Darren Franich
As seen in:
The Ankler,
CNN,
Medium,
MSN,
MSN Singapore,
Yahoo Entertainment,
TIME,
Yahoo Canada,
Yahoo News,
Yahoo News Malaysia,
Yahoo News New Zealand
and
Movie critic
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Darren Franich
All 13 Star Trek movies, ranked from worst to best Original
Space: the final frontier. Those four words serve as the basis for one of the most enduring franchises in sci-fi history — and perhaps the most optimistic, as it imagines a future full of exploration and innovation.
Why Hollywood Has Never Made a Great 9/11 Movie Original
From left: the posters for 'United 93,' 'World Trade Center' and 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection; Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection; Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection There has never been a great film about September 11, 2001. There should be. For 25 years, artists and audiences have been processing the attacks onscreen. But something is still missing. You’re a moral person, I’m sure. So you may think no one should ever make a movie about 9/11.
All 30 Ridley Scott Movies, Ranked From Worst to Best Original
From left: 'Alien,' 'Gladiator,' 'Thelma & Louise' and 'American Gangster.' 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy Everett Collection; DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection; MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection; Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection If Ridley Scott retired 46 years ago, he would still be one of the most influential filmmakers ever. Now The Dog Stars is his 30th movie. And he was already a veteran director before he came to features.
All 30 Ridley Scott Movies, Ranked From Worst to Best
Miss USA 10 hours ago Justus Kelley, the First Mom to Win Miss USA, Reveals She Almost Backed Out of the Competition for Her Family (Exclusive) People - Tabitha Parent • 10h When Justus Kelley was crowned the 75th Miss USA titleholder on Thursday, Aug. 27 in Miami, she made history as the first married woman, mother and woman in her 30s to be a recognized winner of the title. However, while speaking with PEOPLE following her win, the pageant queen admits that there was …
Ranking every Spider-Man movie, including “Brand New Day”
All it took was one radioactive spider bite to transform Peter Parker from an orphaned teenager living in Queens to your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Audiences first met the character in a comic book published in August 1962, but 40 years passed before Spidey made the heroic leap to the big screen, swinging into theaters in May 2002 in Sam Raimi‘s Spider-Man, with Tobey Maguire in the lead role.
Every Spider-Man movie so far, ranked from worst to best
; ; ; ; Continue reading More for You ; ; ; ; Continue reading More for You
Every Spider-Man movie so far, ranked from worst to best Original
There are presently 10 Spider-Man movies, but not all of them possess the strength or heart of their title character. Entertainment Weekly understands that with great power comes great responsibility, and it’s with this spirit that we offer our ranking of the films that make up this beloved character’s franchise. The success of Raimi’s film paved the way for a trilogy, which was followed by two sets of live-action reboots (starring Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland), and an animated franchise.
Every Spider-Man movie so far, ranked from worst to best
Darren Franich, Kevin Jacobsen “With great power comes great responsibility.” All it took was one radioactive spider bite to transform Peter Parker from an orphaned teenager living in Queens to your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Audiences first met the character in a comic book published in August 1962, but 40 years passed before Spidey made the heroic leap to the big screen, swinging into theaters in May 2002 in Sam Raimi ‘s Spider-Man , with Tobey Maguire in the lead role.
Todas las películas de Steven Spielberg, ordenadas de peor a mejor
En Disclosure Day, toda la humanidad ve lo mismo al mismo tiempo. En el tráiler se ven todos esos ojos fijos llenos de asombro. Hoy en día nadie piensa de forma lógica que una audiencia global pueda seguir compartiendo una emoción colectiva a partir de una única experiencia masiva de cine. Pero crear eventos emocionales globales es o fue el trabajo de Steven Spielberg. El gran tiburón blanco. El extraterrestre. Hizo que la arqueología fuera divertida. Metió un T rex.
All 35 of Steven Spielberg’s Movies, Ranked From Worst to Best Original
Clockwise from top left: 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,' 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' 'Disclosure Day' and 'Saving Private Ryan' Everett Collection (3); Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment In Disclosure Day, the whole human race watches the same thing at the same time. It’s in the trailer, all those staring eyes full of wonder. No logical person today thinks a worldwide audience can still share a collective feeling from one mass viewing experience.
