The &34;Saltburn&34; star rocked the '60sera hairstyle the &34;Come Together&34; rockers were known for. Barry Keoghan debuts his Ringo Starr mop top ahead of Beatles biopic The &34;Saltburn&34; star rocked the '60sera hairstyle the &34;Come Together&34; rockers were known for. By Raechal Shewfelt :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RaechalShewfeltauthorphotoc49d3a3b6aa442f588f2bbc0de804e09.jpg) Raechal Shewfelt Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at . She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American Journalism Review and The Shreveport Times.

The "Saltburn" star rocked the '60s-era hairstyle the "Come Together" rockers were known for.

Barry Keoghan debuts his Ringo Starr mop top ahead of Beatles biopic

The "Saltburn" star rocked the '60s-era hairstyle the "Come Together" rockers were known for.

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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January 29, 2026 1:00 a.m. ET

Barry Keoghan, pictured in May 2025, will play Ringo Starr. Credit:

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty

Barry Keoghan has gone full Beatles.

The *Saltburn *actor, who will portray drummer Ringo Starr in director Sam Mendes' highly anticipated four-film project on the Fab Four, has debuted his mop-top hairstyle.

Keoghan will star in the movie taken from the perspective of Starr, one of two band members — the other being Paul McCartney — still living. Paul Mescal will play McCartney.**

Ringo Starr in 1966; Barry Keoghan rocks his new look on Jan. 28 in London.

Mark and Colleen Hayward/Getty; Mike Marsland/WireImage

Actors Harris Dickinson and Joseph Quinn will play the late John Lennon, who was murdered in December 1980, and George Harrison, who died of cancer in November 2001, respectively.

The project that Mendes has teased as a "four-film cinematic event" that will collectively tell "the story of the greatest band in history" is scheduled to arrive in theaters, all at once, in April 2028. The project was announced at ComicCon 2025.**

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Keoghan revealed in July that he was working on screen tests for the movie. He told BBC's *Radio 1 Breakfast* show that he was more than happy with the way he looked.

"It's great. I look amazing," Keoghan told Quinn. "I'm not even messing — I look amazing. I look more Ringo than Ringo looks Ringo."**

No big deal or anything, but Keoghan had noted a couple of months earlier during an appearance on *Jimmy Kimmel Live* that, well, he had some help: an up-close look at the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.

"I met him at his house, and he played the drums for me," Keoghan said then. "He asked me to play, but I wasn't playing the drums for Ringo."

Understandable. But at least Keoghan already knew that Starr approved of his casting.

Ringo Starr asked Sam Mendes for changes to Beatles biopic script: 'That's not how we were'

Ringo Starr reacts to rumors that Barry Keoghan will play him in Beatles biopics: 'It's great'

"When I was talking to him, I couldn't look at him," Keoghan added. "I was nervous, like right now. But he's like, 'You can look at me.'"

And Keoghan had been practicing his playing for a while by then.

"We've been in full camp for like 16 or 17 weeks now," he said at Fastnet Film Festival near Cork, Ireland, according to the U.K.'s* The Sun* in May 2025. "It's just an absolute joy. The camp is like boot camp, and it's a place where you have time, and you try things. It's a place of failing, a place of learning and trying. That's the process I'm in now. It's a playground for me."

He also said he had blisters on his hands.**

- Biopic Movies

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&34;The week 1 question is: Does Donald Trump's appeal expand to Melania?&34; BoxOfficePro's Daniel Loria tells EW. &34;The week 2 question is: Is Brett Ratner's movie any good?&34; Melania doc cost Amazon $75 million — will it be a bust at the box office? &34;The week 1 question is: Does Donald Trump's appeal expand to Melania?&34; BoxOfficePro's Daniel Loria tells EW. &34;The week 2 question is: Is Brett Ratner's movie any good?&34; By Ryan Coleman :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RyanColemanauthorphoto0081ce8f0254478080f35972c433877b.

"The week 1 question is: Does Donald Trump's appeal expand to Melania?" BoxOfficePro's Daniel Loria tells EW. "The week 2 question is: Is Brett Ratner's movie any good?"

Melania doc cost Amazon $75 million — will it be a bust at the box office?

"The week 1 question is: Does Donald Trump's appeal expand to Melania?" BoxOfficePro's Daniel Loria tells EW. "The week 2 question is: Is Brett Ratner's movie any good?"

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

EW's editorial guidelines

January 28, 2026 8:13 p.m. ET

Melania Trump at the New York Stock Exchange on Jan. 28. Credit:

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Melania Trump is opening a movie in theaters this weekend, but will anyone show up to see it?

The short answer to that question is: yes. The long answer is complicated.

The new documentary chronicling the life and times of the First Lady in the 20 days leading up to her husband's re-election to the presidency in 2024 is opening in over 1,500 theaters on Friday. That's a remarkably wide release for a documentary — a film form which rarely exerts the same box office pull as fiction features — meaning *Melania *will be easier to see on the big screen than most docs. And premiere projections are trending up, with BoxOfficePro estimating a $1-2 million open last week, but revising to $2-5 million this week. It isn't often a documentary exceeds $3 million in its lifetime gross.

