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Over the course of her 45-year career, novelist Anne Rice penned a multitude of books including a variety of series and standalone titles. She is probably best known for writing the Vampire Chronicles series, which has been adapted to the screen in various formats including the movies Interview with the Vampire and Queen of the Damned. AMC's Interview with the Vampire show is the latest incarnation of the property, part of a line of adaptations that has drawn prominent stars over the years, including Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Christian Slater, Antonio Banderas, Aaliyah, and Ben Daniels.

Rice's other novels are also gaining more notoriety after the success of AMC's Interview with the Vampire. The show spawned an interconnected franchise known as Anne Rice's Immortal Universe that also includes Mayfair Witches, which is a spinoff starring Alexandra Daddario, Tongayi Chirisa, Jack Huston, and Harry Hamlin, in addition to an upcoming Talamasca spinoff.

War movies in 2023 evolved with a more critical, realistic, and bloody approach, exploring humanity's darkest aspects. Not every war film is about battles - "One Life" dives into a heroic humanitarian's story far from the battlefield. "Oppenheimer" stands out as one of the best films of 2023, critically acclaimed for its exploration of war technology and impactful character study.

2023 was a fantastic year for movies, with several great war films of varying styles and periods released. War movies can offer some of the most thrilling, heart-wrenching narratives of any genre, as their violence often feels less contrived than that of a typical action movie. While not every one takes place on the battlefield, many of the best war movies do. They're a vital subgenre of historical fiction that explores humanity at both its bravest and its most vile.

War movies continue to evolve with changing times. Like with the Western, modern...

Pictures: Netflix

What a year it has been for the biggest streamer in the world.

While the first half of the year was largely known for its widely seen star-studded critical failures, the second half of the year brought many successes. From a hit franchise blockbuster to multiple awards season contenders, Netflix’s year in films was turned around completely and may help them garner some hardware as we march towards the Oscars in March.

While this list may not represent the most-watched films of the year, I believe these to be the best Netflix had to offer over the past 12 months.

So, without further ado, here are my Top 5 Netflix Original Movies of 2023.

Please note that this author has not seen Best International Feature contender, Society of the Snow, as it will not be on Netflix until 1/4/24. This list will also not consider the Wes Anderson/Roald Dahl short...

Netflix has released its weekly global top 10 chart for the week of June 5, showing how movies and television series have been doing on the streamer. Jennifer Lopez‘s “The Mother” has been dominating the English language film chart for weeks, and it finally dropped out of the top spot, but not before taking sixth place in the all-time movie chart. Read on for this week’s analysis.

Library films were the name of the game this week as “Dune” director Denis Villeneuve‘s 2013 thriller “Prisoners” and Mark Wahlberg‘s “Shooter” from 2007 were the top two movies in the English language film chart with 13.9 million and 12.8 million hours viewed, respectively. The 2011 Taylor Lautner action-thriller “Abduction,” directed by the late John Singleton, entered the chart in third place with 9.6 million hours viewed, then followed by “The Mother” in fourth place with 8.4 million viewing hours. “Prisoners” and “Abduction” were helped greatly by being...

It’s probably not getting an Oscar nominations anytime soon, but “The Mother” has bested Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” where it counts: Netflix viewership metrics. Jennifer Lopez’s thriller film has entered the streamer’s list of Top 10 most popular English-language films at No. 8, knocking Scorsese’s three-and-a-half hour mobster epic out of the upper echelon.

Netflix announced the news on Tuesday, along with the release of viewership numbers for the week of May 29 to June 4. “The Mother,” which has streamed for four weeks after premiering on Netflix May 12, has now been watched for a total of 229.30 million total hours by Netflix subscribers. That’s enough to place it between “Extraction” (231.340 million hours) and “Purple Hearts” (228.69 million hours) on the all-time list, and bump “The Irishman,” which peaked at 214.57 million hours viewed after its first 28 days on the streamer, from the list.

Netflix’s all-time Film list now looks like this:

“The Mother,...

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Jennifer Lopez’s “The Mother” has cracked Netflix’s top 10 most popular movies list of all time with 229.3 million total hours viewed in just under a month since its release.

