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Tom's Guide
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix just got Guillermo del Toro's sci-fi monster movie ‘Pacific Rim' — and it's my all-time favorite summer blockbuster
When flipping through Netflix's lineup for July 2025, I spotted an old favorite I hadn't seen in ages: "Pacific Rim." I'm not the biggest sci-fi fan, and as objectively rad as I think its pitch of "giant mechs vs. kaiju" is, neither one is my usual cup of tea (case in point: I saw "Godzilla Minus One" last year, and it was my first Godzilla movie ever). With all that in mind, I didn't have high hopes when I saw "Pacific Rim" in theaters over a decade ago. But I'm a huge fan of Guillermo del Toro's work, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm happy to say it absolutely won me over, and ended up becoming one of my favorite summer blockbusters to date. Now, I'll be the first to admit "Pacific Rim" isn't a 'smart' movie by any means; it won't move you to tears or make you start questioning your life choices. Rather, it's exactly what a summer blockbuster should be: pure, unapologetic spectacle. It's like someone handed a 14-year-old a camera, a blank check, and free rein to bring their wildest ideas to life, and trust me, I mean that as the highest praise. As much as del Toro's love for anime comes through loud and clear, you don't need to share that passion to enjoy "Pacific Rim." It's "Independence Day" meets "Godzilla," an underdog story packed with larger-than-life battles and thrilling action that's a blast to watch unfold. Just don't think about it too hard. Now that "Pacific Rim" has found a new streaming home, I'd recommend anyone who hasn't seen it yet to add it to their watchlist. It's giant robots punching skyscraper-size monsters in the face. What more could you ask for? Here's everything you need to know about "Pacific Rim" and why you need to check out Charlie Hunnam's monster-fighting epic now that it's streaming on Netflix. "Pacific Rim" imagines an alternate reality where an interdimensional rift at the bottom of the Pacific, ominously dubbed "The Breach," has appeared, unleashing colossal monsters known as Kaiju. In response, humanity built their own towering weapons: mechanized giant robots called Jaegers. All the extra robotic firepower comes at a cost, though, and each mech needs two pilots to operate it through a neural connection known as the Drift, which lets them both shoulder the immense mental strain of piloting. Nearly a decade after the Breach opened, humanity is on the back foot against a seemingly endless stream of new monsters. With hope fading, Marshal Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) makes the unconventional call to bring in washed-up Jaeger pilot Raleigh Becket (Hunnam), whose brother/co-pilot was killed in a Kaiju attack several years ago, to help. Meanwhile, after securing a Kaiju brain from black market dealer Hannibal Chau (Ron Perlman), scientists Newt Geiszler (Charlie Day) and Hermann Gottlieb (Burn Gorman) make a critical discovery: The Kaiju are not just mindless beasts, but bio-engineered weapons, sent by a powerful alien race bent on conquering Earth. Armed with this knowledge, they devise a plan to shut down the Breach for good. The fate of humanity falls to Becket and his new co-pilot, the determined but inexperienced Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), who has spent her life training for this moment. Together, they climb into the cockpit of Becket's refurbished Jaeger for one final stand that takes them to the heart of the threat to stop the apocalypse once and for all. If the idea of giant robots clobbering Godzilla-like monsters doesn't entice you whatsoever, I'm not confident "Pacific Rim" will convert you. But if you enjoy anime fight scenes, sci-fi world-building, or are just a sucker for over-the-top spectacle, I encourage you to give "Pacific Rim" a watch. Del Toro directs with a level of precision that'll suck you in, where every shot feels intentional, and nothing is wasted. The visuals are layered and vibrant, from the weathered, industrial Jaeger base to the shattered remains of Tokyo. Even the ocean scenes are packed with texture and movement; there's no such thing as a throwaway background here. But even with all that detail and the movie's rapid-fire pace, the action remains surprisingly easy to follow outside of a few occasional moments of chaos. "Pacific Rim" also delivers plenty of gloriously over-the-top moments that are so outrageous and fun, you can't help but smile. Del Toro and co. clearly had a blast bringing his vision to life, and that shines through, helping to smooth over the few points where things get muddled or go off the rails. "Pacific Rim's" side characters also easily steal the show, building out the world in interesting ways without sacrificing too much screen time. The bickering between Day's Newt and Gorman's Gottlieb, a self-described "kaiju fanboy" vs. a by-the-book scientist, is sharp and caustic. There's something so inherently fun about two co-workers who can't stand each other forced to team up to stop the apocalypse. Elba's Stacker and Kikuchi's Mako butt heads as pseudo-father and daughter brought together by chance in an impossible situation that demands sacrifice, similar to Ellie and Joel in "The Last of Us." And del Toro regular Ron Perlman is iconic as a sleazy black market dealer with swag levels off the chart. I could have sworn he was in the movie for more than 2 seconds, that's how much of an impression he makes. I'm far from the only one enraptured by the original "Pacific Rim. It earned over $411 million at the box office on a $190 million budget, and its success spawned a sequel, "Pacific Rim: Uprising (which is fun enough if a bit of a mess), as well as Netflix's anime series "Pacific Rim: The Black." A "Pacific Rim" live-action