Author Archives: Carol Edwards

Only Murders in the Building may be over for now, but that just means we have unlimited time to watch and rewatch the breakout Hulu series — and to listen to the criminally catchy score by composer Siddhartha Khosla (no relation).

“One of the biggest compliments that I keep on getting on that main title theme is that it ‘slaps,'” Khosla says. “It’s not a word that I’ve ever used, I’m too old for that word, but like, I feel good when people are like, ‘Oh, that main title theme slaps…’ For the record, I feel very weird saying that it slaps but it also feels good.”

Khosla, best known for This Is Us, started out as a singer/songwriter and considers the Only Murders theme to be the most autobiographical piece of music he’s ever written.

“Strictly on an emotional level, not even about the music, I love living in this space of the music, feeling equal parts, sort of humorous as it is dramatic. I find that to be such a weird balance to strike,” he says. “It’s just my personality. That Only Murders piece is exactly my personality — it’s silly. It’s dramatic, it’s emotional. It’s all of those things together.”

Khosla spent his early years in India, and grew up on the classic Bollywood film music of Kishore Kumar, R.D. Burman, and more. He’s not classically trained, but finds inspiration in classical-adjacent composers like Philip Glass and Eric Satie.

“It had this element of [whimsy], of emotion, of quirkiness, of drama, of comedy all sort of built into that music. It was just all there — and it’s also incredibly romantic. So the Only Murders main title hits all those emotional places.”

In fact, that title theme is a bit of a microcosm of the show itself. The opening drums are percussionist James McAllister hitting sticks on Home Depot buckets, much like street performers in New York City. The grand, orchestral score in the rest of the show mirrors the majesty of the Arconia and its residents. The title theme hit every note the producers wanted: Whimsy, magical realism, mystery, and spirit of New York. But Khosla soon learned that that same musical palette — buckets included — didn’t work within the show.

“The show is as dramatic as it is comedic,” he says “I always stay away from scoring the comedy of stuff that I work on, especially when you’ve got Steve Martin and Martin Short, and Selena who just crushes it… I think the comedy can do the work on its own when you have the performances like they do, so instead, I leaned into the drama. I scored the show like a prestige drama.”

That’s evident in the series’ more emotional or introspective moments. For those, Khosla draws on chords from the rest of the score, but distorts them so they’re almost unrecognizable. One version of the theme bounces like a waltz; another is so high on the piano that it becomes “haunting.”

Those familiar with Khosla’s work will also recognize his spare and strategic use of vocals, a result of those years of singing.

“This was something that Dan Fogelman recognized on This Is Us,” Khosla elaborates. “And he wanted me to do a lot of it. I would hum on score and turn it in and be like, ‘Well I’m eventually going to replace that with blah, blah, blah,’ and then like Dan was like, ‘Nuh-uh, they’re gonna leave that.'”

As it happens, Khosla is the one singing the Only Murders theme (not Selena Gomez).

“When I’m humming it almost feels, in a weird way, like I’m sort of in the space with these people — like another character that’s just hanging out,” he says. “There’s also something very emotional about the voice. It’s so lyrical. I don’t need to use my hands on an instrument to create the emotion, it can literally just come out of me very instantly… and so it does add a whole layer of emotionality to the to the music.”

The show challenged Khosla, who said he’s often completed score pieces in a matter of hours. But some of the Only Murders score took him days and weeks to complete.

“There’s a piece called ‘Vantage’ that is something it took me two months to write,” he says. “It’s the deepest piece I’ve ever had to write, and like every single day I was writing like another bar or two and getting longer and longer and longer until I finally had it. I’d never done that before… I liked that it was an exercise of my musical muscle, and thinking of music in a different way that I never thought of before.”

“When I’m humming it almost feels like I’m sort in the space with these people.”

Khosla hinted previously that the score contains clues to the show’s central mystery: Who killed Tim Kono? For the answer, one need only listen to the bassoon. Khosla’s prominent use of the instrument is actually pure coincidence; he loved how it sounded, especially playing the main theme, and didn’t know how pivotal it would be to the story. Once he did though — he leaned in.

Tim Kono’s murder is solved, but the Arconia’s favorite true crime podcast will return for a second season on Hulu. Khosla will treasure working on Season 1 — especially a voice memo from director Jamie Babbitt after she shared his theme demo with the stars.

“At one point we were thinking maybe we have them sing on the main title, but we didn’t know,” he says. “So they were learning it on set and I have this recording of the three of them — Marty singing is a certain way, Steve saying ‘No no he’s going up to here, now he’s going down to here,’ and then Selena getting into singing it and them commenting on each other.”

Sounds like every day at the Arconia.

“It was really special,” he says. “That was like a pinch-myself moment.”

Only Murders in the Building Season 1 is streaming on Hulu.

Say what you will about the prequels, but Star Wars: The Phantom Menace did make one undeniably excellent addition to the canon of a galaxy far, far away: podracing.

This personal electronic vehicle from Jetson looks like the closest anyone is going to get to emulating Anakin in real life, and its launch video even shows the vehicle zooming above the ground in a very Tattooine-esque desert locale. According to Jetson’s website, this baby is capable of flying for up to 20 minutes at a time and has reached a maximum speed of 63 mph. It also rather helpfully can continue flying after losing one of its four motors, which will be a relief when Sebulba starts playing dirty on the Mos Espa Grand Arena.

Jetson plans to ship their commercial version of the prototype in 2023, but the cost of reliving Star Wars isn’t cheap. One reservation is $92,000 USD, which converts to a lot of Republic or Imperial credits.

I wasn’t expecting much from the upcoming re-release of the series-altering Grand Theft Auto trilogy, where 3D worlds and design twists took over from GTA III on to GTA: Vice City and finally GTA: San Andreas. I definitely wasn’t expecting this.

These games can’t possibly have aged well on the story side, but Rockstar Games’ upcoming refresh release, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, injects a new look into the trio of classics that has a distinctly “late ’90s computer animated kids’ cartoon” vibe. The difference, based on this trailer’s first look at gameplay, is most evident in character designs and faces. They look more like cartoon characters than very old video game character models. A nice update!

Even if the story and gameplay mechanics — the GTA series hasn’t ever been a masterpiece of video game feel, let’s be honest — end up feeling a little dated, fans should get a kick out of returning to each game’s massive virtual cities, which are absolutely characters unto themselves. Look for the trilogy to arrive for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles on Nov. 11.

Paging Dr. Internet, we need a diagnosis. In this series, Mashable examines the online world’s influence on our health and prescribes new ways forward.

