PERRY MASON: SEASON TWO Starring: Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Eric Lange, and Katherine Waterston Creators: Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald ADRIANO As much as I enjoyed the first season, Perry Mason’s second season fixes its errors, making for a much more engaging season of television. The first season’s issues were mostly due to the narrative structure and story, which Season Two fixes by becoming tighter and more focused. As a result, I now have a better understanding of Perry, once again played to perfection by Matthew Rhys, and the characters around him. The plotting is more intense too, and it perfectly matches the grimy noir vibe the creators have crafted. If this show continues improving, I can see it becoming must-watch television in the future.

ARCANE: SEASON TWO Starring: Ella Purnell, Katie Leung, Hailee Steinfeld, Kevin Alejandro, Harry Lloyd, Toks Olagundoye, Ellen Thomas, Brett Tucker, JB Blanc, Reed Shannon, and Jason Spisak Creators: Christian Linke and Alex Yee PRESTON Yes, I play League of Legends , but I think anyone would enjoy this adult-themed, animated adaptation, even without the easter eggs and character background knowledge of the computer game. Arcane is simply the most visually stunning animated show I have ever seen. The stylized world mixes fantasy with steam-punk aesthetics before punching your ear holes with some seriously rad music and sound design. Season Two gets a little lost with its pacing and storytelling, but it’s still too badass to care! I implore everyone to at least watch Season One, which was even better than this latest batch of episodes.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN: SEASON ONE Starring: Demián Bichir, Anika Noni Rose, Grace Gummer, Madison Taylor Baez, Ian Foreman, Jacob Buster, Kevin Carroll, and Nick Stahl Creator: Andrew Hinderaker QUENTIN Let the Right One In isn’t unwatchable, but if you’ve seen either film on which it’s based (the Swedish original or the English remake, Let Me In ), it’s entirely unnecessary. Demián Bichir gives a soulful performance as a father doing everything he can for his vampire daughter, but in stretching out the narrative to fill 10 episodes, it adds generic subplots that simply aren’t compelling. Crime procedural and medical research B-stories distract from the heart of what this series should be. Sadly, that flaw makes for a less-than-chilling slog that fails to justify itself when two tightly written movies of the same story already exist.

HACKS: SEASON TWO Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, and Carl Clemons-Hopkins Creators: Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky JACOB When a show like Hacks comes along, a second season better than the first can be quite rare, and while I’m still debating whether this season gets there, it undoubtedly stands toe-to-toe with Season One. Truly, this is one of TV’s best comedies. The entire cast has remarkable chemistry, and that chemistry is on full blast, especially between Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder. Really, the only major change in Season Two (apart from being two episodes shorter) is that Kaitlin Olson’s character – DJ – is barely in it. That said, her absence is hardly a flaw, and what is there continues to work beautifully. ADRIANO In Season Two, Hacks continues its winning streak, bringing the same level of whip-smart comedy and odd sincerity that we saw in Season One. The sweetly hilarious dynamic between Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder is the core of the show, which they pull off exceptionally. While those two certainly stand out, the entire cast is wonderful. Each performer gets a moment to shine, even the minor cameo roles. Season Two is a fun ride that makes me want more, but I also would be satisfied if the season finale stood as a series finale. Overall, this season tops the already great first one.

IRONHEART Starring: Dominique Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Alden Ehrenreich, Lyric Ross, Manny Montana, Regan Aliyah, Matthew Elam, and Anji White Creator: Chinaka Hodge AMARÚ Ironheart feels like being back home, comfortably walking into an old neighborhood I haven’t visited in years. Led by a magnificent Dominique Thorne, the authentically heartfelt ensemble (especially surprise stand-out Lyric Ross) takes well-tread coming-of-age, crime drama tropes and gives them a refreshing energy that feeds your soul. Every time you think clunky plot points will dampen the light, another earnest interaction filled with heartbreak, joy, humor, and all of the above takes the story to surprisingly emotional places. Add in a pitch-perfectly cool Anthony Ramos, and an outstanding soundtrack, and I finished this six-episode season wanting to take a plate with me.

