Actor Anthony Mackie (1978)

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) is a television miniseries on Disney+, created by Malcolm Spellman. Based on Marvel Comics, the show follows Sam Wilson, also known as Falcon, and Bucky Barnes, aka Winter Soldier. It is the second Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series produced by Marvel Studios and shares continuity with the franchise’s films. The story takes place six months after Wilson becomes Captain America in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Together, Wilson and Barnes work to stop anti-patriots who prefer the world during the Blip. ...

Altered Carbon (2018–2020) is an American cyberpunk series, based on the 2002 novel of the same name by Richard K. Morgan. In a future world where consciousness can switch between bodies, Takeshi Kovacs, a former soldier turned investigator, is released from prison to solve a murder. The story takes place over 360 years in the future in Bay City, a futuristic metropolis. Memories and consciousness are stored on disk-like devices called cortical stacks, implanted at the back of the neck. These stacks are made from alien materials found only on Harlan’s World and can be transferred into new bodies after death. ...

Avengers: Infinity War (2018) is an American superhero film based on the popular Marvel Comics team. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it follows previous installments The Avengers (2012) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) as the 19th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In possession of one of the six powerful Infinity Stones, Thanos and his allies Ebony Maw, Cull Obsidian, Proxima Midnight, and Corvus Glaive intercept a spaceship carrying survivors from Asgard’s destruction. Displaying immense strength, Thanos defeats Thor and obtains another Infinity Stone from the Tesseract. He ...

Triple 9 (2016) is an action thriller directed by John Hillcoat and written by Matt Cook. In Atlanta, a group of dishonest law enforcement and seasoned criminals, including Marcus Belmont (played by Anthony Mackie), Franco Rodriguez, and Gabe and Russell Welch, are coerced by the Russian Mob into robbing a heavily guarded bank in broad daylight. Terrell Thompkins, an ex-special forces member now working in the private sector, leads the team. Unhappy with the job, Irina Vaslov, head of the mob, takes Terrell’s family hostage and demands they rob a safe house for ...

Captain America: Civil War (2016), a superhero film from Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, follows the events of the first two Captain America movies. As political leaders question the actions of heroes like Captain America and Iron Man, the two find themselves on opposite sides. Tony Stark believes in regulation, while Steve Rogers disagrees. This disagreement leads to a rift within their team, The Avengers. At a United Nations meeting to discuss regulation, an explosion kills several individuals, including T’Chaka, King of Wakanda. The investigation reveals that Bucky Barnes (aka the Winter Soldier), a friend of Captain America ...

Ant-Man (2015), an American superhero film, is based on the Marvel Comics characters Scott Lang and Hank Pym. It is the 12th film in the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe and was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In 1989, scientist Hank Pym left his position at S.H.I.E.L.D. after learning of their attempt to duplicate his Ant-Man shrinking technology. Concerned about the potential danger of this technology falling into the wrong hands, Pym vows to keep it hidden for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, in present times, Pym’s estranged daughter Hope van Dyne and former protégé Darren Cross have taken ...

Based on the Marvel Comics superhero team, Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) is the 11th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The sequel to The Avengers (2012), it was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In Sokovia, a country in Eastern Europe, the Avengers—Tony Stark, Thor, Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and Clint Barton—conduct a raid on a Hydra facility run by Baron Wolfgang von Strucker. They encounter two of Strucker’s test subjects: Pietro, who possesses superhuman speed, and Wanda Maximoff, who has telepathic and telekinetic abilities. After apprehending Strucker and ...

Black or White (2014), directed and written by Mike Binder, tells the story of Elliot Anderson, a man who becomes a widower after his wife dies in a car crash. He raises his granddaughter Eloise while dealing with his grief through heavy drinking. However, Elliot’s life is upended when the child’s grandmother, Rowena – who happens to be black – insists that her son Reggie, a drug addict whom Elliot holds responsible for his daughter’s death, take custody of Eloise. This sparks a heated custody battle as Elliot fights tooth and nail to prevent his granddaughter from being in the care of her ...

