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Year: 2008
Cast: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Dee Bradley Baker
Genre: Science Fiction, Animation, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-PG
Runtime: 7 seasons
Created By: George Lucas
Trailer: Watch here

Years before Star Wars creator George Lucas sold the franchise to Disney, he tried as hand at returning the franchise to its roots by delivering a serialized adventure like the ones he watched as a kid. Utilizing groundbreaking animation that evolved season-to-season, The Clone Wars takes place between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. While episodes center on different characters including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, and Yoda, at the center is the compelling relationship between Anakin Skywalker and his padawan Ahsoka Tano, who quickly became one of the best Star Wars characters since the Original Trilogy. The Clone Wars also provided fertile ground for The Mandalorian, which has pulled liberally from the animated series’ rich canon.

Watch it on Disney+

10. The Owl House

Year: 2020
Cast: Sarah-Nicole Robles, Wendie Malick, Tati Gabrielle, Mae Whitman
Genre: Anime, Comedy, Fantasy, Animation, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-Y7-FV
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Dana Terrace
Trailer: Watch here

The Owl House is a critically acclaimed, award winning animated series focused on Luz Noceda (Sarah-Nicole Robles), a young Dominican American teen who stumbles onto a portal to a magic world. There she meets the rebellious witch Edna Clawthorne (Wendie Malick), which sets Luz on a path to becoming a witch despite her complete lack of magical powers. Praised for its LGBTQ+ representation, The Owl House has routinely popped up on “Best Of” list thanks to its creative storytelling and inclusive characters. Like Gravity Falls, it’s another example of Disney animation absolutely crushing it.

Watch it on Disney+

11. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier

Year: 2021
Cast: Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Daniel Brühl, Emily Van Camp, Wyatt Russell
Genre: Science Fiction, Super Hero, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 6 episodes
Created By: Malcolm Spellman
Trailer: Watch here

Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier catches up with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as he decides that the best thing to do with Steve Rogers’ shield is give it to the Smithsonian. What he doesn’t anticipate is that the U.S. government isn’t going to let the Captain America mantle go to waste. After christening the decorated Marine John Walker as the new Cap, Sam and Bucky (Sebastian Stan) find themselves at odds with the reckless new “hero” and a group of freedom fighters caught in their path. Along the way, the reluctant partners discover dark truths about the super-soldier serum that gave Steve his incredible strength, and Sam grapples with whether America is ready for its greatest hero to not be a blue-eyed, blonde hair white man. Also, Daniel Brühl’s Baron Zemo dances, and it’s pretty great. You probably saw the meme.

Watch it on Disney+

12. The Orville

Year: 2017
Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnston Jerald, Scott Grimes
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Comedy
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Seth MacFarlane
Trailer: Watch here

After finding success with the animated comedies Family Guy and American Dad, Seth MacFarlane turned his eye towards delivering a live-action love letter to the sci-fi series of the ’90s. Dropping in with heavy Star Trek: The Next Generation vibes, The Orville mashes together the fun and exploration of space exploration with a sprinkling of MacFarlane’s trademark humor. The show puts a fresh spin on age-old tropes like alternate realities, advanced alien species, artificial intelligence and everything between. The late Norm Macdonald can also be seen in his final performance as science officer Yaphit, who may or not be a talking pile of snot. The jury’s still out on that one.

Watch it on Disney+

13. Gargoyles

Year: 1994
Cast: Keith David, Salli Richardson, Jonathan Frakes
Genre: Fantasy, Animation, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-Y7
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Greg Weisman
Trailer: Watch here

Seemingly pulled off the air almost as quickly as it arrived, Gargoyles has been the holy grail of Disney Afternoon fans as the show became a hard-to-find item even during the heyday of DVD collections. Combining epic storytelling with gritty animation, Gargoyles easily went toe-to-toe with Batman: The Animated Series as one of the best action cartoon series of the ’90s. The show centers on a group of medieval living gargoyles who are dragged into the modern world by a duplicitous billionaire who has plans of his own for the magical warrior. Starring Keith David as Goliath, Gargoyles is a badass punch in the face that you’ll never believe aired between episodes of Tale Spin and Chip ‘N Dale’s Rescue Rangers. The ’90s were wild.

