A July 4th classic, “Silo” season 3, and an expanded “Backrooms” top this week's Must List
A July 4th classic, “Silo” season 3, and an expanded “Backrooms” top this week's Must List
Tiffany KellyFri, July 3, 2026 at 7:00 PM UTC
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Chiwetel Ejiofor in Backrooms; Rebecca Ferguson in 'Silo'; Rebekah Graf and Molly Bernard in the play 'Birthright'Credit: A24; Apple TV; Emilio Madrid
I hope you all enjoy your Fourth of July weekend — though I hope you feel even more patriotic in November, when we're given the chance to truly celebrate our democracy... —Patrick Gomez, Editor-in-Chief
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Independence Day
'Independence Day' (1996)Credit: 20th Century Fox
Whether you're feeling patriotic or not this Fourth of July, there's one thing that unites everyone: alien invasion movies. Roland Emmerich's 1996 action film (streaming on Hulu, Disney+, and other services) is a classic summer blockbuster, featuring an iconic buddy pairing of Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. Bill Pullman also stars in his first (but not last) role as the POTUS. The events begin on July 2, when aliens decide it's as good a time as any to hover their motherships over Earth and plan a coordinated attack. Naturally, the U.S. fights back with nuclear weapons on July 4. Special mention goes to Harvey Fierstein's line readings. —Tiffany Kelly, Staff Editor
30 patriotic movies to watch this Fourth of July, ranked
Silo
Rebecca Ferguson in 'Silo' season 3Credit: Apple TV
Star Rebecca Ferguson hooked us on her Apple TV sci-fi series about humanity living underground, based on Hugh Howey's book trilogy. Season 3 finds Ferguson's Juliette seeking answers to her experiences outside the silo and the conspiracies that led to their dystopian world. —Debbie Day, Staff Editor
8 gripping thriller shows worth the binge on Apple TV+
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Backrooms: Everything Must Go
Renate Reinsve in 'Backrooms'Credit: Courtesy of A24
Wunderkind debut director Kane Parsons takes audiences deeper into the perilous labyrinth of the backrooms with an expanded version of the film (in theaters). The extended cut features 16 minutes of additional footage and mind-bending new scares from the corporate otherworld. —Ryan Coleman, News Writer
Backrooms ending explained: What are the backrooms — and what does it all mean?
Madonna's Confessions II
The album cover of Madonna's 'Confessions II'Credit: Warner Records
Her biopic may be delayed, but the Queen of Pop isn't slowing down. Her first studio album in seven years — and a sequel to her 2005 dance record — is a 16-track party that you'll want to blast on your loudest speakers. —T.K.
Madonna's Confessions II short film is her boldest (and best) work in years — and all she did was tell the truth
Birthright
Zoë Winters, Eli Gelb, Molly Ranson, Nate Mann, and Hale Appleman in 'Birthright'Credit: Emilio Madrid
Eureka Day playwright Jonathan Spector is back with another show tackling a hot-button topic, and it doesn't get any hotter than Israel. This engrossing work at NYC's MCC Theater follows the ever-changing dynamics (and politics) between six friends from a Birthright trip over the course of 18 difficult years. —Dalton Ross, Editorial Director
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
