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Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ballhas made an impressive name for itself because Goku and the rest of Earth’s greatest heroes are such lovable characters. It’s comforting to know that these heroes will always rise to the occasion when the planet is in peril, but often an anime’s heroes are only as strong as the villains who challenge them. Dragon Ball is a franchise that’s rich in villains, but not all of these threats get the opportunity for substantial backstory and character development.

Dragon Ball sometimes operates under the impression that a striking design and incredible power is enough to make any villain interesting. Understandable motivations sometimes come second to intimidating transformations. Accordingly, Dragon Ball has introduced some rewarding villains – many of whom are still popular characters – that lack the necessary ingredients to advance their narrative and create empathy.

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RelatedThe 30 Most Powerful Dragon Ball Villains, Ranked...

Legendary record producer Irv Gotti unfortunately passed away on February 5th, 2025. The Murder Inc., founder has worked with Ashanti, Ja Rule, and many more popular artists throughout his career. However, he has also beefed with many.

50 Cent, the rapper | Image by TechCrunch, licensed under Cc By-sa 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Most famously, his beef with rapper 50 Cent has been brewing for years. Although many would have thought that by now they would be on their way to finally make up. Gotti’s words years before his death prove otherwise.

In fact, 50 Cent’s Instagram post after Irv Gotti’s passing, too, has raised some eyebrows. Although the old clip only made its way back into the spotlight due to Cent’s recent feud with Big Meech, it’s a disheartening look back all the same.

Irv Gotti and 50 Cent had a long history of feuding

50 Cent has been beefing with several people throughout his career.

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Ringsis, without a doubt, the most influential work of high fantasy ever created. The same went for Peter Jackson's trilogy as well. The movie trilogy's depiction of Middle-earth set the bar for modern fantasy and was seen as the genre's peak. That's not to say the genre slacked off before or after the trilogy's time.

As beloved as Middle-earth, it's not the only fantasy world in film worth celebrating. Movies made before, during, and after The Lord of the Rings' prime had unique takes on familiar fantasy tropes or made entirely new ones. It could be argued that some of these fantasy realms were on par with or even better than Middle-earth.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on February 5, 2025: J.R.R Tolkien's fantasy world of Middle-earth is one of the most amazing fictional settings in the history of literature. Peter Jackson made...

The Netflix animated series adaptation of Castlevania has become a massive success, thanks to Sam and Adam Deats’ intricate research of the original video games. There’s not one point of lore the duo has missed, especially the former, who directed each episode from Season 1 to 4.

The main characters of Castlevania. [Credit: Netflix]

Despite the adaptation straying away from video games, it’s actually a breath of fresh air. Castlevania gets rid of all the slow-pacing, and all the complicated stuff isn’t in your control. Sam and Adam Deats make sure to streamline the story in a new way but retain the lore.

The directors acknowledge the diverse audience and cater the Netflix adaptation to both old and new fans alike, no matter where they are in the world. They also mix in the style of the original game designer, Ayami Kojima, and the fluidity of Japanese animation.

Sam and Adam...

The "Terrifier" films aren't exactly known for being indirect. Creator Damien Leone has created a saga of unrelenting barbarity, with burgeoning horror icon Art the Clown slashing his way across a handful of short films and three features. Indeed, 2022's "Terrifier 2" proved too brutal for even some seasoned horror fans, with reports of walk-outs helping propel the film to relatively impressive box office success. In 2024, Leone continued his mission to depict the most upsettingly graphic kills possible with "Terrifier 3," itself a film that prompted walkouts simply due to a stomach-churning opening sequence.

This a film series that has seen Art the Clown sever a woman in half from the pelvis up, whip a victim with their own intestines, and absolutely decimate the body of a young girl in a scene that happens to represent Leone's favorite kill and which has become the high watermark for unadulterated gore in the "Terrifier" saga.

