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USA Today
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The definitive ranking of all 29 Pixar movies (including 'Elio')
The definitive ranking of all 29 Pixar movies (including 'Elio') Show Caption Hide Caption 'Elio' trailer: Boy meets alien BFF in Pixar's sci-fi movie A lonely 11-year-old boy dreams of being abducted by aliens and winds up on a spaceship in Pixar's animated sci-fi comedy "Elio." Love movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY's Watch Party newsletter has all the best recommendations, delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids. No animation outfit has made us laugh as loud and cry as hard as Disney's Pixar. From the best friendship of Woody and Buzz in "Toy Story" to tear-jerking moments in "Coco" and "Up" that turned us into weepy mush, Pixar has been entertaining kids of all ages for three decades with a slew of beloved movies and even some Oscar winners. The latest is an original tale: The sci-fi comedy "Elio" (in theaters June 20) follows an 11-year-old boy (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) who wants desperately to be abducted by aliens and winds up going on an intergalactic adventure. How does it compare to the rest of the Pixar canon? We ranked all 29 movies so far, from worst to best. (And if you need to catch up, the previous films are streaming on Disney+.) 29. 'Cars 2' (2011) Oh, "Cars 2." What to say about you? You were the movie that made us lose confidence in Pixar, ever so briefly. We get why you exist, we do, but we'd prefer to pretend otherwise. 28. 'Cars 3' (2017) What the third installment in the "Cars" franchise has going for it mostly is that it's not "Cars 2." Despite adding a laundry list of talent (including Kerry Washington and Chris Cooper) to the voice cast, it's mostly just a slightly less disappointing "Cars" film. 27. 'Cars' (2006) Are we noticing a pattern here? The "Cars" sequels have unfortunately tarnished the memory of the original a little bit. We're not mad at the first "KACHOW!"-fest, but Lightning McQueen and Co. just don't bowl you over like many Pixar films do. 26. 'The Good Dinosaur' (2015) "The Good Dinosaur" gets an unfortunate rap. It's not top-tier Pixar by any stretch, but the tale of a dino and a Neanderthal boy has a big heart − and any movie with Sam Elliott as a T. rex can't be all bad. 25. 'Onward' (2020) We'll forever refer to this as "the movie about the pants." This offbeat fantasy road movie centers on two elf brothers (Chris Pratt and Tom Holland) traveling with their dead dad's sentient legs – and learning to say goodbye to him in the process. 24. 'Monsters University' (2013) "Monsters, Inc." has one of the best Pixar endings, so it was best the studio didn't make a sequel. The prequel they gave it instead is fun – think "Animal House" for kids – yet misses the sense of wonder and themes about childhood that made the original so great. 23. 'Elio' (2025) Pixar throws back to the days of "Explorers" and "The Last Starfighter" with this familiar sci-fi project, where a young boy disaffected by Earth gets abducted and becomes BFFs with an alien. Best for a kid who's never seen "E.T." 22. 'Elemental' (2023) Like "Zootopia" but with more casual racism, the film overreaches trying to be both peppy rom-com and emotional immigrant story. We do adore hot-tempered Ember (Leah Lewis) and sensitive watery sort Wade (Mamoudou Athie) as a couple, though. 21. 'Brave' (2012) "Brave" had so much potential and gave Pixar its first female protagonist, but it just couldn't click. Maybe it was the structure of the story, subpar humor or failed attempts at feminism. The lesson here: Fairy tales are strictly old-school Disney's game. 20. 'Lightyear' (2022) Pixar's meta version of 'Star Wars," the straightforward sci-fi "Toy Story" spinoff casts Chris Evans (aka Captain America) as a young Buzz Lightyear, who trains up a bunch of rookies to take on the evil Zurg, and actually pulls off a meaningful LGBTQ moment. 19. 'Incredibles 2' (2018) The sequel arrived 14 years after the original blew audiences away in theaters. Superhero cinema has dominated since then, and Brad Bird's visual style and humor feel less novel. Still, it's an entertaining ride with many of the familial themes that made the first one great. 18. 'A Bug's Life' (1998) Not all Pixar projects have to be convoluted and emotionally manipulative. Sometimes, it's fine for a kids' movie just to be about little critters, and this underrated gem is refreshing in its simple premise, slapstick humor and endearing cast of tenacious ants and quirky bugs. 17. 'Finding Dory' (2016) Another of Pixar's sequels more than a decade after the original film, "Dory" mostly recaptures the themes of family and loneliness but more importantly puts the spotlight on Ellen DeGeneres' forgetful title fish, giving depth and context to her disability. 16. 'Toy Story 4' (2019) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) returned for a "Toy Story" that's more adventure-driven than others but still delivers a poignant sendoff to our favorite cowboy and space ranger. Plus, it gave us Forky, a spork with a death wish who's pure chaos and totally charming. 15. 'Luca' (2021) Young sea creature Luca explores the world outside the ocean with Alberto, a slightly older half-human, half-fish. The queer allegory is undeniable, as Luca grapples with identity, prejudice and acceptance, plus learns the meaning of chosen family one memorable Italian summer. 14. 