Movies can offer a refreshing escape from reality when life gets rough, although some movies are naturally better suited to this than others. Movies with low-stakes conflicts or gentle, welcoming atmospheres are usually the best stress-relievers, and they can become comfort movies. Peaceful movies can run the risk of being boring if they aren’t handled with genuine care. A clarity of purpose and a distinctive aesthetic style can overcome this problem, creating cozy, enjoyable movies that are perfect for unwinding after a particularly stressful day....

Warning: Spoilers for Absolute Batman #4Absolute Batmanhas just laid out the ultimate challenge for the DCU’s take on Batman: to unleash the iconic character’s full potential. In one issue, the series has spelled out its own reasons why the character has been an enduring part of pop culture for so long, using the evolution of the character to explain the Batman legacy and what has made him so beloved for nearly a century....

The remake ofStory of Seasons: Grand Bazaarplans to revisit the belovedHarvest Moongame of the same name, with a few new twists. The game is a remake, not a remaster, so fans can expect quality-of-life updates and visual upgrades as they work toward reopening the titular Bazaar of Zephyr Town. And as the farmers go about their daily farming lives, they might just find some romance, too. All 10 of the original romanceable characters are returning toSoS: Grand Bazaar, available once again for players to woo with their blue feathers....

The rise ofCaptain Canuckhas officially begun, with Canada’s national superhero making all new headlines by taking on President Trump’s tariff war face-to-face. Showing the embodiment of Canadian heroism giving the American president a piece of his mind, a bold new comic book cover is speaking loud and clear about Canada’s renewed sense of identity. When the superhero was created back in 1975, Richard Comely didn’t intend to make any profound political statements, simply allow his own nation to get in on the fun....

Warning: SPOILERS for 9-1-1 season 8, episode 9.9-1-1season 8’s confirmation that Eddie is leaving is devastating, but it ironically bodes well for his long-speculated romance. Ryan Guzman’s Eddie has stood opposite Oliver Stark’s Buck in the9-1-1castsince the season 2 premiere, but their close relationship often seems deeper than friendship. Throughout thenear-death experiences they’ve had in9-1-1, Buck and Eddie’s most heartbreaking scenes usually involve each other. After Eddie is shot in9-1-1season 4, he even adds Buck to his will to be a legal guardian to his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh)....

The2024Dungeons & DragonsPlayer’s Handbookis a general step up from the 2014 iteration, but it has its own shortcomings, and the 2024Dungeon Master’s Guideimproves on my biggest complaint. As two ofDnD’s core rulebooks (a trio completed by the addition of theMonster Manual) both thePlayer’s HandbookandDungeon Master’s Guidecan be critical assets for running a great game. While thePlayer’s Handbookwill always get more attention as the one tome that everyone needs, theDungeon Master’s Guideshould ideally make for even more interesting reading....

The Substancemight earn Demi Moore her first Academy Award, which would make her only the seventh actor to achieve a unique Oscar feat. Directed and written by Coralie Fargeat,The Substanceis a satirical exploration of celebrity that embraces body horror to comment on fame. The film focuses on Elisabeth Sparkle, an aging star who discovers a procedure that can create a younger copy of herself. However, the two halves of Sparkle quickly end up at war with each other, with gruesome results....

Doctor Who’s upcoming Christmas special pairs Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor with his second companion, and her story will begin in a way that’s very similar to that of Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday.Bridgertonstar Nicola Coughlan will play Joy in “Joy to the World,“serving as Gatwa’s second companion in less than 12 months. Joy’s first adventure with Fifteen mirrors Ruby’s in one specific way, as revealed by a recent teaser of the installment....

Rescue: HI-Surfseason 1 continues with more high-stakes beach rescues on the North Shore of O’ahu, andScreenRanthas a clip from the episode airing February 3. Titled “Surge”, the episode will see the team grappling with the implications of a potential tsunami following an earthquake. On top of a state-wide evacuation order, Captain Sonny has to find his daughter Ocean, who has skipped school. ScreenRantis excited to present a clip from the February 3 episode ofRescue: HI-Surfthat centers on Em (Arielle Kebbel) and Laka (Kekoa Kekumano)....

Captain America: Brave New Worldfinally delivers Sam Wilson’s first film asCaptain America- and the return ofIsaiah Bradley. So far,Captain America: Brave New Worldhas earned 2025’s biggest debut yet, and with it, audiences are reacquainted with some familiar faces from the Disney+ seriesThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which saw Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) first put on the Stars and Stripes as Captain America. A few new characters were introduced in this series,like the new Falcon, Danny Ramierz’s Joaquin Torres, who comes back toBrave New Worldas Wilson’s right-hand man, bringing with him plenty of charm....

At the start of 2025,Den of Thieves 2: Panterapremiered with solid critical ratings but a disappointing box office performance that, hopefully, will be fixed once the movie comes to streaming. As its name implies,Den of Thieves 2: Panterais the sequel to 2018’sDen of Thieves.After defeating criminal Ray Merriman atthe end ofDen of Thieves,Gerard Butler’s Nick O’Brien returns inDen of Thieves 2to track down Merriman’s escaped ally, Donnie Wilson, who plans an even bigger scheme in Europe....

Helldivers 2’s newest patch has changed many weapons to the point where the game is worth revisiting.Helldivers 2has been on an unfortunate downward trend since the initial excitement over it. Though theissues with Sony’s PSN account linking requirementdidn’t help the situation, the largest problem was the mostly unneeded nerfing of various weapons. For many, this removed a lot of the fun and ease from the game, and while this PvE title should have a challenge to it, mass nerfs are not the way to go....

How to Beat Illegal Entry Mission and HC Helicopter in Armored Core 6 (AC6) Bandai Namco and FromSoftware’s newest addition to the Armored Core franchise, Armored Core 6 brings the pain right from the very beginning. While this is to be expected, you might need a bit of help getting past this first boss while still getting used to the controls of the game, so here’show to beat the Illegal Entry mission and the HC Helicopter in Armored Core 6....