series is also in the works at Prime Video. "Pacific Rim" has a solid 72% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences rated it even higher, earning it a 77% on the Popcornmeter. The critics' consensus reads: "It may sport more style than substance, but 'Pacific Rim' is a solid modern creature feature bolstered by fantastical imagery and an irresistible sense of fun." I'm inclined to agree. "Pacific Rim" is a proudly unapologetic action film, driven by sheer spectacle and a sense of epic scale you can easily lose yourself in. The story does its job well enough, and the cast brings enough energy and charm to keep things engaging between the jaw-dropping set pieces. If you're looking for deep character arcs or profound themes, this isn't that kind of movie. That being said, if you go in with the right expectations, you might just discover one of the most entertaining popcorn blockbusters of the summer. Stream "Pacific Rim" on Netflix now.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary Actor Speaks Out After Being Swarmed by TSA Officers
Legendary Actor Speaks Out After Being Swarmed by TSA Officers originally appeared on Parade. Benicio del Toro has opened up about a recent encounter with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents. The iconic actor, known for roles in Guardians of the Galaxy and The Usual Suspects, explained that he was detained while boarding a flight from Boston to Los Angeles for the wildest reason—the script he had stored in his carry-on. During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers on June 4, he told Seth Meyers about the incident, explaining that he had a large-print script for The Phoenician Scheme that had TSA agents on edge and for a good reason. He explained, "The opening scene is 'Interior Airplane: Bomb." But that's not even the worst of it. "The second scene is 'Interior Cockpit: Eject the Pilot' and the third scene is 'Crash,'" del Toro continued. So when TSA agents saw the script for the Wes Anderson film, they were justifiably concerned about who del Toro was and what he was planning. Despite being a Hollywood legend, del Toro's explanation that it was a film script didn't speed up the investigation and get him through security. Instead, he was swarmed by agents, who clearly didn't recognize him from dozens of movie roles spanning a nearly 40-year career. "Five TSA guys come over and they hover around the script, and they're looking at it and looking at it," del Toro recalled. " And then finally the supervisor showed up and he walked in and he looked at me, and I think he recognized me maybe from Sicario or Traffic, and he just sat there and looked at it, and they let me go." Despite the delay, del Toro isn't upset about being questioned. Instead, he gave the TSA agent a "thumbs up" for catching the questionable airport scenes in the script. Meyers seemed to agree, saying, "You gotta give that guy credit because let's say he let you go and something terrible happened. He told me it was a movie! . . . And you believed him?!" "It was a checklist!" del Toro said of the film's opening scenes. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Legendary Actor Speaks Out After Being Swarmed by TSA Officers first appeared on Parade on Jun 8, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Benicio del Toro Recalls Being Stopped by TSA Over ‘Phoenician Scheme' Script: ‘The Opening Is, Interior: Airplane. Bomb'
'The Phoenician Scheme' star Benicio del Toro has undergone some hardships to make Wes Anderson's newest film, including spending five days wrinkling like a prune in a bath tub. But the script for the film, which opens with a plane crash, nearly caused him a much bigger headache with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). 'I'm in Boston and I'm flying to L.A. and, for some reason, I have my computer in there and I didn't take it out, so the TSA people, they just said, 'Hey, we need to check your bag,'' del Toro told Seth Meyers on Wednesday's episode of 'Late Night.' He told the agent, 'Sure,' which lead to an uncomfortable moment when the man started reading the script. 'I take my scripts and I make the headings bigger so I can get to it really quick,' del Toro explained. 'And the opening scene is: 'Interior: Airplane. Bomb.' The second scene is: 'Interior: Cockpit. Eject the pilot.' And the third scene is: 'Crash.'' The actor quickly explained, 'It's a film script! It's a film script!' And he looks at me and he closes the thing and he walks out and five TSA guys come over.' After perusing the script, a supervisor eventually let the actor go. 'He looked at me, and I think he recognized me, maybe from 'Sicario' or 'Traffic,'' he shared. del Toro added, 'I gave that guy a thumbs-up, because he was paying attention.' Meyers joked what would happen if something went wrong on del Toro's flight. 'Let's say he let you go and then something terrible happened, and he would tell his supervisor, 'He told me it was a movie,'' he joked. 'And they're like, 'And you believed him?!'' 'It was a checklist!' del Toro joked 'It was a checklist!' You can watch the full 'Late Night with Seth Meyers' segment in the video above. 'The Phoenician Scheme' is currently playing in theaters in limited release and releases nationwide on June 6. The post Benicio del Toro Recalls Being Stopped by TSA Over 'Phoenician Scheme' Script: 'The Opening Is, Interior: Airplane. Bomb' | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Benicio del Toro Swarmed by 5 TSA Agents at Airport Because of the Content of a Script in His Carry-on
