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

#VeryTardyReview

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

#VeryTardyReview

The Decameron (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Decameron (TV 2024): A satire set in medieval Italy where nobles and servants quarantine themselves from the Black Death. Flippant, dark humor abounds. As the deaths from pestilence and violence mount, the dark humor turns more serious, if that makes sense. C+

Netflix

Highest 2 Lowest (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Highest 2 Lowest (2025): Spike Lee's latest homage to NYC, with Denzel Washington playing a music mogul whose son is kidnapped, setting off both professional and personal crises. When he takes the law into his own hands, he sets off obligatory and implausible chase scenes. B+

AppleTV+

Nonnas (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Nonnas (2025): Vince Vaughn plays a man who wants to honor his mother by opening a restaurant with four grandmas serving their family recipes. Nothing subtle here, just a big helping of good-hearted nostalgia. B-

Netflix

Eric (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Eric (TV 2025): Benedict Cumberbatch plays Vincent, the creative genius behind a long-running TV puppet show in the 1980s in NYC. His son is kidnapped and his personal and professional lives start falling apart. Too many side issues are packed into six episodes, including urban decay, crime, AIDS, homophobia, alcoholism, and mental illness. B-

Netflix

Untamed (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Untamed (TV 2025): Murder mystery makes Yosemite National Park just as gritty and corrupt as any TV police precinct in New York City. The body count climbs, as well as child abductions, missing persons, drug cartels, and bad marriages. Even El Capitan gets splashed with blood. B-

Netflix

Thunderbolts* (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Thunderbolts* (2025): Misfits are separately recruited to assassinate each other until they figure out they've been set up and unite to fight back. Much of the movie feels like a cheap bottle episode set in a dark vault, but it does reach a satisfactory conclusion. It's more about dealing with PTSD and grief than about action heroes. B-

Disney+