Ryan Heffernan
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Articles by Ryan Heffernan
The 10 Most Suspenseful Classic Movies, Ranked
It’s the chill that creeps up your spine, the clammy awareness that your pulse has quickened, and the festering imagination that dreads to even consider the terrible question, “What comes next?”. “It”, of course, refers to the greatness of cinematic suspense, the epitome of thriller film that has stood as one of the medium’s foundational and most influential genres dating as far back as the 1930s.
The 10 Best HBO Shows Released Since 1990, Ranked
While many associate the birth of the 21st century with the origin of television’s reign as a prestige form of entertainment drama, the medium really began to showcase its appetite for more daring and boundary-pushing stories as far back as the early 1990s. It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one who loves TV to learn that HBO has been a major source of A-grade small-screen drama in the 36 years since the start of the ‘90s.
The 10 Greatest Fantasy Movies Based on Books, Ranked
Defined by its ceaseless narrative possibilities, its enthralling sense of adventure, and its invitation to enter into a world of wonder, fantasy cinema is one of the most universally appealing and enrapturing genres the medium has to offer. Even dating back to the silent era of film, fantasy movies have had a uniquely powerful ability to enchant audiences of all ages and immerse them in their divine realities, often while revolutionizing the possibilities of filmmaking in the process.
10 Funniest Animated TV Series That Aren't 'The Simpsons' or 'South Park'
Animated comedy television has been an essential cornerstone of TV entertainment ever since series like The Simpsons and South Park broke new ground in the medium back in the '80s and '90s. While both of those series remain striking stalwarts of adult animation, they have also inspired a litany of successors which have built upon their legacies and expanded what TV animation is capable of.
The 10 Most Suspenseful Noir Movies of All Time
The impact that film noir had on thriller cinema throughout its heyday in the 1940s is as profound as it is timeless. The genre normalized morally challenging stories that steered away from traditional heroes and villains in favor of more ambiguous figures, explored complex themes of fatalism and human depravity, and revolutionized the aesthetic of cinema with its high-contrast chiaroscuro lighting that found tension and turmoil in every shadow.
10 Miniseries To Watch Before Kicking the Bucket (#1 Is Flawless)
Miniseries have become something of a cultural phenomenon. The miniseries' appeal is easy to see, with its episodic format allowing for stories to unfurl with an extended, measured, and detailed progression, yet its one-season immediacy gives a sense of instant closure and cohesiveness.
10 Sci-Fi Movies With the Best Crowd-Pleasing Endings
It’s hard to beat a great crowd-pleasing ending. Despite the genre’s reputation for bleak dystopian worlds and morbid stories of human ambition at its worst, science fiction cinema is rife with finales that exude a sense of fist-pumping glory. However, it is important to note that a movie’s conclusion doesn’t need to be a victory march of triumphant heroes and vanquished evil to be a crowd-pleaser, but it can inspire widespread applause through emotional depth and thematic richness as well.
10 Stellar Movies With the Most Clever Mysteries
A gripping mystery is one of cinema’s greatest treats. It may take the form of a gritty murder investigation, simmer and stir as a suspenseful courtroom thriller, or simply weave a tale of intrigue and red herrings while exploring an integral secret in a person’s past. Yet, the simple premise of posing a question that proves to be elusive and difficult to answer has made for some of the greatest and most intelligently written movies of all time.
The 10 Greatest Fantasy Cult Classic Movies, Ranked
From the dystopian intrigue of science fiction to the tantalizing terror of horror, there are several genres that can lay claim to being the greatest contributors to the ranks of cult classic cinema. Chief among them is fantasy, with the genre’s penchant for otherworldly wonder, magic and mysticism, and beautifully bizarre and bold story worlds imbuing it with a transfixing splendor that has appealed to niche audiences for decades.
6 Thriller Shows That Completely Change Once You Know the Twist
The following article contains spoilers.From fantasy sitcoms like The Good Place to old-school medical dramas like St. Elsewhere, television has a long and decorated history of experimenting with narrative understanding through plot twists that completely change the nature of their stories.
The 12 Best Movies About Video Games, Ranked
Cinema has enjoyed—and occasionally bemoaned—a litany of video game adaptations over the recent decades, from painfully bad '90s movies like Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter to more modern gems like the Sonic the Hedgehog movies and Resident Evil. This list is not about those movies. Instead, this list's purpose is to highlight the far rarer and much less discussed subset of movies that are about video games.
The 6 Most Suspenseful Thrillers Released Since 2010, Ranked
Looking back to the earliest days of film history, it is clear to see that thriller cinema isn’t only one of the medium’s most enduring and evergreen genres, but one of the most diverse and challenging as well.
