If you want to head to the theaters, check out Luc Besson’s wacky “DogMan” and our find of the week “Lousy Carter” (showing one night only in San Francisco).

Here’s our roundup.

“Renegade Nell”: “Happy Valley” creator Sally Wainwright enlivens the popular tween fantasy-tinged genre with this exemplary female powered Disney+ series set in 18th-century England. In eight addictive episodes, the on-point filmmaker succeeds where others have failed, injecting just the right doses of intrigue and humor into a quietly subversive feminist story.

Best of all, the series is thankfully not a prequel nor a reboot, and, refreshingly, not a sequel. And what joy it is to have a lively female protagonist at the center of it all, a quick-tempered young adult who’s confident and rebellious and restless. Nell is infamous, too, trying to clear her name in a shocking murder.

“Nell” is made stronger by its well-written characters. And it is purpose-driven Nell (Louisa Harland, channeling some Jessie Buckley intensity) — a legend in the making — who anchors it. She’s gained not only notoriety but superpowers via a Tinkerbell-esque sidekick Billy Blind (Nick Mohammed).

When Nell and her two sisters flee from those who want to keep them quiet, their paths continue to cross with a duplicitous highwayman/aristocrat (Frank Dillane, providing much of the humor) who is the younger paramour of an irresponsible, gossip-mongering newspaper editor (Joely Richardson, living it up here), and a privileged brother (Jake Dunne) and sister (Alice Kremelberg) who are enabled int their tapping to the dark side by the Earl of Poynton (Adrian Lester).

There are many more engaging characters and a slew of clever cameos from British stars. Each play essential parts in the action, and do their fair share of conniving and derring-do to aid or defeat the grand, evil purposes of the bad guys. “Renegade Nell” gallops ahead of other Disney+ offerings by telling a new story tremendously well, and giving us a young woman who defies the ruling class to gain not only justice but freedom. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; all episodes available starting March 29.

“A Gentleman in Moscow”: Anyone who gulped down Amor Towles’ 2016 literary page-turner and then campaigned friends to follow suit will approach Showtime’s eight-part adaptation with a touch of trepidation. Rest easy, dear readers, showrunner and executive producer Ben Vanstone and creator/writer Joe Murtagh have done this one a solid and nothing more.

Ewan McGregor initially seems like an odd casting choice to play Count Alexander Rostov — a 1920s aristocrat whose mouthy ways lead to his getting forever confined by a Bolshevik court panel to the ritzy Metropol hotel. But he grows on you and gives another one of his emotionally complex performances, even if he’s not a Russian.

What might look on the outside look like a cushy sentence is anything but as Rostov’s ordered to never step outside and is confined within the dilapidated, uncomfortable accommodations in a drafty, chilly attic. Down below, he befriends many: confident actress Anna Urbanova (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, giving a classic, classy performance) who relishes her healthy sexual appetite, and a precocious child instrumental in playing a critical, life-changing part in his life as the decades fly by and the screws get tightened on dissent.

Unlike some series, the extended length of this one benefits the decades-spanning story arc, with each episode cycling us through Russian history and showing how the changing political winds whisked away some in power leaving the powerless to find strength, love and greater meaning. Details: 3 stars; starts streaming March 29 on Paramount+ (with Showtime) and then on March 31 on Showtime.

“STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces”: The first part of Morgan Neville’s entirely worthwhile two-part Apple TV+ series blows the audience away in its creative approach in charting comedian Steve Martin’s childhood, fledgling stand-up career and then his phenomenally successful stage shows. Told entirely without the fallback plan of a talking head, it overlays interviews with Martin and others with video and images of the time. It’s an immersive experience and one of the most creative and unique approaches used for a documentary about a famous person.

The second part is less adventurous but finds Steve at home, preparing for a show with his friend and “Only Murders in the Building” co-star Martin Short, his wife, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, friend Tina Fey and costar Diane Keaton, amongst others. It focuses more on his film career, and features clips from some of his biggest successes (“The Jerk,” “Parenthood”) and his biggest failures (“Pennies From Heaven” and Nora Ephron’s “Mixed Nuts”). The energy and momentum of the first part deflates in the second, but it is in tempo with the man himself, as a much more content, less anxiety-ridden Martin candidly reflects on the films, his greatest loves (including art), his emotionally shut-off father and a renaissance-like career that includes author, painter and playwright amongst other talents. It is a telling glimpse into the life of a creative artist who learns the invaluable truth that all the trappings of success mean so little until you’ve built a place you call home. It’s an exceptional documentary, even if the second half can’t quite keep up with the first. Details: 3½ stars; drops March 29 on Apple TV+.

“DogMan”: Luc Besson’s bizarro but commendable character study swings from great to awful, sometimes in a matter of seconds. What prevents its erratic tendencies from going entirely off leash is Caleb Landry Jones’ gutsy, fully committed performance. You can’t take your eyes off this underrated actor. He’s unforgettable as Douglas Munrow, a loner drag performer (he does a very cool Marilyn) in a wheelchair who’s more at home with his own pack of scraggly dogs than he is with humans. He has a good reason — his cruel dog-fighting father kicked him out and locked him in the filthy backyard kennel till he broke out. The dogs were the only ones who showed Douglas unconditional love and also protected him. Besson wrote this outlandish story, and while his directing is better than his screenwriting there is an undeniable flair to everything about this weird affair. Yes, it continually goes on and off the rails, but then it spits you off into an unexpected, but rather ingenious, place at the end. So given all that, is it worth seeing? Yes, but only if you plunge rather than lean into its chaotic  mindset from the very start. Details: 2.5 stars, in theaters Friday.

Find of the week

“Lousy Carter”: Indie filmmaker Bob Byington’s biting comedy fails on all counts in the originality department with its worn-out premise of a pompous professional – in this case a college literature professor who’s teaching a master’s course on “The Great Gatsby” –  confronting mortality when his doc says he has six months to live. A “death sentence” is one of the most overused plots but Byington’s dry-witted black comedy works better than the bulk of ‘em because it is wickedly funny and uncompromising and that’s due to the acidic screenwriting from Byington and the wry lead performance from David Krumholtz as a former dreamer with a big, hardly commercial idea to make an animated movie out of a Nabokov novel. Byington’s cast this droll comedy well with funny turns from actors portraying Carter’s forthright ex-girlfriend (Oliva Thirlby), a funeral-loving grad student (Luxy Banner) who challenges him all the time and his sorta best friend (Martin Starr) and his horny wife (Jocelyn DeBoer). Told in just under 80 minutes, “Lousy Carter” made me laugh uncomfortably quite often and then even shocked me at the end. Details: 3 stars; screens March 31 at the Roxie in San Francisco; also available On Demand starting March 29.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

King Kong teams up with Godzilla. The enduring “Apes” franchise continues with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” And Dev Patel dons a gorilla mask to step into a bloody fight club ring in Mumbai.

Not so much into primate-related cinema? No worries.

How about watching talented Oakland native Zendaya sizzle both off and on the court as a tennis coach tangling with two athletes in the eye-opening “Challengers?”

If that’s just way too sexy for ya, there’s the certain-to-be-a-crowd-pleaser “The Fall Guy,” with the unstoppable, unbeatable and just too darn handsome for words Ryan Gosling as a stuntman searching for a missing actor.

So, yeah, if you’re wondering what’s coming to theaters before the summer popcorn season arrives in mid-May, there is quite an assortment in the offing: dramas, comedies, tragedies, thrillers and even some more demonic stuff going down in Rome (“The First Omen,” April 5),

We studied the spring movie calendar (from now through May 10) and picked 10 movies (a couple we’ve seen in advance) that we think will be worth a trip to movie theaters to gorge ourselves on overpriced popcorn and top-rate entertainment, not necessarily in that order.

Here’s our roundup (arranged in no particular order). Note that release dates are subject to change.

“The Fall Guy”: Hollywood never tires of tinkering around with beloved — OK, even terrible — TV series by turning them into mostly forgettable movies. There have been a handful of good ones (“21 Jump Street,” the “Star Trek” films and “The Fugitive”), but more than a share of duds (“Starsky & Hutch,” “The Flintstones,” “S.W.A.T.”) and some utter clunkers (“Wild Wild West,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “The Dukes of Hazzard”). So where does “The Fall Guy” fall? The good news is it looks like a winner. Uber-athletic filmmaker David Leitch’s redo of that kitschy ‘80s series starring Lee Majors as a stuntman/bounty hunter earned raves in its South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) premiere earlier this month. A big reason why is its dreamy star Ryan Gosling, following up on his Oscar-nominated turn as Ken in “Barbie,” who struts his stuff as stuntman Colt Seavers. In this romance-laced blockbuster, Colt’s on the hunt for an action star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who’s gone missing while shooting a film directed by Colt’s ex-girlfriend (Emily Blunt). Anyone who watched the Oscars on March 10 know that Gosling and Blunt have real chemistry together. Just take our money now. Opening: May 3.

“Challengers”: Oh, the games pro athletes play — on the field (or court, in this case) and in their bedrooms. In this steamy threesome drama helmed by Luca Guadagnino (“Call Me By Your Name”), Tashi, a former star player turned coach (Oakland native Zendaya) seeks to up the slumping game of her top-ranking client (Mike Faist, of “West Side Story”) who’s also her hubby. Trouble and temptation knock on their door in the strapping form of her hubby’s former bestie, who also happens to be Tashi’s ex-lover (Josh O’Connor of “Emma”). He happens to also be the on-court competition, leading to tangled emotions, ambitions and probably ethics. “Challengers” looks to be Zendaya’s bid for another winning title, and the versatile performer keeps on pushing herself and impressing critics and audience alike. She lands her biggest lead role in a theatrical release yet, and we think she’s more than up for the challenge. Opening: April 26.