There's just one problem: the phenomenal cost Amazon MGM Studios undertook to license, market, and release the film.

The poster for 'Melania'.

Amazon MGM Studios

The film division of the million-headed hydra run by Jeff Bezos paid an estimated $40 million to acquire *Melania* and has spent an additional $35 million on marketing and promotion. That's $75 million for a film believed to recoup at the very most $5 million in its grand debut — and diminishing returns after an increasingly sluggish January box office are sure to follow.

Daniel Loria, senior vice president and editorial director at BoxOfficePro, the theatrical industry's trade publication, tells EW that he thinks that $5 million figure itself is a "reach."

"I'm not really buying that 4 or 5 number," Loria says. He cites several factors that ought to give Amazon pause, starting with the fact that a 1,500-theater release is "extraordinary" for a documentary, "especially in the post-pandemic era." Then there's the idea that, traditionally, "these sort of public-figure documentaries usually get bought and produced for streaming. That's the real value for these things."

*Melania *isn't an event, in other words, a more-and-more necessary ingredient in box office success. Knowing it will soon be streamable on a service millions already subscribe to may make it too easy to skip in person.

Stephen Colbert blasts Melania Trump's documentary ahead of opening weekend: 'No tickets sold'

White House holds private screening of Amazon's 'Melania' doc for guests including director Brett Ratner, Mike Tyson

But there's more. Loria points out that *Melania*'s** **"distributor already spent through a marketing campaign for a wide release last weekend in *Mercy*." That dystopian thriller starring Chris Pratt barely edged *Avatar: Fire and Ash *off the box office throne after a five-week reign. *Mercy *took in just $11.2 million domestically on a $60 million budget that doesn't factor in marketing and promotional costs.

"Now they're releasing another movie, right? And this one is coming out limited. So I think that puts this into context," Loria explains, pointing out that *Mercy *released on nearly 3,500 screens compared to *Melania*'s 1,500 screens.****

Stills from 'Mercy' and 'Send Help,' the two big contenders against 'Melania' at the box office.

Brook Rushton/20th Century Studios; Justin Lubin/Amazon MGM Studios

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Placing *Melania *in another context yields similarly dire results; Loria compares the film with the 2024 documentary *Am I Racist*?*, *from the conservative media company *The Daily Wire*. That film also opened in around 1,500 theaters and targeted a similar political demographic to *Melania *in its marketing.

*Am I Racist* pulled in $4.5 million across its opening weekend, but was made for the comparative pittance of $3 million dollars. While the films are similarly "partisan," Loria notes that *Am I Racist *had a "provocative discourse element" to it that *Melania*, judging by its somber and decorous trailer, lacks.

None of this has stopped Donald Trump from claiming in a Monday Truth Social post that *Melania*, a "MUST WATCH," is "selling out, FAST!"

In addition to *Mercy*, *Melania *will compete with three new releases for box office glory. There's the prime contender, Sam Raimi's horror return *Send Help*, which touts the combined star power of Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. Then there's Jason Statham's action thriller *Shelter*, and Loria's dark horse, the independently produced sci-fi horror offering *Iron Lung*.

*Melania *was directed by Brett Ratner, his first film since he was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women in 2017, accusations he has denied. Loria sums up *Melania*'s predicament simply: "I think the week one question is: Does Donald Trump's appeal expand to Melania for a film? The week two question is: Is Brett Ratner's movie any good?"

- Movie Reviews & Recommendations

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Published: February 01, 2026 at 12:38PM on Source: RED MAG

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&34;The week 1 question is: Does Donald Trump 's appeal expand to Melania ?&34; BoxOfficePro's Daniel Loria te...

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&34;I don't think any of us wants the show to suddenly turn into a more typical superhero show because of the ending,&34; Destin Daniel Cretton tells EW. Wonder Man stars and creators reveal alternate finale ending and season 2 wishes &34;I don't think any of us wants the show to suddenly turn into a more typical superhero show because of the ending,&34; Destin Daniel Cretton tells EW. By Sydney Bucksbaum :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/headshotb5dc24df8d5d43d1a16c9ce0e0383119.jpg) Sydney Bucksbaum Sydney Bucksbaum is a staff writer at .

"I don't think any of us wants the show to suddenly turn into a more typical superhero show because of the ending," Destin Daniel Cretton tells EW.

Wonder Man stars and creators reveal alternate finale ending and season 2 wishes

"I don't think any of us wants the show to suddenly turn into a more typical superhero show because of the ending," Destin Daniel Cretton tells EW.

By Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum is a staff writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2019 and is a published author. Her work has previously appeared in *TV Guide Magazine*, E! News/E! Online, *The Hollywood Reporter*, Mashable, Bustle, IGN, DCComics.com, Inverse, *The Daily Northwestern*, and more.

