You wouldn’t be short of options if you’re looking for a ‘soulslike’ game, since the genre has exploded ever since FromSoftware refined the formula. But considering the commitment their difficulty necessitates, knowing which one to spend time on can be a challenge on its own.

Beyond the Dark Souls saga, Elden Ring, Sekiro and Bloodborne are the other three stand outs, but since they are made by the same developer, that’s a given. Here we’ve collected the best games in the soulslike genre not made by FromSoft, capturing the same vibe while having their own unique twist.

Lies of P

Perhaps the most acclaimed non-FromSoftware Souls-like to date, Lies of P combines precise combat, difficult boss fights, and interconnected level design with a dark reinterpretation of the Pinocchio story. Many fans consider it a genuine peer to the genre’s best.

Nioh 3

Team Ninja’s Nioh 3 builds on Souls-like foundations while adding deep loot systems and complex combat stances. Its fast-paced action and enormous build variety make it one of the most mechanically rich games in the genre.

The Surge 2

Instead of medieval fantasy, The Surge 2 brings Souls-like combat into a sci-fi setting. Its standout feature is targeted limb attacks, allowing players to harvest specific equipment pieces directly from defeated enemies.

Salt and Sanctuary

Often described as a 2D Dark Souls, Salt and Sanctuary successfully translates the formula into a side-scrolling action RPG. Challenging bosses, character builds, and exploration make it a favorite among genre fans.

Remnant II

Remnant II blends Souls-like difficulty with third-person shooting mechanics. Procedurally generated elements, co-op support, and highly varied worlds help it stand apart from more traditional entries in the genre.

Mortal Shell

While smaller in scope than many competitors, Mortal Shell introduces a clever mechanic allowing players to harden their bodies during combat. The game’s unique approach creates a distinctive rhythm during battles.

Code Vein 2

Often nicknamed “anime Dark Souls,” Code Vein 2 combines challenging combat with a post-apocalyptic setting and extensive character customization. Its companion system also makes it more approachable than many Souls-like titles.

Blasphemous 2

Drawing heavily from Spanish religious imagery and gothic horror, Blasphemous 2 merges Souls-like design with Metroidvania exploration. Its haunting art style and punishing boss encounters helped it build a passionate following.

Another Crab’s Treasure

At first glance, the colorful underwater setting looks lighthearted, but Another Crab’s Treasure delivers surprisingly challenging Souls-like combat. Its clever use of discarded ocean trash as equipment gives the game a memorable identity.

Lords of the Fallen (2023)

The 2023 reboot significantly improved upon the original game, introducing a dual-world mechanic that allows players to shift between the living realm and the land of the dead during exploration and combat.

Ashen

Ashen offers a more minimalist visual style than most Souls-likes while retaining challenging combat and exploration. Its cooperative focus and unique art direction help distinguish it from the many Dark Souls imitators.

Death’s Gambit: Afterlife

Following a major overhaul, Death’s Gambit: Afterlife became one of the strongest 2D Souls-like experiences available. It combines demanding boss fights with RPG progression and a large interconnected world.

Hollow Knight

While technically a Metroidvania, Hollow Knight borrows heavily from the Souls formula through its challenging combat, environmental storytelling, and risk-reward death mechanics. Its vast interconnected world and memorable boss fights have made it one of the most beloved games in the genre.

No Rest for the Wicked

Developed by Moon Studios, the team behind Ori, No Rest for the Wicked combines Souls-like combat with action RPG systems and detailed world-building. Its deliberate pacing and emphasis on skill-based encounters set it apart from traditional hack-and-slash games.

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars offers a more approachable take on the Souls-like formula while retaining challenging combat and exploration. Its Greek and Roman mythology-inspired setting helps distinguish it from the darker fantasy worlds common throughout the genre.

Centering a movie around an animal is not usually a good idea, both from a technical and entertainment point of view. But it is a way to make a movie easy to sell, since children will likely want to go watch the cute funny animal do cute funny things.

When this formula is met with no real originality or effort, however, the film is doomed to fail. These were never meant to be Oscar winners or summer blockbusters, yet the complete lack of effort pushes them far behind mediocrity. These are the worst movies we could find with an animal at its center.

Marmaduke

The 2010 live-action Marmaduke adaptation was heavily criticized for its talking-animal humor, awkward CGI mouth movements, and thin story. Many reviewers felt the movie stretched a simple newspaper comic strip into an exhausting feature-length experience.

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

This sequel doubled down on secret-agent pets, celebrity voice cameos, and heavy CGI. Critics largely found the story dull and overcomplicated, with many arguing the movie lacked the charm that made the original mildly entertaining.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta!

By the third installment, Disney’s talking-dog franchise had become a direct-to-video series many viewers barely remembered. Critics and audiences frequently pointed to its formulaic story and increasingly low-budget feel.

Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts

One of several direct-to-video Dr. Dolittle sequels, Million Dollar Mutts pushed the talking-animal concept well past its limits. Even fans of the original Eddie Murphy films rarely mention this later installment.

Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch

The Air Bud series started as a goofy novelty, but by the baseball entry many audiences felt the formula had worn out. The increasingly ridiculous sports premise became harder to take seriously with every sequel.

MVP: Most Vertical Primate

This family comedy about a skateboarding chimpanzee somehow followed a hockey-playing chimpanzee movie. The bizarre premise earned cult curiosity, but many viewers considered it one of the stranger animal-centered family films ever released.

Monkey Trouble

A capuchin monkey trained to steal wallets sounds like a fun family premise on paper. In practice, Monkey Trouble received mixed reviews and never achieved the lasting popularity of stronger animal-focused movies from the era.

Benji: Off the Leash!

The Benji franchise produced several beloved family films, but Off the Leash! received a far weaker response. Many critics felt it lacked the emotional appeal that originally made the famous dog character work.

Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties

Bill Murray famously voiced Garfield again in this sequel, but audiences and critics largely viewed it as unnecessary. The talking-cat humor and royal inheritance storyline struggled to justify a second theatrical movie.

