Some films become classics almost instantly and stay with audiences for decades. And every so often, a movie earns a reputation so strong that viewers still call it one of the greatest ever made. One particular horror film of that kind is now on Netflix, and fans are urging people to watch it immediately.

The movie has been described as gripping, unforgettable and genuinely frightening. Viewers say the performances are still unmatched more than 30 years after its release. They also insist it sets the standard for psychological horrors.

The reviews speak for themselves. One person said: “The film is a rare contender for the best film of all time.

“It’s most definitely the best horror film ever. The acting from Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster is fantastic but Hopkins steals the show. He is genuinely terrifying and believable.”

Another added: “It’s an absolute masterpiece you cannot miss. It’s a masterwork of suspense that blends the elements of horror, crime and psychology into one tight and smooth story.”

A third wrote: “Just one word for this movie – masterpiece. It’s truly an enthralling film and not one to forget. I’ve seen this film countless times, and it is still riveting each time. A timeless masterpiece of psychological horror.”

The film they are talking about is The Silence of the Lambs, the 1991 psychological horror thriller directed by Jonathan Demme.

It stars Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee trying to track down a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill.

To catch him, she turns to Dr Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins, an imprisoned psychiatrist and cannibalistic murderer. The cast also includes Ted Levine, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald and Kasi Lemmons.

The film was released on February 14, 1991 and became a huge success. It grossed around $273 million (£204 million) worldwide from a budget of just $19 million (£14 million).

It premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, where Jonathan Demme won Best Director.

At the 64th Academy Awards, it achieved something extremely rare. It won the “Big Five”: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay.

To this day, it remains the only horror film ever to win Best Picture at the Oscars.

The Silence of the Lambs has been repeatedly ranked among the greatest films ever made.

The American Film Institute lists Lecter as the number one film villain of all time, while Clarice Starling ranks among cinema’s greatest heroes.

The film was added to the US National Film Registry in 2011 for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

It later launched a franchise, including sequels, prequels and two television series. But the original 1991 film remains the most acclaimed.

The Silence of the Lambs is available to stream on Netflix.

As we trundle through the remainder of January, plenty of us will be starting to feel the pinch as payday remains frustratingly far away. If you’re looking for a way to stretch your budget until the end of the month, it might be worth rooting around in the loft for an old video game console you no longer use.

According to new research from Virgin Media O2, the UK is home to around 49 million consoles that are sitting unused. Valued at £4.14 billion, that’s a lot of cheddar gathering dust.

Sales data from the tech seller indicates that console sales figures rose significantly over Christmas 2025. With households replacing old consoles with newer ones, they’re often relegated to a drawer instead of trading them back in for a bit of money.

However, there’s an easy way to recycle your old gaming hardware. Not only is it better for the planet, but you’ll get paid for your efforts, too.

O2 has a recycling scheme that will take your old consoles in return for cash. It can be found over on O2’s site with a search bar to find the console you want to get rid of.

Of course, modern consoles will fetch the highest prices. Here’s how much you could get for a recent system depending on its quality:

• PlayStation 5: Up to £160
• Nintendo Switch OLED: Up to £92
• Xbox Series X: Up to £110

Older consoles are accepted, but fetch a much smaller price. For example, O2 will only reward you with £8 for a Wii U, or £4 for an Xbox 360.

Still, it’s better than nothing – especially if these consoles are just taking up space in your attic.

Speaking about the O2 Recycling system, chief sustainability officer Dana Haidan said: ““With millions of new consoles taking pride of place in gamers’ homes this January, we know it can be overwhelming for Brits to know what to do with their unwanted gaming gadgets.  

“That’s why O2 Recycle exists – to keep consoles and other tech in use for longer, whether that’s refurbishing and reselling them so they can be enjoyed by other gamers, or by ensuring they’re responsibly recycled when reuse isn’t possible.”

It’s worth noting that other services are available for trading in your own tech. For example, a PlayStation 5 in good condition will fetch £180 in cash at CEX, while the high-street trader will give you £108 for a Switch OLED in its original packaging.

However, prices at these stores often depend on the condition of the item you’re trading in. A pristine console that’s been well looked after will fetch a much higher price than one that’s taken a beating.

As such, I’d advise gamers to shop around for the best price for their unused tech. Selling on your old hardware remains a great way to stretch your January budget a little further, though – especially if Chrismtas saw a brand new console replace your old one.