Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces (2024)

"Do you ever get sad because you're not as happy as you think you should be?"

Steve Martin has always been an enigmatic figure to me, even though I've been watching his movies ever since he turned grey. Fascinating to see how his rocky childhood, Disney upbringing (working at a magic shop) and 15 years of stand-up helped hone him into the wild and crazy guy he would become. And yeah, even the banjos stretch back that far. This doc contains a lot of rare footage and newly filmed interviews, and even a couple of candid moments of raw emotion. The first half covers his upbringing up until his "retirement" from stand-up in 1980, while the rest encapsulates the breadth of his film career all the way to his successful stage show with Martin Short. It's a good overview a life well-lived; recommended for fans and comedy nerds alike.

3½ arrows through the head out of 5

I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not (2025)

An impartial look at the comedic actor known for playing bumbling, arrogant characters with his trademark acerbic wit, from his beginnings with National Lampoon to his meteoric rise on Saturday Night Live; and the flourishing film career at the height of his popularity, before his perceived fall from grace. 

I've always liked Chevy Chase. Even when the world says you shouldn't like 'this person' because of 'this, that or the other.' Honestly, I relate more to the outcasts than anything. Once you get past his thorny exterior, you realize he's full of contradictory layers; thin-skinned and sensitive to criticism, but just wants to be loved. Even when he rubs people the wrong way, there's a self-awareness of coping and pain behind his eyes. This doc features him, warts and all. My only complaint is that it feels like it merely scratches the surface.

3 pratfalls out of 5

Lorne (2026)

Lorne Michaels, the maverick behind Saturday Night Live for the past five decades, is given his own spotlight here, where he is as cagey, elusive and stoic as ever, including to his own friends and co-workers. This doc attempts to penetrate the mystique that surrounds this aura with a cheeky narrative approach that guesses at half-truths, along with some candid footage of the man behind the curtain at Studio 8H, where he ushered in an era of counter-cultural voices and leaves behind an enormous legacy of comedic talent. Yet, at the end of the day, we still don't know much more than when we started. 

2½ Dr. Evil impressions out of 5

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist (2026)

What is A.I.? That's the first question the film poses and I was already lost from there because nobody seems to agree on anything. Interviews with leading experts in the field are juxtaposed with the story of a guy whose wife has recently become pregnant and is worried about the world their children will inherit. Predictably, it's filled with lots of doom and gloom and fearmongering, but it's a complex, multifaceted issue. Told in three parts—the pessimists, the optimists, and the realists—there is also a fourth part to the story: the people getting rich off this technology, which is really all it boils down to. Like the Space Race 2.0, it's a rush to whoever can get to the finish line first. The scary part is that this technology exists in the hands of everyone, so it can be exploited for their own gain depending on their moral values, which is where the true evil lies. At a certain point, I find myself on the side of the robots.

Part of the problem with this doc is that technology moves so quickly that a lot of this information already feels obsolete. Before long, it becomes clear that none of these so-called "experts" know what the fuck they're talking about. It's all endless speculation. There are good and bad outcomes, but nobody knows for sure what will happen. No one can predict the future, not even A.I. 

In short, this movie stressed me the fuck out. I did not feel assured by the end.

2½ Arthur C. Clarke predictions out of 5

Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! (2026)

An informal sitdown with the director/writer/actor/producer extraordinaire, recounting his storied career through new interviews and a wealth of archival materials culled from his 75+ year career. Literally 99 at the time of release, Brooks remains a natural showman and a gifted storyteller, demonstrating a brilliant mind of quick wit and even quicker retorts, while exploring the many contradictory sides to the man; comedy icon, serious introspective, political provocateur. Yet he proves himself to be a real mensch. This extensive deep dive interweaves his body of work with his private life; his longtime marriage to Anne Bancroft and his lifelong friendship with Carl Reiner. And death. A lifetime of death and tragedy follow you when you're the 2000 Year Old Man.

All of this rare footage is so entertaining and engrossing that it's hard not to develop a ton of respect for someone who claims to be so tasteless and ribald, yet has contributed such a lasting legacy to film. I'm glad I saw it while he's still alive because I expect it would hit a lot differently after the fact.

4 more hits than flops out of 5

Note: Features the final on-screen interviews of David Lynch and Rob Reiner.

Music by John Williams (2024)

A cursory glance into the life and storied career of composer and conductor John Williams, although it leaves out much of his vast, 70+ year repertoire.

Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, E.T., Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, etc. You know the music. He's a part of all our collective psyche. John Williams was long overdue to have his own documentary, and here he tells his story in his own words, along with interviews from filmmakers and fellow composers, many of whom I had never seen their face before. It seems like no one has a bad word to say about the man; everybody praises him and it's hard to argue with the results. Mr. Williams himself comes off as humble, intelligent and charming. If it was even possible for me to have more respect for him, I did. 

Spielberg knew the genius of Williams early on and hitched his wagon to him from the start of his journey, and they brought out the best in each other. Not just collaborators, but great friends. It's exciting to see their collaboration in motion in behind the scenes footage, and also learning that it was Spielberg who convinced Williams and Lucas to work together and score Star Wars.

On a personal note, JW is responsible for so much of my love of filmmusic and classical music alike. An inspirational figure through all of his 100+ scores. He represents the music of childhood and the rich symphonic tapestry to my life.