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Like anything in life, whether it be starting a new hobby or learning how to tie a tie, I turn to YouTube. Exercising was no different. As a novice in the fitness world, I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. When I first searched fitness videos, I kept coming across videos like, “How to Get a Flat Stomach in Seven Days,” “Lose Arm Fat in Five Days,” and “Get Abs With This 10 Minute Routine.” I grew frustrated, thinking to myself, “Is it really that easy to get a perfect body this quickly?”

It wasn’t until I started doing the suggested exercises that I realized how intensive they were, how tiring they were, and frankly, how difficult they were, despite being targeted at beginners. Over time, I eventually found videos that actually gave me building blocks to develop my own routine. But I kept thinking in the back of my head how harmful, and frankly, annoying, those clickbaity exercise videos were when I began working out. And it’s not just YouTube videos. There are plenty of apps on the App Store and Play Store promising similar quick fixes.

When trying to follow these instructions to get fit quickly but not seeing the expected results, I felt as if I wasn’t doing something right. I felt as if there was something wrong with me that I couldn’t get perfectly toned arms in a few days. But people shouldn’t compare themselves to others with perfectly toned bodies who promise that one video will change their physiques, fitness trainers told me. Videos like the ones I encountered perpetuate false notions about fitness that can leave you spiraling. It’s about time we talk about the mental health implications of clickbaity exercises online.

Despite the downsides, fitness influencers continue to post these kinds of videos because they get clicks, and clicks mean more influence, more money, and more sponsorships. Daniel Richter, personal trainer, powerlifting coach, and exercise instructor says, “YouTubers, and many other content producers, go this route because it works. The algorithm on both YouTube and other social media uses a click-through ratio as a ranking factor: If people click your video when they search for a topic, it moves up in rankings. If people don’t click, you’re gone. Using eye-catching images, emotional trigger words, and other clickbait practices are tactics to win the first battle in the war for your attention.”

“If people don’t click, you’re gone.”

Fitness instructors looking to hook customers who want to look just like them aren’t new. Eugene Sandow, also known as the king of bodybuilding from the 1890s, is considered to be an early fitness influencer, even if the term didn’t have the same meaning back then. His chiseled physique made people go gaga, and he opened a gym in London, wrote books, and ran a mail-order business selling exercise equipment and health products. He promised his fans and readers “the perfect physique” if they followed his advice. We’ve also long had a desire to get fit fast with minimal effort. In the 1940s “slenderizing” equipment retailers promised women their product would remove fat from their hips and thighs almost instantly. In 1995, a workout video you popped in the VCR called “8 Minute Abs” was such a sensation, it netted $20 million.

Fast forward to the late 2000s, and YouTube fitness gurus hungry for views came along mimicking the catchy promise of “8 minute abs.” In this video with 39 million views, for example, a verified YouTuber claims you can lose belly fat in a week by working out with a five-minute routine. I tried it and felt as though it was definitely not made for a beginner like me. While many similar videos on YouTube are targeted at beginners, the content itself is by far better suited for seasoned fitness buffs.

Getting fit when you’re just starting out takes time and effort and requires a mix of both exercise and diet, no matter what YouTube videos and “Six Pack in 30 Days” apps tell you, fitness professionals say.

“It is possible to lose up to 5 pounds in one week. However, it would require a program much more rigorous than a basic YouTube fitness class.”

“It is possible to lose up to 5 pounds in one week. However, it would require a program much more rigorous than a basic YouTube fitness class. That alone would not suffice,” Jess Rose McDowell, fitness trainer and founder of KINETIC SWEAT, a 24/7 virtual training service, says.

Michael Liu, the co-founder of Boostcamp, a platform for fitness creators to share content, says to choose long-term results over quick gimmicks. “Fitness is a journey that requires consistency and sustainable habit change. There are certainly workout programs that are more effective than others, but any video or apps that promise some new secret or instant two-week hack is probably a sham.”

Changing your habits is no easy feat, yet it’s incredibly easy to get discouraged. I’ve even given up after a couple of weeks of working out, only to get back to it after a bad day of insecurity. When you approach fitness with emotional baggage about your appearance already in tow, the framing of these kinds of videos can hit you especially hard.

Jasmine Marcus, a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist says these videos can tarnish one’s self-esteem over time. “Seeing too many videos like this can make the viewer feel inadequate for not achieving their goals within a short time frame,” she says.

Christina Friedman, the founder and fitness expert of WomensFitnessHQ.com, a site that offers health tips for women, agrees that these videos set unrealistic expectations for some. And that she personally, “hesitates to trust any workout built by someone making such wild claims.”

So what’s someone looking for an online workout to do when they’re bombarded by these enticing claims?

Helen M. Ryan, a certified spinning and Pilates instructor and author, suggests doing your research. Yes, that’s harder than clicking on the first video that promises to help you “lose belly fat in 5 days,” but it’ll set you up for success in the long run. She suggests looking for the following when digging into a fitness influencer’s credentials:

• Do they have a certification in the fitness field?

• Do they offer modifications for people at different levels?

• What do the video comments or app/website reviews say?

• How long have they been in business?

One of the biggest things to keep in mind is that consistency and listening to your body is the key to a healthy workout routine. You can start with 10-minute to 20-minute videos to ease yourself into a routine, but remember better results come with time. For me, I work out with 45-minute to 60-minute videos a day now.

Clickbaity fitness videos and apps aren’t going anywhere, but there are great workout videos online, too. Avoid the ones making promises that seem too good to be true, and you’ll set yourself up for a more sustainable fitness journey.

Don’t trust anything on the internet — until Mashable tries it first. Welcome to the Hype Test, where we review viral trends and tell you what’s really worth millions of likes.

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Drinking water is an unfortunate requirement of survival and, for some of us, it’s still pretty dang difficult to remember to hydrate throughout the day.

It’s not that I don’t like water. I just forget. And if you really do hate water, that’s OK too. All water-avoiders are welcome here and, apparently, on TikTok, where more than 300 million people have been freaking out about the Cirkul water bottle.

The seemingly ordinary water bottle took the app by storm with its unique ability to flavor water. Pop in one of Cirkul’s many flavor cartridges, fill the bottle with regular ol’ water, and turn the dial on the mouthpiece to choose the flavor intensity. Yes, the intensity. The dial goes from zero to nine, with each level increasing in sweetness, tartness, or whatever key notes are in your chosen flavor cartridge.

As someone who is admittedly terrible at drinking water, I tested Cirkul to see if the beverage tech would alter my habits. After nearly two weeks of usage, I am deeply sorry to say I am still quite awful at drinking water. Though the bottle presents some plastic waste concerns, the Cirkul flavors did kind of make me feel like a joyous little kid every time I used them.