By now, there are probably only about five people on the planet who have not watched Netflix's mega-hit series "Stranger Things." Since its debut in 2016, this imaginative tale about the ongoing battle between a group of kids from Hawkins, Indiana, and dangerous monsters from another dimension has dazzled audiences with its clever blend of dark horror, science fiction, and 1980's pop culture. Its plucky cast of veterans and young, up-and-comers only adds to the fun. Now, it's hard not to hop on social media without seeing a post or two on Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, Natalie Dyer, or Charlie Heaton, among others, in the large ensemble.

Still, you're not here for the cast. You wanna talk monsters, and, oh boy, do we have you covered. We've ranked every monster in "Stranger Things" from worst to best, mainly just for kicks, but hopefully to stir a healthy debate amongst fans.

Exclusive: Terry Gilliam’s biblical comedy Carnival: At The End Of Days has been boarded by prolific Italian producer and entrepreneur Andrea Iervolino, whose credits include Ferrari, Maserati: The Brothers and To The Bone.

Iervolino is due to produce and help finance the film and is heading to the European Film Market in Berlin this month to discuss the project with potential buyers and will look to add a sales agent while there. The aim is to shoot in Italy as soon as April.

According to Iervolino, the project will reflect Gilliam’s customary ambition, scope and creative vision. He describes it to us as “an epic and visionary work” and a “live-action film that makes unprecedented use of CGI”: “Carnival is an extraordinarily complex film for an independent production. It is a project that blends live-action aesthetics with an unprecedented amount of CGI. It is, without a doubt,...

Starving and on the verge of death, a can of pickled cucumbers is discovered, offering a chance at survival. They are glorious pickled cucumbers of hope. This is a scene from the Oscar-winning film The Pianist, and this is a scene that played out in the real life of the filmmaker. Roman Polanski grew up amongst the horrors and rubble of Nazi-occupied Poland. Losing his pregnant mother to the gas chambers and then losing his pregnant wife to the Manson Family, his experiences in life profoundly influenced his worldview and later work. But The Holocaust was only the first chapter of a life marked by tragedy, scandal …and cinema. This tiny yet charming bohemian makes silly yet tragic comedies and horrific yet thought-provoking controversial thrillers. But it is the personal life of Roman Polanski that has created the most scandalous controversies or controversial scandals, as a fugitive on the run...

It isn't often in anime that the villain beats the protagonist. In fact, many complain that it's unrealistic for the heroes to defeat the bad guy when they're immensely powerful or even morally correct. While the reason for the hero winning is apparent, the story requires the hero to win; some stories surprise audiences by having the villain kill the protagonist.

Some of these slayings of heroes don't last, especially in Shōnen, where resurrection is more commonplace. But they still impact the audiences. The act itself leaves fans crying, frustrated, or even hopeless. Either way, it is one of the most memorable moments in the series.

Cell Self-Destructs and Kills Goku at the End of Dragon Ball Z's Cell Saga Streaming on Crunchyroll

While Dragon Ball is known for resurrecting its characters every arc thanks to the titular Dragon Balls, there are some meaningful deaths in the franchise. While...

The 45th Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies) will be held on March 1, 2025, to recognize the worst films of 2024. The nominees were originally set to be announced on January 16, but due to wildfires in Southern California, the announcement was delayed several times, eventually being revealed on January 21.

The nominees were chosen by 1,202 members of the Golden Raspberry Foundation, including movie fans, critics, and journalists. This year, many comic book adaptations received nominations, such as ‘The Crow,’ ‘Madame Web,’ ‘Joker: Folie à Deux,’ and ‘Kraven the Hunter.’

Several well-known actors, including Ariana DeBose, Cate Blanchett, and Joaquin Phoenix, were also mentioned, with Jon Voight getting a nod for his roles in four films. 2024 was really bad for superhero adaptations considering that the movies received eighteen nominations overall.

