Movies

With many fantasy shows ending abruptly or relying on existing franchises, His Dark Materials stands out as a complete story that was allowed to finish as intended. The series actually improved over its three seasons, developing its plot and characters wonderfully, making it a great choice for a binge-watching session. It’s beautifully filmed and features a fantastic cast, especially Dafne Keen, making it a must-see for fantasy lovers.

You can now watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Thunderbolts on Disney+. Both films include sneak peeks from the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday – scenes filmed by directors Joe and Anthony Russo to connect the stories.

Disney+ has unveiled a first look at Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, with the first two episodes arriving on April 6th. The series follows Maul as he assembles a criminal organization, gathering a diverse group of outlaws. The trailer features Maul narrating the intense action, explaining that he and his followers have been forced to fend for themselves and endure hardship. It’s a compelling pitch for recruits, especially considering Maul is also being pursued by the Empire on the orders of Emperor Palpatine.

The movie Venom: Let There Be Carnage, released in 2021, is now available on Disney+. It’s a sequel to the 2018 film Venom and features Tom Hardy as Venom battling Carnage, a dangerous symbiote that has taken control of Cletus Kasady.

Costume designer Ruth E. Carter achieved a historic milestone with her fifth Oscar nomination, making her the most-nominated Black woman in any category. She previously won Oscars for both Black Panther films. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw also broke ground as the first woman of color to be nominated in her category. The team behind Sinners is making waves, with Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, and Wunmi Mosaku all receiving their first acting nominations. Ryan Coogler earned his first Best Director nomination, and his wife, Zinzi Coogler, shares a Best Picture nomination as a co-producer. Hopefully, the Sinners team is celebrating far away from Remmick!

The new movie, The Gallerist, hinges on getting the right tone. It stars Natalie Portman as an art dealer who tries to sell a dead body at Art Basel in Miami – a darkly comedic premise. With a strong supporting cast including Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Jenna Ortega, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and a satirical take on how money impacts art, it sounds promising. The film has the potential to be both biting and insightful. What’s especially exciting is that it’s directed and written by Cathy Yan, who previously made 2020’s Birds of Prey. I really enjoyed Birds of Prey and was impressed by Yan’s playful style and creative visuals, so I’m eager to see how she tackles this challenging subject matter. — Angelica Jade Bastién

The Olympic Torch Relay began in Rome last December. While an official announcement confirms that Storrie and Williams will participate as torchbearers, it doesn’t specify when they’ll carry the flame, only that it will be during the relay leading up to the Opening Ceremony on February 6th. Meanwhile, Williams is already promoting the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics by appearing at events throughout Milan Fashion Week.

The surprisingly popular Australian film Primitive War, which combined Vietnam War soldiers with dinosaurs in a jungle setting, is getting a sequel. Released just three months after Jurassic World, the low-budget movie is following up on its initial success, according to Variety.

The 2026 Oscar nominations are out, and Sinners received a remarkable 16 nominations! The film is up for Best Picture, along with recognition for the Director, lead Actor, supporting Actors and Actress, and a variety of technical and creative awards including Original Screenplay, Casting, Makeup, Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Original Score, Original Song, Sound, and Visual Effects.

High-risk climbing might seem far removed from issues like nationalism, prejudice against foreigners, excessive social media use, unchecked capitalism, and colonialism. However, in 2021, while the COVID-19 pandemic heavily impacted daily life and businesses globally, a group of skilled climbers – and, unfortunately, some inexperienced ones – found themselves in a dangerous and heartbreaking situation.