First, how to use it

Part of the hype around Cirkul is the ability to customize your water. Users can order a starter kit and choose the type of bottle, any additional accessories, and your preferred amount of flavor cartridges. Bottles range from $12-$35, and each flavor cartridge is $3.75. As you buy more product, you unlock higher percentage discounts on your entire bundle.

I received the standard plastic bottle, an insulated “chill sleeve,” and seven flavor cartridges. The chill sleeve helped keep my drink cold for longer without the bulk of a stainless steel bottle — also an option you can choose, albeit for a higher price — and I really appreciated this. It’s a little difficult to get on and off because of the narrow shape, but once it’s on, it’s very snug and is in no danger of slipping off.

For flavors, I tested out Fruit Punch, Caramel Iced Coffee, Raspberry Iced Tea, Strawberry Kiwi, Watermelon, Orange Tangerine, and Black Cherry. Installing each cartridge is pretty simple: Just open the package, insert the cartridge into the hole on the bottle’s lid, and twist. Fill your bottle with water, set the dial to the intensity you’d like to try, and sip away.

Generally, I liked the flavors, and I definitely liked them more because I could adjust the intensity. Usually, my problem with flavored waters is they are either too sweet or too mild, and with Cirkul, I had that power in my hands. Each flavor also claims to have other benefits: a hit of caffeine, a dose of electrolytes, or a boost of vitamins, to name some.

All of it seemed too easy. “Super easy,” I thought. “I love juice! And beverages in general! This is going to make me drink so much more water!”

Oh, dear reader, how wrong I was.

OK, so how much water did this actually make you drink?

For context, I drink about two Yeti tumblers of water a day, on a good day. That is approximately 40 ounces. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that women drink about 92 ounces a day, so this is truly not enough. I started this journey absolutely wanting to be better.

To be fair, Cirkul itself doesn’t claim to make you drink more water, but the thousands of TikTok videos from raving users do. “If you struggle drinking water, this is perfect for you,” reads the on-screen text of user @kara.cardwell’s video, one of many others like it.

The bottle I received carries 22 ounces, and I tried to track exactly how many bottles of flavored water I could down a day. Over two weeks, I averaged about two Cirkul bottles a day, or 44 ounces. I kept track over the days in a journal, noting which flavors I tried, how much I enjoyed it, and how many bottles I drank. As you can see, the results were…not the greatest.

I can’t lie, the absolute lack of change in my water habits had me questioning myself as a functioning human being. Why were all these TikTokkers going off about this?! Why did this revolutionize their hydration habits while mine remained unchanged? Are they just…better than me?

Obviously, these were dramatic thoughts. After reflecting for longer than 30 seconds, it’s very clear why Cirkul didn’t drastically alter my water drinking: I couldn’t replace my usual drinks with Cirkul. Yes, every time I wanted water, I reached for my Cirkul, which I could choose to flavor. But when I wanted a glass of juice or my cup of hot morning coffee, I still went for those actual drinks.

This is a personal problem — I am generally resistant to change, and two weeks of a new water bottle did not make me different. But, when I looked at the days I tracked, if I had replaced my daily coffee and other beverages with the Cirkul—which does offer most of those flavors—I would have drunk more water than usual.

If you are less resistant to change than I, or simply more willful, Cirkul could potentially alter your water habits. But for me, the novelty of the water bottle was the better part. I did find myself looking forward to trying new flavors every day, and I liked being more conscious of my water habits. Making the process of drinking water, well, a process, made me enjoy the Cirkul, but it didn’t deliver the results I was hoping for.

The good, the bad, and the things to think about

There were plenty of things to like about Cirkul. The flavors, for one, were actually pretty good. They weren’t all to my taste, but the vast selection made it easy to trust that I would find some that I liked. And I did feel like the flavors that promised a boost of energy (Caramel Iced Coffee, Raspberry Tea, and Black Cherry) did give me a nice little jolt, but I can’t promise that wasn’t a placebo effect.

Cirkul also accomplishes the incredible feat of tasty flavors with no added sugars or calories. “Cirkul’s blends are sweetened with sucralose, Stevia or nothing at all (just pure flavor essence), depending on the flavor,” said Garrett Waggoner, CEO and founder of Cirkul in an email.”Consumers’ health is our top priority, and with Cirkul, we hope to give everyone a custom, convenient and clean way to drink more water.”

SEE ALSO: Best electric toothbrushes — and one you should totally avoid

The more annoying part was actually switching the flavors in and out. The flavor cartridges are supposed to last up to six bottle refills, but I never kept a cartridge in that long. I wanted to keep changing them, both for testing and variety. But as I did, I realized the cartridges themselves all look exactly the same: plain white, with no markings or colors to tell the flavors apart once you take them out of their packaging.

This meant I had to save the plastic packaging to store the cartridges I wasn’t using but wasn’t ready to dispose of. It wasn’t the most elegant solution, but I didn’t want to take a marker to the cartridges either. I ended up with a bunch of crinkly packages around my apartment, an annoyance that could have been easily solved with a little flavor label on the cartridge.

The bottle itself was almost perfect. The size was large enough for a significant amount of water, but not too clunky or heavy. The lid was easy to twist on, and the additional chill sleeve kept condensation away, as it was meant to.

Surprisingly, the sleeve was even more essential than I realized, due to a weird malfunction in the nozzle. The bottle doesn’t have an attached mouthpiece; each flavor cartridge has a nozzle that requires you to suck on while tipping the bottle upside down to drink your water. For me, the malfunction occurred once I put the bottle down. Because I was sucking water into the cartridge and nozzle, I inevitably—pardon the grossness—backwashed a little, and when I set the bottle down, some of that backwashed water kinda guzzled back up and spilled over the nozzle. This happened with every single flavor cartridge and attached nozzle I tried.

That leftover water was always dripping down the side, and the chill sleeve actually caught it so it didn’t create a giant puddle, even if the sleeve was then damp. Of course, I would prefer for my backwash to not spill back over, but at least the chill sleeve made it a little less…wet?

Compared to other flavored water receptacles, Cirkul can’t be beat in convenience. In fact, there’s not much like it. Amazon carries various water bottles with infusers, into which users can insert cut up fruit or other flavor additions. There are liquid flavor drops, like MiO, but Cirkul’s built-in flavor receptacle is unique. Adjusting intensity is just a turn of a dial away, and that ease of use is alluring.

Finally, a thought I couldn’t get out of my head: Cirkul claims to help reduce plastic waste, but each plastic flavor cartridge must be disposed of after it’s empty. So, compared to other reusable water bottles, Cirkul is actually more wasteful. It certainly helps combat single-use plastic bottles, but the impact of throwing away cartridge after cartridge can’t be ignored.

You can recycle the cartridges, but it takes the conscious effort of taking them apart first, something the average consumer may not be aware of.