Related: Fans Rank Top 10 Worst Superhero Movies of All Time The nominees for Worst Picture at the 45th Golden Raspberry Awards are: Reagan Borderlands Joker:...

There are few awards shows more mean-spirited than the Razzie Awards, which each year join the awards season circus to ridicule the previous year’s most notable flops. 2024 gave the Razzies plenty of punching bags, as Joker: Folie a Deux, Megalopolis, and Madame Web were among the nominees for Worst Picture.

The other films rounding out the five Worst Picture nominees were video game adaptation Borderlands and Dennis Quaid vanity project/biopic Reagan. All five movies were also well-represented in additional categories including Worst Actor, Worst Actress and Worst Screen Combo.

Thanks to the brave heroes who vote for the Razzies, Jack Black received two separate nominations — one for Worst Actor after playing Satan in the Paramount+ original film Dear Santa, and one for Worst Supporting Actor as the voice of Claptrap in Borderlands. While the Netflix comedy Unfrosted didn’t make the cut for Worst Film, Jerry Seinfeld...

As the world continues to mourn the recent passing of David Lynch, this past weekend, the legendary artist and filmmaker received a shout-out from an unlikely source: Saturday Night Live.

Despite the fact that Lynch never hosted SNL and was never a cast member (at least not on this plane of reality), before the closing goodnights of the Dave Chappelle-hosted episode, the show aired a still photo of Lynch, as they did with Dabney Coleman after the former host died last year.

But, originally, the plan was to air a more substantial tribute to the late director — that is, until the show started running behind schedule.

Instead of just sticking a Jpeg of Lynch into the end of the show, according to LateNighter, during the episode’s dress rehearsal, the brief memorial would have been prefaced with a vintage clip of Roy Orbison singing “In Dreams” on SNL back...

For over three decades the Simpsons brand has been churning out tie-in video games of varying quality — from the very first arcade game in which players win by straight-up murdering Mr. Burns, to the recent, beloved, soon-to-be-dead-forever mobile game The Simpsons: Tapped Out.

In the intervening years, there were a whole lot of other Simpsons-themed video games, including racing games, bowling games, even a game in which Bart ascends a giant beanstalk and bumps off his father’s giant doppelganger in order to buy a cow — despite Bart’s historic aversion to possessing cows.

One memorably odd game was 1992’s Bart’s Nightmare, which was first released for the Super Nintendo system. The game invited players to guide Bart through the twisted recesses of his own subconscious, whereupon he battles microscopic germs, transforms into a Godzilla-like monster, and eventually travels to Hell where he encounters a blue Satan.

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Amazon Prime Video is dropping new flicks on its platform this January, and we’re here to list the best of bunch.

It’s a new year, which means Prime Video has a fresh slate of films for folks to enjoy. From real-life, biographical tales to animated family goodies every generation can enjoy, Prime Video’s got a variety to explore. Plus, one of the streamer’s originals lands this month following its theatrical run, ready to give viewers fright-filled watch.

Check out our picks for the best new movies on Prime Video in January below.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” 20th Century Studios “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Rami Malek brought the iconic life story of Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury, to life in 2018 in Bryan Singer and Dexter Fletcher’s biographical film “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The movie covers Queen’s early beginnings and rise to fame, Mercury’s departure from the group and their reunion at...

In the anime scene, the action-comedy genre is all the rage these days, as a number of fan favourites like Dandadan, Spy x Family, and Ranma ½ are already raking in huge numbers of viewers across streaming platforms. In the same list, now we have got an anime adaptation of Yuto Suzuki’s wildly popular manga, Sakamoto Days, which follows a legendary hitman’s efforts to leave his old life behind and turn over a new page as a family man, only to get dragged back into it by the ghosts of his past, which results in a series of hilarious scenarios. Viewers can find similarities with the anime The Devil is a Part-Timer, another such laugh riot that sets Satan up in an ordinary lifestyle to create zany situations, although from the first episode, Sakamoto Days appears to be much more light-hearted in comparison.