“Civil War”: With a contentious presidential election advancing from the backburner to the disturbing forefront, Alex Garland’s “what-if” film proposes a sickeningly believable scenario, that our nation becomes so entrenched and divided and outraged that a civil war breaks out. As a filmmaker, Garland likes to engulf you, rattle you, then spit you out (the last 10 minutes of his “Men” made everyone squirm. EVERYONE). Here, Garland assembles an A-list cast that includes Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny and Nick Offerman for a nailbiter that follows journalists as they risk all to cover a volatile story about angry, heavily armed Americans squaring off with a totalitarian government. Call it the ultimate American Horror Story. Opening: April 12.

“Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire”: Coming hot off a first-ever Oscar win, that workaholic Godzilla is already back on the job, teaming up with that massive, cranky ape King Kong for Legendary Pictures’ latest MonsterVerse smackdown. But can returning helmer Adam Wingard’s focus on the historical legacy of these Titans and that monster haven Skull Island rival anything we witnessed in the Oscar-winning (for best special effects) 2023 extravaganza “Godzilla Minus One?” We have doubts, but that won’t stop us from seeing this effort starring Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Dan Stevens. Opening: March 29.

“Wicked Little Letters”: A serial letter writer spews LOL profanities and hurls spurious accusations at residents of a quaint 1920s English village. The anonymous extracurricular activity creates a ruckus and leads to pious fingers pointing directly at Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), an Irish migrant and raucous single mom who does indeed curse like a proverbial sailor. In stage director Thea Sharrock’s truth-based dark comedy, feisty Rose tangles with her nosy, buttoned-up, pursed-lipped neighbor Edith (Olivia Colman) while a smart female investigator (Anjana Vasan) runs smack into sexism wherever she turns. “Wicked Little Letters” might well be that pleasing antidote to make you laugh during these troubled times. The creative use of naughty words deployed in those scandalous letters sure had me cackling. Opening: April 5.

“Femme”: Two of the finest performances of 2024 power Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping’s provocative, unique queer revenge drama/thriller. When Black drag performer Jules (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) runs into homophobe Preston (George MacKay of “1917”), who’s the tatted, tightly wound brute that violently gay-bashed him, a vengeance plan takes root. But as Jules enters Preston’s life, the power dynamic begins to shift in unexpected, dangerous ways. “Femme” never allows you to take one breath of air — one reason why this is the find of the indie spring season  The two performances gut you. Opening: In limited release April 5 in Bay Area theaters.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”: Director Wes Ball had his work cut out for him, following in the ape prints of 2010’s sensational trilogy (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and the exceptional “War for the Planet of the Apes”). But the filmmaker behind “The Maze Runner” trilogy gives the film and the franchise his best shot by leaping over generations to a new time where apes rule and humans acquiesce. When a power-drunk ape goes bananas and starts acting more and more like a dictator, a young ape emerges on the scene. Opening: May 10.

“I Saw the TV Glow”: A film that defies genre identification often turns out to be a head trip. And that pretty much sums up this Sundance Film Festival breakout, which received an enthusiastic response there and continues to draw sizable buzz. Jane Schoenbrun (“All Going to the World’s Fair”) takes us to the mid-1990s, where an isolated teen develops an intense connection with an eerie late-night TV show. Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman and Helena Howard star. We’ll certainly be tuning in. Opening: May 3 in select cities; May 12 nationally.

“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”: To try and figure what the heck Guy Ritchie’s comedic adventure is about, all you need to do is digest the title of the book that inspired the mayhem: Damien Lewis’s “Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII.” That gives you the nuts-and-bolts of this “truth-based” exercise that stars a flotilla of hunks (Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Henry Golding and so on). Let’s just hope Ritchie channels more of “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” (even if it bombed at the box office) and less of “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” (which made oodles.) Opening: April 19.

“Monkey Man”: We’ve always loved Dev Patel the actor, and now we can extend that adoration to his skills as a filmmaker, co-screenwriter and producer, at least based on the word out of SXSW, where his directorial debut premiered. The violent fight club-adjacent thriller stars Patel as Kid and is set in Mumbai. Patel, who reportedly incurred numerous injuries during the film’s fight sequences, plays a gorilla-masked fighter who directs his rage not only at his ring competitors but also those who have kept him down for the count. The fight sequences are supposedly phenomenal. Opening: April 5.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

But we liked its daring wild-at-heart, R-rated ways. We also fell for the R-rated coming-of-age comedy “Snack Shack,” featuring a breakthrough performance from talented San Jose native Conor Sherry. He’s an actor on the rise, and deserves to be.

And while we loved Annette Bening in “Apples Never Fall,” we found that, at its core, the domestic potboiler was one bad apple of a limited series.

But we highly recommend seeing the emotional and uplifting “One Life,” with Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins, and the sci-fi infused “The Animal Kingdom,” our find of the week.

Here’s our roundup.

“Love Lies Bleeding”: Bonkers. Totally bonkers. That sums up Rose Glass’ wild ride of a movie. Hopped up on graphic sex and wince-inducing violence, this New Mexico-set queer romance follows intense female bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O’Brian, a name to remember) who’s headed toward a Las Vegas competition and runs into bored Lou (Kristen Stewart), manager of a brawny, down-and-dirty gym where buff guys go shirtless and the bathrooms always need unclogging (hey, it’s the ‘80s). Also in the picture are Lou’s deplorable brother-in-law JJ ( Palo Alto native Dave Franco, nearly unrecognizable) who beats his wife Beth (Jena Malone), and Lou’s bug-loving, long-haired daddy Lou Sr. (a reptilian Ed Harris), who runs a shooting range. Add a clingy, manipulative meth-head Daisy (Anna Baryshnikov, a scene stealer) who has a bad thing going on with Lou, and you have a hard-boiled cult classic in the making. Unfortunately, the “Saint Maud” filmmaker and co-screenwriter throws too many ingredients into her crockpot and, as a result, some themes get undercooked. But you’ve gotta admire her go-for-broke attitude, which is behind this rubbed-raw-to-the-bone love story that tips its hat to such icons as Tarantino, Lynch and more. But “Love Lies Bleeding” creates its own brand of fiery feminist fury as these two marginalized women fight back against a machine that neither played a part in building but are ecstatic about setting a match to. It’s spellbinding to behold. So are Stewart and O’Brian, perfect together and on their own. Stewart continues to push her career into bold directions and we’ll gladly follow her anywhere. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; in theaters March 15.

“Snack Shack”: Adam Rehmeier’s follow-up to his eccentric but funny debut “Dinner in America” is standard-fare R-rated summer coming-of-age comedy. And that’s all it needs to be. It’s got San Jose native Conor Sherry, (“Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark”) who gives a breakthrough performance as A.J., best friend of Moose (Gabrielle LaBelle of “The Fabelmans”), a big ideas guy who envisions himself as a junior Gordon Gekko. It’s the summer of 1991 in Nebraska City, and A.J. and Moose seek to land the contract to operate the scrappy snack shake at the city pool. They get the gig and it proves rather lucrative, but leads to square-offs with jock bullies. There are also parental issues, and a flirtation with a sassy lifeguard (Mika Abdalla) they both take a shine to. In between that, A.J. spends time with his slightly older friend/idol  Shane (Nick Robinson), who has recently returned from serving in the Gulf War. Rehmeier throws out a wild pitch near the end and it radically changes the film. But it works. What works most though is how Rehmeier thoroughly jumps into the ping-ponging brains of adolescent guys and how adroitly Sherry and LaBelle navigate the story’s tonal shifts. “Snack Shack” is a sweet stroll down nostalgia lane that’s elevated by Sherry’s and LaBelle’s performances. Details: 3 stars; opens in theaters March 15.

“The American Society of Magical Negroes”: On paper, maybe even during a story pitch meeting, Kobi Libii’s directorial debut probably sounded like it could have, and should have, worked along the same satirical lines of Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction.” There’s a promising premise in which Black visual artist Aren (Justice Smith) joins a magical negroes association that is dedicated to helping lame white guys through a crisis. But it all winds up as limp as day-old salad. Aren’s “white guy” assignment is clueless web designer Jason (Drew Tarver) who needs to get unstuck for a big project. Complications arise when Aren runs into Jason’s uber-capable, much smarter co-worker Lizzie (An-Li Bogan, an iridescent light here) at a coffee shop before his first day at the office and falls hard for her. Aren keeps a lid on his growing anger and frustration that we all know will lead a volcanic eruption. But once it arrives it feels underdeveloped — like the rest of the movie. Libii, who’s also the screenwriter here, needs some storytelling magic. Details: 1½ stars; in theaters March 14.

