High concept meets even higher jinks as Kurt Russell’s take on Santa merrily takes over Netflix’s “The Christmas Chronicles.”
9 out of 12 Tamales
“Console Wars”: One-Sentence Review
The most clandestine war since the Cold War unfolds engagingly in Console Wars, a CBS documentary, and better Blake J. Harris book, that concisely and expertly relays Nintendo and Sega’s late 80s, early 90s battle for supremacy.
9 out of 12 Tamales
“Class Action Park”: One-Sentence Review
With a patchwork of fun interviews and totally 80s VHS clips, Class Action Park weaves the haphazard—but completely entertaining—narrative of the gnarliest place on earth and most dangerously amusing park.
9.5 out of 12 Tamales
“Lovecraft Country”: One-Sentence Review
Lovecraft Country, based on Matt Ruff’s book, is science fiction—with conscience—pulped to perfection, a triumph of humanity with immense scope and creativity.
11 out of 12 Tamales
“The Queen’s Gambit”: One-Sentence Review
Chess’s never been sleek or alluring, yet Netflix’s “The Queen Gambit”—with a powerhouse, unapologetic performance from Anya Taylor-Joy—changes that empathetically and checkmates every how-to-make-a-great-show box.
11 out of 12 Tamales
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”: One-Sentence Review
Pervasive perverseness reigns hilariously supreme during Borat’s ignominious return to the US and A, cementing Sacha Baron Cohen’s place on the Mt. Rushmore of comedic trolls.
10.5 out of 12 Tamales
“The Boys: Season 2”: One-Sentence Review
Holy f%ing smoke, Homelander, “The Boys’” second go-around is full-throttle, take-no-prisoners crazy—in the best way possible—improving on an already excellent season one by leaps and super-human bounds.
12 out of 12 Tamales
“Hubie Halloween”: One-Sentence Review
Adam Sandler unintentionally resurrects The Waterboy’s Bobby Boucher in the worst way possible in “Hubie Halloween,” a monster mashup of horrible characters, flat jokes, and bodily functions that make Little Nicky look halfway decent.
3.5 out of 12 Tamales
“The Fly”: Throwback-Tamales Review
Frankenstein’s Monster, Jekyll and Hyde inspires this David Cronenberg horror movie to be more than a fly on the wall—or a politician’s head.
10 out of 12 Tamales
“Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: Season One”: One-Sentence Review
With the kiddie-gloves almost off and the dino-chomps questionably PG, Netflix’s Camp Cretaceous isn’t a throwaway Jurassic World clone—but a formidable companion series with surprising bite.
9 out of 12 Tamales
