Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

George Miller returns to the barren post-apocalyptic Australia he first created in 1979 with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. A prequel and an origin story for the titular character who appeared in the 2015 entry, this sees how Furiosa got taken from her lush and plentiful home and into the captivity of the demented warlord Dementus before ending up at the hands of Immortan Joe. The younger version of Furiosa, originally played by Charlize Theron, is initially portrayed by Alyla Browne and then more prominently by Anya Taylor-Joy. Whereas the last film was a nonstop action thrill ride, this new one is a much slower more dramatic mythological epic. There are still plenty of high octane incredible action scenes, but the focus this time around is primarily on the performances of the cast and expanding the already strange and very detailed lore surrounding the characters and events. Miller and Nico Lathouris's writing is an absolute masterclass in creating great set pieces, building up the story, making even the most unhinged characters memorable, and managing to keep details interesting due to the nature of being a prequel. Taylor-Joy does capture the aura similarly to Theron's portrayal while still making the character her own due to the experiences she hasn't gone through yet. While the rest of the cast all give strong performances, Chris Hemsworth is an absolute standout thanks to his completely unhinged and fun time as Dementus. He manages to pull off playing a villain that is both hard not to love when he's on screen and absolute loathe whenever he is due to his actions. Thanks to Simon Duggan's cinematography, the wasteland manages to be both terrifying in its scarcity and beautiful in its epic scenery. Special props between him and the rest of the crew for managing to make many of the locations similar to the last entry despite different shooting locations. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga manages to not only be a good followup, and a prequel, but an incredible movie in its own right. Over all: 100%

2024 top list so far:

1. Dune: Part 2

2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

3. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

4. The Fall Guy

5. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

6. Abigail

7. Monkey Man

9. Late Night with the Devil

9. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

10. The Book of Clarence

11. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

12. Drive-Away Dolls

13. Kung Fu Panda 4

14. Lisa Frankenstein

15. Argylle

16. Mean Girls 2024

Top 10 2023 TV Moments

1. Michelle Yeoh's acceptance speech at the 80th Golden Globe Awards.

2. Hitler's trial in the finale of Hunters.

3. The 2003 chaos intro from the premiere of The Last of Us.

4. Michael's witness testimony revealing the truth about Rocco's death in the finale of Your Honor.

5. How Rock's death from AIDS led to the bigger fight against it in Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed.

6. Loki choosing to remain at the End of Time to oversee the timeline in the season finale of Loki.

7. The 1990 Friars Club roast of Susie in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

8. The Doctor's bi-generation in Doctor Who: The Giggle.

9. The true crime documentary that inspired the show in Swarm.

10. Stephen interviewing Steven Spielberg and John Williams in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Honorable Mentions:

Liv framing Will for Cara's murder in the finale of Wilderness.

The perilous road to school integration in Chicago in American Experience.

Jackie's corpse getting cooked and the team eating it in Yellowjackets.

Mizu's earlier life story told through puppetry in Blue-Eye Samurai.

I'm Just Pete musical sketch in Saturday Night Live.

Gene killing Barry in the finale of Barry.

A swarm of locusts descending upon Baby Billy's game show in the season finale of The Righteous Gemstones.

Ahsoka waking up in the World Between Worlds and reuniting with Anakin in Ahsoka.

Wukong and Mowang's backstory told as a 70s Chinese drama in American Born Chinese.

The fight against Even Older Scott in the finale of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.

The fight to free Mandalore in the season finale of The Mandalorian.

The vampires' attempts to hide their identities from the news channel in What We Do in the Shadows.

Kratt's defeat in the finale of Schmigadoon!.

Lisa becoming a serial killer to get close to Sideshow Bob in The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXXIV.

Elizabeth's television address during Diana's funeral in The Crown.

The shootout at Pierce's farm in the finale of Lawmen: Bass Reeves.

The various games between the Lakers and the Celtics in the finale of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

How Broadway helped elevate black artists in Black Broadway: A Proud History, A Limitless Future.

How the music of indigenous artists keeps their cultures alive in Next at the Kennedy Center.