The pilot episode neatly establishes...

For many decades, Goku of the Dragon Ball franchise has stood as one of the most iconic protagonists in anime history. But the tallest tree gets struck down first, as even legends are not immune to criticism.

Son Goku, protagonist of the Dragon Ball series. [Credit: Toei Animation]

Over the recent years, Dragon Ball’s lead character has been taking the heat for being dense, one-dimensional, and stupid, protected only by ridiculous amounts of plot armor. The critics have scrutinized Goku about almost everything, from his parenting skills to his simplistic motivations.

While the debates about his flaws have always existed, in recent times, these continued criticisms seem to have struck a nerve. This has led to the fans fighting back harder than ever to protect the kindest Saiyan protector of the universe.

Why fans are stubbornly defending Goku

The backlash against Goku’s critics started trending in full force online...

Mel Gibson just gave a major update to his long-awaited sequel to his 2004 blockbuster The Passion of the Christ.

Speaking on Joe Rogan’s podcast Thursday, the actor-director says he plans to begin filming the sequel in 2026. The title: The Resurrection of the Christ.

“I’m hoping [to start filming] next year sometime,” Gibson said. “There’s a lot required because [the script is] an acid trip. I’ve never read anything like it. There’s some crazy stuff. In order to tell the story properly you have to start with the fall of the angels. You’re in another realm. You need to go Hell. You need to go to Sheol.”

Asked Rogan: “So you’re going to have Hell? You’re going to have Satan?”

Gibson nodded. “You got to have his origin. I have ideas about how to do that and how to evoke things about to depict that. I’ve been...

Mel Gibson has confirmed that a script for the sequel to The Passion of the Christ, titled The Resurrection of the Christ, has been completed. He also corroborated reports of Jim Caviezel returning to play Jesus and revealed he would use de-aging techniques to make up for the two decades since the original.

While appearing on the latest episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Gibson said he was hoping to begin shooting the film next year, explaining they would need preparation time to pull off the “acid trip” of a script, which he wrote with his brother and screenwriter Randall Wallace over seven years.

“I think in order to really tell the story properly you have to start with the fall of the angels, which [means] you’re in another place, you’re in another realm,” Gibson said. “You need to go to Hell. You need to go to Sheol.”

After...

Before he pumped us up as one half of Hans and Franz, before he sang about chopping broccoli and before he orbited “Wayne’s World,” Dana Carvey was the Church Lady.

The perpetually pious Enid Strict debuted on the Season 12 premiere of Saturday Night Live — which, amazingly, also doubled as Carvey’s first episode ever — as the host of a cable access show called Church Chat where Carvey, dressed as a good Christian woman in her Sunday best, brought on a cadre of celebrity guests, both real and impersonated, and chided them for their improper behavior.

While the Church Lady was an imitation of a churchgoer Carvey knew growing up, he didn’t shape the character alone, someone else had a hand in it, too. Could it be… Satan?

Nope, it was veteran SNL writer Rosie Shuster who, after being there for SNL’s original run, returned to the writing staff...

Dragon Ball is one of the most famous anime and manga franchises ever created. Since the series debuted in the pages of Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1984, millions of people across the globe have experienced the adventures of Goku and his friends. One of the most fascinating things about the Dragon Ball franchise is that its massive length has allowed the franchise's various writers and animators to develop most of the story's core characters, taking them on dramatic journeys of change and self-discovery.

However, this character development hasn't been evenly divided. While some characters have had loads of development and spotlight time, others have been sidelined, leading to stagnation. But which Dragon Ball character has the best character development?

Related 10 Manga Artists Who Draw Dragon Ball Just as Well As Akira Toriyama

Akira Toriyama is Dragon Ball's creator, but there are some other talented artists who have proven that they can properly replicate Toriyama's style.