'Soul' (2020) This jazzy riff on humanity and the hereafter brings a cartoon New York City to vibrant, diverse life with Pixar's first Black lead character, a band teacher (played by Jamie Foxx) who meets a jaded soul (Tina Fey), and asks big questions about the meaning of life. 13. 'Toy Story 3' (2010) Perhaps the most millennial movie that Pixar has ever made, it finds Andy getting ready for college in a tale about life transition and the inevitability of death – heady stuff for a kids' movie but it miraculously works. It's also the rare kids' movie depicting daycare as a deranged prison state. 12. 'Up' (2009) Fun fact: There's more to this movie than its opening salvo of complete emotional devastation. Imagine pitching this story: Who wants to see a movie about an old man, an outcast kid, a talking dog and another old man who's a villain? "Up" shouldn't be this powerful but it is. 11. 'Toy Story 2' (1999) All of the "Toy Story" films are about growing up and growing apart, but none so mournfully as the second installment, which introduces Jessie (Joan Cusack), a toy whose owner has grown up and moved on. It kept the essential franchise theme while also cleverly expanding the universe. 10. 'Turning Red' (2022) Like "Inside Out," "Turning Red" depicts a young girl learning to harness her emotions. Here it's a brainy, boy-crazy Chinese-Canadian teen in the throes of puberty who learns you don't have to hide the messier parts of yourself in a combo of coming-of-age movie and kaiju flick. 9. 'Ratatouille' (2007) "Ratatouille" is one of Pixar's most earnest films, turning a rat into an absolutely adorable hero. Pair that with one of the studio's best side characters, food critic Anton Ego (Peter O'Toole), and this effort manages to feel as intimate as a Parisian dinner. 8. 'Inside Out 2' (2024) The sequel introduces Anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke) into the emotional mix, and chaos ensues inside and out of now-teenage Riley. It's a clever and ambitious exploration of puberty, and many kids (as well as adults) will feel seen in its honest depiction of mental-health struggles. 7. 'Finding Nemo' (2003) The sea tale of an overprotective father (voiced by the inimitable Albert Brooks) searching for his lost son is one of Pixar's most overt stories meant for both parents and kids, but it never lets the sentiment overpower the comedy. 6. 'Toy Story' (1995) The revolutionary film pioneered computer animation and featured all the ingredients that have become Pixar staples: emotional storytelling, action sequences, insights on the human condition, an all-star voice cast and protagonists you never would have thought of yourself. 5. 'WALL-E' (2008) With a story this harsh on humanity, it helps to have a protagonist as innocent and (literally) wide-eyed as the title trash-compacting robot left all alone on a destroyed planet Earth. A searing critique of consumerism that's still a very enjoyable movie for children (and plenty of adults). 4. 'Inside Out' (2015) The first "Inside Out" exquisitely brought a child's mind alive in the most imaginative ways. It's a madcap adventure where cheery Joy (Amy Poehler) and mopey Sadness (Phyllis Smith) have to find common ground but also a heartbreaking tale reminding parents that time is fleeting and kids grow up quickly. 3. 'Coco' (2017) Musical, magical and visually splendid, Pixar's adventure in the Land of the Dead found a new way for the studio to examine loss and grief. We dare you not to weep through the last 10 minutes when the stirringly beautiful (and Oscar-winning) "Remember Me" comes on. 2. 'Monsters, Inc.' (2001) It's easy to forget that the John Goodman-Billy Crystal buddy comedy is essentially about two guys who work at a power plant. The fact that it also tackles childhood, loss of innocence, what we're truly afraid of and the nature of good and evil is what makes it one of Pixar's most imaginative outings. 1. 'The Incredibles' (2004) Sorry, Marvel, this remains the best Fantastic Four movie ever. A family of superheroes with secret identities stars in an entertaining masterpiece about identity, with a middle-aged couple finding each other again and kids figuring out their place in the world. Contributing: Kelly Lawler and Patrick Ryan
USA Today
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
From 'Minecraft' to 'Snow White,' 10 movies you need to stream right now
From 'Minecraft' to 'Snow White,' 10 movies you need to stream right now Show Caption Hide Caption 'Chicken jockey!' Viral trend causes chaos at 'Minecraft' screenings In the U.S. and U.K., moviegoers are going wild when Jack Black shouts, "Chicken jockey!" during "A Minecraft Movie." Love movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY's Watch Party newsletter has all the best recommendations, delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids. Now you can finally understand why your middle schooler has been saying "Chicken jockey!" for the past couple of months. The video-game hit "A Minecraft Movie" is one of several new streaming films that have arrived on your various streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon's Prime Video, Disney+ and more. There are theatrical releases finally coming home, including a Liam Neeson gangster thriller and an oddball Kristen Stewart movie, plus original fare like a K-pop animated adventure and a documentary about historic astronaut Sally Ride. Here are 10 notable new movies you can stream right now: 'Absolution' After finding out he doesn't have much time to live, an aging mob enforcer (Liam Neeson) seeks to make things right with his estranged daughter and grandson, plus do some good – by doing some bad – before the clock runs out. Have one last dose of action-movie Neeson before he goes full absurd in "The Naked Gun." Where to watch: Hulu 'The Accountant 2' There's sadly not as much math as in 2016's original "The Accountant," which became a surprise cult hit on cable TV. Plenty of bro love fills that gap in the serviceable sequel, which teams action-hero CPA Christian (Ben Affleck) with his hit-man sibling Braxton (Jon Bernthal) to solve a mystery involving a broken family and human trafficking. Where to watch: Prime Video 'Cleaner' Daisy Ridley stars in the action thriller as a window cleaner struggling to keep her job and care for her autistic older brother (Matthew Tuck). A day at work turns harrowing when environmental activists take the building hostage. So it's a good thing she's a former British soldier in a high-stakes drama that one could call "Die Hard" with Windex. Where to watch: Max 'Deep Cover' There's a motley crew at work in this action comedy, with Bryce Dallas Howard as an improv comedy teacher recruited to infiltrate the London crime scene. She enlists the help of two students (Orlando Bloom and "Ted Lasso" breakout Nick Mohammed) and they accidentally become decent gangsters. Where to watch: Prime Video 'Echo Valley' Julianne Moore is in the conversation for Movie Mom of the Year. She starts in the twisty thriller as a horse trainer struggling to keep her business afloat after her wife's death. Things get worse as efforts to reconnect with her addict daughter (Sydney Sweeney) end up with the mother going to extremes to cover up a dead body. Where to watch: Apple TV+ 'KPop Demon Hunters' Catchy music, anime style and some horror combine in this kid-friendly action comedy. When the members of Korean pop trio Huntrix aren't busy being mega-stars, they protect their fans from supernatural dangers. But dark secrets and hormones become issues, thanks to their latest enemy: demons disguised as a hunky boy band. Where to watch: Netflix 'Love Me' Are you ready for a romantic sort-of-comedy between inanimate objects? Hundreds of years after mankind is wiped out, a smart buoy (Kristen Stewart) turns on and strikes up a friendship with the last satellite (Steven Yeun) launched into space. This weird couple literally gets more real as time passes, trying ice cream for the first time and opening up to each other. Where to watch: Paramount+ 'A Minecraft Movie' Kids are going to love it, as will anyone with a soft spot for the glorious weirdness of "Napoleon Dynamite." The adventure centers on misfits stuck in a fantasy world that makes the most of their creativity, with an unhinged Jack Black singing about lava chicken and a hilariously macho Jason Momoa gamely taking the brunt of the gags. Where to watch: Max 'Sally' While this revealing documentary about Sally Ride obviously touches on her being the first American woman in space, it's more interested in getting into her personal life. The movie digs into her tennis roots, the misogyny she dealt with regularly at NASA, and the lesbian romance she kept private for 27 years knowing it wouldn't be accepted. Where to watch: Disney+, Hulu 'Snow White' Rachel Zegler is enchanting as the title character, even if the Disney live-action musical remake plays it too safe. Targeted for death by her evil queen stepmom (a camped-out Gal Gadot), scullery maid Snow high-tails it to a nearby forest and makes some friends – including seven little miner dudes – before sparking her own revolution. Where to watch: Disney+
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
All of Steven Spielberg's movies, ranked (including 'Jaws')
All of Steven Spielberg's movies, ranked (including 'Jaws') Show Caption Hide Caption Top 3 scary moments in 'Jaws' 'Jaws' turns 50 this summer and USA TODAY film critic Brian Truitt celebrates with his favorite bloody moments. Love movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY's Watch Party newsletter has all the best recommendations, delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids. For movie lovers who grew up in the blockbuster era, there's no more iconic filmmaker than Steven Spielberg. And there's no more iconic blockbuster than the one that started them: Spielberg's "Jaws," the infamous shark movie that's celebrating its 50th anniversary. (Original release: June 20, 1975.) Spielberg, 78, has done it all in his legendary Hollywood career, including winning two Oscars as best director. But it's easy to forget just how deep his filmography really goes. His resume includes classic films like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," best picture winner "Schindler's List," the first two "Jurassic Park" movies and the Indiana Jones franchise, with Harrison Ford as the globetrotting hero of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." And Spielberg is still breaking fresh ground: His 2022 drama "The Fabelmans" fictionalized his own childhood in coming-of-age fashion. To mark "Jaws" turning 50, we're celebrating Spielberg's vast filmography by ranking every one of his feature films: 34. 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park' (1997) The sequel is simply a poor genetic clone of the first "Jurassic Park." There's plenty of giant dinosaurs around, but the dinos and the humans alike are done in by weak characterization, iffy action scenes and a lack of the original's spirit. 33. 