Strange Supreme's attempt to revive his universe in the season finale of What If…?.

Most of the passengers being brought back to the day they first disappeared in the finale of Manifest.

Danny and Amy struggling to survive as they suffer from hallucinations in the finale of Beef.

Marjan targeted by an abuser in 9-1-1: Lone Star.

The origins of Dr. Teeth in The Muppets Mayhem.

Luffy getting a wanted poster in the season finale of One Piece 2023.

The Oklahoma City Bombing in the finale of Waco: The Aftermath.

Cary's childhood in the premiere of Archie.

50 Years of Hip-Hop at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

Lois meeting alternate universe versions of herself in My Adventures with Superman.

The attempt to kill Godzilla with the Castle Bravo test in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

The behind the scenes of the fake trial and how Ronald was kept from the truth in the finale of Jury Duty.

Superman and Doomsday fighting on the moon in the season finale of Superman & Lois.

The battle against the Last Men in Yellowstone on the season finale of Sweet Tooth.

Monk visited by the spirit of his late wife and the people whose murders he solved to keep him from killing himself at the end of Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie.

How Warner Bros. dared to make an anti-Nazi film long before America entered the war in the premiere of 100 Years of Warner Bros..

Daisy's deterioration due to her drug abuse and alcoholism in Daisy Jones & the Six.

The accident that led to David Holmes's paralysis in David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived.

How people who were incarcerated have trouble creating a new life after being set free in The Problem with Jon Stewart.

The true origins of Cleon and Demerzel in Foundation.

Ben fighting Martinez through Leaps in the season finale of Quantum Leap 2022.

The life and career of Dr. Anthony Fauci in American Masters.

Louis jumping off the ledge right in front of Vivian in Totally Completely Fine.

The performance of RRR's "Naatu Naatu" at the 95th Academy Awards.

Winston Duke on how making Wakanda Forever helped say goodbye to Chadwick Boseman on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

The final Carpool Karaoke with Adele on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Verna finding regret in Lenore's death in the finale of The Fall of the House of Usher.

The true origins of Slappy in the season finale of Goosebumps 2023.

Stolas being kidnapped and getting wounded in Helluva Boss.

Freddie's Christmas gift for Frasier being a visit from Roz in the season finale of Frasier 2023.

The importance of bringing back Ahmed Best in Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian-The Making of Season 3.

Kal Penn's interview with President Biden on The Daily Show.

The Doctor and Tegan remembering Adric in Tales of the TARDIS.

Beard telling Nate how Ted helped him at his lowest point in Ted Lasso.

Barbara's audition in the premiere of Funny Woman.

Rick killing Rick Prime and feeling nothing in Rick and Morty.

The cast paying tribute to Miguel Ferrer in Entertainment Tonight-A Salute to NCIS: Los Angeles.

The fights throughout the hotel in the finale of The Continental.

A tornado hitting the town in the season finale of Young Sheldon.

Peter falling through ice and dying in The Great.

Greenwald chastising Maryk at the end of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.

How Mary dealt with the death of her son as Ordinary People came out in Being Mary Tyler Moore.

The tributes to the last 50 years of Broadway plays in Great Performances: Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway.

Rita seeing the spirit of her old friend Cookie in Reservation Dogs.

Paul having trouble telling her daughter about his Parkinsons diagnosis in Shrinking.

A former Sith apprentice learning to embrace the light and dark side to defeat her master in the Volume 2 premiere of Star Wars: Visions.

Jeremy Renner on Surviving a Snowplow Incident on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

How the cast and crew honor Chadwick Boseman throughout Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in Marvel Studios: Assembled.

Iman Vellani on getting to write Ms. Marvel comics in Late Night with Seth Meyers.

The origins of Gizmo and the mogwai in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.

Buck living through an alternate reality coma dream in 9-1-1.

The meeting between Sang and Regus in The Consultant.

Charles entering the "White Room" every time he tries to perform in Only Murders in the Building.

How Michael initially hid then revealed his Parkinsons in Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.

Spielberg's large influence to cinema thanks to E.T. and Poltergeist in the premiere of The Greatest Geek Year Ever: 1982.

