Oh, yeah.

Here’s our roundup.

“The Fall of the House of Usher”: It’s risky to modernize or repurpose classic literary works and try to create something unique and visionary in the process. Even Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón failed with a misguided “Great Expectations,” starring Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow.

But upscale horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan could write a textbook on how to do it right with his eight-part ode to legendary horror writer Edgar Allan Poe. This inspired “Usher” infuses Poe’s tales of terror with contemporary relevance and respects the source material.

Flanagan’s macabre update of Poe’s story of familial depravity and madness serves as a table setting for an “And Then There Were None” schematic in which the ones getting picked off are soulless members of a privileged, uber-wealthy family that has built its pillar of wealth by addicting Americans to painkillers.

Lording over this dynasty is a vile twosome with a rotten childhood to say the least: brother Roderick (the underrated Bruce Greenwood) and his conniving sister Madeline (the equally underrated Mary McDonnell).

Ostensibly, Roderick is the patriarch in charge but he has a hard time corralling his narcissistic adult children (inheritors), all of whom have kinky dark sides that lead them down the bloody road to a Poe-inspired fate. Flanagan wrote or co-wrote all but one episode, and the writing is as razor-blade sharp and bloody clever as with his signature works, Netflix’s “The Haunting of Hill House,” “Midnight Mass” and the underrated standalone film “Doctor Sleep.”

The creepy production values are top-notch and the scares are not only frightening but disturbing. (“Usher” is more gory and loads up on more sex than Flanagan’s past series). The cast is consistently strong and features Mark Hamill going gruff as the extra-busy Usher lawyer Arthur Pym, who attempts to mop up the family’s many messes. Another treat is seeing Flanagan regular Carla Gugino as a mysterious presence popping up throughout the lives of Roderick and Madeline. It all makes for ghoulish fun that’s well-suited for the upcoming Halloween season. Make no mistake, though, this isn’t just a bingeworthy streamer; “The Fall of the House of Usher” just so happens to be one of the best series Netflix has ever produced. Details: 4 stars out of 4; all episodes drop Oct. 13.

“Lessons in Chemistry”: Ask any book club member to choose one of their favorite novels from 2022 and chances are Bonnie Garmus’ beguiling novel featuring a quirky brainiac with one of the best names ever — Elizabeth Zott — will pop up on that list. While the misfortune was mine for not reading it beforehand, I will definitely do so after watching showrunner Lee Eisenberg’s moving eight-part adaptation for Apple TV+.

I can see why “Lessons in Chemistry” found a favored spot on bookshelves everywhere. But as fans know, divulging too much about what happens to Elizabeth (played to the eccentric hilt by Oscar winner Brie Larson) would be a recipe for hate mail. Suffice to say she stars as a brilliant chemist whose career is blotted by the patriarchy ruling the science world of the ‘50s. What can be also be said is that there is great chemistry between Larsen and Lewis Pullman as hot-shot chemist Calvin Evans who shares the same passion as she and is just as equally socially awkward. A turn of events upends their careers and leads the resilient Elizabeth on a path to a subversive cooking show. “Lessons in Chemistry” could have been tighter (trimmed to six episodes), and a subplot about Black neighbor Harriet (Aja Naomi King) fighting racial injustice could be more developed. Still, “Chemistry” comes up with a winning formula in the end. And one episode that gets told from the perspective of the family dog Six Thirty (voice of B.J. Novak) tears you up — particularly if you’re a pet owner. Details: 3 stars; two episodes drop Oct. 13, with a new episode dropping every Friday through Nov. 24.

“Foe”: What unfolded well on paper doesn’t fare so well on screen in Garth Davis’ misguided but very good-looking version of Iain Reid’s ambitious sci-fi-tinged psychological drama. Its central premise about a stranger (Aaron Pierre) making an extraordinary offer that calls into the question the relationship of an isolated couple (Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan) in a farmhouse and separates them for an extended period of time is indeed intriguing, but the unpredictable turns in the screenplay — written by Davis and Reid — wind up ringing false and unraveling into a pretentious, impenetrable mess. There are big themes explored here — including AI — but the should-be unsettling material gets way too cluttered and at times becomes laughable, disconnecting us from the plight of these two, who seem to use up a hell of a lot of water during a drought that’s killing off the planet. That is just one of the puzzling aspects of a production that unfortunately squanders the talents of Mescal and Ronan and its gorgeous production values. Just read the book. Details: 1½ stars; opens Oct. 13 in San Francisco theaters and Oct. 20 at the Piedmont Theatre in Oakland.

“Castlevania: Nocturne”: In eight briskly told animated episodes, showrunners Kevin Kolde and Clive Bradley relocate the popular vampire streaming series in the French Revolution with vampire hunter Richter Belmont (voiced by Edward Bluemel) taking on a nasty batch of aristocrats preying on poor people. The action does get bloody and features a batch of new and intriguing characters, including the gay Olrox (voice of Zahn McClarnon of “The Dark Winds” series), an Aztec bloodsucker responsible for the death of Richter’s mom. He too senses that something major and ominous is in the works, and doesn’t like it. My only beef about this intricately plotted season is that its eighth episode lacks a true ending, making us gnash our teeth for another season. Fortunately, we’ll get it since Netflix just announced “Nocturne” has been renewed. Details: 3 stars; available now on Netflix.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

We also weigh in on two documentaries with Bay Area connections: the inspiring “26.2 to Life,” about a running club at San Quentin State Prison, and Paramount+’s “Superpower,” which focuses on former Marin County resident Sean Penn’s meetups with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and how those face-to-face encounters affected him.

Here’s our roundup.

“The Continental: From the World of John Wick”: When it was announced that a three-part TV prequel was planned for the bloody and lucrative action/revenge John Wick film franchise (over $1 billion at the box office) without its charismatic star Keanu Reeves, there was just cause for worry. Would we get stuck with yet another lame origin story that would amount to no more than an empty-calorie cash grab; or an obsessively convoluted bout of worldbuilding that only diehard fans can hope to make sense of?

Breathe a sigh of relief, Wick fans, and the Wick curious. Peacock has done the hitman a solid.

The Peacock miniseries created by Greg Coolidge, Kirk Ward and Shawn Simmons is a Gotham-looking neo-noir epic that’s set in a down-on-its-heels and dirty New York of the ‘70s, where a garbage collectors’ strike piles rubbish on the streets while inside the swanky, monolithic-looking Continental hotel — a fixture in the Wick universe — assassins and fat cats gather.

This tidily told tale begins as a story about two estranged brothers, both survivors of a harrowing childhood that found them sleeping in a car trunk. The kids made some extra coin by doing killer jobs for bellowing mob figure monster Cormac (Mel Gibson going complete Nicolas Cage-like unhinged here).

As it turns out one of those brothers happens to be Winston Scott (San Francisco native Colin Woodell), who eventually becomes the proprietor of the assassin-friendly Continental hotel chain, played by Ian McShane played him in the films.

The series opens with a 20-something Winston as a successful and shrewd businessman in London, and then getting summoned like a Corleone so he can help his in-jam brother Frankie (Ben Robson) retain his tight hold on a coveted coin press that he snatched from Cormac’s The Continental Hotel.

The theft leads to bloody martial arts smackdowns, Hansel and Gretel assassins with bad hairdos, an appearance of a masked figure who outranks Cormac and is called the Adjudicator (part of the film series), and a dojo in Chinatown.

To disclose further details about these three Gothic-to-the-gills episodes — the look of the series could easily compete mano-a-mano with most Hollywood blockbusters – would be criminal. We can say that director Albert Hughes (the first and last episodes) and Charlotte Brandstorm (the second one) keep the action and storyline lean and mean, and the body count high, allowing us to soak up every second of these 90ish-minute episodes.

Wick devotees will walk away satisfied by the violent history of not merely the hotel featured in the title but the two prominent figures who inhabit Wick’s World — Winston, naturally, and Cormac’s loyal assistant/hotel concierge Charon (Ayomide Adegun) who later bonds with John Wick. Both actors are so good in these pivotal parts that they make us want to book early for another rowdy “Hotel” weekend stay.

As for the problematic Gibson and his history of misogyny antisemitism, the creators and directors are well aware he represents a controversial casting, but insist he proved perfect for the role of Cormac. As Hughes has said, he can “appreciate a person who knows what he’s doing in front of the camera and behind it.” Details: 3½ stars out of 4; Part I streams Sept. 22, Part II streams Sept. 29 and Part III streams Oct. 6; Peacock+.

“26.2 to Life”: Documentaries that purport to inspire and exalt you to want to stand and cheer don’t always deliver on that promise. Some overstate; others seem too calculated about their intentions. Christine Yoo’s hopeful nonfiction feature strikes the right balance in telling the stories of San Quentin inmates who are participating in the prison-supported 1,000 Mile running club. Appropriately it gets told from their perspective and from head coach Fred Ruona, who, along with others, help the men train and remain motivated to run a marathon (26.2 miles) at the prison. But instead of hills and streets and nature, runners such as Markelle “The Gazelle” Taylor run in circles, confronting the daunting physical and psychological challenge of doing 105 laps inside the Northern California prison. Yoo takes us into the lives of a few inmates and has us meet their families. She also addresses the crimes they committed and the interior work they are doing as some attempt to return to society as changed men. It’s a stirring and rousing feature that shows the tough road ahead for inmates’ shot at redemption. Details: 3½ stars; opens in theaters Sept. 22.

“Superpower”: One of Marin County’s most famous former residents — Sean Penn, who resides now in Malibu — seems intent on entering treacherous places.  “Superpower” cements his resolve to be in the thick of things as the globe-trotting Oscar winner and crew visit Ukraine to make a documentary in the days before Russia’s invasion and then actually speak with charismatic President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Not just once, mind you, but twice amid a surge of Russian attacks.

Penn, who co-directs, ventures beyond his team’s derring-do, offering a comprehensive history on what came before this war. He also delves into Zelenskyy’s previous life as an entertainer and actor as well as his unlikely path to president. It gives the film more heft, more meaning.

Two documentaries have centered on Penn’s commitment to make a difference on the international scene. The first — 2020’s “Citizen Penn,” which was directed by the Bay Area’s Don Hardy — was a more even-keeled portrait, focusing on the actor’s devoted work helping rebuild Haiti after a devastating 7.0 earthquake in 2010. “Superpower,” however, suffers from Penn’s passionate idolization of Zelenskyy, making it feel like the documentary comes from a fan. But to underplay Penn’s adoration of Zelenskyy in this film would, in fact, be disingenuous. It’s obvious that Penn became in awe of the man and moved by his experience in Ukraine, so much so that he would even step onto the Fox News set to be interviewed by Sean Hannity — a polar opposite of the political values he represents. Is that ego tripping? Some say yes. Others no. And therein lies the hard haul ahead for “Superpower,” an undeniably intense and intriguing documentary that sheds as much light on Penn’s passion as on tenacity Zelenskyy. Details: 2½ stars; available now on Paramount+.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Here’s our roundup.

“Heartstopper Season 2”: Even the most cynical amongst us probably couldn’t resist the charm of this Netflix series that depicts the romantic tale about two very unlike teen boys falling in love. Now the legions of “Hearstopper” fans can take heart, Season 2 has arrived and it’s just as good as the first season, as worrywart Charlie (Joe Locke) and jock Nick (Kit Connor) prepare to take their relationship to another level — announcing to all, including a handful of homophobes at school, that they are indeed a couple. But feeling comfortable and getting the timing right to do so proves challenging in Season 2. Just as Nick musters up the courage to declare that he is bisexual and in a relationship with Charlie, an obstacle gets put into the couple’s path.

Based on the graphic novel and webcomic by series creator Alice Oseman, this eight-episode series expands upon and creates more challenges for the British teens and their friends, with the bulk of it coming during a class trip – with two chaperones – to Paris where they meet (briefly) with Nick’s preoccupied father.

“Heartstopper” clicks because Locke and Connor click onscreen, and more than ever this time as the actors get a chance to deepen their acting range, as Charlie addresses his issues with anxiety and Nick wrangles with his desire to always be the strong one who does the right thing.

While Charlie and Nick’s story anchors “Heartsopper,” the series is just as engaging and enjoyable when it spends time hanging out with friends, particularly Tao (William Gao) and Elle (Yasmin Finney), the two friends who grow closer and closer.

“Heartstopper” is a gem, and remains perhaps the most uplifting, refreshingly optimistic and utterly charming series currently running on TV or streaming platforms. I’m already eager to see where Season 3 will take these likable characters. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; available Aug. 3 on Netflix.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”: True confession time, I don’t know a Donatello turtle from a Donnatella Versace gown. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this  animated reboot of the ‘80s-’90s phenom — a beloved cultural mainstay that has an ardent fan base to this day.

As directed and co-written by Jeff Rowe — who wrote and co-directed Netflix’s rather brilliant “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” — with co-writing assists from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and others, this funny, fast-paced adventure could have a punchier screenplay at times and even cut down on the vomit jokes. But it’s hard to resist  the endearing teen quartet of New York sewer-dwelling reptiles and their de facto mutant Rat dad. Really. The best elements of this nostalgic plunge arrive in flashback form as we delve into the origin story of the pizza-loving, martial arts team. It is there, as their quest to be — like so many of us — accepted by the “normal” humans who both mock and fear them, that the film wins you over.

The star-studded vocal cast (Jackie Chan, John Cena, Rose Byrne, Rogen and so on) makes it even more appealing. But it’s Ice Cube who saves the day as destructive-prone Big Apple mutant Superfly. His velvety vocal performance, along with the distinctive urban animation style, gives this one its pop, making it a rarity — a reboot that’s actually worth seeing. And stay through the mid-credits since there’s a scene that sets the stage for future mayhem. Details: 3 stars; in theaters now.

“Shortcomings”: Adrian Tomine’s acerbic, deservedly praised 2007 graphic novel gets the movie adaptation treatment more than 15 years after the mostly Berkeley-set story came out. That time gap unfortunately makes some of the material seem, well, rather dated.

Tomine wrote the screenplay with actor Randall Park directing. They’re a good team, but the film turns into a rather unengaging mumblecore-like character study wherein a jealous, unlikable movie theater manager and nascent filmmaker bungles his life and his relationship by secretly dating others, and then ambles over to New York to get his true love back. Comedian and “Joy Ride” scene-stealer Sherry Cola again commands attention as Ben’s (Justin H. Min) lesbian bestie. While it is a treat to see East Bay staples — the Homemade Cafe, Pegasus Books, BART and so on — on the screen, there’s no denying that Ben is a nails-on-the-chalkboard irritating protagonist (no fault of Min’s) who complains that no one else realizes his cinematic brilliance. Good grief! As was the case of another film version of an East Bay-based graphic novel — Daniel Clowes’ “Wilson” (starring Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern) — something essential gets lost in the translation to the screen. Read the book instead. Details: 2 stars; in theaters Aug. 4.

“Afire”: Christian Petzold continues to solidify his reputation as one of his generation’s most exciting and versatile filmmakers. This Eric Rohmer-inspired chamber piece places an insecure and jealous writer (the worst kind) along with his gregarious chum in a summer house near the Baltic sea. Author Leon (Thomas Schubert) is a nervous wreck about meeting up with his editor to discuss how to save his mediocre sophomore novel, the unwittingly titled “Club Sandwich.” Leon expects some R&R and perhaps a chance to some rewriting near the beach with his chum Felix (Langston Uibel), but instead he gets distracted by two other inhabitants in the house where he and Felix are staying – the beguiling and whip-smart Nadja (Paula Beer, a Petzold regular) and her hunky, quite amorous lover David (Enno Trebs). Meanwhile, a forest fire rages nearby. How do all these elements come together? In true Petzold style, they do, but you’ll have no idea how the drama will play it. “Afire” does stick to a Petzold tradition, leaving you with an ending you’ll want to untether and unpack afterwards. Just relax and fall under its sensual spell. Details: 3½ stars; in theaters Aug. 4.

“The Baker”: All the essential ingredients get tossed into the bloody batter of Jonathan Sobol’s formulaic yet quite capable action entry. A laconic Ron Perlman stars as a Florida baker with a nightmare past as well as an estranged “entrepreneur” son  Peter who gets into trouble in an airport parking lot and walks away carrying a bag of drugs. Hardly a candidate for dad of the year himself, Peter (Joel David Moore, in a convincing turn) saddles grumpy pops with his smart but silent 8-year-old daughter, Alfie (Emma Ho) while he tries to outsmart mobsters, including the main man played by Harvey Keitel. Things do get violent — as so happens in genre flicks like this — but the crisp screenplay, good acting and athletic direction let you forgive that none of this story is pippin’ hot fresh out of the oven. Sometimes you just want straightforward comfort food, and that’s what you’ll get along with a game Perlman. Details: 3 stars; in theaters now.

“River Wild”: It takes a whole lot of chutzpah to opt to “reimagine” a guilty-pleasure river-rafting thriller that starred the likes of multiple Oscar-winner Meryl Streep and the underappreciated Kevin Bacon. Undaunted director and co-writer Ben Ketai navigates those treacherous waters with this airtight survival thriller. Yes, the acting can’t approach the caliber of Curtis Hanson’s preposterous 1994 hit, but it’s impressive. Shot in Hungary, Slovakia and Bosnia, Ketai’s tense drama runs as swift as a Class V rapid, building upon and revealing the backgrounds and motivations and bonds of five rafters who embark on an adventure that turns dangerous and murderous. Whereas Hanson’s thriller was glossier and sillier, this “River Wild” churns with more realistic situations as it targets the survival genre. Adam Brody injects more nuance into the role of a rafting guide wanting to escape a mysterious past while the brother-sister relationship between Gray (Taran Killam) — who runs a rafting company — and Joey (Leighton Meester) grows more complicated as the past gets revealed. All of this makes “River Wild” a taut exercise with a few teeth-gnashing rafting sequences. Details: 3 stars; available to rent or buy on Vudu and Amazon Prime.

