Movies in a minute with film critic Bruce Miller

While Ramon Rodriguez may play the title role in “Will Trent,” he knows there’s a scene stealer nipping at his heels. Belle, a Chihuahua who plays Will’s dog Betty, has a wardrobe of sweaters and, in the second season, gets a canine costar.

In everything from music to gum, this is a classic wallow in the trends of the time. Unfortunately, the story that drives it isn’t exactly an Acura Integra.

In the new Wonka, he’s just getting his start, determined to become one of the big chocolatiers. Others, though, are eager to take him down. They have a corner on the market and don’t want this man who can make people fly cutting in on their business.

At a time when the world turned ugly, Christian Dior and Coco Chanel were determined to introduce something beautiful – fashion. In “The New Look,” actors Ben Mendelsohn and Juliette Binoche play the two and reveal what inspired and drove them to become the brands that still thrive today.

Unrelenting, the Catholic nun played by Cristiana Dell’Anna doesn’t take “no” from anyone – the pope included – as she tries to make life better for the downtrodden.

When it comes to the Academy Awards, both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” have staying power. But will they win? By category, here’s who’s likely to take home Oscars in 2024.

When producers told him he was touring Europe in the second season of “The Reluctant Traveler,” Eugene Levy thought he’d be hitting the continent’s greatest cities. That wasn't the case.

Coming on the 100th anniversary of something (the day Walt doodled?), it’s likely an homage to the the past. But it sure could have used a better script.

“It feels like the first year of the show in a lot of ways,” the creator and executive producer says. “The enthusiasm at the network is through the roof.”

A year after an Oscar nomination, Andrea Riseborough stars in “Alice and Jack,” a limited “Masterpiece” series about a couple over more than a decade.

Produced by Oscar winners Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the six-part series was designed to show how photographers make the decisions they do. 

“The Iron Claw” didn’t pin down any awards at this year’s Oscars. Heck, it didn’t even wrestle a nomination. But it did tell a compelling story.

Stuffed with references to Nebraska, circa 1991, the summer comedy shows how two enterprising teens turned a summer job at the swimming pool into their own financial windfall.

Set in 1969, the series follows Kristen Wiig as she tries to break into Palm Beach society. Naturally, there are those who don’t want outsiders and those who’d like change.

The film “Cabrini” focuses on Mother Cabrini, the first American saint, and her tenacity to help the immigrant population.

In the “Nova” special “A.I. Revolution,” Miles O’Brien looks at those advances and talks about ones that need a bit more study.

Basically a debate between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, it challenges audiences to think about the existence of God.

Nell Jackson has been framed for murder and becomes the most feared highwaywoman in 18th-century England in the new series on Disney+.

The goal was to reach a generation that hadn’t heard the Holocaust stories. “Gen Z, they don’t really know or care about the Holocaust,” actress Joey King says. “It’s super important to share…and educate.”

Fraggles puppeteer John Tartaglia keeps a decades old tradition going with a new season of "Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock" on Apple TV+.

Using plenty of TV techniques from the era, directors Colin and Cameron Cairnes do a great job of conjuring more than just the devil in “Late Night with the Devil.”

Writer/director Bryce McGuire uses tricks from “Jaws,” “It” and “The Shining” to trigger quick responses and has a fairly good thriller on his hands.

Like “Columbo,” a series with which it has much in common, “Elsbeth” starts with an incident then brings law enforcement and the lawyer into the case. 

In “A Brief History of the Future,” a PBS series which runs through May, host Ari Wallach talks with experts who say the “doom and gloom” approach is very shortsighted.

“Godzilla x Kong” doesn’t have a strong script and its work for the humans is marginal at best. Still, if you're craving popcorn, this is your movie.

In everything from music to gum, this is a classic wallow in the trends of the time. Unfortunately, the story that drives it isn’t exactly an Acura Integra.

Written and directed by Oscar winner Steven Zaillian, the Netflix series lets Andrew Scott toy with the lies Tom Ripley tells.

Almost claustrophobic in approach, the action film goes in for the kill repeatedly. When it’s not, it’s rushing through subtitles that explain what’s happening.

A comedian to watch, Alex Edelman could expand upon this moment and create a series that would last for years. 

The first – and last – thing that strikes you about “Ripley” is the cinematography. Shot in crisp black-and-white, it’s like a photo book from the 1950s.

Director Ethan Coen (working without his brother Joel) drops in the kind of references that only Quentin Tarantino could appreciate and, frequently, leaves everyone else agape.

“Civil War” tries to show us how it looks when Americans sweep into a country but have no concept of the war they’re fighting. It’s fascinating but it’s also disturbing.

Hitting on all those things that annoy you about the in-laws and the outlaws, the new Amazon Freevee comedy offers more to unpack than an order from UberEats.

