By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 58 seconds ago

For actors, performing in Star Trek is often a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they quickly gain a legion of new fans, and they can spend a lifetime appearing at nerd conventions filled with hungry autograph seekers. On the other hand, they might need those convention appearances when they inevitably get typecast as their famous sci-fi character.

Every now and then, though, Star Trek actors break free of their famous franchise and show us what they can do in entirely different genres. A great example of this is Green Room (2015), a viscerally disturbing horror film featuring veteran spacers Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin. If you want to see what happens when these two set their acting phasers to “stunning,” all you have to do is stream its macabre madness for yourself on Netflix.

When Horror Goes Punk

The premise of Green Room is that after a punk band’s gig gets canceled, a radio host finds them an alternate venue with one big catch: it’s a neo-Nazi bar. After they play, the band discovers a dead body in the titular green room, and that’s when everything goes to hell. Just like that, a band of traveling musicians just trying to make a name for themselves are caught in a fight for their lives against unflinching foes who won’t stop until they are six feet in the ground.

Green Room has a few surprising names in its cast, including Imogen Poots (best known for 28 Weeks Later) and Alia Shawkat (best known for Arrested Development). But in terms of young leads, nobody in this film is killing it quite as much as Anton Yelchin (best known for the 2009 Star Trek), who helps give this punk rock film its beating heart. Meanwhile, Patrick Stewart (best known for Star Trek: The Next Generation) does his best to rip that heart out, giving an absolutely chilling performance as the film’s ultimate Big Bad.

From Box Office Bomb To Critical Darling

Sadly, Green Room was a box office bust when it first came out, earning only $3.8 million against a budget of $5 million. Losing the studio money like this ensured that we would never get a proper sequel, which is a shame because this is one of the most unsettlingly effective horror films of the modern age. Fortunately, the film eventually established itself as a cult hit, and the growing number of fans soon joined the legion of critics who had already dubbed Green Room a modern masterpiece.

When Green Room came out, it quickly won over professional reviewers with its electrical intensity and charismatic performances. On Rotten Tomatoes, it had a rating of 90 percent, with critics praising the film for its intelligent execution of a brilliant genre script. They also spoke highly of Star Trek veterans Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin, whose immense talents help to highlight the generation gap at the heart of this movie’s surprisingly trenchant commentary on the intersection of punk music and Neonazi violence.

This Film Is Nonstop Tension

Part of why this movie works is that it leaves you in a constant state of tension that is punctuated only by horrific acts of brutal violence. This isn’t a horror film where the characters have fun vibing out until they are picked off, one by one, by some faceless killer. Instead, Green Room keeps its protagonist on the edge of their seat, and we are right there along with them; when the hammer finally drops, you’ll let out the breath you didn’t realize you were holding, if only so you can finally scream.

Additionally, the violence of Green Room is that much more impactful because everything is gritty and down to Earth. This isn’t a movie filled with stylized action, quippy one-liners, or lantern-jawed heroes saving the day; rather, it’s a movie in which our flawed heroes constantly make mistakes, which is that much more horrifying because everyone in this film is just one screw-up away from death. When (not if) death comes for your favorite characters, it’s in the form of unpolished violence sure to give you some serious nightmares.

Scream Me Up, Scotty!

At the center of those nightmares will be Sir Patrick Stewart, who is delightfully cast against type as a Neonazi leader who never met a problem he couldn’t solve with murder. His performance is electric, and he commands your attention every moment that he’s in the frame. That’s the genius of his casting, of course: for audiences used to seeing him as the genial Captain Picard, it’s wonderfully perverse to see his commanding presence and hear his confident baritone coming out of a character who is pure evil incarnate.

Will you agree that Green Room is one of the most terrifying tales of the modern age, or would you rather tell this Nazi punk film to f*** off? The only way to find out is to grab the remote (it’s in the green room, next to the snacks) and stream it for yourself on Netflix. Afterwards, you may finally learn a lesson that horror movies have been trying to teach us since The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: there’s nothing scarier in America than the terrors you’ll find in a small town!

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 40 seconds ago

 Part of what made Babylon 5 a unique sci-fi experience is that J. Michael Straczynski wrote the entire story in advance. There were pitfalls he didn’t expect, such as losing series lead Michael O’Hare after only one season, but there were also successes he couldn’t have foreseen, most notably, the Minbari Warrior Caste member Neroon turning into a fan favorite.

If JMS had seen this coming, maybe Neroon would have appeared in more than five episodes during the course of the series. As it is, every single one of his appearances was turned into a highlight of the episode, if not the entire season. 

The Minbari’s Greatest Warrior

Neroon was brought to life by John Vickery, an accomplished stage actor who also appeared multiple times on Star Trek in the 90s as various aliens. His distinctive voice brought a level of authority and gravitas to Neroon, whether he was threatening humans, praising humans, or extolling the noble virtues of the Minbari Warrior Caste. The space station Babylon 5 was used by hundreds of different species on a daily basis, and to Neroon, all of them were inferior to the Minbari. 

In his first appearance, Neroon investigates the disappearance of the Minbari leader Bramner’s corpse, with Babylon 5 Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) as his prime suspect. The two reach an accord, and for once, Neroon starts to appreciate humanity. Then came his duel with Ranger Marcus Cole (Jason Carter) in “Grey 17 is Missing.” Cole is completely outclassed by Neroon, one of the greatest warriors in the galaxy, and yet, Cole is willing to risk his life in the service of Delenn (Mira Furlan), a member of the Minbari Religious Caste. Both survived the duel to the death, but, as Neroon admits, a part of himself died in the battle. 

