Take Jared Leto, for example, who got himself down to a mere 114 pounds for his role in Dallas Buyers Club where he played a transsexual woman suffering with AIDS. Conversely, Chapter 27 saw a much heftier Leto, fleshing out on pints of chocolate to play John Lennon’s killer. But there’s one Hollywood actor who’s notorious for enduring extreme diets multiple times over for his iconic roles: Christian Bale. In one interview, notable actor Matt Damon even said that Bale “is cut from a different cloth” for his ability to yo-yo diet with such restraint....

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a demanding condition that comes under the umbrella of anxiety disorders. It’s more than just a tendency or a personality—it’s an all-consuming illness without escape. Here are some of the best movies and TV shows that depict the realities of OCD and how it can affect one’s everyday life, yet also shine light on the fact that people are more than just their illnesses. 10. What About Bob (1991) Bob (Bill Murray) has a whole list of fears that make it hard for him to leave the house: agoraphobia, hypochondria, germaphobia, etc....

Sci-fi novels come in two broad flavors: epic series that have to be told in three or more books, and standalone stories that are self-contained. Standalone books are great because they don’t require much investment and they usually offer narratives that are far more streamlined and targeted than sprawling series. Whereas novel series are more akin to watching multi-season television shows, standalone novels are closer to the movie experience—both are great, but sometimes you just want a tighter tale....

It’s truly surreal to root for a dysfunctional TV family, since they often feature some vile characters and motivations. But we somehow relate to them anyway… and obsessively follow their exploits. There are many dysfunctional families out there (beloved or not), so here are our picks for the best dysfunctional families on TV and what make them so great to watch. 10. The Roys (Succession) Succession follows the powerful Roy family who owns a giant media conglomerate....

In anime, characters can unlock a tremendous amount of power in various ways: through training, through sacrifice, through discovery, or even through sheer luck and circumstance. Yet even the most powerful characters—who might appear to be undefeatable—usually have at least one weakness or downside that makes them vulnerable to their enemies. Here are some of the strongest anime characters we’ve ever seen. You might call them broken, overpowered, or unfair!...

Franchise movies are now the norm. They drive the film industry. Terms like “IP” and “reboot” frequently pop up in articles and conversations, and as long as the money keeps rolling in, there won’t be an end to it. You might be getting sick of the franchise oversaturation in cinema, but there’s no denying the fact that most people love what they love and they’re dying to watch more of the same....

Unlike movie theaters, which offer blockbuster experiences that are increasingly expensive and inconvenient, television is an ever-present option that’s available from the comfort of home. And now that TV shows have caught up in production quality, the competition is fierce. Whereas stars once dreamed of making it big in Hollywood, prestige television is now the place to be. The clearest example of this is seen in modern British television. Here are the greatest British TV actresses that have reached the top, providing home audiences with performances that surpass what we’ve seen in cinema in various ways....

This genre of Soulslike games, named after the series that spawned it, is characterized by brutal difficulty, steep punishments for failure, and subtle environmental worldbuilding. Yet, while FromSoftware started the trend and is the best-known developer of these types of games, they’re far from the only ones who have embraced it over the years. Other studios have explored what makes these games so endearing and innovated with some really great results....

The blood, sweat, and tears that come from passion and hope is, at its very core, human drama at its peak. For fans, watching an athlete or team achieve victory is the ultimate celebration. For athletes, it’s a moment that will define their lives for the rest of their time on Earth. And that’s why sports documentaries are so incredible. The honest telling of any great athlete’s true story can evoke raw emotion and punch through preconceptions with such force, all while giving viewers new insights that can change how they see things—often times in a sport that they’ve never really followed....

When it comes to Marvel movies—and all mainstream blockbuster films, if we’re being honest—it’s important to hook the audience right away. We need to know that the time commitment is going to be worth it, and the first few minutes need to convince us of that. Fortunately, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has got their opening scenes down to a fine art. The opening sequences for MCU films have successfully enticed viewers in varying ways, from funny character-establishing moments to heartbreaking setups....

But there are plenty of other high-profile actors and actresses who have yet to appear in the MCU, and fans have many ideas for which characters they could play. Indeed, there are still dozens of great Marvel comic characters who deserve to show up in the MCU. In a moment of pure fan casting, John Krasinski was recently revealed as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness....

Or maybe you’re looking at your massive list of unread books and none of them seem right as your next book to read. Maybe you’re looking for something close to what you just finished. Or the complete opposite. Whatever the case, it all boils down to the same thing: you have nothing to read right now and you need to find new books to read. Fortunately, there’s an endless sea of books to read out there, with hundreds of new books published every year—and there are several different ways you can discover books worth reading....

These legacy sequels are easy enough to explain: they’re essentially direct sequels to movies that debuted long ago. But as far as why they’re popular among viewers? Well, those reasons are vastly different from the general state of sequel overload in Hollywood. Many legacy sequels come as a shock to their original fanbases when they’re announced. After all, making a direct sequel to a film that’s been dormant for decades is considered a big risk....

The first three seasons of Arrested Development have cemented their status in contemporary TV culture, with several notable scenes often used as templates for memes and/or to make light of current events. It’s all because of the show’s characters that the series has become so iconic, with every role perfectly cast and performed, with each nonsensical character gaining their own devoted fanbase. Which of the characters on Arrested Development truly stand out?...

These movies can involve all manner of plots, like Tom Hanks running around trying to decrypt ancient codes or angelic beings attempting to save humanity from evil. This is where the physical collides with the metaphysical, resulting in movies unlike any other. Here are some of the best movies about angels and demons, ranging from ones packed with thrills and jump scares to ones that are more somber and self-reflective....

Beyond his memeworthy antics and his ageless looks, Rudd exhibits a talent that feeds into his comedic style, even in against-type roles, and you can always expect this frequent Judd Apatow collaborator to poke and prod with his characters’ snarky remarks. Here are our picks for the best Paul Rudd movies of all time that really shine a light on his capabilities as a modern Hollywood actor. 10. Clueless (1995) Technically, Rudd’s first movie was the teen comedy hit Clueless....

From the space dust that was once Alderaan to the deserts of Jakku, the Star Wars universe has been expanding for over 40 years with input from all manner of creative minds and storytellers. But between all the fascinating lore and history, Star Wars is best known—and will always be most known—for its amazing characters. There have been so many cool ones over the years. Our question is: who are the best, the most popular, the most iconic?...

Most movie openings establish the main character or villain in the first scene—and that may not always be a person. For example, in The Shining, we meet the hotel before we meet any of the actors, which makes sense since the hotel is indeed the main character. Here are some of the greatest opening movie scenes of all time. Not only do they perfectly set the foundations for their individual stories, but they hook you and make you want to keep watching....

And one of the coolest outfit types is the armor outfit. Between breastplates, helmets, gauntlets, and all the other ensemble pieces, the design of a character’s armor can elevate them from boring to legendary. Here are our picks for the coolest armor outfit designs throughout modern cinema history, from superheroes to aliens to ghouls. 11. Spawn’s Outfit (Spawn) Spawn’s outfit is comprised of a torn red cape and a black body suit....

But that’s been proven wrong! Retro gaming is still alive, and some might even say it’s going on stronger than ever before. People will always pine for the old days, and even young gamers who are curious about retro games end up falling in love with them. Fortunately, that also means that there are plenty of retro gaming gift options—they’re just mostly on the internet. Need ideas for retro gaming gifts for your geeky friends and family members?...