Made smack-dab in the dark days of the "Alien" franchise, when Ridley Scott was too busy making movies with Russell Crowe ("Gladiator," "Body of Lies," "American Gangster") to worry about what was happening to his creation, "Requiem" was apparently able to get off the ground solely on the basis of having the alien fight the Predator again.

It's a terrible sequel, featuring low-grade special effects and zero stars.

We all have to thank Sir Ridley for deciding to make Alien prequels, or who knows what other characters from the 20th Century Fox library the Xenomorph would have fought next.

Marking the last movie starring Sigourney Weaver as the franchise's main lead Ripley, "Alien: Resurrection" is a disappointing attempt to expand the franchise. You can't ignore the star's disinterest in coming back to play a cloned version of her character or Winona Ryder looking so out of place as the new addition.

However, it does have some great character actors sprinkled throughout, including Ron Perlman and Brad Dourif.

Director Paul W. S. Anderson (the "Resident Evil" movies) was tasked with overseeing this movie about two iconic sci-fi characters going up against each other. It wasn't very memorable, but it worked enough that an even more forgettable sequel came around three years later.

Though the first 30 minutes are some of the best from any of the "Alien" movies, the downfall of this prequel movie is its focus on David's (Michael Fassbender) god complex, the complete dismissal of Shaw (Noomi Rapace) from the previous movie, and lack of alien screen time.

However, it does get bonus points for the "spine-burster" scene. Ouch.

Set in the year 2120, two years before the events of the first "Alien" movie, this 8-episode TV series gets the feel of the original movie right, from its industrial spaceship sets to its retro costume design.

There are new additions, too, from new alien creatures to a group of synthetic humans who are on the verge of either saving or destroying Earth. Sure, the series has its flaws, but when it's right, it's a thrilling addition to the franchise.

Probably the most misunderstood of any of the "Alien" movies, David Fincher's gritty contribution to the franchise is a thrill to watch, as it picks up right after the events of "Aliens."

Weaver adds to the Ripley legacy with another powerful performance, and it's another release with standout character actors, led by Charles S. Dutton, who steals every scene he's in.

Ridley Scott returned to the franchise to tell the prequel story to the "Alien" movies. Noomi Rapace is perfect as Shaw, the fearless scientist in seach of answers. And there are some great scares, with brief moments of genuine existential horror.

But the way it ties to "Alien" is very messy, and we're still puzzled about why Charlize Theron didn't turn left when that ship was rolling towards her.

"Alien: Romulus" follows a group of teens in a hellish mining colony who go scavenging on a nearby space station to try to make a better life for themselves. Once they get there, however, it isn't long before all Xenomorph-induced hell breaks loose.

To put it bluntly, "Alien: Romulus" is a monstrous delight because Álvarez relies on practical effects, sets, and creature designs to terrify the audience in a way that more recent entries in the franchise could only dream of.

While the slow start is initially a letdown, the time spent on character development is worth it once Álvarez hurls the gore and body horror madness into overdrive in the second half.

James Cameron's entry in the franchise is a legendary piece of sci-fi action because it manages to continue where the original movie left off while telling a completely new and thrilling story.

It pushes further into action than horror, making this installment a well-paced adventure that demands the audience's attention. It also solidified Ripley as one of the great lead characters, as Weaver received a best actress nomination for her reprisal of the role.

Ridley Scott's 1979 classic inspired a beloved franchise that equally astounds and frightens to this day, while Weaver's Ripley became one of the most memorable female roles in modern movies.

Plus, actor John Hurt delivered one of the most unforgettable scenes in cinematic history with the nightmarish birth of the chestburster.

What it's about: Directed by her husband, John, Bo Derek plays a 23-year-old who wants to lose her virginity, which leads her to Morocco. Critics didn't just hate this movie, it has since been regarded as one of the worst movies ever made.

What a critic thought: "The real future of 'Bolero' is in home cassette rentals, where your fast forward and instant replay controls will supply the editing job the movie so desperately needs." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

What it's about: In this chapter of the iconic comedy franchise, the misfit Police Academy graduates are tasked with training civilian volunteers.

What a critic thought: "'4' isn't even a film; it's more like a long trailer, a collection of scenes without sense." — Richard Harrington, The Washington Post

What it's about: An adopted child makes life a living hell for his good-natured father (played by John Ritter).

What a critic thought: "Sound funny? The filmmakers here think so. They've jacked this loud, lame shrieker of a movie up to the highest decibels, both aural and visual, and rammed it in our faces with almost numbing aplomb." — Michael Wilmington, Los Angeles Times

What it's about: In the sequel to the popular fantasy movie, Christopher Lambert returns as Highlander Connor MacLeod who tries to save the world by solving its ozone layer problem. Yes, that's the plot.

What a critic thought: "'Highlander 2: The Quickening' is the most hilariously incomprehensible movie I've seen in many a long day — a movie almost awesome in its badness." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

What it's about: It's pretty much the same plot as the 1980 original starring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins. But instead of those two attractive people stranded on an island and falling in love, it's another pair of attractive people: Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause.

What a critic thought: "A textbook example of a disaster that amazingly manages not only to contain bad acting and an appalling script, but also some of the most unconvincing love scenes ever committed to film. " — Joanna Berry, RadioTimes

What it's about: Tom Selleck (with no mustache) plays a self-absorbed guy who takes in his parents after their home burns down.

What a critic thought: "The film's appeal will depend largely on whether you feel like laughing at senile dementia and automobile accidents." — Michael Upchurch, The Seattle Times

What it's about: In the final movie in the "Look Who's Talking" franchise we now follow the inner thoughts of the family's dogs, voiced by Danny DeVito and Diane Keaton.