As Terrence Malick and company now enter the sixth year of editing on his Biblical epic The Way of the Wind, 2025 may now finally be time it sees the light of day. After once again placing it highly among our most-anticipated films of the year, we have a few more details on the film, including a potential reason for it being Malick’s longest-ever post-production.

In celebration of his new book The Magic Hours: The Films and Hidden Life of Terrence Malick, author John Bleasdale has published a fascinating new series on his podcast Writers on Film exploring Malick’s work, including a conversation with his long-time production designer Jack Fisk. While Fisk didn’t work on The Way of the Wind, he did heavy location-scouting for the film starring Géza Röhrig as Jesus, Matthias Schoenaerts as Peter, and Mark Rylance as Satan alongside Ben Kingsley, Joseph Fiennes, Tawfeek Barhom,...

American Jesus: Revelation #3 reimagines the end of the world story, rejecting cynicism for sincerity and forgiveness. The book portrays the Antichrist asking for forgiveness from the Returned Christ, challenging the traditional narrative. The ending of the book brings a more optimistic view of the biblical end of days, where even Satan finds redemption in God's light.

Warning! This article contains spoilers for American Jesus: Revelation #3 American Jesus is a series that brings the Bible’s Book of Revelation to the modern era, depicting the strange, metaphorical coming of armageddon in a more literal sense. In short, it’s a story about the end of the world. At least, it should have been. And that’s why the ending to this Chosen One story is absolutely perfect, as it rejects the cynicism that usually comes with these types of stories for sincerity.

American Jesus could be described as a reimagining of The Omen or Rosemary’s Baby,...

Since the anime first aired in 2020, Jujutsu Kaisen has continued to be a staple shonen series for anime fans everywhere, appreciated for many qualities including its darker plot points and beautiful animation. Known among anime and manga fans as one of Shonen Jump's "Dark Trio", Jujutsu Kaisen features gruesome battles and challenging themes that cause it to stand out among other shonen series.

As eager fans anticipate the presently releasing episodes of Jujutsu Kaisen's second season, they might be seeking some additional shows with common elements to treat themselves to in the meanwhile. Fans of Jujutsu Kaisen will likely enjoy one or more of these other successful series full of epic showdowns, dark fantasy and supernatural elements, and intriguing plots and fictional worlds.

D. Gray-Man

Both Jujutsu Kaisen and D.Gray-man are set in a world where experienced fighters combat supernatural entities that seek to prey on humanity. In Jujutsu Kaisen,...

Ready or Not introduces a captivating and mysterious character named Mr. Le Bail, a demon who strikes a deal with the Le Domas family and plays a central role in their twisted game tradition. Mr. Le Bail is likely an anagram for the demon Belial, known for his charms and evil nature, making his role in the family's rituals more sinister. The Le Domas family's deal with Mr. Le Bail requires them to sacrifice a new family member during a game of hide and seek, demonstrating their commitment to his worship and highlighting their moral depravity.

Ready or Not incorporates a demon named Mr. Le Bail who has a compelling presence despite only appearing in the movie for approximately two seconds. In the 2019 film Ready or Not, a woman named Grace (Samara Weaving) marries Alex Le Domas and gets wrapped up in his family's twisted game tradition which requires her murder.

Don’t get me wrong, Grant Singer’s Reptile delivers its promising grizzly noir procedural in the most thrilling manner, but then, as if shooting us in the gut, fizzles everything out in the end with far less grit. In the first 40 minutes or so of Reptile, I thought to myself, This is like Zodiac, keeping me on the edge of my seat in wonder, shock, awe—all of the right feelings for a detective film like itself. Reptile does everything right aesthetically: gray for melancholy and a leather jacket for the detective, who himself appears as morally gray, but under the surface it simply comes across as a half-baked experiment.

Produced by and starring Benicio Del Toro, who also co-wrote the film, Reptile paints a picture of a small-town murder where a hardened detective weeds his way to the truth. Tom Nichols (Del Toro) is a detective with a...

