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☆ ‘Slumberland’ strands Jason Momoa in a nightmare of a movie
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A movie about dreams becomes the stuff of nightmares in Netflix’s utterly misguided “Slumberland,” an attempt to build a sprawling fantasy adventure from the bones of the early-20th-century newspaper comic strip. Most notable as a vehicle for Jason Momoa, this wannabe spectacle from “The Hunger Games” director Francis Lawrence serves up lots of special effects desperately in search of a story. The realm of dreams is described as “a world with no consequence,” but as constructed, that comes in a movie with no clear creative compass, proving more mystifying than magical. Along the way, they run afoul of something called the Bureau of Subconscious Activities, a surreal bureaucracy that sees Flip as an outlaw. Those attributes feel wasted, however, in the surreal confines of “Slumberland,” which, as amusement-park-type names go, doesn’t even qualify as a nice place to visit.

☆ 'Bones and All' review: Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell star in Luca Guadagnino's tale of fine young cannibals
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

A road movie about youthful flesh-eaters finding love (the title “Fine Young Cannibals” comes to mind), it’s a strange and intriguing but ultimately unsatisfying stew. There’s an unavoidably episodic quality to the pair’s travels, and strictly in terms of screen time, Chalamet plays a significant but relatively modest role. It’s that rare movie that despite its flaws leaves you wanting more, where the limited series version would potentially be more rewarding. Russell nevertheless delivers a breakthrough performance, anchoring the movie in Maren’s uncertainty and vulnerability, which provides necessary ballast given the florid nature of the characters around her. “Bones and All” just takes that dynamic more literally than most, while narratively speaking, feeling more like an appetizer than a meal.

☆ 'Fleishman is in Trouble' review: Jesse Eisenberg and Claire Danes star in a Hulu series that ages like fine whine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —If you find yourself disliking everyone in Hulu’s too precious “Fleishman is in Trouble,” don’t worry, because it’s not clear they like themselves. Brodesser-Akner writes for the New York Times magazine, which becomes readily apparent in this Manhattan-centered story about the angst-ridden well to do, which approximates what the Times’ Sunday Styles section would look like if it sprouted legs. The initial focus is on newly divorced Toby Fleishman (Eisenberg), whose story is told by his college friend Libby (Caplan), serving as the relentless narrator of everyone’s innermost thoughts. The series periodically flashes back to Toby and Rachel’s younger days, showing how they met and how the relationship soured. “Fleishman is in Trouble” premieres November 17 on Hulu.

☆ 'Spirited' review: Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds try their hands (and feet) at musical comedy in 'A Christmas Carol' spoof
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —For those wondering who would build a giant holiday musical-comedy around Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, the “produced by Will Ferrell” credit provides a helpful clue. “Spirited” tries turning “A Christmas Carol” on its head, and while it’s big and boisterous, the movie (hitting theaters before Apple TV+) isn’t consistently irreverent enough to feel like much more than a streaming stocking stuffer. Of course, playing with Charles Dickens’ oft-told tale brings a lot of shorthand to the proceedings, with Ferrell as the Ghost of Christmas Present, who stumbles upon Reynolds’ fast-talking Clint Briggs, a media consultant introduced trying to commoditize Christmas. Present identifies him as a candidate to become their next “perp,” offered a Scrooge-like shot at redemption. “Spirited” premieres November 11 in select US theaters and November 18 on Apple TV+.

☆ 'The Santa Clauses' review: Tim Allen loads up the sleigh again for Disney+ series
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —“The Santa Clauses” doesn’t bother trying to reinvent the sleigh, but it does splash a new coat of paint on it, in mostly agreeable and mildly clever ways. After three movies over a 12-year span beginning in 1994, Tim Allen is back in a Disney+ series that, at six half-hour episodes, puts some additional cheer in holiday streaming. Still, producer/showrunner Jack Burditt (a veteran of “Modern Family” and “30 Rock”) does fill his bags with some surprises, and “The Santa Clauses” does a nifty job of cliffhanging its episodes, even the ones that drag a bit, to pull the audience along from one into the next. “The Santa Clauses” extends that relationship, in a festive package that’s bright, colorful and unburdened by loftier pretensions – just the kind of easy lift that should deliver a few good nights. “The Santa Clauses” premieres November 16 on Disney+.