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' (1984) The Shanghai-set "Anything Goes" opening is magnificent. Unfortunately, everything else in this misadventure, from annoying love interests to cloying sidekicks, is a minecart going off the rails. 32. 'War of the Worlds' (2005) Maybe it's an answer to the more benevolent aliens earlier in his career? Spielberg puts his own spin on the H.G. Wells invasion classic with Tom Cruise along for the ride, with mediocre results. 31. 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' (2008) Shia LaBeouf, aliens and an indestructible fridge aren't the greatest additions to the Indy franchise, but the franchise return of Karen Allen and debut of Cate Blanchett as an evil Soviet villainess make up for them. 30. 'The Terminal' (2004) Tom Hanks is by far the best thing in the so-so dramedy about an Eastern European man stuck in New York's JFK airport thanks to a civil war that makes his passport null and void. 29. 'The BFG' (2016) Spielberg plays it a little too safe with the outsized tale of an orphan girl and her very large best friend. However, it's a perfect intro to his oeuvre for the littlest kids entertained by flatulent corgis and a gibberish-spouting giant. 28. 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence' (2001) Stanley Kubrick was originally supposed to direct, which would have yielded a much different movie than Spielberg's warm tale of a robot kid with the ability to love. 27. 'The Sugarland Express' (1974) Goldie Hawn shines in one of her first dramatic roles in the story of two criminal parents who kidnap a cop and go to extreme lengths to get their baby boy back. 26. 'Hook' (1991) Spielberg's films tend to be corny at times and this is the pinnacle of that, a sugary-sweet and well-meaning take on the Peter Pan mythology with Robin Williams as the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up actually grown up. 25. 'Always' (1989) It goes overboard with the emotionally manipulative romance, but the flick gets points for having Audrey Hepburn in her last film role as an angel. The spirit greets a firefighting pilot who dies and then has to help a fellow flyboy who falls in love with the late dude's girlfriend. 24. 'Amistad' (1997) Maybe not Spielberg's best "important" film but it's definitely one that's effective in conveying the historical significance of Africans taking over a slave ship heading to the USA circa 1839 and the ensuing legal fight. 23. 'Duel' (1971) Before rampaging dinos and hungry sharks, Spielberg's film debut (which premiered as a TV movie but also got a theatrical release) offered a truck as its main antagonist. And the road rage is palpable and knuckle-clenching as a traveling salesman tries to avoid getting run off the road and killed by a vengeful big rig driver. 22. 'Ready Player One' (2018) It's a little odd to see Spielberg directing what's pretty much an homage to his entire geeky filmography. Still, youthful rebellion in virtual reality looks great and the concept of online escapes resonates in an increasingly intense real world. 21. 'Munich' (2005) A poignant thriller spin is put on one of the sports world's darkest moments, recounting the Israel government's secret act of vengeance for the massacre of its athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics. 20. 'War Horse' (2011) The filmmaker goes for all the fuzzy feels on a grand canvas with this World War I tale of a boy and his horse, their parallel stories and their long road to find each other again. 19. 'The Adventures of Tintin' (2011) The animated effort with Peter Jackson gives us some serious Indiana Jones vibes with a young French journalist and his loyal canine friend on the hunt for a treasure-filled sunken ship. 18. 'Catch Me If You Can' (2002) There's a fun and retro vibe to the real-life 1960s cat-and-mouse chase between a teenage con man (Leonardo DiCaprio) and dogged FBI agent (Hanks), made all the more so with a jazzy John Williams score. 17. 'Minority Report' (2002) Featuring Cruise, the futuristic neo-noir sci-fi – about law enforcement capturing ne'er-do-wells before they do anything illegal – has only grown more engrossing and salient as technology has taken big leaps around us. 16. 'Bridge of Spies' (2015) The filmmaker puts you right into the chilly spycraft of the Cold War, though it's the chemistry between Hanks and Mark Rylance – as an earnest attorney and his Russian secret-agent client – that fuels the drama. 15. 'The Fabelmans' (2022) This is the portrait of an icon as a 1960s youngster, with Gabriel LaBelle playing a talented teen who loves making movies but faces troubles at home with his parents (Paul Dano and Michelle Williams) and at school with antisemitic bullies. 14. '1941' (1979) While Spielberg's purest comedy didn't get the best reception, the World War II flick is a hilarious, star-studded wonder about panicked and paranoid LA citizens worrying about a Japanese attack after Pearl Harbor. 13. 'Empire of the Sun' (1987) Nearly 20 years before he was Batman, Christian Bale was the posh British lad living in China who becomes separated from his parents and ends up in a World War II Japanese internment camp in the emotional epic. 12. 'Lincoln' (2012) Daniel Day-Lewis transforms into the 16th president in one of his most memorable roles, and Spielberg crafts an amazing look at the later months of the Civil War that would either make or break the country. 11. 