Ghoulies is not the Gremlins rip-off its reputation suggests. The two films were in production at the same time, but budgetary issues delayed the release of Ghoulies. Although it likely benefited from Gremlins‘ success, the similarities begin and end with diminutive monsters. Ghoulies II actually shares more in common with Gremlins, as the first Ghoulies leans more — arguably too much — into the fantasy realm.

From producer Charles Band’s Empire Pictures, the 1985 horror-comedy is directed by Luca Bercovici (Rockula) from a script he co-wrote with producer Jefery Levy. At just over 80 minutes, the film doesn’t waste time trying to make sense of its messy plot.

When Jonathan Graves (Peter Liapis) inherits an old manor from the father he never knew, he does what any 20-something with newfound freedom would do: throw a party. Something wills Jonathan to perform a ritual from an old book he finds among his father’s occult paraphernalia,...

Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”

The opening of Troma’s Amityville Vibrator tells you everything you need to know about the tone of the film: a title card reads June 6, 1976, 6:66am. In a green-lit room, a naked woman wearing a horned mask masturbates with a dildo. Moments later she is shot to death, a spray of blood and brains coating the wall. The green filter and the mask and horns are gone and all that’s left is the stark truth of a murder.

Then the film transitions into hand drawn credits, complete with stick figures and crude animated drawings.

Writer/director Nathan Rumler is far more self-aware than most of the preceding entries in the “franchise.” This is a film that is equal parts haunted...

Dragon Ball has become one of the biggest anime series of its generation because it effectively creates consistent combat that continually tops itself. Dragon Ball is full of larger than life characters who are strong enough to destroy galaxies and it’s never too long until they’re locked in battle. These fights often have life or death consequences for them.

However, Dragon Ball also finds smart ways to structure this combat into martial arts tournaments that deliver non-stop action. These competitions can be purely for bragging rights or hold much more desirable rewards for the winner. Tournaments are one of Dragon Ball’s biggest traditions, some of which are much more successful than others.

Related: Dragon Ball: The 10 Best Competitors From The Other World Tournament

All Universe Hide & Seek Tournament

Dragon Ball's most lackluster organized tournament is ultimately one that took place before the series' events. Omni-King...

Amazon Prime Video offers a variety of compelling exclusives, such as The Boys and Good Omens, which are known for their quality and success. Other popular shows like Schitt's Creek and Lost are available on Prime Video, providing a well-rounded viewing experience. The platform also offers book-to-screen adaptations like Daisy Jones & The Six and The Wheel of Time, which offer captivating stories and impressive visuals.

There is no shortage of streaming services to binge TV shows on these days, and Amazon Prime Video has some of the best content currently available. Although Netflix and Max tend to dominate conversations around streaming releases, Amazon's platform boasts a number of compelling exclusives, from the explicit superhero series The Boys to the elaborate and fantastical Wheel of Time. Prime Video has ramped up its original content in recent years, increasing its offerings. And the quality of Amazon exclusives is commendable, helping the streamer...

“Holy Spider” breakout Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv are set to make history with “Tatami,” the first feature co-directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker.

Premiering in Venice Film Festival’s Horizons section, “Tatami” shows Iranian female judo fighter Leila (played by “The L Word: Generation Q” star Arienne Mandi) heading to the world championships with her coach Maryam (Ebrahimi). Soon, they receive an ultimatum: in order to avoid squaring off against an Israeli opponent, Leila should immediately fake an injury and drop out.

“Can you imagine how many threats I have received after ‘Holy Spider,’ accusing me of ‘working with Jews’? We are not even allowed to call someone Israeli. It’s always ‘the occupying regime,’” Ebrahimi says.

Fearing for their safety, they decided to shoot in secret.

“We didn’t want anyone to know about it. We shot in Tbilisi in Georgia, two hours away from...