The school rampage in the season finale of Gen V.

Thomas and Peggy needing to escape Tuskegee in The Gilded Age.

The fate of the cast in the finale of Riverdale.

Giant head balloons hunting people in Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre.

A look at how other countries handle puberty in Big Mouth.

Traveling through Nibbler's litter box in a parody of Dune in Futurama.

The origins of PADRE in Fear the Walking Dead.

The reveal of what led to Nolly being axed in the finale of Nolly.

-Zedd's defeat in the finale of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury.

The tribute to Peter Maivia in Young Rock.

The reveal of Hetty's son being responsible for Alberta's death in Ghosts 2021.

The reveal of the sheriff's wife killing him in Secrets of Sulphur Springs.

Juliette seeing through the hologram lush world and seeing the devastated landscape in the season finale of Silo.

The reveal and fallout of the town's founder being a slave owner in the season finale of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

Laurent being born just as her mother turned in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.

Danny taking control of himself at his trial in the finale of The Crowded Room.

The Swedish court finding Paolo negligent but finding no crime in his actions in the season finale of Dr. Death.

The twins' birthday dinner in Dead Ringers.

The four attempts to break into the DNC office in Watergate on White House Plumbers.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's Oscar song tribute to Billy Crystal at the 46th Annual Kennedy Center Honors.

The real life journalists that inspired She Said being honored at the 22nd AARP Movies for Grownups Awards.

Eileen held hostage in Alaska Daily.

Glassman revealed to have had a mini stroke that will keep him from performing surgeries in The Good Doctor.

The reveal of Janet having taken over Maddie's body in the season finale of School Spirits.

Matt confronting Dahlia in CrimeCon in Based on a True Story.

The reveal of cops being attacked serving as a distraction in the season finale of The Rookie.

Trini sacrificing herself to save Billy at the start of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always.

Crowley admitting his love to Aziraphale in the season finale of Good Omens.

The flashbacks to how Ms. Jenn and the other students met each other in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

Molly venturing into Scratch's mind to learn about his past life in The Ghost and Molly McGee.

Janelle Monae given the #SeeHer Award at the 28th Critics' Choice Awards.

Crosshair killing an Imperial lieutenant in Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

Grog's backstory in The Legend of Vox Machina.

Mrs. Davis deleting herself and how the public reacts in the finale of Mrs. Davis.

The uncertainty behind Vines's death in the season finale of Dark Winds.

Eve fighting her siblings in Invincible: Atom Eve.

The racetrack showdown in the season finale of Twisted Metal.

Oliver returning to help Barry defeat Bloodwork in The Flash 2014.

The team's fight against Chieftain agents in the finale of Slow Horses: Real Tigers.

Parker's guilt over crippling his old partner in NCIS.

The plot to make the Wall colder in Solar Opposites.

How Peter Sohn was inspired by his childhood to make Elemental in Good Chemistry: The Story of Elemental.

The reveal of why Chucky is in the White House in Chucky.

A cartoon of George A. Romero brought to life to help defeat zombies in the season finale of Creepshow.

How Elizabeth ended up hosting a cooking show in Lessons in Chemistry.

Dot telling her story through puppets in Fargo.

Lunella facing the Beyonder in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.

Ketcher confronting Mike and Delly to get his gun back in the finale of Florida Man.

The real story about Carly and Freddy's Italy trip in iCarly 2021.

Gamera crumbling to dust after draining his power in the season finale of Gamera Rebirth.

Kong's bond with a Spanish-speaking shipwrecked survivor in Skull Island.

The uncertainty of which version of Nathan was destroyed in the season finale of Upload.

The shootout against Tom in the finale of Walker: Independence.

President Chadman revealed to be alive and gone insane in Mulligan.

Hank realizing his father has dementia in Lucky Hank.

Talos killed by Gravik in Secret Invasion.

The origins of Fionna and Cake's universe in Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.

The Croat's backstory in The Walking Dead: Dead City.

Jack performing surgery on Belle's heart condition in the season finale of The Artful Dodger.