“Apples Never Fall”: Annette Bening classes up Peacock’s seven-episode domestic thriller, adapted from the Liane Moriarty novel, but it never rises above the status of ludicrous guilty pleasure. There’s a lot of unbelievable developments you’ll have to swallow from the start, and mostly, in the end. The “mystery” plays out in predictable fashion when Joy (Bening), matriarch of the South Florida Delaney family, goes missing after a bike accident. Each episode explores the backstory of a different family member, dropping clues and red herrings aplenty on what what is going on with Joy and Stan (Sam Neill) and why their adult children (Jake Lacy, Alison Brie, Conor Merrigan Turner and Essie Randles) are so friggin’ self-absorbed and entitled. When a “mysterious” stranger (Georgia Flood) insinuates herself into Stan and Joys’ lives, the kids are not at all right with what’s going down. “Apples Never Fall” is definitely watchable, but its plot jumps off the deep end and there are so many implausible moments you’ll feel like you were duped of your time. Details: 1½ stars; all seven episodes drop March 14 on Peacock.

Find of the week

“The Animal Kingdom”: Ever imagine what a French indie version of the “X-Men” might be like? Fans of the subversive comic and related films that address themes of racism, homophobia and xenophobia, will probably enjoy Thomas Cailley’s beautiful to behold film that explores similar issues. While better-known actors Romain Duris and Adele Exarchopoulos are the stars, this intensely complex sci-fi infused drama belongs to Paul Kircher. The 22-year-old actor is phenomenal as Emilie, a 16-year-old outsider who discovers that, like his mom, he is transforming due to genetic mutations into part human/animal hybrid. Emilie, at first, joins others in trash talking about these creatures, until his body starts to change (the body horror sequences make you squirm). He hides his otherness from his dad (Duris) who gets a gig as a chef near a facility where his wife will be housed. But she, along with others — including a birdman that must be seen to be believed — break free and wreak havoc. Cailley’s engrossing award winner is surprisingly moving and concerns itself more with the themes the story brings than with the clashes between the two sides. While it is being released on video, it’s a visual masterpiece and should be seen in a movie theater. “Animal Kingdom” roars with intelligence and passion, reminding us of how humans can sometimes be the cruelest beasts of all. Details: 3½ stars, opens March 14 at the Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco; also available to rent online.

“One Life”: Films based on incredible true stories sometimes don’t fuss around with a variety of  cinematic techniques to relate what happened, preferring to tell it in a straightforward manner. That’s the approach director James Hawes and screenwriters Lucia Coxon and Nick Drake take in adapting the inspirational story of ordinary Londoner Sir Nicholas “Nicky” Winton (Anthony Hopkins) who accomplished something selfless and truly extraordinary by spearheading efforts before World War II broke out to transport via train mostly Jewish children from Prague to England. Using Barbara Winton’s book “If It’s Not Impossible …” as its springboard, “One Life” flashes back (to 1938 Prague) and forth (to 1988 England), with Johnny Flynn playing a younger version of Nicky, who was so committed to the cause he got his tenacious mom (Helena Bonham Carter) to assist in rescuing hundreds from Hitler’s chokehold on Europe. Nicky’s humility about the role he played in all of this is guaranteed to move you to tears, and if that doesn’t, the ending surely will. It certainly left me sobbing, and that’s a credit to Hopkins’ impeccable performance as well as Hawes’ sure-handed, straightforward direction. Details: 3 stars; in theaters March 15.

“Problemista”: Julio Torres’ quirky feature film debut sparkles as an uncynical character-driven tale about a 20-something El Salvadoran immigrant and aspiring toymaker trying to get a foothold in New York, but it’s really the hilarious odd-couple dynamics that make this an unforgettable delight. The “odd” person in question isn’t the efficient, deadpan Alejandro (Torres, absolutely adorable in the part) — even though his distinctive style of walking is mighty curious. That honor goes to scattered-beyond-belief art critic Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), a paranoid, delusional hothead who hires Alejandro — who needs a sponsor to gain citizen status — to perform a series of surreal tasks. Torres gifts Swinton with a frazzled but larger-than-life character and the Oscar-winning actor — one of the best in the business — makes the most of it. Torres is more or less the straight man, as Alejandro endures Elizabeth’s all-over-the-map lunacy. Details: 3 stars; in theaters now.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Will odds-on-favorite Christopher Nolan win his first director’s trophy?

Will “Killers of the Flower Moon’s” Lily Gladstone score a win and make Oscar history?

Will the telecast be more playful and less painful than this year’s Golden Globes?

Heck, we have as many questions as we did after watching “Anatomy of Fall.”

And the main question is this: Will the Academy toss viewers a surprise or two during its 96th Oscars presentation on March 10? We hope so, surprises are (usually) fun. The show starts at 4 p.m. — an hour earlier than usual — on ABC with late-night TV funnyman Jimmy Kimmel returning for a fourth time as host.

Many figure it’s a fait accompli that Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which amassed more nominations (13) than any other film, will continue its chain reaction and dominate Hollywood’s biggest night. Should it, though?

There are other vitally important issues that concern us, including:

• When, exactly, is Ryan Gosling performing “Barbie’s” Oscar-nominated song “I’m Just Ken”? (It better not be while we’re refreshing our Cosmos!)
• Will Messi, the 7-year-old border collie who stars in “Anatomy of a Fall,” be a presenter?
• Will East Bay filmmaker Sean Wang’s adorable grandmothers — who star in his nominated short documentary “Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó” — make an appearance up on stage should that film win?

We are glad to note the Academy has already answered another burning question: Yes, they are bringing back the routine — executed to great effect in 2009 — of having the five past winners in all four acting categories introduce the nominees in the performance categories this year.

In short, the ceremony needs to create some indelible moments this year to enliven what’s shaping up as a predictable yawner of an awards show, with few categories truly up for grabs.

In the meantime, here are our predictions for what/who will win Sunday night, and what/who should win.

Best picture

The nominees: “American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Barbie,” “The Holdovers,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Oppenheimer,” “Past Lives,” “Poor Things,” “The Zone of Interest”

What will win: This is hardly a Chiefs/49ers nail biter. Let’s shake it down anyway. “American Fiction” meted out stinging truths about a publishing industry that isn’t nearly as woke as it likes to think it is, and in the process made us laugh and cry over issues of race, sexuality and family. It’s good enough to score an upset — just not tonight. “Anatomy of a Fall” is a mystery that raises more questions than it answers, a no-no for Hollywood, which prefers resolution over opaqueness. “Barbie” transformed a Mattel doll into a feminist statement. It’s a clever concept and a clever movie, but it’s not enough to win. “The Holdovers” warmed hearts and souls, but will have to be satisfied with likely evolving into a holiday movie tradition. The laborious length of “Killers of the Flower Moon” (3 and … a … half … hours … ), not to mention Leonardo DiCaprio’s prosthetic teeth, gave us the fidgets. No one’s going to pick up the baton for “Maestro.” No one. “Past Lives” featured a subtle build with a gale-force emotional ending. Oscar prefers writ-large movies with more exclamation points. “Poor Things” is way too naughty and outside the box for the pious Oscar crowd. And “The Zone of Interest” is unlike any other movie, making it too nontraditional and nonconforming for the win. That leaves Christopher Nolan’s prestige title “Oppenheimer” sitting ever so pretty with a lock on the prize.

What should win: “The Zone of Interest.” Jonathan Glazer’s unique creation about a family that lives next door to Auschwitz is an unsettling classic in the making. It serves as a historical testament and a reminder that the mundanity of evil can make all of us complacent to, and complicit in, the horrors of mass cruelty. It’s a staggering work of genius. And it has almost no chance of winning.

Best actor

Nominees: Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”), Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”), Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction”), Bradley Cooper (“Maestro), Colman Domingo (“Rustin”)

Who will win: Giamatti turned a grousing prof with a lazy eye and some secrets into a joy to behold. But character actors playing everyday people — no matter how good they are — rarely snare an Oscar in the top acting categories. Wright brought his thespian skills and gravitas to his literary fussbudget role and it was a seamless performance. It could score an upset, but we doubt it. Cooper gave it his all but he wasn’t always on the nose with his portrayal of Leonard Bernstein take. (Too soon?) Without that electrifying turn from Domingo as a largely overlooked gay civil rights pioneer, “Rustin” would have been just an OK biopic. He’s dynamite, but the performance and film has no awards season traction going. So that leaves Murphy. As he’s known to do, he flung himself fully into the part of the enigmatic J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb. He was good, but he’s been better. Doesn’t matter. He’ll win.

Who should win: Wright. As an indignant and pompous author whose outrage lands him an accidental bestseller, Wright made a prickly character relatable, even likable.

Best actress

Nominees: Annette Bening (“Nyad”), Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”), Emma Stone (“Poor Things”)

Who will win: Bening dove into her role (even becoming quite the swimmer) to play the larger-than-life Diana Nyad. Expect her to feel the sting not from a nasty jellyfish, but from yet another loss come Oscar night (she’s already 0 for 4 on best actress nominations). Hüller delivered a deliciously ambiguous performance as the did-she-or-didn’t-she wife of a writer who has died in a mysterious fall. It’s way too nuanced to win. Mulligan played a spouse in love with a man who could never be entirely devoted to her. It was crushing to behold, but the movie was more preoccupied with its bigger moments than with fleshing out its characters — including hers. Stone’s already won an Oscar and that erodes her odds, even if her re-animated girl-to-woman Bella is a piece of physical and emotional acting brilliance. This will be Lily Gladstone’s night. She was the best thing about “Killers,” which was too preoccupied with its male characters. Another factor in her favor is a win would maker her the first Native American to take home the acting prize.