Underdog

Disney’s live-action adaptation of Underdog attempted turning a cartoon superhero dog into a family blockbuster. Instead, the film earned lukewarm reviews and quickly faded from public memory despite its recognizable source material.

Snow Dogs

Disney marketed Snow Dogs heavily around talking huskies despite the animals speaking mostly in dream sequences. Many viewers felt the movie leaned too hard on cheap animal gags rather than genuine comedy.

The Shaggy Dog (2006)

Tim Allen’s remake of The Shaggy Dog updated the classic premise with modern effects, but critics largely found it uninspired. The film became another example of Disney struggling to revive older family properties.

A Talking Cat!?!

This low-budget family film became infamous online thanks to awkward acting, strange editing, and Eric Roberts recording his dialogue from what sounded like a separate room. It has since become a cult bad-movie favorite.

The 80s were memorable, but 1983 was a remarkably strong year for Hollywood, delivering everything from blockbuster sci-fi adventures to action spectacles. It was a year when Star Wars closed out its original trilogy, Tom Cruise took a major step toward stardom, and audiences packed theaters for everything from dance movies to Cold War thrillers.

We even had the Battle of the Bonds, where two competing studios released a movie with the same (albeit with different actors) main character. Looking back at the box office charts offers a fascinating snapshot of what moviegoers were excited to see during one of the most memorable years of the 1980s.

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi

The final chapter of the original Star Wars trilogy dominated 1983’s box office. Audiences packed theaters to watch Luke Skywalker confront Darth Vader and the Emperor, turning the film into the year’s biggest hit by a massive margin.

Terms of Endearment

This emotional comedy-drama became one of the year’s biggest surprises. Powered by acclaimed performances from Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, and Jack Nicholson, Terms of Endearment balanced humor and heartbreak while drawing huge audiences.

Flashdance

Flashdance turned a relatively simple story about an aspiring dancer into a cultural phenomenon. Its soundtrack, fashion influence, and music-video-style filmmaking helped make it one of 1983’s defining box office successes.

Trading Places

Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd powered this comedy about social class and financial manipulation into one of the year’s biggest hits. Trading Places remains one of the most beloved comedies of the decade.

WarGames

Cold War paranoia and emerging computer technology helped WarGames connect with audiences. Matthew Broderick’s story about accidentally triggering a military crisis became both a major hit and an influential piece of science fiction.

Octopussy

Roger Moore’s sixth outing as James Bond performed strongly at the box office despite facing competition from rival Bond film Never Say Never Again. The globe-trotting adventure became one of 1983’s biggest earners.

Sudden Impact

Clint Eastwood returned as Dirty Harry in Sudden Impact, delivering one of the franchise’s most memorable entries. The film’s action and famous “Go ahead, make my day” line helped drive strong ticket sales.

Staying Alive

The sequel to Saturday Night Fever brought John Travolta back as Tony Manero. While critics were mixed, audiences still showed up in large numbers, making it one of the year’s highest-grossing releases.

Mr. Mom

Michael Keaton scored one of his earliest major hits with this family comedy about a father unexpectedly becoming a stay-at-home parent. Its relatable humor helped it become a substantial box office success.

Risky Business

Tom Cruise’s breakout role transformed Risky Business into a major hit. The famous dancing scene in sunglasses and socks became instantly iconic, helping launch Cruise into full movie-star status.

Superman 3

Christopher Reeve returned as the Man of Steel in one of the franchise’s stranger installments. Despite mixed reviews, the popularity of Superman and Reeve’s performance helped the film become a major box office performer.

National Lampoon’s Vacation

Chevy Chase’s disastrous family road trip became one of the most influential comedies of the decade. Vacation introduced audiences to the Griswold family and launched a franchise that lasted for years.

Jaws 3-D

Universal brought its killer shark back with a heavy emphasis on 3D gimmicks. While it never matched the original film’s reputation, curiosity and franchise popularity still helped make it a sizable box office hit.

Scarface

Brian De Palma’s crime epic received mixed reviews upon release but still drew significant audiences. Al Pacino’s performance as Tony Montana eventually became legendary, helping the film grow into a cultural phenomenon.

Blue Thunder

This action thriller centered on a heavily armed experimental helicopter and tapped into audiences’ fascination with military technology. Strong action sequences helped Blue Thunder secure a place among 1983’s notable commercial successes.

Television shows often have characters engage with a few romantic partners throughout their runtime, no matter if they stay together or not. These pairings are meant to be endearing, charming, or at the very least cute, but they don’t always have that desired effect on audiences.

Actually finding a given pairing ‘cute’ is complicated, since the story necessitates conflict in order to stay relevant, and said conflict needs to come from somewhere. As such, characters that seemed nice can end up being grating, depending on how the show handles them. These are the couples that, when all is said and done, were not handled well.

Ross and Emily (Friends)

Ross and Emily were clearly intended to be a serious romance, but most viewers knew it was doomed from the start. The infamous wedding mishap involving Rachel made it nearly impossible for audiences to invest in the relationship.

Ted and Zoey (How I Met Your Mother)

Ted and Zoey spent most of their relationship fighting over completely incompatible goals. The show tried to create romantic tension, but many fans felt they worked better as temporary obstacles than an actual couple.

Dawson and Joey (Dawson’s Creek)

The series treated Dawson and Joey as soulmates for years, yet large portions of the audience preferred Joey’s chemistry with Pacey. By the end, many viewers had long stopped rooting for Dawson’s side of the triangle.

Rory and Dean (Gilmore Girls)

Rory and Dean initially seemed sweet, but the relationship aged poorly as both characters changed. Their later attempts to reconnect were particularly unpopular, with many viewers feeling the pairing should have stayed in the past.

Aria and Ezra (Pretty Little Liars)

The show constantly framed Aria and Ezra as a romantic couple worth supporting. However, the teacher-student dynamic made many viewers uncomfortable, creating a relationship that inspired debate far more than genuine rooting interest.