“Cirkul cartridges are made of #5 plastic, which is recyclable in communities that accept it,” said Waggoner. “However, the inside of the cartridge contains a foil pouch, which is not recyclable. The cartridge can be disassembled for proper sorting of materials.”

Some Tiktokkers have taken it even further, pulling the cartridges apart to refill them with store-bought flavors rather than reordering from Cirkul — thereby reusing the plastic mouthpieces, reducing waste, and saving a little cash.

All in all, Cirkul is just a novel way to drink water. It didn’t change my life or my habits, and it’s honestly not even the most earth-friendly reusable bottle out there. But if you’re looking for a way to spice up your hydration habits and don’t mind putting in extra effort to recycle your waste, Cirkul could be worth a try. Who knows? If you keep it up for long enough, you could grow to replace your regularly flavored beverages with Cirkul’s yummy flavored water.

Oh, and you don’t technically have to drink just water out of your Cirkul…did someone say cocktail to-go?

If you’ve been online — or hang out around people who spend time online — at all for the last few weeks, you’ve likely heard your fair share of Ted Lasso love. Or maybe you’re more of a Morning Show person, or you’re into Physical or Greyhound. No matter your poison, you can’t watch any of these shows, or be part of the cultural conversation, without an Apple TV subscription. And once you’ve got that, you might as well set it up to watch on your actual TV, and enjoy the shows away from the comfort of your laptop or phone.

If you have an Amazon Fire TV Stick, that process is simple. Here’s how to do it.

1. Get an Apple TV subscription

You can do this online by navigating to Apple TV’s website to set up your account. It’ll cost you $4.99 each month to view all the shows your Twitter feed is nonstop talking about. Don’t worry if you don’t have access to a laptop or phone — you can also sign up for a subscription through your FireStick.

2. Find the Apple TV app on your Fire TV Stick

The first step here, of course, is to log onto your Amazon Fire TV Stick. Once you do that, the app should automatically take you to your home page. There, you’ll see the apps you use most often. (If you’ve never used Apple TV, it will likely not auto-populate.)

You’ll want to search for Apple TV like this: On the main menu, click the option “Find,” which is right between the options for “Home” and “Live.” When you navigate over “Find,” choose the first option: “Search.” This will take you to a search. Alternately, you can hold the voice button on your remote and say “Apple TV” or type in “Apple TV.” Now, select the Apple TV app.

3. Download Apple TV

On your screen, there will be an option to download Apple TV directly under the description of the app. Download it, and it will give you an option to open the app. Do just that.

4. Log into Apple TV

If you made an Apple TV account before starting the Fire TV Stick journey, toggle up to “Sign In,” plug in your username and password, and enjoy. If you didn’t, you can sign up for one now.

5. Add Apple TV to your Fire TV Stick homepage

You can stop at step four if you’re content, or you can go ahead and add Apple TV to your Fire TV Stick homepage, too. This makes it easier to navigate to the Apple TV app from your home page. First, go home. Click the button to the right of the settings gear on the main menu. It has three squares and one plus sign and instructs users to “Press SELECT to view all of your apps and channels.” Select that button, toggle down to Apple TV, and either click “Move to Front” if you want to move it to the front of your list of apps, or “Move” if you want to move it to a specific location.

Are you a connoisseur of horror? You appreciate all flavors of this rich genre, from the spine-tinglingly spooky to the gleefully gruesome, from the sickeningly suspenseful, to the willfully outrageous. But maybe you’ve seen so many horror movies that it has become a challenge to find something fresh to thrill. We’ve been there, and we’re here to help.

Scouring Shudder’s streaming library of horror, we’ve collected highlights that boast eerie ghost stories, vengeful witches, cackling corpses, a love-struck zombie, and unconventional slashers, featuring a murderous mall Santa, a slaying snowman, and a truly killer pair of jeans.

Here are the 10 best hidden gems now streaming on Shudder.

1. Rift

Want something uniquely chilling? Then check out this 2017 Icelandic thriller set in a frigid and frightful landscape. Written and directed by Erlingur Thoroddsen, Rift follows a man (Björn Stefánsson) to a remote cabin, where he hopes to help his distraught ex-boyfriend (Sigurður Þór Óskarsson) and maybe find some closure over their breakup. However, their reunion is rattled by a series of strange events that suggest they aren’t alone. Something is in the darkness, watching and waiting. This fantastic film lures you in with beautiful vistas and a slow-burn pace, then spirals into scares sure to linger like a cold shiver down your spine.

How to watch: Rift is now streaming on Shudder.

2. Slaxx

Have a passion for fashion and slashers? This midnight movie about killer jeans will be a perfect fit. Director Elza Kephart bleeds political commentary into this outlandish premise by weaving a subtext about the human cost of fast fashion. Wide-eyed ingenue Romane Denis stars as the naive new employee of a hip clothing corporation’s flagship store. Locked in overnight to prep for the hotly anticipated debut of “super shaper” denim, she and her co-workers must fight for their lives once they learn some clothes can kill. Studded with gory slaughter, goofy characters, and cutting one-liners, this stylish movie is riotous fun.

How to watch: Slaxx is now streaming on Shudder.

3. The Awakening

In the mood for an old-fashioned ghost story? Set in 1921 England, The Awakening centers on a professional skeptic Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall), who dedicates her life to debunking so-called clairvoyants and their showy seances. With ruthless reasoning and science experiments, she has exposed frightful frauds and infuriated believers. However, Florence may have met her match when she travels to a boys’ boarding school to confront a reportedly murderous apparition. Director Nick Murphy imbrues this spooky tale with suspense and dread, unfurling a final act that’s uniquely haunting. Dominic West and Imelda Staunton co-star.

How to watch: The Awakening is now streaming on Shudder.

4. Nina Forever

Yearning for a dark comedy that’s bloody fun? You’ll fall hard for Nina Forever. Co-writers/co-directors Ben Blaine and Chris Blaine have dreamed up a truly deranged tale of love and letting go, and it all begins with a macabre crush. Grocery clerk Holly (Abigail Hardingham) hopes she can help mournful motorcyclist Rob (Cian Barry) forget his last girlfriend, who died in a grisly accident. But every time these new lovers crawl into bed, Nina (Fiona O’Shaughnessy) intrudes. Or more specifically, her broken and bloody corpse crashes the party with snarky one-liners and withering eye-rolls. Full of gore, sex, and jaw-droppingly outrageous gags, this horror-comedy earns its hard-R, yet delivers a surprisingly tender tale.

How to watch: Nina Forever is now streaming on Shudder.

