Movies

As a movie and TV buff, I’ve always been fascinated by Sherlock Holmes and Watson. They’ve stuck around for so long, and honestly, the world Sir Arthur Conan Doyle built feels like the original shared universe – you see echoes of it in everything from superheroes to sci-fi adventures. What’s really cool is that, unlike characters like Spock or Krypto, Holmes and Watson are totally public domain, meaning anyone can play with them. That opens the door for storytellers like Sweeny to really experiment and reimagine these icons. They’re not just doing straight-up ‘whodunits’ anymore; they’re using the Holmes framework to tackle all sorts of mysteries – even ones inside the human body. It’s neat how they’ve made Watson almost become Sherlock, using everything he learned to solve problems. And let’s be real, most of us aren’t medical experts, so whether all the science is 100% accurate isn’t the point. The mysteries aren’t about catching criminals; they’re unfolding within people, and that’s a really interesting twist.

It’s becoming common for streaming shows to also air on traditional TV – for example, Hulu’s Paradise recently aired on ABC shortly after its online release. However, HBO Max is taking a different approach with The Pitt on TNT. Instead of releasing episodes weekly like on the streaming service, TNT will offer five sets of episodes at once each Monday, creating more of a binge-watching event. This strategy is likely intended to avoid confusing viewers into thinking the show has moved platforms, something HBO’s content chief hinted at earlier this year. He explained that putting a current streaming show on another channel could lead people to believe they can watch all Max shows on TNT, which is acceptable for promotion as long as it’s not overdone.

The Infinity Saga of Marvel movies always ended each phase with a big team-up film. But the current Multiverse Saga has been different – we’ve met a lot of new heroes without much connection between them. Luckily, a team-up is planned for Disney+ before the next big Avengers movie, Doomsday, brings all the main heroes together on the big screen.

Leslie Fhima was the other finalist on Gerry Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor, and while things didn’t work out with the Indiana widower (for her or Theresa NIst), Fhima was among those who reached out to Theresa Nist after the breakup, and the friendship they formed has stood the test of time. That’s why I was so surprised at Fhima’s comments about Golden Years: What I’ve Learned from Love, Loss and Reality TV.

Although there was talk of a sequel, a second Real Steel movie hasn’t materialized since the original premiered in 2011, starring a popular Hugh Jackman during his X-Men success. Recently, director Shawn Levy shared disappointing news about Real Steel 2 in an interview.

Whenever Disney raises prices, people often wonder if the parks are becoming unaffordable. This question recently came up on Reddit, and one user made a key point: the price increases themselves are intended to test how much people are willing to pay – to find the limit of what guests will bear.

Despite the importance of the new Star Wars timeline, which began with The Mandalorian in 2019, Ahsoka Tano’s recent storyline hasn’t lived up to expectations. While some parts have been good, overall, the recent Star Wars content has been a letdown for her character.

This season of The Great British Baking Show wasn’t very good, and I think Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith, and the show’s producers need to revamp the technical challenge. It’s become predictable and needs a complete overhaul.

Cale paces around a crumbling old house, reciting lines from his poem. He tells Charli, who is lying on the floor and sometimes covering herself in red wax, “I’m a prisoner to live forever.” A vulture circles inside, adding to the sense of decay. Soon, Charli’s voice joins his, her signature autotune contrasting with Cale’s darker sound. She sings hauntingly, switching between fearing her own death in the house and warning Cale that he’s the one in danger. Later, she’s seen next to a grave—possibly her own. The song’s dark, gothic atmosphere evokes the unsettling feeling of Emily Brontë’s novel. It’s a departure from both Cale’s previous work and anything Charli has released before.

The biggest surprise this year was the release of a second Predator film, called Predator: Badlands. Director Trachtenberg returns, bringing the Yautja back to the big screen, but this time with a twist. Instead of hunting humans, the story focuses on the Predator, Dek, and attempts to make him a character we can sympathize with – a creature previously seen as purely a ruthless hunter. What could be a better challenge for Dek than a heartless corporation? The Weyland-Yutani corporation from Alien appears in Badlands, and their presence makes it the most exciting and unexpected Alien spin-off of the year.