Oliver and Felicity (Arrow)

While initially popular, Oliver and Felicity gradually became one of television’s most divisive couples. Many fans felt later seasons devoted so much attention to their relationship that it hurt the larger superhero storyline.

Jackson and Maggie (Grey’s Anatomy)

Grey’s Anatomy tried turning Jackson and Maggie into a major romance, but the pairing never gained much support. Viewers frequently criticized the lack of chemistry and often preferred both characters with previous partners.

Serena and Dan (Gossip Girl)

Although Gossip Girl repeatedly returned to Serena and Dan as an endgame couple, many fans struggled to overlook the increasingly bizarre revelations surrounding Dan’s identity and actions throughout the series.

Fez and Jackie (That ’70s Show)

The final season unexpectedly pushed Fez and Jackie together despite years of buildup elsewhere. Many viewers felt the relationship appeared out of nowhere and lacked the chemistry needed to justify the pairing.

Deb and Dexter (Dexter)

Few television romances generated more discomfort than the storyline involving Deb developing romantic feelings for Dexter. Even fans who loved the series often viewed the plot as one of its strangest decisions.

Piper and Alex (Orange Is the New Black)

Orange Is the New Black treated Piper and Alex as the emotional center of the series, but their relationship was often defined by lies, betrayals, and toxic behavior. Many viewers found the constant cycle of breakups and reconciliations exhausting rather than romantic.

Lana and Lex (Smallville)

Smallville spent significant time developing Lana and Lex, but many fans found the relationship uncomfortable due to Lex’s manipulative behavior and the long-running rivalry that already existed between him and Clark.

Stefan and Caroline (The Vampire Diaries)

Stefan and Caroline eventually became a major couple, but the pairing divided viewers. Many felt the characters worked better as friends and never matched the chemistry of some of the show’s earlier romances.

Archie and Veronica (Riverdale)

Despite being one of Archie Comics’ most famous couples, Archie and Veronica often struggled to win over viewers. Constant breakups, reunions, and competing relationships left many fans emotionally checked out.

Lucas and Peyton (One Tree Hill)

While One Tree Hill positioned Lucas and Peyton as a destined romance, their on-again, off-again drama frustrated many viewers. Large portions of the fanbase ultimately preferred alternative pairings throughout the series.

A ‘nepo baby,’ in case you’re unaware, is a child of nepotism; someone that was born with privileges, and part of their success can be attributed to said advantage. In the film industry, it means landing roles because of who your parents are or were, but the connection can go further than just mom and dad.

While this might feel unfair (because it is), just having a chance to do something doesn’t mean you’ll do it right. You still need to take that opportunity, and have the talent and diligence to make it work. They may have more opportunities than us, but at least in my case, they also have more talent.

Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of Hollywood legends Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, but she built her own reputation through films like Halloween, A Fish Called Wanda, and Everything Everywhere All at Once. Few nepo babies have sustained success across so many decades.

Carrie Fisher

The daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher, Carrie Fisher could have lived entirely off family fame. Instead, she became a cultural icon through Star Wars while also earning respect as a talented writer and script doctor.

Kieran Culkin

Technically a ‘nepo sibling,’ Kieran Culkin grew up in the same family as Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin, but his acclaimed performance as Roman Roy in Succession proved he could stand completely on his own as an actor.

Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke, the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, quickly escaped the usual nepo baby stigma through standout performances in Stranger Things and a growing music career that showcased her own creative identity.

Jack Quaid

The son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, Jack Quaid has become one of Hollywood’s most likable rising stars. His work in The Boys especially helped separate him from his famous parents’ shadow.

Margaret Qualley

Margaret Qualley is the daughter of actress Andie MacDowell, but projects like Maid, The Leftovers, and The Substance established her as one of the most respected performers of her generation.

Domhnall Gleeson

The son of acclaimed Irish actor Brendan Gleeson, Domhnall Gleeson earned praise through films like Ex Machina, About Time, and The Banshees of Inisherin. His career feels defined more by talent than family connections.

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Jennifer Jason Leigh is the daughter of actor Vic Morrow and screenwriter Barbara Turner. Despite that Hollywood background, her intense performances in films like Single White Female and The Hateful Eight earned genuine critical respect.

Ben Stiller

As the son of comedy legends Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Ben Stiller had obvious industry connections. Still, directing and starring in projects like Zoolander, Tropic Thunder, and Severance cemented his own legacy.

Zoë Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz, daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet, gradually built a strong career through projects like Big Little Lies, The Batman, and High Fidelity, proving she was more than celebrity offspring.

John David Washington

The son of Denzel Washington, John David Washington initially pursued professional football before acting. Leading roles in films like BlacKkKlansman and Tenet demonstrated that his career was not solely built on his last name.

O’Shea Jackson Jr.

O’Shea Jackson Jr., the son of rapper and actor Ice Cube, gained immediate attention by portraying his father in Straight Outta Compton. Since then, he has developed a successful acting career of his own.

Wyatt Russell

The son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, Wyatt Russell successfully transitioned from professional hockey into acting. Performances in 22 Jump Street, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and Marvel projects boosted his reputation considerably.

Dan Levy

Dan Levy is the son of comedy icon Eugene Levy, but Schitt’s Creek proved his creative abilities went far beyond family connections. As a writer, producer, actor, and co-creator, he became a major force himself.

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson comes from Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, with Tippi Hedren also in the family tree. Despite skepticism early on, films like Suspiria and Cha Cha Real Smooth earned strong reviews. Not every movie is a hit, but she delivers when it counts.

Despite being really good, it’s hard for television series to sustain attention across every episode. Certain shows demand patience, even for dedicated audiences. This list looks at series that often get paused, abandoned, or revisited in fragments despite their reputation or quality.

Peaky Blinders (2013)

A stylized crime saga with dense plotting and evolving conflicts that require steady focus to follow fully.

Sons of Anarchy (2008)

A long running crime drama with escalating stakes and complex relationships that build across many episodes.

The Crown (2016)

A historical drama that spans decades with detailed political and personal arcs unfolding at a measured pace.