'The Post' (2017) The Pentagon Papers drama is a spiritual prequel of sorts to "All the President's Men," a love letter to journalism and the convening of an amazing cast, including Hanks as hard-charging Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee. In a modern landscape where media struggle to survive, Spielberg rallies to celebrate what makes it great. 10. 'West Side Story' (2021) It takes some major chutzpah to tackle the classic Broadway show onscreen for the first time since the Oscar-winning 1961 adaptation. But leave it to Spielberg to retell the love story of Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler) in a fresh and relevant way, craft epic musical numbers that bring new life to Leonard Bernstein's music and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics, improve the storytelling of this piece of Americana and snag another best picture nomination. 9. 'Saving Private Ryan' (1998) One of the best war movies ever, period. Spielberg's excellent take on the Invasion of Normandy was groundbreaking in its graphic depictions of the battlefield but especially for its ferocious knockout of an opening. The landing on Omaha Beach shows the carnage and chaos from the perspective of an Army Ranger captain (Hanks), stunned and stumbling in bloody water, and forces an audience to feel unflinching horror. 8. 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' (1982) The seminal movie for '80s kids captures hearts and jerks tears with the story of a super-cute alien and the youngsters who rally to keep him safe from authorities and take care of him when he's sick. As key as E.T. is, what's even more important is his friendship with Elliot (Henry Thomas), an alienated boy desperately needing a connection in the wake of his parents' divorce. E.T. wants to go home, but Elliott has to rediscover his own, too. 7. 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (1977) The more grown-up complement to E.T. put a mysterious and thoughtful spin on first contact with aliens and the idea that we're all just a small piece of a bigger puzzle. When the visitors come, it's not spoken language but instead a musical theme that bridges the intergalactic gap between us and them, and Richard Dreyfuss' blue-collar worker is every dreamer who's ever looked into the sky and wanted to see the stars. Spielberg's vision is sentimental yet feels so satisfying. 6. 'Jurassic Park' (1993) Dinosaurs were already cool but in the hands of Spielberg, they are a grand spectacle – and a fearsome set of antagonists – in a movie about not messing around with Mother Nature. The filmmaker takes on corporate greed and mankind's god complex by imagining a theme park of genetically cloned reptiles, but on a more popcorn-chewing level, Spielberg crafts both a terrifying journey as well as a breathtaking collection of species we can only wish existed. 5. 'The Color Purple' (1985) Exceptional performances (especially Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey) drive this wrenching and intimate story of abused but strong women who find their voices and identity in early 20th-century Georgia. Goldberg's Celie is the mousy wife of a mean, bullying farmhand (Danny Glover), one of the men she's been oppressed by and who've kept her from family and a real life, until she finally roars in a rousing catharsis that feels hugely meaningful. 4. 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' (1989) It's rare that a threequel is almost as good as the first, but this two-fisted quest for the Holy Grail doubles as a surprisingly deep narrative about fathers, sons and mortality. All the usual fun Indy stuff is here – Nazis, treasured artifacts – though the bantering chemistry between Ford's hard-luck hero and Sean Connery as his grumpy dad is off-the-hook spectacular. Bogie and Bacall have nothing on these two. 3. 'Jaws' (1975) It takes something really special to affect the American populace so much they rethink their beach trips. With that ominous two-note John Williams theme and an infamous killer shark, the movie spawned the summer blockbuster and wracked many a nerve with its water-bound terror. It also taps into a man-vs.-nature dynamic as a modern-day Moby-Dick with Robert Shaw's Quint as the obsessed hunter inextricably tied to his great white nemesis. 2. 'Schindler's List' (1993) Spielberg's black-and-white dramatic masterwork is a beautiful and brutal look at the Holocaust and an unlikely hero that manages to find hope and kindness in the face of pure evil. The character arc of German businessman Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) is astounding, from hiring Jewish workers because they're cheap to giving away a fortune to save hundreds from certain doom. Through his eyes, we see the hatred, dread and innocence lost of that period in history. 1. 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981) The first Indiana Jones movie – with lots of Nazi-punching and world-shaking religious implications – is the perfect action adventure. In fact, face-meltingly so. It makes smart heroes cool forever after (in everything from "The X-Files" to "Iron Man"), offers a love interest who's just as good in a fight as Indy, is as funny as it is compelling, and – sorry, "Star Wars" – gives us Ford's signature cinema icon. It's the kind of movie that reminds us all why we love movies.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Best Stephen King movie adaptations, ranked (including 'The Life of Chuck')