BILLIONS: THE FINAL SEASON Starring: Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti, Corey Stoll, Maggie Siff, David Costabile, Dola Rashad, Asia Kate Dillon, Kelly Aucoin, Daniel K. Isaac, Dan Soder, Daniel Breaker, Eva Victor, Toney Goins, Dhruv Maheshwari, Louis Cancelmi, Ben Shenkman, Allan Havey, Piper Perabo, and Jeffrey DeMunn Creators: Brian Koppelman, David Levien, and Andrew Ross Sorkin NICK Yes, the final season of the underrated Billions makes up for some of Season Six's struggles by bringing back Damian Lewis' Bobby Axelrod, but also by turning Corey Stoll's Michael Prince into a worthy adversary. Stoll's Prince is cold-blooded this season, which takes him from powerful to fearsome. It's an improvement over last season while still maintaining the quippy pop culture references and ability to subvert the expectations of its audience. The finale admittedly lacks a little punch, but it works for what it is, and makes for a fitting goodbye to one of my favourite series of the past 10 years. QUENTIN After seven seasons, the last couple of which were semi-derailed by covid and the tragedy-fueled departure of Damian Lewis, Billions mostly returns to form in its final season. I say “mostly” because it doesn’t fully happen until the later episodes. The first half, while still good and boasting all the typical Billions -isms of incessant pop culture references, random cameos, and witty repartee, is more of a scheme-of-the-week show instead of having an overarching narrative. However, once it focuses on the serialized storyline that often is just background early on, it races to a fun, fitting, and satisfying conclusion for Succession ‘s less-prestigious-but-more-enjoyable counterpart. PRESTON The king of similes, metaphors, and pop-culture historical references is back for its seventh and final season, like a beloved president finishing out their term with the knowledge that things might just never be the same. Billions ran a beautiful course (with the ubiquitous exception of COVID) and knew when and how to call it quits. Although not perfect, this finale continued doing what the series did in its most successful seasons by providing an intriguing story featuring cameo appearances, nostalgic fodder for its loyalists, and a nicely wrapped-up overarching-yet-complicated storyline with a little bow on top.

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER: SEASON ONE Starring: Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, and Daniel Dae Kim Creator: Albert Kim PRESTON You may enjoy Avatar: The Last Airbender if you are a fan of the anime (or movie), aged 8-18 years old, or if you are the parent of a child under the age of 12 years old…otherwise, uh-uh. Go in with kid-show expectations: over-the-top, cliché, cheesy, CGI and green-screening. It’s atrocious, and the script was most definitely generated by an AI application. This is a love it or hate it situation, and I fall firmly into the latter. I dreaded each new episode, and I only pushed through knowing that I was working selflessly to inform you, my sweet reader. You owe me one *smirk*. KATIE If you haven’t seen the original anime, you could probably enjoy Avatar: The Last Airbender as a pretty average Netflix show and move on with your life. I, however, love the anime, which is superior to this soulless adaptation in every conceivable way. It just feels hollow, with dialogue that consists of characters simply stating what’s happening, drab lighting, inconsistent visual effects, cheap-looking costuming, and a story that is a mish-mash of plots from the original series, which makes it feel like it’s rushing to cover as many of the original episodes as possible in an hour. AMARÚ I never watched the Avatar: The Last Airbender anime, but I watched the new live-action adaptation with an avid fan, so I’ll admit this is a semi-influenced review. I’ll also admit that the CGI and green-screening are fairly atrocious. But hearing that the production design and casting is pretty spot on and recognizing that, somehow, the visual effects enhanced really great action sequences made me focus on what was entertaining. There’s a wonder that fits the more predictable kids’ show aspects, yet it doesn’t shy away from darkness. I appreciate that balance, even if there’s plenty of room for better executed growth.