The Handmaids Tale (2017)

A dystopian drama with a heavy atmosphere and persistent tension that can make extended viewing challenging.

The Leftovers (2014)

An emotionally heavy narrative built on grief and ambiguity that often feels intense to continue without breaks.

The Sopranos (1999)

A character focused crime story with long stretches of quiet tension and introspection that demand consistent attention.

The Wire (2002)

A deeply layered crime drama that demands sustained attention across shifting institutions, characters, and slow unfolding arcs.

Twin Peaks (1990)

A surreal mystery series that constantly changes direction and tone, making long viewing sessions feel unpredictable.

Better Call Saul (2015)

A slow building narrative that carefully constructs its world through detail driven storytelling and gradual escalation.

BoJack Horseman (2014)

A dark animated series that mixes humor with heavy emotional themes that can feel draining over multiple episodes.

Lost (2004)

A mystery driven structure filled with layered questions that kept expanding across its long and complex run.

Mad Men (2007)

A meticulous character study where subtle storytelling and slow progression can test viewer patience over time.

Black Mirror (2011)

An anthology series with intense standalone stories that can feel emotionally heavy to binge in large doses.

Oz (1997)

An intense prison drama known for its raw storytelling and relentless depiction of institutional violence.

Movies often require repeated viewing for audiences to grasp the whole picture, since their stories aren’t only about what is directly shown. Yet, some films go beyond that, needing much deeper analysis in order to catch a glimpse of what the author was going for.

Thanks to the internet, we can understand these movies far better, but first we need to know to look. Since we don’t always leave the cinema confused; we might think that a simple action movie was, well, a simple action movie. We miss the forest for the trees, and the deeper meaning was hidden in the woods.

mother!

Darren Aronofsky’s mother! confused many audiences because its chaotic story works largely as an extended biblical and environmental allegory. Viewers expecting a straightforward psychological thriller often left wondering what they had actually just watched.

Starship Troopers

Many viewers initially treated Starship Troopers as a dumb alien-action movie, missing that Paul Verhoeven was satirizing fascism, militarism, and propaganda. Its intentionally exaggerated patriotism became much clearer to audiences years after release.

American Psycho

At first glance, American Psycho looks like a stylish serial killer thriller, but much of the film works as satire targeting consumerism, toxic masculinity, and empty corporate culture during the 1980s financial boom.

Mulholland Drive

David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive blends dreams, identity shifts, and surreal symbolism into a deliberately disorienting experience. Even longtime Lynch fans still debate what portions of the movie are real, imagined, or metaphorical.

2001: A Space Odyssey

Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece remains visually influential, but its symbolism and ambiguous ending still confuse audiences decades later. The final sequence especially launched generations of viewers directly into film-analysis rabbit holes.

RoboCop

Beneath the ultraviolence and sci-fi action, RoboCop functions as a sharp satire about privatization, media sensationalism, and corporate greed. Many younger viewers first saw it simply as a cool action movie with robots.

Synecdoche, New York

Charlie Kaufman’s existential drama blurs reality, performance, memory, and identity so thoroughly that many viewers struggle explaining the plot afterward. The film intentionally becomes more emotionally and structurally overwhelming as it progresses.

Fight Club

Large parts of the audience embraced Tyler Durden as a rebellious antihero while completely missing the film’s criticism of toxic masculinity, extremism, and male identity crises. The movie’s satire often became mistaken for endorsement.

Enemy

Denis Villeneuve’s Enemy spends much of its runtime building toward one of modern cinema’s most famously baffling endings. The giant spider imagery alone launched years of interpretation videos and online analysis.

Under the Silver Lake

This neo-noir mystery intentionally buries viewers beneath conspiracy theories, hidden codes, and surreal symbolism. Many audiences finished Under the Silver Lake unsure whether the movie contained a brilliant hidden meaning or complete nonsense.

They Live

John Carpenter’s They Live became famous for its ridiculous fight scene and alien sunglasses premise, but the film actually delivers pointed commentary about consumerism, class inequality, and hidden systems of social control.

The Lighthouse

Robert Eggers’ psychological horror mixes mythology, isolation, madness, and symbolism into an increasingly surreal nightmare. By the ending, viewers often debate whether anything onscreen should be interpreted literally at all.

Annihilation

Alex Garland’s sci-fi film deliberately avoids clear explanations for its alien phenomenon, especially during the abstract finale. The movie became famous for leaving audiences fascinated, unsettled, and deeply confused simultaneously.

The Green Knight

David Lowery’s adaptation of the Arthurian poem focuses heavily on symbolism, honor, temptation, and mortality rather than traditional fantasy storytelling. Many viewers expecting a straightforward medieval adventure instead found themselves decoding metaphors afterward.

After editing, most movies end up with a similar run time, which is to be expected. After all, we as audience members can’t be expected to pay a ticket for a five minute movie, or to sit through an eight hour epic without breaks. Yet, some movies do end up on the lengthy side of the spectrum, and not everyone can stay hooked for that long.

Among the most challenged to sit through such ordeals, are the elderly. Not because they can’t understand the film, but because they need more frequent breaks than most of us; age takes its toll, after all. These films aren’t bad by any means, but they are better seen from the comfort of home, rather than at the cinema.

The Brutalist

Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist immediately became known for its massive runtime, complete with an actual intermission during some screenings. At well over three hours long, it practically dares audiences to prove their attention span still exists.

Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon runs well past the three-hour mark while telling a slow-burning historical crime story. Even many fans admitted they needed strategic snack planning before sitting through the entire experience.

Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer packed physics, politics, hearings, and existential dread into a three-hour biographical epic. Despite massive success, some viewers joked they needed a college lecture schedule just to mentally prepare for the runtime.

The Irishman

Clocking in at over three and a half hours, The Irishman became one of Netflix’s biggest “I’ll finish it later” movies. The de-aging technology discussions almost competed with conversations about how long the film actually felt.