Who should win: Stone. Hers was one mad dervish of a performance that demonstrated an extraordinary commitment — even creating that funky walk and that weird diction. How Bella changes incrementally throughout the film makes for a performance for the ages. Stone, who won best actress for “La La Land,” has never been better.

Best Supporting Actor

The nominees: Sterling K. Brown (“American Fiction”), Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”),  Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”), Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”)

Who will win: Too many great performances (Charles Melton in “May December” and Willem Dafoe in “Poor Things”) received the cold shoulder from Oscar in this category. But let’s handicap what we’ve got. Brown did something extraordinary as a recently out gay man who’s burdened and burnt by a father’s scorn. Not gonna happen. De Niro channeled his past roles to play a crime boss who orchestrated the Osage Indian murders, and it wasn’t much of a stretch. Gosling was hilarious as clueless Ken, but it was simply a fun performance, not a great one. Ruffalo played a sleazebag ever so well, but he sounded the same note throughout. That leaves showstopper Downey Jr., who tore up the scenery as a duplicitous politician. (Isn’t that an oxymoron in this election year?)

Who should win: Downey Jr. Without that greatest showman on Earth’s performance, “Oppenheimer” would have deflated like a leaking balloon during the final lap. He kept us riveted.

Best Supporting Actress

Who will win: We love Blunt, but hers was one of the most underwritten female roles of last year. If Oprah can’t land an Oscar, don’t expect Danielle Brooks to stick that award landing for the same role. Ferrera delivered a feminist monologue that rallied audiences and elicited applause, but there wasn’t much else to her performance. Foster took the one-note role of a coach/former lover and swam laps around everyone else in the film. But she’s won before, and the competition out of the water here is too strong. This will be Randolph’s year. There was nothing half-baked about her tender performance as a cook and grieving mom trying to get through the holidays.

Who should win: Randolph. No contest. There was so much emotion in her every move.

Best Director

Nominees: Justine Triet (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Martin Scorsese (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer”), Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things”), Jonathan Glazer (“The Zone of Interest”)

Who will win: Triet’s “Anatomy” fan base keeps on expanding — just not enough. Scorsese’s been here 10 times before, even won once. But he won’t win here. Lanthimos choreographed a feminist Frankenstein tale with brilliant, so-alive madness, but his film’s too perverse for Oscar. Glazer gave us a real crawl-under-your-skin living nightmare filled with the sounds of violence. But his unique approach will probably disconnect with some voters. This is Nolan’s year. His “Oppenheimer” is a big movie about a game-changing event and person. He’s a shoo-in.

Who should win: Glazer. He created a movie unlike any other. There is no one else in this category that can claim the same, except for Lanthimos, and Glazer’s work was better.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandyt@gmail.com.

THE 96th ACADEMY AWARDS

When: 4 p.m. PST

Where: ABC, also streaming on ABC.com, Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV,  FuboTV, oscar.com

Host: Jimmy Kimmel

The results might have been better if the budget had made room for a more refined screenplay.

We don’t know how much producers spent on FX’s/Hulu’s new take on “Shōgun,” but we can see via our own eyes that it probably cost a bunch. And it was money well spent, given the source material.

Bookworms of a certain age know well that you didn’t merely read James Clavell’s epic 1975 novel, a 1,152-page classic, as much as you devoured it. Didn’t matter if you were going to work or school or on a hot date — all plans got shoved aside so you could power through this mesmerizing, multi-pronged narrative about a power struggle in 1660s Japan. The tale, based on a true story, brings two unlikely figures together — a wise but imperiled feudal lord and a brash, crass British pilot whose ship got washed ashore. They didn’t exactly strike up a let’s-do-brunch friendship, but learned to respect and learn from each other, and stare down enemies in the process.

Clavell was a masterful storyteller and this, his third novel, sold millions upon millions and then got turned into one of TV’s first “event” miniseries, airing on ABC in 1980. It starred “Seven Samurai’s” Toshiro Mifune and Richard Chamberlain, and the ratings shot through the Nielsen roof. That nine-hour series, along with the book itself and the ensuing computer games and even Broadway musical spurred, a deep dive into Japan’s fascinating and rich history, culture and lore.

Now, the husband-wife duo of Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo have created their own 10-episode interpretation of the durable Clavell classic (his daughter Michaela Clavell serves as an executive producer), and they’ve crafted something better, more daring and ferociously gripping than the popular 1980 version. They also showcase its Japanese cast first and foremost, rather than telling the story predominantly from a White man’s perspective. Most of the dialogue is spoken in Japanese with subtitles.

This version balances such jaw-dropping spectacles as an earthquake and a bloody cannonball attack with its story lines full of cultural clashes and multi-pronged political strategizing.

It is just as gripping as Clavell’s words, and is guaranteed to be one of the best limited series you’ll see this year.

The casting choices be much better, each actor is in perfect sync with the complicated people they are portraying. Hiroyuki Sanada gives a seamless understated performance as sage-like Yoshii Toranaga, the lord presiding over the Kanto Region and a ruler who is dangerously at odds with major players at Osaka Castle, including the cunning Ishido Kazunari (Takehiro Hira). Sanada is ingenious here, able to convey with just one glimmer in his eye a sentiment that would take most actors a protracted monologue to deliver. He’s magnificent.

When Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) — dubbed the Barbarian and later the Anjin (or pilot) — arrives after a distressed vessel deposits him on this new land, the ever-aware Toranaga seizes on the opportunity to reap the benefits of this hot head’s knowledge base. The impatient Blackthorne can’t understand or appreciate Japanese culture and rituals, a stance that softens once Toranaga assigns Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai) — who’s dealing with disgrace of her own along with a brute of a husband — as a translator.

Jarvis and Sawai wisely temper how their evolving connection develops, never revealing what we know is going on underneath. Jarvis previously co-starred in 2016’s “Lady Macbeth” and 2022’s “Persuasion” and continues to excel at being a fearless actor. He never soft pedals who Blackthorne is — an uncouth, short-fused blowhard — and still manages to make him likable. It’s a historically appropriate approach given how Blackthorne represents European ideals and actions, those at odds with Eastern ways of being. His Blackthorne is also resentful of what he sees as Jesuits interference and power plays. Sawai’s performance only deepens and intensifies as her backstory gets revealed. She’s stunning in the part, as are so many others in this vast Japanese cast.

“Shōgun” is a stirring and meaty historical series that matches its spectacle and scale with its emotion and intelligence as it ponders deep philosophical discussions about life, sacrifice, valor and death. It’s epic, in the very best way.

Details: 4 stars out of 4; episodes are 7 p.m. (PST) Tuesdays on FX with each episode available to stream on Hulu. Final episode drops April 23.

“Monolith”: Wily is the best word to describe Matt Vesely’s genre nonconformist, a brainy piece of work that fools you once then fools you again and again. Lily Sullivan is the only actor on-screen throughout its entirety, and she is riveting — and the major reason that the film actually works. She portrays a scandal-plagued journalist holed up at her parent’s posh, remote home in Australia. It’s there where she pursues a new podcast searching for answers or truths out of mysteries or unsolved phenomena. But can truth be subjective and shaped by the person investigating it? Those questions pop up as Sulllivan’s nameless looks into an anonymous email about a black brick. Is it tied to a conspiracy? Or something else? And will the “truth” – whatever that should be – win out? Lucy Campbell’s risky screenplay isn’t afraid to look at bigger pictures in an industrious indie that defies its genre conventions every step of the way. Sound designer Leigh Kenyon deserves special attention along with director of photography Michael Tessari.

Details: 3 stars, available to rent now.

Find of the week

“Trust:” A matriarch’s suicide reunites three neurotic siblings for an awkward funeral and then the reading of a shocker of a will. The brief amount of time that nursing student Kate (co-writer Jennifer Levinson) spends with recovering alcoholic Josh (Heston Horwin) and hypochondriac diva Trini (Kate Spare) — the trust’s executor — is for the best since these meet-ups only collapse into bitter screaming matches. Director/co-writer Almog Avidan Antonir’s debut feature, receiving a world premiere, does cover familiar terrain but “Trust” sports a fearless attitude and is never dismissive about the issues at hand or the festering problems this family and its disowned father (Linden Ashby) have failed to work through. The cast is first-rate in this gutsy indie with a strong message about how it sometimes is best to uproot from a dysfunctional family tree in order to maintain your own sanity.

Details: 3 stars; available to rent or stream on Apple TV,  Amazon, Vudu, Google Play, YouTube Movies and more.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Not a football fan? You’re in luck. “The Monk and the Gun,” “Disco Boy” and “Out of Darkness” are three worthwhile alternatives along with our find of the week, which centers its action in a car trunk.

Say what? Read on.

“Tracker”: Any series that debuts after the Super Bowl needs to avoid two things: being too brainy, and being too dumb. Creator Ben H. Winters doesn’t fumble with “Tracker,” but he doesn’t necessarily score a TD — it’s more like a tie-it-up field goal. Justin Hartley makes for a likable lead as Colter Shaw, a dreamy outdoors loner freelancing his survivalist instinct services to two endearing dog-loving bosses and couple (Robin Weigert and Abby McEnany). Colter is the equivalent of a human bloodhound sent out to sniff out missing miscreants. He’s also one elusive brooder, haunted by traumatic family events from his youth. Author Jeffery Deaver’s novel “The Never Game” inspired all of it and the material offers ripe opportunities to capitalize on the beauty and treachery of the outdoors — in between gratuitous shirtless shots of an extra-fit Hartley. Both are welcome sights. Is this great TV? Oh, no.  But it is undemanding, enjoyable, and has potential for further development. It’s easy on the brain and, oh yes, the eyes. Which kind of makes it perfect post Super Bowl viewing: Details: 2½ stars out of 4; debuts after Super Bowl LVII on CBS.

“The Monk and the Gun’: Bhutanese filmmaker Pawo Choyning Dorji follows up his lovely Oscar-nominated “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” with another beauty set in his homeland. Like “Lunana,” “The Monk and the Gun” features meditative views of the unspoiled Himalayan kingdom and also serves up a heartwarming slice of Bhutan life. It’s a more complicated and satisfying story than “Lunana,” and centers on the ramping up of a mock election after the country’s beloved King in 2008 stepped down to give citizens the right to vote. In the midst of this unpopular move, a concerned lama (Kelsang Choejey) requests that his disciple Tashi (Tandin Wangchuk) find two guns before the full moon rises. For what purpose? No one knows. Tashi’s path crosses with an American gun collector (Harry Einhorn), a meet-up that accentuates the cultural clash between America’s capitalist views and Bhutan’s pursuit for interior enrichment. “The Monk and the Gun” delivers a gentle caress of a message that’s quietly delivered, but holds power in this volatile American election year. Details: 3½ stars; in theaters Feb. 9.

“Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó”: Fremont filmmaker Sean Wang’s Oscar-nominated documentary short (around 17 minutes) is a tender kiss to not only his adorable maternal and paternal grandmothers, now roomies, but to everyone’s grandparents, alive or passed on. Wang’s playful, heartwarming style — used to full effect in his award-winning feature-length debut “Dìdi,” which just got scooped up for distribution by Focus Features — conveys so much joy and love, you’ll fall in love with it. Wang takes a fly-on-the-wall approach to observe these delightful Fremont grandmothers — horsing around, throwing shade about one’s frequent flatulence (they share the same bed), organizing shoes and even playing dress up. In their 80s and 90s, both women also reflect on their tough times growing up and how they prevailed and are now ready to just have fun and enjoy the time they can spend with their grandson. “Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó” puts a gigantic smile on your face and a boulder-sized lump in your throat. (P.S.: Do watch the extra scene showing their reaction to the Oscar nomination announcement. It’s priceless.) Details: 4 stars; drops Feb. 9 on Disney+ as part of its “People & Places” series.

“Disco Boy”: In both its visual style and storytelling sense, director Giacomo Abbruzzese’s debut feature mesmerizes from beginning to end. It’s an incredible filmmaking debut, and an unpredictable one as well, in which Franz Rogowski continues to prove he’s one of this generation’s most intriguing actors. Here, he stares into that guilty heart of darkness as Belarusian immigrant Aleksei, who enters the French Foreign Legion after a tragic incident. Aleksei’s time in the barracks and in training get intercut with the story of a Nigerian brother (Morr Ndiaye) and sister (Laetitia Ky) ]rebelling against what’s happening on the Niger Delta, a land relentlessly stripped of its resources and minerals by various countries. When Aleskei’s world collides with theirs, it disrupts the fabric of everyone’s existence, leading to a surreal, haunting finale that’s as fitting as it is indefinite. Details: 3½ stars; in select theaters Feb. 9.

“Out of Darkness”: The often baseless fear of the unknown and the “other” serves Andrew Cumming’s debut well in this creepy, atmospheric horror/thriller set 45,000 years ago when six journeyers arrive on unforgiving land. Ruth Greenberg’s screenplay does a fine job of illustrating the plight of refugees and the misguidedness of colonizers, a message that takes shape after Adem (Chuku Modu), the clan’s brutish leader, has his 11-year-old son Heron snatched in the dark. He and others, including a “stray” to the clan (Safia Oakley-Green) and the empathetic Geirr (Kit Young), risk all to find him. Tense throughout, “Darkness” focuses on the the darkness in human souls rather than imagined creatures of the night, making it all that more disturbing, and — of course — relevant. Details: 3 stars; opens Feb. 9 at area theaters.

“Suncoast”: Director/screenwriter Laura Chinn’s deeply personal first feature fictionalizes a painful period in her life when her unresponsive brother, who had terminal brain cancer, got relocated to a Florida hospice care facility for the final phase of his life. Chinn’s film toggles between the anguish that envelopes mother and daughter and the developments of a routine coming-of-age story. But the two don’t mix all that well. It is the cast — in particular Nico Parker as conflicted teen Doris, who wants to enjoy high school but cares for her brother while supporting her tightly coiled mother (Laura Linney) — that distinguishes it. Woody Harrelson is well cast as Doris’s new friend Paul, a protestor grieving the loss of his wife. Paul is camping outside of the hospice where Terri Schiavo — the lighting rod in the right-to-die debate in 2005 — is staying and creating a media firestorm. The Schiavo references, unfortunately, lack context. When “Suncoast” focuses on Doris and her emotionally brittle mom — Linney makes you feel the panicky fear of a mother about to lose her child — it’s heartbreaking, and is at its best. Details: 2½ stars; available to stream Feb. 9 on Hulu.

Find of the week

“Trunk (Locked In)”: An entire thriller constructed on the premise of a desperate woman trapped in a car trunk sounds like it would run out of gas well before it reaches its final destination. Guess again. Director and screenwriter Marc Schiesser’s claustrophobic film never hits the brakes as 28-year-old Malina (Sina Martens) comes up with industrious ways to figure out who is the driver and how to get out of an impossible situation. Oh, it’s preposterous, but there are enough unexpected turns in the plot to keep you guessing as you bite those nails down to the quick. Details: 3 stars; available now on Amazon Prime.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Those are the scenarios of two different series that are worth checking out this week, along with an animated gem that takes place in San Francisco.

Here’s our roundup.

“FEUD: Capote Vs. The Swans”: What’s astonishing about the remarkable second installment in Ryan Murphy’s “FEUD” series re-creating infamous celebrity scuffles is that it can be enjoyed on two levels. First, relish it for being a bitchy, all-claws-out catfight between a pack of gorgeous ‘60s New York high society women and the boozed-up but brilliant writer who betrayed their trust and confidence. And secondly, and more seriously, enjoy it as a critical overview of how the patriarchal culture of that time put a stranglehold on both women and gay men. That’s part of the beauty of executive producer Murphy’s exquisitely detailed (the elegant wardrobes, the majestic, Aqua Netted hairstyles and the priceless decorating choices) eight-part series detailing this nasty friends-to-enemies split between celebrated, often inebriated “In Cold Blood” author Truman Capote (Tom Hollander, whose performance is dead perfect) and his four “swans” — Babe Paley (Naomi Watts), Slim Keith (Diane Lane), C.Z. Guest (Chloë Sevigny) and Lee Radziwill (Calista Flockhart). Each had drunk up Capote’s cutting observations and entertaining ways then treated him like he was (gasp) costume jewelry once a thinly veiled excerpt from his upcoming (but never published) novel “Answered Prayers” exposed their unhappy lives with unfaithful men. Once they read it in “Esquire,” the boxing gloves came on, replacing the stylish hand gloves they never left home without.

The material could have resulted in pure caricature, but this classy production avoids being crass, shallow and sensational, even with its supporting characters, including Demi Moore’s tragic, rejected Ann “Bang-Bang” Woodward — who always sat outside of the circle and wasn’t invited to the table for those delicate, heavily wined lunches — as well as loyal Truman chum Joanna Carson (Molly Ringwald); Truman’s abusive hunk of a married-then-divorced boyfriend John O’Shea (Russell Tovey); Truman’s prickly, often unbearable specter of an unstable mother (Jessica Lange); and Truman’s perhaps too-loyal confidante who would peel the drunk off the floor when no one else would, Jack Dunphy (Joe Mantello). The late Treat Williams also is strong as CBS powerbroker Bill Paley.

They all deliver great performances, not merely good ones, with the award-worthy ones coming from Hollander, Watts (handling a tough part that encompasses Babe processing that she has a terminal illness), a stealthy Lane, Sevigny as the more forgiving (to a point) Guest, and Flockhart, whose bite and bark has venom to it. What a welcome return to form for Flockhart.

They’re aided by talent behind the camera. Six out of the eight episodes are directed by the Oscar-nominated Gus Van Sant, and the “Milk” director draws the best  out of his cast, including a brittle, appropriately desperate turn from Moore.

It does help that the script from screenwriter/playwright Jon Robin Baitz takes care in bringing each character to life, and gives each of the women showcase scenes. Adapted from Laurence Leamer’s “Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era,” Baitz’s screenplay is filled with put-downs and slams. But it also flings open a window to the series’ central theme –  brought home in the final episode — whether this particular dust-up could only have played out in a different era. The question remains: Could it? Series TV doesn’t get much better than this. Details: 4 stars out of 4; two episodes drop at 10 p.m. Jan. 31 on FX, and will be available Feb. 1 on Hulu, with episodes dropping every week after.

“Genius: MLK/X”: A new series that debuts this week, just in time for Black History Month, shouldn’t be missed. “Genius: MLK/X,” National Geographic’s fourth installment in he “Genius” series, interweaves the lives of two iconic Black civil rights pioneers – Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre).