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January 28, 2026 8:47 p.m. ET

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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in 'Wonder Man'. Credit:

Courtesy of Marvel Television

**Warning: This article contains spoilers about the *Wonder Man *season 1 finale. **

Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) became *Wonder Man* in more ways than one by the end of the first season. And Trevor Slattery (Sir Ben Kingsley) became the Mandarin again. For a Marvel TV show that was mostly a meta story about working actors trying to make it in Hollywood, a lot sure happened in the season finale!

Episode 8 of the latest Disney+ MCU series felt a lot more like a traditional comic book show than the previous seven installments after Simon lost control of his powers and destroyed the set of the fake *Wonder Man* movie-within-the-show. In an effort to make up for betraying Simon to the Department of Damage Control, Trevor decided to save his new BFF by publicly taking the blame for the explosion, pretending to once again be the fake terrorist, the Mandarin. Despite the DODC not fully believing that it wasn't Simon, they had to take action as a result of the Mandarin's manifesto, so Trevor got a one-way ticket to a high security prison in the desert.

Because Trevor was now known as a terrorist, he was fired from the *Wonder Man *movie. His part was then recast with his former TV costar, Joe "Joey Pants" Pantoliano, and when the movie finally premiered to box office and critical success, it hard-launched Simon's career. He was now a true A-list Hollywood star, but he just couldn't get over Trevor's ultimate sacrifice.

Many months later, after training and careful planning, Simon took action. He pretended to shadow what seemed to be a normal civilian under the guise of researching his next role. But it turned out Simon was actually doing recon, because the man he was shadowing was a guard at the DODC prison. Simon successfully infiltrated the building, found Trevor's cell, and broke him out, flying them right through the concrete roof. The finale ended on that cliffhanger, with Simon giving up his anonymity as a superpowered person, as well as his successful acting career, all to save Trevor.

Below, *Wonder Man *stars Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley, along with creators Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest, break down that "rom-com" finale ending and reveal their hopes for a second season (the show has yet to be renewed).

Sir Ben Kingsley in 'Wonder Man'.

**: Was it always the plan to end the finale with Simon breaking Trevor out of the DODC prison?**

**DESTIN DANIEL CRETTON: **Emotionally, that was always the ending.

**ANDREW GUEST: **There was an alternate version where they performed in a black box theater together and levitated off the floor. That's true. But essentially we knew it was always about these two narcissists who, for the first time in their lives, put somebody else in front of their own needs. Simon and Trevor both needed to learn that, and it's hopefully rewarding to watch them do that for the right reasons and because they love each other, essentially.

**What play were they performing in the black box theater?**

**GUEST:** I believe it was Hamlet or something. Or no, there was a version of a play that Sir Ben's character Trevor had written that was not very good that he was going to be doing. And then Simon kind of bails him out and makes it good.

**CRETTON:** Trevor disappears and then he gets into writing and puts on this play. That would have been cool.

Sir Ben Kingsley in 'Wonder Man'.

**What was your reaction when you learned how this season ends, with Trevor taking the fall for Simon, becoming the Mandarin again, and Simon then breaking him out of prison?**

**SIR BEN KINGSLEY: **I thought it was delightful in that I've always felt Trevor had within him a kindness and also a regret for missed opportunity. And although he might have thought that his most accomplished gesture was on stage or on camera, in fact, his most consequential gesture was saving a friend, not on camera, not on stage, in real life. Very interesting.

**YAHYA ABDUL-MATEEN II:** Likewise with Simon. At the beginning, Simon was being selfish. Eavesdropping on a conversation, I hear there's this thing, he weasels his way into this audition. He was looking out for self and burying a secret about him. And we end in a way where, in order to save a friend, to do something selfless, he embraces the thing that he was trying to hide that does potentially jeopardize his career. He flies and blasts through a roof and says, "I'm going to do this for friendship. I'm not hiding anything, and actually I'm putting myself on the line to save this friendship," which is completely opposite from the place where he first started.

**KINGSLEY: **They're both gestures of sacrifice, which is really interesting.

**What drives Simon to take that step, to finally accept and expose his powers? Trevor gave him the perfect cover by taking the fall for him.**

**GUEST: **I think the irony is that Simon, in the finale, gets everything he wanted, right? He gets the role, he's starring in it, he's at the premiere, everyone's telling him how great it is, but it still feels a little empty because he's not sharing it with this person who, throughout the course of the season, we realize means so much to him. He knows he needs to do something, that he won't be fulfilled and feeling okay with himself until he makes the sacrifice.

**CRETTON: **It's basically a really good rom-com.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in 'Wonder Man'.

Courtesy of Marvel Television

**Where do Simon and Trevor go from here? Because this can't be the last time that we see them.**

**CRETTON: **We already have been just brainstorming, imagining where they could go next, but we can't really tease anything at this point.

**GUEST: **We can tease a bunch of stuff that won't be real. [*Laughs*] They're both going to be in *Spider-Man: Brand New Day*, which is good news! That's an exclusive.

**CRETTON: **[*Laughs*] I don't think any of us wants the show to suddenly turn into a more typical superhero show because of the ending that we have on this. We've already discussed ways that we can make sure that the tone of the show remains what it is, if we are so lucky to get a season 2.