One Of Sci-Fi’s Best Character Arcs

“Grey 17 is Missing” is Neroon’s third appearance on Babylon 5. In his ensuing appearances, it’s clear that the boisterous warrior is a little different. He’s more open to Delenn and the Religious Caste, and when the Minbari Civil War heats up, he’s working towards a peaceful accord. On the surface. As viewers find out, he has his own goals for the Minbari while remaining true to the traditions of the Warrior Caste. Neroon’s last appearance on the series is one of the show’s best moments and the perfect way to end his story. Except it comes in Season 4. 

Babylon 5 was going to end with Season 4, so JMS moved events up to get to the show’s endgame before cancellation. The Season 5 renewal threw off his plans, and while some things were able to be delayed (notably Londo and the Centaurians), Neroon and the Minbari wrapped up too early. Fans were denied more time with the noble warrior, but then again, the calling of his heart was religious, the calling of his honor was war. Five episodes were all it took for sci-fi’s greatest character arc. 

You can stream Babylon 5 on The Roku Channel or on YouTube, but we don’t suggest that. 30 years later, John Vickery’s work as Neroon is part of why it remains one of the best sci-fi shows of all time. 

By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 6 seconds ago

James Bond is quite possibly the most recognizable cinematic character of the 20th century. He began as the ultimate boys’ fantasy: a character charming enough to land any woman and deadly enough to kill any foe. The fact that he got to travel the world while driving the slickest cars ever made was just the cherry on top of this adolescent dream turned cinematic reality.

While they proved to be major box office hits, Agent 007 wasn’t yet fully formed in his earlier films, and both Dr. No and From Russia With Love (a personal favorite) were used to flesh out his character. But the third time was most definitely the charm, and Goldfinger (1964) transformed this action movie star into the superspy who would dominate pop culture for over half a century. Whether you want to see Bond come into his own or just watch the most iconic spy movie of all time, all you have to do is stream Goldfinger on Netflix! 

The Ties That Bond

The general premise of Goldfinger is that the titular character is a gold smuggler, and British superspy James Bond is assigned to figure out how this man is moving metal around the world. But what starts as a simple investigation soon lands our erstwhile spy in the middle of the most dangerous criminal conspiracy the world has ever known. If he succeeds, he will preserve the way of life for England and America alike; if he fails, however, the planet will be plunged into financial chaos and ruthless anarchy.

Goldfinger is filled with some of the most iconic performers of the 1960s, including Gert Fröbe (best known outside of this film for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as the titular villain. Additionally, Honor Blackman (best known outside of this film for The Avengers television show) plays the hilariously named Pussy Galore, a powerful enemy who could become the perfect ally if properly persuaded. The real star is Hollywood legend Sean Connery (arguably best known for Dr. No), whose confident performance and sheer rockstar charisma helped singlehandedly transform James Bond into a pop culture icon for the generations.

Audiences Couldn’t Get Enough

Fitting enough, Goldfinger seemed to have the Midas touch, and it earned $125 million against a budget of only $3 million. Incidentally, killer word of mouth just kept goosing ticket sales, and some theaters had to stay open 24 hours a day just to keep up with demand. Thanks to the film’s sheer popularity, it became the then fastest-grossing movie in film history; this paved the way for the inevitable sequels, though the “fastest-grossing movie” honor would be stolen by later films (it is currently held by Avengers: Endgame). 

When Goldfinger came out, the critics quickly decided that it was the new gold standard (so to speak) for the spy genre: it has a staggering 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers praising how it works as both a showcase for 007 and a stylish action movie unto itself. Speaking of 007, most Bond superfans consider this to be the film where the superspy came into his own, establishing himself as one of the most iconic characters in Hollywood. In short, Goldfinger is as good as classic Bond gets, and it’s the perfect film to rewatch for franchise fans waiting to learn which actor will replace Daniel Craig as 007.

Sleek, Sexy, And Stylish

On top of being a hit with critics and fans alike, Goldfinger holds another special honor: it is the first James Bond film to win an Academy Award! In 1965, the film’s sound editor, Norman Wandstall, won the Oscar for Best Sound Editing. Winning this award helped establish 007 as one of Hollywood’s most prestigious action heroes, and Goldfinger composer John Barry was nominated for a Grammy (yes, kids, the music is that good).

In retrospect, it’s not hard to see why most fans consider Goldfinger to be the ultimate James Bond film. The titular villain was unlike any we had seen before, and he combined the charisma and cool death traps that we came to expect from the Big Bads of this franchise. It’s no stretch to say that we just wouldn’t have the modern action movie supervillain without the delightfully over-the-top evil of Auric Goldfinger.

Cheers To The Ultimate James Bond Film

Sean Connery is also at the top of his game as 007 here, finally finding the sweet spot between unflinching action hero and debonair ladies’ man. His every appearance is absolutely dripping with sex appeal, and Golfinger helped establish this spy as the epitome of swaggering masculinity. James Bond became someone every man wanted to be, and every woman wanted to be with, and that would never have happened without the insane popularity of Goldfinger.

Finally, it’s worth noting that Goldfinger wrote the winning formula for all future Bond films: all you need is an over-the-top villain, a globe-spanning plot, an array of futuristic gadgets, sexy action, and dry comedy. James Bond became a pop culture juggernaut, and this franchise has touched millions of lives while completely changing how action movies are made. None of that would have ever happened, though, without the trailblazing success of Goldfinger.

Will you agree that Goldfinger is the most iconic spy movie of all time, or is this one movie you’d rather see destroyed by a laser? You won’t know until you grab the remote (just don’t hit the ejector seat button!) and stream it on Netflix. Come for the killer Shirley Bassey theme song and stay for the borderline pornographic footage of the Aston Martin DB5, the sexiest car in cinematic history!