Lanterns (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Lanterns (TV 2026): Retelling of the handoff of the ring from Hal Jordan to John Stewart. It's a superhero movie, but it's a human story. It could be a character study of any retiring veteran and the intern replacing him. A-

HBO Max

Disclosure Day (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Disclosure Day (2026): Extraterrestrials exist (sci-fi). A TV anchor can communicate with them telepathically (mystery). The government conspires to keep their existence secret (thriller). A scientist races to leak the truth (action). Disclosure Day is Steven Spielberg's genre junk drawer. Worse, the movie ends just where it should begin: with the disclosure. C+

Peacock

Margo's Got Money Troubles (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Margo's Got Money Troubles (TV 2026): Elle Fanning plays a college student who gets pregnant, drops out, and creates an OnlyFans account to pay the bills. Her parents are a former Hooter's waitress and a former pro wrestler. Not quite as absurd as you might think. Not as satiric as you might hope. C+

AppleTV+

Human Vapor (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Human Vapor (TV 2026): Japanese. Sci-fi. A meteorite transforms a man into a superhuman vapor. He seeks revenge on the people responsible. At heart it's a story of his friendship with a little girl. Leave the yakuza out of it and it would be a tighter story with less need of all of its violence. B-

Netflix

1670 (TV 2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

1670 (TV 2023): Poland. Satire. A 17th century nobleman deals with a village's problems using a modern mentality. Most of the jokes are anachronistic takes on life in Poland in 1670. The ensemble cast gives the community life. It's worth watching, when you have time. B-

Netflix

#VeryTardyReview

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (TV 2026): Stuart spends 10 episodes bouncing around the multiverse trying to set things right. Much of the pleasure comes from seeing different timeline versions of the original TBBT characters. A refreshing departure from the style of the original. B-

HBO Max

His & Hers (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

His & Hers (TV 2026): Murder mystery. Jack and Anna, detective and TV reporter, married but estranged, both investigate a murder in which they each suspect the other. Deliciously entangled relationships in small town where everyone seems to be sleeping with everyone else. B+

Netflix

The Choral (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Choral (2025): WWI leads to recruitment of soldiers for the war and, in turn, replacements for a choral group in Yorkshire, England. Ralph Fiennes plays the new director, just returned from living in Germany, adding tension to the drama. Movie is worth watching just for the climactic concert. B-

Netflix

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026): A quest with lots of battles. Adds nothing to the TV series, or the Star Wars universe as a whole. The masked Mandalorian character and his puppet apprentice are just too difficult to breathe life into. Overall, this feels like a money grab by Disney. C-

Disney+

In The Hand of Dante (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

In The Hand of Dante (2025): An author with a Dante fixation gets drawn into a heist to steal an original manuscript by Dante. The movies moves back and forth from the present to 1300, with Oscar Isaac playing for the author and Dante, along with many stars playing cameos. Ambitious, artsy, but overall, empty. C-

Netflix

Per Aspera Ad Astra (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Per Aspera Ad Astra (2026): China. Sci-fi. A long interstellar mission that relies on stimulated dreams during hibernation gets hijacked. The heroes have to enter others' chaotic dreams to regain control. Lots of surreal action and imagery, but the plot is tired. C+

Netflix

Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (TV 2026): Sketch comedy starring Larry David playing roles in American history. More comedy than satire, and the comedy wears thin quickly. If you're a fan of Larry David's trademark kvetching, this is for you. C+

HBO Max

Widow's Bay (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Widow's Bay (TV 2026): Matthew Rhys plays the mayor of an island in New England who wants to grow tourism but is stymied by his island being haunted. A comedy/horror mashup that features a different horror trope each episode. It strikes the right balance to succeed at both. B+

AppleTV+

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026): It's 20 years later, magazines are dead, but Miranda (Meryl Streep) won't admit it. Andy (Anne Hathaway) has to return to save the day. In other words, same formula, same characters, same jokes. But watchable for the talent on screen. C+

Disney+

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025): A war movie painted in pastels. For visual sweep and grandeur, Dances with Wolves is better. For emotional punch, Apocalyse Now is much better. Avatar is 192 minutes too long. C-

Disney+

The Christophers (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Christophers (2026): Ian McKellen as an aging artist whose kids hire a forger (Michaela Coel) to secretly finish some unfinished canvases so they can sell them after his death as authentic. Artist and forger size each other up like cats deciding whether to fight. Superb character study of both. B+

On airplane

Star City (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Star City (TV 2026): Spin-off of "For All Mankind", this time from the Soviet perspective. The writing smoothly integrates sci-fi, Cold War, and alternative history. Some plot elements are too implausible to suspend disbelief. Russians are sure to hate it. So that's good, right? B+

AppleTV+

Michael (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

Michael (2026): Hagiography of the early life of Michael Jackson, before the ick years. Jaafar Jackson recreates the moves. Domingo Colman dominates every scene he's in. But the overall feeling is of the family still exploiting Michael, not honoring him. C+

On plane

The Sheep Detectives (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Sheep Detectives (2026): Comedy/mystery for families. Lots of recognizable faces and/or voices. Adults will like solving the mystery. Kids will like the delightful sheep. Teens just might find themselves laughing a few times. B+

Prime

The Beast in Me (TV 2026)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Beast in Me (TV 2026): Psychological thriller. Author with emotional scars gets a new neighbor, a billionaire who just might be a sociopathic murderer. Claire Danes is excellent trying to figure out what makes him tick. Matthew Rhys is excellent at keeping his secrets just out of reach. A-

Netflix