“Kokomo City”: Four transgender sex workers in New York and Georgia talk with great candor and insight about their profession, dreams and lives in D. Smith’s B&W eye opener of a documentary. Smith’s debut heralds a great career but sadly serves as the painful eulogy for one of its subjects — 35-year-old Koko Da Doll who was shot dead April 18 in Atlanta. Details: 3 stars; in theaters Aug. 4

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Then along came the “Stephen Curry: Underrated” team of Oakland director/co-producer Peter Nicks and others associated with Proximity Media, including Oakland native and “Black Panther” filmmaker Ryan Coogler. Their proposal arrived at the perfect time and proved to be just what Curry wanted.

The phenomenal Golden State Warriors point guard and sensational golfer (check out his hole-in-one last weekend at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe) particularly liked the fact that Nicks sought to juxtapose his underdog 2006-2009 collegiate basketball career at Davidson College in North Carolina with the Warriors’ comeback chew-your-nails-to-itty-bits 2021-2022 season. Factor in the talent backing the documentary, recently released on Apple TV+, and one of the greatest basketball players of all time was all in.

“This one made the most sense because from a top level it was closing in on 15 years of our Elite Eight (appearance at the regional final round of the NCAA Division) we had at Davidson,” Curry said during a Zoom interview promoting the documentary, which debuted at January’s Sundance Film Festival, where Curry attended with Nicks, Coogler and others.

Other reasons that contributed to clinching the deal included a collaborative desire to impart positive messages in the documentary about achieving one’s goals, and about persevering and triumphing when seemingly everyone expects you to fail.

“It was the through line of me trying to complete my Bachelor’s degree since I had left early in my third year and fulfilling that promise to Coach (Bob) McKillop and my mom,” he adds. “It was also just a moment of reflection on all the things that I learned and the underrated mindset I had developed pre-Davidson, but that exposed itself though those three years. And some of the other themes and lessons that I took away from those formative years at Davidson. All that, you know, I think took the success that I’ve had in the league and gave it a home of why it mattered, why it would be impactful.”

While the 35-year-old father of three, whose family lives in Atherton, hopes “Underrated” inspires young athletes, he dually hopes it appeals to “anybody from any walk of life” who has felt undervalued and is able to “adopt that underrated mindset as a badge of honor.”

Davidson coach McKillop, now retired, was one such person who saw something special in Curry even though skeptics thought the player was too short and didn’t possess the right stuff to be a star. Curry played for three seasons at Davidson from 2006-2009 before leaving for the NBA in his senior year.

The moving bond between McKillop and Curry, and Davidson’s astonishing 2008 NCAA Tournament run, play commanding roles in Nicks’ feature. Both on and off the court, McKillop and Curry have high praise and respect for each other.

“Steph checked every box in the area of character, work ethic, toughness, and coachability,” McKillop said in an email. “His shooting, ball-handling skills, and basketball IQ were easily evident. His capacity to live in the moment because of his tough-minded emotional makeup and his selfless spirit heightened his ability to transcend time. He learned and consistently demonstrated the ability to be in the present moment while seeing one step ahead into the future, and did it all at the same time.”

Curry found McKillop to be a perceptive coach and mentor who saw his potential and challenged him in all the right ways.

“He did it with a perspective that I was good enough … (that) I didn’t need to change. I needed to continue to be myself. … From a leadership perspective, he’s like a master at connecting to the human being and not just the athlete.”

Curry also praises “Underrated” director Nicks — known for the acclaimed Oakland documentary trilogy “The Waiting Room,” “The Force” and “Homeroom” — and says the award-winning filmmaker did an unbelievable job, particularly when tagging along during the Warriors’ crazy 2021-22 season while allowing everyone to “exist in these spaces and still be present and be human in the process.”

But Nicks said he had doubts about making the documentary when the idea was floated his way.

“I almost didn’t do it,” he admits. His reticence was due to the flood of celebrity and music documentaries that were coming out at the time. And unlike his previous films, which take a cinema vérité look at governmental institutions, this one would focus on one person who would be partnering with him to tell the story. But as Nicks got to know Curry and his story he was won over and wanted to shape it partly as a coming-of-age story “that had not been told before.”

The documentary is coming out at a time when people are still talking about two recent remarkable sporting feats – Curry’s win and hole-in-one in the Tahoe tournament and tennis player Carlos Alcaraz’s stunning Wimbledon title victory at the age of 20.

Since Alcaraz is so young and Curry is so familiar with fame, does he have any wisdom to impart to the young Spanish player about dealing with sudden fame and public attention?

“Stay true to who you are and what got you there — first and foremost,” he said, adding it’s crucial to strike a balance between living in the public eye and living your real life, and being aware of “people taking bits and pieces of you away from the main thing.”

He finds that what he has learned “going through these last 14-plus years in the league is the behemoth of the platform as it grows. It can eat away at your joy for what you do and you can tell Alcaraz plays with joy. I was out there on the golf course playing with joy. I play with joy on the basketball court. I have been trying to be intentional, intentional about maintaining that because once that flame goes down then it’s hard to light back up and reclaim.”

There is little doubt, when you play back that video of Curry’s hole-in-one, that there’s a lot of joy going on — along with surprise. He admits he did have a “blackout moment and didn’t know what he was doing” after sinking that one in.

“Somebody asked me like, ‘What’s a better feeling, you hitting a game-winning three pointer or making a hole-in-one? I was like well the hole-in-one for sure because you don’t ever expect to make one. Let alone on TV. Let alone in a tournament like that. If I’m (taking) a game-winning three pointer, as soon as I shoot it, I’m like, that better go in.”

We do a deep dive into the psychological thriller co-starring Amanda Seyfried as well as one of 2023’s best films of the year, “Past Lives.” And there’s a terrific stand-up-and-cheer feature debut from Eva Longoria.

Here’s our roundup.

“The Crowded Room”: Tom Holland flings himself into any role, from Spider-Man to his latest — as a troubled crime suspect in a gripping Apple TV+ limited series. It’s one of his most demanding roles — requiring a greater level of commitment than what was demanded of him in Apple TV+’s terribly overblown “Cherry.” Thankfully the 10-part “Crowded Room” is worth his considerable talents and versatility. Holland is an actor who makes you want to see his character do well, no matter all the bad stuff happening around him. It is that relatability, and Holland’s fierce commitment to lose himself in his character, that bolsters this engrossing series inspired by Daniel Keys’ non-fiction novel “The Minds of Billy Milligan.”

Holland stars as Danny Sullivan, who’s arrested for an alleged shooting at Rockefeller Center in New York. The one trying to extract the why’s and the what’s from a jailed Danny and earn her tenure in the process is interrogator/psychology professor Rya Goodwin (Amanda Seyfried). Each tension-filled episode features their “sessions” together and leads to flashbacks to Danny’s years spent with his emotionally distant mother (Emmy Rossum of “Shameless”) and his step-father (Will Chase). Showrunner Akiva Goldsman takes full advantage of the 1979 setting and fashions a successful psychological thriller filled with good performances and taut direction. But this series belongs to Holland and he’s shattering to behold. His emotionally staggering performances takes “The Crowded Room” to a whole new level. Details: 3 stars out of 4; three episodes drop June 9 with one following each week on Apple TV+.

“Past Lives”: On paper it looks at first like filmmaker Celine Song simply recycled a stale romance trope — two childhood friends who’ve been separated for decades meet up only to find out that they are the ones who … . But Song’s trick in her heartbreaking feature is that she avoids filling in the dot-dot-dots and creative spaces with what we’ve come to expect. Instead, she gives us three complicated but likable protagonists — New York playwright Nora (Greta Lee), her author husband Arthur (John Magaro) and Nora’s sweet reminder of what life was like in South Korea, Hae Sung (Teo Yoo). Their coming together doesn’t lead to a cliched affection tug-of-war but contemplates complex issues about cultural identity, how the past shapes present relationships and how a partner can never entirely share what their lover’s previous life was like.

For all those heady reasons, time serves as a powerful metaphor in “Past Lives,” and Song — a playwright herself — makes the passage of hours, days and years appropriately fluid, allowing scenes to reveal how much time has elapsed through dialogue. It puts us into a sort-of dreamy fugue state at times, and it pairs well with the Korean concept of in-yun — how interconnections from our past lives affect the here and now, which Song also explores. Gorgeously shot on 35mm, this a beautiful film to behold and is, in a sense, a visual poem. It certainly presents its actors with rich material. Lee has the trickiest part and is asked to convey — in one of the most profound endings you’ll see this or any other year — a wave of emotions with limited dialogue. Magaro and Yoo are in sync with her every step of the way, and each creates a remarkable character who’s sensitive to Grace’s needs yet captivated by her. “Past Lives” treats these very human characters with respect and care, and in turn we care for all of them. “Past Lives” is easily one of the best, if not one of the most profoundly moving, films you’ll see in 2023. Details: 4 stars; in theaters June 9.

“Flamin’ Hot”: It’s sadly a rarity to see Hollywood make a feel-good movie about a Mexican American underdog who relies on his ingenuity and determination to gain respect from friends and family and even land a huge promotion — one he never imagined he could ever achieve. In an energetic and irresistible style, Eva Longoria’s feature debut does a fine job of raising the voice of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia), a janitor trying to get noticed at a Frito-Lays factory planet in Rancho Cucamonga, as well as hardworking wife Judy (Annie Gonzalez). The game changer in both of their lives is the fiery notion to spice up one of the company’s biggest snacks, Cheetos. Screenwriters Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette Chávez keep it mostly peppy but they do address such serious matters as the fact that most drug runners make more money than Montañez did. But “Flamin’ Hot” doesn’t dwell on that topic, nor should it. This enjoyable movie is designed to make you laugh, smile and cheer on the underdog. It’s a sweet surprise this summer. Details: 3 stars; available June 9 on Hulu and Disney+.

“Rise”: Happiness, as we all know, can be elusive and fleeting and eviscerated with just one misstep. Such is the fate that befalls up-and-coming French ballerina Elise (Marion Barbeau), who injures herself when she loses her focus upon discovering her dancer boyfriend is cheating on her. Having dedicated her life to dance, the devastating news that she might be done doubles the devastation. Unlike the harsh and deluded ballerina-eat-ballerina world depicted in “Black Swan,” director Cédric Klapisch’s dance world is more enlightened and supportive. Choreographed to perfection and filled with rich and encouraging exchanges with interesting characters who talk about following their passions or observing them from the sidelines, “Rise” is an exquisite French drama that celebrates the tenacity within us all and our ability to adapt and rise above what we were before. It’s a lovely film, filled often with lovely dancers who adjust their dreams accordingly. Details: 3½ stars; in select theaters June 9.

“Daliland”: The psychedelic, anything-goes New York art scene comes to colorful life in Mary Harron’s dishy romp in which handsome gallery assistant James Linton (Christopher Birney) crosses paths with iconic surrealist Salvador Dali (Ben Kingsley, chewing into the part) and the painter’s tempestuous wife Gala Dali (Barbara Sukowa). James gets entangled into that couple’s stormy relationship. But can he earn a permanent spot with this crowd or is he just a plaything? Harron (“American Psycho,” “I Shot Andy Warhol”) ponders that question a bit in this sinfully fun feature. It’s not one of her best works, but it is an entertaining one. Details: 3 stars; opens June 9 in select theaters.

“Unidentified Objects”: Juan Felipe Zuleta’s weird and marvelous first feature is a “road” picture that finds the grouchy, pretentious Peter (Matthew August Jeffers, in a performance of bite and anger) agreeing to drive eccentric sex worker Winona (Sarah Hay) to the site where she claims she had a close encounter with aliens. What could have been a dumb road trip transforms into a meaningful and occasionally humorous story about two entities — a man who has dwarfism and a woman with a wretched past — coming together in a world that doesn’t necessarily care to nurture or even accept them. Leland Frankel’s screenplay, the two lead performances and the compassionate direction from first-timer Zuleta make it a celestial wonder worth discovering. Details: 3½ stars; screens 7:30 p.m. June 8 at Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco, with producer Masha Leonov on hand, also  available on Vudu.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

In that No. 1 1978 hit written by Don Schlitz, Rogers croons:

You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em,

Know when to fold ‘em,

Know when to walk away,

And know when to run. … 

Hollywood should tap into that sage advice when it comes to the proliferation of reboots, sequels and franchises that is choking the film industry. But with millions and millions of dollars at stake, and with audiences apparently still hungry for more “Fast and Furious” films (10 are in the books and at least two more are planned), the big-studio norm is to churn out sequels, reboots and origin stories.

Sure, some indeed work, but others just clog up the cineplex and offer one empty shot after another.

The story is the same for this summer, with franchises ruling the season and familiar faces suiting up to play familiar characters in familiar predicaments. Indiana Jones is back. Ethan Hunt is returning for another impossible mission of smacking down global villainy while performing death-defying stunts. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are shelling out more “Mutant Mayhem.” Even the Little Mermaid has caught the bug, while transforming into a live action character.

Imagine that.

Some characters we do love to run into again to see how they’ve reinvented themselves. Others just seem old and tired stuck in a rut, and should mosey off into the sunset on a high note. But if a franchise is making millions with every release, there’s no such thing as a hard stop.

With the seventh chapter in the “Transformers” saga barreling into movie theaters June 9 and recent headline-making news that more sequels — including a fifth time around for John Wick — are planned, we decided it’s high time to survey the cinematic landscape and decide which franchises still deserve the welcome mat and which ones they should just a stick a fork in, already.

Here are our verdicts.

‘Transformers’

Films to date: 7

Next installment: “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” in theaters June 9.

Pros ‘n’ cons: Michael Bay’s unfussy 2007 original was more Homer Simpson than Homer, but it did deliver gobs of extravagant mindless action and had Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox scorching up the screen. While it wasn’t exactly good, it was entertaining, much unlike the later entries which got too tangled up in the impenetrable mythology. These are Hasbro toys, people, so keep it simple. Still, this one remains an international phenomenon, no matter that the sequels have kept on getting bigger, louder and more nonsensical. That is until director Travis Knight came on the scene and tossed in a new engine with 2018’s “Bumblebee.”

The verdict: If ‘Beasts’ skews to Bay’s earlier forays, we say stick a fork in it! The only hope for the franchise is if it follows the path of “Bumblebee” and looks for fresh ground.

‘Indiana Jones’

How many to date: 4 (plus “The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones” TV series that aired 2002-2008)

Next installment: “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” out June 30

Pros ‘n’ cons: Few franchises make us feel like we’ve been magically transformed into a hyper, wide-eyed kid like Steven Spielberg’s rollercoaster series does. It does cliffhanger action scenes with such aplomb, but taken as a whole the series has been erratic — the 1981 debut remains the best of the bunch while 2008’s “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was a big letdown, with its unbelievably terrible “alien” finale. Even though Harrison Ford’s tenure as the daring archaeology prof ends with “Dial of Destiny,” and reports say this truly is the end of the line, don’t be too surprised if Disney has eyes on extending the franchise somehow. Early reviews (it debuted at Cannes) weren’t glowing, but we’ll be there even if we have to dial down expectations.

The verdict: Without Ford at its center? Stick a fork in the franchise. After all, it’s not not the years, honey, It’s the mileage.

‘Saw’

How many to date: 9

Next installment: “Saw X,” due in theaters Oct. 27; a TV series based on “Spiral,” (the ninth film) is reportedly in the works.

Pros ‘n’ cons: Distinguished as one of the goriest franchises still going, “Saw” somehow keeps devising new and more vicious ways for its killer, Jigsaw, (or in the case of “Spiral,” a copycat) to off his victims. The 2004 cleaver-clever first entry directed by James Wan (“The Conjuring,” “Aquaman”) co-starred a caterwauling Cary Elwes and managed to shock everyone with not only that OMG ending but with how it slayed at the box office. No wonder we’ve seen countless incarnations since then. But even though 2021’s “Spiral” with Chris Rock opted for something slightly different, the series has grown stale. The “Scream” franchise has the same problem, but at least “Ghostface” has better legs than both Jigsaw and Michael Myers.

The verdict: Stick a (bloody) fork in it.

‘James Bond’

How many to date: 27

Next installment: Unknown

Pros ‘n’ cons: George Lazenby, Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig have all had their turn playing the legendary British secret agent. But since 007 went kaboom in the 2021’s long-winded “No Time To Die” (Craig’s final film in the series) the search has been on to find the next Bond, with no shortage of opinions on who it should be (a woman, a BIPOC actor?). Just get over it and hire someone already. It’s been a tiresome search, and has triggered thoughts that maybe it’s time for Ian Fleming’s suave spy character to be retired. That said, the Craig era — for the most part — suggests there’s still life in this franchise.

The verdict: To coin a phrase from Madonna, let him die another day. Keep 007.

‘Mission: Impossible’

How many to date: 7

Next installment: “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One,” in theaters July 12.

Pros ‘n’ cons: In a rarity for franchises, later installments of the exploits of superhuman Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) are remarkably better than the meh first ones — Brian De Palma’s decent 1996 reboot and John Woo’s flashy but vapid 2000 sequel “Mission: Impossible 2.” Why?  Credit goes not only to its thrill-seeking lead Cruise (who loves to put himself into the danger zone with those madman stunts) but director/co-writer Christopher McQuarrie. They make an excellent team, and this series seems as fresh as ever.

The verdict: Keep ‘em coming.

‘Disney Live Action Remakes of Animated Films’

How many to date: Too many to count when you throw in prequels, reboots

Latest installment: “The Little Mermaid” (now in theaters)

Pros ‘n’ cons: Is there a beloved animated classic Disney hasn’t yet remade or has plans to? Maybe the better question should be: Are audiences still wanting them? The box office suggests the answer to that is a lucrative yes. But let’s face it, the quality has been hit or miss. For every dazzler such as “The Jungle Book,” there’s been a stink bomb such as “Pinocchio.” And even though some like “The Little Mermaid,” there’s no denying there’s an existential crisis at work here, as more filmgoers question the very existence of each redo. We’re all for representation, but in the rote retelling and overreliance on CGI, the Disney magic that distinguished the animated ones is getting lost.