What a critic thought: "A crude and mawkish film in which dogs attempt to communicate with Kirstie Alley and John Travolta." — Rita Kempley, The Washington Post

What it's about: This comedy set in the 1860s follows a group of settlers who are fed up with the West and hire a cowboy (John Candy) to lead them back East.

What a critic thought: "Although a comedy rife in lively characters, 'Wagons East!' affords star John Candy one of the poorest, drabbest, and thoroughly unfunniest roles of his career." — Roger Hurlburt, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

What it's about: Former basketball great Dennis Rodman was so big back in the late 1990s he got his own movie. He plays a spy who tries to save the world.

What a critic thought: "Dennis Rodman may be a great rebounder, but as a pop-culture icon, he's a one-trick pony." — Nathan Rabin, AV Club

What it's about: In this comedy, Rob (Brian Hooks) tries to change his life — with two strikes against him, he's one away from going back to prison.

What a critic thought: "Relies much too heavily on multiple repetitions of gags that aren't especially funny the first time around." — Joe Leydon, Variety

What it's about: Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu play agents at different agencies who are to take out one another but instead learn they have to team up to defeat a bigger enemy. With 118 reviews of the movie in Rotten Tomatoes, it has the distinction of being the 0% movie with the most reviews filed.

What a critic thought: "'Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever' looks like a video-game promo, has a story that plays like the fifth episode of a struggling syndicated action show, and feels like a headache waiting to happen." Keith Phipps, AV Club

What it's about: Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a NATO operative who is the only one who can stop an out-of-control train that's carrying hostages and bio-weapons.

What a critic thought: "An overblown annoyance." — David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

What it's about: Heather Graham plays a woman who throws away a loving relationship to run off with a mountain climber (Joseph Fiennes).

What a critic thought: "With miscast leads, banal dialogue and an absurdly overblown climax, 'Killing Me Softly' belongs firmly in the so-bad-it's-good camp." — Neil Smith, BBC

What it's about: A comedy that revolves around a guy who witnessed a murder.

What a critic thought: "A limp, smirky lark." — Jessica Winter, Time Out

What it's about: Five years after winning the best actor Oscar for "Life Is Beautiful," Roberto Benigni writes, directs, and plays the lead in this live-action retelling of the classic fairy tale.

What a critic thought: "What can one say about a balding 50-year-old actor playing an innocent boy carved from a log?" — Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

What it's about: Two buddies marry elderly sisters thinking they will inherit their family fortune.

What a critic thought: "So stupefyingly hideous that after watching it, you'll need to bathe in 10 gallons of disinfectant, get a full-body scrub and shampoo with vinegar to remove the scummy residue that remains." — Jen Chaney, The Washington Post

What it's about: A group of talking babies, who are also geniuses, stop a media mogul trying to cash in on baby talk.

What a critic thought: "Why? Seriously, why? Why would anyone make a sequel to Baby Geniuses, a 1999 film whose existence, from its title on down, appeared to be a cruel joke about the gullibility of the lowest common denominator?" — Nathan Rabin, AV Club

What it's about: An estranged family must confront their past when coming together to celebrate the life of a loved one who has recently passed away.

What a critic thought: "Neither the camera nor the script can focus." — Scott Brown, Entertainment Weekly

What it's about: A mechanic, who also moonlights as the lead singer of a hot unsigned band, gets sucked into the world of illegal drag racing.

What a critic thought: "It's hard to say whether gleaming automobiles or women's bodies are given the more fetishlike treatment in this vanity production." — Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

What it's about: A girl who thought the serial killer who tormented her years ago was dead finds out he's still around and is looking for her.

What a critic thought: "To make a 3-D 'torture porn' movie is at best opportunist; to make one with flat, boring torture scenes is unforgivable." — Nigel Floyd, Time Out

What it's about: In this horror, people start receiving voicemails from their future selves with details of their upcoming deaths.

What a critic thought: "The direction is uninspired, acting is lifeless, and the script borders on the inept. A PG-13 rating means that it's short on shocks, too." Richard James Havis, The Hollywood Reporter

What it's about: Mischa Barton plays a scorned ex-girlfriend who seeks revenge when her former boyfriend shows up with a new girlfriend at their school's homecoming.

What a critic thought: "Neither trashy nor self-consciously funny enough to make its genre-trapped ludicrousness sing." — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

What it's about: Jon Hamm plays a detective who is dealing with the loss of his son while trying to solve a case.

What a critic thought: "Plays like a middling episode of 'Law & Order: SVU,' drawn out an extra half-hour and embellished with pretentious literary and cinematic flourishes." — Stephen Holden, The New York Times

What it's about: Comedy about a group of college kids who while doing a semester abroad in Romania find themselves encountering hard parties and vampires.

What a critic thought: "If your idea of a good time is laughing with repulsion at a humpbacked Romanian n----- with a torture-loving midget dad, or tittering every time a bong appears, a darkened theater awaits you." — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

What it's about: Set in 1920s Vienna, a young girl (Elle Fanning) receives a doll on Christmas Eve that leads to a night of magic.

What a critic thought: "This non-balletic adaptation by the Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky is something gnarled and stunted and wrong, something that should never have been allowed to see the light of day." Dana Stevens, Slate

What it's about: Halle Berry plays a shark expert who, after one of her divers is killed by a shark, finds her business hurting and struggles to get back in the water.

What a critic thought: "The sharks themselves are the only ones to emerge with credit from this." — Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

What it's about: Eddie Murphy stars as Jack McCall, a literary agent who after hustling a spiritual guru finds a Bodhi tree in his yard and learns when all the leaves fall off the tree will die, as well as himself.