A wise move by showrunners Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Macedon in depicting these accomplished leaders — both complicated and human — is to elevate the presence, influence and consul of their wives, Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson). It makes this engrossing series all the better. Harrison Jr., one of our best younger actors, taps into King Jr. ‘s vulnerability along with his political and oratory skills. But it is Pierre’s intenseness that you won’t forget. His Malcolm X is stoic and serious, a man dedicated to Islam and to a cause as he realizes shortly after a stint behind bars that the American prison system is dangerously broken and is designed to set the Black man up to fail.

By giving more weight to the personal side of the men’s lives and what Coretta and Betty contributed to the movement makes “MLK/X” one of the more well-rounded personal portraits of each. Details: Three stars; first of eight episodes debuts today on Nat Geo and streams on Hulu Disney+ beginning Feb. 2; with new episode released every week through Feb. 22.

“The Tourist”: Really, now. Who could resist a sun-backed neo noir set in the Outback that’s filled with quirky characters and features Jamie Dornan as an Irish amnesiac piecing together who the hell he really is and what led him to the mess he’s in?  I can’t, even if this six-part series (a second season drops Feb. 29) doesn’t always hit its mark. True to noir form, it’s pumped up on twists, weirdos and bloodshed. Elliot (Dornan) crosses paths with many people who could be associated with his past, but my favorite character is the hip, downright adorable probation officer Helen (Danielle Macdonald, who will steal your heart) who is stuck in a relationship with her controlling tool of a fiancé (Greg Larsen). While “The Tourist” samples from the same trough as “Fargo” and even, at times, “Pulp Fiction,” it’s still a hog-heaven meal all to its own thanks in large part to  Dornan and Macdonald. If it sounds familiar, it aired previously on BBC One and HBO Max. Now it’s on Netflix. Details: 3 stars; all six episodes drop Feb. 1 on Netflix.

“The Tiger’s Apprentice”: San Francisco-born author Laurence Yep’s 2003 fantasy novel serves as the basis for this lively animated feature set in San Francisco and centered on Chinese American 15-year-old Tony (Soo Hoo) who realizes he comes from a family with mystical powers tied to protecting the Chinese zodiac. The animation is less surefooted at the start in a prologue set in Hong Kong, but it quickly improves when the action shifts to San Francisco, gloriously re-created. The vocal cast is mighty impressive and includes the ever-busy Michelle Yeoh — wicked as a villainous character — “Crazy Rich Asians’” Henry Golding as a comedic tiger that springs to life from the zodiac, as well as Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Bowen Yang and Greta Lee. Originally slated for a theatrical release, this one got bounced to Paramount+. That’s great for parents, in particular Asian American parents, looking for a fun family feature that celebrates culture. But this feature would have been perfect viewing on the big screen. Details: 3 stars; drops Feb. 2 on Paramount+.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

Which ones should you spend time on? Read on.

“Masters of the Air”: Everything about Apple TV+’s big-budget World War II epic (the Hollywood Reporter estimates its budget at $250 million, but who’s counting?) shouts from the heavens it’s a prestige title, from the glossy, overly produced opening credits that ramble on way too long to the handsomely mounted period details and on to its A-list cast (Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Barry Keoghan) and galvanizing soundtrack.

For the most part, however, the nine-part series executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman stays airborne and air tight. Creators John Orloff and John Shiban adapt author Donald L. Miller’s 2006 gripping account of the 100th Bomb Group, cataloging their antics, bonds, travails, aerial battles, heroics and even their love lives.

The airmen were integral in critical attacks on Germany, but as Orloff’s well-crafted screenplay relates, the derring-do came at a terribly high cost — as round after round of fresh-faced men came in to replace those killed or missing. The endless cycle of sending airmen out on often impossible missions is where “Masters of the Air” — helmed with vigor by directors such as Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, the scandal-plagued Cary Joji Fukunaga, Dee Rees and Tim Van Patten — soars, honoring both the memories of men who paid the ultimate sacrifice as well as the airmen who endured as POWs (depicted well in later episodes, even though though hair styles remain a little too gelled and perfect).

The first episode sets you up for a nostalgic dive, but that romanticized sentimentality dies quickly thereafter, once the air attacks begins. Where “Masters of the Air” assumes full command – and also uses up much of that massive budget – is during the intense dogfight scenes, bloody, harrowing visual spectacles that are breathtaking marvels of taut editing and seamless special effects. They rival much of what you will see in a movie theater.

The cast is notable, too, including some of today’s best, most recognizable actors. Butler and Turner (“The Boys in the Boat”) are ostensibly the central characters, two buddies — of vastly different temperaments — who have similar names and a real appreciation for each other. Both actors emanate the old-school charisma that such iconic actors as Clark Gable and Kirk Douglas had during the golden age of war pictures, with each actor taking ownership of the screen whenever they appear on it. Other actors deserve commendation, including Sawyer Spielberg (Steven’s son) and Raff Law (Jude Law’s son) — both doing their relatives proud, in particular Spielberg who, as Lt. Roy Frank Claytor, handles one of the most difficult scenes in the final episode with the ideal touch. But the clear standout is Anthony Boyle as Major Crosby, the 100th group navigator who gets involved with an intriguing love interest (we’ll say no more on that). Another bonus is how the series shows the crucial role that the Tuskegee Airmen played, a subject that could have been even further fleshed out.

While “Masters of the Air” will get compared to HBO’s “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific,” it stands on its own, even if it doesn’t as often reach the same dramatic heights. Regardless, it’s a polished and well-crafted epic that earns its wings as well as your respect, and undoubtedly will leave you with a big lump in your throat. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; first two episodes out Jan. 26 with one additional episode dropping every Friday through March 15.

“Griselda”: Make room, Sonny Corleone, Tony Montana and Tony Soprano. There’s a new lethal kingpin staking a claim on your entertainment turf. And this mama bear is as calculating and venomous — maybe even more so — than any of you guys. This limited series details, in six gory, fast-and-furious episodes, the ascendancy of real-life drug-runner Griselda Blanco (“Modern Family’s” Sofia Vergara). And you won’t be able to stop watching. The often brutal period-perfect series hails from the showrunners of “Narcos” and “Narcos: Mexico” and they know what they’re doing. But the screen belongs to Vergara — also an executive producer here — who owns this role of a cold-blooded and shrewd ‘70s-’80s upstart businesswoman. After a bloody incident in Colombia, Griselda jets off with the kids to Miami where she strategically builds a drug empire, launched with one kilo of coke. Dubbed The Godmother, Griselda starts leaving a trail of bodies, often without heads, wherever she treads. She catches the dogged scent of another strong woman who’s pushing the boundaries in a guy-dominant world, Miami PD’s June Hawkins (Juliana Aiden Martinez). Before too long, Griselda makes almost everyone’s life a nightmare, including her bodyguard/lover Dario Sepulveda (Alberto Guerra, in a breakout performance). “Griselda” is at its best when it makes us feel like we’re back in the coke-snorting high-low times of Miami. Directed by Andrés Baiz, the series nails the tunes, the clothing, and the nightlife of its time. In the end, “Griselda” doesn’t necessarily elevate the bar for drug-running dramas — except for Vergara’s performance, Knut Loewe’s exceptional production design and the dead-on costume designs and hairstyles. But its mission is accomplished with such ferocity and clarity of purpose. Dig out that old pair of angels flight pants and just enjoy. Details: 3 stars; now available on Netflix.

“Sexy Beast”: Fans of Jonathan Glazer’s near-perfect 2000 character-driven crime story — the English filmmaker’s first film — can breathe a sigh of relief. Paramount+’s prequel does a bang-up job (or would that be a kiss-kiss-bang-bang job?) in creating younger versions of those memorable English criminals — Gal Dove, Don Logan and Teddy Bass. Showrunner Michael Caleo re-creates a place and time — ‘90s East London — with confidence and style. But there’s a lot of substance in this glimpse at the early years of small-time thieves and lifelong pals and drinking buddies Gal (James McArdle, ideally cast and sexy, too) and and the volatile Don (Emun Elliott). Whereas Glazer’s film focused on Gal coming out of retirement, the series puts him and Don on a crash course with a vicious sexual predator and gangster, Teddy Bass (Stephen Moyer in a freaky, depraved performance). Gal and Don want in on the big time and that door opens via Teddy.  But they have to contend with prickly family matters. For Gal that means getting hitched just when porn star Deedee Harrison (a searing Sarah Greene) enters his life. Meanwhile, traumatized Don deals with his conniving, manipulative sister (Tamsin Greig, playing a viper in every way) at the arcade she runs. Unlike other series, “Sexy Beast” never feels like it’s overstaying its welcome, even at eight episodes, as it feeds in backstory and psychological details that we all but gulp down in voyeuristic fascination. It’s one of the biggest surprises of this new year. Details: 3½ stars; three episodes drop Jan. 25 on Paramount+.

Find of the Week

“Fireworks”: While it’s too long, director and co-screenwriter Giuseppe Fiorello’s drama based on a violent act that fueled Italy’s gay rights movement in 1981 is a heartbreaker that becomes more devastating as it leads to its fateful conclusion. A small town in Sicily becomes a hostile environment for Gianni (Samuele Segreto), a gay 17-year-old who is relentlessly bullied. He develops a friendship that later blossoms into something more with Nino (Gabriele Pizzurro) after a minor bike-car encounter. Fiorello shows the contrast between the two youths’ families and then the crushing similarities once their relationship is revealed. “Fireworks” has the look and feel of inevitable sadness and a collective call for an end to LGBTQ hatred. Details: 3 stars; available to rent now.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

“Origin” tops our list of must-see releases, along with an intense standoff in space and a family drama set next door to a Nazi death camp.