10 Crime Shows That Break Every Formula and Do It Brilliantly
There is no doubt that crime television has come a long way from the episodic police procedural dramas of yesteryear, with everything from gangland thrillers to harrowing, slow-burn murder mysteries filling the landscape of the genre in the modern day. Having said that, crime TV still has set formulas and styles that repeat themselves, often because they allow for rewarding and exciting storytelling that captures the audience’s interest.
10 HBO Sleeper Hits That Got So Much Better After Season 1
When discussing HBO masterpieces, it is difficult to overlook the premium network’s most acclaimed and popular series. After all, it served as the spearhead of television’s ascent to being one of the most prestigious forms of entertainment in the early 2000s and has consistently produced series that have defined small-screen drama at its absolute best.
The 6 Best Video Games Released Since 2000, Ranked
In the year 2000, video gaming at large was still considered a niche interest, though the needle was beginning to move with Sony’s launch of the PlayStation 2, Nintendo’s growing dominion over handheld gaming devices, and the release of such titles as The Sims and Diablo II marking just some of the gaming milestones of the year.
The 10 Best Action Films of the 2020s So Far, Ranked
As the epitome of blockbuster exhilaration, action is something of an evergreen movie genre, a mainstay of box office success that captures both the absorbing fun and awe-inspiring spectacle of the cinematic experience. That being said, the first half of the 2020s has been a particularly strong era for action movies, with a clear return to practical filmmaking, meticulous stuntwork, and focused storytelling all being qualities that have seen the genre soar in recent years.
10 War Movies Without a Single Flaw
War cinema demands a certain level of care and conviction to be not just compelling, but respectful and meaningful as well.
6 Flawless HBO Shows With No Weak Episodes, Ranked
Throughout the 21st century, HBO has been synonymous with television brilliance. The premium network was instrumental in pioneering the medium’s ascent to prestige entertainment in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, and it has remained at the forefront of groundbreaking excellence in the format for the better part of 30 years. However, making a great series is one thing, making a series that does not feature a single bad episode is another thing entirely.
10 Forgotten Movies That Are More Relevant Today
It is a sad fact of cinema that there have been many great films over the decades that have been lost to time. It is also true that there have been plenty of movies that have delivered stories and themes that were years ahead of their time. Surprisingly, it is true that there exists an overlap between these two points: an abundance of engrossing and thought-provoking films that were forgotten decades ago and yet perfectly comment on issues and ideas of the modern day.
10 TV Shows That Completely Change in Their Final 10 Minutes
The following article contains spoilers.When it comes time for a television show to deliver the finale, most series strive for something focused and concise, something that will tie up all the loose ends and bring a sense of closure and finality to the overarching story. However, some shows have been so bold as to use their final episode as a chance to completely reconfigure the narrative, shifting tones and even genres with daring resolutions that leave viewers in a state of shock.
6 Flawless Miniseries With No Weak Episodes, Ranked
Given their limited format, it would seem that miniseries should make every moment count and therefore should rarely deliver underwhelming or disappointing episodes. But things don’t always work as they should, a point that has been displayed in a great many miniseries that have suffered from debilitating lulls, be it mid-season slumps that rob the story of all momentum, slow starts that deliver uninspiring introductions, or weak conclusions that leave viewers feeling underwhelmed.
10 Crime TV Shows With Perfect Finales, Ranked
Over the last 30 years, crime television has delivered some of the best and most compelling stories the small screen has ever seen. It doesn’t matter whether the genre is tackling corruption and the abuse of authority within the police force, the frantic desperation of organized crime, or the horrific intricacies of a murder investigation; its appetite for absorbing drama has always been evident.
10 Miniseries That Are the Perfect Weekend Binge
Television is renowned for giving viewers stories they can watch unfurl season after season, long-format odysseys that can either be watched over the years as each season is released or binged watched over the course of a few weeks. However, sometimes people don’t want to have to make such a commitment. Sometimes they want something they can enjoy in its entirety over the course of a lazy weekend nestled on the couch.
The 10 Best Miniseries With Perfect Pacing, Ranked
In any form of visual storytelling, narrative pacing is paramount to conjuring a spectacle that immerses audiences in the viewing experience. Finding the perfect tempo to compliment the unfurling story is particularly important in the realm of miniseries, with the format forced to find the exact right balance between the long-form patience of extended television and the succinct immediacy of feature films.
