Out of the many Star Wars streaming shows Disney has put out, I’m not sure any have been as well received as the first season of “Andor”. The amount of love it has gotten from both fans and critics has been surprising and (in some cases) suspicious. While some like pretty much anything Star Wars related, there are those who are put out with the franchise and like “Andor” simply because it bucks traditional Star Wars trends. Cynical nonsense aside, what matters most is “Andor” is good – legitimately good and among the best of the franchise’s streaming series.

Without question, “Andor” was quite the gamble for Kathleen Kennedy and the heads at Disney. The character for which the show is named, Cassian Andor (exceptionally played by Diego Luna), first appeared in the 2016 film “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”. He was hardly a top-tier player in the ‘galaxy far, far away’, so a lot of people were surprised to see him getting his own dedicated streaming series. But like every show thus far, his series doesn’t have a singular focus. It’s not wrapped up in following one character alone. It is just as interested in broadening our understanding of the greater Star Wars universe.

“Andor” certainly gives us a a better picture of Cassian by showing his life leading up to the events of “Rogue One”. But it’s just interested in the tumultuous galaxy around him. Creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy takes us to new places, introduces us to new characters, and offers up new perspectives during the volatile time between “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” and “Episode IV: A New Hope”. It’s a time when the evil Empire was tightening its grip on planets and peoples. It’s also the time where we see the genesis of a young rebellion. It’s an interesting period made even more compelling thanks to Gilroy’s incredible vision.

“Oppression breeds rebellion.” It’s a line that gets to heart on “Andor”. Gilroy gives us a clear-eyed view of what drives people to rise up and revolt. Poverty, oppression, subjugation – they’re just some of the things we see that plants the first seeds of rebellion. The series also puts a heavy emphasis on the chasm between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’; between those reaping the benefits of the Empire’s aggression and those being crushed by it. There are fascinating dynamics of all kinds scattered throughout its twelve episodes.

“Andor” starts slow and deliberate and the first couple of episodes may try the patience of those looking for a more traditional Star Wars experience. But from the very start, Gilroy is working towards something and he takes his time getting there. He doesn’t gloss over his world. He wants us to feel a part of it. And he doesn’t just introduce characters. He gives them depth which helps us understand their place in his world. Those are signatures of good storytelling, and they prove to be the backbone of the entire series.

Much of the show’s story is a chain reaction of events leading to its many pieces coming together in a combustible season-ending episode. Early on we spend time with Cassian who’s forced to go on the run after killing two antagonizing security guards on the industrial planet of Morlana One. It catches the attention of Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), an overambitious Deputy Inspector for a corporate trade conglomerate called Preox-Morlana. While Cassian heads to his home planet of Ferrix to cook up an alibi, Syril disobeys the direct order of his superior and begins an aggressive investigation into the two deaths.

Elsewhere we’re introduced to the Imperial Security Bureau, the Empire’s secret police and intelligence agency that’s in the same vein as the KGB and Gestapo. It’s headed by Major Partagaz (an outstanding Anton Lesser) who reports directly to Emperor Palpatine. Rising fast within the ISB ranks is a motivated young supervisor Lieutenant Dedra Meero (Denise Gough). Her keen instincts lead her to suspect that recent heists of Imperial weaponry might be a coordinated effort, potentially by a fledgling rebellion. Convincing her superiors won’t be easy.

Another key player is Senator Mon Mothma (wonderfully played by a returning Genevieve O’Reilly). She works on the political frontlines on the capital planet of Coruscant, slowing down the Emperor’s intensifying power grab the best she can without exposing her opposition to the Empire. Behind the scenes she’s secretly funding the growing rebel efforts, a task that is growing more difficult and that’s even harder to hide.

Then you have the mysterious Luthen Rael, played by the beguiling Stellan Skarsgård. Luthen is a fierce underground orchestrator of the new Rebel Alliance who secretly masquerades as an flamboyant dealer of fine antiquities on Coruscant. He takes a special interest in Cassian, yet throughout the series we never quite know what to make of him. He’s a fascinating presence.

As it progresses the show expands even further. We spend more time on Ferrix where those close to Cassian, including his old flame Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) and adopted mother Maarva (Fiona Shaw), do their best to evade the suspicious Empire. We go on a heist with Cassian and a group of rebels on the planet Aldhani. Lead by Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay), the mission’s target is an Imperial garrison that houses the bankroll for an entire sector. There’s even a prison storyline where we’re introduced to Kino Loy, played by the indomitable Andy Serkis.