5. The Queen of Black Magic

It’s a rare thing for a remake to outdo the original. Yet Kimo Stamboel’s gruesome 2019 offering does just that by upping the ante on body-horror with frightfully realistic gore. Deep in rural Indonesia, a humble orphanage is supposed to be the site of a warm reunion between three friends (Ario Bayu, Tanta Gintin, and Miller Khan), who long ago spent their boyhoods there. But in the past and in this place, they buried a terrible secret. Now, something horrid has risen to claim vengeance on them and their families. With creeping dread, stomach-churning scares, and ruthless supernatural twists, this one is not for the faint of heart.

How to watch: The Queen of Black Magic is now streaming on Shudder.

6. Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street

Shudder boasts a robust documentaries selection, which offers audiences deep cuts into their favorite movies or horror subgenres. The best of the bunch is this funny, personal, and political exploration of the infamous A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge. Long mocked for its queer content, the subversive sequel proved a nightmare for its unconventional scream queen, Mark Patton. However, directors Roman Chimienti and Tyler Jensen present the charismatic Patton with the opportunity to reclaim the narrative (and share a slew of stories, both thrilling and heartbreaking). The result is a bio-doc that’s sensationally bold, surprisingly funny, and proudly gay as hell.

How to watch: Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street is now streaming on Shudder.

7. Jack Frost

Seeking something sloppy, silly, and unapologetically dumb? Then revel in the bad taste of this seasonal slasher about a homicidal snowman. It all began on a wintry night when a vicious serial killer named Jack Frost (Scott MacDonald) met with a corrosive chemical accident that melded his rotten core into sentient snow! Director Michael Cooney festoons this cult classic with gleefully ludicrous slayings, cringe-worthy sight gags, and practical effects so bad they’re hilarious.

How to watch: Jack Frost is now streaming on Shudder.

8. Zombie for Sale

What if zombie bites weren’t all bad? More specifically, what if a nip from the undead would give the impotent new life below the belt? That’s the preposterous premise that kicks off this gleefully bonkers South Korean comedy. The Park family is scraping by running a battered gas station when their fortunes are turned by a zombie (Jung Ga-ram) with a rejuvenating bite. That’s just the first act of director Lee Min-jae’s playful horror-comedy. Family hijinks, ghoulish action, gross-out gags, and absurdly earnest romance also pop up, making for a movie that is chaotically charming and pleasantly unpredictable.

How to watch: Zombie for Sale is now streaming on Shudder.

9. Revenge

“Vengence is Hers” is a Shudder collection that offers an array of nail-biting tales about women fighting back with all their might and no regrets. A standout in this section is this critically acclaimed 2017 action-thriller from writer/director Coralie Fargeat. Matilda Lutz stars as an American socialite, who’s living it up as the girlfriend of an obscenely wealthy playboy. That is until a horrid betrayal leaves her battered, broken, and left for dead. Filled with righteous wrath, this party girl hurls herself into a scorching quest not only to survive but also to burn down the men who tried to destroy her. Electric with bone-crunching violence and candy-colored accents, Revenge is as ferocious and feminine as its rampaging heroine deserves.

How to watch: Revenge is now streaming on Shudder.

10. Deadly Games

Before there was Home Alone, French writer/director René Manzor dared to dream up a kid-centered holiday home invasion that is unapologetically scary. Since its 1989 debut overseas, this festive thriller could not get a US theatrical run. So, it became a coveted treasure for American horror fans, who’d heard of its heady combination of terror, twists, and toys. Mazor’s own son, Alain Lalanne (credited as Alain Musy), stars as a clever boy, who must use all his wits and playthings to survive the night, once a menacing mall-Santa breaks into his home hellbent on homicide. Forget paint cans and Wet Bandits. Manzor’s spin on this story is far darker, zanier, and bolder, making for a movie that’s outrageously funny, truly frightening, and ultimately unforgettable.

How to watch: Deadly Game is now streaming on Shudder.

Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer shares his process in creating iconic scores and realizing his lifelong dream to make Dune.

Looking to get hooked on a new tale of true crime? HBO Max has you covered.

The streaming service boasts tons of great documentaries, many of them centered on criminal activity. But for the purposes of this list, we’ve limited the definition of the genre to focus exclusively on those all-consuming stories that drive you to marathon-viewing multiple, terrifying tales. You know, those whodunnits — or more often, those why’d-they-do-its — that plunge you into a rabbit hole of armchair psychology, amateur sleuthing, and nonfiction nightmares.

Here are the 19 most gripping true crime projects, both series and films, now on HBO Max.

20. The Lady and the Dale*

HBO has a library of sensational true crime offerings, yet this 2021 mini-series is uniquely fascinating. Directors Nick Cammilleri and Zackary Drucker unfurl the times and trials of Elizabeth Carmichael, who was not only a nationally recognized automobile executive and infamous con artist, but also a wife, mother, and transgender trailblazer.

For decades, her story has been framed by those who despise her, resulting in a narrative rife with speculation and transphobia. In this challenging and boldly funny four-episode documentary mini-series, Carmichael’s story is reclaimed by balancing the perspective of her haters with in-depth interviews with those who knew her best. With animated photography, a playful soundtrack, and a cheeky sense of adventure, The Lady and The Dale aims not only to showcase the complexity of the late Carmichael, but also to capture her spirit. All this makes for a watch that is surprising, thrilling, and unforgettable.

How to watch: The Lady and the Dale is streaming on HBO Max.

19. Class Action Park

When most people think “true crime,” their minds leap to bloody murders, twisted thinking, and criminal enterprises. They don’t generally think: water slides. But Class Action Park is a special case. This superb documentary from directors Seth Porges and Chris Charles Scott III is an equal mix of theme park nostalgia, hilariously dumb ideas, and — here’s where the crimes come in — the unfortunate victims of said dumb ideas. The movie tells the story of Action Park, an infamous New Jersey water park known for its dangerous attractions and lax approach to safety.

From the day it opened in 1978 until its closing in 1996, at least six people died and literally countless others were injured. Class Action Park tells the story of how that all happened while also laying out the circumstances that kept this memorably dangerous tourist attraction in business for almost two decades. — Adam Rosenberg, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Class Action Park is now streaming on HBO Max.

18. Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop

Another project from director Erin Carr, Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop follows the strange case of former NYPD officer Gilberto Valle.

In 2012, Valle was arrested for conspiring to kidnap, rape, kill, and cannibalize women after his wife discovered hundreds of internet chat messages describing the acts in his search history. The apparent fetish seemed to go beyond hypothetical imagery, when Valle began improperly accessing the National Crime Information Center database through his NYPD credentials and drawing up comprehensive abduction plans for women he actually knew.

The documentary navigates the sticky legal area deftly, posing fascinating questions about what Valle’s case means for the future of crime in the digital age. — A.F.

How to watch: Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop is now streaming on HBO Max.