Best Stephen King movie adaptations, ranked (including 'The Life of Chuck') Show Caption Hide Caption 'The Life of Chuck': Tom Hiddleston headlines Stephen King movie Based on a Stephen King novella, "The Life of Chuck" chronicles the life of accountant Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) in three acts told in reverse. Love movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY's Watch Party newsletter has all the best recommendations, delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids. Almost as long as that legendary master of horror Stephen King has been keeping book lovers up at night, filmmakers have been adapting his novels and short stories. Which means there have been some stone-cold classics ("The Shining," anyone?) and more than a few clunkers. For every "The Dark Tower," there's an "It" – though we got two of those, both of them good. So is the new one: Director Mike Flanagan's uplifting film "The Life of Chuck" (in theaters now), based on the novella from King's "If It Bleeds" collection, stars Tom Hiddleston as the title character whose life story gets told in reverse chronological order. It's a pretty big 2025 for King and his Constant Readers. The year has already seen the release of "The Monkey," and this fall brings dystopian thriller "The Long Walk" (Sept. 12) – with Mark Hamill torturing quite a few members of young Hollywood – and Edgar Wright's new take on "The Running Man" (Nov. 7) starring Glen Powell. And on the book front, King's latest novel "Never Flinch" is new in stores while "Hansel & Gretel," his children's book with Maurice Sendak, is out Sept. 2. In honor of "Chuck," here are the most essential King movies, ranked: 15. 'Gerald's Game' (2017) Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood play a couple who go on a romantic getaway to rekindle their marriage. The wife gets handcuffed to the bed, hubby has a heart attack, there are no neighbors to call and she struggles to maintain her sanity in a stressful situation. (Also, good luck trying to unsee the super-duper creepy Moonlight Man.) Where to watch: Netflix. 14. 'The Running Man' (1987) So what if this futuristic action flick isn't exactly faithful to the '82 King book (written as Richard Bachman)? It's an enjoyable time watching Arnold Schwarzenegger as a framed military man on a brutally deadly game show, tackling over-the-top bruisers and TV host baddie Richard Dawson in a movie that's more WrestleMania than social satire. Where to watch: Paramount+, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 13. 'The Monkey' (2025) Gory and gloriously absurd, the horror comedy stars Theo James in a dual role as twins who thought they got rid of a cursed monkey toy when they were kids until it comes back into their lives and brings a whole heap of bloody death. Sure, it's extremely demented, but this wacky film also has something deep to say about mortality. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 12. 'The Green Mile' (1999) The sentimental prison drama based on King's serial novel gets its hooks in thanks to the one-two emotional punch of Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan. Hanks plays a death row prison guard who doesn't know what to make of a gentle but enigmatic giant (Duncan), convicted of murdering two girls, who exhibits strange abilities. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 11. '1408' (2007) In the most underrated King movie, a supernatural skeptic (John Cusack) who writes about haunted places takes interest in the legendarily creepy room of a New York high-rise. It's astoundingly kooky but also a thoughtful study of cynicism and belief. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 10. 'Doctor Sleep' (2019) Ewan McGregor stars in "The Shining" sequel as a grown-up Danny Torrance, decades past surviving the horrors at the Overlook Hotel, now sober after years of alcoholism and helping a young psychic girl (Kyliegh Curran). It mines familiar ground by carrying over "Shining" themes and characters, but it's best going its own way as a reluctant hero's journey. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 9. 'Stand by Me' (1986) King is as much a master of Americana as he is frights, and Rob Reiner's coming-of-age tale of four misfits and their adventures to find a dead body is top notch at capturing the unbreakable bond of friendship and the fleeting nature of childhood innocence. Where to watch: Paramount+, Pluto TV, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 8. 'The Mist' (2007) How do you make a King novella even more bleak? Director Frank Darabont manages to do that rather well with this story of small-town Maine folks stuck in a supermarket, thanks to a mysterious mist and monstrous hidden creatures outside. Come for the paranoia and tribalism, stay for the gut-punch ending. Where to watch: Paramount+, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 7. 'Misery' (1990) A modern take might have nutty Annie Wilkes making a TikTok or simply sliding into the DMs of author Paul Sheldon to profess her fandom but it wouldn't have been so malevolently perfect as this pre-Internet chiller. Kathy Bates earns her Oscar and then some, taking Annie's terrifying adoration for James Caan's Sheldon to a disturbing, hide-your-eyes level. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 6. 'The Dead Zone' (1983) Christopher Walken is a psychic schoolteacher who 'sees' someone's secrets if he touches them, including a vision of a nuclear holocaust after shaking the hand of a senatorial candidate (Martin Sheen). More than 40 years later, the film's political bent seems timelier than ever. Where to watch: Pluto TV, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 5. 