Watch it on Disney+

14. Obi-Wan Kenobi

Year: 2022
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Vivien Lyra Blair, Moses Ingram, Hayden Christensen
Genre: Science Fiction, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 6 episodes
Trailer: Watch here

Set 10 years after the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi brings back Ewan McGregor for his fan-favorite portrayal of the iconic Jedi. Only this time he’s not the brash young fighter from the Prequel Trilogy or the wisened old wizard in A New Hope, he’s a defeated man intent on staying hidden after being forced to kill his trusted pupil Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) who turned to the Dark Side amidst the creation of the Galactic Empire. But Obi-Wan can’t stay hidden forever. He’s called to action by a desperate plea from an old friend. With the Jedi hunting Inquisitors on his tail, Obi-Wan finds himself forced to confront Anakin who survived their final duel and became the twisted machine known as Darth Vader.

Watch it on Disney+

15. Moon Knight

Year: 2022
Cast: Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy, F. Murray Abraham
Genre: Fantasy, Super Hero, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 6 episodes
Created By: Jeremy Slater
Trailer: Watch here

In Marvel’s first truly stand-alone series, you can seriously go into this one without seeing a single MCU movie or show, Moon Knight brings to life a classic comic book character unlike anything put to screen. Starring Oscar Isaac as the title character, the show explores one man’s battle with dissociative identity disorder as he’s forced by the Egyptian god Khonshu to become the fierce protector of the night. Or does he? This trippy character exploration will leave you guessing until the very end and features Ethan Hawke as one of the more chilling Marvel villains to date.

Watch it on Disney+

16. The Mysterious Benedict Society

Year: 2021
Cast: Tony Hale, Kristen Schaal, Mystic Inscho, Seth Carr, Emmy DeOliveira, Marta Kessler
Genre: Family, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-PG
Runtime: 2 seasons
Created By: Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi
Trailer: Watch here

In this delightful series starring Tony Hale, four orphans with extraordinary talents and intellect embark on a twee adventure of espionage to thwart nefarious deeds. Think the X-Men by way of Wes Anderson. (Tell us Ryan Hurst isn’t the group’s Wolverine. We dare you.) Based on the popular book series, The Mysterious Benedict Society is a solid family hit thanks to the quirky cast and the show’s mysterious plot filled with twists and turns. The set design is also out of this world and a welcome reprieve from the overwhelming world of CGI effects.

Watch it on Disney+

17. Zootopia+

Year: 2022
Cast: Bonnie Hunt, Leah Latham, Alan Tudyk, Maurice LaMarche
Genre: Family, Anthology, Comedy, Animation
Rating: TV-PG
Runtime: 6 episodes
Trailer: Watch here

In this series of shorts, Zootopia+ takes viewers back to the animal-filled world of the hit Disney movie and catches up with some old and new characters as they go about their lives. (And, yes, Flash the sloth is along for the ride.) Using the same animation style as the movie, Zootopia+ is a fun-filled return to the animal city, and fans of Judy Hopps will love to see how the beloved rabbit police woman continues to affect the lives of everyone around her.

Watch it on Disney+

18. Ms. Marvel

Year: 2022
Cast: Iman Vellani, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Rish Shah
Genre: Coming of Age, Comedy, Super Hero, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 6 episodes
Created By: Bisha K. Ali
Trailer: Watch here

After becoming a bestseller for Marvel Comics in the 2010s, Kamala Khan made her live-action debut with the critically acclaimed Ms. Marvel. The series focuses on a Pakistani teen in New Jersey who’s obsessed with The Avengers. Through a mysterious family heirloom, she soon comes close to joining their ranks after activating powers of her own. Thanks to its stellar supporting cast, surprisingly hard-hitting action, and pitch-perfect Spider-Man: Homecoming vibes, Ms. Marvel is a kinetic coming-of-age delight punctuated with artistic creativity that the MCU should learn to showcase more.

Watch it on Disney+

19. Limitless with Chris Hemsworth

Year: 2022
Cast: Chris Hemsworth
Genre: Docuseries, Lifestyle, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 6 episodes
Created By: Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel
Trailer: Watch here

Do you want to see Chris Hemsworth put his insanely jacked body through a rigorous set of experiments? Sure, we all do. In the National Geographic series, Limitless, the Thor star travels the globe as he pushes both his body and mind in extraordinary ways. From an epic rope climb to coming to face-to-face with his own mortality, Limitless does more than just showcase what the chiseled Marvel star can do. It emphasizes the untapped potential of the human body.