There’s just so much to explore, experience, and unpack in the twelve episodes of “Andor”. While it’s visually captivating on many different levels, it’s really the writing that sets the series apart. The team of Tony Gilroy, his brother Dan Gilroy, Stephen Schiff, and Beau Willimon handle the script duties. Admittedly, as a longtime fan I do like a little more action in my Star Wars. That said, the show’s intense focus on character is both exhilarating and rewarding. And while there may be less action, every episode offers lovers of Star Wars mythology and world-building (like me) so much to chew on.

I could write another ten paragraphs on “Andor”. There’s that much to dig into. What was expected to be a revealing series about a main character from “Rogue One” turned out to be so much more. We definitely do get a clearer picture and better understanding of Cassian Andor. He’s our conduit into the story and the connecting tissue that brings all the show’s moving parts together. But we also see the trials, tribulations, and tragedies of a young rebellion. We see how the growing Empire spreads its power and how people are pushed to point of fighting back. We see oppressive strategies, overzealous ambition, and lust for power. But we also see resilience, heroism, self-sacrifice, and a love for freedom. The clashing ideals and the characters behind them are the meat and potatoes of “Andor” Season 1. Now bring on Season 2.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

Ben Affleck hops back into the director’s chair and re-teams with his longtime best friend Matt Damon to share the origin story of Nike’s lucrative Air Jordan basketball shoeline. The appropriately titled “Air” marks the fifth time Affleck has stepped behind the camera and the first time since 2016’s “Live By Night”. While that movie wasn’t exactly well received, it (as with each of his directorial efforts) showed off Affleck’s keen instincts as a filmmaker.

Originally slated to premiere on Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service, Amazon Studios made an exciting move and gave “Air” and exclusive theatrical release. Not a bad decision considering how much people love sports movies. But “Air” isn’t your run-of-the-mill sports movie. It’s more of a corporate story than anything else, but one inseparable from the game of basketball and the from the man many people believe is the greatest player of all-time – Michael Jordan.

“Air” is a biographical sports drama but with a sharp sense of humor. There are some big laughs scattered throughout its rather meaty two-hour runtime. But there’s also heart, some unexpected charm, and a crowd-pleasing feel-good component that’s sure to win people over. There’s some great dialogue (written by Alex Convery) and some terrific on-screen chemistry that’s energized by top-notch performances from an all-around superb cast. And it’s all brought together and ushered along by Affleck’s keen direction.

But while its story is easy to get into and it has no trouble holding your attention, it is weirdly contained. What I mean is, “Air” never really goes beyond the corporate aspect of the story. The signing of Michael Jordan by Nike had a major impact on sports marketing, players, and the culture moving forward. But outside of a brief speech, one phone call, and some post-movie script, there is scarcely any context and these broader implications are mostly unexplored. It’s a narrative choice and there’s nothing wrong with a film having such a laser focus. But so much ripe material is left on the vine.

Another effect (or consequence, depending on how you look at it) of the story’s self-restriction involves the characters. They’re actually really good at fleshing out their corporate world and revealing the corporate processes that led to Nike securing Michael Jordan. As mentioned, there’s some great office chemistry as key players laugh, argue, and wrangle. But unless you already know about the real-life people behind these characters, you won’t know much about them after seeing the film. They’re kept in such a tight box that we don’t get to know any of them outside of their jobs.

That being said, Affleck does a terrific job of sucking us into the fast-moving wheel-and-deal story of a shoe company in need of a big score. It’s 1984 and Nike is far from being the powerhouse it is today. In fact, they were trailing both Converse and Adidas in total market share. Nike was strong when it came to running shoes, but they were lagging behind in basketball. They desperately needed a big name to wear their shoes.

Coming off an annual loss, the pressure was on to energize the struggling basketball division. Enter Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), Nike’s basketball talent scout. Sonny is a little reckless and he’s a gambler by nature, but he knows basketball. He and the marketing team have $250,000 to spend recruiting three young players from this year’s crop of NBA rookies. Names like Barkley and Stockton are on the board. But Sonny locks onto one name – the third pick in the 1984 NBA draft, Michael Jordan. The problem is, Jordan already has his heart set on signing with Adidas.

But Sonny believes in Jordan and crafts a go-for-broke plan. He recommends using their entire $250,000 on one player – an unproven kid from Wilmington, North Carolina who has yet to play a second in the NBA. First he’ll have to convince CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) to go along. Phil was once a risk-taker who went from selling sneakers out of the back of his Plymouth Valiant to co-founding the Oregon-based Nike, Inc. But now he’s beholden to a board of directors after the company went public. Getting him onboard won’t be easy.

