Undertale ★★★★★ - Not a movie, just one of the best video games ever made. Watched my girlfriend play this (and helped her with a few of the boss fights). Just an incredible synthesis of music, humor, character, and morality. On PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
Soul ★★★★★ - Pixar at its best, rivaling the humor and heart of WALL-E and Inside Out. Don’t read up on this one before you watch it, go in as blind as you can. On Disney+.
John Mulaney: The Comeback Kid ★★★★★ - Mulaney’s second stand-up comedy special, and his best one to date. A nearly uninterrupted parade of incredible stories and quotable jokes. “Too old to be a duck, quack quack!” On Netflix.
Boogie Nights ★★★★½ - Glad I finally saw this one. A movie-about-making-movies classic, except it’s about the “golden age of porn.” Despite all-star cast, the script and direction are so good I got lost in the story. Soundtrack rocks, too. On Hulu.
Thor: Ragnarok ★★★★½ - Look, I respect what they were trying to do in Thor 1 and 2, but Chris Hemsworth is funnier than he is Shakesperean. Give Taika Waititi all the franchises, and Korg a spinoff series. On Disney+, DirecTV, TNT, and TBS.
Black Panther ★★★★½ - Not just a barrier-breaking movie, but a very good one, too. The best score, the best production design, the best villain, and drama-wise the best lead actor. RIP Chadwick Boseman, you cannot and should not be replaced. On Disney+, DirecTV, TNT, and TBS.
The Crown Season 3 ★★★★ & Season 4 ★★★★ - Still one of the most beautifully shot TV shows ever made, and the writing and cast are extremely strong. Sometimes hard to watch, especially in Season 4, but always satisfying. On Netflix.
Captain America: Civil War ★★★★ - The best “yes and” in the MCU, another strong and substantive entry from the Russo Brothers, and a great debut for two of my favorite heroes in the Marvel canon. On Disney+, DirecTV, TNT, and TBS.
Spider-Man: Homecoming ★★★★ - Thank goodness some casting director found Tom Holland. A mashup of superhero meta-commentary and a high school movie, with mercifully low stakes! Among the funniest scripts in the MCU. On FXNow and DirecTV.
Doctor Strange ★★★½ - Better than it has any right to be. Excellent special effects in the fight scenes, and I love the fact that the central conflict can’t be solved by blowing something up or shutting down a big sky laser. On Disney+.
Toy Story of Terror! ★★★½ - Made-for-TV special released & set between Toy Stories 3 & 4, but with less charm than either of those entries. Carl Weathers is delightful as Combat Carl, everything else feels like “B team” Pixar. On Disney+.
Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey ★★★½ - Not quite as fun as the first movie, but Keanu Reeves and Alex Winters are as fun & committed to the bit as ever, and William Sadler is incredible as the Grim Reaper. Weird, but I had a pretty good time. Rent/buy online.
Masterpiece: Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns ★★★½ - Watchable mini-documentary about the seminal graphic novel, but I learned little that I didn’t know already. Some weird editing choices. DVD special feature.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ★★★ - CHARACTERS SHOUTING THEIR FEELINGS. A lackluster, overlong sequel that doesn’t capture the unique mojo of the first Guardians movie. Even the soundtrack isn’t as good. On Disney+.