All 35 of Steven Spielberg’s Movies, Ranked From Worst to Best
1 day ago Steven Spielberg is back on the alien train, but "Disclosure Day" hits closer to home in a lot of ways than his past movies. Here's a deeper look into what the ending really means. Spoilers ahead!
Ranking the 50 best “Doctor Who” episodes of the modern era
Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, and David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor on 'Doctor Who' Credit: BBC America (3) Catching up on Doctor Who can be rather daunting, even for the biggest Whovians among us. Of the revived era (2005–present), there are a whopping 196 episodes (so far!) across 15 seasons and various specials, from Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor to Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor.
Ranking the 50 best Doctor Who episodes of the modern era
While the series hasn't been fully consistent over the past 20 years, it has produced some of the best episodes of modern television, from the Carey Mulligan-led episode "Blink" to the touching tribute to troubled artist Vincent Van Gogh in "Vincent and the Doctor." These are the stories that keep us going even through the down years. So, let's jump in the TARDIS and look back on 50 of our favorite Doctor Who episodes of the modern era.
Ranking the 30 greatest Best Actress-winning performances in Oscar history
Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling in 'The Silence of the Lambs'; Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang in 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'; Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles in 'Cabaret' Credit: Everett; David Bornfriend/A24; Everett For a wide swath of Oscar watchers, Best Actress is the most important category. In an industry that still favors men in leading roles, there is something inherently more exciting about women getting plum opportunities to prove their skills and deliver knockout performances.
Ranking the 30 greatest Best Actress-winning performances in Oscar history
Unlike the Best Actor category, which typically celebrates well-established stars of a certain age, the Best Actress winners circle includes actresses at all stages of their careers, from young ingenues bursting onto the scene to acting veterans finally basking in the glow of Oscar glory. The best Best Actress wins happen when it feels like the stars align, and it feels like voters are honoring an actress for the right role at the right time.
All 7 Scream Movies Ranked From Worst to Best
Drew Barrymore in the original 'Scream' (1996) and Neve Campbell in 'Scream 7' (2026) Courtesy Everett Collection; Paramount Pictures Thirty years ago, you answered the phone every time it rang. Watch Casey Becker in 1996’s Scream. She’s Drew Barrymore in a brilliant stunt cameo, but she could be any kid back then practicing now-ancient telephone etiquette.
All 12 of James Cameron's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best
Clockwise from top left: 'Avatar,' 'The Terminator,' 'Titanic' and 'Aliens' 20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection (3); Orion Pictures Corporation/Courtesy Everett Collection A man directs the most expensive movie in history. His next film costs twice as much — and makes more money than any movie ever. His next earns more. He dives to the deepest point in the ocean, travels to Antarctica, advises NASA, farms. He marries various fascinating women.
All 9 of Darren Aronofsky’s Movies, Ranked From Worst to Best
From left: 'Requiem for a Dream,' 'mother!' and 'The Whale' Artisan Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection; Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection; A24/Courtesy Everett Collection In the year 2000, there were so many hip filmmakers making sexy violent experimental crime fantasias. Darren Aronofsky stood out. Most Sundance debuts were cheap, but his breakout feature looked funded by quarters stolen from a broken vending machine.
All 9 of Darren Aronofsky’s Movies, Ranked From Worst to Best
9 New Books We Love This Week Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times. Every week, critics and editors at The New York Times Book Review pick the most interesting and notable new releases, from literary fiction and serious nonfiction to thrillers, romance novels, mysteries and everything in between. …
Oh my Glob! Ranking the 30 best “Adventure Time” episodes
Cartoon Network (3) Jake the Dog (voice: John DiMaggio) on 'Adventure Time'; Jake the Dog (voice: John DiMaggio) and Finn the Human (voice: Jeremy Shada); Ice King (voice: Tom Kenny) on 'Adventure Time' What time is it? Across 283 episodes and 10 seasons, Cartoon Network's Adventure Time pulled us into the Land of Ooo and made us fall in love with the many slam-bam-in-a-can, distant-land adventures of Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio).
Oh my Glob! Ranking the 30 best 'Adventure Time' episodes
The series may have ended in 2018, but between streaming and a slate of released (and upcoming) spinoffs, there are still plenty of quests to be had. In honor of Finn and Jake's greatest hits — and the series' ambition, inclusivity, omnivorous intelligence, and kaleidoscopic imagination — here are 30 of the very best Adventure Time episodes. (" Homies help homies .