LOVE LIFE: SEASON TWO Starring: William Jackson Harper, Jessica Williams, Christopher Powell, Punkie Johnson, and Keith David Creator: Sam Boyd QUENTIN For whatever reason, this season of Love Life just isn’t as charming as the previous one. Admittedly, the first season may have been a case of “right place, right time” since it was released during lockdown (and, to be fair, I can’t resist Anna Kendrick), but this go-round feels more trite. It’s certainly watchable, especially for rom-com diehards, and HBO Max’s bulk episode drops make it easy to binge. However, I didn’t get much out of it this time. The transition to William Jackson Harper as the lead works, but the show lost a spark somewhere along the way.

Previous Next December 26, 2024 WRITTEN BY: THE BITESIZE CREW As we enter the new year, almost all movie and television related content is focused on looking back at 2024. The best of this, the worst of that, awards predictions, box office tallies, and so on. We’re no different, as we have a few features revolving around 2024 still to come, including The Bitesize Awards and Best New Series. With that understanding, like we do every year, it’s time to look ahead. What are the big titles coming in 2025 that we are most excited for, be it purely for fun escapist entertainment or an early awards frontrunner? As you can see below, we all have our certain tastes…from known IP tentpoles to director-driven original stories, from sci-fi to action to horror to family-friendly. We even included television shows this go ‘round. We run the gamut. The rules are the same as last year. We’re only focusing on the first half of 2025, so to be eligible, the entry must have a confirmed release date between January 1st and June 30th, 2025. The reason for this is that there are several films and series expected to release in the coming year, but as we’ve seen in the past, we can never really know when something will actually drop. For example, one of Adriano’s picks below was originally on 2024’s Most Anticipated list before being delayed indefinitely last winter. Having this rule makes for more accurate selections while also avoiding repetitive lists in the future. Also, let’s face it, October is far away. You aren’t likely to remember a recommendation for a movie coming out in 10 months, so we’ll wait and do a “Most Anticipated 2025 Films (Second Half)” in July. So, here is what we are looking forward to over the next six months, in order of release date. Are any of these on your list? What are you excited about? …and if you were wondering: Yes, this intro is almost identical to the intro for “Most Anticipated 2024 Films (First Half).” If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. THE PITT (January 9th) For 15 seasons, ER was one of the best medical dramas on television, but all good things must come to an end. Not in 2025, though, because it's reboot season, baby! …sort of. The Pitt (from ER executive producer John Wells) was originally penned as an ER reboot starring original series mainstay Noah Wyle. After some legal troubles, the idea evolved into a new series with Wyle remaining on as a new character. The Pitt looks to replicate the success of ER ’s 1994 pilot “24 Hours,” which follows a single shift at County General Hospital, by expanding the idea through the real-time format popularized by 24 . I think this series has every opportunity to provide the intensity and realism that early ER was known for instead of the more soapy offerings that have taken over from companies like Shondaland in recent years. Hopefully, audiences flock to this series, opening the door for more ER alumni to take part in the future. Give me that sweet, sweet dose of nostalgia. — Nick WOLF MAN (January 17th) If there is anyone I trust to bring another Universal monster into the 21st century, it’s filmmaker Leigh Whannell. With a career that includes collaborating with James Wan to create the iconic Saw and Insidious franchises, as well as his incredibly well-received modern take on The Invisible Man, I can't wait to see how he revives The Wolf Man. I’m also looking forward to seeing how the titular monster looks, especially since Whannell has commented that he drew inspiration from his favourite 80s horror classics The Thing and The Fly . The return of yet another Universal classic monster is just so interesting to me, signaling that what we need right now is an empathetic creature and an exploration of inner turmoil being unleashed. I’m excited to see how the famed horror creator approaches the iconic character in a contemporary setting. — Katie PRESENCE (January 24th) The low-key, enigmatic teaser for Presence succeeded in grabbing my attention without telling me anything, which is a rarity for trailers nowadays. Upon further investigation (but not enough to spoil anything), I discovered that the unique premise involves the point-of-view coming