10 Addictive HBO Shows That Are Impossible To Stop Watching
HBO has been a central power in television drama for almost 30 years now, over which time it has produced a tremendous array of series that have specialized in capturing the audience’s attention from the outset. Be it through unflinching narrative boldness and thematic heft, barbed satire of political aspirations, or simply as awe-inspiring feats of production that transfix from their opening minutes, these HBO shows are the height of addictive TV.
10 Movie Trilogies That Peak With Their First Chapter
Peaking too soon or storming out of the gates with a sense of bravado? To a degree, the movies that launched these trilogies exist somewhere on a scale between those points. Are they their first chapters that stand as attention-grabbing beginnings to cinematic sagas that almost match their level of brilliance, or are they inspired triumphs that stand alone after sparking sequels that squander their success? Perhaps it is better to simply ask what makes a great first chapter to a film trilogy.
5 HBO Crime Shows Where Every Episode Is a Masterpiece
Ever since the dawn of the golden era of prestige television in the latter stages of the 1990s, HBO has been synonymous with ambition, impact, and storytelling perfection on the small screen. While the premium network has produced everything from acidic comedy satire to post-apocalyptic dread, piercing real-world drama, and even high-concept fantasy, there is no denying HBO’s identity is ingrained in its proven ability to master the grit and gripping intensity of crime television.
10 Crime TV Shows With Brilliant Plot Twists, Ranked
Everybody loves a good plot twist, and crime television has proven itself at being adept at delivering some of the very best that the medium has ever seen. The genre’s ability to combine high-stakes tension with propulsive, energy-charged story pacing while exploring profoundly interesting characters in extraordinary depth imbues it with a penchant for delivering shocking revelations that completely recalibrate the narrative while leaving viewers in a state of shock.
The 8 Most Fun Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked
Why do people watch movies? It is a question with no shortage of answers. We watch movies to experience everything from exciting escapism to cultural enlightenment, to educate ourselves on the world, on human behavior, and even to learn more about how we as individuals navigate emotions and empathy. Then again, sometimes we all just want to watch a movie to have fun, to be enraptured in a sense of glee that we feel with every ounce of our being.
The 8 Most Fun Fantasy Movies of All Time, Ranked
Few cinematic genres are as grabbing and exciting as fantasy. Perhaps even more impressive than its ability to realize realms of escapist wonder and magic is its proven variety, with everything from stunning epics like The Lord of the Rings trilogy to rich philosophical think pieces like The Seventh Seal, and even grounded tales of real-world wonder like It’s a Wonderful Life illuminating the tonal breadth the genre is capable of.
The 8 Most Fun Movies of the 1980s, Ranked
An era of excess and exuberance, the 1980s is fondly remembered for its unrestrained sense of style, its appetite for daring new horizons, and the many ways in which it saw technological advancements transform the world.
10 Essential HBO Shows That Belong on Every Fan's Bucket List
Since the dawn of the latter part of the 1990s, no brand has defined excellence in television entertainment quite like HBO. The premium cable network was instrumental in pioneering the golden age of drama in the medium that has spanned across the entirety of the 21st century thus far, and its consistency has been as much a hallmark of its greatness as its brilliance, with everything from late ‘90s classics to modern masterpieces marking essential viewing for all lovers of small-screen drama.
10 Thriller TV Shows With Perfect Finales, Ranked
Producing a faultless finale is no easy feat. It needs to deliver an emotionally rewarding and powerful payoff that honors central themes and gives major characters appropriate resolutions while still offering something in the way of a surprise.
The 10 Greatest Neo-Noirs of the '80s, Ranked
The defining trend of the 1940s, film noir has long been a pillar of cynicism and style in cinema. Key genre tropes typically include winding and enigmatic crime cases, rich shadowy imagery, a pervasive sense of fatalism, and set character archetypes like the jaded hard-boiled detective and the dangerously seductive femme fatale.
Every William Friedkin Movie of the '70s, Ranked
A maestro of cinematic realism and tension, a filmmaker of uncompromising creative vision, and a pioneering voice in the New Hollywood movement of the '70s, William Friedkin is universally renowned as one of America’s all-time greatest directors. Across an eclectic career that spanned over seven decades, Friedkin oversaw such gems as 1985’s neo-noir classic To Live and Die in L.A., 2006’s criminally underrated psychological horror Bug, and 2011’s atmospheric black comedy crime movie Killer Joe.
The 10 Greatest Movie Screenplays of the '60s, Ranked
Aflutter with civil rights movements, anti-war protests, the sexual revolution, and the rebellious vitriol of the young rejecting old rules, the 1960s were a time of profound social evolution, and the art of the era reflects this.
