Buzz
1. Dune
Based on the iconic novel first published 55 years ago, Dune is a sci-fi film set in a distant future. The protagonist, Paul Atreides (played by Timothée Chalamet), is the son of a noble family that governs an entire planet. Paul's father, Duke Leo (Oscar Isaac), is assigned to move to the desert planet of Arrakis to mine a precious substance known as the "spice".
Arrakis is a barren desert world, which gives rise to the name Dune (literally meaning "sand dune"). The spice is a rare and powerful material that grants extraordinary abilities and enhances the intellect of those who consume it. It even allows for interstellar travel faster than the speed of light. Whoever controls Arrakis controls the spice, and thus, the entire universe.
DETAILS:
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya
Runtime: 2h 35m
Release Year: 2021
IMDb: 8.5
Tomatometer: 90%
2. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Shang-Chi. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it will be the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton with a screenplay by David Callaham, the movie stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, along with Tony Chiu-Wai Leung and Awkwafina.
As part of MCU's Phase 4, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings introduces the character of Shang-Chi, a Kung Fu master who has honed his skills through years of intense practice and self-discipline. Trained by his father to become a professional assassin, Shang-Chi is expected to inherit his father's criminal empire.
DETAILS:
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Cast: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung
Runtime: 2h 12m
Release Year: 2021
IMDb: 7.9
Tomatometer: 92%
Audience Score: 98%
3. The Witcher
The Witcher is a fantasy television series produced by Netflix, based on the popular book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, as well as the highly successful video game franchise of the same name. Set in a fictional world called The Continent, which is teeming with dangerous monsters, the show follows a group of super-powered warriors known as Witchers who are trained to hunt and eliminate these creatures.
Set in a medieval-inspired world known as "The Continent," The Witcher tells the intertwined stories of Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), a solitary monster hunter; Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), a powerful sorceress; and Princess Ciri of Cintra (Freya Allan). The first season adapts the short stories "The Last Wish" and "Sword of Destiny," which lay the groundwork for the main storyline and explore the connections between the three protagonists before their paths converge.
DETAILS:
Director: Lauren Schmidt
Cast: Henry Cavill, Anna Shaffer, Freya Allan
Runtime: 1h per episode
Release Year: 2019
IMDb: 8.2
Tomatometer: 68%
Audience Score: 91%
4. Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame is the highly anticipated blockbuster of 2019, with the Russo brothers promising the biggest battle in MCU history. It is the fourth film in the Avengers series and the 22nd film produced by Marvel Studios.
Following the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is on the brink of destruction. The remaining Avengers, with the help of their allies, reunite to undo the actions of Thanos and restore balance to the cosmos.
Despite its 3-hour runtime, audiences will find themselves riveted to the screen without a moment to glance at the clock, as the story unfolds with perfect pacing, balancing thrilling action with emotional depth and moments that will leave fans in tears.
DETAILS:
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo
Runtime: 3h 01m
Release Year: 2019
IMDb: 8.4
Tomatometer: 94%
Audience Score: 90%
5. Venom
Venom (2018) is a superhero film from the United States, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Produced by Columbia Pictures and released by Sony Pictures, it marks Sony's first film using a character from Marvel's universe. Although the film is supported by Marvel, it exists separately from the MCU.
Set in San Francisco, where humanity is struggling with deadly diseases, scientist Carlton Drake opens a new path, abandoning research on Earth and under the sea, reaching out to space to find new life forms. However, his Life Foundation project soon becomes surrounded by scandal.
Eddie Brock, a reporter with a rebellious streak, investigates the scandal and loses everything—his home, his girlfriend, and his job. In his quest to expose the truth behind the Life Foundation, he encounters his fate—none other than Venom.
DETAILS:
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Runtime: 1h 51m
Release Year: 2018
IMDb: 6.7
Tomatometer: 30%
Audience Score: 81%
6. Interstellar
Warner Bros., the distributor of Nolan's previous films, negotiated with Paramount, its long-time rival, to contribute to the production of Interstellar. Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros.' former partner, also joined the project. As a result, the film was funded by three studios, produced under Nolan's Syncopy banner and Lynda Obst Productions.
Nolan also hired a new cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, as his regular collaborator Wally Pfister was busy with his own directorial debut, Transcendence. Interstellar was filmed using a combination of 35mm and IMAX formats. Principal photography took place in late 2013 across Alberta, Canada, southern Iceland, and Los Angeles, California.
Interstellar chronicles the extraordinary adventure of a team of explorers who use a new understanding of black holes to push the boundaries of space travel and embark on a journey through the cosmos, beyond the limits of conventional space exploration.
DETAILS:
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain
Runtime: 2h 49m
Release Year: 2014
IMDb: 8.6
Tomatometer: 72%
Audience Score: 86%
7. Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones (also known as the Game of Thrones) is a TV series that begins with the first season, where seven powerful families battle for control of the mythical land of Westeros. The ruling families include House Stark, House Lannister, and House Baratheon. King Robert Baratheon of Westeros asks his old friend, Eddard Stark, to take up a high position in the court. Eddard reluctantly accepts the offer to uncover the truth behind a conspiracy.
Meanwhile, the queen's family, the Lannisters, may be scheming to seize power, while across the seas, the last remnants of the deposed Targaryen dynasty are plotting to take back the throne. Up north, the White Walkers—ancient monsters thought to be long dormant—are awakening once again.
Game of Thrones has won 47 Primetime Emmy Awards, more than any other TV series, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015, 2016, and 2018. It has also received other prestigious awards, such as 3 Hugo Awards for Best Dramatic Presentation (from 2012 to 2014), a Peabody Award in 2011, and 3 Golden Globe nominations for Best Television Series (in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2018).
DETAILS:
Directors: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Cast: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington
Episode Duration: 57 minutes
Release Year: 2011
IMDb: 9.2
Tomatometer: 89%
Audience Score: 85%
9. Y: The Last Man
Y: The Last Man is a post-apocalyptic series based on the popular comic book series by DC Comics. It follows the story of Y, the last man alive after a catastrophic event wipes out all male mammals. Y must navigate a world now ruled by women, exploring issues of gender, race, class, and survival. What will become of Y in this new world?
The critics have been generally positive, noting that Y: The Last Man makes several important updates to its source material, boasting impressive performances, but it falls short of expectations in a chaotic and turbulent world. Metacritic gives the series a weighted average score of 63/100 based on 26 critic reviews, indicating generally favorable feedback.
DETAILS:
Director: Eliza Clark
Cast: Diane Lane, Ashley Romans, Ben Schnetzer
Episode Duration: 1 hour
Release Year: 2021
IMDb: 6.4
Tomatometer: 73%
Audience Score: 72%
10. The Lost Symbol
The Lost Symbol Season 1 follows the story of Robert Langdon, a Harvard graduate and renowned symbologist, who unexpectedly finds himself entangled in a series of perplexing puzzles. As if that weren't enough, his mentor is kidnapped, and the CIA enlists Langdon's expertise in a covert operation to uncover the truth. Along the way, he uncovers even darker conspiracies.
The novel The Lost Symbol became the best-selling book ever published by Doubleday. On its release day, it sold 1 million hardcover and e-books across the US, UK, and Canada, making it the fastest-selling adult fiction book of all time. By September 25, the book had topped The New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover fiction.
DETAILS:
Directors: Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin
Cast: Ashley Zukerman, Eddie Izzard, Valorie Curry
Episode Duration: 47 minutes
Release Year: 2021
IMDb: 6.9
Tomatometer: 55%
Audience Score: 61%