**So you're planning on returning for a second season? Or could we actually see these characters and this story continuing in another Marvel project?**

**GUEST: **Both.

**CRETTON: **Yeah, both!

**GUEST: **I don't think we could choose one or the other.

**KINGSLEY:** Of course we [want a second season]. It would be dishonest to say, "Ooooh, I don't know. Let's wait." Of course we do. I'll say it to the world.

**ABDUL-MATEEN II: **Absolutely.

'Wonder Man' creators explain Josh Gad and Joe Pantoliano's hilarious cameos

Ben Kingsley says 'Wonder Man' shows Trevor Slattery before and after the Mandarin

**What would you want to see for your characters in season 2 now that they're likely on the run together?**

**KINGSLEY: **No idea. Surprise, surprise, surprise. Expect the unexpected.

**ABDUL-MATEEN II: **The other question that I think about when I think about the future of Simon is what happens when he gets a taste of what he wants? Simon's been wanting some of the stardom. I think he's been wanting this type of success for a long time, and then he gets it, and I want to see what that does to him. I want to see what getting a taste of what you've always wanted, what it does to a guy like Simon. I'm curious about that... But what I do love about Simon, which I realized today, is in the beginning we see him in the tiny [trailer] going over his script. And then toward the end, we see him in the big star wagon [trailer] and he's still going over his script. So that tells me that he's going to be all right.

*This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.*

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter***.

*Wonder Man* is now streaming on Disney+.

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From tragic love stories to heartbreaking dramas, these are the films that touch our souls. Cue the waterworks: The 18 saddest movies streaming on Amazon Prime Video From tragic love stories to heartbreaking dramas, these are the films that touch our souls. By Kevin Jacobsen and Declan Gallagher January 29, 2026 8:00 a.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/DanielleDeadwylertillSoundofMetalRizAhmedCaseyAffleckManchesterbytheSea08062548de6f3952b64f07aadf08e32aaabe0e.

From tragic love stories to heartbreaking dramas, these are the films that touch our souls.

Cue the waterworks: The 18 saddest movies streaming on Amazon Prime Video

From tragic love stories to heartbreaking dramas, these are the films that touch our souls.

By Kevin Jacobsen

and Declan Gallagher

January 29, 2026 8:00 a.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till Mobley in 'Till'; Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone in 'Sound of Metal'; Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler in 'Manchester by the Sea'. Credit:

Lynsey Weatherspoon/Orion Pictures; Courtesy of TIFF; Claire Folger/Roadside Attractions

Why do we seek out movies that are bound to make us cry? It might seem strange to some who only see this art form as a vessel for entertainment, but there's a real beauty in films that go beyond ephemeral laughs, thrills, or scares and touch the deepest parts of ourselves. These are human stories first and foremost, tales of tragedy, struggle over adversity, and bittersweet romance.

Amazon Prime offers a wide selection of sad movies, catering to various tastes, from sorrowful classics like *Bicycle Thieves* (1948) to heartbreaking modern dramas like *Till* (2022), each guaranteed to get your tear ducts working overtime.

Ahead, a list of the 18 best sad movies on Amazon Prime Video for whenever you need a good sobfest.

Affliction (1998)

James Coburn as Glen Whitehouse and Nick Nolte as Wade Whitehouse in 'Affliction'.

Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett Collection

This bleak crime drama, adapted from the Russell Banks novel of the same name, is all about the cycles of violence within a family. Nick Nolte stars as Wade, a small-town New England cop who has a strained relationship with his daughter and ex-wife. He soon becomes consumed by a suicide case he believes could actually be a cover-up for murder, leading him down a dark path that's only exacerbated by tension with his mean-spirited father (James Coburn, in an Oscar-winning performance). EW's critic praises *Affliction* as an "exquisitely shaped, paced, painted, and edited production," dubbing it "a beautiful bummer, a magnificent feel-bad movie." —*Kevin Jacobsen*

Where to watch *Affliction*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** Paul Schrader

**Cast:** Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, James Coburn, Willem Dafoe, Mary Beth Hurt

Beautiful Boy (2018)

Timothée Chalamet as Nic Scheff and Steve Carell as David Sheff in 'Beautiful Boy'. Francois Duhamel/Amazon Studios

Timothée Chalamet stars in this semi-biographical portrait of *New York Times* columnist David Sheff (Steve Carell​​) and his son, Nic (Chalamet), who has a substance abuse disorder. Directed by Felix van Groeningen, the film is resolutely hard-nosed but not without moments of levity and an ultimately redemptive arc for its young lead.

Groeningen wisely universalizes a story that could have played as a privileged, unpigmented vision of drug addiction. There's nothing in* Beautiful Boy *you haven't seen before, but the notes are played with such humanism that it still stands on its own two feet. —*Declan Gallagher*

Where to watch *Beautiful Boy*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Felix van Groeningen

**Cast:** Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney, Amy Ryan

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

Lamberto Maggiorani as Antonio Ricci and Enzo Staiola as Bruno Ricci in 'Bicycle Thieves'.