The verdict: Stick a fork in all of them and move on.

‘Toy Story’

How many to date: 4, plus “Lightyear”

Latest installment: In development at Pixar, no release date yet.

Pros ‘n’ cons: The misunderstood “Lightyear” wasn’t quite a rocket man at the box office (it earned $226 million worldwide but was expected to do better, and reportedly lost money). We think it deserved better, but there’s no denying it’s not in the same league as the “Toy Story” gems.  Each of the Emeryville-based animated company’s “Toy Story” productions is magical, guaranteed to make you choke up as they strive to achieve something unique with each outing. (Remember how dark “Toy Story 4” got at times?) At the same, “Toy Story” continually expands on its character base (welcome, Forky!), and does it well. While it remains to be seen how long it will take for us to get another adventure with Woody and Buzz, we’ll be happy to wait until it pulls on our heartstrings again.

The verdict: Keep ‘em coming.

‘Star Trek’

How many to date: 12 (live-action, theatrical)

Next installment: “Star Trek Beyond,” no release date yet.

Pros ‘n’ cons: The self-serious nature of 1979’s “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” — the first theatrical experience — all but killed the joy out of the TV series. But the second jaunt with the Enterprise was a hoot, and gave us one its best villains in 1982’s “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” From there, though, there have been some highs (2009’s “Star Trek” reboot with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto) and some lows (the 1989 William Shatner-directed “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.”) But with terrific “Trek”-related TV entries and animated series, is there really a need for another movie?

The verdict: Yes, there is. Keep ‘em coming. The series is in good hands right now.

Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Universe

How many to date: 32 Marvel films and countless series; 14 DC Universe

Latest installments: “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (in theaters); “Flash,” due out June 16.

The verdict: The jury’s still out. We’re taking a wait-and-see stance for both the MCU and the DCU — the former now under the promising command of James Gunn — to see if they can get their consistent mojo back. The latest Spidey animated movie is a step in the right direction.

‘The Fast and the Furious’

How many to date: 10

Latest installment: “Fast X” (in theaters), more on the way

Pros ‘n’ cons: If there’s ever a franchise — besides the “Friday the 13th” (12 and counting) — that would have seem to be choking on its fumes right now it would be this car-stunt-palooza where brawny hot rods and a buff family of friends take on enemies and frenemies. There’s been just as much drama on set with dustups between stars Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson and one director exiting pronto (Justin Lin) after the filming started on “Fast X.” None of that matters. Audiences clearly haven’t tired of the action. But without Jason Momoa, this franchise might well have come to a screeching halt.

The verdict: Cliffhanger aside, after the next one wraps up — stick a fork in it!

‘Star Wars’

How many films to date: 11

Latest installments: Three new films are in the works

Pros ‘n’ cons:  A long time ago in this very galaxy, the George Lucas space opera led to a thrilling trilogy of films. After that, the series floundered, with some highs and some terrible lows. The brightest spot came in its darkest film, 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” With so many origin stories on Disney+ — “The Mandalorian” being the biggest standout — the big-screen outings have suffered in comparison. I’m a big fan of the most controversial installment — Rian Johnson’s 2017 “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” — since it tried to do something different. For the most part, the recent batch of movies seem like they’re just retelling the same damn story time after time. We love nostalgia. But we also love an original thought or two.

The verdict: Stick a fork in it, or at least move the needle like Johnson and “Rogue One” did.

‘John Wick’

How many to date: 4

Latest installment:  A new one is in the work and there are ancillary projects as well.

Pros ‘n’ cons: In classic never-say-never-again fashion, the reported fourth installment of the unexpected revenge hit series with everyone’s fave Keanu Reeves will now get a Roman Numeral V. Why? Look at those numbers — “John Wick: Chapter 4” garnered more than $363 million. Ridiculous and over the top, the Wick franchise remains cheer worthy.

The verdict: Keep ‘em coming, but only if Reeves remains.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

At 76, uncompromising filmmaker Paul Schrader wraps up his trilogy on men confronting their pasts. Meanwhile, the third — and sadly final — season of one of TV’s best contemporary crime series — “Happy Valley” — hopes to save the best for last.

But as great as they are in considerable ways, each has an issue with sticking the landing.

Here’s our roundup.

“Master Gardener”: Is it possible that Paul Schrader, the gifted and cranky screenwriter of the seminal “Taxi Driver” and auteur of other gritty downer films, has gone soft on us? You might come away feeling that’s the case after watching this final installment in his unofficially connected trio of features about men wrestling with past deeds and misdeeds. And OK, this isn’t as dark as “First Reformed,” the best film in that three-pack. But “Gardener” is an at-times thrilling eyebrow-raiser about the troubled, seemingly mild-mannered horticulturist Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton) reckoning with past crimes after getting involved with his employer’s volatile great-niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell), who is of mixed race. Their growing attraction doesn’t sit well with the manipulative, ultra-rich Mrs. Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver, in a deliciously sinister performance), who hides a racist soul and toys around with Roth, whose racist past remains tattooed on his skin. The relationship between Haverhill and Narvel is twisted, to say the least. But it loses something because the relationship between Narvel and Maya seems utterly improbable, and that’s a huge problem — bigger than the film’s strange wrap-up. It’s a bummer given how tremendous Edgerton and Weaver are, and how effective, in a skin-crawling way, the film’s first hour remains. Details: 3 stars out of 4; opens May 18 in theaters.

“Happy Valley Season 3”: One of the best mystery/thriller series going delivers the intensity in its third and final season. Unfortunately, it stumbles near the finale, speeding through and forsaking the resolution of a new murder so it can get to the chewy stuff —  the psychological tyranny that a rapist and murderer exerts on Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire, in a volcanic performance). Given this is the final season, it’s not that big of a deal-breaker — partly because each season has been leading to the moment where the convicted father (James Norton, in his best performances to date) of Cawood’s 16-year-old grandson (Rhys Connah) gets tied to another murder. If you haven’t seen the first two seasons, you’ll no doubt be lost. But this gritty British crime series tops its many American counterparts. I just wish there would have been one more episode to wrap up that other crime. Details: 3 stars; premieres Monday on Acorn TV, AMC+ and BBC America with a new episode each week.

“It Ain’t Over”: So many sports docs seem intent on celebrating their main subject, all but touting them for sainthood. Sean Mullin makes a similar but lower-key pitch here, and the result is a home run in a field often flush with loud fouls. “Over” focuses on the lovable late New York Yankees star catcher Yogi Berra, with the assistance of his granddaughter, Lindsay Berra, who also serves as an executive producer. She helps keep the focus Berra’s brilliant baseball career, both as a player and manager, as it fosters fondness and respect for an Italian-American World War II veteran who came up with so many endearing, if nonsensical, sayings. Nothing about “It Ain’t Over” is rote or superficial. It’s about a legend who defied the odds, as well as the snotty comments from sports journalists, and earned the respect of his peers on his way to earning 10 World Series rings. It’s a must for any arm-chair sports fan. Details: 3½ stars; in theaters May 19.

“Joyland”: Director/writer Saim Sadiq’s debut feature created an uproar in Pakistan, his homeland, where it was banned at first and then was permitted to be shown on its way to being shortlisted for best international film at the Oscars. Sadiq’s fierce family drama is a passionate outcry over a culture that adheres to strict gender stereotypes and won’t allow anyone to color outside of lines. Ali Junejo’s performance ranks as one of the finest you’ll see in any year. He plays Haider, who is in a dispassionate arranged marriage with the restless Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq). He hides from his traditional and ailing father (Salmaan Peerzada) and his more masculine brother (Sohail Sameer) his love to dance, a profession he pursues at a club where he’s hired by transgender choreographer/dancer Biba (Alina Khan, in a breakout performance). As Haider and Biba spend more time together, a connection forms that shakes up Haider’s world. Sadiq depicts the evolution of this vulnerable relationship with care and in the film’s final moments delivers a sequence that’s an emotional game-changing beauty. Details: 3½ stars; opens May 19 in select theaters.

“Clock”: There’s a tremendous horror film gestating in writer/director Alexis Jacknow’s dark take on a single woman’s (Dianna Agron) trouble-plagued, none-too-pleasant journey toward reluctant motherhood. But it gets too cluttered up with a family subplot rather than remain focused on the issue at hand — Ella Patel’s nightmarish time meeting the brilliant Dr. Elizabeth Simmons (Melora Hardin) who is spearheading new experimental treatments. Agron throws herself fully into the role and the first 45 minutes of Jacknow’s disturbing commentary works wonders, but it strays and winds up losing its punch near its end. Details: 2½ stars; available now on Hulu.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

The hotspot for culture, wine, scenery and all that sinfully delicious food shows off its two very different sides in two very different movies.

First up comes the “traditional” tourist tour of Italy in the form of “Book Club: The Next Chapter.” The second is aimed for the more epic adventurer wowed by the Italian Alps, where “The Eight Mountains” is set.

Which is the better film? Read this week’s roundup to fine out.

“The Eight Mountains”: What a shame it would be to watch Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch’s breathtaking beauty on an itty-bitty screen. It’s a visual feast that all but declares: Go to the movie theater already! The soul-stirring cinematography of Ruben Impens is matched by the epic storytelling about two boyhood chums in Italy and their bond that strengthens and shifts over the years. Both directors take care in replicating the evocative, pared-down crispness of  author Paolo Cognetti’s award-winning 2016 novel, which serves as “Mountains” basis.

The decades-spanning film opens with an uncertain Milan boy named Pietro summering in the nearly deserted and remote Grana village where he soon befriends the gregarious, adventurous Bruno, whose father is a brutish bricklayer. Over the years, the two take different paths —  the wandersome Pietro (Luca Marinelli) all but extricating himself from the family fold while Bruno (Alessandro Borghi) remains in Grana and carries on the family tradition.

They eventually reunite amidst events that shake up their lives and their friendship, as they encounter adversity and love, and have their own perceptions challenged.

At nearly 2½ hours, “The Eight Mountains” is in no rush to tell its story, but the time is well spent, allowing us to soak up the sweeping natural beauty of those mountains. It’s staggering to take it all in; so is the profundity of this story about two flawed individuals who develop a once-in-a-lifetime friendship that shapes both of them. Details: 4 stars out of 4; opens May 12 at the Kabuki in San Francisco and expands into more theaters including the Smith Rafael Film Center on May 15.

“Book Club: The Next Chapter”: The Italian Tourism Bureau should express deep amore to Bill Holderman for directing this congenial but tepid sequel to the surprise 2018 hit with the terrific Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen. It’s too bad that, given the talent and scenery on display, there’s not much else to admire. In “Next Chapter,” the quartet of friends travels to Rome, Venice and Tuscany on a whirlwind bachelorette party (Fonda’s steadfastly single character Vivian is the one walking down the aisle). Minor road bumps occur — stolen luggage, a surprise encounter with an old flame and an ooh-la-la hot cop — and all of it breezes by as if you’re spending a tipsy day under the Tuscan sun. While the four leads are game and the screenplay hints at something more substantial to say by framing it around Paulo Coelho’s classic “The Alchemist,” the dialogue is overstuffed with predictable laugh-track-ready one-liners — some come across as flat as week-old uncorked prosecco. Even the charms of Don Johnson and Andy Garcia as love interests get sidelined in a production that fails to take full advantage of the scenario or the stars. Details: 2 stars; in theaters May 12.

“BlackBerry”: How did the first smartphone, the one everyone expected would rule the world, rise to the top and then crash to the ground like Icarus? Matt Johnson’s pitch-perfect feature jauntily shows us what went right and then wrong with the BlackBerry, from its kooky, nerdy origins to its ascendancy and, ultimately, its demise. It all makes for a massively entertaining ride with two main actors steering the action, and one just stealing the entire movie. Glenn Howerton triumphs as tantrum-prone Canadian businessman James Balsillie, who carves out a huge slice of the company pie and shouts and bellows with the best of them. His confrontational style of business is the very antithesis of founder Mike Lazaridis (played well by Jay Baruchel), an OCD brainiac with techie know-how. Filled with great period details and told in a docudrama-like way, “BlackBerry” is simply irresistible. Details: 3½ stars; in theaters May 12.

“1,000% Me: Growing Up Mixed”: W. Kamau Bell, a media bright light, best-selling author and Bay Area treasure, drops in on local mixed-race families to chat about how they define themselves and how others perceive and try to define them. The responses prove to be thoughtful, heartwarming, incisive and, since kids are often the ones responding, quite funny and on pointe. While it’s just shy of an hour, it raises — as does all of Bell’s work — important points and issues that hopefully will spark even further conversations. Details: 3 stars; available now on HBO Max.

“Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”: Director Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”) takes a frank, energetic and creative approach that mirrors the standout qualities of its subject — the lovable sitcom and movie star Fox. His scrappy early days in Hollywood and his battles with fame, booze and ego along with his love for his wife, family and living in general come across in Guggenheim’s account, with the actor staring straight into the camera and talking about the realities of having Parkinson’s Disease and how he tried to hide from others that he had it. It’s a revealing documentary about a man who was once one of the busiest actors in Hollywood who has learned in transition to appreciate the loved ones around him even more. Details: 3½ stars; available May 12 on Apple TV+.

“The Restless”: Belgian director Joachim Lafosse debunks the average drama dealing with mental illness, being less touchy-feely about the topic and burrowing into what it is like to be bipolar and be with someone who is bipolar. As Damien, an artist and father of one, Damien Bonnard is painfully authentic, showing an acceleration of emotions and tearing into one family’s fabric. Refusing to take his medication and putting others in risk, Damien’s frenetic actions wear down his wife Leila (Leila Bekhti), who has been down this road probably one too many times. “The Restless” never sanitizes what this family is confronting, and by doing so, rips your heart out and provides no easy solutions. It’s a remarkable work that never rings false. Details: 3½ stars; available exclusively on Film Moment Plus.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

My pick, though, for the best of the week goes to “Sisu,” the stand-up-and-cheer action thriller from Finland that lands in theaters this week. And I can’t overlook the peppy “Polite Society.”

Here’s our rundown.

“Citadel”: In this visually arousing spy thriller, the impossibly gorgeous Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden are at the center of a smackdown between two rival agencies — one good but put out to pasture, the other dubious and posing a clear and present danger. Old memories re-emerge and fuel a cinematic bullet train that’s built around kickass action, sultry gazes and frenetic editing. Subtlety is all but extinct in every frame of this six-part Amazon extravaganza from the sometimes marvelous Russo brothers. It’s like a cocaine/Red Bull cocktail. Stanley Tucci co-stars as a former agent with worthwhile intel and he brings gravitas to this over-the-top malarkey. Either you’re gonna love this unruly behemoth or bemoan the sorry state of blockbuster entertainment. Honestly, I kind of dug it and love the pairing of the main stars who appear to be having fun at toying with each other and this “Mission: Impossible”-like scenario. Details: 3 stars out of 4; two episodes debut April 28, one additional episodes drops every Friday through May 26.

“Love & Death”: Hollywood loves to latch onto a story or a franchise and never let go. Such is the sensational murder case of Candy Montgomery, the ‘80s churchgoing momma from Texas who took up an ax and gave her former lover’s depressed wife 41 whacks. This time, scribe David E. Kelley takes a stab at bringing something different to this lurid, true-crime story. He gets about halfway there. At seven episodes, the HBO Max series overstays its own welcome but its two aces in the hole are Elizabeth Olsen as the to-the-point Montgomery, who has it all but desires to spice up her life, and Tom Pelphrey as flashy attorney/church member Don Crowder. Does it improve upon Hulu’s tighter, more intense “Candy” starring Jessica Biel, or the the more interpretive 1990 teledrama “A Killing in a Small Town” with Barbara Hershey? Not entirely. It makes you wonder what might have happened if Kelley branched out and concentrated on the life and career of Crowder, giving scene stealer Pelphrey more time to shine. Now that would have been one hell of a story. As is, “Love & Death” hits all the same notes as its predecessors. Details: 2½ stars; three episodes drop April 27, then one every week through May 25.

“Fatal Attraction”: At just under 2 hours, Adrian Lyne’s deliciously overheated 1987 erotic thriller — wherein a two-timin’ hubby hooks up with a woman who becomes an unhinged stalker when he tries to end the affair — achieved all it intended, even giving us some steamy kitchen sink sex even as it outraged some for how it portrayed mental illness. Now comes Paramount+’s flabby, un-sexy redo from Alexandra Cunningham. The series opens with once hot-shot attorney Daniel Gallagher (Joshua Jackson) getting paroled after a 15-year sentence for the murder of  Alex Forrest (Lizzy Caplan). Alex made life hell for Dan and his family after their affair, but also obsessed about other men she encountered. Since this is laboriously strung out, we spend time with Dan trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter Ellen (Alyssa Jirrels), and even his ex-wife Beth (Amanda Peet) while trying to clear his name. Both Jackson and Caplan tackle the iconic roles with passion and put their own stamp on them, but the pacing and the lack of sparks make this fizzle. I lasted through five episodes and walked away with the clear feeling it needed tightening — which you can say for a good many streaming series now. That said, it has it moments along with some delightful Easter egg references to the giggle-worthy original, including (of course) a white bunny and that unforgettable fury-fueled line from Alex that gets delivered with perfect deluded annunciation by Caplan: “I’m not going to be IGNORED, Dan!” That almost makes this “Fatal” worth watching. Details: 2 stars; three episodes drop April 30, followed by one episode each Sunday until the final two chapters are released May 28.