What a critic thought: "Does Eddie Murphy actually have any range, or is it just an illusion created by a few early edgy roles and, later, a lot of CGI makeup and fat suits?" — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture

What it's about: Marking Adam Sandler's first Netflix movie, he plays a Western outlaw who discovers he has five half brothers.

What a critic thought: "It's a lazy pastiche of westerns and western spoofs, replete with lazy, racist jokes that can't just be waved away with a waft of the irony card. Woeful." — Brad Newsome, Sydney Morning Herald

What it's about: This remake of Eli Roth's 2002 horror movie follows a group of friends who embark on a cabin in the woods and encounter a flesh-eating disease.

What a critic thought: "This dud sets a new standard for the term 'pointless remake.'" — Geoff Berkshire, Variety

What it's about: Jim Carrey stars in this thriller about how a crime novel could be the clues needed to solve a recent murder.

What a critic thought: "It's very rare for a film to pretty much have no redeeming features about it, but 'Dark Crimes' is essentially impossible to recommend beyond those who have a morbid curiosity." — Andrew Gaudion, The Hollywood News

What it's about: Kate Beckinsale stars in this thriller in which she plays a mother who unwittingly releases unspeakable horrors when opening the door to a room in the house she just moved into.

What a critic thought: "There simply isn't enough freshness in the script to warrant another journey inside a dark old house." — Stephen Faber, The Hollywood Reporter

What it's about: A teenager named Max teams with his alien friend, named Steel, to create — you guessed it — Max Steel.

What a critic thought: "A spectacle without the spectacle, an autumnal, amorphous blockbuster that just sits there, suspended in mid-air, as you soak in its ceaseless banality." — Sam Fragoso, The Wrap

What it's about: Bruce Willis and Mark-Paul Gosselaar star in this caper about a crime boss who double-crosses a thief.

What a critic thought: "The stupid plot, dismal dialogue, moral turpitude and dispiriting torpor of this movie makes watching it utterly pointless." — Bruce Kirkland, Toronto Sun

What it's about: Dominic Cooper plays a British commando who takes out a deadly terrorist cell.

What a critic thought: "A pretty unremarkable caper: a by-the-numbers movie about a macho-maverick-man doing macho-maverick-man things." — Charlotte Harrison, Den of Geek

What it's about: John Travolta plays John Gotti in his biopic about the infamous New York City crime boss.

What a critic thought: "Starring in this mobster biopic that deserves to get whacked is an offer Travolta should have refused. Insane testimonials from Gotti supporters at the end are as close as this s---show will ever get to good reviews." — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

What it's about: Amber Heard stars in this thriller in which she has an affair with three men, one of whom she knows will be her murderer.

What a critic thought: "Quite simply, horrendous — a trashy, tortured misfire from beginning to end." — Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times

What it's about: Terry Crews stars as the title character who must reconcile with his past to help two immigrant kids trying to escape the gang life of Los Angeles.

What a critic thought: "Flashes of craft can't make up for the director's easy default to gore over story." — Lisa Kennedy, Variety

What it's about: This Netflix crime thriller is set in a future where the government has come up with a signal that makes it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit unlawful acts.

What a critic thought: "Don't care about story, characters or words, but love violence? Even you will be disappointed." — Johnny Oleksinski, The New York Post

What it's about: The latest movie adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic went straight to Amazon Prime, and when you see it, you'll understand why.

Ice Cube plays a Homeland Security officer who, while searching for a hacker, suddenly has to deal with a sudden alien invasion.

What's different from the other "War of the Worlds" movies is this is told in "screenlife," a storytelling method made popular with the 2018 movie "Searching," in which the entire story is told visually through a computer, tablet, or smartphone screen. (And yes, there are plenty of Amazon product placements.)

What a critic thought: "Even with a Prime subscription, you have to sit through two minutes of ads to watch 90 more of what amounts to a feature-length commercial for all things Amazon." — Peter Debruge, Variety

In the late 1980s, Anderson dated "Batman" producer Jon Peters. They then rekindled their relationship in 2019 and reports claimed they'd married in a private ceremony in 2020. Twelve days later, Anderson told The Hollywood Reporter that the marriage paperwork was never formalized and that the two were going their separate ways. In a 2024 interview, Anderson again denied that she and Peters ever married, telling The Hollywood Reporter, "it was just a funny moment."

During Anderson's Playboy modeling days, she dated Baio, who got her one of her first acting gigs as a guest star on his hit show, "Charles in Charge."

Anderson's attraction to bad boy rockers started with Michaels, but she and the Poison frontman only lasted a year.

Anderson dated her "Baywatch" costar on and off for years beginning in the mid-1990s and up until she became smitten by another hard rocker.

When Anderson met Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee in 1995, she thought she'd found her soulmate. Four days after meeting, they married; they went on to have two children together.

Anderson and Lee's three-year-relationship quickly became a focus of the tabloids. When their sex tape was leaked to the public, they catapulted into pop-culture infamy. The sex tape saga would go on to become the basis of the 2022 Hulu limited series "Pam & Tommy."

The two tried to rekindle their relationship in the early 2000s, but it didn't last.

After Tommy Lee, Anderson had a very brief romance with this male model from 2000 to 2001.

Anderson nabbed another bad boy rocker in 2001. She and Kid Rock were briefly engaged during their two years together. They married in 2006, but divorced less than a year later.

Anderson and real-estate mogul Hallier dated for five years. They split in 2010, which resulted in them both suing each other over projects they were involved in.

Anderson's third (and fourth) husband is someone who has been close to her for years. She and the professional poker player first married in 2007; that only lasted a year. They tried again in 2014, but again, for only a year.

Between marriages with Salomon, Anderson briefly dated this surfer.