Oh my Glob! Ranking the 30 best “Adventure Time” episodes
Everything stays, and the Land of Ooo is always waiting. These 30 banger installments prove why the fun never ends on this animated gem. Devan Coggan, Darren Franich, Christian Holub Sun, 12 October 2025 at 12:00 pm UTC 21 min read What time is it? Across 283 episodes and 10 seasons, Cartoon Network's Adventure Time pulled us into the Land of Ooo and made us fall in love with the many slam-bam-in-a-can, distant-land adventures of Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio).
Oh my Glob! Ranking the 30 best “Adventure Time” episodes
What time is it? Across 283 episodes and 10 seasons, Cartoon Network's Adventure Time pulled us into the Land of Ooo and made us fall in love with the many slam-bam-in-a-can, distant-land adventures of Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio). Part of the show's magic was its range, from effortlessly mixing genres and tones to its bold choice to spotlight characters across diverse genders and life experiences.
Oh my Glob! Ranking the 30 best Adventure Time episodes
Summer Game Fest is getting an Oscar-worthy glow-up for 2026 Spooky season has only just begun, but the team behind Summer Game Fest is already hard at work planning the next installment of Hot Geoff Summer. The live kickoff showcase will take place on June 5, 2026, at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. If that venue rings a bell, it should: It's been home to …
Dwayne Johnson’s Movies, Ranked From Worst to Best
Dwayne Johnson in (from left) 'Faster,' 'Moana' and 'The Smashing Machine.' Courtesy Everett Collection (3) Dwayne Johnson’s 50th movie, The Smashing Machine, begins in 1997 and ends in 2000. Coincidentally, the wrestler previously known as “Flex Kavana” and “Rocky Maivia” began calling himself “The Rock” in 1997 and published his memoir in 2000.
Love to hate them (or just hate them): The 25 most annoying TV characters
So, in the spirit of some friendly fire, here are EW's definitive picks for the worst of the worst to ever hog the small screen. And whether the writers intended it or not, once they sense the collective fan hatred, they'll often lean all the way in and amp up those grating qualities because...why not? Some we love to hate, others we'd rather fast-forward past entirely. Yes, calling TV characters "annoying" can be a slippery slope. One viewer's trash is another's treasure.
Every major Batman and Superman movie, ranked from worst to best Original
Ahead, we're ranking every Batman and Superman movie released in cinemas, from 1966's Batman: The Movie to 2025's Superman , to find out who really comes out on top. Their respective films are often pitched quite differently, too, with Batman's darker aesthetic complementing Superman's brighter, hopeful tone. Sometimes, the caped heroes appear together in a crossover event, though such films have varied in quality.
Hail the Important Nonsense of Krypto the Superdog
Should a superhero movie be goofy or serious? A messy CGI canine offers the response: Can’t it be both? Here’s a question: Are superheroes fundamentally silly? A hardcore coalition maintains that costumed vigilantes are tragic symbols of mature philosophies, and that Batman should only be sad and drive a colorless tank. But absurdity is the genre’s default setting — bright underwear, statue-steroid muscles, glam masks. The first scene of the new Superman movie picks a side.
Wes Anderson’s Movies Ranked From Worst to Best
Imagine this is the prologue to a Wes Anderson movie. A calm narrator speaks these words. Rapid cuts move through exquisite visuals. See Anderson now: a middle-aged maestro, impeccably suited, living in Paris, long hair slightly gray around his still-boyish face. He has just released his 12th feature, The Phoenician Scheme. Change the aspect ratio to a black-and-white flashback. Texas, 30 years ago: Bespectacled Anderson rises the ranks of whiz-kid Sundance auteurs.
'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' review
The new Mission: Impossible is the strangest Mission: Impossible. Tom Cruise climbs into a sensory-deprivation coffin to mind-meld with a computer megamind. The President sends Tom Cruise into the freezing ocean, where he finds a submarine and takes off his clothes. Hayley Atwell stares upon Tom Cruise with the seductive-yet-restrained awe of a nun hot for Jesus. The bad guy has a biplane — no, two biplanes! The opening credits arrive around, I think, minute 18.