Entering the most popular English films list at No. 8, the action-thriller drew in an additional 16.48 million hours watched this week and is currently tracking at 117 million views. On the most popular English films list, “Red Notice” and “Don’t Look Up” are currently in the No. 1 and No. 2 spot, respectively, while “Purple Hearts” and “The Unforgivable” fall behind “The Mother” in the ninth and tenth spots, respectively.

“The Mother” is also continuing its reign on this week’s most-watched English films list in the No. 1 spot, with “The Boss Baby” coming in at the second spot and “Missing” coming in at the third spot.

Netflix has released its weekly chart of how movies and television series have been doing on the streamer, with the Jennifer Lopez action-thriller remaining in #1 over the Top 10 English film chart for the week of May 22, its third week in that position. Read on for this week’s analysis.

Before we get to the movies, it’s quite notable that Arnold Schwarzenegger made his debut on the streamer in a rare live action series called “Fubar,” created by Nick Santora (“Scorpion”), which debuted atop the English TV list with 88.9 million hours viewed, easily the most-viewed series of the week. It entered the Top 10 in 90 countries and was the #1 watched series in the United States, Canada and dozens of other countries across the globe.

It still received some stiff competition from the “All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” spin-off series, “Xo, Kitty,” its first season getting 63.8 million hours viewed last...

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (Universal) has grossed triple what “John Wick: Chapter 4” (Lionsgate) has in theaters. But for home viewers, the latest Keunu Reeves action sequel booted the Nintendo game animated film out of all #1 VOD rankings after only one week.

Impressively, this was not only on iTunes and Google Play (which rank by number of transactions) but also Vudu, which tallies by revenue. “Wick” costs the standard $19.99 to view, while “Smb” is $24.99 ($29.99 to own). That suggests at that site at least it had a clear lead for the week. Meantime, “Smb” is a unanimous #2.

At Netflix, the success of recent Sony titles continues to be seen among their most viewed movies. The studio, lacking its own streaming site, now regularly sends its films there a few months after release. “Missing” continues at #1, but the surprise this week has been the success of “The Son.”

“The Son”Sony Pictures Classics...

It is easy to get drawn towards World War II stories because there are so many, and one must learn from the history and encourage ourselves to not repeat the mistakes made in the past. World War II is a testament to what happened and what should not have happened. Blood & Gold is one such fictional story set during this horrendous time where instead of realizing the consequences of the war, people were just oblivious to it, and they were desperate to seek a stack of gold bars. It will be interesting to watch who gets their hands on this treasure and how.

Plot Synopsis: What Happens In ‘Blood & Gold’ Film?

Blood & Gold begins with Private Heinrich being chased by a company of German soldiers. The man is finally caught, and it is revealed that Heinrich is being sentenced to death for deserting the army. Heinrich states...

It's safe to say that seeing Nazis be mercilessly beaten to a pulp often makes for an incredibly entertaining action movie subgenre. This Nazi-killing subgenre has been around for decades, and the likes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Inglourious Basterds, Captain America: The First Avenger, Overlord, and The Green Room are some of the best examples. There is just something so rewarding and satisfying about seeing Nazis getting their collective ass kicked.

Now, with Sisu, The Wrath of Becky, and the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the subgenre has seemingly made a fantastical return. Netflix is the latest company to jump on this trend with the new German movie Blood and Gold, which promises more Nazi killing goodness. Thankfully, Blood and Gold delivers on the exceptional Nazi slaughter and so much more, in one of Netflix's best action movies.

Full of exceptional action sequences, Blood and Gold...

World War films are always fascinating. There are still so many true stories to be told about the darkest period of European history. With each film, one gets to see the horrors that most of the European countries went through and the heinous treatment of the Jews throughout the continent. Blood & Gold, a German language Netflix Original, is a fiction story set when the war was reaching its conclusion. Directed by Peter Thorwarth, the movie is about a stock of gold bars that some people want to get their hands on. A company of the German army and a mayor, along with his accomplices, in a local town badly want this treasure. Will they get their hands on it?