Courtesy Everett Collection

This third-ever Oscar winner for Best International Feature Film is a simple tale that packs a huge punch. Set in post-WWII Rome, *Bicycle Thieves* centers on a humble family man named Antonio (Lamberto Maggiorani) who lands a new job that requires a bicycle. After shelling out enough money to pay for one, his first day on the job goes horribly wrong as a thief absconds with the bike when he's not looking. What follows is a heartbreaking tale of Antonio and his son desperately searching for the stolen bike, with director Vittorio De Sica offering a profound commentary on the plight of the workingman. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Bicycle Thieves*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Vittorio De Sica

**Cast:** Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell

The Big Sick (2017)

Kumail Nanjiani as himself and Zoe Kazan as Emily Gardner in 'The Big Sick'.

Sarah Shatz/Lionsgate

Michael Showalter​​ cemented himself as a journeyman director with this understated romantic dramedy based on co-writers Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon's love story. Nanjiani plays a version of himself, a struggling Pakistani comic who meets young American student Emily (Zoe Kazan) when she heckles him during his act. The two begin a tentative romance, aware of their disparate cultures, but things take a dark turn when Emily is diagnosed with a rare disorder.

Showalter and his crew turn up the emotional honesty in this tremendously effective feature, which never loses sight of the absurd comedy within this deathly serious situation. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *The Big Sick*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Michael Showalter

**Cast:** Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher

Biutiful (2010)

Javier Bardem as Uxbal in 'Biutiful'.

Roadside Attractions

Alejandro G. Iñárritu has specialized in a certain kind of grim cinema over the years, from *21 Grams* (2003) to *The Revenant* (2015), but this 2010 drama remains one of his most affecting. Javier Bardem stars as Uxbal, a father living in Barcelona who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Given only a few months to live, he tries to provide a better future for his kids, but finds his life going from bad to worse as he tries to help a group of illegal immigrants. While often unrelenting in its bleakness, *Biutiful* is made effective by Bardem's subtly heartbreaking performance, which earned him an Oscar nomination. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Biutiful*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Alejandro G. Iñárritu

**Cast:** Javier Bardem

The Iron Claw (2023)

Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw'.

Brian Roedel/ A24

The true story of the Von Erich wrestling family was so unrelentingly tragic that when *The Iron Claw* finally got made, director Sean Durkin opted to leave one brother out entirely. (He later told EW that that call was "one of the toughest decisions I had to make.") The film has more than its share of anguish, but that's no reason for audiences to avoid it. There's joy in the bonds of brotherhood shared between the Von Erichs, in and out of the ring, even amid their darkest moments. And the movie makes room for hope, particularly embodied by Kevin (Zac Efron, in a career-best performance). *—K.J.*

Where to watch *The Iron Claw*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Sean Durkin

**Cast:** Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson, Lily James, Jeremy Allen White, Maura Tierney

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Larry Simms as Pete, Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu, Jimmy Hawkins as Tommy, James Stewart as George, Donna Reed as Mary, and Carol Coombs as Janie — the Bailey family — in 'It's a Wonderful Life'.

*It's a Wonderful Life* is a cherished Christmas classic, one that's a step above other holiday movies for its themes. After all, the entire premise centers on George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) wanting to jump off a bridge and end his life after a series of unfortunate events that lead him to believe he's worthless. But, after a guardian angel intervenes, George sees that he's made a far more positive impact than he ever imagined.

A touching tribute to the value of family and community, *It's a Wonderful Life* offers a rollercoaster of emotions that leaves you with happy, grateful tears by its cathartic conclusion. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *It's a Wonderful Life*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Frank Capra

**Cast:** Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers

Last Flag Flying (2017)

Laurence Fishburne as Richard Mueller, Steve Carell as Larry 'Doc' Shepherd, and Bryan Cranston as Sal Nealon in 'Last Flag Flying'. Wilson Webb/Amazon

Richard Linklater's tale of Vietnam vets (Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne) making a cross-country journey to bury the young son of one of their number (Steve Carell) is by turns somber and spirited, but always represents the very best of what the director is capable of. He's a filmmaker who can find uncommon depth and lingering beauty in the smallest of life's moments.

Here, Linklater eschews the overwrought trappings that these types of movies typically fall into. There's no rah-rah patriotism; there's no epic grandstanding. There's just a pervasive sense of loss, of lives torn asunder for no particular reason, and a cast highly adept at delivering these punches. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *Last Flag Flying*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Richard Linklater

**Cast:** Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne, Yul Vazquez, Cicely Tyson

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Michelle Williams as Randi Chandler and Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler in 'Manchester by the Sea'.

Claire Folger/Roadside Attractions

Kenneth Lonergan's scorched-earth domestic drama stars an Oscar-winning Casey Affleck as a ne'er-do-well repairman called back to the sleepy Massachusetts hamlet of his youth to care for his nephew (Lucas Hedges) after his brother's (Kyle Chandler) death. Lonergan pitches this film at an occasionally hysterical level, but he never lets the material get away from him, nor does it descend into pieties.