Another hurdle is Jordan’s agent David Falk (an overcooked portrayal played by Chris Messina). Falk doesn’t think Nike is a serious player and he already has strong verbal offers from Nike’s competitors. So Sonny takes a gamble. He bypasses Michael’s agent and goes straight to his parents, Deloris (Viola Davis) and James (played by Davis’ real-life husband Julius Tennon), making his case for building a shoeline around their superstar-to-be son.

It’s no surprise that the movie reshapes some of the real-life events and leaves out several details of the true story. But we still get the gist of it, and Affleck makes sure we have fun in the process. The performances are a big reason why. They’re terrific from top to bottom (I haven’t even talked about Jason Bateman as VP of Marketing Rob Strasser and Chris Tucker as Nike executive Howard White – both are great). They all fit nicely with the questionable hair, Members Only jackets, and 80s needle drops. And while the movie certainly could’ve been more, what we get is still pretty enjoyable. “Air” is now showing in theaters ahead of its Prime Video release.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

“Acidman” is built around a rather familiar father-daughter story. But director Alex Lehmann uses two stellar lead performances to infuse his modest yet genuinely heartfelt story with warmth and pathos. Co-written by Lehmann and Chris Dowling, “Acidman” premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and is now set for its official release. Fans of intimate indies will certainly want to check this one out.

This earnest and thoughtful two-hander is driven by the sublime duo of Dianna Agron and Thomas Haden Church. Agron plays Maggie, a young woman who tracks and then travels 2,000 miles to check on her estranged father Lloyd (Church). She also has some important news to share – news that she’s struggling to come to grips with. In her mind she feels that reconnecting with her father will in some way give her clarity she desperately needs.

Lloyd (flawlessly played by Church) is a former engineer turned conspiracy theorist who lives alone with his German short-haired pointer named Migo way up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere. These days he spends his time shooting video of what he believes are UFOs and working on ways to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors during their “interplanetary drive-bys“. His unusual beliefs have led to him being dubbed “Acidman” by some local delinquents from the nearest town.

Most of what we learn about both Maggie and Lloyd comes through their conversations and interactions with each other. As father and daughter attempt to reconnect it provides us with a clearer picture of their lives, their emotions, and (in some cases) their motivations. We learn that Lloyd also has a son named Bucky; that there’s some tension between Maggie and her husband Ben, and that Maggie is worried about her father’s health – a concern that proves justified the more time we spend with them.

Again, this isn’t the first movie to deal with fractured families or lost souls. “Acidman” joins a long line of intimate character-driven dramas with similar interests. But the authenticity of its central relationship and the textured chemistry we witness draws us in. And there are enough variations to each of their personal journeys, as well as a compelling connecting tissue between father and daughter, that set it apart.

“Acidman” could have opened up its characters a bit more and gave a deeper insight into to what brought Maggie and Lloyd to the places they are now. But it’s hard to fuss too much about Lehmann’s choices. He shows good instincts in giving his two leads plenty of room to work. And he and Dowling put together a script that maintains a steady focus while packing some real feeling within its relatively small frame. “Acidman” is now showing in select theaters and on VOD.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

I’ve always had a soft spot for dense talky thrillers. When done well they highlight good screenwriting while giving actors the dramatic material to burrow deep into their characters. And when combined with the right director, able actors, and strong script, a simple conversation in a restaurant can be as tense and engrossing as any well-done nail-biting action sequence.

Based on the book by Olen Steinhauer, “All the Old Knives” delivers that kind of dialogue-heavy experience but with a strong romantic underpinning that sets it apart. Steinhauer, who also wrote the screenplay, teams with director Janus Metz and a lights-out cast to craft a heady and intelligent cloak-and-dagger mystery steeped in governmental intrigue, deep-rooted espionage, and betrayal.

The movie opens up in 2012 Vienna, with a room of stunned CIA agents getting word that hijackers have killed every passenger and crew member aboard Turkish Alliance flight 127. A shocking 120 men, woman, and children murdered inside the plane as it sat on the tarmac of Vienna’s international airport. The events of Flight 127 loom over the rest of the story like a dark ominous cloud.

Jump ahead eight years. Langley has reopened the investigation into flight 127 following the capture of a terrorist who was involved in the planning of the hijacking. He’s made a claim that the terrorists had help from inside the CIA’s Vienna station. CIA Chief Vick Wallinger (Laurence Fishburne), who was head of the CIA operation in Vienna, is tasked with combing over his old team to find out if they had a mole in their midst. He calls in case officer Henry Pelham (Chris Pine), a trusted agent who was also in Vienna eight years earlier. Vick sends Henry to discover the truth so they can finally close the books on Flight 127.

