Movies

2024 has proven to be a remarkable year for filmmakers, as they’ve discovered fresh ways to express themselves. Today’s audiences crave not only compelling content but also intricate world-building, well-crafted characters, and more depth. Four standout directors from this year – Amar Kaushik, Aditya Sarpotkar, Anees Bazmee, and Vikas Bahl – shared their insights at TopMob’s Director’s Roundtable discussion. They discussed the achievements of their movies, their future projects, and even touched upon the role and influence of artificial intelligence in filmmaking.

Instead of settling for the typical holiday-themed content, a standout streaming choice this week is not one of the numerous Christmas movies flooding the season, but rather an emotionally intense stand-up performance by Jamie Foxx, who affectionately refers to himself as “Jamie Motherfuckin’ Foxx” throughout. For those with a Netflix subscription, it’s highly recommended to stream the new special Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was to listen to the comedian’s real-life account of his April 2023 medical emergency.

One delight of the Marvel Multiverse lies in its ability for almost any character to return, whether they’ve traveled back through time (Captain America), been sent to distant corners of the galaxy (Hulk), or met their end (Iron Man). The upcoming Marvel films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, promise a host of unexpected returns for former Marvel heroes and adversaries. This anticipation is amplified following the announcement that Chris Evans will rejoin the MCU once more, having previously portrayed Johnny Storm in Deadpool and Wolverine. Considering the flexibility Marvel enjoys with their characters, I’m hoping they address a nagging oversight that appears to be troubling Aaron Taylor-Johnson subtly.

The Knowles-Carter family has often attracted much notice when they’re out in public together, largely because of their impeccable fashion sense. Recently, this was evident at the premiere of Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King, where Beyoncé and her daughter Blue Ivy donned stunning metallic dresses that caught the eye. However, while their stylish attire grabbed attention, it was the family as a whole who commanded focus, standing united in the face of rape allegations against Jay-Z.

In the ’90s, sci-fi horror popcorn films thrived and reached their prime. This era saw low-budget B-movies being given A-movie financing, resulting in mainstream adoption of Roger Corman’s visually striking and campy style. Among the controversial movies of that period is Species – a creature feature with mixed reviews. Despite its imperfections, viewers are appreciating it more as it stands at #4 on Tubi’s rankings. This once popular cable staple has been rejuvenated on streaming platforms.