Mark and Nolan fighting other Viltrumites in Invincible.

Josh arrested for the murder of his mother's killer at the end of the season finale of CSI: Vegas.

The reveal of Dean traveling the multiverse in the finale of The Winchesters.

Dwight arrested in the season finale of Tulsa King.

Steve committing suicide to not get his business investigated in the finale of Welcome to Chippendales.

Frost's suicide leading to Charlie to go on the run in the premiere of Poker Face.

The reveal of Brooks killed by his father's orders over a secret deal with Japan in Perry Mason 2020.

The hate-themed monsters taking over the building Die Hard-style in the finale of Human Resources.

Jack exposing Senator Henshaw's corruption in the middle of a hearing in the finale of Jack Ryan.

Freya going crazy after landing the lead role in an Ace Ventura play in Miracle Workers: End Times.

Lucy's first Agent Afloat case in NCIS: Hawai'i.

The unknown fate of Hayford and Hal after Grove's car explosion at the end of the season finale of The Diplomat.

The reveal of Project Tupelo in Agent Elvis.

Margot accidentally revealing her powers while at a live election debate in the finale of The Power.

The fight to save Doloraam in the finale of My Dad the Bounty Hunter.

Father Rueben's story about what led him to become a priest in The Big Door Prize.

Charlotte waking up to George in a state of mania in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.

Rip's wife coming back to life as the antichrist in the season finale of Digman!.

Pete's time at rehab in the finale of Bupkis.

The story of when Roger first landed on Earth in the 1940s in the season premiere of American Dad!.

The cold open parodying overdramatic YA shows in Animaniacs 2020.

Candy going through hypnosis to understand her actions in Love & Death.

Officer revealed to be helping the assassin in Culprits.

The behind the scenes look at the many voice actors for Once Upon a Studio in The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney's 100th Anniversary Celebration.

The Watcher narrating one of Groot's adventures in the season finale of I Am Groot.

The reveal of what the organ Toby has that replaced his kidney in the season finale of American Horror Stories.

Missy's transformation into a Rougarou in Fright Krewe.

The reveal of Isabella drowning Luke in the season finale of Cruel Summer.

Lois obsessed with a bad Airbnb review in Family Guy.

The multiple times the inspector tries working on the farm in the season premiere of Killing It.

Meeting Medusa in Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

The reveal of the Ray AI being behind the murders in the finale of A Murder at the End of the World.

Nancy and Tristan getting stuck in the 1970s in Nancy Drew.

The crew stumbling upon a ship they believe is cursed in Our Flag Means Death.

An undercover FBI agent being uncovered and killed in The Rookie: Feds.

Jeff Bridges given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 28th Critics's Choice Awards.

A landslide causing a huge tidal wave that destroys the rig and heads to the mainland in the season finale of The Rig.

Vilgefortz defeating Geralt in combat on The Witcher.

Jesus's story retold as an action movie in the finale of History of the World, Part II.

How Stan made superheroes relatable to modern audiences in Stan Lee.

Mackey telling the story of how she was discharged from the Marines in NCIS: Sidney.

Elfo going back in time and realizing he killed himself in Disenchantment.

How Harrison Ford got into acting in Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford.

Sherri's boyfriend revealed to be Fez in That '90s Show.

Boro exposing the Brunners in the season finale of FUBAR.

Callen and Anna getting married in the finale of NCIS: Los Angeles.

Quinn not happy with Logan making the wedding a spectacle in Zoey 102.

Christine Baranski interviewing the cast of The Hours in Great Performances at the Met.

The attempt to keep a Times reporter from making Ellis seem crazy in Unstable.

Danny and Ray finding Charlie Sheen running a gambling ring at a rehab facility in the premiere of Bookie.

Lucy being blamed for a training exercise gone wrong that killed other students in the premiere of Lockwood & Co..

Elena's first fantasy task in Fantasy Island 2021.

Alison Hammond's backstage interviews throughout the 76th BAFTAs.

Nora meeting Awkwafina on the season finale of Awkwafina is Nora from Queens.

Fall Out Boy's modern rendition of We Didn't Start the Fire at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.