'Carrie' (1976) Sissy Spacek exudes quiet, tortured grace as a teenager just blossoming into womanhood, leading to bullying from classmates and her abusively religious mom (Piper Laurie). The last 30 minutes is a jaw-dropping transformation from childhood innocence to murderous hysteria. Where to watch: Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 4. 'It' (2017) Taking the friendship stuff from "Stand by Me" and weaving in a deliciously evil clown in a poufy wardrobe, "It" works magic on a lot of different levels and leaves you desperately seeking more Pennywise. Warning: May not be for those skeeved out by buckets of blood shooting out of a sink. Where to watch: Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 3. 'The Life of Chuck' (2025) A more life-affirming, dance-filled Stephen King movie than you probably expect. Featuring Tom Hiddleston as a businessman with some sweet moves, it's a proudly unconventional flick that begins with the end of the world and ends with a haunted attic, and everything in between is a thought-provoking delight. Where to watch: In theaters. 2. 'The Shawshank Redemption' (1994) There's not much scary here other than some jail guards. Instead, what makes "Shawshank" an all-timer is the core friendship of two inmates (played by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) who figure out they'd better 'get busy living or get busy dying." Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. 1. 'The Shining' (1980) King notoriously disliked Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, but it's the best of the entire lot. Come for the infamous scenes – 'Heeeeere's Johnny,' anyone? – and stay for the exceptional exploration of isolation, one man's descent into madness, and the terrifying effect on his family. Where to watch: Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
USA Today
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Happy Friday the 13th! Here are the 25 best scary movies to watch
Happy Friday the 13th! Here are the 25 best scary movies to watch Show Caption Hide Caption Jamie Lee Curtis calls latest 'Halloween' films 'masterpieces' Jamie Lee Curtis chats with USA TODAY's Brian Truitt about "Halloween Ends" and her run as "final girl" Laurie Strode. Entertain This!, USA TODAY Love movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY's Watch Party newsletter has all the best recommendations, delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids. Face it, folks, we're all going to die. Whether it's via natural causes or the business end of Michael Myers' kitchen knife landing in your head, death is inevitable. Because that clock is ticking, why not revisit some scary classics or – if you're a horror virgin – check them out for the very first time? (And perhaps last, because, you know. See above. Hey, we don't make the rules.) We put together a tried-and-true list of 25 old-school favorites, influential giants and hidden gems worth a watch before that creepy girl who crawled out of the TV kills you. Or, if you're not really in the dying mood, to celebrate Friday the 13th as you avoid a looming doom. (Sorry, Jason Voorhees, you don't make the cut. Don't take it personally. And watch where you point that machete, buster.) Dig in. IF YOU DARE: Looking for a Halloween horror film? We rank the 75 best of this century. 1. 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' (1920) Though modern eyes might not initially understand the appeal of the silent film – one of the first horror flicks ever – spend some time with the tale of a sleepwalker (Conrad Veidt) hypnotized into murder, immerse yourself in the striking German expressionist imagery and get wowed by an early twist ending. 2. 'The Bride of Frankenstein' (1935) You can't go wrong with any of the classic Universal monsters (Dracula, Wolf Man, Mummy) but this is a two-for-one extravaganza in which Boris Karloff reprises his role as Frankenstein's Monster and Elsa Lanchester is the bride with the lightning-zapped hair. 3. 'Horror of Dracula' (1958) Hollywood has given us many Draculas over the years, from Bela Lugosi to Gary Oldman, though it's Britain's Hammer Horror banner that gave us the most fearsome take in a ferociously fanged Christopher Lee and pitted him against Peter Cushing's famed vampire hunter Van Helsing. 4. 'The Birds' (1963) Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" featured a cross-dressing killer with a thing for showers. At least you can avoid seedy motels to steer clear of that guy. Squadrons of seemingly innocent feathered fiends turning sinister and pecking at your face is a next-level threat. 5. 'Night of the Living Dead' (1968) If you're going to watch one zombie movie, George Romero's original chiller is the granddaddy of them all. Even a half-century later, the undead ghouls that descend upon survivors in a Pennsylvania farm house are timeless and the gut-punch ending couldn't be more timely. 6. 'The Exorcist' (1973) William Friedkin's movie about innocence lost and the power of faith has unnerved several generations, and it's Linda Blair's harrowing portrayal of a possessed girl and the deeper meanings about good and evil that'll stick with you more than the infamous images of a spinning head or inappropriately used crucifix. 7. 'Jaws' (1975) Hey, it's a throwback to when people opened up the beaches too soon not because of a contagious disease but because of a killer shark. Steven Spielberg's original summer blockbuster unleashed a great white that put a dangerous edge on the waterlogged adventure. 