Watch it on Disney+

20. The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers

Year: 2021
Cast: Lauren Graham, Brady Noon, Maxwell Simkins, Emilio Estevez, Josh Duhamel
Genre: Sports, Drama, Comedy
Rating: TV-PG
Runtime: 2 seasons
Created By: Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa
Trailer: Watch here

In a modern update on the classic ’90s sports comedy, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers captures the spirit of the original films by focusing on a misfit team of hockey players who take on the cutthroat state of high school sports that forget the most important element: having fun. With Emilio Estevez reprising his role as Gordon Bombay, and members of the original cast dropping in for surprise cameos, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers is perfect for fans of the old school films or anyone who enjoys a good underdog sports story.

Watch it on Disney+

21. Hawkeye

Year: 2021
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Vera Farmiga, Tony Dalton
Genre: Super Hero, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 6 episodes
Created By: Jonathan Igla
Trailer: Watch here

Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, Hawkeye catches up with Clint Barton as he reconnects with his family who vanished for five years thanks to Thanos’ snap. Determined to pack in as much holiday fun as possible, they head to New York for some quality time. However, Clint is forced to stay in the city as his short-lived, but deadly time as Ronin comes back to haunt him, and he finds himself mentoring a new young hero, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Desperate to solve the mystery in time to make it home for Christmas, Hawkeye is a solid entry in the Marvel pantheon, and Steinfeld instantly proves her chops as an inevitable member of the Young Avengers.

Watch it on Disney+

22. Willow

Year: 2022
Cast: Warwick Davis, Ellie Bamber, Erin Kellyman, Ruby Cruz, Tony Revolori
Genre: Fantasy, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 8 episodes
Created By: Jonathan Kasdan
Trailer: Watch here

In a follow-up to the 1989 fantasy classic, Willow finds its title sorcerer Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) tasked with protecting the Princess Elora Danan and saving the world once again. The series takes place 17 years after the defeat of the evil Queen Bavmorda as her daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) now sits on the throne where’s she reigned peacefully with Madmartigan by her side until his death. (Sorry, Val Kilmer fans.) When one of her twin children are captured by enemy forces, Willow and a new band of heroes must embark on an epic quest filled with magic, peril, and all manners of swashbuckling that made the original film a favorite of ’80s kids everywhere.

Watch it on Disney+

23. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

Year: 2019
Cast: Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie
Genre: Romance, Drama, Coming of Age, Comedy, Music
Rating: TV-PG
Runtime: 3 seasons
Created By: Tim Federle
Trailer: Watch here

In this award-winning (and self-referential) addition to the wildly popular High School Musical series, a group of teenagers are tasked with putting on a production of, you guessed it, High School Musical. Featuring a breakout performance by Olivia Rodrigo, High School Musical: The Musical, follows the lives of a group of over-eager theater kids as they navigate teen life and their ambitious dreams of wowing audiences with their talents. Featuring cameos from the original High School Musical cast members, the series will go over huge with fans of the films.

Watch it on Disney+

24. Marvel’s What If…?

Year: 2021
Cast: Jeffrey Wright
Genre: Science Fiction, Anthology, Animation, Super Hero, Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 9 episodes
Created By: A.C. Bradley
Trailer: Watch here

In this highly-ambitious animated anthology series, Marvel’s What If…? primed MCU fans for the endless possibilities of the multiverse by showing how the slightest changes could have had massive implications for their favorite Marvel movies. With almost every single MCU actor, including the late Chadwick Boseman, showing up to voice their respective characters, What If…? is a thrilling creative exercise in imagining such scenarios like what if Peggy Carter took the super-soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers, what if Killmonger saved Tony Stark before he was captured by the Ten Rings, and other surprising twists that we don’t want to spoil.

Watch it on Disney+

25. National Treasure: Edge of History

Year: 2022
Cast: Lisette Olivera, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Zuri Reed
Genre: Action-Adventure
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 8 episodes
Created By: Marianne Wibberley, Cormac Wibberley
Trailer: Watch here

Picking up the torch from the National Treasure movies starring Nicolas Cage, National Treasure: Edge of History brings in a new cast of characters that will dig through America’s past with danger hot on their tail. Starring Lisette Olivera, the series focuses on Jess Valenzuela, who learns that her absent, supposedly deadbeat father isn’t who she thought he was. Instead, he belonged to a secret group of treasure hunters, and that discovery sets Jess on a quest filled that puts her puzzle solving skills to the test. Catherine Zeta-Jones rounds out the cast as Billie, a ruthless black market antiquities dealer with secrets of her own.

Watch it on Disney+

Ari Lennox says she is done with touring, and fans are not happy about it.

The singer recently released her second studio album, Age/Sex/Location, this past September. The project trekked through romance, heartbreak, and growth. A few months later, Lennox revealed that she would embark on a tour of the same name.