Avatar: The Way of Water

James Cameron’s sequel spends enormous amounts of time exploring Pandora’s oceans and visual spectacle. Even audiences impressed by the effects often joked they felt like they physically aged alongside the characters during the marathon runtime.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League

At four hours long, Zack Snyder’s version of Justice League feels less like a movie and more like an entire television miniseries glued together. Fans celebrated it, while others wondered whether bathroom breaks counted as intermissions.

Lawrence of Arabia

David Lean’s desert epic remains legendary not only for its scale but also for its intimidating runtime. Watching it in one sitting still feels like a cinematic endurance challenge, especially for modern audiences raised on shorter entertainment.

Ben-Hur

The 1959 version of Ben-Hur runs for well over three hours and includes an overture and intermission. It remains one of the classic examples of Hollywood epics that truly committed to exhausting viewers through sheer scale.

Gone with the Wind

Despite being one of Hollywood’s most famous classics, Gone with the Wind is famously enormous in length. Between romance, war, reconstruction, and melodrama, the movie practically becomes a full-day historical event.

Once Upon a Time in America

Sergio Leone’s crime epic stretches close to four hours in its longest version, unfolding slowly across decades of betrayal and regret. Its deliberate pacing makes it critically respected but undeniably demanding for casual movie nights.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Extended Edition)

The theatrical cut already pushed audiences past three hours, but the extended edition goes even further. By the multiple endings, even devoted fantasy fans sometimes start mentally preparing for retirement before the credits finally arrive.

Babylon

Damien Chazelle’s Babylon runs over three hours while throwing nonstop chaos, excess, and Hollywood decadence at viewers. The movie’s exhausting energy became part of the experience, especially during its loud and relentless party sequences.

King Kong (2005)

Peter Jackson’s remake spends so much time building toward Skull Island that audiences sometimes joke the movie contains three separate films stitched together. Once the dinosaurs appear, viewers are already deep into a marathon-length commitment.

Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles

Frequently cited as one of the greatest films ever made, Jeanne Dielman also has a reputation for testing patience. Its nearly three-and-a-half-hour runtime focuses heavily on repetitive daily routines and extremely deliberate pacing.

There’s a reality in our lives that we need to accept: we spend more time on the internet than doing anything else. That means, inevitably, that we spend more time sharing memes about movies than watching them, oftentimes having us sharing pictures of films we will never see.

With the limited time we have on this Earth, that’s fine, since most of these films aren’t worth our time either way. We can thank the brave souls that saw them in theaters for the jokes we share today, and know that, at the end of the day, that’s all they were good for.

Morbius

Almost nobody actually watched Morbius, yet the internet transformed it into one of the biggest movie memes in years. Fake quotes like “It’s Morbin’ Time” became more culturally relevant than the film itself ever managed.

The Room

Tommy Wiseau’s The Room became infinitely more famous through memes, reaction clips, and internet jokes than through traditional audiences. Even people who never watched the movie probably recognize “You’re tearing me apart, Lisa!” immediately.

Birdemic: Shock and Terror

The hilariously bad visual effects in Birdemic turned the movie into meme material long after release. Endless screenshots of badly animated attacking birds spread online far more successfully than the film ever did in theaters.

Cats

The 2019 version of Cats became a social media phenomenon almost entirely because audiences could not believe the CGI designs were real. For many people, the memes became the entire viewing experience.

Sharknado

The Sharknado movies thrived less because audiences genuinely loved them and more because the absurd concept generated endless internet jokes. Flying sharks became a meme long before most people watched an entire installment.

Cool Cat Saves the Kids

Derek Savage’s Cool Cat Saves the Kids became infamous online through reaction videos and internet mockery. The movie’s awkward performances and strange anti-bullying message turned it into meme material far more than an actual family hit.

The Happening

M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller became meme gold thanks to awkward dialogue and confused performances. Mark Wahlberg talking to plants or asking “What? No!” spread online far more widely than the movie’s original audience.

Madame Web

Even before release, Madame Web became a meme factory through awkward trailers and bizarre line deliveries. Online jokes and reaction images arguably generated more interest than the actual superhero movie itself.

The Fanatic

John Travolta’s bizarre performance in The Fanatic quickly spread online through clips and screenshots. Most people familiar with the movie know it because of memes surrounding its awkward dialogue and unintentionally funny scenes.

Troll 2

The “They’re eating her!” scene transformed Troll 2 into a permanent internet fixture. The bizarre acting and confusing plot turned the movie into meme history despite most audiences never watching it start to finish.

Battlefield Earth

John Travolta’s sci-fi flop became famous online through memes mocking its bizarre costumes, tilted camera angles, and absurd dialogue. The internet kept the movie alive largely as shorthand for catastrophic filmmaking decisions.

The Wicker Man (2006)

Nicolas Cage screaming about bees became so widespread online that many people only know The Wicker Man remake through reaction gifs and meme compilations rather than the actual horror movie.

Fateful Findings

Neil Breen’s surreal thriller achieved cult meme status thanks to awkward editing, bizarre dialogue, and incomprehensible storytelling. Entire YouTube communities formed around laughing at scenes most viewers would never organically discover themselves.

Foodfight!

This animated disaster became notorious online because of its unfinished-looking CGI and chaotic production history. Clips and screenshots circulated for years as examples of how unbelievably broken a movie could look.

Jupiter Ascending

The Wachowskis’ ambitious sci-fi epic struggled at the box office, but internet memes kept it alive for years. Eddie Redmayne’s whisper-screaming performance especially became far more famous online than the movie itself.

What we can do nowadays with digital effects is really a thing of wonder, with entire movies planned around actors interacting with impossible things. The problem with these effects is that, more often than not, they don’t land as well as practical effects, particularly when actors have nothing to use as reference.

The problem doesn’t only involve fake spaces, however, since it also has an uncanny effect on certain visuals. Superhero films in particular replace practical costumes with CGI ones, often making actors feel like floating heads on unreal bodies. These are the films that overused CGI the most.

The Flash

The Flash became notorious for unfinished-looking CGI during several multiverse and speed-force sequences. Even emotional cameos were overshadowed by the strange digital recreations, leaving audiences distracted by the effects instead of the story itself.