Here’s our roundup.

“Origin”: Ava DuVernay accomplishes the impossible, adapting Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist/author Isabel Wilkerson’s uncinematic book, “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent.” It’s a hefty tome that postulates the root of oppression is tied not to skin color nor creed but to a global caste system that anoints a select group to be superior over all. From this hefty thesis DuVernay delivers an intellectually stimulating, emotionally gratifying film swirling with ideas. It’s a screenwriting and directorial triumph for the visionary filmmaker of “Selma.” Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor turns in an impassioned performance as Wilkerson, an accomplished writer who reluctantly embarks on a research mission as she’s reeling from a one-two punch of family tragedies. DuVernay’s screenplay crackles with brainy, kinetic energy and generates complex, substantial conversations that put lightning into Wilkerson’s theory. She also devotes equal time to making Wilkerson, beautifully played by Ellis-Taylor, a multi-dimensional person struggling with the heft of history and a sudden burden of grief.

Through historical flashbacks and research trips that jet Wilkerson to Germany and India, along with enlightening talks with loved ones, Wilkerson pieces together a convincing argument that opens the window to looking at race and oppression of others into a thought-provoking new way. DuVernay’s film will make your heart ache in the process, as will Jon Bernthal’s tender performance as Wilkerson’s husband. This is exciting, challenging filmmaking that works on every emotional and intellectual level. What a shame “Origin” hasn’t gained traction in this year’s Oscar conversation. It more than deserves to be right alongside other contenders bucking for that best picture prize. Details: 4 stars out of 4; opens Jan. 19 in Bay Area theaters.

“The Zone of Interest”: Jonathan Glazer’s latest ambitious feature — the best film of 2023 – defies categorization and convention. It gives us a front-row seat to the comings-and-goings and daily routines of a high-ranking German couple and their spawn. The difference here is that the year is 1943, and the patriarch of the family is Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), commandant of the notorious Nazi death camp, Auschwitz, which borders the family’s sprawling estate. Glazer loosely adapts Martin Amis’ 2014 novel and has created a silent scream on the mundanity of evil, and how tasks performed within our own zones of interest — perhaps advancing one’s career or gaining power and influence — can make being responsible for the massacre of a million people seem like just another stepping stone in one’s career. Friedel and Sandra Hüller, as his aggressively ambitious wife, wear their masks of evil chillingly well. “The Zone of Interest” is a unique cinematic experience (the sounds issuing from Auschwitz are almost a supporting performance, and will haunt you forever) that all but demands it be viewed in one sustained gulp in a theater, not at home. I’ve seen it twice and will see it again, not only being astonished by the craftsmanship displayed in every scene but for its timeless warning that sadly will never grow outdated. It’s brilliant. Details: 4 stars; in theaters now.

“I.S.S.”: If you come to Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s thoughtful “what if” space movie anticipating a pure adrenaline ride that’s bereft of ideas, get an E-ticket to a different destination. That’s because the director of “Blackfish” and “Megan Leavey,” along with screenwriter Nick Shafir, venture beyond standard sci-fi tropes to convey a dire warning about our paranoia of “the other.” Don’t get me wrong. This “trapped door” space odyssey is no slouch in the suspense department as six International Space Station cosmonauts – three Americans, three Russians – face orders from their governments to take over I.S.S. by any means necessary after war breaks out on Earth. The sharp-edged premise makes its bloody point well while the cast headed by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose and Chris Messina make us care about what happens in space and on the ground. Details: 3 stars; opens Jan. 19 in area theaters.

“The Beekeeper”: There’s something cathartic and downright therapeutic about seeing Jason Statham as a retired operative kick the living daylights out of hackers preying on an older generation. Screenwriter/director David Ayer relishes in going wildly over the top in preposterous ways, amping up the violence to ridiculous extremes and never allowing the audience to come up for air. It’s a classic B-movie (get it?) steeped in tortured bee metaphors that’ll make you chuckle and action set pieces that’ll have you cheering. Everyone in the cast cranks up the hamminess to delirious levels, from Josh Hutcherson as an annoying coke-snorting rich brat who’s the ringleader of the online hoodwinking scams and Oscar winner Jeremy Irons as a total tool who runs security for said brat. Much of it is illogical, preposterous over-the-top ridiculous, which is what makes it such a guilty pleasure and one of Statham’s and Ayer’s best films. We can only hope there’s a whole colony of “Beekeeper” movies in the future. Details: 3 stars; in theaters now.

Find of the week

“Driving Madeline”: Sometimes that weathered adage about looks being deceiving does prove out. In its opening moments, one might assume this drama centered on 92-year-old Madeleine’s (Line Renaud) taxi ride with driver Charles (Dany Boon) through Paris will be a ham-fisted tearjerker. But this much more ambitious than a pull-on-the-heartstrings road trip. Christian Carion’s seventh feature steers clear of hackneyed tropes, alternating between jarring flashbacks of Madeleine’s hard domestic younger years and those intimate conversations between this unlikely duo who form a bond as the day shifts into night. “Madeleine” is a showcase for its two leads; both are exceptional. So is the film, which gently reminds us to feel compassion for others since we never quite know where another person has been or where they might be going. Details: 3 stars; opens Jan. 19 at select theaters.

“Hazbin Hotel”: Amazon Prime’s raucous, raunchy new series is certain to be one of the hottest animated comedies of the season. It takes place in a hotel in hell (you read that right) run by a do-gooding princess tinkering with a plan to help guests earn their wings in order to augment the overpopulation problems plaguing damnation. It’s a hilarious premise, and originated as a 2019 YouTube pilot from creator Vivienne Medrano that garnered more than 92 million views. Each outlandish episode is filled with wicked wit and even busts out with a bit of song and dance.  A revolving team of guest voices descend to these fiery pits of what will likely turn into a cult sensation. Details: 3 stars; drops Jan. 19 on Amazon Prime.

“The Woman in the Wall”: The nondescript title suggests creator Joe Murtagh’s six-part BBC One series (releasing on Showtime and Paramount+) will be another routine domestic thriller, a hazy mystery along the lines of “The Woman in the Window.” While there are conventional elements tossed in here and there and a few comedic moments, this one’s shooting for bigger fish, focused on Lorna (Ruth Wilson), an outcast in a small Irish village that time forgot as she confronts more trauma in the wake of the abusive time spent when she was younger at a fictional convent that’s part of the Magdalene Laundries. A well-known priest’s murder sets off an investigation headed by a Belfast detective (Daryl McCormack of “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”) who also has childhood ties to the church and the dead man. Shortly thereafter, the prone-to sleepwalking Lorna wakes up after a night of drinking and bad behavior and finds a body of a woman in her house. Although “The Woman in the Wall” relies too often on coincidences, it’s a compulsively watchable series with a volcanic performance by Wilson and another appealing one from McCormack. Details: 3 stars; available on streaming and On Demand Jan. 19 for Paramount+ subscribers with Showtime and then releasing Jan. 21 on Paramount+ with Showtime.

“Death and Other Details”: This Hulu mystery series set on a ritzy cruise liner containing obnoxious rich folk will float the boat of any Agatha Christie fan, especially those wishing there was some sex, kinky and otherwise, going on below decks. Showrunners Mike Weiss and Heidi Cole McAdams don’t go overboard in that department as the so-called “world’s greatest detective” Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin) joins sleuthing forces with someone who absolutely detests him, a hanger-on to a wealthy family on board, Imogene Scott (Violett Beane). The estranged duo crossed paths when Rufus was investigating the murder of Imogene’s mother and failed to nab the killer. That crime surfaces again as all sorts of sordid shenanigans — blackmail, dirty business takeovers and so on — go down once Rufus’ loyal assistant winds up dead with a harpoon in his chest. More get slain and there are many seaworthy suspects in this engaging if overextended mystery (eight episodes would have been fine), which benefits from fine deductive interplay between Patinkin and Beane — who should become a star. Hulu only made eight of the 10 episodes available to watch, and the series picks up steam as it proceeds. Details: 2½ stars; two episodes available now with one episode dropping each Tuesday through March 5.

“The Settlers”: At the turn of the 20th century on Tierra del Fuego, three men — a Texas braggart (Benjamin Westfall), an out-of-his-league Scottish officer (Mark Stanley) and a wary mixed-race tracker (Camilo Arancibia) — embark on a journey at the behest of a corrupt landowner to pinpoint the best route for transporting cattle. That synopsis sounds like this is nothing more than a John Ford/Sergio Leone homage, but Chile’s Oscar submission for best international film corrals bigger ideas, with director/co-screenwriter Felipe Galvez Haberle’s debut exposing colonization’s inherent nastiness. Details: 3½ stars; opens Jan. 19 at the Roxie in San Francisco.

“The Teachers’ Lounge”: A bad situation only worsens hour by ticking hour for principled teacher Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch) in director Ilker Çatak’s beyond-intense feature, Germany’s short-listed Oscar entry for best international feature. A seemingly minor theft observed by Carla in the teachers’ lounge snowballs into an ethical avalanche, uprooting educators, parents and students. Çatak puts Benesch through the acting wringer in one of the year’s most propulsive, nerve-rattling dramas you’ll see this year. Not for one second does this film lag. Details: 3½ stars; now in select theaters.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.