☆ 'Yellowstone' is back, as Season 5 of the Kevin Costner series takes a sharper turn into politics
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —“Yellowstone” is one of those mysteries of the TV business, a series that generates major ratings but like the late comic Rodney Dangerfield, doesn’t always get much respect. Yet the new season of the Paramount Network series nevertheless reaches for what feels like a bit more relevance by making a sharper turn into politics, to go with all of the soapy doings around John Dutton, the character played by Kevin Costner, and his sprawling ranch. Granted, Montana politics has been a part of the series since the beginning. The new season of “Yellowstone” might even get a few more people talking about it. “Yellowstone” premieres its fifth season November 13 at 8 p.m.

☆ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ notches record opening for November
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” had the major challenge of following “Black Panther,” one of the biggest blockbusters ever, and had to do so without star Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020. Despite all of the challenges, “Wakanda Forever” notched a sizable box office opening this weekend. As for its critical reception, “Wakanda Forever” notched an 84% score on review site Rotten Tomatoes. “‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ faced an inordinate degree of difficulty, addressing the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman,” Brian Lowry, CNN’s media critic, wrote in his review. The debut of “Wakanda Forever” will unlikely impact Disney’s stock since investors remain heavily focused on the company’s streaming endeavors.

☆ Chadwick Boseman and 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever': How the sequel makes a case for recasting
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers about “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”CNN —“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” deftly completes the difficult task of continuing the franchise without its star, Chadwick Boseman, sensitively acknowledging his death by killing off the character of King T’Challa. Writing around his absence isn’t the first time that a fantasy story has been changed to accommodate a tragic loss. The death of Carrie Fisher (right) created "an impossible question" for the producers of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." To be fair, “Wakanda Forever” does as well and probably better than should have been expected under such trying circumstances. The question might well be impossible, but the answer is right there, and rooted in screen history.

☆ 'The Fabelmans' review: Steven Spielberg spins his own super-director origin story
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —“The Fabelmans” allows Steven Spielberg to turn his coming-of-age memories into what amounts to a super-director origin story, recalling both his complicated family life and early love of movies and filmmaking. It’s a deeply personal chronicle from one of cinema’s greatest talents, yielding a movie that features wonderful moments within a somewhat scattered narrative. The film opens with the young Sammy Fabelman seeing his first movie, “The Greatest Show on Earth,” in 1952. “The Fabelmans” isn’t a blockbuster, but it’s a window into what influenced a director who has given us countless screen memories over his storied career. “The Fabelmans” premieres in select US theaters on November 11 and expands to wide release on November 23.

☆ 'Tulsa King' review: Sylvester Stallone tries to rewind the clock on Paramount+.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Enter “Tulsa King,” a slim vehicle for Sylvester Stallone that’s a little too overtly designed as a mobster fish out of water. “There’s nothing left for you here,” says the new boss (“The Wire’s” Domenick Lombardozzi), noting, “We can’t just rewind the clock.”Conceptually, though, that’s exactly what “Tulsa King” does, or at least tries to do, exiling Dwight to the dreary confines of Oklahoma. “Tulsa King” turns out to be a rather odd mix of attributes, relying almost entirely on Stallone’s movie-star charisma as the show alternates between sitcom conventions and R-rated “The Sopranos”-flecked flourishes. In that sense, “Tulsa King” suggests maybe you can rewind the clock, just a little, even if you’re gonna fly a little bit lower now. “Tulsa King” premieres November 13 on Paramount+.