Disney’s Live-Action Princess Movies Are Trapped in the 2010s
Rachel Zegler in Snow White. The first proper industry headline about a new Snow White arrived in October 2016, a wild month in human history to plan anything nine years ahead. Since then, the U.S. has torn itself between progress and retrenchment, smash-cutting from a young Black president to the two oldest white ones. Meanwhile, the biggest studio in Hollywood steadily remade its most legendary animated successes with flesh-and-blood actors.
Disney’s Live-Action Princess Movies Are Trapped in the 2010s
17 hours ago The star of Disney's latest live-action movie reportedly upset executives, and the studio later hired a "social media guru" to vet posts ahead of the film's release. Rachel Zegler, star of Disney’s live-action “Snow White,” reportedly shocked studio executives after she followed up a social media …
Sabra Isn’t Controversial in Captain America: Brave New World. She’s Boring.
She looks like the Israeli flag on disco night. Blue cape, white bodysuit. A headband, because it’s 1980. The Incredible Hulk #256 introduces Sabra, “super heroine of the State of Israel,” when the green Goliath rampages through Tel Aviv.
David Lynch in Death and Life
David Lynch made mysteries. Who killed Laura Palmer? Who killed your wife? Whose ear is that? Who are you? What the fuck is going on? Crimes to solve, puzzles to piece together. I’ll spend the rest of my life messaging friends new revelations about his work: a number decoded, a connection uncovered. The magus was a stylist, too, curator of a specific neon-sexy bloodgore region of throwback Americana.
All 10 Spider-Man movies, ranked from worst to best
Interest in Spider-Man remains strong among moviegoers, but those who have followed the saga through the years know all too well that not every installment is a winner. Not every bad guy works as effectively as Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2 and some sequels just fail to be as inventive as the original. Luckily, there's way more good than bad in the ever-evolving franchise, and we've taken on the (great) responsibility of ranking all 10 films thus far.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 'Warriors' makes an unforgivable mistake
A gang from Coney Island gets stranded up in the Bronx. Everyone wants them dead. A simple, awesome premise: Cross the City, Fight the City. We could’ve had twenty versions of The Warriors by now, but there was never a proper sequel or remake for Walter Hill’s 1979 movie until this month. I love how the film is a barely-franchised wonder thing. I am also, however, semi-obsessed with it. In 2005, I bought the (terrible) Director’s Cut DVD and played the (wonderful) video game.
Every “Fast & Furious” movie, ranked from worst to best
Continue reading More for You
Every 'Fast & Furious' movie, ranked from worst to best Original
From the highs of Fast Five to the Hobbs/Shaw spinoff to the direct-to-video short film directed by Diesel himself, we've ranked every entry in the Fast & Furious series from worst to best. The family is still going strong. The long-running Fast & Furious franchise kicked off in 2001 with the (comparatively simple) story of an LAPD officer going undercover with a crew of street racers suspected to be hijackers.
‘Ricochet’
Why is Denzel Washington attacking a clown, and why is he wearing a pink bathrobe? Is that John Lithgow fighting Jesse Ventura — in prison, with swords? A cop and a criminal point guns at each other, a scene you’ve seen a thousand times, except this cop distracts this criminal by stripping down to his underwear. I’m talking about Ricochet, a delirious 1991 thriller. I didn’t know the movie existed last week; I’m obsessed now.
'Alien: Romulus' review
When a new Alien arrives, questions must be answered. Like: Should I just watch Event Horizon? Or Species? Or Pitch Black? Or — let’s get frisky — Species 2? The late-millennium space horrors couldn’t compete with Ridley Scott’s original 1979 masterpiece or James Cameron’s very fun sequel, but their crunched-eyeball junkiness has aged better than the franchise they ripped off. Alien turned pretentious decades ago, all religion-coded Resurrections and Covenants.
'Trap' review
Ten minutes of any M. Night Shyamalan movie will be masterful. Impeccable off-kilter framings. Edits that linger eerie seconds too long. His close-ups are wonderful: Actors ACTING, staring right into the camera with rictus smiles and blinkless eyeballs. He is a patient director and an impatient writer who delicately stages his absurd dialogue.