“True Detective: Night Country”: The fourth installment in the praised but uneven neo-noir HBO series plunges watchers deep into the murky seasonal darkness of frostbitten Ennis, Alaska, a hardscrabble spot where iron-willed detective Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) don the bulkiest of parkas while they probe the bizarre disappearance of eight male scientists working at a remote research center. The investigation leads the tenacious women, each of whom is combating their own demons, down one of the most macabre paths that this venerable series has ever trekked as it dredges up a savage unsolved murder of an activist. The groundwork paves a return to form for “True Detective” in a season that’s as bold and original as the first one with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey.

Showrunner/co-writer/director and executive producer Issa López (“Tigers Are Not Afraid”) deserves the credit for putting the series back on track. She evocatively and authentically re-creates what life is like for the hardened inhabitants of this rugged fictional town where mysticism holds just as much weight, sometimes more, as deductive reasoning. True to her horror roots,  López coats “Detective” with a supernatural veneer, which is applied with a measured hand throughout all six of its handwringing, eerie episodes. (There’s a brief, clever tip of the hat to John Carpenter’s “The Thing” in Episode 1; watch for it.)

López is enabled in her efforts by two strong female protagonists (a first in this male-dominated series) played well by her two stars, and a stellar supporting cast. And what a pleasure it is to watch Foster in action again, a gifted actor who expresses a cluster of moods with a blinkable glance and the smallest of gestures. She crawls into the raw psyche of Liz, a real survivor who’s harshly judged by townsfolk for her sexual appetites. Reis is her equal in every way. The former boxer struck like a viper in her debut in 2021’s “Catch the Fair One” (rent it) and again taps into a roiling turmoil for another visceral, rage-stuffed performance. Other standouts include durable John Hawkes as Hank, a shifty detective that Liz works with; and Finn Bennett as Hank’s do-gooding son who is Liz’s badgered but tireless deputy.

Their acting fireworks mirror the combustible nature of “True Detective’s” satisfyingly twist-filled narrative that goes beyond an average murder mystery and its resolution. As with all the “True Detective” series, this is an atmospheric mood piece that pries open what lies festering underneath the darkest of human nature and possibility. Details: 4 stars out of 4; first episode drops Jan. 14 on HBO and will be available on Max with an episode dropping Sunday until Feb. 18.

“Echo”: With its first American Indian-focused action series on Disney+, Marvel Universe regains the storytelling grip that’s been absent from many of its big-screen projects. This mature-themed (there’s violence and profanity) five-parter centers on the badass Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma first introduced on “Hawkeye” opposite Jeremy Renner, who makes a welcome guest appearance along with Daredevil (Charlie Cox). Maya, who is deaf and has a prosthetic leg, is fueled by vengeance since she lost her mother as a child in a horrific car accident that she feels responsible for, making her an anti-hero with a backstory and legacy (she has visions linked to events from American Indians past) Her move from Oklahoma to New York finds her crossing paths with one of the best Earthbound Marvel villains — Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio, playing it, wisely, to the rafters).  After a bloody showdown in New York, Maya hops on her motorcycle and returns to her childhood home of Tamaha, where she reconnects with her skating rink-owner uncle Henry “Black Crow” Lopez (Chaske Spencer, in a standout performance), her estranged grandma (Tantoo Cardinal), her hilarious cousin Biscuits (Cody Lightning), a lovable shop owner (Graham Greene, running away with the series in his mostly comedic scenes), and eventually her cousin Bonnie (Devery Jacobs). “Dark Winds’” Zahn McClarnon appears briefly in the critical role of Maya’s dad. Disney+ made only three episodes available for review, and they speed by and feature some great action sequences along with some good and some mediocre special effects. What distinguishes this is how it opens a window into American Indian culture and heritage while telling a brisk, exciting mystery that steers Disney+ to a new horizon of not only more complicated and edgier storytelling but one told from an often overlooked perspective. Details: 3 stars; all five episodes now available on Disney+.

Find of the week

“The Zone of Interest”: Jonathan Glazer’s latest ambitious feature – the best film of 2024 – defies categorization and convention. It gives us a front-row seat to the comings-and-goings and daily routines of a high-ranking German couple and their spawn. The difference here is that the time is 1943, and the father of Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), commandant of the Jewish-killing machine, Auschwitz, borders the family’s sprawling estate. Glazer loosely adapts Martin Amis’s 2014 novel and has created a silent scream on how the ordinariness of evil where rote tasks performed within our own zones of interest – perhaps advancing in one’s career or just getting ahead and gaining power – can make being responsible for the massacre of a million people seem like just another assignment, even stepping stone in one’s career.  Friedel and Sandra Hüller, as his aggressively ambitious wife, wear their masks of evil chillingly well. “The Zone of Interest” is a unique cinematic experience (the sounds issuing from Auschwitz are almost a supporting performance, and will haunt you forever) that all but demands it be seen in one sustained gulp in a theater, not at home. I’ve seen it twice and will see it again, not only being astonished by the craftsmanship displayed in every scene but for its timeless warning that resonates now and, sadly, forever. It’s brilliant. Details: 4 stars; in theaters Jan. 12.

“Criminal Record”: A battle of wits between two detectives ensues after a desperate, anonymous emergency phone call pins the blame of a grisly murder on someone other than the convicted Black man behind bars. That’s the premise of Apple TV+’s polished and perfectly tuned eight-part vehicle that’s far more ambitious than what it sounds like. Series creator Paul Rutman (“Vera”) balances the mystery/thriller aspects with a character-driven story that bristles with point-blank observations about racism and sexism which then turns into a tug of war between two detectives — the up-and-coming biracial Detective Sergeant June Lenker (Cush Jumbo) and veteran Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Hegarty (Peter Capaldi). She kicks it new school, he kicks it old, and it does get personal. It also gets political and uncovers dirty deeds and issues that aren’t always clear cut. “Criminal Record” builds on the tension and offers more than a meticulous procedural as it exposes a legacy of layered coverups while exploring the emotional frailties of these two unlike but smart characters. Both Jumbo and Capaldi give extraordinary performances in a series that digs deep into the complicated home lives of both. “Criminal Record” deserves to become a hit and here’s hoping for a second season. Details: 3½; first two episodes drop Jan. 10 with a new episode following every week through Feb. 21.

“Monsieur Spade”: Everyone needs a change of scenery now and then. Dashiell Hammett’s iconic San Francisco-based detective Sam Spade gets that and a bunch of nun corpses in this intricate six-part brain-twister from AMC. In the opening episode, Spade, portrayed with a vintage wink and deadpan wit by Clive Owen, visits and winds up living in the pastoral French town of Bozouls, where he retires, gets married and then becomes a widower. Flash forward to 1963 and Spade finds a serpentine new case that involves blackmail, a smarty-pants teen, multiple murders, the Algerian War and duplicitous people with plenty of secrets. Created by Scott Frank and Tom Fontana, “Monsieur Spade” gives anyone mourning the loss of HBO’s “Perry Mason” series a reason to rejoice. The crisp one-liners are delivered with vigor and go down with the snap of a shot of whiskey. Executive produced by Barry Levinson and Owen, “Monsieur Spade” is rich in period details and is really the equivalent of a jigsaw puzzle, one with numerous pieces that might seem all but impossible to connect before Spade sweeps in and fits them into place with just the right amount of aplomb and snark. Get ready to give those brain cells a workout and witness Alfre Woodard steal the show in its final episode. Details: 3½ stars; first episode drops Jan. 14 on AMC, AMC+ and Acorn TV, with a new episode dropping every Sunday until Feb. 18.

“The Brothers Sun”: At eight episodes, this violent Netflix martial arts comedy starring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh could have learned a lesson from co-star Justin Chien’s abs: get rid of the fat!. At times, Byron Wu and Brad Falchuk’s series goes slack and switches tones too abruptly while firing off jokes that go splat. That doesn’t kill the joy of “Brothers Sun” — in which various triads from Taipei jockey for power in Los Angeles — but it does weigh things down at times. Yeoh’s and Chien’s confident presence props up “Sun” whenever it veers off course. Both juggle the incredible martial arts sequence (the best one keyed off the 1985 cult classic “Gymkata” in Episode 7) and the comedic/dramatic shifts with skill. Yeoh plays Mama Sun, who is estranged from the father of her older son Charles (Chien) — a handsome killer — and her younger son Bruce (Sam Song Li) — a confrontation-adverse improv wannabe. After an attempt on dad’s life lands him in the hospital, Charles journeys to L.A. to protect his family. “The Brothers Sun” does ramble on, but when Yeoh and Chien bust out those fancy moves and gather around the family table with Song Li, its pure action/drama magic. Details: 2½ stars; now on Netflix.

“Solo Leveling”: Netflix isn’t the only streamer hitting it out of the anime park. Crunchyroll is a big beacon for fans, and the gory “Solo Leveling” proves why, an ace meld of mythological elements and outlandish action sequences. It’s a mashup of “Stargate” and a superhero series as “hunters” stalk and take down evil entities itching to get out of their alternate dimension. It’s adapted from a Korean web novel, and after watching two episodes (one drops weekly on the streamer), I’m certainly hooked. Details: 3 stars, available on Crunchyroll.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.