Before anything else, there are two former colleagues Henry will need to rule out first. Bill Compton (Jonathan Pryce), the Vienna station’s second in command now residing in London. And Celia Harrison (Thandiwe Newton), a wife and mother of two and Henry’s former lover. Both were key members of the Vienna team and both are potential suspects. From there the movie follows Henry’s meetings with Bill and Celia, hopping back and forth on the timeline as they each try and recall the events of that traumatic day.

The movie looks like a spy thriller, sounds like a spy thriller, and mostly plays like a spy thriller. But when it comes to mystery and truth-digging, it’s just as much about the core relationship between Pine’s Henry and Newton’s Celia. As the truth about Flight 127 is slowly unearthed, so are the details of their steamy romance which all but ended the day of the massacre. Metz and Steinhauer do a stellar job weaving together both threads of their story while bouncing back-and-forth from the past to present day. And pacing is everything in a slow-boil like this. “All the Old Knives” is definitely slow, but Pedersen keeps it at a steady boil.

Overall this is a fun and engrossing throwback thriller that’s a far cry from the more action-packed showy side of spy movies. It mines it’s tension from the emotions and intensity of its characters which lets the performances really shine. The cast sinks their teeth into this cerebral and tightly wound story which keeps us guessing right up to its solid payoff. It might not play as well for the more action-hungry crowd. But any fan of rich, layered, dialogue-driven thrillers will enjoy what “All the Old Knives” has to offer. “All the Old Knives” is streaming now on Amazon Prime.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

(CLICK HERE to read my full review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

Directed by Jonah Feingold, “At Midnight” can never quite break out of its rom-com mold. It employs nearly every genre trope in the book and ends exactly where and how you expect it to. But that’s not to say there isn’t some enjoyment to be had. Feingold does a good job tapping into the chemistry between his two leads. And the script (written by Feingold, Maria Hinojos, and Giovanni M. Porta) takes some light but effective jabs at Hollywood politics. And its lead, Monica Barbaro (“Top Gun Maverick”) should be a star on the rise and she makes it easier to look past some of the film’s more frustrating shortcomings.

Barbaro plays Sophie Wilder, an actress preparing to shoot the third film in the popular superhero trilogy “Super Society”. But things get complicated after she walks in on her obtuse co-star and boyfriend Adam (Anders Holm) cheating on her. Sophie’s antsy manager Chris (Casey Thomas Brown) and her outspoken agent Margot (Whitney Cummings) push her to keep the scandal under wraps, fearing the sudden breakup of Hollywood’s ‘it’ couple would be a publicity nightmare for their upcoming film. Needless to say it adds a little stress to the scheduled press tour.

Soon Sophie is off to shoot the movie in Mexico, accompanied by her free-spirited comic relief best friend Rachel (because most rom-com best friends have to be free-spirited comic relief). She’s played by comedian Catherine Cohen who delivers a handful of good laughs despite being handcuffed by an all-too-familiar stock character archetype. Upon arriving at their deluxe hotel, Sophie meets Alejandro (Diego Boneta) in the most rom-com of ways (you’ll know what I mean when you see it). He’s a good-looking junior manager working in guest relations with big dreams of opening up his own hotel.

I doubt it’ll surprise you where things go from there. Sophie and Alejandro start off at odds with each other only to soon fall in love. But of course there has to be some tension. For Sophie it’s the studio’s wish to hide her split with the buffoonish Adam. For Alejandro it’s the hotel’s strict rules against employees hooking up with guests. It all leads to some late-night sneaking around and some comic close-calls. To Feingold’s credit he never overdoes the hijinks. What humor we get doesn’t always land, but at least we aren’t drowned in it.

Things inevitably get a little syrupy at the end which should surprise no one. But in a way it’s hard to hold that against Feingold and his film. While I may wish it had something more original to offer, there’s a specific crowd expectation that comes with a movie like this. Feingold and company set out to meet that expectation, and I’m betting there’s a very specific audience who will leave “At Midnight” plenty satisfied. It also serves as another highlight for Monica Barbaro who is good throughout and routinely elevates the material she’s given. “At Midnight” is now streaming on Parmount+.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

How long has Kevin Feige and the massive entity known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe been introducing us to the Multiverse? It seems like forever. Yet here we are again with “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”, the first big Marvel production of the year and the 31st film in the MCU. Director Peyton Reed returns for his third Ant-Man film, although this one is more ambitious and has a significantly larger scope. Unfortunately that alone doesn’t equal a great movie.

