TV & Movie

‘American Born Chinese’ Review: EEAAO Cast Reunites In Disney+ Comedy

'American Born Chinese' Review: EEAAO Cast Reunites In Disney+ Comedy

A popular reading of superhero mania holds that it’s our era’s substitute for shared mythology; instead of Zeus shooting lightning bolts from Mount Olympus, we have Cyclops shooting beams from his eyeballs. So it’s fitting that the coming-of-age tale “American Born Chinese” streams on Disney+, the service that’s a one-stop shop for all things Marvel; Destin Daniel Cretton of “Shang-Chi …

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‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ Review: Netflix Animated Series Adds a Twist

'Scott Pilgrim Takes Off' Review: Netflix Animated Series Adds a Twist

Comics creator Bryan Lee O’Malley first published his “Scott Pilgrim” series from 2004 to 2010. This was the era of “Garden State” and “(500) Days of Summer” — stories about lost, lonely young men pining after exciting, elusive women whose charm brought them out of their shell. The “Scott Pilgrim” comics’ titular Toronto bassist fit this description to a tee, pursuing …

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‘Bupkis’ Review: Pete Davidson Flops In Peacock Comedy Series

‘Bupkis’ Review: Pete Davidson Flops In Peacock Comedy Series

“Your life is fascinating,” a friend tells comedian Pete Davidson, in character as comedian Pete Davidson. “I don’t know what it’s like to live it, but goddamn, do we have fun watching it.” It’s never a good sign when we have to be told, rather than shown, how interesting a person or project is meant to be. Yet that’s precisely …

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‘Recipes for Love and Murder’ Treats Murder as a Piece of Cake

‘Recipes for Love and Murder’ Treats Murder as a Piece of Cake

The source of this week’s other televised literary adaptation can’t claim the same global reach as “The Lord of the Rings,” but Sally Andrew’s Tannie Maria novels have proven reliable bestsellers in the author’s native South Africa since their 2015 debut. They now provide the basis of “Recipes for Love and Murder,” a South African-Scottish co-production that represents the daffiest …

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‘Black Cake’ TV Series Review: Oprah Produced Show Explores Secrets

'Black Cake' TV Series Review: Oprah Produced Show Explores Secrets

We all keep things to ourselves, secrets that, if brought to light, could harm — or even shatter — us or those we love most. While many people have only a few personal confidences tucked away in their hearts, others envelop themselves in a lifetime of lies to survive. Based on Charmaine Wilkerson’s New York Times best-selling novel and adapted for …

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‘Minx’ Season 2 Review: Feminist Comedy Keeps The Fun Going On Starz

‘Minx’ Season 2 Review: Feminist Comedy Keeps The Fun Going On Starz

For “Minx,” the show, it’s been a rocky path. Despite strong reviews, good word of mouth and even a swift Season 2 renewal for the period porn comedy, the show became a casualty of upheaval at its parent company. Scrambling to pay down debt from the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc., CEO David Zaslav took a series of drastic …

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‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Season 3 Review: Max Show Is As Fun As Ever

Last month, HBO said goodbye to two of its signature series: “Succession,” a tale of three born billionaires vying to replace their aging patriarch; and “Barry,” an action comedy that unlocked new levels of ambition in its star-auteur, Bill Hader. Fans — and, one presumes, the network — were left with a vacuum the next seasons of “The White Lotus” …

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‘Futurama’ Hulu Reboot Review: New Revival Stays True To Its Roots

‘Futurama’ Hulu Reboot Review: New Revival Stays True To Its Roots

There appears to be a collective disdain toward reboots in films and television, yet, at this point, Hollywood is locked into the format. Creators are reviving some of their most precious and well-received works, but resurrecting something that meant so much to an audience during a particular moment is no small feat. Of course, there have been successful attempts, such …

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‘Lucky Hank’ Review: Bob Odenkirk in AMC’s Low-Stakes Academic Drama

Some of the best television shows are about whip-smart operators and the political nuances of their professional worlds. So why then is it so challenging to make a satisfying series about academia? It’s not only difficult to think of a television show that has succeeded in lifting the veil of a university, it’s tough to think of shows that have …

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‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ Review: Another Enjoyable Spin-Off

'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Review: Another Enjoyable Spin-Off

If the first “Walking Dead” spinoff following the finale of the flagship series, “The Walking Dead: Dead City,” seemed to mark the beginning of a new era for the franchise, the second certainly feels like a continuation — tonally, if not chronologically. “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” which premieres on AMC on Sept. 10, builds on the tentative good will …

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