8. 'Halloween' (1978) John Carpenter's slash-terpiece introduced an iconic masked maniac to babysitting Jamie Lee Curtis and an unsuspecting Illinois suburbia. Pick your villainous poison from the likes of Freddy, Jason and Leatherface, but Michael Myers' mythology and an all-too-realistic streak makes "Halloween" a cut above. 9. 'Alien' (1979) Whether you think it's a sci-fi film, horror movie, haunted house flick in space or a darn good argument for chest plates, Ridley Scott's cosmic trip gone very wrong is bursting with goodness. The terror is real, y'all, and the killer extraterrestrial goes perfectly with the galactic claustrophobia. 10. 'The Shining' (1980) If Jack Nicholson running around an empty and isolated hotel out of his mind, talking to dead barkeeps and carrying an ax isn't scary enough for you, an elevator flowing blood, the creepiest twins of all time and an old decrepit naked lady in a bathtub should do the trick. 11. 'An American Werewolf in London' (1981) American dudes backpacking in England get attacked by a werewolf, one of them becomes a beastly nuisance on the full moon, and things get bloody freaky in old London Town. All that plus undead buddies, fantastic special effects, an unreal transformation scene and it's pretty funny! 12. 'The Thing' (1982) John Carpenter's snowbound remake features a glorious Kurt Russell beard and a shapeshifting alien organism that assimilates other organisms and grows more frighteningly hideous over the course of the movie. Both are beautiful in their own ways. 13. 'The Fly' (1986) For real, everybody needs to see national treasure Jeff Goldblum getting turned into a monstrous insectoid, courtesy of body horror guru David Cronenberg, and Geena Davis absolutely freaking out after dreaming she birthed a giant maggot. Good times. 14. 'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986) Use the musical as a palate cleanser of sorts from some of these other fright fests. The Alan Menken songs will get your head bopping amid the retro narrative about a nerdy flower guy (Rich Moranis) who has a crush on a co-worker (Ellen Greene) and develops a co-dependent friendship with a man-eating plant. 15. 'Candyman' (1992) Nia DaCosta's sequel is pretty good, too, but it's worth it to go back to the original starring Tony Todd as the hook-handed title antagonist, a vengeful spirit of a slave's son murdered in post-Civil War America. The first movie remains relevant in its tackling of gentrification and the cyclical nature of violence. 16. 'Scream' (1996) Wes Craven's slasher movie reinvention holds up so well. Ghostface gave us the definitive horror villain of the '90s, the opening sequence with Drew Barrymore and a telephone remains an all-timer, plus its cleverness hasn't waned since horror tropes never die. 17. 'American Psycho' (2000) It really shouldn't be this enjoyable to watch Christian Bale hack a dude to death in Mary Harron's 1980s-set bloody satire about a cold, calculating and murderous New York investment banker with unusual proclivities. If nothing else, you'll never hear "Hip to Be Square" the same way ever again. 18. 'May' (2003) More and more folks have found this underrated Frankenstein-esque tale over the years, starring Angela Bettis as an awkward yet hypnotic vet's assistant who not only keeps a creepy doll around but also puts together her own special friend from spare body parts. 19. '28 Days Later' (2003) If you're going to watch two zombie movies, have "Night of the Living Dead" be the shot and this the chaser. A rage-inducing virus breaks out in England and leaves London eerily empty while speedy zombies are out for flesh in a story steeped in metaphor that speaks to the pandemic era. 20. 'Kill List' (2011) A British soldier (Neil Maskell) comes home, reconnects with his family and gets work as a hitman. Ben Wheatley's genre-mashing masterpiece sticks to being a crime thriller until it takes a turn toward the sinister and transforms into something way more terrifying. 21. 'It Follows' (2015) Teens and sex go with horror like hockey masks and summer camps. David Robert Mitchell ingeniously makes a sexually transmitted disease his villain, and Maika Monroe is the girl who's cursed after intercourse and is pursued by a dogged dark force until she can pass it on to someone. 22. 'The Witch' (2016) Wouldst thou like to live deliciously? Um, yes, please and thank you. The freaky period piece and tragic family drama features Anja Taylor-Joy as a troubled 17th-century teen on the cusp of adulthood who goes down a dark path and Black Phillip as the G.O.A.T. of hellish goats. 23. 'Get Out' (2017) If you can't empathize with Daniel Kaluuya's victimized protagonist and his shocked, tear-stained face as he's taken to the Sunken Place, you might just be a soulless demon. Jordan Peele's social horror insta-classic is an impressively crafted take on race that changed the scary movie game. 24. 'Hereditary' (2018) Hail Paimon? Hail Toni Collette! She tears it up in Ari Aster's supernaturally absorbing, demonic dissolution of a family whose grand matriarch was into some seriously weird stuff. "Hereditary" is full of shock and awe, with absolutely brutal deaths and an unshakable sense of doom. 25. 'Talk to Me' (2023) Australian brothers Danny and Michael Philippou announced themselves as essential young horror voices with this unforgettable indie flick about a teen (Sophie Wilde) and her friends who livestream being possessed by spirits via a strange embalmed hand. Might make you rethink that next TikTok.