I guess it depends on who you talk to, but ever since 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame”, the MCU has been a frustrating and at times rudderless mess. It has nowhere near the flow or baked-in excitement since Thanos was defeated. Instead, Feige and company have over-extended into television, repackaged classic old characters, brought in a humdrum selection of new characters, and has spent more time introducing storylines than exploring them. Perhaps success has gone to their heads. Or maybe they’ve forgotten what made the early run so great.

Admittedly, out of the early MCU, the Ant-Man films were among the weakest for me. I liked their smaller and more intimate scale. But neither the stories or the storytelling left much of an impression. “Quantumania” has much more on its plate. It’s supposedly the start of Phase 5 of the MCU although I quit trying to understand their “phases” years ago. Most of the cast returns including Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Michael Douglas. I say “most” of the cast because for some reason Feige recast Cassie Lang (Emma Fuhrmann was dropped and replaced by Kathryn Newton).

This time the villain is Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), a classic baddie in the comics who is still waiting to be adequately defined in the MCU. Those who watch Marvel’s assembly line of Disney+ shows first saw Kang in the first season of “Loki”. I was hoping “Quantumania” would give us a deep dive into the character, but sadly it doesn’t. Yes he gets some good screen time and we get to see him in action. Otherwise he only gives us vague allusions to grand ambitions and of “what’s to come”.

As for Scott Lang (Rudd), aka Ant-Man, he’s been spending his post-Endgame days basking in the glory of his days as an Avenger. Hope (Lilly) is running things at the Pym van Dyne Foundation. Cassie is an activist who keeps winding up in jail. Janet (Pfeiffer) is holding onto secrets from the 30 years she spent trapped in the Quantum Realm. And Hank (Douglas) basically tags along and talks to ants.

Scott and his family are sucked into the Quantum Realm after one of his daughter’s experiments goes haywire. The Quantum Realm is a CGI world full of wacky creatures, sentient walking buildings, and Bill Murray running around playing himself. It’s also a realm on the brink war as a rather bland tribe of freedom fighters led by Jentorra (Katy M. O’Brian) are rising up to fight the mighty Kang who has amassed a mighty techno-army. Scott just wants to get his family home. But Cassie believes they should get in the fight. So we get some manufactured tension between a conqueror and the people, and (on a smaller scale) between a father and his daughter.

But it’s hard to get too invested mainly because the movie barely goes skin deep. So much feels left out or underdeveloped. Kang is the best example. This should have been where we learned the most about him. Instead he just wants to leave the Quantum Realm. That’s it. He’s not into quelling the uprising. He barely seems aware they exist. He just wants to leave. His “powers” are never really explained, and even fans of the comics will have a hard time making sense of some of the things he does. And while the movie tries to make him menacing (in an almost Shakespearean way thanks to Majors), it lacks the edge to pull it off.

Many of the problems can be traced back to screenwriter Jeff Loveness’ script. Taking on something this massive and expansive as your first feature film screenplay is a big ask, especially coming from writing for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and doing a handful of “Rick and Morty” episodes. His story lacks depth, detail, emotion, and even laughs (the scattered attempts at humor fall flat). The dialogue goes from stiff to hammy, and all the quantumumbo-jumbo is never as interesting as it should be.

But the biggest problem with “Quantumania” is that it just doesn’t move the needle in the MCU. Nothing about it feels special or even significant. And it certainly doesn’t feel as though it moves things forward. But it’s also short of its own personality and charm. The entire thing feels processed and churned out by the Marvel machine rather than creative minds.

I’ve came down pretty hard on the movie as if it’s terrible. It has a great cast, some of the visuals are actually quite striking. And then there’s M.O.D.O.K., a character I’ve always loved in the comics. The MCU’s origin of M.O.D.O.K. is utterly ridiculous. But once I got past that disappointment, he was actually one of my favorite things in the movie. Not because he’s a great character. But because he looks so hilariously bizarre, sometimes by design and sometimes due to crappy CGI.

But while “Quantumania” may not be terrible, it’s not memorable either. Kinda like the entire MCU since “Endgame”. This is another entry that fails to muster excitement or move things forward in a meaningful way. It just exists – a gear in a moneymaking machine that is starting to lose its steam. “Quantumania” will still make money. But even the most rabid loyalists are noticing the dips in quality and letting their voices be heard. And if the MCU loses them….. .

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS