Breathless (1960)

Rotten Tomatoes

Breathless (1960): French. Jean-Luc Godard's classic New Wave cinema. Story of a charming but self-destructive anti-hero and the independent young American woman who falls in with him. Godard makes his small budget work for him—jump cuts, hand-held cameras, shooting on the streets of Paris. A+

HBO Max

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Jay Kelly (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Jay Kelly 2025): Aging movie star George Clooney plays an aging movie star who is beginning to question his life choices. He is estranged from his wife and daughters and agent and everyone in his life. This obvious fact comes as a revelation to him. Clooney is upstaged by Adam Sandler. B-

Netflix

The Paper (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Paper (TV 2025): Spin-off to The Office, with the same mockumentary format. Instead of a Scranton paper company, it's set at a small Toledo newspaper. It's derivative, but just as good as the original. At least it's better than the last 5 or 6 seasons of The Office. B-

Peacock

Train Dreams (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Train Dreams (2025): Story of a logger's life in Idaho circa 1917. The story has love and loss, violence and tragedy, all told in a quiet, poignant way. All these things happen to Robert, but he is not the protaganist. He mostly just waits for a revelation that he'll never receive about what life is all about. B+

Netflix

The American Revolution (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The American Revolution (TV 2025): Ken Burns has done it again, taking history we all thought we knew from elementary school and going deeper into it to reveal all of its complexity and contradictions. After six episodes and more than 12 hours, we're still the heroes, but our feet of clay are revealed as well. A+

Catch 22 (TV 2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Catch 22 (TV 2019): Another adaptation of the classic 1961 satirical anti-war novel. This one succeeds in getting the tone right, balancing tragedy and comedy, with both highlighting the insanity of war. B+

Hulu

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G20 (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

G20 (2025): Terrorists attack a G20 summit and hold leaders hostage. The US President (Viola Davis) who has a military background, swings into action and kicks ass. Ohhhkay. And her teenage kids get to participate in saving the G20, so bring the family maybe? C-

Prime

The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025): Marvel movie that steals from lots of other superhero/space adventures of the last fifty years. Flat acting. The four just never gel. The core dilemma, whether to sacrifice your child to save the world, could be further developed. Best part of movie is the retro futuristic look. C-

Disney+

Frankenstein (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Frankenstein (2025): Guillermo del Toro's faithful adaptation of the Mary Shelley classic is visually stunning throughout. He emphasizes the father-son story more than the mad scientist story, with the creature being more victim than monster. B+

Netflix

Death by Lightning (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Death by Lightning (TV 2025): A fast-moving true-crime story from 1880, the assassination of President James Garfield. Like looking at our own political times in a cracked mirror. The show gives equal attention to Garfield and his assassin, but history lovers should be interested in a third principal, the accidental president, Chester A. Arthur. A-

Netflix

Based on "Destiny of the Republic", reviewed by The Wheel in 2012.

Sinners (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Sinners (2025): A wildly ambitious and original take on vampire movies that bends the genre over backwards. In 1932, twin brothers come home from Chicago to open a juke joint in Mississippi. Their place plays the blues. The vampires play Irish folk music. See it (even if only for the music). A-

Max

The Recruit - S01 (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Recruit - S01 (TV 2022): A young, newly hired lawyer at the CIA finds himself in over his head in international espionage operations. Like if "The Office" were set at the CIA with some James Bond action tossed in. Not nearly as good as either of those, but a fun watch nevertheless. B-

Netflix

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024): Silly horror movie sequel, more surreal than scary, which, under director Tim Burton, lives up the 1988 original. Our pick for 2025 Halloween. B-

Max

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025): A dark portrayal of a dark period in Springsteen's life. If you enter wanting to rock, you'll leave disappointed. But those for whom Nebraska is your favorite Springsteen album, this movie is a great insight into creative genius. B+

In theatres

House of Guinness (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

House of Guinness (TV 2025): A dark, fictionalized account of the Guinness family business in the 1860s, as they deal with sibling rivalry, scandal, Irish politics, and expansion of the family business to America. After learning the characters' personalities and flaws, the show grows on you. B+

Netflix

One Battle After Another (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

One Battle After Another (2025): Former leftist terrorist (Leo DiCaprio) is hunted down by rightwing Col. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) after 15 years. Lots of explosions, gun fights, and car chases, but the broadly drawn characters keep it from being too serious. Lots of plot holes, but great acting makes it excel. A-

In theatres

Superman (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Superman (2025): An overstuffed, unfocused mishmash. Too many villains: Lex Luthor, several supervillains, and an Asian dictator. Too many characters from old comics with nothing to do: Perry White, Jimmy Olson, Ma and Pa Kent, Supergirl. Best thing about it is letting Lois Lane know who Clark Kent is and banter with him. C+

HBO Max

La Dolce Villa (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

La Dolce Villa (2025): American father and daughter fix up a rundown Tuscan villa and find fullfillment and new purpose in life. The entire movie is revealed in dialog in the first 7 minutes and 40 seconds, then predictably plays out to its happy ending. Still, it was a welcome palate cleanser after "Black Rabbit." C+

Netflix

Black Rabbit (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Black Rabbit (TV 2025): Jude Law plays the owner of a hot NY restaurant when his prodigal brother, played by Jason Bateman, returns from the West Coast and everything goes to shit. Did you think "The Bear" had a restaurant's intensity dialed up to 10? Black Rabbit needs a whole new dial. B+

Netflix

Bosch - S01 (TV 2015)

Rotten Tomatoes

Bosch - S01 (TV 2015): Cop works a cold case involving a boy's bones and a case of a serial killer who seems to be teasing Bosch. Bosch might be uncorruptible, but the LAPD isn't. Seven seasons and a spinoff (Ballard) tell me it's time I finally watched this one. B+

Prime

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