The film begins with German army soldiers chasing Private Heinrich and wanting to get a hold of him. Once Heinrich is finally caught, he is sentenced to death by Lt.

Blood & Gold is a movie directed by Peter Thorwarth starring Alexander Scheer, Robert Maaser and Florian Schmidtke.

Blood & Gold is a hilarious Pulp-style action movie.

Plot

A German soldier is looking for his daughter while some of Himmler’s SS boys are desperately looking for a treasure.

Blood & Gold (2023) Movie review

This movie is a great parody that not only tells a story, but also incorporates cinematic elements that make it interesting to watch. The film is well-balanced and attractive, and can only be criticized based on personal preferences. It’s a good movie that has intention, background, and form.

It’s not an action movie like Sisu, nor does it have a “comic book” style. Instead, it draws attention through metafiction and irony, which make the script reflexive and deep. The setting and photography are very good, and while it’s not a blockbuster, it’s magnificently lit.

Netflix has a new Chief Action Officer. Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken on the job in a promo featuring footage of the streaming network’s upcoming action series and films. See it above.

“Nobody Hits Like Netflix,” says Schwarzenegger in the promo which opens with a military tank rolling over a Mercedes and Arnold crawling out of the tank’s hatch. “No one loves action as much as I do,” he says. Cut to quick glimpses of footage of Extraction 2, Heart of Stone, The Witcher, and more.

Netflix also released a slate of its action films and series, including a premiere date for Who Is Erin Carter? on August 24; as well as previously announced dates for Schwarznegger’s upcoming series Fubar (May 25); Arnold (June 7); Bloodhounds (June 9); The Witcher Season 3 (June 29) and Lupin Part 3 (October 5). as well as features Blood & Gold (May 26); Extraction 2 (June 16); iNumber Number (June 23); The Out-Laws...

World War II movies have always been a great source of entertainment for viewers, whether it's Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, which tells the story of soldiers attempting to flee before enemy troops arrive, or Brad Pitt's Fury, in which a five-man crew takes on the entire army to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany. Despite having similar concepts, most of these films deserve the attention they receive. Perhaps something new will be found in the forthcoming Netflix World War II film Blood & Gold.

Blood & Gold is an upcoming action comedy film set near the end of World War II. Peter Thorwarth, who previously directed Blood Red Sky for Netflix, directs the movie, which stars Robert Maaser and Marie Hacke. The film, shot in the Czech Republic, is now one of the most anticipated Netflix movies and possibly the most anticipated war film in the coming month.

Must-watch comedy series, eye-opening documentaries and an expansion of the “Bridgerton” universe are among the noteworthy additions to Netflix this month. May 12 sees the premiere of Jennifer Lopez’s new Netflix original film “The Mother,” in which she plays an assassin lured back in for one last job. And on May 23, the documentary “Victim/Suspect” examines how sexual assault victims too often get turned into suspects when they report their assaults.

“Queen Charlotte,” the “Bridgerton” prequel series, arrives on May 4 while a new season of Tim Robinson’s sketch series “I Think You Should Leave” drops on May 30. And if you missed the most recent season of the niche (but delightful) comedy series “Documentary Now!,” you can stream that on Netflix starting May 9.

Check out the full list of what’s new on Netflix in May 2023 below.

Also Read:

The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now Arriving May 1

Above Suspicion

Airport...

Netflix recently announced it would be investing $2.5 billion into South Korean programming. Before Squid Game season 2 comes down the pike, however, the first seeds of that investment will bear fruit for Netflix in May 2023.

Netflix’s list of new releases for May 2023 is highlighted by the May 12 release of Korean series Black Knight. Set “in a dystopian 2071 devastated by air pollution,” this show will follow world-saving deliverymen known as “Black Knights.” Other international offerings this month include Japanese sumo drama Sanctuary on May 4 and Spanish crime thriller Muted on May 19.

Netflix’s domestic TV options this month include Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story on May 4. That will be followed by post-apocalyptic animated comedy Mulligan on May 12 and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s TV debut Fubar on May 25. And for those hoping for “triples,” I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson premieres on May 30.

On the movie side of things, Netflix has an unusually busy month.