In the wake of “High School Musical” (and its sequels and homages), this could have been a 21st century “Grease.” The hallmarks are there; they’re just not maximized.

In the first season of the new PBS show, Dule Hill visits a luthier school, interviews an LGBTQ+ mariachi band and rehearses with a senior citizen burlesque group.

To play a spy, Elisabeth Moss did plenty of research about British agents. Among the insights: Don’t be the one who’s always asking questions.

The series gives the two a chance to test their talk show wings and lets Deborah pitch something other than merchandise on QVC.

In the third season of “Hacks,” Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) gets an offer both can’t refuse – a late-night talk show.

“Abigail” looks like it’s going to be a horror film about dance. Five minutes in, you realize ballet is a ruse. This is simply a vampire film dressed up in tutus.

Based on a true story, "Ordinary Angels" helps mask some of the plot flaws, but it’s also one of those four-hankie tearjerkers that shoehorn Hilary Swank into a niche.

In the “Independent Lens” feature, “Space: The Longest Goodbye,” retired astronaut Cady Coleman and her son Jamey Simpson talk about the toll long absences can take.

The decision to end the series rests in the hands of CBS, says Executive Producer Gina Yashere. “The industry’s in flux right now."

Using motion-capture animation, director Wes Ball creates a “Planet of the Apes” film that’s more engrossing than its predecessors.

Now aiming for a worldwide audience, “Doctor Who” will be seen outside the United Kingdom and Ireland on Disney+, which helps introduce the franchise to newcomers.

Slated to air May 24 on PBS (just weeks before the Tonys are handed out), the production could inspire viewers who aren’t able to see Broadway plays.

Those who hate Jerry Seinfeld’s directorial debut never knew its points of reference.

The film, in fact, isn’t much of a stretch from dozens of other action films that emerged a decade or two ago.

The sequel tells a complete story and doesn’t really need the first half to understand.

“Challengers” ups the tennis game. Instead of focusing on coaching, all-important tournaments and endorsement deals, it looks at the relationships between players.

In the new documentary “The Blue Angels,” Christopher Kapuschansky – or “Cheese” as he’s called – is one of the pilots who fly through the air with the greatest of ease. 

When choosing pilots for the Blue Angels, officials look for one thing: Personality.

The film shows how the U.S. Navy unit makes the transition from one team to another. The year is 2022 and its about to begin a cross-country tour, wowing audiences with skills that require more than a steady hand.

Texas and California have joined forces to take on the rest of the country. Their people are everywhere, though we don’t know who’s on what side.

Candice Carty-Williams' bestseller “Queenie” is set to premiere in June on Hulu.

Considering “Theater Camp” and “Wet Hot American Summer” mined so much from this setting, “Summer Camp” could have been so much more.

“Hit Man,” Glen Powell's latest, is like a resume of characters he can assume and, yes, they’re good.

Based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast, “The Sterling Affairs,” “Clipped” tracks the fallout that occurred after Donald Sterling made racist remarks to V. Stiviano.

“Bob Marley: One Love” glosses over much of the man’s history and doesn’t begin to tap into his impact on the music industry.

Jim Henson didn’t just want puppet shows. He was interested in creating ballets and Broadway musicals. He started by doing commercials, then branched into small films and, his goal, television.

In the sci-fi film, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” director Adam Wingard rousts a herd of creatures and pits them against one another.

Helen Hunt, who starred with Bill Paxton in the 1996 shot-in-Oklahoma film "Twister," will attend a special screening in Dallas in conjunction with her appearance at Dallas Fan Expo.

Written by Cord Jefferson, the comedy was a great look at society and the shifts that people face.

Without the learning curve of the first film, the sequel is more understandable and ready for Riley, the 13-year-old owner of said emotions, to put them to the test.

“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” may not be the film of summer but it’s good until one of those turns up.

Instead of focusing on coaching, all-important tournaments and endorsement deals, it looks at the relationships between players.

Based on Danny Lyons’ photographic account of a Midwestern gang during the 1960s and ‘70s, “The Bikeriders” is as close to documentary as a fiction film gets. 

Lily Gladstone plays an outwardly tough but inwardly vulnerable Native woman who just wants to learn what happened to her sister.

Move over, Diane Keaton. June Squibb’s in town and she’s got a better take on retirement life than you, Jane Fonda AND Lily Tomlin.

Short on detail, the Sam Taylor-Johnson film doesn’t even give a good sense of what propelled Amy Winehouse's career. 

Shoehorning the Minions into all sorts of stories (the “Despicable Me 4” way) is a bit frenetic and difficult to understand. Still, they’re helping Gru battle a foe from school.

Occurring six years after “X” (the one about gonzo filmmakers shooting a porno in the country), it doesn’t quite have the surprise element of the first or its prequel, “Pearl.”