Affleck excels here in a tremendously off-putting role (seemingly the one he was born to play), but the film's most cogent, exciting moments come when Lonergan splits off to show us the town's bizarre side characters. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *Manchester by the Sea*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Kenneth Lonergan

**Cast: **Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges

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Never Let Me Go (2010)

Carey Mulligan as Kathy H, Keira Knightley as Ruth C, and Andrew Garfield as Tommy D in 'Never Let Me Go'.

Alex Bailey/Searchlight Pictures

Based on the devastating dystopian novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro, this wistful drama explores the lives of Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, three friends who grow up at a boarding school. While a love triangle eventually develops, this romantic drama tells an entirely more complicated story than you might expect, as we learn that Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth share a secret about how — and why — they're alive. Bolstered by weighty performances from Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley, the film dives into heavy themes of mortality and ethics with striking clarity. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Never Let Me Go*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Mark Romanek

**Cast:** Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield

Nickel Boys (2024)

Ethan Herisse as Elwood and Brandon Wilson as Turner in 'Nickel Boys'.

Courtesy of Orion Pictures

Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is an emotional wallop, putting us in the mind of a Black teenager experiencing racism and abuse at a reform school in 1960s Florida. This Oscar-nominated adaptation brilliantly brings that perspective to life, shot entirely in first-person point of view in a way that feels overwhelmingly immersive, not gimmicky. "*Nickel Boys* is a fragmented film, so much so that it can be difficult to grasp it," notes EW's critic. "But at a certain point, it turns around and grabs you instead, refusing to let go until you're left sitting in a startling and stunned silence." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Nickel Boys*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** RaMell Ross

**Cast:** Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

Short Term 12 (2013)

Brie Larson as Grace Howard and LaKeith Stanfield as Marcus in 'Short Term 12'. Brett Pawlak

Destin Daniel Cretton's debut feature concerns a group of counselors (headed by Brie Larson's Grace) at a home for at-risk teens who must deal with their own traumatic pasts while shepherding their patients to a brighter future. A modern indie favorite, *Short Term 12* announced Cretton, Larson, and LaKeith Stanfield as major talents in their respective fields.

This is a movie that subverts and morphs the audience's expectations with great intelligence at each turn. Its twists are as shocking as those in a conventional thriller, and Cretton is a master of selling emotions and entire character arcs with a single shot. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *Short Term 12*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director: **Destin Daniel Cretton

**Cast: **Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, LaKeith Stanfield

Sound of Metal (2020)

Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone in 'Sound of Metal'.

Courtesy of TIFF

Riz Ahmed stars in this moving indie drama as Ruben, a heavy metal drummer grappling with sudden hearing loss. The musician, who also has a substance abuse disorder, enters a rehab shelter treating deaf recovering addicts. Desperate to regain any semblance of the life he led before, Ruben struggles to accept what he cannot change, despite the best efforts of the shelter's leader (Paul Raci).

Featuring a soul-bearing performance by Ahmed and an Oscar-winning sound design that takes us inside Ruben's mind, *Sound of Metal* is a quietly powerful experience. "As Ruben's fear and rage begins to open itself to the unknown, the movie reaches toward something profound," writes EW's critic, "finding real, furious power in the spaces between the sound." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Sound of Metal*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director: **Darius Marder

**Cast: **Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, Mathieu Amalric

Thirteen Lives (2022)

Joel Edgerton as Richard Harris (center) in 'Thirteen Lives'.

Vince Valitutti/Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/Amazon Prime

Ron Howard's unabashed weepy reconstructs the daring true-story rescue of young Thai soccer players and their coaches after they become trapped inside a cave amidst heavy flooding. As the divers tasked with rescuing the stranded team, Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton give committed, un-showy performances.

With the precision of a great documentarian and the pace of an expert thriller director, Howard mounts an enviably well-rounded procedural dramatization of a story that captivated headlines in 2018. There are moments in *Thirteen Lives* that have such verisimilitude you'd swear you're watching actual footage of the event. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *Thirteen Lives*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Ron Howard

**Cast: **Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, Tom Bateman

Till (2022)

Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till-Mobley in 'Till'.

Lynsey Weatherspoon/Orion Pictures

The lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 is considered a turning point in America's shameful mistreatment of and violence against the Black community. This stirring biopic dramatizes the steps taken by Emmett's mother, Mamie Till-Mobley (Danielle Deadwyler), to seek justice against the odds by bringing the tragedy to the national media, helping spur the Civil Rights Act of 1957. EW's critic praises Deadwyler's performance for her "haunting immediacy," with Mamie's "grief and fury and fierce dignity passing across her face in annihilating waves." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Till*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Chinonye Chukwu

**Cast:** Danielle Deadwyler, Jalyn Hall, Frankie Faison, Haley Bennett, Whoopi Goldberg

A Walk to Remember (2002)

Mandy Moore as Jamie Sullivan and Shane West as Landon Carter in 'A Walk to Remember'.