☆ 'The English' and 'Mammals' review: Emily Blunt and James Corden can't lead two Amazon series out of the woods
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Both run six episodes, with “The English” structured as a limited series, and “Mammals” paving the way for future seasons, while incorporating too many twists in its dramedy format to discuss much about what happens. James Corden and Melia Kreiling in Amazon's dark comedy "Mammals." While both series should help bring attention to Amazon Prime, neither completely works. That said, there’s probably not enough strictly on their respective merits to lead either of these Amazon shows through the jungle and out of the woods. “Mammals” and “The English” premiere November 11 on Amazon Prime.

☆ 'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 5 finale recap: 'Safe' signals it's time to begin chugging toward the show's end
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers about “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 5 finale, “Safe.”CNN —“The Handmaid’s Tale” certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of media exposure or cultural capital, with recent turns in the battle over abortion rights generating regular references in progressive circles to the threat of America becoming Gilead, the repressive patriarchal society featured in Margaret Atwood’s novel. Appropriately, the finale wrapped up aboard a train, because while the show didn’t quite go off the rails, it at times seemed to come perilously close. Ultimately, the last episode, “Safe,” reunited the two characters whose bond — forged in pain and hatred — completely defined Season 5. A gruesome attack on June and botched military operation to recover the lost girls, underscored that this is indeed a war, with casualties as the inevitable byproduct. “And then it was too f**kin’ late.”In that moment, anyway, “The Handmaid’s Tale” offered a riveting reminder of what made the series such an Emmy-winning sensation when it began.

☆ 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' review: Director Ryan Coogler pulls off a difficult dive after Chadwick Boseman's death
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —In the parlance of Olympic diving – a good analogy for blockbuster movie-making – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” faced an inordinate degree of difficulty, addressing the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman. A scene from "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." With other Marvel stalwarts having exited the universe post-“Endgame,” “Black Panther” appeared poised to become a focal point going forward. Whether “Wakanda Forever” can bridge that gap and position Marvel to fill that void remains to be seen. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” premieres November 11 in US theaters.

☆ 'Say Hey, Willie Mays!' review: The baseball great gets his due from an HBO documentary that makes one error
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —If you subscribe to the theory that Willie Mays was the greatest baseball player who ever lived, consider “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” additional ammunition for bar arguments, as well as a whole lot of fun. Those interviewed include Mays’ godson, Barry Bonds, and note that Mays played a pivotal role in bringing him to the Giants in 1993. Setting that aside, “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” is the kind of treat to help tide over baseball fans through the post-season, giving Mays his due while he’s still around to take a bow. It’s a gift for baseball fans who saw him play before he hung up that golden glove nearly 50 years ago, and maybe even more so, for those who didn’t. “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” premieres November 8 at 9 p.m.

☆ 'Dangerous Liaisons' review: A Starz series version ratchets up the sexual politics while dragging out the story
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —For an 18th-century French novel, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” certainly got around, inspiring a play, the movies “Dangerous Liaisons” and “Valmont” in 1988 and ’89, respectively, and the twisted teen variant “Cruel Intentions.” Now comes a Starz series prequel, “Dangerous Liaisons,” which ratchets up the sex while dragging out (and out and out) the story. That cast includes “Phantom Thread’s” Lesley Manville and “Game of Thrones” alumni Carice Van Houten, Michael McElhatton and Tom Wlaschiha. Handsomely mounted, it’s nevertheless easy to dismiss “Dangerous Liaisons” (especially for those who lack a prior investment in the property) as being a somewhat edgier version of “Bridgerton” or less-comedic spin on “The Great,” both shows that scratch similar itches. In a vote of confidence, the network has already renewed “Dangerous Liaisons” for a second season in advance of its premiere, so those hoping for the finality that a limited series might have provided, be forewarned. “Dangerous Liaisons” premieres November 6 at 8 p.m.

