Tag: Soviet Union

Mayday (2026) | REVIEW

Kenneth Branagh and Ryan Reynolds in “Mayday,” now streaming on Apple TV.

Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley — Screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley.

The latest straight-to-streaming Apple TV+ film, Mayday, is the third directorial feature for creative duo Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, best known for their hit comedy Game Night. Although their directorial debut, Vacation (a 2015 sequel to the National Lampoon’s Vacation film series), was critically panned (It’s not great, but I think it has its moments), they’ve managed to garner a solid reputation over the years. They bounced back, in a great way, with the aforementioned original comedy Game Night, before they tried their hands with another major franchise, namely Dungeons & Dragons in 2023. Though that fantasy comedy, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, was classified as a box office disappointment, it was a really fun film that deserved a much better fate than it got. So, with such a reputation, and with those films under their belt, I was excited to see what their first straight-to-streaming film would look like. Thankfully, it’s a really effective action-comedy, despite some blemishes.

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REVIEW: For All Mankind – Season Three (2022)

Scene from “For All Mankind,” now streaming on Apple TV+.

Series Created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi — Available Now on Apple TV+.

For All Mankind is my favorite Apple TV+ show, which is saying something considering how much I absolutely love Ted Lasso. Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi’s historical fiction series started as ‘what if the Soviet Union had reached the Moon first and, as a result, the United States continued and accelerated the space race,’ and the second season explored this alternate history science-fiction by having the Cold War take place in outer space, essentially. If the first season was a ‘small step,’ and the second season a ‘giant leap,’ then this third season cements that the previous season wasn’t just a fluke. For All Mankind is still one of the best ongoing shows on any streaming service.

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REVIEW: Chernobyl (2019 – Mini-Series)

Release Poster – HBO

The following is a review of the HBO / Sky Atlantic Limited Series Chernobyl — Created by Craig Mazin.

While Game of Thrones, HBO’s proudest possession, was coming to an end amid fan uproar and disappointment, the co-writer of The Hangover Parts II and III, Craig Mazin, was quietly releasing his masterpiece to the world on the very same television network. Released alongside an in-depth after-the-episode podcast, Chernobyl is, now that it has ended, starting to earn the acclaim and popularity that it deserves. I think Chernobyl is one of the most accomplished mini-series that I’ve ever seen, if not the most incredible and impressive of its kind. Continue reading “REVIEW: Chernobyl (2019 – Mini-Series)” →