But in a shocking twist, the 31-year-old Dreamville singer announced on Twitter Thursday morning (December 22),” Age Sex Location will be my last tour.”

“I love my genuine fans so much and can’t wait to give you my all every night!!” she wrote. “Europe, I love you, but unfortunately, there will not be a tour due to reasons out of my control. Happy holidays. See you soon, Vegas!”

However, Lennox’s recent declaration didn’t go over too well with fans. The singer’s comment section was flooded with questions about her unfortunate decision.

Lennox, whose real name is Courtney Shanade Salter, had fans offering all kinds of advice, including suggesting she go independent.

“Courtney… please go independent or something,” one fan wrote.

Another fan jokingly said they would complain to the singer’s team about the matter.

“Last tour? I’m about to write a letter to the company because, girl, what the hell.”

Others offered the “Shea Butter Baby” singer well wishes and hope that, in time, she might change her decision.

Luckily, when it comes to new music, she’s been keeping busy — right on time for the holiday season, Lennox offered a sultry twist to Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Classic Holiday Song “My Favorite Things.”

The singer also performed at the 2022 American Music Awards in a tribute performance to Lionel Richie.

Her upcoming Age/Sex/Location Tour, produced by Live Nation Urban, kicks off at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas in January 2023, spanning several dates across the country before stopping in Lennox’s hometown of Washington, DC, at Howard Theatre at the end of March.

The debate about so-called “nepotism babies” is all the rage this week after a New York magazine feature detailing the current crop of kids in showbiz with famous parents. Of course, this is nothing new; most of “New Hollywood” when I was a kid in the ’90s consisted of the children of actors my parents grew up watching. But since this is the internet, and nobody remembers anything that happened more than 18 months ago — this holds up, feel free to test it — here we are, talking about a new generation of stars entering their families’ business.

One of the stars who was named in the article weighed in on the debate, offering a nuanced perspective a far cry from his observations about his favorite NBA team and taking “both sides” into consideration. O’Shea Jackson Jr., who is not only named after his father Ice Cube but also actually played him in Straight Outta Compton, noted on Twitter how it was a combination of his father’s advice and his own hard work that got him to where he is in his career as a respected and prolific actor (not a rapper, as his dad started out).

“My dad told me in a perfect world, I would play him in Straight Outta Compton,” he wrote. “I was already in college for screenwriting at USC. I accepted the challenge. And auditioned for two years before getting the role. After that it was up to me, he couldn’t hold my hand through my career. I had to get my ass up and make it work. From the roles I chose. The work ethic I put into them. My professionalism on sets and promo tours. Even leaving HIS agency and goin to find a team of my own. Once the door was opened it was up to me to walk through it and thrive.”

However, he admitted his dad did give him the support system he needed to be able to make those moves. “But none of that. NONE. OF. THAT. Happens that way without the love of my father. The work he put in to get us to a place of opportunity. And for me to ignore that or not accept and use as a guide would be foolish and disrespectful. I am grateful and I use his teachings daily.”

The 31-year-old Ice Cube doppelganger has appeared in a number of buzzy films and TV shows over the course of his career including Ingrid Goes West with Aubrey Plaza, Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and he’ll be appearing in next year’s internet-anticipated action comedy Cocaine Bear. Meanwhile, Ice Cube just put out his second studio album as part of the California supercrew Mount Westmore with Snoop Dogg, E-40, and Too Short.

While the Oscars shortlist was released this week, we still have quite a bit of time to go until the nominees are officially announced. 2022 was a pretty substantial year for movies, thanks to Tom Cruise and his planes and the swarm of superhero movies from the last 12 months. Whether those will be nominated is anyone’s guess.

The eligibility period for the upcoming ceremony runs from January 1st, 2022 until December 31st, 2022, so yes, Avatar: The Way Of Water could snag some of those coveted nominations.

The official list of nominees will be announced on January 24th, while the ceremony will take place on March 12th in Los Angeles. The 2023 telecast will present all 23 of the categories on air after last year’s ceremony neglected to do so, sparking backlash among stars and nominees who wanted to see their peers be awarded.

The ceremony will be led by Jimmy Kimmel, who will return to the stage as host for the third time, though hopefully, he will be standing. While no performers have been announced at this time, in the past, nominated songs and artists have performed their songs during the live show, meaning we could get a Rihanna performance if her Black Panther track gets nominated. Of course, it’s pretty tough competition against that Minions soundtrack.