The 20 Best TV Shows of All Time, Ranked
It is quite fascinating how a small box that sits in one’s living room can have such a dramatic impact on our culture. Well, it used to be a box, one with dials and knobs, a clunky antenna that always had to be adjusted, and a set channel guide of fixed programming. In today’s world, television drama is defined by the unbridled variety of streaming platforms and premium networks. In some ways, the physical design of the television set has evolved even more.
6 HBO Shows That Are Far Better Than Their Reputation Suggests
The weight of expectation hangs heavy over any HBO television production. Audience anticipation of a spectacle of unflinching storytelling and high-end production value is ever present, but this air of prestige and acclaim can be treacherous, especially when a series pivots away from tradition in an attempt to offer something completely original.
The 10 Greatest American Movies of the '90s, Ranked
American cinema has had its fair share of golden eras over the past century, from the grandeur and glamour of Old Hollywood to the innovative grit of the new wave movement of the ‘70s, and even to an emerging age of blockbuster brilliance today.
The 10 Most Ambitious Sci-Fi Movies of the Last 25 Years, Ranked
Science fiction storytelling holds an inherent ambition that few other genres can rival, a fact that's been true ever since Lucian of Samosata first conceived of dramatizing concepts of space travel and extraterrestrial beings in “A True Story” (also translated as “True History”).
The 10 best crime TV shows where every episode gets darker
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The 10 Best Crime TV Shows Where Every Episode Gets Darker
At the heart of the appeal of so many great crime shows is a sense of macabre intrigue, a morbid curiosity that invites viewers to revel in the dark depravity of human behavior. It doesn’t matter whether the series focuses on complicated and compromised detectives investigating a deranged serial killer or an ordinary man’s descent into the corruption, violence, and power of the drug trade, the wicked immersion in human evil is compelling to say the least.
The 25 Greatest Horror Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked
The 21st century has been a golden age for horror cinema. From the flurry of experimental low-budget movies of the early 2000s, many of which were inspired by the execution and performance of The Blair Witch Project, to the more socially-minded and cerebral pictures the genre has seen in the past decade, the modern era has been a triumphant time for scary movies and those who adore them.
The 10 Greatest Film Noirs of the Last 80 Years, Ranked
Beginning with the birth of the 1940s, noir cinema represented something of a turn towards cynicism in Old Hollywood, a pivot away from glitz and glamour in favor of morally questionable characters, bleak fatalism, and coarse stories that supplant happily-ever-afters with gritty realism.
10 Action Movie Masterpieces So Great They Became the Blueprint
Cinema is a copycat industry. The emergence of one revolutionary new idea typically sparks a surge of very similar films as writers, directors, and studios strive to explore the concept or style in a unique way. In many respects, action cinema is defined by this, with dominating trends stemming from the impact and brilliance of a handful of special movies that pioneer new approaches to the genre.
The 10 Most Beloved Thrillers of the 21st Century
The thriller genre is something of an evergreen pillar of cinematic excitement. The allure of being glued to the edge of your seat as a fast-paced and frenetic heart-stopping spectacle of exuberance and suspense hits you with one adrenaline-pumping high after another simply never gets old. Unsurprisingly, the 21st century has been a goldmine for thriller cinema, many of which have come to be cultural sensations adored by the masses the world over.
10 Story-Driven Video Games That Are Perfectly Written
The rampant rise in the popularity of gaming has been one of the defining trends of entertainment culture in the 21st century. Increased accessibility to players and rapidly advancing technology in the field have been instrumental in this, but so too has the continuous evolution of storytelling in the format, which has the unique ability to place the audience—in this case, the gamer—in the middle of the narrative.
10 Binge-Worthy Miniseries That Deserved Way More Episodes
By their very nature, miniseries tend to leave audiences wanting more. That being said, there is a clear distinction between a fantastic limited series that uses its brief run to deliver a sharp and concise narrative arc, and a canceled or cut-short series that only manages to tease the initial spark of its idea before being resolved.
The 10 Greatest Historical Adventure Movies of All Time, Ranked
Demanding monumental and period-accurate productions while also incorporating lively stories of momentum, excitement, and, in some cases, dramatic gravitas, historical adventure movies mark a high point of filmmaking prowess and cinematic exuberance. The very best of them stand not only as rollicking and entertaining feats of the form, but as some of the most iconic and universally adored movies ever made.
10 HBO Shows With the Greatest Main Characters of All Time, Ranked
Throughout its rich history, which has all but defined the modern age of prestige television drama, HBO has presented not only an abundance of thrilling and captivating small-screen stories, but many of the greatest characters the medium has ever seen as well. The premium cable network’s unflinching interest in human drama ensures that its series run not only as enthralling narratives, but also as astute character studies defined by their depth, nuance, and conviction.
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