Warner Brothers/Getty

This early-2000s weepie was one of the first Nicholas Sparks adaptations that connected with audiences. Shane West stars as Landon, a rebellious high schooler who connects with Jamie (Mandy Moore), the local reverend's daughter. Though they come from vastly different worlds, their romance grows, only for Jamie to reveal a heartbreaking truth that will change their future. The film fully wears its heart on its sleeve, telling an earnest (if familiar) story of love and commitment through hardship. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *A Walk to Remember*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Adam Shankman

**Cast:** Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Tilda Swinton as Eva Khatchadourian and John C. Reilly as Franklin Plaskett in 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'.

There's bleak, and then there's *We Need to Talk About Kevin*. This harrowing psychological drama probably won't provoke tears, but its depiction of a mother trying to understand why she could never connect with her severely troubled son is deeply affecting nonetheless. Tilda Swinton delivers a rich performance as Eva, who feels a great deal of regret over her son Kevin's (Ezra Miller) heinous behavior, wondering how she could have done things differently. It all leads to a horrific act of terror, as director Lynne Ramsay reflects in sobering fashion how brutal and unknowable life can be. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *We Need to Talk About Kevin*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Lynne Ramsay

**Cast:** Tilda Swinton, Ezra Miller, John C. Reilly**

Women Talking (2022)

Jessie Buckley as Mariche, Liv McNeil as Neitje, Claire Foy as Salome, Kate Hallett as Autje, Rooney Mara as Ona, and Judith Ivey as Agata in 'Women Talking'. Michael Gibson/United Artists Releasing

Another remarkable entry in Sarah Polley's filmography, *Women Talking* centers on women in an isolated religious community who gather to discuss the pros and cons of fleeing after suffering routine, horrific abuse by the men. What sounds like a tremendously tough sit is, in fact, one of the most rewarding, cathartic, and unexpectedly romantic pieces of cinema to come along in decades. Polley's film is a real tears-pooling-in-your-clavicles heartbreaker, but it's never depressing and, in fact, rather defiantly uplifting by the end. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Women Talking*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Sarah Polley

**Cast:** Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand

- Movie Reviews & Recommendations

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Movie"

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Published: February 01, 2026 at 12:38PM on Source: RED MAG

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Cue the waterworks: The 18 saddest movies streaming on Amazon Prime Video

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Klingon to Klingon: When Star Trek vet Michael Dorn met Starfleet Academy newcomer Karim Diané (e...

The pair exclusively sit down with EW to talk about Dorn's advice to the new Klingon cadet and swap war stories over the prosthetics process. Klingon to Klingon: When Star Trek vet Michael Dorn met Starfleet Academy newcomer Karim Diané (exclusive) The pair exclusively sit down with EW to talk about Dorn's advice to the new Klingon cadet and swap war stories over the prosthetics process. By Nick Romano :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/NicholasRomanoauthorphotoadc9b60763e34711935cbf7b3d768d24.jpg) Nick Romano is a senior editor at with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment.

The pair exclusively sit down with EW to talk about Dorn's advice to the new Klingon cadet and swap war stories over the prosthetics process.

Klingon to Klingon: When Star Trek vet Michael Dorn met Starfleet Academy newcomer Karim Diané (exclusive)

The pair exclusively sit down with EW to talk about Dorn's advice to the new Klingon cadet and swap war stories over the prosthetics process.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in *Vanity Fair*, Vulture, IGN, and more.

EW's editorial guidelines

January 29, 2026 10:00 a.m. ET

Karim Diané and Michael Dorn. Credit:

After Karim Diané landed the role of Jay-Den Kraag, a Klingon cadet at the titular *Starfleet Academy* of the new *Star Trek* series, co-showrunner Alex Kurtzman suggested the kind of meet-up that would have any diehard Trekker selling their memorabilia to secure: a one-on-one with the great Michael Dorn.

Having played the most famous of Klingons, Worf, starting with the Jean-Luc Picard-captained *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, Dorn never properly mentored a younger actor coming into the universe of *Trek*. He doesn't quite think of his FaceTime phone call with Diané as "mentoring" in the traditional sense, but he did offer his own experiences with the transformation process to this Klingon-in-the-making.

"To think that you were gonna be doing something like this was kind of unheard of. I don't know about anything that's happened like this before in the business," Dorn tells ** in an exclusive joint interview with Diané. "Thirty or 40 years later, you're talking to the next generation, basically. It just doesn't happen. So I wasn't prepared for it, but I was happy to be part of it."

Diané tells Dorn: "I obviously Googled the crap out of you beforehand and watched every single video that you have ever posted on the internet about the prosthetics process, so I felt mentored by you before I even got the chance to talk to you for the first time. There's a couple podcasts where you're just brutally honest about how challenging this experience is, and so I felt guided by you."

Karim Diané and Michael Dorn meet behind the scenes of the Rose Bowl Parade.

Dorn holds the distinction of the most franchise appearances as a series regular actor, which famously includes all seven seasons of *Star Trek: The Next Generation* and multiple movies. He returned as Worf in four seasons of *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine* and, more recently, in season 3 of *Star Trek: Picard*.