Benicio del Toro had a dramatic run-in with TSA for an unexpected — but very understandable — reason. The actor was traveling from Boston to Los Angeles, when he was asked by a security worker at the airport to inspect the contents of his carry-on, he told host Seth Meyers on the Wednesday, June 4, episode of Late Night. His bag contained the script for his new film, Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, printed in an extra large font for easy reading. "The opening scene is [called] 'Interior Airplane: Bomb'," del Toro reveals to a big laugh from the crowd, but it gets worse. "The second scene is 'Interior Cockpit: Eject the Pilot' and the third scene is 'Crash.'" The star explained to the TSA worker that it was a film script, but that didn't satisfy the employee, who held up a finger telling him to wait before leaving. "Five TSA guys come over and they hover around the script, and they're looking at it and looking at it," he recalls." And then finally the supervisor showed up and he walked in and he looked at me, and I think he recognized me maybe from Sicario or Traffic, and he just sat there and looked at it and they let me go." While the hold up was a minor inconvenience, del Toro has nothing but praise for the TSA worker who stopped him. "I give that guy a thumbs up because he was paying attention." "You gotta give that guy credit because let's say he let you go and something terrible happened," says Meyers, who plays out the scenario: "He told me it was a movie! . . . And you believed him?!" "It was a checklist!" explains del Toro completing the scene. In The Phoenician Scheme, del Toro plays Anatole "Zsa-Zsa" Korda, a wealthy businessman, who has a surprising number of airplane related fiascos in his past. Del Toro is far from the first star to experience an airport security snafus. Hugh Grant recently shared a less lighthearted run-in. In April, the actor called out an immigration officer at London's Heathrow Airport for allegedly acting 'intrusive, insulting and creepy" during an encounter with his children. In a post on X, Grant claimed that official asked his kids if he and his wife Anna Eberstein were their parents. Just came through Heathrow with wife and children. We all have the same last name (Grant) on our passports. Immigration officer engages my children in chit chat then whispers to them 'Are these your Mum and Dad?' . Intrusive, insulting and creepy. — Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) April 4, 2025 'Just came through Heathrow with wife and children,' Grant's post read. 'We all have the same last name (Grant) on our passports. Immigration officer engages my children in chit chat then whispers to them 'Are these your Mum and Dad?' Intrusive, insulting and creepy.' Grant shares daughter Tabitha Xiao, 13, son Felix Chang, 11, with actress Tinglan Hong, he is also dad to son John Mungo, 12, and daughters Lulu Danger, 9, and Blue, 6, with Eberstein, 46. Channing Tatum revealed in an August 2024 interview that he often gets delayed not for any suspected breach but because one of his famous movie quotes is said to him "every single time" he goes through security: "My name is Jeff." 'It's weird what happens in pop culture like that, you know? It's such a small moment in the movie,' he says of the 2014 comedy 22 Jump Street. 'I remember we did a table read and it wasn't even that funny at the table read. It was like whatever. And all of a sudden, man.' Similarly Winona Ryder said she gets a repeat request at TSA: to recite "Beetlejuice" three times like her character in the classic movie and it's recent reboot. 'I have missed flights because the TSA people wouldn't let me through unless I said it three times,' Ryder shared last August. Read the original article on People
Scotsman
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Every Guillermo del Toro film: All of the Frankenstein director's films ranked, from best to worst
With his love of monsters, it is no surprise that Guillermo del Toro has directed more than his fair share of creature features. From his debut film Cronos, a horror film about an otherworldly Scarab to his Oscar-winning Gothic romance The Shape of Water, the Mexican director is no stranger to the unusual. And regardless of genre, all of del Toro's filmmaking is imbued with a distinct visual flair, making his upcoming adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein feel all the more appealing - especially since we know that many scenes for the film were shot around Scotland. So if you witnessed the crew of del Toro's 'Prodigal Father' filming in Edinburgh last year and are wondering what else he has to offer, we've taken a look back at his previous work. Based on Rotten Tomatoes reviews, here are all of Guillermo del Toro's films ranked from best to worst. 1 . Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022) With 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is a 2022 stop-motion film which is based loosely on the 1883 Italian novel. Released on Netflix, critics praised the film – which stars Scottish actor Ewan McGregor – for its dark take on the tale of Pinocchio. | Netflix Photo Sales 2 . Pan's Labyrinth (2006) Falling slightly behind his most recent film is Pan's Labyrinth. Released in 2006, the dark fantasy received a 22 minute-long standing ovation during its Cannes premiere. It is widely considered one of the best fantasy films ever made and won a number of awards – including three Oscars. | Getty Images Photo Sales 3 . The Devil's Backbone (2001) Released in 2001, The Devil's Backbone is a Gothic horror film about a 10-year-old orphan who is sent to Santa Lucia School, where he uncovers its secrets including the ghost which wanders the grounds. Set during the Spanish Civil War, the film has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%. | Getty Images Photo Sales 4 . The Shape of Water (2017) Widely praised by critics upon its release, The Shape of Water saw del Toro win Best Picture and Best Director, as well as two others, during the 90th Academy Awards. The fantasy-romance film stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer. | AFP via Getty Images Photo Sales Related topics: FilmEdinburghScotland