The American superhero film, Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), is based on the popular character from Marvel Comics. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, the movie takes place two years after the Battle of New York. Steve Rogers now works for the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. in Washington, D.C., as he tries to adjust to modern society. During a mission with Agent Natasha Romanoff and the S.T.R.I.K.E. team, led by Agent Brock Rumlow, they come across a hijacked S.H.I.E.L.D. vessel with hostages taken by pirates led by Georges Batroc. It is then that Rogers learns that Romanoff has another task: to retrieve data ...

Directed by Brad Furman and written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, Runner Runner (2013) is an American crime thriller film. Once a successful Wall Street worker, Richie Furst’s past career prevents him from receiving financial aid at Princeton University. In order to afford his master’s degree, he turns to referring students to online gambling and receives a portion of the profits. When the dean threatens to expel Richie for this behavior, he attempts to win back his tuition using his impressive poker ...

Pain & Gain (2013), an American action comedy film directed by Michael Bay, follows the story of ex-con and bodybuilder Daniel Lugo. In 1994, Lugo is hired by Sun Gym owner John Mese to manage the gym. While there, he befriends Adrian Doorbal, a trainer and bodybuilder who has recently been affected by steroid use. Lugo becomes envious of Victor Kershaw, one of the gym’s members whom he also begins to train. After being inspired by motivational speaker Jonny Wu to be more proactive in life, Lugo comes up with a plan to extort Kershaw for his wealth and luxurious lifestyle. With Doorbal’s help and the ...

Man on a Ledge (2012) is an American action thriller directed by Asger Leth. After checking into the Roosevelt Hotel, a man named Joe Walker makes his way to the 21st floor and steps out onto the ledge, seemingly prepared to end his life. Concerned bystanders alert the police, who send in Dante Marcus and Jack Dougherty to handle the situation. However, it is revealed that Walker is actually ex-policeman Nick Cassidy, who recently escaped from prison after being sentenced for stealing a diamond from businessman David Englander. Negotiator Lydia Mercer, still reeling from her failure to save a suicidal policeman, is ...

Black Mirror (2011–2024) is a thought-provoking British anthology series, created by Charlie Brooker, that delves into the consequences of technology on society. Originally airing on Channel 4, the show has since found a home on Netflix and has produced six series since its debut in 2011. With a total of 27 episodes and one interactive film called Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, each installment ranges from 40 to 89 minutes and can be viewed in any desired order. While the episodes cover a diverse range of genres, they all share a common theme of the potential future impact of technology, drawing inspiration from ...

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) is a captivating American sci-fi romantic thriller, marking George Nolfi’s directorial debut. In 2006, Brooklyn congressman David Norris misses out on a seat in the US Senate. As he rehearses his concession speech, he crosses paths with Elise Sellas and shares a passionate kiss. Unfortunately, they are separated before he can learn her name. Despite this, David finds himself inspired by their encounter and delivers an unusually honest speech, making him a top contender for the next election. A month later, Harry Mitchell receives an assignment from Richardson at Madison Square Park ...

Richard Condon’s 1959 novel, The Manchurian Candidate (2004), is a political thriller that tells the story of a prominent U.S. political family and their son’s involvement in a Communist conspiracy. The novel has been adapted into two feature films with the same title, released in 1962 and 2004 respectively. In the story, Major Bennett Marco and his infantry platoon are captured during the Korean War in 1952 by an elite Soviet commando unit. They are eventually brainwashed into believing that Sergeant Raymond Shaw saved their lives in combat, leading to him receiving the Medal of Honor. Years later, Marco, ...

Clint Eastwood directs, co-produces, scores, and stars in the American sports drama Million Dollar Baby (2004). Written by Paul Haggis and based on stories from F.X. Toole’s Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner, this film follows the journey of Margaret ‘Maggie’ Fitzgerald, a waitress from the Ozarks who seeks out the guidance of Frankie Dunn, a cantankerous Irish-American trainer at his rundown boxing gym in Los Angeles. Despite initially refusing to train her due to both her gender and ...