Diané's Jay-Den arrived in *Starfleet Academy* as an aspiring medical officer, which inherently feels at odds with the brutalism and warrior code of Klingon culture. Episode 4, titled "Vox in Excelso" and streaming now on Paramount+, digs into Jay-Den's backstory and how his pacifist nature made him feel like an outsider at a young age. Flashbacks depict the moment Jay-Den's family abandoned him on a planet as he grapples with the survival of the Klingons in the present.

Michael Dorn recalls trolling some 'Star Trek' haters with his Worf voice in an elevator

'Picard' season 3 is final adventure 'The Next Generation' cast never got

Diané relates to Jay-Den's origin story on a personal level. "I am West African. So I'm half Guinean and half Congolese, and I'm from the Mandingo tribe," he says. "Mandingos are known for their warriors. I was raised to essentially be a warrior, be a tough sports guy, and like basketball and soccer. I had no interest in any of that. I just wanted to go dance and sing and go act and do plays."

Dorn and Diané wouldn't meet in person until the Rose Bowl Parade in Los Angeles this past New Year's, for which the *Starfleet* cadet rode the "Space for Everybody" *Star Trek* float alongside fellow franchise stars Rebecca Romijn (*Star Trek: Strange New Worlds*), Tig Notaro (*Star Trek: Starfleet Academy*), and George Takei (OG *Star Trek*). But it was the day of Diané's first Jay-Den makeup test, prior to filming season 1 of *Starfleet Academy* in 2024, that he spoke with Dorn for the first time over FaceTime.

Karim Diané as Jay-Den on 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' episode 4.

Brooke Palmer/Paramount+

Much of what they discussed on that call involved the Shakespearean demeanor of the Klingons and swapping war stories over the prosthetics process. For Diané, it initially took him between four-and-a-half and five hours in the chair every day, including hair, makeup, prosthetics, and costume.

"I would have to wake up at 1 a.m. just to get to work, film like 18-hour days," he recalls. "Some weeks I'm working five days a week." The *Starfleet* team eventually cut that time down to two hours. "I get ready faster than Genesis now," Diané adds, referring to costar Bella Shepard, who plays Dar-Sha cadet Genesis Lythe.

For Dorn, starting out on *Star Trek* in the 1980s, it would take him three hours, five days a week, every week.

"But after two years, that's when I went, 'Guys, I just can't do this anymore,'" he recalls to Diané. "And they got it down to same thing to where you are, where it's two-and-a-half hours."

Michael Dorn as Worf on 'Star Trek: Picard' season 3.

Sarah Coulter/Paramount+

Decades later when Dorn returned for *Star Trek: Picard* (2020), "They got it down to an hour for the full makeup," he adds, "but they had two people working on me."

Diané felt a mix of excitement and nerves heading into this meeting with Worf himself. He acknowledges how "sometimes you meet people in this industry, and they aren't the nicest." He wasn't sure what he was going to get.

"But I got on the phone, and immediately he was so chill and really kind," he says of Dorn. "That felt very nice because playing this character, I went in feeling like people are gonna compare me to him. So you go in nervous in a lot of ways — not sure how it's all gonna be received by the fans."

Dorn can relate.

Holly Hunter as Nahla and Karim Diané as Jay-Den on 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' episode 4.

Brooke Palmer/Paramount+

"You're stepping into this whole *Star Trek* world, which, I gotta tell you, nobody is ready for," he says. "For us [on *Next Generation*], we had the fans and the press on our ass about, 'Who do you think you are?' 'Do you think you are replacing Kirk and Spock?' 'Who are you supposed to be?'"

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Diané responds, "Listening to Michael say that, I'm like, wow, history really repeated itself, 'cause we all are experiencing the same exact thing right now [on *Starfleet Academy*]. Like, 'You think you're a Klingon?!' You're not this and that. It's with me every single time I open my phone. I get notifications. I'm probably the most chronically online out of the entire cast. I'm on every single social media platform. I go through everything, just because I like to keep my feet on the ground. There definitely is a lot of chatter."

Both Dorn and Diané agree: "There's definitely a toxic corner in the fan base."

At the same time, they acknowledge the waves of positivity percolating around the internet.

"This is the most rewarding job I have ever had in my life," Diané comments when the actors speak with EW on the Wednesday before the *Starfleet Academy *episode 3 drop. "These episodes have been out for six days and two episodes, and already my Instagram is blowing up. My Facebook messages are flooded. People are freaking out, and they love these characters. So, yeah, I'm honestly happy to do this for season 3 and 4 and 5 and 6."**

- Sci-Fi & Fantasy Shows

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Source: "EW Sci-Fi"

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Source: Sci-Fi

Published: February 01, 2026 at 11:38AM on Source: RED MAG

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byRed Roads Media

in

2:01 AM

Klingon to Klingon: When Star Trek vet Michael Dorn met Starfleet Academy newcomer Karim Diané (e...

The pair exclusively sit down with EW to talk about Dorn 's advice to the new Klingon cadet and swap war stories over the...

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