"An unlikely group of outcasts taking on the entire Nazi empire." Netflix has unveiled another new "special trailer" for the WWII action thrille Blood & Gold, the latest from German filmmaker Peter Throwarth. It will be streaming on Netflix at the end of May. This is his second film with Netflix recently after his vampire thriller Blood Red Sky. Desperate to return home to his daughter during the final days of World War II, a German deserter finds himself caught in a battle against SS troops on a mission to uncover hidden gold. On his way to find his daughter, deserter Henrich is stopped by SS troops and hanged from a tree. Courageous farmer Elsa saves him just in time. United by their common enemy, the two fight for justice and for their families. A thrilling and bloody search for stolen gold treasure begins, revealing bitter secrets along the way.

Netflix is getting into the "let's kill Nazis violently" sub-genre of World War II films with the upcoming "Blood & Gold." This movie may not be on your radar just yet, but it seems like the kind of title that is destined to build up some buzz once it arrives on the streaming service next month. To that end, a new trailer for the German war flick has been released online that offers an extremely fun look at what promises to be a murder-heavy tale of revenge.

What's particularly entertaining about this "special trailer" is that it gives the film an old-school, grindhouse makeover that gives us a little bit of a Quentin Tarantino flavor, with "Inglorious Basterds" being the obvious touchstone. But it feels more at home with the fake trailers that were attached to 2007's "Grindhouse," even though this is a very real movie that you can watch in just a few weeks.

Films on World War II are a dime a dozen, but it would be fair to say that films about a heist during wartime are only a handful, like Kelly’s Heroes or The Train, or in recent years, The Monuments Men, Da 5 Bloods. So, when Netflix announced its upcoming war heist film, Blood & Gold (2023), it surely piqued our interest. The last we saw a film like this from the streamer was the 2022 Italian original production, Robbing Mussolini.

Netflix has debuted the first trailer for its upcoming film Blood & Gold, a new German-language action comedy set “in the final days of the Second World War.” Directed by Peter Thorwarth, Blood & Gold stars Robert Maaser as Private Heinrich, a deserter who is “desperate to return home to his daughter,” but is sidetracked after being pulled into a treasure hunt.

"I'm done with this madness. Where is the gold?!" Netflix has revealed an official trailer for a WWII action thriller titled Blood & Gold, the latest from German filmmaker Peter Throwarth. This is his second film with Netflix recently (and the second with "Blood" in the title), following his vampire thriller Blood Red Sky a few years ago. Desperate to return home to his daughter during the final days of World War II, a German deserter finds himself caught in a battle against SS troops on a mission to uncover hidden gold. On his way to find his daughter, deserter Henrich is stopped by SS troops and hanged from a tree. Courageous farmer Elsa saves him just in time. United by their common enemy, the two fight for justice and for their families. A thrilling and bloody search for stolen gold treasure begins, revealing bitter secrets along the way. This stars Robert Maaser,...

Film ranks number four on the list of the most popular non-English language films on the platform.

Edward Berger’s German-language All Quiet On The Western Front has been a phenomenon for Netflix since being launched last autumn. It ranks number four on the list of the most popular non-English language films on the platform and has been in the streamer’s own top 10 in over 91 countries including Germany, UK, US, Australia, France, Mexico, and South Korea.

Thanks to the success, Sasha Buhler, director, international original film, at Netflix. has a lot of travelling to do in the next few days.

At a time when TV shows are being cancelled left and right, it’s always nice to report that one has been renewed. AMC is all-in on their small screen Anne Rice Universe, and we’ve learned this morning that “Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches” has just been renewed for Season 2.

The brand new series is an adaptation of Anne Rice’s novels in the “Mayfair Witches” saga, and it premiered January 8 on AMC and AMC+.

AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire” was also recently renewed for a second season.

“The success of both Mayfair Witches and Interview with the Vampire once again illustrates the strength and mastery of Anne Rice’s work,” said AMC’s Mark Johnson. “The fact that these first two shows are performing so splendidly with a TV audience gives us much pride in what we’ve already done and great anticipation for the storytelling opportunities yet to come.