ADVENTURE

Godzilla Minus One

Winning the Oscar for special effects on a 12 million dollar budget is a scrappy triumph of creativity. Excellent character drama elevates this to the greatest Godzilla story ever told.

Blue Eye Samurai

A mature revenge story featuring a larger-than-life villain voiced by Kenneth Branagh. Great action, dialogue, and historical authenticity. Recommended by George R.R. Martin for Game of Thrones fans.

Shogun

If you like historical fiction, this is for you. Shogun is a detailed recreation of life and death in 17th-century Japan told from an English adventurer’s perspective. Like the cherry blossom, this 10-episode miniseries leaves too soon.

Tokyo Vice

Based on a true story, Jake Adelstein is an investigative reporter from Missouri who aspires to expose Japan’s Yakuza crime families. His naivete and ambition get him involved almost immediately in the deadly politics of his subjects.

Black Sails

If HBO had picked up this series instead of Starz, it would have been a global phenomenon. Black Sails is a prequel to Treasure Island set in the Golden Age of Piracy. Long John Silver leaps off the pages and fights the British Navy alongside Blackbeard to create a pirate kingdom. Unlike Game of Thrones, all four seasons were carefully planned before filming began. Each season builds on the previous, and plot points established in the first episode of Season 1 are resolved in the final episode of Season 4. The finest Pirate tale ever told. Warning: you may want to fast-forward past some disturbing sexual violence in the first season.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Into the Spider-Verse pushed the boundaries of 3D animation by having artists hand-draw on top of the 3D image to reproduce the feel of comic books. This innovative style is complemented by a wildly imaginative cast of Spider-People from alternate dimensions. Miles Morales is as cool as Metro Boomin’s soundtrack.

TMNT Mutant Mayhem

Mutant Mayhem is the reboot this franchise needed. It is animated, unlike less successful efforts. The Turtles are voiced by teenagers given freedom to improvise, which results in believable and lovable characters. Jackie Chan’s Splinter is hilarious as their overprotective dad (who is definitely not a giant rat). Soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

Dune: Part 2

Dune made my list in 2021, so I’m predisposed to love this film. Part 2 continues the worldbuilding and completes Paul Atreides’ arc. Visually creative with impeccable sound design.

Fallout

Fallout is the rare video game adaptation that stands on its own. Jonathan Nolan’s world-building chops are on full display as the story slowly reveals the truth about the violent factions that rule this post-apocalyptic wasteland. Dark humor keeps things light.

DOCUMENTARY

20 Days in Mariupol

Putin called 20 Days in Mariupol “fake news”, but an unbiased viewer will see only the terror and shock of Putin’s neighbors. This intimate portrait of suffering and solidarity on the front line of Ukraine fully deserves its Academy Award.

The Insurrectionist Next Door

Alexandra Pelosi (Nancy’s daughter) interviews January Sixers after they’ve had time to think about it. The most interesting interviews are people who were brought to the rally by family members and got caught up in the mayhem. Their ruined lives are a cautionary tale about the company we keep.

Watch the Sound

Mark Ronson, a Grammy-winning producer, hosts a fascinating look at music production featuring interviews with artists. Each episode features a different technology: Auto-Tune, Sampling, Reverb, Synthesizers, Drum Machines, and Distortion.

WEIRD COMEDY

Extraordinary

In the world of Extraordinary, everyone receives a power on their 18th birthday—except Jen, whose existential crisis forms the show's emotional core. There is real creativity in the powers given and the ways those weird powers complicate their lives. For fans of The Boys and What We Do in the Shadows.

Feb 29 pop/24\rex