Cats

The 2019 adaptation of Cats relied almost entirely on bizarre CGI fur technology to transform actors into human-cat hybrids. Instead of solving the challenge of adapting the musical, the effects became the movie’s biggest source of ridicule.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Fans criticized the fourth Indiana Jones film for replacing much of the franchise’s practical stunt work with excessive CGI. The infamous jungle chase and swinging monkeys especially became shorthand for effects overwhelming storytelling.

The Hobbit Trilogy

Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films leaned far more heavily on CGI environments and characters than The Lord of the Rings. Many viewers felt the overuse of digital effects made Middle-earth feel less grounded and immersive.

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

George Lucas embraced digital filmmaking so aggressively in Attack of the Clones that entire scenes felt detached from reality. Massive green-screen usage often left actors looking disconnected from their own environments.

Green Lantern

Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern attempted to build an entire superhero universe through heavy CGI, including a fully digital costume. Instead of looking futuristic, many effects quickly became dated and unintentionally distracting.

Justice League

The theatrical version of Justice League became infamous for awkward CGI, especially the digitally altered upper lip used to remove Henry Cavill’s mustache. The visual effects controversy overshadowed much of the actual movie itself.

The Mummy Returns

While much of The Mummy Returns worked well as pulpy adventure fun, the fully digital Scorpion King climax became legendary for the wrong reasons. Even audiences in 2001 noticed how unfinished the creature looked.

Wonder Woman 1984

Wonder Woman 1984 received criticism for relying too heavily on CGI spectacle during major action scenes, especially the finale involving Maxwell Lord and Cheetah. Many viewers felt the digital effects overwhelmed the stronger character-driven moments from the first film.

Black Panther

Despite widespread praise for the film overall, Black Panther received criticism for its rushed CGI during the final battle. The underground train fight especially looked noticeably unfinished compared to the movie’s stronger practical scenes.

Spider-Man 3

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 sometimes buried emotional moments beneath oversized digital spectacle. Sandman’s effects impressed audiences initially, but the climax became overloaded with CGI-heavy chaos involving multiple villains and collapsing environments.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Michael Bay doubled down on giant CGI destruction in Revenge of the Fallen, creating action scenes so visually overwhelming that many viewers struggled to understand what was even happening onscreen during robot fights.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

The later Pirates sequels increasingly relied on digital effects to escalate action and undead designs. By Dead Men Tell No Tales, many fans missed the practical charm and grounded feel of the original trilogy.

The Matrix Reloaded

While revolutionary in some areas, The Matrix Reloaded also pushed CGI so hard that certain sequences aged poorly. The Burly Brawl featuring dozens of Agent Smith copies often looks more like a video game than live action.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Marvel’s Quantumania surrounded its characters with nearly nonstop digital environments and creatures inside the Quantum Realm. Critics and audiences frequently commented that the overwhelming CGI made the movie feel strangely artificial and visually exhausting.

A diverse cast is always something good in a show, letting us see different perspectives of the same setting. To have such diversity, the cast needs to involve multiple people, but some shows take this a step too far. Particularly with shows sporting multiple seasons, keeping track of who’s who becomes virtually impossible.

This becomes a problem when you’re not as invested in side characters as you are on the main plot. With a condensed cast, these side characters add flavor, but in the cases discussed here, they feel like they are in the way of the plot. These are the shows that could’ve learned something from the phrase “less is more.”

Game of Thrones

By the later seasons, Game of Thrones had so many noble families, allies, enemies, and side characters that many viewers needed online maps just to remember who belonged to which kingdom or why two characters hated each other.

Lost

Between flashbacks, flash-forwards, mysterious newcomers, and constantly expanding mythology, Lost became increasingly difficult to track. Entire online communities formed just to organize theories and remember who everyone actually was.

Grey’s Anatomy

After running for decades with rotating interns, doctors, surgeons, patients, and love interests, Grey’s Anatomy eventually reached the point where many viewers forgot half the cast had even existed.

The Walking Dead

As communities multiplied across the apocalypse, The Walking Dead introduced wave after wave of survivors, villains, and temporary allies. Keeping track of everyone became especially difficult once entire groups started disappearing between seasons.

Once Upon a Time

Combining fairy tales, alternate timelines, curses, and multiple versions of the same characters made Once Upon a Time increasingly overwhelming. By later seasons, viewers practically needed genealogy charts to follow the relationships.

Heroes

The first season of Heroes balanced its large ensemble surprisingly well, but later seasons kept introducing more superpowered characters and storylines until many viewers struggled remembering who half the cast even was anymore.

The Wire

Praised for realism and complexity, The Wire constantly shifted focus between police, politicians, dock workers, teachers, journalists, and drug crews. The giant cast helped build Baltimore’s world but could overwhelm first-time viewers.

Westworld

Westworld already demanded close attention because of its timelines and mysteries, but the enormous rotating cast of hosts, humans, and duplicates made the story even harder to follow as the series continued.

The Vampire Diaries

Between vampires, witches, doppelgängers, hybrids, and supernatural family trees, The Vampire Diaries kept introducing new faces and ancient bloodlines until many viewers gave up trying to remember everyone’s connection.

Yellowstone

The Yellowstone universe constantly expands through ranch hands, rival families, politicians, businessmen, and spin-offs introducing even more relatives. Keeping track of the Dutton family tree alone sometimes feels harder than following the actual plot.

Boardwalk Empire

HBO’s gangster drama featured politicians, bootleggers, mob bosses, federal agents, and historical figures spread across multiple cities. The massive cast added authenticity, though viewers often needed refreshers on who was betraying whom.

The 100

What began as a relatively simple survival series gradually introduced dozens of factions, commanders, clans, artificial intelligences, and space survivors. By the final seasons, many viewers struggled to remember which group everyone was fighting for anymore.