In 2017, at the height of Assange's political asylum inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Anderson had a fling with the WikiLeaks founder.

Anderson's relationship with the French soccer pro ended messy, as she accused Rami of infidelity and abuse.

Anderson's last marriage was to her former bodyguard. They tied the knot on Christmas Eve in 2020. The two divorced in 2022.

Anderson and Neeson had never met before costarring in "The Naked Gun." Rumors that they were dating began to swirl when the two began doing press for the movie in July 2025.

While appearing on "Today," the two were asked about the dating rumors.

"It's like, 'Oh, this is nice. Let's not mold this. Let's just let it breathe,'" Neeson said. "And that's what we did."

The same day they were on "Today," People reported that the two are dating. A source told the outlet: "It's a budding romance in the early stages. It's sincere, and it's clear they're smitten with each other."

Baena was known for writing and directing comedic independent movies like "Life After Beth," "The Little Hours," and "Horse Girl."

Many of them starred his wife, Aubrey Plaza.

He also wrote the 2004 movie "I Heart Huckabees" with director David O. Russell.

Baena died by suicide on January 3.

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.

Baker was known for his tough guy roles, playing heroes and villains with equal intensity for close to four decades.

The Texas native found stardom in 1973 playing the real-life moonshine-busting Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser in the surprise hit "Walking Tall."

A string of memorable roles utilizing his intimidating presence followed. He played a crooked cop opposite Chevy Chase in the 1985 hit comedy "Fletch," teamed up with Nick Nolte to try to stop a crazed Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake of "Cape Fear," and, between those movies, played a fictional version of Babe Ruth opposite Robert Redford in the 1984 sports classic "The Natural."

Baker also has the distinction of playing both a villain (1987's "The Living Daylights") and a good guy (1995's "GoldenEye," 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies") in the James Bond franchise.

Baker died on May 7. No cause was given.

Burrell was a Food Network star known for her spiky platinum hair and her enthusiasm for the culinary arts. After getting her start in Italian restaurants in New York City, she rose to fame after appearing as a sous chef to Mario Batali on "Iron Chef America."

She soon became a staple on the Food Network, appearing on "Chef Wanted," "Chopped," and "Food Network Star," and hosting the Emmy-nominated "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and "Worst Cooks in America."

Burrell died on June 17; no cause was given.

Button was one of the greats in men's figure skating.

His dominance in the sport began in the late 1940s, when he began winning on the amateur circuit by landing moves no one had ever seen done before in competition, including the double axel and the triple jump.

He would go on to win two Olympic gold medals and five consecutive world championships.

Once he retired, he went on to become an Emmy-winning analyst and even was one of the minds behind the popular 1970s competition show "Battle of the Network Stars," in which celebrities challenged one another in various sports competitions.

Button died on January 30. No cause was given.

A beloved actor on the stage and screen for decades, Chamberlain was the face of the acclaimed 1980s miniseries "The Thorn Birds" and "Shogun," both of which garnered him Emmy nominations.

He also found acclaim onstage, starring in revivals of "My Fair Lady" and "The Sound of Music."

In the 2000s, Chamberlain had memorable guest-starring roles on shows like "Will and Grace" and "Desperate Housewives."

Chamberlain died on March 29 of complications following a stroke.

For 50 years, fans of "General Hospital" knew Charleson as Dr. Monica Quartermaine, a role she played since 1977.

Charleson was beloved by fans and used her celebrity to support charities for breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS awareness.

Charleson's other credits include "Adam 12," "Barnaby Jones," "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Ironside," "Kung Fu," and "The Rockford Files."

She also starred in "Happy Days" and gave Ron Howard his first on-screen kiss.

Charleson died on January 12 following a long illness.

Faithfull was a fixture in the London music scene during the 1960s.

She was discovered by The Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, which led to her finding instant stardom not just for her chart-topping music, like "As Tears Go By," which became a top 5 single in the UK, but also for her hard-partying ways alongside her then-flame Mick Jagger.

Throughout the 1960s, she was the inspiration for Stones hits "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Wild Horses" while being a co-writer on "Sister Morphine." But she was also in a deep addiction to drugs. She was famously found wearing nothing but a fur rug during a 1967 drug bust at Keith Richards' Sussex home.

Faithfull made a comeback with the 1979 album "Broken English," which earned her a Grammy nomination.

Other hit songs include "This Little Bird," "Summer Nights," and "Come and Stay With Me."

She also starred in movies like 1967's "I'll Never Forget What's'isname" and 1968's "The Girl on the Motorcycle."

Faithfull died on January 30. No cause was given.

Flack's smooth R&B vocals made her a star in the 1970s with Grammy-winning hits like "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face," "Killing Me Softly with His Song," and "Feel Like Makin' Love."

Over her career, Flack scored six top-10 pop hits and 10 top-10 R&B singles. She was also the first artist to win the record of the year Grammy in two consecutive years, for 1973's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and 1974's "Killing Me Softly with His Song."

Flack was introduced to a new generation in the 1990s when The Fugees did a Grammy-winning cover of "Killing Me Softly" in 1996.

Flack died on February 24. No cause was given.

Foreman was a two-time heavyweight boxing champion, winning his titles in 1973 at the age of 24 and again in 1994 at the age of 45.

Foreman fought formidable legends throughout his long-lasting boxing career, including Muhammad Ali in 1974 — dubbed The Rumble in the Jungle, one of the most-watched televised sporting events of the time — and Evander Holyfield in 1991.

Toward the end of his career, Foreman became the face of Salton Inc.'s George Foreman Grill, making millions through his household name.

His family announced on social media that he died on March 21. No cause was given. Foreman was 76.