from the spectral presence within a family home, and I am very excited to see how director Steven Soderbergh’s unique approach to the haunted house genre plays out. I absolutely love haunted house horror films, and this approach could either be terrifying or fall flat. Either way, at the moment, I’m very much looking forward to a fresh take on a familiar narrative. — Katie COMPANION (January 31st) I’m always looking for the next clever and original horror gem, and Companion looks to be just that. While I don’t know much about the film’s premise, its ominous trailer has piqued my curiosity. All in all, it just appears to be my cup of tea: it's produced by Zach Cregger, the man behind one of my favorite contemporary horror films, Barbarian , and the studio that brought us The Notebook . Sign me up! I'm excited to see what this movie has in store for me, but all signs point to a twisted love story that is going to blow my mind, starring Sophie Thatcher from Yellowjackets and Jack Quaid from The Boys . — Paige CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD (February 14th) Although I've still found enjoyment in many of its recent offerings, the MCU hasn't been able to provide the same level of intrigue as “The Infinity Saga,” mostly because of its inability to successfully set up the next crop of heroes. After what was introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier , I think Captain America: Brave New World has the potential to change that. Anthony Mackie can continue to make Captain America his own instead of being a Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) retread, and the tone of the film seems to allow for that as it appears to be a throwback thriller. Perhaps the most exciting thing about this film, however, is Harrison Ford replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross. Ford has been doing his best work in years recently, whether it’s his finale as Indiana Jones or his work as Paul Rhodes in Shrinking . I personally can’t wait to see what he has in store as he adds another titanic franchise to his resume. — Nick DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN (March 4th) Nine years in the making, Daredevil : Season Four, officially known as Daredevil: Born Again : Season One, has the makings to be a brilliant continuation of a top five comic-book television adaptation… or a genuinely heartbreaking, nostalgia-reaching, let down. With Vincent D’Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Ayelet Zurer, and Wilson Bethel all returning, I’m going to go ahead and predict brilliance. Disney took its time, its money, and its rewrites to make sure to get this one right, and I’ve yet to see Charlie Cox do anything as Matt Murdock/Daredevil that hasn’t been great (yes, I’m including that She-Hulk episode). With what seems to be a tentative team up between Mayor Kingpin (D’Onofrio) and Murdock, the possibilities for blood, action, betrayal, and downright R-rated goodness are through the roof. I have been waiting long enough to return to Hell’s Kitchen, and the first time Bernthal screams, I’m going to be right there with him. — Amarú SINNERS (March 7th) After a decade of only Black Panther and Creed films that were so good they put other Marvel movies and legacy sequels to shame, director Ryan Coogler returns with wholly original fare in Sinners . Honestly, Coogler being attached is enough for me to be excited; however, Sinners is a horror-action movie (cool), starring Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twins (dope), about vampire killers (fire) on 70mm IMAX (let's go!). The set photos and the general understanding of the film's plot only got me more hyped, and that was before the trailer came out, which gave a vibe that this movie is simply going to be the coolest. March isn’t even that far away, but I can't wait a second longer. — Adriano ALTO KNIGHTS (March 21st) Assuming Alto Knights , formerly known as Wise Guys , releases as expected (its original release date was February 2nd, 2024; then later November 15th, 2024), there is a lot to like about this crime drama . First and foremost, you’ve got, not one, but two Robert De Niros, which should be more than enough to pique your interest. He’ll be playing rival 1950s mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, and we all know De Niro knows his way around a mob story. Second, if you haven’t realized it yet, Alto Knights is based on a true story and it was written by Nicholas Pileggi, who also wrote De Niro’s mob-centric highlights Goodfellas and Casino . Lastly, the film will be directed by Oscar-winning (and 5x-nominated) director Barry Levinson, who is probably best known for The Natural , Rain Man , Bugsy , Sleepers , and Good Morning, Vietnam. With little else known about the project, outside of the novel from which it is adapted, all the ingredients are here for something truly