Short Takes

Here are some quick reviews of movies and television we've been watching.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (in theaters)

I am WAY late to be recommending this, but if you haven't seen it, you should. You should also be seeing it in a (masked, distanced) theater with people, because this is a great communal experience. I really wish I could have gone into this movie completely spoiler-free as that would have made the experience even better. I love the Marvel movies, but they're usually not surprising. This is the rare Marvel movie that has surprises (even beyond what I already knew going in) and several moving moments, including a redemption that I didn't even know I needed. I had thought that Avengers: End Game would be the last fantastic movie theater experience I had, but this was another.

Don't Look Up (Netflix)

A satirical take on today's political, media and social institutions, this is the story of a comet hurtling towards Earth as an extinction-level event. What would have been an unbelievable story of stupidity, vanity and self-destructive behavior just years ago, is so on the nose today, with pandemic and climate change denial, that it's scary. Well made and completely relevant.

Hawkeye (Disney+)

I am surprised to say that I enjoyed this on a pure entertainment level more than most of the MCU's Disney+ series. The stakes are refreshingly local and Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld are charming together as the lamest Avenger, Hawkeye, and his protege, Kate Bishop. With its Christmas setting, and the return of an old, unexpected villain, this was just a lot of fun.

Star Trek Prodigy (Paramount+)

Prodigy, the third animated Trek series, is geared towards kids and airs on both Paramount+ and the Nickelodeon network. Even so, I'm really digging it. It's the story of a group of young slaves who find a Federation starship, steal it, and flee, guided by the ship's training hologram of Captain Janeway. The voice acting is great, and the story is surprisingly effective. Of particular note was the episode Kobayashi Maru which featured voice cameos from several Trek legends, some long dead, created by the clever use of dialogue from previous episodes of their series.

The Book of Boba Fett (Disney+)

This spin-off of The Mandalorian (or is it a chapter of that show?) is kind of goofy and narratively slow, but I'm enjoying the servings of massive fan service. Seriously, the Star Wars galaxy continues to shrink, but in this case, I don't mind too much.

Squid Game (Netflix)

Carol and I binged this a few weeks ago and I'm glad we did. Extremely violent, but incredibly well made and acted, with amazing set design and music. There's enough mystery and creepiness to trigger the Lost vibe I always loved before that show went off the rails. And, of course, the story has some good social commentary. We were late to this party, but glad we went.