“Saint X”: My favorite limited series out this week comes from Hulu, but it’s likely to divide viewers. That’s because it takes a very conventional and sordid mystery premise — a college-age vacationer turns up dead in the Caribbean, with suspects aplenty — and then fires up a much more provocative tale about fear, racism, privilege and the dangers of hiding from our real selves. Yes, it’ll take a bit to readjust expectations, but executive producer Leila Gerstein’s version of Alexis Schaitkin’s novel legitimately deserves all of its eight episodes. It also dares to make all of its characters flawed, painfully real and sometimes irritating. Just like all of us. But for that reason you might get fed up with Emily (Alycia Debnam-Carey) a New York documentary-maker who risks everything to find the truth about happened to her sister Alison (West Duchovny, David Duchovny and Tea Leoni’s daughter) on the final day of their vacation on Saint X. Dee Rees directs the first episode of this thoughtful series that says so much more than you’d expect. In pivotal roles as resort workers, Jayden Elijah and Josh Bonzie deliver the best performances — two you won’t forget. Details: 3½ stars; three episodes drop April 26 on Hulu with new episodes weekly.

“Sisu”: Sometimes after a grueling day at work where everyone’s demanding a pound of flesh from you, you need an action-packed movie where the Nazis get the crap beat out of them to properly unwind. That’s what you get and so, so much more in director/screenwriter Jalmari Helander’s gonzo masterpiece — a gory, irreverent smackdown of fascism set in WWII-era Finland and featuring an invincible 60something gold prospector with a cute dog and a lean and mean physique. With minimal dialogue, some of the best editing you’ll find in any film this year, arresting visuals and ridiculous action and stunts, “Sisu” is a ready-made genre classic and further evidence that Helander, director of “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale” and “Big Game,” deserves to be in the big leagues. Action movies don’t get much better than this. Details: 4 stars; in theaters April 28.

“Polite Society”: In this hyperactive but thoroughly enjoyable action comedy, Londoner and wanna-be stuntwoman Ria Khan (Priya Kansara) suspects that the intentions of her sister’s (Ritu Arya) dreamy, filthy rich beau Salim (Akshaye Khanna) aren’t entirely noble. So she takes some rather bumbling steps to put the breaks on the courtship. Writer/director Nida Manzoor’s feature debut packs a comedic and subversive feminist punch, taking aim at arranged marriages and showing how damaging it is to marginalize women and not allow them to fully pursue their dreams. That it accomplishes all of that through humor and pratfalls without ever getting heavy-handed about its themes is a credit to Manzoor’s innate skill. She’s a filmmaker on the rise. Details: 3 stars; in theaters April 28.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

It debuts this weekend, and tops our list of what to see, along with the conservationist-themed “Wild Life,” the historical biopic “Chevalier” and “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant.”

Here’s our roundup.

“Dead Ringers”: It takes nerve to remake a David Cronenberg classic, particularly if you’re taking on the Canadian master of shock’s 1988 psychological squirm-fest about deranged twin gynecologists (Jeremy Irons) mishandling too many patients and too many forceps.

But executive producer and director Sean Durkin has accomplished just that for Amazon Prime with a limited series of six truly horrifying stand-alone episodes. He and other directors — including the incredible Karyn Kusama — and a team of screenwriters have even improved on the original. Their “Dead Ringers” chooses smartly in the departures and asides they make from the original premise — one established in the 1977 novel “Twins.” The best move is a gender switch, turning the emotionally conjoined twins into two genius Manhattan female doctors. It brings up a more complicated set of issues.

As in the original film, this duo is dangerously inseparable. But in the Prime series, the Mantle twins dream of spearheading a new chain of birthing centers. One, of course, possesses noble intentions for wanting this. The other has Frankenstein-like delusions of grandeur.

Rachel Weisz delivers not one but two Emmy-worthy performances (just give her the award now) as the dangerously co-dependent Mantles. Beverly is the more stable, ethically principled sister, but still has some screws loose, while Elliot is the drugged-out wild card, a mad scientist intent on unethical research and achieving the unimaginable.

Added to the mix are Beverly’s new love interest, Genevieve (Britne Oldford), the star of the TV series “Rabid” (Cronenberg fans will get that reference) and the ultra-rich, morally deficient entrepreneur Rebecca (a sinfully evil Jennifer Ehle) who extracts pounds of flesh in order to fund the twins’ swanky but creepy birthing centers.

If you manage to survive the first episode without losing your lunch, you’re in store for a disturbing, supremely well-made horror show that’s written, acted and directed with Ari Aster-like skill. The second episode, in which the Mantles experience a savagely refined, multi-coursed dinner with a rich bunch of cruel profiteers who manipulate and toy with them covers the same ground as “Triangle of Sadness” — but does it better. Details: 4 stars out of 4; drops April 21 on Amazon Prime.

“Chevalier”: In this engrossing biopic on the historically skipped-over 18th-century French-Caribbean classical music figure Joseph Bologne (aka Chevalier de Saint-Georges), Kelvin Harrison Jr. takes ownership of every second of screen time he’s granted — which is all the time. It’s a perfect role for the magnetic Harrison Jr., who’s delivered one impressive performance (2019’s “Luce”) after another (2021’s “Cyrano”). His take on this confident violinist, composer and fencer who made many Parisians either swoon, due to his looks, or sneer, due to his race, and plays up and then tempers the bravado as the film goes on. Richly accessorized in period details, Stefani Robertson’s script thrusts Chevalier into a competition to lead the Paris Opera, in which the goal is coming up with the best opera. During the hustle to get it done, Chevalier falls into a heated romance with the very married Marie-Josephine de Montalembert (Samara Weaving) and it’s an affair that rankles the flighty yet shrewd Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton, hamming it up), not to mention his lover’s hubby, Marc René, marquis de Montalembert (Marton Csokas), who has friends in high places. Director Stephen Williams orchestrates all of it with dramatic flourishes, but it really is hard to one-up the opening moments, when the upstart Chevalier shows Mozart (Joseph Prowen) who’s boss. Now, that’s movie magic. Details: 3 stars; in theaters April 21.

“Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant”: The critically lambasted Ritchie thumbs his nose at his detractors with this gripping thriller that has something more on its mind than mere rah-rah military skirmishes and confrontations. Jake Gyllenhaal proves yet again he’s one of his generation’s best and most versatile actors, surrendering himself into the role of Sergeant John Kinley, who develops an uneasy — at first — alliance with his new interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim, so effective and understated), who goes on to save his life after an ambush. “Covenant” works as both a rousing action feature and survival story — an intense trek through Taliban territory, with Ahmed hiding Kinley’s wounded body in a cart makes up a large part of the film — as well as a look at the critical role that interpreters play. But “Covenant” also shows the tangle of red tape that prevents promises from getting delivered, a reality that forces Kinley to take matters into his own hands. The result is one of Ritchie’s finest films that’s made all the better by two extraordinary performances. Details: 3½ stars; in theaters April 21.

“Wild Life”: There are two love stories that get told well in Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s latest inspirational documentary. One chronicles the romance of two renegade adventurers and entrepreneurs, Kristin and Doug Tompkins. He founded the iconic North Face and Esprit labels while she partnered closely with Yvon Chouinard to aid in turning Patagonia into a leading environmentally conscious brand. When their paths crossed after Doug Tompkins wanted to do something less cash-oriented, they fell passionately in love and then pursued another grand passion, to protect and preserve precious lands in South America, specifically in Chile. In this gorgeous and moving documentary from the award-winning filmmaking couple, we follow these move-the-needle conservationists whose altruistic actions sparked misinformation and suspicions. It makes for another breathtaking journey from Chin and Vasarhelyi, one that fits snugly in their canon about indomitable rule breakers who achieved greatness and broke their barriers by persistence and unwavering dedication. Details: 3½ stars; in select theaters April 19.

“Judy Blume Forever”: Documentary filmmakers and Stanford grads Davina Prado and Leah Wolchok’s group hug to YA novelist Judy Blume leaves you with a smile on your face and newfound respect for the envelope-pushing writer. Told in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner, “Forever” captures the evolution of the writer and person who sprinkled in and even introduced issues such as masturbation and menstruation to young readers. Interviews with fans, contemporary authors and Blume herself reflect just how much of a force she was and how much resistance she met due to the subject matter in her books. That last part gets introduced late in the documentary and could have been even further explored, given the tenor of these shrill book-banning times. Overall, this is a welcome reminder of the impact and influence this beloved author wields to this day. Details: 3 stars; available to stream April 21 on Amazon Prime.

“To Catch a Killer”: The opening moments of writer/director Damián Szifron’s first English-language feature are its strongest and its most disturbing. In an all-too-American tragedy, a lone and unidentified gunman picks off 29 New Year’s celebrants in buildings and on the streets of Baltimore. It’s a chilling sequence that is indeed violent but not overly graphic, and pokes at the nerves of an already fearful and jittery nation. Szifron’s film then focuses on the investigation led by the FBI’s extra-sharp, take-no-crap Geoffrey Lammark (Ben Mendelsohn), who wants rookie police investigator Eleanor Falco (Shailene Woodley) at his side. For the first half, Szifron has a firm grip on his story, showing a unique visual flair that was employed to such good effect in his 2014 Oscar-nominated anthology “Wild Tales.” But his storytelling loses its hold two thirds in — when the killer is revealed and an unconvincing connection between him and Eleanor feels not just phony but offensive. And the action at the end feels clumsy and ham-fisted, unlike anything that preceded it. Given how dedicated the performances are and just how effective the first part of this grim production is, that amounts to a huge letdown. But Szifron’s stylish way with the visuals are hard to ignore. Details: 2½ stars; in select theaters April 21.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

It’s supposed to.

Its star, Jake Gyllenhaal, says it’s just that kind of movie. The Oscar nominee is convinced that the R-rated “Covenant,” opening April 21 in theaters, succeeds as both edge-of-the-seat entertainment and a potent parable about the core values — integrity, valor and a dogged desire to do the right thing — that are the essence of the American ideal.

“It’s about being the kind of American I want to be,” said Gyllenhaal during a recent Zoom interview, in which he was joined by co-star Dar Salim. “That we have a goodness ingrained in us, and that we know what it takes to be a hero, sometimes begrudgingly.”

In “Covenant”, the versatile Gyllenhaal — who’s starred in films ranging from 2005’s groundbreaking “Brokeback Mountain” to such box-office juggernauts as 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home” — once again fully flings himself into a meaty part.

This time, he portrays U.S. Army Sgt. John Kinley, a confident leader who, after a devastating ambush, is saved by Afghani interpreter Ahmed.

Back in the United States, Kinley struggles with the loss of his troops in that 2018 ordeal as well as his need to repay the debt he owes his savior, Ahmed — who lugged the wounded soldier’s body over miles of hostile Taliban-infested terrain. Ahmed’s heroics have put a target on his and his family’s backs, propelling Kinley to take action to cut through the red tape preventing Ahmed from getting to the United States.

Ahmed’s character is initially greeted with wariness by the focused Kinley, who doesn’t mince his words about wanting his new interpreter, a replacement for the previous one who was killed in an attack, to stay in his lane and merely translate what’s said. Kinley eventually learns he needs to grant Ahmed more latitude for the sake of everyone.

The two eventually develop an alliance that only strengthens.

It might seem unusual that a British filmmaker known best for crowd-pleasing capers-and-cons flicks such as 2021’s “Wrath of Man” and the two “Sherlock Holmes” films with Robert Downey Jr., is helming a tense drama depicted mostly from an American viewpoint. But Gyllenhaal and Salim felt Ritchie brought a refreshing perspective and new dimension to “The Covenant.” Ritchie was reportedly inspired to make the film while working on another war-themed project and watching documentaries on the War in Afghanistan and learning about the plights and sacrifices of interpreters.

“Having a Brit telling a story about this is very interesting,” Gyllenhaal says. “And it does take that sentimentality out of it.”

Salim, a prolific actor and huge star in Denmark (among his many roles was Qotho in HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), says the film stays true to the characters of the soldier and his interpreter, who form a reluctant bond at first. He adds, “both choose to do the right thing without being sentimental about it and without saying ‘Look at me, I’m doing the right thing.’ Instead, “they just do it.”

Ritchie and co-screenwriters Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies did extensive research to create the fictional composites of the two central characters and learned of the risks that interpreters take (an estimated 200 have been killed in the 2001-2021 War in Afghanistan and subsequent fighting).

Gyllenhaal and Salim, meanwhile, tapped a variety of sources to lend authenticity to their roles.

In Gyllenhaal’s case, he consulted with Zachary Iscol, a childhood friend who fought in the Second Battle of Fallujah in the Iraq War and is a decorated former Marine. Iscol is now commissioner for the New York City Emergency Management Department, and Gyllenhaal collaborated with him on the Headstrong Project, a program to help veterans with mental health treatment.

Iscol, Gyllenhaal said, told him that his interpreter in Iraq saved his life. That person now lives in New York City with his two daughters, Gyllenhaal adds.

“What I knew of interpreters and their soldiers and their counterparts was through Zach.”

Through the years, Gyllenhaal has also read accounts of interpreters’ sacrifices and how many are facing additional headaches after the war; an estimated 60,000 interpreters are still awaiting visas in Afghanistan.

What Gyllenhaal gleaned from Iscol’s accounts and other stories is that interpreters do more than bridge a language barrier, many provide a soldier with vital insight into a culture’s attitudes and codes of conduct.

“One of my favorite lines in the movie is (when Kinley says) ‘You’re here to translate.’ (And Ahmed replies): ‘No I’m here to interpret.’ I think understanding the culture, understanding the behavior is what interpreters really do, and in that way they are invaluable and continue to be.”

Salim’s own past as a refugee — he was born in Iraq and relocated to Denmark when he was 6 — and his associations with veterans and interpreters helped inform his performance.

The extra-busy 45-year-old actor finds his career gaining more momentum. He’s celebrating the arrival of not one but two films he’s in getting released nearly at the same time. The other — “Darkland: Case Closed” — is a sequel to his 2017 masked crimefighter hit in Denmark. It opened there last week.

Even on a Zoom call, it’s obvious that Gyllenhaal and Salim respect each other and have developed an easygoing camaraderie and. They enjoy joking around (just check out their Instagram posts), echoing the similar playful exchanges that Gyllenhaal and his “Spider-Man” co-star Tom Holland had.

Their friendship becomes particularly evident when Salim is asked if carrying around the extra-fit Gyllenhaal, who recently showed off his ripped physique while shooting a UFC fight scene for the upcoming “Road House” remake, was particularly challenging given that Gyllenhaal muscled up for the role.

“It was actually harder for Jake because he was in the cart,” he said. “And with two or three people around him literally throwing dust in his face.” Then there was the team who applied generous dollops of fake blood because Ritchie wanted to really make the scene feel authentic.

On a more serious note, “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant”  addresses how frustrating it is to deal with the many layers of American bureaucracy to try to get an interpreter such as Ahmed a visa and passage to a safe haven.

Could this movie maybe help move that process forward?

“I think it’s a thousand tiny cuts, right?” said Gyllenhaal.

“The thing that I realize about art in particular is that hopefully what it does is inspire people somewhere to see themselves, to see other people in a different way. I think that’s all that you can hope for when you tell a story.”

“You know, (actors) are not politicians,” he added. “We’re not in the middle of that conversation. I chose a different path and that path was through fiction as a way of pretending to get to the truth…. If this movie does anything to bring light to people we didn’t know about and to remind people about how extraordinary those relationships are and how many lives interpreters have saved and the incredible work that they did and then maybe bring some people over here who deserve to be. Then oh my God that will be beyond worth it.”

He stops and then adds: “We just do our jobs the best we can.”

Are they worth watching?

Read on.

“A Thousand and One”: New York in the ’90s, with its broken-down foster care system and gentrification run amok, plays a critical role in A.V. Rockwell’s award-winning feature debut, a gritty, shattering portrait of a tight bond born out of a desperate act. A fiery ex-con Inez (Teyana Taylor, a force throughout) occupies her time shadowing and then approaching her 6-year-old son Terry, whom she was forced to surrender to the foster care system. That’s a no-no, but it’s easy to figure out that the volatile Inez has never had a break in life, and not a lot of positive feedback, either. True to what many expect of her, she impetuously nabs Terry and then later comes up with a plan to create a new identity for him and a home for them both. They hide out from the law with friends until she makes enough money for a low-rent Harlem apartment. Over the years, her fear of getting found out fades, but never goes away.

Rockwell, who both writes and directs, flings us into the lives of these beaten-down but resilient characters. She doe so by adopting a structure similar to the one found in the Oscar-winning “Moonlight” — dropping us into different phases of Terry’s life. As he grows up, the city that surrounds him changes, struggles and evolves as a political movement aimed to cleaning up neighborhood blight ushers in new white landlords and bustling businesses. All of it leaves little room for those trying to get a step up from poverty.

Rockwell’s “A Thousand and One” sounds like it will break your heart, and often it does. But it isn’t despairing nor does it lack hope, even when it takes a disorienting but well-played turn.

The look of the film and its performances — from Taylor, the three actors playing Terry (Josiah Cross, Aaron Kingsley Adetola and Aven Courtney) and Will Catlett as Inez’s lover Lucky — only enhance the story. “A Thousand and One” says a lot without shouting about what it’s like being caught up in this flawed American system. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; in theaters March 31.

“Rye Lane”: If you’re a filmmaker wanting to punch up a rom-com, give director Raine Allen-Miller and screenwriters Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia a holler. This team drafts up the blueprints for how to renovate cinematic romance. Their sweet, sexy, hilarious and altogether satisfying indie makes the heart swell.

It begins with a meet-not-so-cute setup as the extra-sassy Yas (Vivian Oparah) and the down-in-the-dumps Dom (David Jonsson) mingle at a friend’s over-the-top art installation in South London. Yas overhears Dom wailing too loudly in a toilet stall over his cruel breakup, a setup so this duo can strike up a conversation that will lead to future meetups, strolls through the neighborhood and … oh, you know where this is going. And that’s just fine.

Most of “Rye Lane” consists of these two lovable neurotics weighing in about stalled and possible dreams, blunders and, of course, terrible exes. The conversation can’t help but embellish on the truth

“Rye Lane’s” characters, setting and ebullient energy is a breath of fresh air, and while the back-and-forth between these two reveals much about today’s relationships, none of it gets overstated, being more  intent on keeping it breezy and brief. In its short running time, it even manages to tip its hat to “Notting Hill,” and give us a cute Colin Firth cameo. I fell head over heels in love with “Rye Lane” and its leads, and suspect you’ll be swooning as well. Details: 3½ stars; drops March 31 on Hulu.

“Tetris”: Director Jon S. Baird’s (mostly true) adventures of videogame entrepreneur Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton), who came up with a bold scheme to land legit (and lucrative) contract rights to Russian inventor Alexey Pajitnov’s (Nikita Yefremov) addictive “Tetris” game is as enjoyable as Ben Affleck’s “Argo.” Affleck’s film is better-crafted, maybe, but Baird, Egerton and screenwriter Noah Pink do get their game on by juicing up the story and embracing the 1989 look. The soundtrack is killer too.

“Tetris” follows Rogers as he realizes there’s a pot of gold hidden under “Tetris” with the Game Boy console looming on the horizon. Many Soviet power brokers and spies are circumspect of Western motives and some have plans of their own. Meantime, an extra-shady media mogul Robert Maxwell (Roger Allam) and his uppity, kind of clueless, son (Anthony Boyle) join in along with game contract closer Robert Stein (Toby Stephens), out to claim the rights.

All converge in the USSR just as Gorbachev is poised to call it quits. “Tetris” is rather irresistible from beginning to hopped-up end. It’s almost as fun to watch as it is to play the game. Almost. Details: 3 stars; in select theaters and on Apple TV+ March 31.

“Enys Men”: Mark Jenkin’s esoteric head scratcher gifts the arthouse crowd with a what-the-heck-did-that-all-mean workout, a heavily metaphorical cinematic brain twister that demands re-watches so you can extract more cohesion and meaning from it. For that reason, it will be hated and loved.

On face value, the follow-up to Jenkin’s raved-about 2019 “Bait” tells a clear-cut survival story about an isolated wildlife volunteer (Mary Woodvine) losing her marbles on a remote Cornish island where she engages in the same daily rituals, even reading from “A Blueprint for Survival” (that’s a clue!).

Devoid of much dialogue and absent of defined characters, “Enys Men” plays out like a cross between “The Wicker Man” and the Robert-Redford-on-a-sinking-boat-movie “All Is Lost.” An abundance of unsettling events happen on this island in 1973: ominous lichen, I-see-dead-seamen flashes, a grand stone that’s mobile, and a strange young woman wandering about.

The surrealness drew me in and Jenkin’s effort is specific and deliberate in its tone, mood and visual style. But it’s elusive to any genre convention.

“Enys Men,” which means Stone Island in Cornish, is ripe and ready for dissection afterwards. Surrender to it, and you’re in for a unique puzzle that touches on madness, feminism, isolationism, the natural world and probably so much more than I caught in the first viewing. Details: 3½ stars; in theaters March 31.

“The Night Agent”: As solid and worthwhile as it is, there’s an even better Netflix series buried within this 10-episode adaptation of Matthew Quirk’s 2019 espionage novel. Six episodes really would have made it better.

Still, all the elements coalesce into a solid conspiracy movie/series throwback involving two lethal killers, a bombing in a subway, a mole within the White House and a newbie FBI agent who’s in over his head. As fall guy agent Peter Sutherland, Gabriel Basso makes an effective, thoroughly likable guy caught in a multi-pronged scheme that also ensnarls a failed startup CEO (Luciane Buchanan), a chief of staff for the prez (Hong Chau), the vice president’s rebellious college-age daughter (Sarah Desjardins) and two Secret Service agents (Fola Evans-Akingbola and D.B. Woodside).

Bring in two bloodlusting assassins (Eve Harlow and Phoenix Raei) and you have a textbook potboiler throwback. But it didn’t need to be 10 episodes. A tighter framework would have turned up the heat and made it less of a slow burner. But Chau and Basso make it worthwhile. Details: 2½ stars, now on Netflix.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Here’s our roundup.

“Great Expectations”: In a rundown, dust-bunnied estate, a zonked-out Miss Havisham (Olivia Colman) takes a long pull on a pipe packed with opium; later she coerces poor Pip, the older orphaned teen whom she’s in charge of, into ditching his virginity via a sex worker awaiting his arrival in an upstairs bedroom.

You might well ask what in the Charles Dickens is going on with FX’s racy, Gothic to the extreme adaptation of the classic novel nearly every high school kid got assigned (or saddled with)?

The answer: A hell of a lot.

And even though executive producer/writer Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders,” “Taboo”) ups the kink factor and adds references to colonialism and other hot-button matters to Dickens’ durable yarn about a lad (played well by Tom Sweet and Fionn Whitehead) and his treacherous journey to better his own station by becoming a “gentleman” in mid-1800s England, none of the sordid or new revisions feel forced or out of place. In fact, this twist-filled binger adds deeper context to Pip’s odyssey, even stating the unwritten scandalous things Dickens probably observed but couldn’t include in his serialized version of the novel. Unlike more primly told cinematic and TV versions (there have been too many to count), this grand production feels reflective of the not-so-merry-old England and the grim and grimy mean streets of London of that period. True to Dickens style, it socks it to the crass, callous class system and takes roundhouse slugs at scoundrel lawyers.

Dickens’ rich gallery of rogues, rascals and near innocents come ever so deliciously to vibrant life thanks to an impeccable cast. Whitehead and Colman are divine, but so are Shalom Brune-Franklin as Estella, Miss Havisham’s other orphan of mysterious origins, and Ashley Thomas (aka the rapper Bashy), as the shrewd but ethically corrupt lawyer Jaggers, Pip’s tutor on how to get ahead through unscrupulous means. Thomas swoops in and steals the show and should be commanding serious Emmy talk already.

If there’s one bump in the road, it comes in the form of the cutesy and homey relationship between Pip and his youthful crush, the ever reliable Biddy (Laurie Ogden). It feels overly idealized and trite. Of course that might well be a fault of the book and winds up a minor disturbance since this is an overall satisfying rendition executive produced by Ridley Scott and Tom Hardy, and one that even doles out a few narrative tricks near the end.

Does it live up to the lofty expectations? In some aspects and on certain occasions, it even exceeds them. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; available March 26; may be unsuitable for viewers under the age of 18.

“A Good Person”: Writer/director/producer Zach Braff’s latest and best feature looks with painful honesty and occasional dark humor at grief, addiction and the power we get from reconciling with our actions and demons. Florence Pugh should be garnering instant Oscar chatter for her multi-hued portrait of New Jersey prescription pill addict Allison, the lone survivor of a car accident that claimed the lives of her future sister- and brother-in-law. She gets reinserted into the lives of her former fiance’s father (Morgan Freeman), a recovering alcoholic, and his feisty teenaged granddaughter (newcomer Celeste O’Connor). Braff’s greatest gift as a storyteller is to create flawed characters who are fumbling to do better. And as a director, he deserves praise for drawing out two of the finest performances from his leads. Pugh tackles one of her toughest roles yet (she even wrote and sings her own songs) and is in tune always with the material and her character. Freeman hasn’t been this nuanced in quite some time. It’s a tough indie drama but  “A Good Person” doesn’t wallow in its own tragedy. It beautifully expresses the flaws in human nature and the tangled mess that results from life and death. Details: 3½ stars; opens March 24 in area theaters.

“The Confessions of Frannie Langton”: As anyone with a BritBox subscription knows well, there’s an abundance of worthwhile series demanding attention. Executive producer/ writer Sara Collins’ four-episode adaptation of her own 2020 heartbreaking novel fits in that category and hews to BritBox’s high period-piece standards. It tells a gripping tale of mystery and romance and serves a stinging commentary on the White patriarchal/colonial time in which it’s set — a time when being Black and gay got meant you were subjected to the whims and tyranny of others.  In Collins’ award-winning tale, Jamaican-born Frannie (Karla-Simone Spence, in a commanding performance) is hired as a household maid to a scientist (Stephen Campbell Moore) and his entrancing, mercurial wife (Sophie Cookson). What led to that couple’s savage murder and what role did Frannie play in it? This edgy and sensual period piece slowly reveals what led to that pile of bloodied corpses. Details: 3 stars, now on BritBox.

“Boston Strangler”: The matchup of Keira Knightly and Carrie Coon (so memorable in the underseen movie “The Nest”) punches up this involving, period-rich but somewhat ordinary thriller that celebrates old-school journalism and how the duo figured out what happened in the slayings of 13 women during a ‘60s reign of terror. Writer/director Matt Ruskin hones in on the bull-dogged tenacity of the  two Record-American female newspaper reporters — features writer Loretta McLaughlin (Knightley) and Jean Cole (Coon) — as they unearth the shocking truths and ask the hard questions that got buried beneath the crimes. Yes, Ruskin’s version messes with the facts, but there’s no denying that his portrait of determined women journalists triumphing in a male-dominated profession rings true. Details: 3 stars; available now on Hulu.

“Are You Lonesome Tonight?”: In both a promising and accomplished feature debut, Chinese writer/director Wen Shipei demonstrates he’s a visual and narrative storyteller ready for the big leagues. The neo-noir “Lonesome” — which uses that Elvis song quite well — opens with a “crime” that an air conditioning repairman (Eddie Peng) commits while driving late at night. He strikes and kills a man, an act that leads the guilt-plagued “killer” to insinuate himself into the life of the dead man’s unsuspecting widow (Sylvia Chang) without revealing, of course, who he is. But what went down that night? Do some shady dealings in the past figure into the actual crime? All the questions get satisfyingly resolved in what turns into one of the most invigorating debuts you’ll likely to see this year. Details: 3½ stars; available on Vudu, YouTube, Google Play and other platforms.

“The Tutor”: Woefully underused actor Garrett Hedlund (“Mudbound”) makes a good match and is certainly game to take on the role of a hotshot tutor who takes on a new high-paying gig helping a brainiac of a dad with gobs of East Coast money, a  job that comes with puppet strings attached. But the very good actor gets dealt a bad hand with a silly screenplay that’s too tricked out with a sleight-of-hand move that it all but folds on itself in the end. The film and Hedlund start out strong, but then both unravel just as the lead character does when young Jackson (Noah Schnapp) proves to be well-schooled on secrets from the past. Give Hedlund a better movie already. Details: 2 stars; in select theaters March 24.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

In theaters, committed actor Willem Dafoe becomes a one-man show in “Inside” while Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are together again, but is “Moving On” any better than “Grace and Frankie”?

Read on.

“Swarm”: There’s a lot to unpack in each episode of this shocking and disturbing series about an obsessed music fan. I watched it a week ago and still can’t stop thinking about it and the lead performance. The seven-part miniseries from creator Janine Nabers and co-executive producer Donald Glover recently debuted at South by Southwest and makes the skin crawl from start to finish as it follows obsessed and homicidal music fan Dre (Dominique Fishback) as she spirals into madness. She sets her obsession on the fictional R&B icon Ni’jah (clearly modeled after Beyoncé), a phenom who commands a vigilante social media posse poised to pounce like a tiger on anyone who tears their icon down.

Already on a shaky mental foundation, Dre becomes more unhinged after her foster sister Marissa (Chloe Bailey) dies and she essentially slaps a target on the back of most anyone who crosses her path. Told in quick 30-minute bursts, “Swarm” takes you deep into the creepy mindset of Dre as she tries to insinuate herself next to her idol, lying and cheating and murdering to reach that goal. It’s a spellbinding horror story about our fascination with celebrities and the loneliness and isolation many feel when they are stuck on the outside of a star’s inner circle.

The final two episodes shift tones and call into question our own insatiable appetite for true-crime movies. Let’s just say it all becomes even more timely and unnerving. Expect Fishback to be collecting awards for her take-no-prisoners performance. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; all seven episodes drop March 17 on Amazon Prime.

“Extrapolations”: With an A-list cast (Edward Norton, Meryl Streep, Diane Lane, Kit Harington, Daveed Diggs, Sienna Miller, Judd Hirsch and more) and an urgent call for action, creator Scott Z. Burns’ eight-episode Apple TV+ climate change series aims to be this spring’s talker, a prophetic thriller likely to keep us on the edge of our sofas, just as HBO’s apocalyptic “The Last of Us” did. Sadly, “Extrapolations” never scales those heights, feeling more like it wants to manipulate us rather than draw out genuine emotions.

“Extrapolations” does a bang-up job of splashing ice water into climate-change deniers’ faces, but it picks up a bullhorn and shouts and shouts its message, often reducing characters into speechifying pundits rather than human beings. To its credit, it is visually impressive and throws out distressing and pertinent facts that are worth heeding. It also features Meryl Streep voicing a lonely, pitiful whale in Episode 2. Can’t get better than that. But it often goes overboard in its pontifications and winds up preaching to an already convinced choir.

The opening episode lays things out but jumps around too busily, introducing us to a fleet of players caught in ethically bankrupt power grabs — people dealing with David vs. Goliath struggles that often snub out valiant efforts to conserve and protect. The doomsday clock ticks louder and louder in the series’ 33-year-span, each depicting our world hurtling dead-ahead toward extinction.

Episode 3 is the best of four ones I watched. That’s due, mostly, to the presence of Oakland native Daveed Diggs. The “Blindspotting” and “Hamilton” star gives a tempered performance, accentuating but never overstating the conflicted emotions with which his Miami rabbi Marshall Zucker grapples as he watches his South Florida temple take on more water. He soon realizes that the only hope for its salvation would be to compromise his own principles. It, too, goes just a little too far, inserting a cute but sorely out of place musical homage.

The most intriguing characters who pop in and out, including a rich and frenzied blowhard played with hilarious grandstanding by a tremendous Matthew Rhys, too often get sidelined. That’s a problem and a missed opportunity.

True, “Extrapolations” has its heart in the right place but its pedantic volume rises just like the sea level and all but overwhelms the characters and the drama itself, spinning the whole enterprise sadly right off its storytelling axis. Details: 2 stars; three episodes drop March 17 on Apple TV+, with one episode every Friday afterward.

“Inside”: An art heist in a swanky 1 percenter’s New York apartment traps an erudite thief (Willem Dafoe) in director Vasilis Katsoupis’s eccentric character study that comments on the enduring quality of art and the pretense and artifice that often confines it. A closed-space thriller such as this one forces a director to perform visual calisthenics to keep it interesting, be it through flashy edits or artsy visuals to make it anything but a still-life piece of work. But beyond all that fancy directorial footwork, the weight of “Inside” rests on the shoulders of Dafoe. He elevates this high-concept indie with his standard brand of twitchy performance art, and that’s well worth a look even if the film winds up being too impressionistic (and gross) for its own good. Details: 2½ stars; in theaters March 17.

“Moving On”: The pairing of Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin has worked wonders both in movies (1980’s “9 to 5” with co-star Dolly Parton) and in a streaming series (Netflix’s little spitfire “Grace and Frankie”). The duo proves to be engaging again in writer/director Paul Weitz’s dramedy, but the tone and the subject matter ventures into darker territory than either of those earlier efforts. Fonda is the standout as the vengeance-seeking Claire, who has just cause to want to get back at the widower (Malcolm McDowell) of her now dearly departed friend. Tomlin’s Evelyn is mostly Claire’s comic foil, but saves the film from getting too bleak. Weitz hands Fonda the juiciest role, but he doesn’t always deliver the best comedic lines in a #MeToo story that raises the unexpressed voices of female survivors from decades in the past, women who were told to shut up and take it. There’s a seething power that exists under the surface of “Moving On,” and while Fonda reaches into those difficult places, Weitz doesn’t always give her, or the film, enough room to maneuver at the toughest parts. Instead we get warmed-over screwball bits about a gun. “Moving On” has much to recommend it, even as it occasionally gets stuck in idle gear. Details: 2½ stars; in theaters March 17.

“The Magician’s Elephant”: Once upon a time, the fictional city of Baltese was a vibrant and magical place, a city supporting wonder, imagination and endless possibilities. Then came the war and everything changed within the firmament, turning this colorful world into a somber mash of grays and muted blues. In her entrancing animated adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s novel, director Wendy Rogers suggests the old Baltese could return as Peter (voice of Noah Jupe), an orphan, heeds the prediction of a fortune teller that the rare appearance of an elephant will lead him to his believed-dead sister, a reunion that could even boost the Countess of Baltese (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) and the city’s spirits. “Toy Story 4” scribe Martin Hynes, along with Rogers and a team of animators, have created an original fairy tale that reminds us to dream big and keep hope even in the darkest times. It’s a lovely message in a lovely animated film. Details: 3 stars; drops March 17 on Netflix.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

That’ll pep things up and set the tone for an upbeat ceremony where people presumably won’t be inclined to slap each other.

If that doesn’t happen, fear not. We have a hunch people will be on their best behavior this year. Host Jimmy Kimmel should serve up some laughs and, perhaps mandated by Oscar higher-ups, can be expected to rib the celebrities a bit less than usual, so as not to get anyone overly riled up (at least not while the cameras are rolling).

Regardless of all the drama that went down last year, it’s time to move on to what really matters: Who and what will be the big winners Sunday night.

Here are our predictions and preferences.

Best Picture

The nominees: “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Elvis,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “Women Talking.”

What will win: What once seemed to be a tight race has turned into one contender galloping away from the pack. Here’s how the biggest prize shakes down. “All Quiet on the Western Front” refurbished a piece of classic lit and made it eerily relevant for these turbulent international times. It’s a technical marvel and would make a safe choice, but it gives off  a been-there, seen-that scent, and this year’s Oscar wants to be hip. “Avatar: The Way of Water” continues to make cannonball splashes at the box office, but the blue-people FX extravaganza won’t float too many Oscar voters’ boats. Critics went on and on about  “Banshees” but there’s no way that dark, dark tragicomedy about Irish frenemies will grab the top prize.

“Elvis,” meanwhile, was splashy and trashy, but had as many issues — including Tom Hanks’ cartoonish performance — as its protagonist. Few will love it tender. “The Fabelmans” is a sentimental ode to the craft of filmmaking, and since Hollywood adores itself ever so, Spielberg’s film could sneak in for the win, but we doubt it.  As for the fiercely independent come-undone saga “Tár,” there’s hardly a chord of support being sounded for this one. While Tom Cruise and company pulled off a mission impossible at the summer box office and made “Top Gun” soar again, it is not a best-picture winner. Too many rich folks tossing their cookies makes “Triangle of Sadness’s” chances for victory go belly up. And “Women Talking” has been greeted with the kiss of Oscar death — the stony sound of silence. Nobody, but nobody, is talking about this film.

That leaves one of 2022’s most unusual and outlandish genre benders, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Some might think it too edgy, too outside-of-the-box for the staid Oscars. I think the awards show has a new day dawning and this multiversing tale, which celebrates diversity and the re-opening of a person’s eyes to everything worth cherishing surrounding them, will win, sausage fingers and all.

What  should win: “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” What might seem like a silly, crackpot creation is anything but. It’s a beautiful tale about the sometimes crushing reality that we live 24/7 and ignore the worlds we imagine and perhaps want to escape to. It’s a multi-layered, daring and original look at the vibrancy, issues and the bonds of one Asian American family. It’s the kind of movie Hollywood needs more of.

Best director

The nominees: Martin McDonagh for “The Banshees of Inisherin”; Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (aka The Daniels) for “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; Steven Spielberg for “The Fabelmans”; Todd Field for “Tár”; Ruben Östlund for “Triangle of Sadness.”

Who will win: Welcome to the Boys Club, a testosterone-only roadhouse where some outstanding female filmmakers — Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”), Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Woman King”), among others — don’t even receive a deserved invitation. As it stands, this race looks like it’s shaping up as a slam-dunk. McDonagh’s cynical black comedy wasn’t really his finest hour. Spielberg’s remembrance of things past had its share of remarkable moments, but also some lackluster ones. Field conducted a clinical study into the unsteady mind of a manipulative genius, but “Tár” left too many of us baffled at its end. Östlund stated his view over and over and over again — that the wealthy are vapid and horrible and in need of a comeuppance. This will be The Daniels’ win. The innovative duo managed somehow to embed emotion and compassion into a loony, out-there epic. And they did it with an itty-bitty budget. Try that James Cameron!

Who should win: The Daniels. They did give us everything in the movie. And more.

Best Actor

The nominees: Austin Butler for “Elvis,” Colin Farrell for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brendan Fraser for “The Whale,” Paul Mescal for “Aftersun,” Bill Nighy for “Living.”

Who will win: Farrell’s crestfallen demeanor stole our hearts and made us want to give him a big hug, but he was even better in the little-seen “After Yang.” Mescal is astonishing (again), but he faces a clear disadvantage, with his subtle performance that quietly hits you with a right hook at the end. Subtle does not win a trophy. Nighy showcases his impeccable thespian skills in playing an uptight fussbudget whose terminal diagnosis encourages him to live more caringly in the present. Not gonna happen. This race comes down to two: The New Kid on the Block vs. The Comeback King. It’s a tough call since Butler’s passionate interpretation of a rock legend was anything but a rote impersonation. He made that film, and Oscar does love to reward actors who play icons. But while “The Whale” has its fair share of haters, one consensus that can be reached is Fraser’s tragic, tender and all-out beautiful performance more than triumphed over the perceived deficiencies of Darren Aronofsky’s film. (I say “perceived” since I really liked that film.) Buoyed by other wins, Fraser’s likely got this one in the bag, and we will cry as he cries to accept the honor.

Who should win: Fraser. The performance is a gut puncher and just a smidgen better than Mescal’s — my second choice.

Best Actress

The nominees: Cate Blanchett for “Tár,” Ana de Armas for “Blonde,” Andrea Riseborough for “To Leslie,” Michelle Williams for “The Fabelmans,” Michelle Yeoh for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

Who will win: Blanchett spoke four different languages in “Tár” and gave us one of 2022’s most disturbed yet brilliant characters, but she showed shades of her previous performances in “Carol” and “Blue Jasmine,” and that will work against her. If de Armas takes home the statue for the very-much-hated “Blonde,” frogs will fall from the sky and the locusts will soon descend. Riseborough is a volcanic force as an alcoholic bad momma who is one bender away from dying on the streets. But Oscar doesn’t like it when a grassroots campaign goes outside of the rules box and successfully lobbies to get someone on the ballot. While I love Williams, her work in “Fabelmans” was not one of her best performances. She seemed unsure at times. Maybe voters will feel the same. This will be Yeoh’s year and she’s been picking up one trophy after another. She deserves it, and the fact that no Asian actor has ever won in this category will aid her cause.

Who should win: Yeoh. As the unraveling Evelyn, co-owner of a laundromat with too much work, too many tax receipts and a life that’s caught in an endless spin cycle, Yeoh tapped into the desperation and the rebirth of a person who learns to see her world in a new light. It’s such an elegant and wise performance.

Best Supporting Actor

The nominees: Brendan Gleeson for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brian Tyree Henry for “Causeway,” Judd Hirsch for “The Fabelmans,” Barry Keoghan for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Ke Huy Quan for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

Who will win: This is a lock. Gleeson did a fine job portraying a cantankerous Irish bloke who decides to sever more than a close relationship. But it’s really his co-star Keoghan who gave the best performance in “Banshees” as a recklessly besotted outcast. Neither stand a chance here. Brian Tyree Henry was ever so sweet as a mechanic who sees something special in a wounded war veteran. But he’s the longest shot in a movie few people saw. Judd Hirsch bursts in for eight colorful minutes in “The Fabelmans,” and while he’s hilarious and a needed pick-me-up just as the film threatens to stall, the performance did feel like a one-note cameo. So it’s the year’s most appealing, big-hearted performance from Ke Huy Quan that will receive the love. The former teen star (“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” “The Goonies”) made our hearts melt as a family guy desperately trying to get his groove back with his fed-up wife Evelyn. After years of being overlooked and stuck on the sidelines, Quan can finally rest assured that he IS indeed good enough to land that Oscar. And hurrah for that.

Who should win: My heart wants Quan to win, but my brain says it should be Keoghan for his naturalistic performance that still haunts as I type this.

Best Supporting Actress

The nominees: Angela Bassett for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Hong Chau for “The Whale,” Kerry Condon for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Jamie Lee Curtis for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Stephanie Hsu for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

Who will win: Bassett elevated the “Black Panther” sequel to Shakespearean levels, but she has no momentum. Chou’s exchanges with Fraser led to the most heart wrenching moments in “The Whale,” but her performance was good enough for a nomination, not a win. Condon was the most sensible character in the “Banshee” bunch. But rationality doesn’t win, histrionics do. Hsu whipped through a tsunami of emotions as a daughter at odds with her mom in “Everything,” but she’ll get a win later in her career. So it’ll finally be Jamie Lee Curtis’ day. Her hilarious performance as an annoyed IRS agent evolves into something ever more complex, even tender. She took a caricature and turned her into a multi-dimensional person. Curtis played it to the hilt.

Who should win: Curtis. She’s unforgettable in an unforgettable role.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

95th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS

When: 5 p.m. March 12

Where: ABC

Host: Jimmy Kimmel

The international group today, Feb. 23, unveiled its selections for the 14th Dorian Film Awards, and the A24 release “Everything Everywhere” triumphed in most categories, including best feature, best LGBTQ film, best lead performance (Michelle Yeoh), best supporting performance (Ke Huy Quan), best director(s) (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, aka the Daniels) and best screenplay (Kwan and Scheinert). It even collected the prize for Visually Striking Film of 2022. True to its title, it picked up everything all at once.

GALECA bestowed honors on other A24 Films releases, including best unsung film honors to Charlotte Wells’ exceptional father-daughter drama “Aftersun,” the Campiest Flick award to Ti West’s graphic horror gem “Pearl” and best animated feature to the delightful and poignant “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On.”

Yeoh’s tremendous decades of work also landed her the Wilde Artist Award.

Dorians were also showered on the wild, three-hour-plus epic “RRR ” for Best International Award, as well as Laura Poitras’ searing documentary about an artist and addiction, “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” which collected two honors.

Here are the Dorian winners, along with GALECA’S for the 10 best unsung LGBTQ films of 2022.

Film of the year: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

LGBTQ film: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Director(s): Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Screenplay: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Non-English language film: “RRR”

Unsung film: “Aftersun”

Film performance: Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Supporting film performance: Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Documentary: “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”

LGBTQ documentary: “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”

Animated film: “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”

Film music: “Tár” (score and curation by Hildur Guðnadóttir)

Visually striking film: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Campiest flick: “Pearl”

Rising Star Award: Stephanie Hsu

Wilde Artist Award (awarded to “a truly groundbreaking force in film, theater and/or television”): Michelle Yeoh

GALECA LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer Award: Janelle Monáe

Best unsung LGBTQ films

• “Anais in Love”
• “Benediction”
• “Close”
• “Firebird”
• “Girl Picture”
• “Great Freedom”
• “Peter von Kant”
• “Please Baby Please”
• “Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies”
• “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair”

The fictionalized “Emily” cooks up a few notions on what inspired author Emily Bronte to pen the Gothic classic “Wuthering Heights” in which he appeared. That film tops our list of must-sees this week, which includes a wicked Amazon Prime series about tech workforce culture, “The Consultant,” a brilliant animated short film and and more.

Here’s our roundup.

“Emily”: Frances O’Connor’s fictionalized portrait of real-life literary legend and “Wuthering Heights” author Emily Bronte avoids the stoic, still-life cinematic portrait treatment. For her feature directorial debut, O’Connor puts her faith not in fact-checking Emily Bronte’s complicated history but in her own instincts and insights as screenwriter/director and established actor (she was terrific as Fanny Price in 1999’s “Mansfield Park,” a Jane Austen adaptation). That artistic license serves the film and its eccentric central character — a mid-19th-century social misfit with an observant eye — tremendously well.

Infused with wit, rounds of intoxicating Gothic imagery (kudos to director of photography Nanu Segal) and an ethereal performance from Emma Mackey (Netflix’s “Sex Education”) this “Emily” covers what shaped and inspired Bronte’s lone work of creative genius. It also does a convincing job of illustrating how out-of-place Emily was in a world that would prefer to stifle such an independent-minded artist.

O’Connor conveys Emily’s restless inner and outer worlds — including a romance with a strapping curate (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). She also brings to life the entire complicated Bronte bunch: Emily’s more tradition-bound but talented sisters — Charlotte (Alexandra Dowling), author of “Jane Eyre,” and Anne (Amelia Gething), author of “Angus Grey.” All are still caught up in mourning the loss of their mum, but it is their impetuous brother Branwell Bronte (Fionn Whitehead), a consistent and charismatic troublemaker who brings them both joy and grief, and even literary inspiration.

For all these reasons, “Emily” is a bit of a radical period piece unto itself, a film that doesn’t want to be bound — much like its central character — to one genre or one overall conceit. And that lifts “Emily” far above other recent, more staid and comfortable “biopics.” Details: 3½ stars out of 4; in theaters Feb. 24.

“The Consultant”: Horror novelist Bentley Little isn’t in the same league as Stephen King or Dean Koontz. Hopefully that’ll change when people watch this knockout eight-episode Amazon Prime series based on one of his numerous diabolical, satirical creations.

A shocking opening sequence establishes an unsettling tone that grabs you from the start, pushing you to gobble up future episodes as if they were leftover salt-and-vinegar potato chips. Christoph Waltz is the show’s ace up its sleeve. He gives his all to create one of the most distinctive villains to grace any series. Waltz creeps you out, makes you laugh and then makes your skin crawl as his coiffed character Regus Patoff, a venomous presence, shoots to the top rung of a video-game app company after its young founder kills himself in his office. As the new take-no-prisoners CEO, Patoff drives his staff into the ground, cranks out weird ideas and suggests unorthodox practices to get the job done — now.

The weird behavior sparks the suspicions of two not very virtuous employees, the lazy but inventive Craig (Nat Wolff) and the by-the-book Elaine (Brittany O’Grady). They try to figure out what Regus’s grand scheme is, but both seem out of their league in taking him on.

It all makes for a killer premise that gives Little and creator/showrunner Tony Basgallop a delicious opportunity to tear into techie work cultures where epic feasts and lavish parties can’t quite cover up the ugliness underneath. “The Consultant” is a very American horror story that viciously mocks contemporary office politics and has a great time doing so. Details: 3½ stars; available Feb. 24 on Amazon Prime Video.

“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse”: The expression “a timeless classic” gets applied too liberally. But illustrator and author Charlie Mackesy’s beloved uplifting story deserves that designation. It’s a quotable celebration of compassion and empathy that relays the everlasting power of friends. Director Peter Baynton brings to life Mackesy’s unique illustrations and reminds us that the world can be decent and good even when we think it’s only cruel, and that adversaries such as a fox and a mole can find a common bond when all seems lost. The voice cast — Jude Coward Nicoll as the Boy, Tom Hollander as the Mole, Idris Elba as the Fox and Gabriel Byrne as the Horse — get what  Mackesy’s prose wants to convey, and while the Apple TV+ short runs a mere 34 minutes, expect it be one of the best animated features you’ll like see this year. I’m certainly rooting for it to take home the best animated short Oscar. Details: 4 stars; available now on Apple TV+ and also part of the Oscar-nominated shorts collection in theaters.

“Juniper”: In this earnest and thoroughly enjoyable semi-autobiographical remembrance, a suicidal young man (newcomer George Ferrier) gets saddled with an alcoholic brat of a grandma (Charlotte Rampling), who is confined to a wheelchair and is bitter about everything and everybody. They spar, of course, but  eventually the teen learns invaluable lessons from his elder about learning to accept and move on after getting dealt a bad hand in life. Writer/director Matthew J. Saville’s tribute does tap familiar chords but with Rampling hurling insults, tossing back gin and reflecting about her past spent as a wartime photographer, “Juniper” become an ever more robust film with an enduring message that’s filled with soul and heart. Ferrier does a fine job as the son mourning the loss of his mother. Details: 3 stars; in theaters Feb. 24.

“Only in Theaters”: Like so many other family businesses, the Laemmle intergenerational, and highly influential, Los Angeles-based indie theater chain remains in a precarious position — living on the edge and barely getting by. In Raphael Sbarge’s exceptional wake-up call about the dire situation of an American cultural staple — the arthouse movie theater, where many filmmakers and film fans get their eyes opened to future possibilities — confronts its most fearsome foes, streaming services and dwindling audiences. “Only in Theaters” briskly walks us through the rich history of L.A.’s Laemmle Theatres and how previous generations emigrated from Germany and went into the film industry and the movie theater business. Sbarge’s documentary spends much of its time wisely with Greg Lammele as he agonizes over selling the business while a new threat looms on the horizon — COVID-19. With theaters around the Bay Area closing for good, “Only in Theaters” reminds us what gets lost in not seeing classic indies such as “Bonnie & Clyde,” “Wild Strawberries” and new destined-to-be-classics such as “Of an Age” and “Decision to Leave” on a big screen and in a communal setting, rather than squinting at on an iPad or iPhone. Particularly effective is hearing from directors such as Ava DuVernay, Nicole Holofcener, Christopher Crowe (his bit on watching “Carnal Knowledge” with his mom is a scream) and others as they recall what it meant them as both a filmgoer and filmmaker to experience a film with an audience. It’s essential viewing for any film fan and should — yes — be seen on the big screen. Details: 3½ stars; opens Feb. 24 at the Roxie and other Bay Area theaters; check schedules for Q&As with Greg Laemmle and other notable producers and filmmakers with Bay Area ties.

“Hello Tomorrow!”: You can almost hear the high concept land with a thud in this mediocre Apple TV+ series that fails to truly engage us. I lasted through two of the streamer’s 10 episodes and gave up, having little interest or patience to dedicate any more time to it. If it gets better, someone please let me know. Set in a comingling of the ‘50s and the future, it’s centered on a group of people hawking homes for sale on the moon, billed as the place for a better tomorrow … a lost horizon if you will. While this take on how we are always searching for that American Dream comes with potential, the concept gets tangled in the weeds of a  father-son reunion, but even that fails to captivate. Billy Crudup does a lot of heavy lifting in this, but it’s a wasted effort; I didn’t buy into much of “Hello Tomorrow!” except I was sold on its knockout production details. Details: 1½ stars, available on Apple TV+.

Neeson goes through the motions as the iconic character who this time gets hired by the wealthy L.A. daughter (Diane Kruger, overacting to the extreme) of a film icon (Jessica Lange, who deserved more scenes). The job? Investigate the death of a pretty boy she cavorted with who happened to be a real man about town. The seemingly simple case turns out to be anything but, and goes on to expose the dark underbelly of Hollywood. The story is laden with red herrings and punched-up dialogue, but little manages no land. Alan Cumming energizes the proceeding as a power player, but like Lange, he’s shoved aside too soon, only furthering the idea that there might have been a good movie buried in here. As is, “Marlowe” chugs along, reminding you for all the wrong reasons why it might be associated with another Chandler classic — “The Big Sleep.” 1½ stars; in theaters now.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

That’s the highest profile release of the week, but an even better option is to check out Amazon Prime’s second — and final — season of “Carnival Row.” Or, if you’re not into steampunk/fantasy series, plunge into the lovely romance “Of an Age.” It’s a keeper.

Here’s our roundup.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”: It’s best to approach Marvel Studios’ latest release as if it’s a stepping stone for more compelling comic-book mayhem ahead. In other words, it’s good, not great.

Set after the game-changing events of “Avengers: Endgame,” director Peyton Reed’s third “Ant-Man” film is a satisfying enough entry point to MCU’s Phase 4.

Loaded with special effects but showing more restraint than the CGI orgy we saw in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” the film’s best sequences center on human interactions. This “Ant-Man” puts the human factor first in its opening moments as the proud Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd, charming as ever) strolls along Bay Area streets, where he catches the fancy of everyone around him. Having just released a self-help/autobiography “Look Out for the Little Guy” (a real book due Sept. 5), Scott’s life is about as sweet as a cherry pie.

He’s in love with do-gooder Hope, aka the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), and is bonding more with science-nerdy daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton). But a shakeup comes to all once they get sucked into the Quantum Realm — a surreal alterna-world that looks like an amalgamation of “Star Wars,” “Tron” and other sci-fi classics.

Once there, the fam gets fed all the dirt on Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer), the fierce mom of the Wasp. Surprisingly, Janet is the main character and a steady anchor in the film, and Pfeiffer brings gravitas to playing a supreme badass with a wild past and an unfortunate connection with the story’s standout villain, Kang the Conqueror (portrayed with Shakespearean flourishes by the great Jonathan Majors).

To spill more tea about what goes down would be a disservice. What needs to be said, though, is just how remarkable Pfeiffer and Majors are in this sequel. Whenever they’re paired onscreen, “Quantumania” catapults to a top shelf in the Marvel Universe.

So it’s all the more of a killjoy when those juicy moments get followed up by stale and obvious side-notes, such as Bill Murray popping in and doing his standard Bill Murray shtick as a kinda-creepy former hookup of Janet’s. It’s boring, and adds nothing.

At other times, screenwriter Jeff Loveness and Reed engage in more inventive doings, particularly when it comes to giving various return players — the now big-headed M.O.D.O.K. (Corey Stoll) and ant-lover Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) their star moments. It’s all entertaining enough, but “Quantumania” seems like an in-between enterprise, another chess move in the superhero series. The two terrific end-credit scenes hint of even better things to come. Stay. They’re worth it. Details: 2½ stars out of 4; in theaters Feb. 16.

“Of an Age”: In what should wind up as one of 2023’s best and most poignant romances, two young Australian men — 18-year-old aspiring ballroom dancer Kol (Elias Anton) and graduate student Adam (Thom Green) — spend a life-changing day together in 1999 that sticks with them for years. The two are thrown together as they search for Adam’s sister Ebony (Hattie Hook) who is Kol’s friend and dance partner and has woken up after a bender on a beach somewhere and needs a ride home. Kol and Adam’s search finds them stumbling upon something of great importance. The bulk of “Of an Age” transpires in a car with telling, tight shots on the facial expressions of both guys  — the determined-to-be-straight Kol, whose Syrian family doesn’t exactly embrace homosexuality, and the out and proud Adam. Gradually they grow closer and fonder, with off-hand glances giving way to more intense gazes. We’ve seen something like this play out before in Andrew Haigh’s sexy “Weekend” and Richard Linklater’s tragicomic Ethan Hawke/Julie Delpy trilogy. “Of an Age” taps the same vein of those films with director/screenwriter Goran Stolevski (whose debut from last year, “You Won’t Be Alone,” was one of the best films of 2022) guiding the film’s sense of intimacy into something more profound, even eternal.  But there’s more here than longing, with Stolevski making a U-turn late in the film, and taking us to a staggeringly beautiful and heartbreaking destination. Details: 3½ stars; opens Feb. 17 in area theaters.

“Carnival Row: Season 2”: Maybe deciding to call it quits after just two seasons was all that was needed to fire up the creative juices of showrunner Erik Oleson. The Prime Video fantasy/steampunk series’ second outing is on fire, an improvement over Season 1, which was decent but plodded at times. The pacing issues are gone and the metaphors from Season 1 remain; in fact they’re even more pointed. Orlando Bloom reprises his role as a “copper” who’s also a war veteran and partial fae — a winged creature that’s been relegated by the dominant human population to be freedom-denied refugees.

Cara Delevingne returns also as independent-minded fae Vignette, a passionate defender of equal rights for all. In Season 2, the conditions and treatment of the fae have deteriorated as a nationalistic pride escalates. Sound familiar?

The world-building and mythology at play in “Carnival Row” is captivating and seductive, sounding alarms about today’s world much as SyFy’s relevant, and yes better, “Battlestar Galactica” did. The effects are astonishing to behold as well. OK, so how about Season 3, already? Details: 3 stars, drops Feb. 17 on Amazon Prime.

“All That Breathes”: Director Shaunak Sen’s evocatively shot documentary — the odds-on fave to win the Oscar this  year — takes us into the inspiring world of New Delhi brothers Nadeem Shehzad and Mohammad Saud. They’re valiantly trying in their makeshift avian basement to nurse back to health the black kite, an at-risk bird of prey. Although Sen’s documentary can be viewed at home, it deserves to be seen on the biggest screen imaginable. It soars as high as the birds it depicts, while telling a compassionate story of two Muslim brothers trying to do their part in making the world a better place. It’s astonishing. Details: 4 stars; now available on HBO Max.

“The Blue Caftan”: Desire. Passion. Love. All of those tricky emotions create complications and trouble. Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani’s gentle and compassionate second feature proves that there is no rulebook on the proper way to love and that unconditional love is the most altruistic gift you can give. Mina (Lubna Azabal) grows to understand that truth as her health worsens and her reliance on her closeted gay husband Halim (Saleh Bakri) grows stronger by the day. When the couple hires an apprentice — Youssef (Ayoub Missioui) — to help in their caftan store, a sexual awakening and reckoning comes about. Touzani’s three-character drama doesn’t pretend to have all the answers but stresses the need to think about our legacy and our capacity to go beyond ourselves to make others happy. It’s the equivalent of a cinematic poem, filled with ache, insight and exhilaration. Details; 3½ stars; in theaters Feb. 17.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

If you crave a four-star classic, head over to San Francisco for one of my all-time favorite films — Wong Kar-wai’s 2000 sensual masterpiece “In the Mood for Love,” receiving a special Valentine’s Day screening. (It will also show other times during that week).

In the mood for something else? Why not give the killer neo-noir “Sharper ” from A24/Apple TV+ a try, or check out the underrecognized “Let It Be Morning”?

And if you haven’t seen one of  2022’s best films — Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave” — on a big screen, do yourself a favor and get ready to swoon with your sweetie over that visual masterpiece at the Orinda Theatre. (It makes for great, if twisted, Valentine’s Day viewing.)

Here’s our roundup.

“Somebody I Used to Know”: During the COVID-19 lockdown, the multi-talented couple/duo of Alison Brie and Dave Franco — a Palo Alto native — wrote this witty rom-com, which makes an ideal match for this Valentine’s Day. Throughout it follows the trail of breadcrumbs left behind from genre standouts — in particular “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” which it coyly references — but puts its own contemporary spin on the high stakes of love and relationships. Brie is both prickly and adorable as self-absorbed reality TV producer Ally who revisits her charming, small hometown in the upper folds of the Pacific Northwest once her show fails to get renewed. The luckless in love Ally spends an enchanted evening reconnecting with her cute beau Sean (the dapper Jay Ellis) but later finds out he’s about to get hitched to Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons), a bisexual singer who treasures her independence. What could have been rote and predictable love triangle turns into a character-driven romance about loving yourself and not compromising who you are with anyone around you. It’s a lovely message in a peppy film that highlights the charisma of its three main stars. Hopefully, Brie and Franco will team up again. Details: 3 stars out of 4; debuts Feb. 10 on Amazon Prime.

“Sharper”: In this high-class neo-noir twister, a meet-cute Manhattan encounter between sexy book nerds (Justice Smith and Briana Middleton, a lovely duo) propels into motion twists and surprises that cast a web of lies and deceptions In a bow to literary and cinematic mysteries and thrillers of the past. The cleverly constructed screenplay by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka divides itself into chapters, each getting told from the perspective of one of the main characters, mostly cons, in this dirty chess match. With a dreamboat cast that includes Sebastian Stan, Julianne Moore and John Lithgow, director Benjamin Caron (“Andor” and “The Crown”) deftly hoodwinks the audience and gives each actor a juicy, chew-it-up sequence where the grift switches hands like a Vegas dealer. “Sharper” is a glossy gas that gaslights us and most every character in it. Details: 3 stars; in theaters Feb. 10, available Feb. 17 on Apple TV+.

“Attachment”: Maja (Josephine Park) and Leah (Ellie Kendrick) meet cute during a children’s library holiday story-time in which flustered Maja plays a wisecracking, not-always-age-appropriate elf. The bookish duo fall for each other instantaneously, but the hot relationship encounters unforeseen turbulence in the form of a Hasidic spirit that’s bedeviled Leah since she was a child. After a frightening incident, both decide to recover in the folds of Leah’s London hometown and in the sometimes suffocating care of Leah’s overprotective mother (Sofie Gråbøl). Denmark-based writer/director Gabriel Bier Gislason’s feature debut lands in the horror genre; gorehounds will hate it but those seeking something more than carnage will rejoice over it. It’s a beautiful, artistically told love story with supernatural elements, and serves as yet another example of elevated horror filmmaking that’s pushing the genre into interesting, exciting and relevant new directions. Details: 3 stars; available Feb. 10 on Shudder!.

“Disquiet”: Whereas “Attachment” signifies a creative, bold step forward for the horror genre, director and writer Michael Winnick’s time-waster hurtles it back to those rote direct-to-video dumpster days. Both inept and disjointed, its many crimes include wasting the presence of gifted actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The former “Tudors” and “Match Point” bright light delivers a career low as a dimwitted rich married philanderer and daddy to be who gets into a fatal car accident, which lands him in a purgatory-like hospital along with other bad apples who have committed unforgivable offenses. The supposedly surprising reveals can be cued up from the start as the film cribs from better movies, including “Jacob’s Ladder.” This is risible shot-on-the-cheap junk that can’t even thread together its plot strands in any fashionable, intriguing way. Avoid it. Details: 1 star; debuts Feb. 10 in select theaters and on Paramount+.

“Sweetheart”: Although writer/director Marley Morrison’s coming-of-age first feature might seem overly familiar, don’t be persuaded to pass it up. It’s an absolute charmer, an engaging, relatable LGBTQ-themed film with eccentric and likable characters. Nell Barlow adroitly taps into the contrarian mood cycles of older teen AJ, an outsider stuck in what looks to be a snoozer of a summer British seaside vacation. She’s holed up in a mobile home with her distressed, freshly single mom (Jo Hartley), her demanding pregnant sister (Sophia Di Martino), her sister’s extra-helpful boyfriend (Samuel Anderson) and her needy younger sister (Tabitha Byron). AJ’s out to all of them but spends much of her time hiding behind big sunglasses, a floppy hat and sporting a put-upon disposition. That changes, mostly, once she becomes enchanted with sunny lifeguard Isla (Ella-Rae Smith) who has a boyfriend but is drawn to AJ. Unexpected make-out sessions ensue while family spates kick up sand in everyone’s faces. “Sweetheart” is a funny, achingly real slice of familial drama that speaks with the ease and authority of someone who perhaps experienced a summer much like the one presented on screen. It’s a little indie treasure worth seeking out. Details: 3 stars; available Feb. 10 on Video on Demand.

“Decision to Leave”: Although it failed to nail a best international feature Oscar nomination, that’s no reason to miss one of the best films of 2022. A potentially fatal attraction pushes a married South Korean police investigator (Park Hae-il) to the emotional breaking point in Park Chan-wook’s destined-to-be-a-classic that’s filled with numerous extraordinarily staged sequences that take your breath away and demand to be seen on the big screen. “Leave” could have been a run-of-the-mill potboiler about a sad-sack detective abandoning his ethics once he meets a femme fatale (Tang Wei), but there’s much more afoot than steamy encounters and a cliched story. There’s even laughter too. You’ll be thinking about the ending for days. Details: 3½ stars; screening at the Orinda Theatre starting Feb. 10 for at least a one-week engagement.

“Let It Be Morning”: Eran Kolirin’s satirical drama is a wily one, filled with layers and deeper context within its relatively simple framework as it relates the complexities of Palestinian-Israeli relations. The director of “The Band’s Visit” adapts Sayed Kashua’s 2006 highly regarded novel about Sami, a Palestinian father and husband (a subtle Alex Bakri) returning with dissatisfied wife and son to a family wedding in the scrappy Arabic village in Israel where he grew up. The family gets stranded there due to a prolonged military lockdown, a development that puts additional strain on all of Sami’s relationships and his employment. Kolirin keeps everything bubbling at a slow boil and then turns up the heat as Sami starts to spend more time getting to know people from his past, including his cab driver friend who loves to belt out Sia’s “Chandelier” at high volume (an exhilarating moment that typifies how “Let It Be Morning” can shift tones and moods dramatically and effectively). “Let It Be Morning” is unpredictable and opens and closes with two metaphorical scenes about the hesitancy of liberation that never bludgeon you over the head. I’ve seen it twice and it gets better with each viewing. Details: 3½ stars; opens Feb. 10 at the Opera Plaza in San Francisco and the Rafael Film Center in San Rafael.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

“Close”: The tender summertime connection between two 13-year-old boys withers and dies once Leo (Eden Dambrine) and Remi (Gustav De Waele) return to school where their bond is viewed with fear and scorn and they’re greeted with homophobic slurs. Director Lukas Dhont’s lovely autumnal lament on an innocence destroyed aches not only with pain and guilt but compassion and acceptance. Dhont doesn’t make anyone a villain, plumbing the trajectory of grief as it leaves its targets with unresolved feelings that they work on at first alone and then together. From first frame to last, “Close” displays a poetic grace in showing a severing of innocence and a need to heal from an agonizing loss. It features world-wise performances from its cast, a haunting score from composer Valentin Hadjadj and breathtaking cinematography from Malte Rosenfeld. It’s a treasure you’ll never forget. Details: 4 stars out of 4; in select theaters Feb. 3.

“To Leslie”: A sad truism about the Academy Awards and movie awards in general is that many deserving films and performances simply get skipped over. The ones that tend to jump to the forefront come backed with ads, screeners and dollars, much along the lines of political campaigns. A deserving acting turn that’s turned into a cause de celeb for Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and many others is Andrea Riseborough’s phenomenal performance in an indie. Riseborough deserves the shower of praise for her stellar work in Michael Morris’ gritty but hopeful drama about an alcoholic unhoused West Texas mom (Riseborough) who once won the lottery and is now upending everyone’s life around her, including her hard-working 19-year-old son (Owen Teague), a former chum (Allison Janney) and two motel owners (Marc Maron and Andre Royo) who offer her a job despite Leslie’s unreliable actions. Riseborough makes every glance and gesture reveal what her character is wrangling with. It’s such a naturalistic performance it feels like you’re watching a real person in a documentary. She was nominated for a best actress Oscar but the Academy said it was reviewing the nod because it seemed to come out of left field (few people have seen the film yet) and there are concerns among some that it was the result of a promotional campaign rather than the performance. (On Tuesday, it was announced the nomination will stand.) Many are backing Riseborough, and while her stunning performance does anchor “To Leslie,” the film itself is a thoughtful indie that doesn’t wallow in despair as it gives us a downtrodden character who’s used up her second, third and even fourth chances yet still deserves another a shot of redemption. In a sea of downer films, “To Leslie’s” message resembles a bright light beckoning us to calmer shores ahead. Details: 3½ stars; available to rent on multiple platforms.

“Baby Ruby”: While comparisons will be aptly made to Roman Polanski’s classic maternal horror story “Rosemary’s Baby,”  playwright-turned-director-and-screenwriter Bess Wohl’s shattering debut is its own entity, a reflection on how motherhood can indeed be a nightmare. “Portrait of Lady on Fire’s” Noémie Merlant plays successful vlogger Jo whose social-media-perfect existence with hunky hubby Spencer (Kit Harington of “Game of Thrones”) gets thrown out of whack upon the arrival of their first, very vocal and prone-to-biting child. Sleepless nights distort the couple’s views of what is real and what is delusional as Jo descends into a madness that includes seeing other mothers as akin to a stream of “Stepford Wives” clones frolicking with their perfect babies. “Baby Ruby” employs a shaky narrative to deliver a rattling good commentary about every parent’s nightmare. Details: 3 stars; now in select theaters.

“Murder at Big Horn”: Fresh off its debut at the Sundance Film Festival comes this three-part series on the alarming number of disappearances of Indigenous teens and women in rural swaths of Montana. It’s both shocking and maddening, with directors Razelle Benally and Matthew Galkin stripping back the many factors that contribute to these unsolved deaths, from police inaction to the disgraceful ways Native Americans have been treated throughout history. It’s a well-made series that exposes corruption, trafficking and injustices perpetrated on families. Details: 3 stars, airs Feb. 3 on Showtime.

“The Offering”: The horror genre has been on a lucky streak of late, with newbie filmmakers hitting home runs in their first at bat. Count Oliver Park as among the sluggers, thanks to this dandy of a demonic chiller set in a family-run Hasidic mortuary. An ulterior motive drives son Arthur (Nick Blood) to stop in, with with his pregnant wife (Emily Wiseman) for an eventful visit with his estranged funeral director poppa (Allan Corduner). The disappearance of a young child, some curious deaths and a Eastern European mythological demon lead up to a grand, bloody showdown. Park cranks up both the mood and the fear factor for a devilishly good supernatural thriller, one that promises even better things ahead from the talented director. Details: 3 stars; available to rent online.

“Erin’s Guide to Kissing Girls”: Writer/director Julianna Notten’s feature debut was obviously filmed on a tight budget, but the result is still an LGBTQ-themed charmer for tweens and adults alike, an irresistibly sweet and humorous queer-positive story.  Erin (Elliot Stocking) is searching for a smooch and relationship, and she finds the potential for attaining both once assured social-media sensation Syndi (Rosali Annikie) sweeps into class. While the seams of a shoestring budget show, you won’t mind since there’s so much heart and tenderness on display. Stocking is marvelous in the lead. Details: 3 stars; available to rent Feb. 3.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Need another winning hand? Take a chance on Rian Johnson’s comedic mystery/thriller series “Poker Face” on Peacock.

Here’s our roundup.

“Shrinking”: Attention all Brett Goldstein fans: If you adore his wry humor and enjoy dramedies that are in the “Ted Lasso” league, where vulnerable characters fumble with their insecurities and yet are inherently kind and caring, prepare to binge Apple TV+’s enormously appealing new series.

Created by “Ted Lasso’s” Goldstein, Bill Lawrence and Jason Segel (who stars), “Shrinking” mirrors “Lasso’s” compassionate spirit and its quirky, likable characters. Segel, who’s terrific as a dramatic and comedic actor,  gets a real chance to put those chops to work portraying therapist Jimmy Laird, a mess after his wife’s untimely death. The series opener finds Jimmy snorting coke, cavorting in the pool with sex workers and all but ignoring his smart teen daughter (Lukita Maxwell). He’s a hot mess at the office too, dispensing unorthodox, often unfiltered advice to his clients. His volatile ways worry sassy co-worker Gaby (Jessica Williams), his boss Dr. Paul Rhodes (Harrison Ford who gives one of his most charming performances), his nosy neighbor (Christa Miller), an unbending client (Luke Tennie) with rage issues whom he takes in, and a former bestie who is a perpetual ray of sunshine (Michael Urie) and knows it.

Every character in “Shrinking” is worth getting to know. The biggest surprise is how great Ford is at just letting loose in a comedy. (Trust me, he’s hilarious). “Shrinking” deserves to become a huge hit. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; available to stream beginning Jan. 26 on Apple TV+.

“Poker Face”: Rian Johnson’s appreciation for serialized stories where the villains get their comeuppance in the end is well-served in this irresistible Peacock series that’s as funny as it is sharp. Natasha Lyonne (of Netflix’s “Russian Dolls” and “Orange Is the New Black”) is at her wisecrackin’ best as the intrepid Charlie Cale, the equivalent of a human lie detector test. Charlie’s “abilities” land her in and out of trouble in Las Vegas as she’s forced to hit the road to evade a hitman (Benjamin Bratt) assigned to rub her out. Loaded with guest stars — Judith Light is a standout in a cast that includes Adrien Brody, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Chloe Sevigny and Stephanie Hsu — the 10 episodes are ready-made for addictive consumption, but are worth savoring for whenever you need a pick-me-up. Details: 3 stars; available Jan. 26 on Peacock.

“Back to the Wharf”: Chinese director Li Xiaofeng expertly bathes his third feature, a generational crime drama, in surreal neo-noir tones that are mesmerizing to behold. A bloody murder haunts the adult life of Song Hao (Zhang Yu), who was wrongly tagged as the killer. He returns 15 years after the crime to his hometown, a region indicative of many areas in China during that time that underwent radical growth spurts. He falls into a quirky relationship with the eccentric but likable Pan (Song Jia, a bright light) who was his classmate and also discovers the limitations and future demands of a boyhood friendship. Written with razor-like insight by Xin Yu, “Back to the Wharf” is more than just a satisfying slab of neo-noir but a peel-back-the-layers statement on the human tolls of growth in China. Details: 3 stars; available to rent on Vudu, Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms.

“The Drop”: For satire to work, you have to at least enjoy the deplorable company that the comedy keeps. Not so with this sneerfest, an unfunny misfire that thinks it’s hilarious. A trip to the tropics for a wedding gets upended for Lex (Anna Konkle) and Mani (Jermaine Fowler) when Lex accidentally drops another couple’s baby, sending the infant to the hospital and setting off a chain of events. Lex and Mani struggle with their plan of conceiving post that “drop.” Meanwhile other relationships edge toward crisis mode. Director and co-screenwriter Sarah Adina Smith’s comedy is bereft of laughs, leaving us stuck with irritating people — the sort that would make you want to send out an SOS. Details: 1½ stars; available on Hulu.

The Sundance Film Festival is currently underway. Here are two outstanding films to see from the lineup. Both are available to watch online.

“20 Days in Mariupol”: Frontline and the Associated Press collaborated for this grim, essential piece of journalism, an immersive account from Ukrainian journalists at the AP who spent nearly three weeks embedded in a port city that was targeted by Russia and mercilessly attacked. The tight-knit consisted of the only journalists in the city, where a hospital and maternity ward came under fire and left many dead. Director Mstyslav Chernov has made a historical account that is unsparing in its details, from the mass graves to the bloodbaths in hospitals and elsewhere. It’s both urgent and necessary and provides a complex time capsule of the war. Given the misinformation and lies so easily dispersed these days, it’s vitally important to be on the ground with legitimate news sources to document the truth as it unfolds. Details: 3½ stars; streaming through Jan. 29 on Sundance Film Festival website; www.sundance.org.

“The Accidental Getaway Driver”: Remember the name Sing J. Lee. You’ll be hearing so much more about this talented filmmaker. This, his astonishing debut feature, commands our attention from its seemingly uncomplicated but gripping start: An elderly Vietnamese driver named Long reluctantly agrees to a night job driving around three shifty men, whom he finds out escaped from an Orange County jail. As they grow more desperate and the hours wear on, each of the men reveals his past, how it affects their present and his need to find a home. Lee’s fine cast is fronted by Hiệp Trần Nghĩa as Long and Dustin Nguyen as Tây, playing two characters who find they have more in common than they thought. “The Accidental Getaway Driver” springs from a true story and says something with such gentleness about our need for family and connection. Unforgettable, and one of the best things I’ve seen this year. Details: 4 stars; available to stream on Sundance through Jan. 29; www.sundance.org.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Here’s a rundown of new releases in movie theaters and on streaming platforms.

“Missing”: When Aneesh Chaganty’s screen-shot thriller “Searching” came out in 2018, the novelty of its central conceit never wore out its welcome as it presented John Cho a real chance to shine as a desperate dad searching for his daughter. Chagantay, who was raised in the South Bay, co-wrote the terse, clever screenplay along with Sev Ohanian, and the result was an intense mystery. Now comes a very familiar “stand-alone” sequel, which too sets the action only on computer and phone screens, apps and social media platforms to relate its story about a mom (Nia Long) who vanishes while on a vacation to Colombia with her suspicious internet boyfriend (Ken Leung). Upset about the sluggish investigation, a tech-savvy teen-aged daughter (Storm Reid) does her own snooping and dredges up dirty secrets from those around her. Sticking to the same sort of twists as the original (one expertly done), directors Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick pace the film breathlessly but botch the ending, which, on closer inspection, doesn’t make much sense. The first half of “Missing” is better than the second, partly because the later revelations — while providing a few shocks — make you wonder why characters acted the way they did originally. “Missing” runs too long but mostly achieves what it sets out to do. Yet it seems better suited to be watched on home screens vs. movie screens. Details: 2½ stars out of 4; in theaters Jan. 20.

“When You Finish Saving the World”: Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut is just as brittle and bracing as many of his performances. But the multi-talented actor, who also wrote the screenplay, shows a lot of compassion for his two main characters: social worker mom Evelyn (Julianne Moore in an iridescent performance) and her singer-songwriter/vlogger teen-aged son Ziggy (“Stranger Things’” Finn Wolfhard). Constantly at each other’s throats, the two ignore the obvious — they’re very much alike. Both seek to fill the void that exists between them, with Eveyln displacing her attention and affection onto Kyle (Billy Bryk), the kind, teen-aged son of a domestic abuse survivor. Ziggy turns to a political super-smart student (Alisha Boe). Eisenberg’s adaptation of his own 2020 audio play is acutely observant of these sometimes flailing characters who can’t seem to understand that what they’re looking for is right in front of them. Details: 3 stars; in select theaters Jan. 20.

“My Sailor, My Love”: The treacly title suggests you’re in for an ugly cry. And you kind of are, except that Klaus Härö’s gentle and special family drama has much more at play than rote tear-jerking. Magnificently shot and acted, this joint venture between Ireland and Finland is at its best in its rich interplay between three characters, each grappling with the fragile in-flux dynamics of caregiving and an unexpected later-year romance. Cranky former sea captain Howard (James Cosmo) lives alone in a messy, broken-down home near the rugged Irish coastline. He’s at a tipping point of requiring more care, a development that his long-suffering and bitter daughter Grace (Catherine Walker) resents but needs. When she hires Annie (Brid Brennan) to become a housekeeper, one relationship blossoms while the other begins to wilt. “Sailor” is filled with sage wisdom and vulnerable people struggling to do the best that they can even when they are at their worst. It’s a lovely indie. Details: 3 stars; opens Jan. 20 at the Orinda Theatre.

“The Son”: Given the talent involved and Florian Zeller’s remarkable debut feature, “The Father,” it’s baffling how this tonally awkward and blatantly manipulative follow-up went wrong. Hugh Jackman works hard to breathe life into this film, even breaking out in a dance move. He plays harried lawyer and new dad Peter, a workaholic who tries to become a father figure to emotionally troubled, forgotten and distanced son Nicholas (Zen McGrath). Ex-wife Kate (Laura Dern) pops up urging Peter to help out once Nicholas goes missing. Nicholas eventually moves in with Peter and his new love Beth (Vanessa Kirby) and their baby. “Son’s” theme about generations of bad fatherhood getting handed down holds great potential. But the dialogue the award-winning Zeller and co-screenwriter Christopher Hampton give the characters sounds phony and contrived while the ensuing drama is clumsy and clumpy, too preoccupied in making us want to bawl our eyes out. Tears need to be earned, and “The Son” fails at that. A saving grace is a lightning-bolt turn from Anthony Hopkins — who won an Oscar for his performance in “The Father.” He interjects venom and bite as Peter’s unsentimental, drag-you-through-the-dirt honest poppa. His brief scene with Jackman suggests there’s a worthwhile film wrestling to wiggle its way out of this mess. It’s a most unfortunate miscalculation. Details: 1½ stars; in select theaters Jan. 20.

“Alice, Darling”: In director Mary Nighy’s astute drama, a singular intention to illustrate how hard it is to break from an emotionally abusive relationship gets painstakingly realized. It’s hardly an easy watch, but there’s a relevant, resonating and necessary film here. Nighy’s drama speaks with a sense of lived-it authority and clarity. It also features four fantastic performances. Primary amongst them is Anna Kendrick as conflicted Alice. Her mercurial artistic boyfriend Simon (Charlie Carrick) controls her every move and thought, until a getaway with her two concerned besties (Kaniehtiio Horn and Wunmi Mosaku) leads her to a reckoning. Details: 3 stars; opens in theaters Jan. 20.

“There’s Something Wrong With the Children”: This efficient, effective “Bad Seed/Children of the Damned” bit of nastiness creeps you out and comments slyly about bad parenting. A product of the recent Blumhouse and EPIX eight-picture deal, “Wrong” sends two self-involved couples, one with two kids, the other without, into the isolated woods for a boozy vacation where sex secrets get spilled and the two precocious kids start acting up after they enter a cave. The sister and brother team torment the bejesus out of unstable Ben (Zach Gilford of Netflix’s “Midnight Mass”). The ace in the hole here is Gilford, so good when he’s coming unraveled. Director Roxanne Benjamin never allows “Children” to overstay its welcome, resulting in a scare package worth seeking out. Details: 3 stars; available now on streaming platforms, available March 17 on MGM+.

“Sick”: The Peacock streaming service joins in on the horror resurgence by taking a bloody stab at a COVID-themed slasher. And it works. Kevin Williamson — who wrote the original “Scream” as well as “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” among other hit films and TV series — is a co-screenwriter and co-producer here and proves he’s an undisputed pro at the thrilling and the killing. “Sick” confines most of its bloodshed — except for the “Scream”-like opening — to an isolated family house where two teen-aged friends (Gideon Adlon and Beth Million) go to hole up and escape the quarantine. Then some uninvited types suddenly appear. “Sick” is a slick shot of horror, fast-paced and written with just enough biting commentary to make it a cut above. Details: 3 stars; now streaming on Peacock.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

That opportunity arrives Jan. 20-Jan. 29 at the Sundance Film Festival, which returns to live screenings after two virtual versions and offers a robust showcase for some of the best features the world has to offer.

Numerous world premieres and buzzy titles will attract movie lovers, ear-muffed celebrities, journalists, publicists, studio reps and onlookers to Park City, Utah.

But if you can’t make it there, know that some of the titles will be available to stream beginning Jan. 24. More information on these and more films is available at festival.sundance.org.

Here are 15 to look out for, a number of which have Bay Area associations.

“Stephen Curry: Underrated”: Award-winning Oakland documentary-maker Peter Nicks (“Homeroom,” “The Waiting Room,” “The Force”) bring his ever-observant eye to the life and career of one of our most popular and respected NBA players — Golden State Warriors icon Stephen Curry. Filmmaker and Oakland native Ryan Coogler is one of the producers of this Apple TV+ documentary, which relates the inspirational story of Curry and how the four-time NBA champ defied naysayers and became a phenomenon. Sadly, it’s not available online, and there’s no word yet on when Apple TV+ will release it.

“Shortcomings”: Sacramento-born graphic novelist Adrian Tomine has drawn deserved comparisons to America’s most daring cartoonists. If you haven’t read any of the UC Berkeley alum’s rich works — and you really should — this edgy adaptation from director Randall Park (yes, the cute actor from “Fresh off the Boat”) will likely make you a fan. It follows three Berkeley chums fumbling about with love, desire, heritage and expectations. It’s available online.

“Fremont”: For his fourth feature film, Iranian filmmaker Babak Jalali comes up with a novel and timely concept.  A former Afghan translator (newcomer Anaita Wali Zada) finds herself saddled with an empty life in the titular East Bay city, but things change when she assigned to write Chinese fortune cookie messages at the factory where she works. “The Bear’s” Jeremy Allen White costars. Shot in B&W, Jalali’s feature will be available online.

“Earth Mama”: Some films get snapped up by studios and distributors even before they get their world premiere at Sundance. Such is the case with 29-year-old Savanah Leaf’s debut feature set in the Bay Area. A24 swooped in to grab the former Olympic volleyball player’s coming-of-age drama about Gia (Oakland newcomer Tia Nomore), a pregnant single mom with two other children in foster care. The film is not available online, and there’s no release date from A24 yet.

“Fairyland”: Debut filmmaker Andrew Durham wrote and directed this adaptation of Alysia Abbott’s memoir about growing up in the ‘70s with a free-spirited father (Scoot McNairy) following the sudden death of her mother. Alysia is often left to her own devices as her father begins to date men once they relocate to San Francisco. Geena Davis, rock singer Adam Lambert and Maria Bakalova costar. The film is not available online.

“Fancy Dance”: Sundance loves coming-of-age stories. This exciting release from first-timer Erica Tremblay attests to that. The world premiere drama is about two girls from an Oklahoma reservation — the resourceful Jax (Lily Gladstone) and her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) — taking a road trip to find Roki’s missing mother. It’s available online.

“Cassandro”: Gael Garcia Bernal lands a juicy, high-profile role as the real-life gay luchador (professional wrestler) Saúl Armendáriz, who, with the assistance of his trainer, breaks barriers by assuming the identity of an alter ego — the out and proud Cassandro. This is documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams’ feature debut, and it looks like a winner. Bad Bunny and Raúl Castillo costar. It’s not available online.

“Infinity Pool”: His horror freakout (“Possessor”) rattled Sundance a few years ago, now director Brandon Cronenberg (David Cronenberg’s son) follows it up with what looks to be another unabashedly bizarre and brazen horror shocker. Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgård lend their magnetic star power to this dark look at the festering underbelly of tourism. It might even make you think twice about booking that next trip to a tropical paradise. It’s not available online, but will arrive in theaters to disturb Jan. 27.

“Mamacruz”: Dramas about sexual awakenings (or re-awakenings), in general,  tend to focus on characters under the age of 50. Director/co-writer Patricia Ortega makes an exception here with a story about a buttoned-up, religious grandmother who dares to dip into porn and talk more freely about sex — to the chagrin of some, and the acceptance of others. Kiti Manver will be a Sundance standout. It’s available online.

“You Hurt My Feelings”: Nicole Holofcener writes and directs what sounds like another one of her refreshingly unique dramedies. It’s her fourth film at Sundance and follows novelist Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and how she reconsiders her relationship with her therapist hubby Don (Tobias Menzies) when she overhears him dissing her new novel. Oops. It’s not available online.

“Rye Lane”: Director Raine Allen-Miller’s feature debut is a romantic dramedy wherein a teary-eyed Dom (David Jonsson) gains more pep in his step courtesy of a wild day spent in South London with Yas (Vivian Oparah). It looks to be a charming and telling look at two 20-something people of color who might be ready to fall in love. It’s not available online.

“Twice Colonized”: What often distinguishes the Sundance is its dedication to illuminating various perspectives, cultures and ideas. Such is the case with this topical and engrossing documentary from director Lin Alluna on Greenlandic Inuit lawyer and activist Aaju Peter. It’s a fascinating character portrayal that takes the time to reflect on the Inuit experience and on colonialism. It’s available online.

“Magazine Dreams”: Expect Jonathan Majors’ career to soar higher than ever after the world premiere of director/writer Elijah Bynum’s character study of a fiercely devoted bodybuilder. Majors, so great in “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” physically inhabits the part in what promises to be a gritty, explosive and complex look at the world of bodybuilding. It has the potential to be one of the biggest talkers at Sundance, and it’s available online as well.

“Cat Person”: Ready to get a bit uncomfortable? The perils of dating will likely come into all-too-sharp focus in this drama by director Susanna Fogel (a co-writer on “Booksmart”) about a 20-year-old student (Emilia Jones) learning that the alleged “cat person” (Nicholas Braun) she’s dating isn’t exactly who he pretends to be. Screenwriter Michelle Ashford adapts the New Yorker short story that was a viral sensation. It’s also available online.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com