special. Fuhgeddaboudit! — Quentin MICKEY 17 (April 18th) I've been a fan of director Bong Joon-ho long before his Best Picture-winning masterpiece Parasite , but because of that acclaim, his next film, Mickey 17 , seems to have more anticipation than anything he’s done previously. As a long-time fan, that makes me happy to see. Now, I should mention that this movie has been delayed quite a bit, which can, in theory, be cause for concern. That said, there have been rumours that those delays stemmed from Joon-ho and Warner Bros. disagreeing over creative freedom. Either way, though, the Korean filmmaker deserves the benefit of the doubt. All that aside, if only judging by the trailer, Mickey 17 seems like one hell of an unhinged and hilarious sci-fi comedy that's sure to be amongst the year's most ambitious outings. After years of anticipation, it is finally time for my next hit of the Bong. — Adriano LILO & STITCH (May 23rd) Some may be surprised with this pick, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the 2002 animated classic Lilo & Stitch . So, once I heard that Dean Fleischer Camp, who previously directed Marcel the Shell with Shoes On , was going to helm the live-action adaptation, my excitement skyrocketed. The original is great at balancing its wildly funny humor with heartfelt aspects as the adorable blue alien helps mend a broken family. Given what I saw in Marcel , I know Camp can recapture that special magic in live action. To quote the movie, “’Ohana’ means ‘family.’ ‘Family’ means ‘nobody gets left behind.’” You can bet your ass I’ll be dragging my family out opening weekend to see this. — Paige MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — THE FINAL RECKONING (May 23rd) Will this be the final time we see Tom Cruise risking his life on screen as Ethan Hunt? The subtitle sure points in that direction, but honestly, I really hope the hell not. There could be 50 of these movies, and if Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Christopher McQuarrie always bring as much passion as they do for even the “lesser” M:I entries, you know it will be one of the most anticipated films of any given year. Plus, after the teaser dropped, which features multiple callbacks to one of the best franchises of this century (particularly, Mission: Impossible III , the best of the series), there is no amount of hype, words, or anticipation that can describe how ready I am for this. And I haven’t even mentioned how the new cast additions from Dead Reckoning are going to build on an already brilliant debut! Hayley Atwell, Shea Whigham, Pom Klementieff, and Greg Tarzan Davis are just the tip of the stacked ensemble iceberg. I could go on and on, but just know that this finale will only get more epic if Jeremy Renner returns. My fingers are crossed! — Amarú FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK: BALLERINA (June 6th) I don’t care how many franchise installments there have been, or that this is a spin-off, or that its release has been delayed for a year, or blah, blah, blah…take my money! For what it’s worth, the delays could be a good thing here, as director Len Wiseman (and potentially uncredited director Chad Stahelski) did necessary reshoots to make sure we are getting a kick-ass product. Ballerina takes place somewhere between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum and Chapter 4 , and it stars the beautiful Ana de Armas as our dark heroine. I am a sucker for stories about traumatic childhoods that cause one to be drawn into terrible worlds that require disciplined training, sacrifice, and extreme pain (hmm, why might that be?), and Ballerina looks to deliver that in spades. De Armas will be joined with appearances from franchise stalwarts Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, and the late, great Lance Reddick in his final on-screen appearance, as well as new addition Norman Reedus. I can’t wait to dive into the assassin lifestyle of the Ruska Roma and see how this bad-ass ballerina gets things done. Pistol pirouette, anyone? — Preston 28 YEARS LATER (June 20th) If I’m being completely honest, when I first started perusing a list of 2025 releases to decide what to write about, this one didn’t really register. Sure, I like 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later well enough, but they came out in 2002 and 2007, respectively. I wasn’t yearning for more from this world, not to mention zombies have been kinda played out since The Walking Dead killed them nearly 15 years ago (with a few notable exceptions). That said, once the trailer dropped, I was sold. The bleak tension, the seemingly visceral horror, and the creepy audio of Rudyard Kipling’s “Boots” — coupled with the return of Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle and Oscar-nominated writer Alex Garland, both of whom skipped Weeks — have my interest level on fleek, as the kids say. And