Movies

Stephen Colbert revealed his biggest wish for a guest on his show before May 21st: Pope Leo XIV. It’s a fitting desire, as Leo has ties to Chicago, just like Colbert, who is a Chicago Catholic. Colbert even went above and beyond to meet the previous Pope Francis, gathering a group of comedians to join him. Recounting the trip, Seth Meyers admitted he immediately refused Colbert’s invitation. Colbert, however, took a helicopter from the studio to the airport just to make it to Vatican City on time. When Meyers quipped that Pope Francis wouldn’t be an exciting guest, Colbert strongly disagreed, playfully warning that the Swiss guards – with their distinctive uniforms – wouldn’t hesitate to intervene. He urged people to look up pictures of the guards, describing them as both comical and surprisingly intimidating.

Recent court filings related to Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios have revealed a series of text messages sent by Ryan Reynolds. In one group chat with Lively, Matt Damon, and Luciana Barroso Damon, Reynolds jokingly called the set of It Ends With Us “legendary Hollywood insanity” and suggested it would make a good movie itself. He also expressed frustration to his agent, Warren Zavala, that rumors of on-set drama were hurting the film’s box office performance, blaming Wayfarer Studios for creating a “big mess.” Reynolds was particularly upset by what he saw as attempts to portray Lively negatively, calling the narrative of her being a “controlling bitch” ridiculous. Reynolds’ spokesperson stated he stands by his texts, adding that he wishes he’d been even more forceful in defending his wife and advocating for a safe work environment. This situation serves as a reminder that text messages can be used as evidence in legal proceedings.

In December 2025, Quentin Tarantino made a harsh comment on a podcast, calling actor Paul Dano the “weakest actor in SAG.” This immediately sparked a strong reaction, with many people rushing to defend Dano and criticize Tarantino. Several prominent figures, including George Clooney and Ben Stiller, publicly praised Dano’s talent. Zach Woods even went further, attacking Tarantino’s filmmaking style and accusing him of plagiarism. The support continued at the Sundance Film Festival, where Toni Colette, during a screening of Little Miss Sunshine, angrily dismissed Tarantino’s comments, suggesting he was either high or simply didn’t understand Dano’s performance. Co-director Jonathan Dayton added that Tarantino was likely unsettled by the depth and unconventional nature of Dano’s work, implying Tarantino prefers easily categorized performances. Essentially, the message was clear: people believe Tarantino is uncomfortable with nuance and genuine emotion.

If you recently watched the crime thriller The Rip on Netflix, or you’re enjoying a Pedro Pascal marathon, you should definitely check out this overlooked action movie this week. It features a surprisingly great cast.

It’s been tough watching Michael J. Fox’s health decline, and naturally his acting work has become less frequent. But I was so thrilled to hear he’s coming back to TV in 2026! It’s been five years since his last role, and he’s joining what I think is one of the most genuinely lovely comedy-dramas out there right now: Apple TV+’s Shrinking. It’s just really wonderful to see him back.

Following Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon arrived, bringing a dramatic era of Targaryen history to the screen, though it wasn’t without its flaws. Like Game of Thrones before it, the series wasn’t perfect, and some characters differed from their portrayals in the original books.

I absolutely love Roman Polanski’s Chinatown. It’s a truly classic film noir, and Jack Nicholson is phenomenal as the private detective, J.J. Gittes. What really fascinates me is that it’s inspired by the actual struggles over water rights in 1930s Los Angeles, and it brilliantly exposes how deeply corruption was embedded in the city’s institutions back then.

AGBO, the production company created by Joe and Anthony Russo, has announced layoffs affecting around 15% of its staff, or about 20 people, as reported by Deadline. This news comes while the Russo brothers are working on a large-scale Marvel movie, leading to discussions about the company’s focus, its size, and the financial challenges facing big-budget films in Hollywood.

Ryan Coogler recently shared a surprisingly enthusiastic confession on Amy Poehler’s podcast: he loves experimenting with the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines. While not a big soda drinker generally, he admitted he got hooked when the machines allowed custom drink combinations. Coogler, known for his filmmaking vision, seems to appreciate the creative possibilities of mixing different sodas and flavors – like Sprite Zero, French Vanilla Barq’s, and Diet Powerade, or every Fanta flavor with Hi-C and iced tea. This playful admission has quickly become a popular topic on film-focused social media.

Sam Claflin recently shared what it was like to be in a Pirates of the Caribbean film when he was just 25 years old, during an interview on Radio Andy.