Robert Downey Jr. Is a Baffling Choice for Victor Von Doom
There’s nothing about Victor Von Doom that screams “Robert Downey Jr.” Victor Von Doom lives in Latveria, a blighted and gothic country somewhere in remote misty-mountain Europe. He is a tyrant plotting global domination, a mad scientist scarred by his own experiments, and an evil magician with demon friends. He shares Frankenstein’s first name and lives in a Dracula-looking castle. In political terms, he’s King Putin Rasputin.
Wolverine Before ‘Deadpool’
First, a confession. This summer, I planned to write a weekly series about all ten movies featuring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. I failed. In the 24 years since an unknown Australian actor starred in X-Men, there have been three Batmen, three Supermen, three Hellboys, countless Spider-Men. In the Superhero Age of Blockbusters, Jackman is the Constant. But in writing the essays, I found the subject hard to pin down. Jackman and Wolverine are shapechangers.
'House of the Dragon' doesn’t realize the Targaryens are crazy
House of the Dragon is about maniacs. Rich hot mutant killer maniacs. The Targaryens crush continents playing Fuck-Marry-Kill with their siblings and cousins. They all have monster pets and terrible hair. This should be a hot show about freaky power lunatics. Why is it so blah? In the season 2 premiere, two Targaryens speak. Daemon plots violent vengeance. Rhaenys cautions against rashness. Their tone suggests a logical exchange between authority figures. Remember, though, the ludicrous specifics.
25 powerful movies based on real-life political drama
Sometimes, actual people and the events surrounding them make for the best stories. Politics aren't always fun to talk about, but they sure make for compelling drama. Whether it be examinations of presidents like Nixon (1995) and Lincoln (2012) or depictions of major historical events like in All the President's Men (1976) and Selma (2014), some stories are so juicy that it's easy to see why they've been adapted to film.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
The best part of the tenth Planet of the Apes is the dinner. Four attendees represent two unsteady alliances. Proximus (Kevin Durand) is the bonobo with the crown. His pet man Trevathan (William H. Macy) serves historical context. Kind chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague) and mystery woman Mae (Freya Allen) are prisoners. Everyone has an agenda. The monarch wants to evolve his feudal realm with long-lost hardware. Mae’s plotting a similar comeback for her own race. Trevathan would like to not die.
'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' review
Bad Boys needs better villains. Martin Lawrence and Will Smith have played rampage detectives Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowery for 29 years. Four movies, zero awesome antagonists. The best by default came last time. After spending most of Bad Boys for Life on the phone, Kate del Castillo’s cartel queen revealed she was… 1. Mike’s ex-girlfriend, and also… 2. Was a witch, who… 3. Bore Mike a secret son, who… 4. Grew up to be ultra-effective killer Armando (Jacob Scipio), who… 5.
War for the Planet of the Apes
He is raised outside his race by the man who imprisons his brethren. Enslaved, he stops an overseer from whipping another laborer. This leader guides his nomadic tribe across the desert, where he dies on the border of their forever home. War for the Planet of the Apes finishes a transformation. Caesar (Andy Serkis) becomes Ape Moses. Except Moses never got crucified; that was the other guy. And the plagues of Egypt were pretty boss, but the prophet never pumped a shotgun or outran an avalanche.
Franchise Fatigue? Not 'Planet of the Apes'. Here's Why Original
Kingdom of the Planetof the Apes topped the box office over the weekend: $58.5 million is a solid domestic opening in unspectacular times. The industry remains shocked that audiences didn’t care about a Barbieless Ken remaking a forgotten TV show. Now the people have spoken — and they want chimps with eagles battling a bonobo. Planet of the Apes has been a fruitful movie concept since 1968. What explains its endurance?
Seinfeld's 'Unfrosted' and Hollywood's Cynical Corporate Cinematic Universe
Brand biopics attacked in 2023. Tetris, Air, BlackBerry, Flamin’ Hot and The Beanie Bubble arrived monthly through the summer, with Ferrari waiting for nobody in December. Now comes Unfrosted, Jerry Seinfeld’s terrible Pop-Tarts creation myth. Sony’s working on a Coke vs. Pepsi Cola Wars movie. I pray A24 lets Darren Aronofsky make his Elon Musk project all about the Cybertruck. What is this miserable trend? Why is this happening now? Does anyone really care?
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Darren
Contact Darren, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack