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☆ 'The White Lotus' season 2 review: Mike White's Emmy-winning HBO show checks in for another five-star experience
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —“The White Lotus” hasn’t lost any of its intoxicating allure, shifting its mix of rich-people problems and staff struggles to a new island (Sicily), with Jennifer Coolidge as the one holdover from the Emmy-winning original. It’s an impressive exercise in reloading by writer-director Mike White, who based on this encore should have plenty of frequent-flyer miles in his future if he chooses. Jennifer Coolidge returns in season 2 of 'The White Lotus.' When a character utters a line like, “Please don’t make me regret this,” in the environs of “The White Lotus,” it immediately feels like a warning that he eventually will. “The White Lotus” premieres October 30 at 9 p.m. on HBO, which, like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros.

☆ 'Call Jane' review: Elizabeth Banks stars in fictionalized look at a pre-Roe world through one woman's abortion journey
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The portrait of an underground abortion network pre-Roe v. Wade is obviously timely, but its slightly askew focus blunts the overall impact. Part of that has to do with making Elizabeth Banks’ Joy, a privileged housewife living in Chicago in 1968, the film’s centerpiece, introducing her as being somewhat oblivious to the tumult of the times. Joy initially applies to the hospital board for permission to terminate the pregnancy, only to have her petition dismissively denied by the all-male panel. The sequence slowly and painfully captures the mix of fear and discomfort Joy feels, after her blindfolded trip to the location and the dimly lit room where it happens. The writers clearly intended to personalize the abortion conversation through their Everywoman protagonist, and Banks ably fills that role.

☆ 'Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi' review: Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku shorts show animation remains a creative force in Lucasfilm's galaxy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Animation has been the driving creative force behind the “Star Wars” universe for some time, a state of affairs cast into sharper focus by how live-action series Lucasfilm has produced for Disney+ have drawn upon those shows. That relationship continues with “Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi,” an animated anthology that provides an opportunity to flesh out the stories of peripheral but familiar lightsaber-wielding figures. The anthology format creates the opportunity to drop in at different inflection points scattered across the “Star Wars” timeline. Animation has also become a vehicle for greater experimentation, as witnessed in the “Star Wars: Visions” anime shorts that premiered last year. “Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi” premieres October 26 on Disney+.

☆ 'Cabinet of Curiosities' review: Guillermo del Toro shows off his eclectic vision of horror in a Netflix anthology
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

That includes a pair of original ideas from del Toro himself, “Lot 36” and “The Murmuring,” as well as two by horror author H.P. Del Toro has also handpicked the various directors, reflecting an eclectic range of projects and styles. Rupert Grint in "Dreams In The Witch House," an episode of "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities." Yet even with those disclaimers, “Cabinet of Curiosities” feels stocked with stories lacking in heft – throwing open its doors with del Toro’s buoyant enthusiasm, and too often finding its shelves looking a little bare. “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” premieres October 25-28 on Netflix.

☆ 'House of the Dragon' season finale review: 'The Black Queen' soars into the battle to come
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Editor’s Note: This story contains spoilers about the “House of the Dragon” season finale. CNN —The two giant fantasy series that premiered within weeks of each other shared massive scope and scale. The “Dragon” season finale that premiered October 23, subtitled “The Black Queen,” in a sense brought this first season – at times uneven, but always interesting – full circle. Although it wasn’t a direct competition between “Dragon” and “Rings,” the parallels between them and the timing of their release made comparisons virtually inevitable. But based on its opening salvo, score “House of the Dragon” as a victory for the old guard.

☆ 'The Peripheral' review: Chloë Grace Moretz stars in Amazon's convoluted sci-fi series, which travels into two futures and still isn't worth the time
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —In terms of Nolan brothers productions, “The Peripheral” appears to have been made for people who think “Tenet” and the fourth season of “Westworld” weren’t complicated enough. Because of Flynne’s role in that future threats keep invading her present, which is every bit as confusing as that sounds. Although there’s plenty of violent action and cool futuristic weaponry, “The Peripheral” feels like a mashup of sci-fi ideas put to better use elsewhere, from “Avatar” to “Free Guy,” with a lot in between. Mostly, other than the sometimes-striking set design, there’s nothing particularly distinctive about the villains or the scenario, which feels more convoluted than engaging. It’s produced by Warner Bros. Television, like CNN, a unit of Warner Bros.

☆ 'Ticket to Paradise' review: George Clooney and Julia Roberts get some mileage out of their rom-com pairing
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Think of “Ticket to Paradise” like a postcard of beautiful people having fun in a beautiful place and you’ll get along just fine. Giving it much more thought than that won’t help this rom-com vehicle for George Clooney and Julia Roberts, although the “com” part proves a trifle deficient in a movie that’s significantly better when it’s sweet than salty. Here We Go Again”), “Ticket to Paradise” fares better in the inevitable softer moments, allowing the leads to mug less and feel more. “Ticket to Paradise” does tend to shine when Clooney and Roberts soften their rough edges or let their hair down, as they do during a game of drunken mystery-alcohol (not beer) pong. “Ticket to Paradise” premieres in US theaters on October 21.

☆ 'The School for Good and Evil' review
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Although immersed in fantasy, “The School for Good and Evil” gets lost in a nether realm somewhere between Disney Channel fare like “Descendants” and more epic theatricals like Harry Potter. There’s plenty of action along the way, as well as more wasted cameos, like Patti LuPone and Michelle Yeoh. Yet if you’re going to arrive this late to the party, at least bring something significantly new to it. Granted, that’s not an easy assignment at this stage of the game, but “The School for Good and Evil” doesn’t pass the test. “The School for Good and Evil” premieres October 19 on Netflix.

☆ 'Descendant' and 'The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks' review: Two documentaries provide new windows into chapters in Black history
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Two powerful documentaries explore different aspects of Black history this week, in each case shedding light on misrepresented or under-covered chapters. Presented by Barack Obama’s company under its Netflix deal, “Descendant” examines the discovery of a long-sunk ship that brought enslaved Africans to Alabama, while “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks” reclaims a figure whose legacy was too often characterized as the product of tired feet. Rosa Parks” highlights the selflessness of its subject and seeks to provide a detailed portrait of a woman who, through the vagaries of history, was frequently reduced to a symbol. Parks, rather, wanted – indeed devoted her life to fighting for – justice and equality. “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks” premieres October 19 on Peacock.

☆ 'Black Adam' review: Dwayne Johnson stars as the antihero in a drab addition to the DC Universe
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —“Black Adam” features a protagonist of almost unlimited power, which only makes its puny script more conspicuous. There’s simply no getting around the clunkiness of the dialogue, or the sense “Black Adam” overestimates the character’s appeal. Times being what they are, playing an actual superhero represents an inevitable addition to Johnson’s action resume, and “Black Adam” (setting aside “DC’s League of Super-Pets”) checks off that box. “Black Adam” premieres October 21 in US theaters and is rated PG-13. DC and Warner Bros., which is distributing the movie, are units of Warner Bros.

☆ 'The Vow Part Two' review: HBO turns to the Nxivm and Keith Raniere trial in docu-sequel
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The bizarre and salacious nature of “The Vow,” with its intensely detailed look at the Nxivm cult, made the docuseries an understandable sensation, so much so that HBO came back for more. While “The Vow Part Two” gives viewers a front-row seat of the federal trial against founder Keith Raniere, it’s a more fragmented exercise that feels unduly stretched over six parts. Despite Nxivm’s obsession with loyalty, it’s a good reminder that what happens in Vegas seldom stays there. “Allison is a victim who was sent out to do something that she believed was good because she believed Keith was good,” Salzman explains. Warts and all, the totality of “The Vow,” including the earlier episodes, makes for fairly intoxicating viewing.

☆ 'Rosaline' review: 'Romeo and Juliet' gets a rewrite with Kaitlyn Dever as a star-crossed cousin
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Tapping into the twin markets of A) lovers of rom-coms and B) recovering English majors, “Rosaline” promotes a fleetingly mentioned “Romeo and Juliet” character front and center, then builds a very clever and breezy movie around her. The result is a welcome starring showcase for Kaitlyn Dever more likely to prosper in the hamlet of Hulu than it would have fared in the province of theaters. For those a little rusty on their Shakespeare, Romeo had actually been pining for Juliet’s cousin before they met and set in motion that whole star-crossed lovers thing. When their get-together prevents her from attending a party, the feckless Romeo falls for the visiting Juliet (Isabela Merced). “Rosaline” premieres October 14 on Hulu in the US, Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in other territories.

☆ 'Till' review: Danielle Deadwyler shines as Mamie Till Mobley after her son Emmett Till's death
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Getting the delicate balance of the story mostly right, “Till” captures how Mamie Till Mobley turned the inconsolable grief over the murder of her son, Emmett, into resolve and activism. Anchored by Danielle Deadwyler’s towering performance, it’s a wrenching portrayal of reluctant heroism under the most horrific of parental circumstances. Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till Mobley. More than 65 years after his death, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act was signed into law earlier this year – a sign, as Chukwu notes in a director’s statement, of “present cultural and political realities” that echo through the film. “Till” clearly felt the weight of that legacy, and there’s a difficult-to-avoid aspect to the production that can’t entirely escape a movie-of-the-week feel.

☆ 'Halloween Ends' review: Jamie Lee Curtis gives the knife one last turn in the latest Michael Myers trilogy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The producers do seek to bring finality to this latest trilogy featuring Jamie Lee Curtis, although that turns out to be the only original idea they conjure in an odd, tedious film. 13 turns out to be not so lucky, creatively speaking, as director/co-writer David Gordon Green takes his third consecutive turn in that chair. Curtis’ Laurie Strode has certainly paid a high price for her decades-long dance with the killer Michael Myers, a.k.a. In fact, Laurie takes the initiative and introduces Allyson to Corey (Rohan Campbell), a shy guy bearing emotional scars from his own Halloween-timed tragedy, which risks making them the weirdest possible soulmates. It’s been four years since “Halloween” relaunched the franchise – delivering a huge opening weekend – with an extra-long gap before the sequel “Halloween Kills” due to Covid.

☆ 'Barney & Friends' documentary tries to tie bashing the kids' show to larger cultural tides
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“All that success came at a price,” says Andrew Olsen, a devotee of “Barney” history and its memorabilia. It’s a reasonable point at first, but one the documentary overplays, especially when there’s so much odd, specific stuff about the show to mine here. “I Love You, You Hate Me” has already generated media attention for Peacock, so score it as a win by that measure. But while the project captures a very specific moment in time, it runs out of insight before its time is up. “I Love You, You Hate Me” premieres October 12 on Peacock.

☆ 'The Midnight Club' review: Mike Flanagan adapts Christopher Pike's tale of terminal teens in another 'Stranger Things' wannabe
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The curse of “Stranger Things” means every sci-fi/macabre concept involving teenagers will seemingly have its day on TV, with “The Midnight Club” as the latest example. The diverse makeup of the key group and approach to things like LGBTQ rights give “Midnight Club” a contemporary feel, despite its foundation in the past. As for the broader secrets, “Midnight Club” is in no hurry to disgorge those, perhaps hoping curiosity will pull viewers into a second season. Stranger things have happened, but if not, this could be the latest series in this genre that struggles to keep the midnight oil burning. “The Midnight Club” premieres October 7 on Netflix.

☆ 'Luckiest Girl Alive' review: Mila Kunis in a messy adaptation of Jessica Knoll's #MeToo novel
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —“Luckiest Girl Alive” has a lot going on, in a way that undermines the movie’s translation from book to screen. Mila Kunis produces and stars in this #MeToo-tinged story, which awkwardly incorporates a mass school shooting as well as gender and class politics into what becomes an ungainly mix of hot-button issues in one dramatic package. As the handsomely clueless Luke puts it, why address “this thing that happened to you so long ago.”Mila Kunis in the Netflix movie 'Luckiest Girl Alive.' But “Luckiest Girl Alive” falls short of its promise, a reminder that, however ironic the title is intended to be, fortune tends to favor the bold. “Luckiest Girl Alive” premieres October 7 on Netflix.

☆ 'Amsterdam' review: Christian Bale, John David Washington and Margot Robbie head the star-studded cast in David O. Russell's historical satire
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —“Amsterdam” certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of ambition, and the star-studded cast merely adds to that sense of grandeur. Burt (Christian Bale), a part-Jewish Park Avenue doctor whose in-laws disapprove of him, and Harold (John David Washington) bonded while serving together during World War I, where they met up with a free-spirited nurse, Valerie (Margot Robbie) who fell for Harold, forging a seemingly inseparable trio. Recovering from their war injuries, they took refuge in Amsterdam, a place where the world’s concerns – including those involving race – appeared to shrink away. Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington in 'Amsterdam.' “This is so strange,” Burt mutters at one point, which turns out to be an inadvertent commentary on the film itself.

☆ 'Hellraiser' review: Hulu doesn't raise the bar on Clive Barker's gory original
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-06 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Although the new “Hellraiser” is billed as “reimagining” Clive Barker’s 1987 horror film, it’s not like the title ever went away, raising six direct-to-video productions (the last one in 2018) after the four theatrical movies. It also fits Hulu’s strategy of premiering movies culled from well-known franchises, with “Prey” – from the “Predator” universe – among the recent examples. For those just seeking another fix of Pinhead and the Cenobites, that’s probably enough to get the job done. But once “Hellraiser” has made that, er, point, the movie feels more like a snack – or ‘bite – than a meal. “Hellraiser” premieres October 7 on Hulu.

☆ 'Walker Independence' and 'The Winchesters' review: These are far from pioneering prequels
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-06 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —If all shows were animated like “The Simpsons,” networks wouldn’t need to strain to keep them alive. Yet live-action dramas come with shelf lives, which explains the CW’s twin attempts to extend two of its franchises with prequels: “Walker Independence,” a back-to-the-Old-West adjunct to its Texas Ranger reboot; and “The Winchesters,” a one-generation-back rekindling of the “Supernatural” flame. The main problem with “Walker” is the events that set the show in motion feel much better tailored to a limited series than an open-ended run. For now, “Walker Independence” (which, yes, will follow “Walker”) and “The Winchesters” come blessed with name recognition, but creatively speaking, first impressions say that the network has dipped into the prequel well twice too often. “Walker Independence” premieres October 6 at 9 p.m.

☆ 'Werewolf by Night' gives Marvel a chance to show off its monster-ous side
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-06 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Flexing different muscles, Marvel’s “Werewolf by Night” is a nifty Halloween-timed special designed as a black-and-white homage to the Universal monster movies of the 1930s and ’40s. A brisk 50-ish minutes, the program assumes a fair amount of comic-book knowledge and hits the ground running, with an assembly of monster hunters brought together to compete for the Bloodstone, a supernatural artifact. He’s pursuing a very different agenda – and thanks to Man-Thing, another Marvel character from the early 1970s, not the only monster unleashed. Seen in that light, in fact, “Werewolf by Night” could be the dawn of an intriguing new day. “Werewolf by Night” premieres October 7 on Disney+.

☆ 'Mr. Harrigan's Phone' review: The Netflix movie gets its message across with a smart Stephen King adaptation
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-05 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Harrigan’s Phone” to the relatively short list of really good Stephen King adaptations, garnishing a coming-of-age story with understated hints of the supernatural and thoughtful rumination about cellphones that finds true horror in their ubiquity. In one highly amusing ramble, Mr. Harrigan rattles off every terrible thing that the cellphone might unleash, calling it “a gateway drug” for all manner of societal ills, including the dissemination of bogus news. Harrigan’s Phone” exhibits a level of restraint not regularly associated with the movie’s two high-profile producers, Ryan Murphy (“American Horror Story”) and the prolific horror maven Jason Blum. (Whether the movie promotes Apple’s flagship product while decrying its effects will likely be, to reference another “Twilight Zone,” in the eye of the beholder.) Harrigan’s Phone” premieres October 5 on Netflix.

☆ 'Interview With the Vampire' review: AMC pumps fresh blood into Anne Rice's story
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-30 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Desperate to replace “The Walking Dead,” AMC might have completed an improbable baton pass from zombies to another kind of undead. In that sense, this seems to have been produced at least as much with AMC+ in mind as the linear network AMC. Sam Reid as Lestat Du Lioncourt and Jacob Anderson as Louis De Pointe Du Lac in "Interview with the Vampire." “Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire” premieres October 2 at 10 p.m. ET on AMC and AMC+.

☆ 'Hocus Pocus 2' review: Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker conjure the same old brew on Disney+
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“Hocus Pocus 2” should benefit from that dynamic, delivering a breezy sequel – 29 years later – that should provide go-down-easy Halloween viewing for families in the less-demanding confines of Disney+. Then again, this kind of movie hardly needs to reinvent the cauldron, representing more of a cut-and-paste job. While the not-too-scary hijinks are acceptable for kids, those scenes will likely deliver more of a kick for parents who caught the movie way back when, helping turn it into a Halloween favorite. By that measure, “Hocus Pocus 2” finds what amounts to the streaming sweet spot, feeling just big enough, but not too big. “Hocus Pocus 2” premieres September 30 on Disney+.

☆ Ana de Armas’ fearless performance deserves a better movie than ‘Blonde’
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

It’s not a fresh take or a wrong one, but the tone is so self-conscious and surreal as to blunt those insights. Dominik also distastefully deals with Monroe’s lost pregnancies by peeking at the fetus inside her, which becomes symbolic of just how overdone much of the movie is. Still, “Blonde” is almost wholly de Armas’ show, and to the extent it’s worth sitting through at all give her every ounce of credit. Indeed, once you get past admiring de Armas’ immersion into the role, that’s the only itch that “Blonde” seems to know how to scratch. “Blonde” premieres September 16 in select US theaters and September 28 on Netflix.

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