that’s before we even get to the fact that Cillian Murphy is returning after also skipping Weeks , and he’ll be joined by Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jack O’Connell. Plus, this will be one of the few zombie movies to explore the apocalypse a full generation after the first wave of undead hit. Now, I fully admit that it could be just a hell of a trailer, but I’ll be there on opening night to find out. — Quentin F1 (June 27th) Brad Pitt has been my man-crush ever since I was mature enough to admit that I could have a man-crush, so if he is put into a position to play the leading role in a film about high-speed racing, I’m already sold. F1 is set to reveal the world of auto racing that is revered around the globe, so the stakes are high to get it right. Were you a fan of Top Gun: Maverick ? Fortunately, the director (Joseph Kosinski), writer (Ehren Kruger), and Oscar-winning cinematographer (Claudio Miranda) from that instant classic join forces again to bring the same level of high-octane action in this beloved and pulse-quickening form. Another good sign is their attempt to be as authentic as possible, as they have been seen filming at actual races from past seasons. Plus, if you are a true F1 fan, all of the actual Formula One teams and drivers will make an appearance. I have a feeling I will be adding a Formula One car to the growing list of vehicles I will always dream of operating even as I understand I likely never will, right next to the F/A-18 Super Hornet. — Preston

Previous Next March 13, 2026 With the Oscars coming up, we're once again going to launch an episode for each film the Academy Awards have nominated for Best Picture. Each day leading to the ceremony, we will release an episode, and today’s video we're talking about Sentimental Value ! After a storied career, Stellan Skarsgård has finally received his Oscar nomination, but he's not alone. All four of Sentimental Value 's main actors were recognized for their achievements with nominations, yet, they somehow weren’t recognized for Best Casting. Amarú, Nick, Adriano, and returning guest Harrison Martin talk about director Joachim Trier’s acclaimed family drama and the acting quartet of Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel for all of our latest video content including our interviews, and be sure to give us a thumbs up and comment your thoughts!

FUBAR: SEASON ONE Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Monica Barbaro, Milan Carter, Travis Van Winkle, Jay Baruchel, Aparna Brielle, Andy Buckley, Fortune Feimster, Barbara Eve Harris, Gabriel Luna, and Fabiana Udenio Creator: Nick Santora NICK With the television landscape changing over the last few years, it’s no longer enough to just have huge movie stars like Harrison Ford or Sylvester Stallone lead your series. It needs to be good. Unfortunately, the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led FUBAR is merely fine, but nothing more. Like many Arnold blockbusters, FUBAR is a bunch of fun fluff…and there’s nothing wrong with that…but as the series goes on, even his presence isn’t enough to lift it beyond mediocrity. There are moments of humour and the father/daughter dynamic is good, but some oddly cast side characters and a lack of direction plunges this into forgettable territory. QUENTIN Do you remember the USA network’s “Characters Welcome” era? With shows like White Collar and Burn Notice being so weirdly glossy and brightly lit that they looked cheap and fake? FUBAR is like Netflix made a True Lies -ripoff in that style, and somehow lucked in to getting Arnold Schwarzenegger to star in it. All that is to say FUBAR is not very good. Even the Arnold-loving kid in me from the 80s lost interest about midway through. It’s not particularly funny, the action isn’t all that great, and there is a lot of make-sure-the-old-people-understand exposition. Hopefully, this…and, for the love of God, Fortune Feimster…won’t be back.

TULSA KING: SEASON TWO Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Garrett Hedlund, Martin Starr, Jay Will, Max Casella, Vincent Piazza, Dana Delany, Tatiana Zappardino, Annabella Sciorra, Domenick Lombardozzi, Neal McDonough, Frank Grillo, and Andrea Savage Creator: Taylor Sheridan QUENTIN I’m not going to sit here and tell you that Tulsa King ‘s second season is compelling, high-end, prestige drama. It most certainly is not. However, when you have the always charismatic Sylvester Stallone surrounded by terrific (and personal favorite) character actors like Frank Grillo, Neal McDonough, Martin Starr, and Domenick Lombardozzi (among others), you can forgive almost all the story’s shortcomings, including its predictability and cheesiness. The fact of the matter is that this is just a fun show, flaws be damned — a sort of Diet Coke version of The Sopranos that I will eagerly tune in to week after week, season after season.