In an era of hip-hop where the producers were as prominent as the artists, Irv Gotti was one of the shining stars of the late 1990s and 2000s.

Gotti, who was born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. and later went by DJ Irv, came on the scene as A&R for Def Jam. He brought in artists that would define the next generation of hip-hop to the label like Jay-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule.

His coming out party was producing one of Jay-Z's first hits, "Can I Live," from his 1996 debut album "Reasonable Doubt."

Soon after, his Irv Gotti persona was created when he founded the rap label Murder Inc. Records, bringing along artists like DMX and Ja Rule and signing others like Ashanti.

There he became the face of smash hits like Jay-Z's "Can I Get A…," DMX's "What's My Name," Ja Rule's "Holla Holla," Fat Joe's "What's Luv?," Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real," and Ashanti's "Foolish."

In recent years, Gotti had suffered strokes and battled diabetes-related issues. He died on February 5. No cause was given.

Hackman was a superstar in the skin of a character actor.

From his breakout in 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde" to his final movie, 2004's "Welcome to Mooseport," this skilled actor did it all with low-key confidence.

Even when he played the diabolical villain Lex Luthor in the Christopher Reeve "Superman" movies, Hackman's deft performance was never about upstaging other actors.

But audiences couldn't help but gravitate to him. Taking on roles in projects that would become classics like the gritty cop "Popeye" Doyle in "The French Connection," which earned him an Oscar; a surveillance expert in "The Conversation;" a tough but fair basketball coach in "Hoosiers;" and showing his comedy chops in "Get Shorty" and "The Birdcage," Hackman became beloved.

He abruptly retired in 2004 and spent the rest of his life writing novels and enjoying life with his wife Betsy Arakawa.

Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on February 26. An investigation is ongoing.

Katt started his career as a child actor landing roles in "Fantasy Island" and "CHiPs" in the 1980s, but it was the roles he played as an adult that would cement his legacy.

From "Dazed and Confused" to "Boiler Room," Katt often played the heel, and dispensing wiseass remarks with a dark stare became his signature.

Katt became a favorite of directors like Steven Soderbergh, who cast him in "The Limey" and "Full Frontal," and Christopher Nolan, who gave him parts in "Insomnia" and "The Dark Knight."

The actor also played the edgy teacher Harry Senate in the series "Boston Public."

Katt died on April 8. His family confirmed to Deadline that he died by suicide.

Val Kilmer was a quintessential movie star who delivered some of the most memorable performances in movie history.

As the hotshot flyer "Iceman" in 1986's Top Gun, he became a scene stealer who could hold his own against Tom Cruise.

From there, Kilmer shot to superstardom in movies like 1988's "Willow," Oliver Stone's 1991 biopic "The Doors," in which he played the band's legendary frontman Jim Morrison; 1993's "Tombstone," in which he played Doc Holliday; and Michael Mann's 1995 classic "Heat," in which he played a thief opposite Robert De Niro.

That same year, he would also become a major box office draw playing Batman in the 1995 movie "Batman Forever."

In 2014, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer and recovered, but his voice was permanently damaged from a tracheotomy.

His final movie appearance was reprising his Iceman role in 2022's "Top Gun: Maverick."

Kilmer died on April 1 of pneumonia.

As an MTV veejay in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ananda Lewis was a standout. After getting her start hosting BET's "Teen Summit," she moved over to MTV, hosting its hit shows "MTV Live," "Total Request Live," and "Hot Zone." She also had her own show, "The Ananda Lewis Show," which ran from 2001 to 2002.

In 2020, Lewis announced that she had been battling breast cancer for two years. Last October, she revealed her cancer had progressed to stage four. Lewis died on June 11.

Lynch was the visionary director of surrealist films like "The Elephant Man," "Blue Velvet," "Mulholland Drive," and the hit TV series "Twin Peaks."

His groundbreaking works blended elements of everything from horror to film noir to surrealism, creating a uniquely skewed vision of America.

After adapting Frank Herbert's "Dune" in 1984, resulting in a box office flop, Lynch produced a string of surrealist works that would define his career: 1986's "Blue Velvet," 1990's "Wild at Heart," 1992's "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" (the prequel to his hit TV show "Twin Peaks," which ran from 1990 to 1991), and 1997's "Lost Highway."

Each title showcased Lynch's seemingly limitless creativity as he pushed the boundaries of narrative structure while dazzling the viewer with exquisite production design and cinematography.

The Lynch family announced his passing on January 16. In August 2024, the filmmaker announced that he had emphysema following decades of smoking, but said he hadn't smoked in over two years.

Playing memorable roles in Quentin Tarantino movies like "Reservoir Dogs," the "Kill Bill" movies, "The Hateful Eight," and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," Madsen was known for his ultra-cool tough guy characters.

Outside of the Tarantino universe, he had memorable roles as a slick cop chasing an alien in 1995's "Species" and a mobster in 1997's "Donnie Brasco."

Madsen had close to 350 movie credits to his name, dating back to the 1980s with small roles in "The Natural," where he played an egotistical baseball player opposite Robert Redford, and a blink-and-you'd-miss-it part in the hit Matthew Broderick thriller "WarGames."

But the role he'll forever be known best for was playing the crook Mr. Blonde in Tarantino's 1992 masterpiece, "Reservoir Dogs." Sporting black shades, a black suit with a white shirt, and a skinny black tie, Madsen had the memorable line, "Are you gonna bark all day, little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" He also famously strutted to the song "Stuck in the Middle With You" while torturing a cop.

Madsen died on July 3 at his Malibu home. No cause was given.

After working as everything from a disc jockey to the host of a kids' sci-fi series to a chart-topping artist (with the 1959 spoken-word tune "Deck of Cards"), Wink Martindale found his true calling as a game show host in the 1960s.

His first was NBC's "What's This Song?" in 1964. Then in 1972 came his first hit, "Gambit." That was followed by the even more popular "Tic-Tac-Dough," which ran until the late 1980s.

Martindale went on to host other game shows through the decades like "High Rollers," "The Last Word," "The Great Getaway Game," "Trivial Pursuit," "Debt," and "Instant Recall."

Martindale died on April 15. No cause was given.

Moore's R&B sound influenced everyone from Michael Jackson to Bruce Springsteen.

Alongside Dave Prater, Moore found fame in the 1960s with Sam & Dave, a duo who had hits like "Hold On, I'm Comin'" and "Soul Man."

"Soul Man" would gain renewed popularity in the late 1970s when Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi began performing the song as their alter egos, R&B singers The Blues Brothers, on "Saturday Night Live." The song would continue to find new fans in 1980 when "The Blues Brothers" movie was released.

Moore went solo in 1970 and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Moore died on January 10 from complications while recovering from surgery.

Thanks to her stunning beauty, Page became a fixture in both French cinema and Hollywood through the 1960s.

She's best known for playing Madame Anais, the owner of a high-class brothel in Luis Buñuel's 1967 masterpiece "Belle de Jour."

In the movie, Anais oversees the actions of Catherine Deneuve's character Severine, a bored housewife who turns to prostitution to spice up her life. But she only works in the afternoon while her husband is away at work, leading to Anais calling her "Belle de Jour" ("Beauty of the Day").

Page also starred in "El Cid," the 1961 medieval epic also starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren, and Billy Wilder's 1970 film "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes."

Page died on February 14. No cause was given.

Stone was a member of the female hip-hop trio The Sequence, who is known for songs like "Funk You Up" and "Monster Jam."

She later launched a solo career in the late 1990s with her debut album, "Black Diamond." Her 2001 song, "Wish I Didn't Miss You," became one of her most popular songs.

Stone's publicist told TMZ that Stone died in a car crash on March 1 after performing in Montgomery, Alabama. The Grammy-nominated artist was traveling in a van with eight other people, including backup singers and crew, when it crashed on Interstate 65.

Stone, born Sylvester Stewart in California, was known as the founder and frontman of Sly and the Family Stone, a psychedelic-soul band active through the '60s, '70s, and early '80s. He was behind classic songs like "Dance to the Music" and "Everyday People."

In a statement distributed to the press, Stone's three children celebrated their father's "extraordinary musical legacy" and "enduring creative spirit."

"Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music," the family wrote. "His iconic songs have left an indelible mark on the world, and his influence remains undeniable."

Stone's death was announced on June 9 after a prolonged battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Swit portrayed one of the most memorable characters in TV history, playing the head nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the legendary series "M*A*S*H."

Swit took over the role from Sally Kellerman, who originated the part in the 1970 Robert Altman movie the series is based on.

Her performance earned her 10 Emmy nominations and two wins. Swit and costar Alan Alda were the only two actors on the show who appeared in the pilot episode and the famed two-and-a-half-hour finale, which was seen by more than 100 million viewers.

Swit died on May 30 of natural causes.

Trachtenberg dedicated her life to acting and found fame in the process.

She landed her first major role in the mid-1990s as Nona F. Mecklenberg on the Nickelodeon series "The Adventures of Pete & Pete." In 1996, she played the lead in the Nickelodeon-produced movie "Harriet the Spy."

By the early 2000s, she had landed more mature roles in movies like the comedy "Euro Trip" and the indie drama "Mysterious Skin," both of which were released in 2004. At the same time, she was gaining fandom on the small screen playing Dawn Summers on "Buffy and the Vampire Slayer," and later appearing as Georgina Sparks on the hit CW series "Gossip Girl," which ran from 2007 to 2012.

Trachtenberg was found dead in a New York City apartment on February 26. A cause of death hasn't yet been determined.

This Atlanta rapper brought snap music to the masses thanks to his hit 2006 songs "Walk it Out" and "2 Step."

Anthony Platt, better known by his stage name DJ Unk, was a fixture in the Atlanta rap scene in the late 1990s. He DJed at everything from pep rallies to proms.

He released his first album, "Beat'n Down Yo Block!" in 2006 and found huge acclaim due to his two big hit songs, "Walk it Out" and "2 Step."

"Walk it Out" got as high as No. 10 on the Billboard charts and went platinum.

His second album, "2econd Season," was released in 2008 but didn't find the same acclaim as his debut.

In 2009, due to non-stop touring and hard partying, DJ Unk suffered a heart attack.

DJ Unk died on January 24. His wife, Sherkita Long-Platt, said in a Facebook post that he died in his sleep after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Uecker had a respectable career as a Major League Baseball backup catcher on four clubs through the 1960s, playing with his hometown Milwaukee Brewers and winning a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. But it was his work off the field that made him one of the most memorable figures in MLB history.

After retiring in 1967, Uecker started his second career as a broadcaster, calling games for the Brewers (which he did until his death) and being the color man for network games.

His self-deprecating style made him a likable figure, leading to him becoming a fixture on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson, where he earned the nickname "Mr. Baseball." Suddenly, Uecker landed everything from beer commercials to a hosting gig on "Saturday Night Live."

But his most memorable gigs outside of baseball were playing sportswriter George Owens on the hit TV show "Mr. Belvedere" from 1985 to 1990 and starring as sarcastic broadcaster Harry Doyle in the beloved 1989 movie "Major League" and its sequels.

Uecker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

He died on January 16 after battling small-cell lung cancer since 2023.

Through the 1980s, he sat on the corner at the bar where everybody knows your name. In the process, he became a TV icon.

As Norm Peterson, who always threw out a funny one-liner when he entered the bar on the hit TV series "Cheers," Wendt created one of the most memorable characters in TV history and garnered six consecutive Emmy nominations.

The Chicago native, who started his career in the 1970s at the famed Second City improv troupe, also landed roles in hit movies like "Fletch" (1985), "Gung Ho" (1986), and "The Little Rascals" (1994), and played the grumpy dad opposite Macaulay Culkin in Michael Jackson's 1991 music video for "Black or White."

Through the decades, Wendt was also a regular on "Saturday Night Live," playing a superfan of the Chicago Bears who called the team "Da Bears." (Wendt is the uncle of "SNL" alum Jason Sudeikis.)

Wendt died on May 20. No cause was given.

As a founding member of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson is responsible for mega hits that blended pop music with more modern, avant-garde sounds.

From 1962 to 1966, the Beach Boys had 10 top-10 hits and seven top-40 chart entries, most of which were written or co-written and produced by Wilson.

Along with classics like "Good Vibrations" and "Help Me, Rhonda," Wilson is also responsible for pushing the band's sound into new dimensions, particularly with the 1966 album "Pet Sounds." Its blend of pop, jazz, and avant-garde influences brought widespread critical acclaim and inspired The Beatles to make "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

Wilson struggled most of his life with mental illness, which was explored in the 2014 movie, "Love & Mercy" starring John Cusack and Paul Dano playing Wilson at different stages in his life.

Wilson's death was announced by his family in June. No cause was given. In February 2024, it was revealed Wilson was battling dementia.

Yarrow was a singer-songwriter who was a member of the iconic folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary.

Along with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers, the trio had six Billboard Top 10 singles, two No. 1 albums, and won five Grammys. Their major hit was "Puff the Magic Dragon," which Yarrow cowrote.

Yarrow died on January 7 after a battle with bladder cancer.

Although his name might not ring a bell, you have definitely seen Harris Yulin's work. Over his five-decade career, Yulin had many memorable roles in movies and TV, most notably as villains.

He played an angry judge in 1989's "Ghostbusters II" and a corrupt national security advisor opposite Harrison Ford in 1994's "Clear and Present Danger," but his all-time best villain role was playing the crooked cop Mel, who meets his fate thanks to Al Pacino's Tony Montana in the beloved 1983 gangster movie "Scarface."

Yulin died on June 10. No cause was given.

Taking Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) and Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) away from Radiator Springs and going international (plus making Mater a spy) didn't grab critics. This sequel became the first "rotten" Pixar movie on Rotten Tomatoes. Deservedly.

In the second movie ever released by Pixar, an ant named Flik (voiced by Dave Foley) sets out to find others to help save his colony against grasshoppers and ends up recruiting a unique group of allies.

Though the movie was successful at the box office, with the release of DreamWorks' "Antz" a month earlier, you're more likely to remember the Lasseter-Katzenberg feud than the films. 

Though the "Cars" movies are the least acclaimed of anything Pixar makes, the company continues to churn them out. "Cars 3" touches on some interesting themes like mortality and self-confidence, but it feels like everyone involved in the making of it was on cruise control.

Perhaps one of the more serious stories in the Pixar inventory, this coming-of-age tale about an Apatosaurus and his human friend Spot trying to return home didn't catch on nearly as much as Pixar's other release in 2015, "Inside Out."

Burnout may have been at play here, but mostly Pixar challenged its core audience with a darker story than they were used to.

With perhaps a little too much old-school Disney gloss, the movie nevertheless featured a princess who's one of the most strong-willed we've seen in an animated feature. But it just didn't work as well as Pixar titles before or since.

In this touching story that centers a family story in the fantasy world, we follow two elf brothers as they set out on a magical quest to bring their father back from the dead.

Like all Pixar movies, there's a lot of self discovery in this one that is hit or miss throughout.

"Lightyear" is the movie that Andy from "Toy Story" is obsessed over and what leads to him getting the Buzz Lightyear toy.

Wish we could say we were as obsessed over the movie as he was.

It's fun, and Chris Evans is great voicing the "real" Buzz. But it just misses that quality that makes the great Pixar movies so special.

Still, the action sequences are exciting and the theme music from composer Michael Giacchino is a standout.

The final Pixar movie that the company produced independently before being bought by Disney, "Cars" — a look at a hotshot racing car that finds humility and true friends in a dusty country town — was one of those for-the-whole-family, feel-good stories that was light on the clichés.

In the prequel to the popular "Monsters, Inc.," Pixar does impressive work to make the backstory of how Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sully (John Goodman) met as fun and original as the classic first film.

Setting the story in the college life of monsters opens the door to easy traps, but the movie mostly steers clear and has a strong ending.

In Pete Docter and Kemp Power's latest directing effort for Pixar, the two take us into the world of a struggling musician, who dies on the day of his big break.

On the verge of going to the great beyond, or an alternate universe for souls, he tries to get back into his own body.

Jamie Foxx is great voicing the main character, Joe. Tina Fey, as the difficult spirit 22, can get annoying at times, but that's likely the point of her bratty character who doesn't want to live on Earth.

The real hit of this movie, however, is the amazing digital animation that makes New York City pop.

Pixar has created its first ever rom-com with this touching story set around a girl made of fire and a boy made of water.

Directed by Peter Sohn ("The Good Dinosaur"), the movie has lots of layers like immigration, different cultures, tolerance, and family, as the movie sets around a family made of fire that has to try to live in a city that doesn't accommodate them. 

But at its core, the movie is a lighthearted look at young love. This is one that's going to make you feel good when you leave the theater.

This story of love and loss will pull at your heartstrings, as the titular young boy struggles with the loss of both his parents and must adapt to being under the care of his aunt, an Air Force major with ambitions of her own. Elio's wish to be understood is granted in the form of an extraterrestrial connection, though that, too, turns sideways when he must lead an intergalactic dispute.

Like every Pixar movie, "Elio" is fueled by a emotion. You'll want to hug your loved ones tightly after it's over.

After gaining an Oscar for her beloved short film "Bao," director Domee Shi delivers a moving look at what it's like to be a teenage girl in her directorial debut.

Following 13-year-old Meilin as she navigates being a teen and her overbearing mother, she also comes to learn that thanks to a family curse whenever she gets excited she turns into a giant red panda.

This one is definitely a mother-daughter watch.

Nine years after the Oscar-winning original, we're back inside the mind of Riley. Now 13, she's got a lot more swirling in her head besides "Joy," "Anger," "Sadness," "Fear," and "Disgust."

With puberty hitting, there's now "Envy," "Boredom," "Embarrassment," and "Anxiety."

Like the first movie, the sequel cleverly examines how emotions fuel our everyday lives, especially in our youth. Here, the main focus is Riley trying to fit in at hockey skills camp, which leads to a lot of anxiety and repressing her key emotions.

Though the middle of the movie gets a bit stale as Joy tries to race back before Anxiety goes too far, it gets points for having one of the better endings in the Pixar filmography.

Marking the first time Pixar based a movie around a holiday, director Lee Unkirch ("Toy Story 3") gives us a powerful story about family and never forgetting your past all set around Dia de los Muertos. Make sure to bring the tissues for this one.

Director Enrico Casarosa delivers a beautiful look at friendship and Italian culture with this movie that follows two boys who are sea creatures but long to explore above the surface. 

Looking like regular boys when they are out of the water, they embark on a journey through the small fishing town near where they live.

It results in an adventure that speaks to expanding your horizons and never being scared of change.

The first directing effort by Pete Doctor ("Up," "Inside Out"), "Monsters, Inc.," the story of how monsters use the screams of children to power their world, was a genius idea that was elevated by the performances of Crystal and Goodman as the leads. With laughs and a heartwarming story, the movie showed that Pixar had more up its sleeve than the "Toy Story" movies.

14 years after the hit original, director Brad Bird finally returns to continue the story of the superhero Parr family. Starting up right where we left off at the end of the first movie, the sequel has all the fun and thrills of the original while still cleverly keeping those family strife undertones that ground the story. (You have to have something for the parents to relate to.)

The highest-grossing animated movie of 2016, the sequel to "Finding Nemo" did not disappoint with audiences as we follow Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) on her journey to find her parents. With many characters from the original returning and some great new ones, Pixar proved the 13-year gap from when the original opened didn't affect their storytelling or our love for this world.

Pixar's Oscar-winner for best animated feature touches on all the things that have made its movies so beloved. The original story of a young girl growing up told through personified emotions, and the journey to finding one's true self, could've been corny. But Pixar's execution was flawless.

The second "Toy Story" puts Woody (Tom Hanks) in the clutches of a toy seller who's ready to ship the antique cowboy off for some major coin. Buzz (Tim Allen) and the rest of the toys have to figure out how to save him. Like the first time, the movie has some great drama and thrills that proved a lot more could be told about these plastic toys.

"Up" is a perfect example of the adult topics Pixar began to take on once it was on steady ground in Hollywood. Focusing on love and the inability to let go, the story of an elderly man's journey to a far-off land on his floating house after his wife dies is equally heartbreaking and life-affirming — a triumph that led to it getting a best-picture Oscar nomination.

Though many thought the third "Toy Story" was a beautiful close to the franchise that launched Pixar into a giant in the animation world, "Toy Story 4" doesn't do a bad job in trying to match up to its predecessor. Though it doesn't pull the emotional strings as dramatically as "3," it is definitely a worthy addition thanks to new characters like Forky and Duke Caboom, as well as a strong storyline for Bo Peep. 

Hailed by critics when it came out, and nominated for a best picture Oscar, the third "Toy Story" is the franchise's most emotionally charged to date. Woody, Buzz, and the gang find themselves mistakenly delivered to a day-care center, where they encounter some interesting new toys. 

Playing on the big Hollywood secret agent/superhero movies, Pixar's curveball turned off some who didn't want it meddling in the genre. But the story of a superhero past his prime and realizing he's even more powerful when his family is by his side indicated the emotional depths Pixar wanted to explore.

This touching examination of the sanctity of art and how it can be commercialized into watered-down muck — cleverly using the setting of a restaurant kitchen — is one of the most emotionally fulfilling movies ever made, Pixar or otherwise.

From the sarcastic comedy of Albert Brooks opposite the sweetly naive tone of Ellen DeGeneres, to the attention to detail in the gorgeous CGI-rendered underwater world, "Finding Nemo" provided a lot for everyone to love. And the giant box-office numbers speak for themselves.

The movie that started it all. Lasseter directed it and pretty much put all the company's chips into one basket. "Toy Story" elevated what kinds of stories animated movies could tell. And its computer-generated animation was the nail in the coffin for Disney's traditional hand-drawn work.

Director Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo," "WALL-E") gives us a remarkable story that celebrates old cinema (the silent movie, the musical) while delivering a message about the need to protect the planet (and our health) as flashy technology takes over.

Pixar is known for making us care about fictional creatures and objects, but with "WALL-E," that connection to the characters — the sense that they're living beings — is so intertwined with our experience of watching that you have to remind yourself it's just a story.

And that's the best kind of storytelling.