The Expanse

With multiple factions spread across Earth, Mars, and the Belt, The Expanse introduced politicians, soldiers, rebels, and scientists at a relentless pace. The detailed world-building rewarded attention but punished casual viewing.

True Blood

By later seasons, True Blood had accumulated vampires, werewolves, fairies, shapeshifters, witches, and countless supporting characters. The supernatural chaos eventually became so crowded that major characters sometimes vanished for long stretches unnoticed.

Downton Abbey

Between the Crawley family, servants, romantic partners, visiting aristocrats, and changing staff members, Downton Abbey quietly built a surprisingly huge cast. Casual viewers could easily lose track of who belonged upstairs or downstairs.

What fictional characters go through is, as expected, far removed from what happens in reality. This is due to a show needing drama, stakes and a continued source of conflict in order to last many seasons, and oddly enough, it works. Until you give the show a rewatch.

Now, viewing these couples again, we start to have second thoughts. In some cases, we overlooked obvious power imbalances involving teachers, bosses, or massive age gaps. Other couples simply spent years emotionally destroying each other while the show insisted they were meant to be together. These are the TV couples that we don’t think work anymore.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy and Angel

At the time, Buffy and Angel were treated like an epic supernatural romance. In retrospect, the relationship involves a centuries-old vampire emotionally bonding with a high school student, which feels considerably stranger watching it today.

Pretty Little Liars, Aria and Ezra

What the show framed as a passionate forbidden romance now reads deeply uncomfortable to many viewers. Ezra was Aria’s English teacher when their relationship began, creating a massive power imbalance the series rarely treated seriously enough.

Friends, Ross and Rachel

Ross and Rachel became one of television’s defining couples, but revisiting the relationship reveals nonstop jealousy, manipulation, and exhausting breakups. Their inability to communicate normally somehow fueled an entire decade of sitcom storytelling.

How I Met Your Mother, Ted and Robin

The series repeatedly insisted Ted and Robin were destined for each other despite years of evidence suggesting otherwise. By the finale, many viewers felt the relationship ignored both characters’ growth simply to force the original ending.

Twin Peaks, Audrey and Agent Cooper

Audrey Horne openly flirted with Agent Cooper throughout Twin Peaks while still a teenager in high school. Although Cooper resisted the relationship, the show still played portions of the dynamic with surprising romantic energy.

Gossip Girl, Chuck and Blair

Chuck and Blair became fan favorites despite a relationship filled with manipulation, emotional cruelty, and betrayal. Some storylines involving Chuck’s behavior feel especially uncomfortable in retrospect given how romantically the series framed the couple overall.

Riverdale, Archie and Ms. Grundy

The first season of Riverdale treated Archie’s relationship with his teacher Ms. Grundy as scandalous drama rather than predatory abuse. Modern audiences were especially disturbed by how the show initially romanticized the situation.

That ’70s Show, Jackie and Kelso

Jackie and Kelso were presented as a chaotic but lovable sitcom couple, yet their relationship constantly involved cheating, manipulation, and emotional immaturity. Rewatching the series makes their nonstop dysfunction much harder to ignore.

The Office, Michael and Jan

Michael and Jan’s relationship gradually transformed into one of television’s most uncomfortable romances. Between emotional manipulation, explosive arguments, and total instability, the dynamic often felt more disturbing than comedic during later episodes.

Sex and the City, Carrie and Big

Carrie and Big defined much of Sex and the City, but revisiting the relationship highlights years of dishonesty, emotional games, and commitment issues. Many viewers now question why the series treated them as an aspirational romance.

Gilmore Girls, Paris and Asher Fleming

Paris dating much older Yale professor Asher Fleming was played surprisingly casually within Gilmore Girls. In retrospect, the relationship’s age gap and academic power imbalance make the storyline far more uncomfortable than the show seemed to realize.

Dawson’s Creek, Pacey and Tamara

Pacey’s affair with his adult teacher Tamara was presented as mature and exciting during early episodes. Today, many viewers see the storyline very differently given the obvious legal and ethical problems surrounding the relationship.

One Tree Hill, Brooke and Felix

Brooke and Felix were framed as a dramatic teen romance, but Felix’s controlling behavior and repeated manipulation made the relationship deeply unpleasant. Even longtime fans often consider him one of the show’s most disliked love interests.

Grey’s Anatomy, Meredith and Derek

Meredith and Derek became one of television’s biggest couples, yet the relationship regularly involved workplace favoritism, emotional manipulation, and poor communication. Derek especially gets viewed much more critically by modern audiences during rewatches.

House, House and Cuddy

Fans spent years wanting House and Cuddy together, but the actual relationship quickly became toxic and unstable. The storyline eventually escalated so badly that House literally drove a car through Cuddy’s dining room wall.

If you grew up with parents who loved movies, chances are you were eventually forced to sit down and watch at least one “classic” from the 1970s. Thrillers, epics, musicals, or even sci-fi adventures, these films became essential family viewing for an entire generation.

Parents quoted them endlessly, insisted modern movies could never compare, and treated every rewatch like a major cultural event. Most of these movies hold up to scrutiny, no matter the time that has passed. They became the kinds of films younger audiences watched because their parents refused to let them skip them.

Jaws

For countless families, Jaws became mandatory viewing whenever someone claimed modern movies were scarier. Parents loved introducing younger audiences to Spielberg’s shark thriller while proudly reminding everyone how terrifying it was in theaters during 1975.

Rocky

Parents who grew up in the late ’70s practically treated Rocky like required life education. Between the underdog story, iconic training montage, and emotional ending, it became one of those movies families insisted “everyone needs to see once.”

Star Wars

Long before it became a giant franchise, the original Star Wars was the movie parents eagerly passed down to younger generations. Many kids first watched it because somebody’s dad insisted modern blockbusters “just aren’t the same anymore.”

Grease

Whether viewers wanted it or not, Grease became a staple of family movie nights thanks to endlessly replayed songs and nostalgic appeal. Parents who grew up with it often knew nearly every line and lyric by heart.

The Godfather

At some point, nearly every movie-loving parent sat their kids down and declared it was finally time to watch The Godfather. Even younger viewers uninterested in mafia dramas usually recognized its iconic scenes beforehand through sheer cultural exposure.

Saturday Night Fever

Disco nostalgia alone kept Saturday Night Fever alive in countless households. Parents frequently revisited it to relive the music, dancing, and John Travolta’s breakout performance while explaining how huge disco culture once was.

Superman

Richard Donner’s Superman became one of the definitive “you have to watch this” movies for parents raised in the late ’70s. Christopher Reeve’s performance especially remained beloved long after newer superhero movies dominated theaters.

Alien

Many parents introduced Alien as proof older science fiction movies could still outperform modern horror. Watching younger viewers react to the chestburster scene became almost a family tradition for longtime fans of Ridley Scott’s classic.

National Lampoon’s Animal House

Parents who loved rebellious college comedies often treated Animal House like a rite of passage movie. Its chaotic humor and party scenes became legendary enough that many younger viewers recognized references before seeing the actual film.

Apocalypse Now

Some parents insisted Apocalypse Now was more than a war movie and practically assigned it like homework. Between the surreal imagery and famous quotes, the film became a common “serious cinema” recommendation passed between generations.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Although technically released in 1971, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory survived for decades through endless rewatches. Parents loved introducing kids to Gene Wilder’s bizarre performance and watching them get unexpectedly disturbed by the tunnel sequence.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Spielberg’s alien-contact drama became another classic parents regularly revisited to show younger audiences “real” science fiction filmmaking. Its slower pacing often surprised modern viewers raised on louder and faster blockbuster storytelling.

Smokey and the Bandit

Fast cars, CB radios, and Burt Reynolds’ effortless charm made Smokey and the Bandit endlessly replayable for many parents. The movie became especially beloved among families who grew up during the height of 1970s car culture.

The Deer Hunter

Parents who valued emotionally heavy dramas often pushed The Deer Hunter onto younger viewers as an important Vietnam War film. Its intense tone and infamous Russian roulette scenes made it unforgettable, even for reluctant audiences.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Many kids discovered absurd British comedy because their parents endlessly quoted Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Entire families eventually memorized scenes involving killer rabbits, coconuts, and the endlessly repeated “Ni!” jokes.

You’d be forgiven for not knowing this, but Mexico isn’t covered in yellow tint. This is a myth propagated by popular media, since they insist on using the filter when showing scenes happening within the country. The alleged reason is that it helps inform the audience where a scene is taking place at a given time, but you don’t see the same technique being used when jumping around different USA states.

Another reason is to denote temperature, with a blue filter for cold climates and a yellow one for hot. If that’s the case, we’ve never seen Miami being depicted with yellow, or Toronto with blue. In any case, here are some examples of extreme yellow filter usage.

Traffic

Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic became one of the most famous examples of the “Mexico filter.” Scenes set across the border were heavily tinted yellow and dusty, visually separating Mexico from the cooler, ‘cleaner’ American sequences.

Breaking Bad

Whenever Breaking Bad shifted to cartel-related scenes in Mexico, the series dramatically increased its yellow and sepia tones. The visual style became so recognizable that viewers started jokingly calling it the unofficial “Mexico filter.”

Spectre

The opening Mexico City sequence in Spectre used warm yellow grading that many viewers immediately associated with the long-running Hollywood trope. The contrast stood out even more because the Day of the Dead setting was already visually colorful.

Extraction

Netflix’s Extraction leaned heavily into dusty yellow cinematography during its Mexico-set opening scenes. Like many action thrillers before it, the film used color grading to exaggerate heat, danger, and chaos south of the border.

Saw X

Although much of Saw X takes place in Mexico City, the movie often applies warm yellow tones associated with the stereotype. Viewers quickly noticed the familiar grading style that Hollywood frequently uses for Mexican locations.

Sicario

Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario frequently used desaturated yellows and harsh sunlight during scenes set around the U.S.-Mexico border. The visual approach helped create tension, though many audiences also recognized the familiar “Mexico equals yellow” cinematic shorthand.

Man on Fire

Tony Scott’s Man on Fire drenched its Mexico City scenes in intense warm tones and stylized filters. The aggressive color grading matched the film’s frantic editing style while reinforcing Hollywood’s long-running visual stereotype of Mexico.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico

Robert Rodriguez intentionally leaned into exaggerated yellow and orange tones throughout Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Unlike some examples, the stylized look partly reflected Rodriguez’s hyper-stylized action aesthetic rather than strict realism.

Savages

Oliver Stone’s Savages used heavily sunbaked cinematography during its cartel-related Mexico sequences. The movie amplified dusty yellows and harsh lighting to create an atmosphere of violence and instability tied directly to its borderland setting.

Get the Gring

Mel Gibson’s Get the Gring takes place largely inside a Mexican prison and uses warm, dirty yellow grading throughout. The movie visually follows the same established Hollywood shorthand for portraying danger and disorder in Mexico.

Desperado

Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado embraced a gritty yellow-tinted look for many of its Mexican settings. The stylized cinematography became influential enough that later action movies copied similar color palettes when depicting Latin American locations.

The Counselor

Ridley Scott’s The Counselor used muted yellows and dusty cinematography during cartel-related scenes connected to Mexico. The visual treatment fit neatly into Hollywood’s recurring habit of portraying the country through harsh desert-like color grading.

Miss Bala

Both the original Mexican version and the American remake of Miss Bala depict cartel violence, but the 2019 Hollywood adaptation especially leaned into warm yellow tones during many Mexico-based scenes, reinforcing a now very recognizable visual cliché.

Clear and Present Danger

Though focused partly on Colombia, Clear and Present Danger also uses warm yellow-tinted cinematography during several Mexico and border-related sequences. The film helped cement the visual language later copied by countless cartel and drug-war thrillers.

Narcos: Mexico

Narcos: Mexico frequently used dusty yellow grading throughout cartel scenes. The visual style matched the broader crime-drama trend established by productions like Traffic and later copied across countless border-related thrillers.