If you embrace the Marvel universe, you’ll love “Deadpool & Wolverine.” If you hate the Marvel universe, you’ll love “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

Savor every episode as if it’s the last. After all, Ted was the one who reminded us we just needed to do one thing: believe.

Now airing on Paramount+, “Colin from Accounts” was a hit in Australia, then made the leap to the United States in November.

Before “Merrily We Roll Along” became one of the biggest Broadway hits, “Hotel Portofino” star Mark Umbers was part of a previous cast that reexamined the show that initially flopped.

If you're looking for fresh content in the theaters or to stream on television, critic Bruce Miller has you covered.

Paramount Pictures’ Bob Marley biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” outperformed expectations to debut at No. 1 at the box office with a $27.7 million opening weekend.

Like a Golden Book for children, “Bob Marley: One Love” glosses over much of the man’s history and doesn’t begin to tap into his impact on the music industry.

In the past, when a Japanese-themed production included Hiro Sanada, he didn’t have the clout to hire Japanese crew members or correct inaccuracies. “Shogun” is different.

Michael Fassbender is miscast as Thomas Rongen, a soccer coach whose Bobby Knight behavior has forced him to look elsewhere for work. 

Director Ethan Coen (working without his brother Joel) drops in the kind of references that only Quentin Tarantino could appreciate and, frequently, leaves everyone else agape.

Security comes with an Oscar nomination. Or so Bobi Wine and his wife Barbie Kyagulanyi discovered when “Bobi Wine: The People’s President” was nominated for a Best Documentary Academy Award.

The movie spends considerable time at the beach, in the pool and on rescue boats, simply to get Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney into skimpy swimwear (or nothing at all).

Movie theaters were looking for a savior and “Dune: Part Two” is delivering on the promise. 

"Dune, Part Two" delivers stunning visuals, intricate relationships, and epic storytelling that sets the stage for a franchise with immense potential.

As Universal Pictures prepared for a big night at the Academy Awards with “Oppenheimer,” the studio also celebrated the No. 1 debut of “Kung Fu Panda 4,” which collected $58.3 million in domestic theaters over the weekend. 

We are past the Oscars, which means it's time to turn our attention to what's new and coming soon. And there are a lot of options available.

Roger Corman produced such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors their first breaks.

What’s interesting is how producers have crafted the new world.  There’s a well-stocked bar of Boston jokes and enough cameos to make you long for seconds.

Short on detail, the Sam Taylor-Johnson film doesn’t even give a good sense of what propelled Amy Winehouse's career.

Hollywood blockbusters are failing the “climate reality check,” and are failing moviegoers by ignoring what researchers call an existential threat posed by climate change, a new study finds.

In “BRATS,” Andrew McCarthy revisits the actors and discovers how they felt about the "Brat Pack" term and its impact.

A woman who says she is the inspiration for the relentless stalker at the center of Netflix's "Baby Reindeer" is seeking at least $170 million in damages.

Watch “Monkey Man” on a cellphone or an iPad and you’ll see that’s how director Dev Patel envisioned it.

The shoes were at the heart of 1939’s beloved “The Wizard of Oz,” made famous as Dorothy befriended the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion along the Yellow Brick Road.

Cults succeed by feeding on fear that exists in the world, says writer/director Jordan Scott.

Lisa Bonet, a star of the “Cosby Show,” and Jason Momoa of “Aquaman” and "Game of Thrones" had been separated for more than three years.

A trailer for “Captain America: Brave New World” just dropped, showing the Red Hulk battling it out with Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, plus appearances by Giancarlo Esposito and Harrison Ford.

Props from “Godfather” and other iconic films are scattered throughout the All-Movie Hotel, where Coppola himself, along with Adam Driver, stayed in rooms that will soon be available to book.

“The Bear” went on a tear at Wednesday morning’s Emmy nominations with a comedy-series record 23, and “Shogun” led all nominees with 25 in a dominant year for FX.

Natascha McElhone’s characters in “Hotel Portofino” and “Halo” have one thing in common – a blonde wig.

Like disaster films of the 1970s and '80s, “Twisters” loads up with a cavalcade of characters, then watches them react.

If a character makes an abrupt exit from a TV show, it may not be because he or she wanted to go. It could be something as simple as availability.

In the new Freeform reality series, “Wayne Brady: The Family Remix,” the Emmy-winning performer and game show host opens up about his private life.

“The whole idea of going back to Boston was the fact that Frasier had some things he still had to button up,” Kelsey Grammer says.

Maya Rudolph is returning to “Saturday Night Live” next season — and her role just got a lot bigger.

That writer/director M. Night Shyamalan created that original “a-ha” movie only serves to enhance the disappointment with this one.