17. Mommy Dead and Dearest

Documentarian and true crime heavy hitter Erin Lee Carr — whose engrossing works appear twice more on this list — covers the bizarre murder of Dee Dee Blanchard in Mommy Dead and Dearest. The 2017 film tells the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a 19-year-old victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, who after a lifetime of abuse conspired to murder her mother in 2015.

Some viewers will recognize the case from its serialized dramatization in Hulu’s The Act, but Carr’s telling offers a more nuanced look at the fact pattern. It’s a flummoxing conundrum of justice that sees mother and daughter trade places as victim and attacker, and raises serious questions about the criminal justice system’s ability to hand down levelheaded verdicts in morally complicated cases. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Mommy Dead and Dearest is now streaming on HBO Max.

16. The Cheshire Murders

Directed and produced by Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, The Cheshire Murders chronicles a horrific home invasion that devastated a small town in Connecticut.

In the early hours of July 23, 2007, two men entered a suburban residence and began a campaign of terror against a family of four that left only father Dr. William Petit alive. It’s a truly disturbing account, which includes graphic descriptions of child rape and torture.

This project is sometimes regarded as being staunchly in favor of the death penalty, featuring damning interviews with the attackers’ families actually recommending the two convicted men be sentenced to death. However, it also offers a disturbing look at the alarming lack of transparency from police regarding the perpetrators’ arrests and trials. — A.F.

How to watch: The Cheshire Murders is now streaming on HBO Max.

15. There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane

On July 26, 2009, Diane Schuler traveled 1.7 miles in the wrong direction on the Taconic State Parkway in upstate New York. When her minivan collided head-on with an SUV, she, her daughter, three of her nieces, and all of the passengers in the other vehicle died.

In director Liz Garbus’ There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane, Schuler’s family members, witnesses, and investigators attempt to make sense of the bizarre decisions Schuler made that day. Her blood alcohol content was reportedly .19% at the time of the collision, but Schuler had no history of alcoholism and had appeared sober to witnesses shortly beforehand.

Garbus prioritizes deep and complex analysis over a tidy narrative in her take on the case. It’s a sympathetic but truthful account that will leave you with plenty to chew over. — A.F.

How to watch: There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane is now streaming on HBO Max.

14. Beware the Slenderman

If you’re a regular true crime fan, chances are you already know everything there is to know about the so-called “Slenderman stabbing.” But uh, if you don’t? Buckle way, way up.

In this haunting documentary from director Irene Taylor Brodsky, we revisit the 2014 attempted murder of 12-year-old Payton Leutner. The attack was carried out by two other 12-year-old girls, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, who told Wisconsin authorities they attacked their friend in an effort to impress the online character Slenderman. The film offers a chilling glimpse into the sometimes warped interactions between adolescent minds and the internet that’s imperfect to say the least, but a unique watch. Some of these interviews really stick with you. — A.F.

How to watch: Beware the Slenderman is now streaming on HBO Max.

13. The Case Against Adnan Syed

Directed by Academy Award nominee Amy Berg, The Case Against Adnan Syed can be understood and appreciated as a standalone project. But for most viewers, the four-part docuseries serves as a companion piece to the watershed Serial podcast, which brought the murder of Baltimore County high school student Hae Min Lee to international attention in 2014.

The series explores the media fervor brought on by the podcast’s popularity, as well as recounts the story from investigation through the 2016 post-conviction relief hearing of Adnan Syed, the man convicted of the murder. All told, the project isn’t likely to change your mind about the case, but it offers new insights and evidence worth your (and possibly the court’s) attention. — A.F.

How to watch: The Case Against Adnan Syed is now streaming on HBO Max.

12. Capturing the Friedmans

In this Academy Award-nominated crime documentary, director Andrew Jarecki looks at the collapse of a family when father Arnold and son Jesse are investigated and later tried for charges of child molestation. The result is a chilling juxtaposition of what predators can choose to present to the world and their true nature behind closed doors. — A.F. *

How to watch: Capturing the Friedmans is now streaming on HBO Max.

11. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst

Efforts to put suspected serial killer Robert Durst behind bars have spanned decades. In The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, filmmaker Andrew Jarecki recaps the chillingly charmed life of the New York real estate heir, who in 2021 is just now standing trial for the 2000 murder of Susan Berman. Berman is one of three victims tied to Durst; he is also accused of having killed his first wife Kathleen McCormack in 1982 and his neighbor Morris Black in 2001.

Against the advice of his attorneys, Durst actively participated in the creation of the 2014 docuseries. Across six episodes, Durst sits down with Jarecki for a series of disturbing interviews, a number of which have since been treated as evidence in the continued prosecution of Durst. As far as portraits of truly terrible people go, The Jinx remains one of the most horrific. — A.F.

How to watch: The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst is now streaming on HBO Max.

10. Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn

The murder of Yusuf Hawkins was a hate crime, no question. But in Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn, director Muta’Ali entertains the other theories that were considered in the 1989 shooting death of the Black 16-year-old just enough for you to understand the power of the white narrative Hawkins’ family was up against when seeking justice.

Thoughtful and well-paced, the 2020 documentary goes beyond the tragic facts of this death to steadily reveal the surrounding culture of racism in New York City during the late ’80s and early ’90s that made so many like it possible. It’s a heartbreaking true crime entry, but a crucial one. — A.F.

How to watch: Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn is now streaming on HBO Max.

9. Who Killed Garrett Phillips?

The 2011 death of Garrett Phillips spurred a multitude of tragedies. Not only did a New York family lose their 12-year-old son in a senseless act of violence, but the subsequent investigation left a Black man suffering greatly under a legal system ravaged by racial bias.

Another true crime film from director Liz Garbus (There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane), Who Killed Garrett Phillips? relentlessly seeks justice on both fronts. Asking the right questions at the just the right times, Garbus produces a compelling narrative that is at once an indictment of police failings and a rallying cry for identifying the real killer. — A.F.

How to watch: Who Killed Garrett Phillips? is now streaming on HBO Max.

8. Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children

Director Sam Pollard tackles one of the most troubling crime trends in American history in Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children. Between 1979 and 1981, at least 30 Black children were abducted and murdered. But prosecutors’ decision to assign all of those deaths to the convicted serial killer Wayne Williams disturbed many who doubted his involvement every case.

Over five episodes, Pollard tracks the story from the beginning of the killings to the reopening of the investigation in 2019. It’s a comprehensive look at the insidious racism that has plagued Atlanta policing for decades, that only grows in importance. The tragedy of these cases, however, is that the decision to prematurely close them in the ’80s may mean they’re unsolvable now. — A.F.

How to watch: Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children is now streaming on HBO Max.

7. I Love You, Now Die

Another true crime project from Erin Carr, I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth vs. Michelle Carter is a two-part look at one of the most senseless crimes of the modern age. On July 13, 2014, 18-year-old Conrad Roy died by suicide in a Kmart parking lot in Massachusetts. His girlfriend, 19-year-old Michelle Carter, not only knew of her boyfriend’s plan to die by carbon monoxide poisoning, but actively encouraged him to go through with it in a series of bewildering text messages that would later land her in court on charges of involuntary manslaughter.

The series follows Carter’s efforts to prove her innocence, posing fascinating questions about what crimes can be committed online. This one is tough viewing, both for its heart-wrenching depiction of Roy’s mental health crisis and for the helplessness one feels in knowing Roy could have been saved if Carter had interceded. — A.F.

How to watch: I Love You, Now Die is now streaming on HBO Max.

6. The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley

Enter the absolutely unreal delusion of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley. Academy Award winner Alex Gibney walks viewers through the (alleged) scam concocted by the ex-CEO, which not only garnered the support of numerous high-profile investors but even saw its entirely fake technology — a blood-testing device called “Edison” — begin a pseudo rollout in actual pharmacies.

Repurposing some incredible footage of Holmes intended for use in a Theranos advertising campaign, Gibney renders a stunning portrait of a (again, alleged) con artist. The result is a mesmerizing watch that will make you question how easy you’d be to fool when faced with one of the most notorious liars of the 21st century. — A.F.

How to watch: The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley is now streaming on HBO Max.

5. Murder on Middle Beach

It should go without saying, but true crime is a better genre when victims and survivors lead the way. Murder on Middle Beach champions just this idea, as debut filmmaker Madison Hamburg investigates and reflects on the unsolved murder of his mother Barbara Hamburg in 2010.

A four-part story shot over eight years, the docuseries chronicles Hamburg’s journey to understand who killed his mom and why. What begins as a look into his family’s most fraught relationships soon takes Madison into a hidden world of scams and hierarchy of which he didn’t know his mother was a part. It’s a fascinating, if slightly unsatisfying, project you’ll want to binge for its winding narrative style and surprising last-act revelations. — A.F.

How to watch: Murder on Middle Beach is now streaming on HBO Max.

4. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills

This 1996 documentary from HBO was the first of many to question the verdict reached in the infamous case of Arkansas’ West Memphis Three. And while there’s plenty you’ll want to research about the case after seeing the movie — seriously, you’ve got 25 years of legal developments that aren’t accounted for here — it remains one of the most well-regarded perspectives on the disturbing crime available, not to mention an utterly transfixing viewing experience.

On May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys were found dead and mutilated in a wooded area known as Robin Hood Hills. Local teenagers Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley Jr., and Jason Baldwin were soon identified as prime suspects in the crime, but their connections to the murders were flimsy. Directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s Paradise Lost is an essential true crime watch that always strikes a nerve. — A.F.

How to watch: Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills is now streaming on HBO Max.

3. Behind Closed Doors

The double homicide of 13-year-old Aarushi Talwar and her family’s servant 45-year-old Hemraj Banjade remains a world-shaking event for the people of Noida, India.

In Behind Closed Doors, documentarian P.A. Carter takes viewers into the heart of the media storm that erupted when the two were found dead in 2008. Over two parts, Carter interviews those closest to the case about everything from the small details needed to nab the killer to the broader societal issues that made this particular investigation so tumultuous. It’s a particularly intriguing true crime entry, considering it allows for a broader discussion of how justice is or isn’t carried out internationally in a genre typically dominated by western audiences. — A.F.

How to watch: Behind Closed Doors is now streaming on HBO Max.

2. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark

One of the best portraits of a true crime writer to date, director Liz Garbus’ I’ll Be Gone in the Dark serves as both a look into the terrifying Golden State Killer (also known as the “Original Night Stalker” and “East Area Rapist”) and the woman who would stop at nothing to identify him.

Michelle McNamara, who died suddenly in 2016, dedicated years of her life to finding the man responsible for a string of murders, rapes, and burglaries across California between 1973 and 1986, despite not knowing anyone directly impacted by his crimes. A book chronicling her work, also titled I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, was released posthumously and the docuseries serves as a sort of companion piece — filled with loving remembrances and overwhelming admiration for McNamara.

As far as true crime “fans” go, McNamara was the best of us. Her unrelenting passion for justice leaps from the page and screen even now, and will serve as an inspiration always. — A.F.

How to watch: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is now streaming on HBO Max.

1. McMillions

For more than a decade starting in 1989, a veritable army of crooks and stooges bilked McDonald’s out of $24 million worth of winnings from its annual McDonald’s Monopoly sweepstakes. It was such a sprawling scheme that HBO turned it into a documentary miniseries directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte. Across six episodes, the fascinating and frequently hilarious doc introduces us to colorful characters on both sides of the law as it digs into the particulars of the criminal enterprise and how it eventually fell apart.

By the time it’s all over, you’ll know the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the historic McDonald’s Monopoly fraud case. But you’ll also be left with plenty of questions about what McMillions‘ most memorable character, FBI Agent Doug Matthews, isn’t telling us. — A.R.

How to watch: McMillions is now streaming on HBO Max.

Asterisks (*) indicate the entry description comes from a previous Mashable streaming list.

Sure, Hulu’s got a great catalogue of current and recent TV hits, not to mention a pretty impressive originals lineup of its own. But sometimes, you’re in the mood for something more classic — a feature film that’s stood the test of time, say.

That’s where we come in to help. We’ve scoured Hulu to find the best old movies from a range of genres, from action-packed Westerns to outrageous comedies, stirring sci-fi, and thrilling crime dramas.

Below is our list of the 10 best classic movies on Hulu, listed in order of release.

1. The Furies (1950)

Hulu boasts a surprisingly decent selection of classic Westerns from over the decades, as you’ll see on this very list. One to seek out is Anthony Mann’s The Furies, a Criterion-approved psychodrama starring Barbara Stanwyck as a strong-willed heiress to a sprawling New Mexico cattle ranch and Walter Huston, in his final role, as her equally strong-willed father. The two lock horns over her choice of a husband and his choice of a wife (yes, Freud would have a field day), and ultimately break entirely over a fatal decision regarding management of the ranch itself. If you like sprawling Western vistas, shadowy film noir style, and epic Shakespearean family drama, The Furies is one to put on your to-watch list. — Angie Han, Former Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: The Furies is streaming on Hulu.

2. Shane (1953)

Shane is a simple Western story at heart: A lone gunman who just wants to settle into a quiet life of retirement finds himself compelled to step up and protect the farming community that embraces him from a villainous cattle baron. But there’s depth in the writing here, imbuing that simple format with an unexpected level of emotional complexity and depth.

We witness Shane’s (Alan Ladd) journey secondhand, through the eyes of a community and in particular a young child named Joey Starrett (Brandon De Wilde), who reveres him. When Rufus Ryker (Emile Meyer) rolls into town intent on taking the local farmland for his cattle, Shane picks up his guns to once more assume the role of outlaw hero. Even if it costs him everything.

Beautifully shot and propelled by a rich cast of characters, Shane earns every inch of its status as a Library of Congress-sanctified classic.— Adam Rosenberg, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Shane is now streaming on Hulu.

3. Johnny Guitar (1954)

Though Nicholas Ray’s Johnny Guitar takes its name from the handsome gunslinger (Sterling Hayden) who arrives in town at the start of the movie, this is really the story of his former lover, saloon owner Vienna (Joan Crawford). Having aroused the animosity of a powerful pack of locals led by her bitter rival (Mercedes McCambridge), Vienna is targeted over her (wrongfully) suspected association with a recent killing, lack of evidence be damned. Brimming with heated emotion, rendered in bold Technicolor style, and anchored by a ferocious leading performance from Crawford, Johnny Guitar is a unique Western whose queer undertones and political messaging still feel fresh, even more than half a century later. — Angie Han, Former Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Johnny Guitar is streaming on Hulu.

4. Snoopy Come Home (1972)

Charles M. Schulz’s popular comic strip Peanuts comes to life in this charming comedy cartoon. Like any Peanuts movie worth its salt (ha ha!), this family-friendly film features the oft-flustered Charlie Brown, his pestering sister Sally, bossy neighbor Lucy, thoughtful friend Linus, and the playful Peppermint Patty.

But its main story follows Snoopy and his birdie buddy Woodstock (making his movie debut) on a road trip to reconnect with an old friend. Along the way, these lovable animal besties bumble into misadventures full of physical comedy and punctuated by spirited songs. So if you’re looking for a cheerful walk down memory lane, who better to accompany you than an iconic pup with a big imagination. — Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Snoopy Come Home is streaming on Hulu.

5. The Conversation (1974)

Sometimes the difference between life and death can hang on a single word.

No one understands this better than surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), who has been hired to record a conversation between a couple as they stroll around a San Francisco park. A paranoid and isolated man by nature, Harry becomes obsessed with understanding who this couple is and what they meant by what was said.

But in chasing down the motive of his mysterious client, he steps out of the shadows and into an uncomfortable spotlight. That move might be his last. A supremely suspenseful mystery, this classic from writer/director Francis Ford Coppola has wowed audiences, critics, and the Academy, boasting three Oscar nominations, including a nod for Best Picture. — Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: The Conversation is streaming on Hulu.

6. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Don’t let the jeweled corsets and chorus lines fool you: The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a scary flick at heart that made it possible for generations of LGBTQ horror fans to find community at the movies. Yes, it’s heavy on the laughs, dancing, and swimming pool orgies. But co-writer and director Jim Sharman’s raunchy romp is just as heavy on the nuanced themes of identity and ostracism, with a heavy helping of ice pick murders and cannibalism just to make it fun.

Tim Curry delivers a career-best as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, with co-stars Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Nell Campbell, Meat Loaf, Patricia Quinn, and co-screenwriter Richard O’Brien. To this day, Rocky Horror is the film with the longest history of cinematic showings and remains a blueprint for interactive screening experiences. You know, “Use a fucking fork, you Marine!” “Use a Marine, you fucking fork!” That kind of thing. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: The Rocky Horror Picture Show is streaming on Hulu.

7. Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

Based on an audacious real-life jailbreak, this classic action film stars Clint Eastwood as a convict as tough as he is clever. Frank Morris has a long list of offenses and a string of escapes on his record. So as soon as he arrives at a high-security prison, he’s searching for a way out. But the prison’s bars, guards, and regulations aren’t the greatest obstacle.

Alcatraz sits on an island far off the shore of San Francisco. Can Frank and his friends (Paul Benjamin, Jack Thibeau, Fred Ward, and Larry Hankin) make their way to freedom through the freezing waters on a homemade (well, cell-made) raft? Director Don Siegel brings a snarling edge to this tense tale of hardened men, yearning for freedom. — Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Escape from Alcatraz is streaming on Hulu.

8. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Choosing a “best” Star Trek is always a fraught issue, but if there’s any safe pick to be made then The Wrath of Khan is it. Featuring the original series cast in their second big screen outing, Khan throws back to a Season 1 episode that first aired in 1967. That episode introduced Ricardo Montalbán as Khan Noonien Singh, a villainous figure from the fictional Eugenics Wars of Trek’s late ’90s.

In the episode, we learn how Khan and his gang of genetically engineered superhumans escaped an Earth that wanted them dead, plunging themselves into cryogenic stasis. The Enterprise crew wakes them up and not-so-nice shenanigans ensue soon after. The episode ends on an ambiguous note, with Captain Kirk leaving Khan and his crew to scrape out a new existence on an uncolonized and inhospitable world.

The Wrath of Khan picks up 15 years later, with Khan and his crew finding a way to escape after enduring years of painful hardship. The ancient Earthman still has a bone to pick with Captain Kirk and his friends at Starfleet, and he’ll stop at nothing to have the final word. The Wrath of Khan is Star Trek firing on all cylinders, and while its “best” status within the series is debatable, it’s still worth sitting down to watch. — Adam Rosenberg, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is streaming on Hulu.

9. The Untouchables (1987)

In 1930 Chicago, Prohibition made bootlegging big business. Al Capone was the city’s merciless kingpin, holding the civilians and the police force in an iron grip. To take down this notorious gangster, agent Eliot Ness brought together a motley but brave crime-fighting squad known as the Untouchables.

Inspired by Ness’s memoir, screenwriter David Mamet and director Brian De Palma bring history to life with bursts of action, stylish splashes of color, graphic sprays of blood, and a crackerjack cast. Kevin Costner and Robert De Niro star as the cop and the crook, but Sean Connery steals the show with a tough guy turn that won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith, and Patricia Clarkson co-star. — Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: The Untouchables is streaming on Hulu.

10. Heathers (1989)

The ’80s teen comedy gets a pitch-perfect pitch-black twist in Heathers. Winona Ryder stars as the popular but disaffected Veronica, whose life takes a turn when she falls for bad boy J.D. (Christian Slater). And when we say bad, we mean bad: He’s literally a murderer, and gets Veronica involved in a killing spree against classmates who’ve tried to humiliate her. Heathers‘ portrayal of the high school experience is so bitingly funny, so sharply observed, that it’s never lost its power to draw blood, and probably never will. — Angie Han, Former Deputy Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Heathers is streaming on Hulu.