☆ 'The Crown' season 5 review: Imelda Staunton takes over as queen as the Netflix series returns
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The result is an uneven campaign that reinforces a sense the Emmy-winning series risks extending its reign too long. When Charles privately tells his mother in regard to Diana, “I’ve done as you asked, mummy. “The Crown” has been great, as the Emmy haul for its fourth season attests, and it’s still pretty good. Yet given the highs that the younger versions of these characters delivered, to borrow from the Queen, watching the current season feels more like a preference than a requirement. “The Crown” begins its fifth season November 9 on Netflix.

☆ 'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' review
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” certainly earns its title, operating, appropriately, not as an actual movie biography but an outlandish parody of one, filled with comedy cameos and bizarre flights of fancy. The amusing conceit behind the entire project – expanding upon a spoof movie trailer released in 2010 – is that a Weird Al biopic functions like one of his chart-topping songs, taking the form of the genre but turning it on its head. Directed by Eric Appel (who produced the aforementioned short, and shares script credit with Yankovic, who also has a cameo), “Weird” is produced through the folks at Funny or Die. Yet even allowing for the fact that “Weird” isn’t much more than a snack, as the man in question sang, just eat it. “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” premieres November 4 on the Roku Channel.

☆ 'Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me' review: Gomez opens up about her mental-health struggles in an Apple TV+ documentary
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

It’s easy to downplay the courage it takes for celebrities to let down their guard and acknowledge their frailties or fallibility, revealing a side of herself the public doesn’t always see. That alone makes the message significant – a point underscored by the jetsetter parts of Gomez’s life on display here – and if it helps one person, more power to her. Still, if Gomez chafes, understandably, at feeling like “a product,” “My Mind & Me” doesn’t escape the notion that it’s leveraging that fame, and the product-like part of her existence, in order to sell it. “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” premieres November 4 on Apple TV+. Disclosure: My wife works for a unit of Apple.

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☆ 'Spector' review: A Showtime docuseries examines Phil Spector's legacy while giving Lana Clarkson near-equal time
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Perhaps most notably, this Showtime docuseries gives near-equal time to victim Lana Clarkson, including how the media posthumously denigrated her. “Phil Spector very much saw himself as a victim of all kinds of things,” says Vikram Jayanti, who interviewed the producer for a BBC documentary. Spector’s attorneys fueled that by playing a reel of her appearances in movies like “Barbarian Queen” in court, which, some observers noted, merely served to humanize her. “What a horrible fate for a legend,” says Paul Shaffer, David Letterman’s band leader and one of Spector’s friends. “Spector” premieres November 4 on Showtime’s streaming service and November 6 at 9 p.m.

☆ 'Enola Holmes 2' review: Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill return in a new adventure
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The game is afoot (again) in “Enola Holmes 2,” a wonderful showcase for Millie Bobby Brown that this time manages to work the character’s famous brother, Sherlock, more organically into the mix. “Enola Holmes 2” contains a considerable amount of action – a bit too much, frankly, given the more cerebral aspects of the character. Sherlock Holmes has gone through numerous iterations through the years, evidence of the character’s durability while underscoring how difficult it is to bring much new to Baker Street. Either way, the roots of the main character’s name notwithstanding, it’s unlikely Netflix will want to leave Enola alone for long. “Enola Holmes 2” premieres November 4 on Netflix.

☆ 'God Forbid' review: Giancarlo Granda opens up about the Falwells in Hulu documentary
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Granda proceeded to have a long relationship with Becki Falwell, alleging that her husband was fully aware of the arrangement throughout, and endeavored to create real-estate opportunities for Granda in part to keep his wife happy. He admits that he was ambitious but basically over his head dealing with the older Falwells, while being bedazzled by their money and connections. Jerry Falwell resigned from Liberty in 2020, acknowledging Becki Falwell’s affair with Granda, while stating he was “not involved.” He also claimed that Granda had sought to blackmail the couple, a charge Granda has denied. “God Forbid” clearly provides Granda a friendly forum to tell his story, which includes how he came out on the other side of his 15 minutes of notoriety. “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal that Brought Down a Dynasty” premieres November 1 on Hulu.

☆ '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.

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