4 leitmotifs out of 5

Ennio: The Maestro (2021)

AKA: The Glance of Music

A comprehensive look into the life, legacy and extensive career of Italian film composer Ennio Morricone. Known for so much more than the "wah wah" sound of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, his rich orchestral soundscape spanned the course of 500 compositions in 75 years, which is an incredible metric by any standard. Featuring in-depth interviews from contemporaries, the biggest treasure trove here is a newly filmed conversation with the maestro himself, completed shortly before his death in 2020. It's an exhaustive deep dive that revisits his career, decade by decade, landing on all the greatest hits. As the ultimate retrospective, it's impossible to cover the entire breadth of his work, but this is a good start. None is more deserving of such a celebrated tribute.

4 cinematic vistas out of 5

Piece by Piece (2024)

Hip-hop mogul and producer Pharrell Williams inexplicably tells his life story through a documentary presented entirely in animated Lego form. Why? is the question I kept asking myself throughout. Pharrell experiences the world through synesthesia, which is a way of processing everything through color in the mind's eye. It's your typical, cookie-cutter rags to riches story, with the usual rise and fall (ever so brief) before inevitably coming back stronger than ever. Nevertheless, it contains a wide range of songs from his musical career and it succeeds by marrying the colorful images and catchy songs together. However, at the heart of it all, it still feels like a cynical ego-driven vanity project. I probably would have enjoyed this more as a series of music videos.

2½ Lego McNuggets out of 5

Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) (2026)

Over the past two decades, James Cameron has directed three movies about tall blue alien dudes...and this, a concert film/documentary featuring 24-year-old, 10-time Grammy winner Billie Eilish during the final leg of her 2025 tour. It's a dynamic performance full of spectacle and boundless energy, as the pop singer-songwriter bounds up and down the 360° stage with a swollen ankle. No matter what you think of her music, you have to respect the gumption and raw talent it takes to command a stage like that, while we observe glimpses of her working hard behind the scenes. It's the very definition of a vanity piece, but it's made with the fans in mind, so you know you're going to get a lot of footage of teen girls crying in the rafters. It's the closest approximation to a live concert experience I've probably ever had sitting in a movie theater.

Regardless of whether you're a fan or not, this is what true power looks like.

3½ bad guys out of 5 (duh)

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (2025)

While Peter Jackson is busy preserving The Beatles' legacy, Baz Luhrmann is doing his part for Mr. Presley. As part of his research for the 2022 biopic, Elvis, he came across newly uncovered archival materials and stitched them with audio recordings from the King himself to create this ultimate documentary and concert film, told through his own voice, some 50 years after his death.

What's great about this movie is how much it humanizes the man, because there is a tendency nowadays to tear down and reframe the past from a modern perspective, and it's become increasingly easy for people to cast aspersions towards people who are no longer around to defend themselves.

Interweaving interviews with behind-the-scenes footage, the film is at its best when it allows the raw performances to play out in full, and becomes frustrating when it chooses to chop up performances with vocal overlays. 

Digitally restored with enhanced audio, it looks and sounds great, which makes it a must-see for any fans. It features Elvis in his prime; always the premier showman, with a playful stage persona, he lives up to his reputation.

4 hip gyrations out of 5

Michael (2026)

The long-awaited, "official" Michael Jackson biopic finally arrives, and I was its biggest skeptic. Honestly, while I was entertained throughout, it does feel less than impressive. It sands down most of the edges, but still manages to hit all the biggest story beats and peculiarities, like his obsession with Peter Pan and exotic animals (complete with CGI Bubbles), various surgeries and the infamous Pepsi incident. It only tells about half of the story (from 1966 to 1988) and basically turns into a concert film at the end, but mostly focuses on Michael's strained relationship with his abusive father and how he finally manages to break free and come into his own. His story is larger than life to match his massive talent, but the music speaks volumes and remains as iconic as ever. Jaafar Jackson (real-life nephew to Michael) embodies his spirit, even as I was put off by the uncanny valley cast by all the makeup and prosthetics involved therein. Michael had a real gift that can't be denied, even to those who are dedicated to smearing one's legacy. While it can be argued that it's heavily sanitized and has no teeth, it ends on a high note rather than a low.

The movie: 3 nose jobs out of 5

The music: 5 moonwalks out of 5

Note: It's amusing to me that Mike Myers basically plays the same type of executive character here as he did in the Queen Bohemian Rhapsody biopic.

Young Washington (2026)

Sadly, this isn't a case of a Mel Brooks-style spoof starring Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman. Which would have actually made this pile of shit watchable.

Just in time for the semiquincentennial of the United States of America, this patriotic hogwash is a dry, stale series of historical reenactments steeped in 18th century propaganda. I know it's become the vogue thing to shit on history, especially when it comes to celebrating victory steeped in violence, but this is a very sanitized PG-13 version of events, full of divine intervention, which doesn't seem especially historically accurate. It follows young Georgie as he makes his way up the ranks of warfare, stopping just short of the American Revolutionary War, with the Declaration of Independence and his Presidency merely relegated to a footnote. I don't have any issues with celebrating key historical figures, but I do have a problem with lame nationalistic messages being passed off as light entertainment. This movie feels like school.

1 quarter out of 5

Supergirl (2026)

Supergirl deserves her due. Kara isn't just some carbon copy of Superman. She's a reluctant hero with a punk rock attitude. Unfortunately, it feels like she's been sidelined for most of her own movie. As the second film in the DCU, this doesn't feel part of a cohesive whole. The stakes are curiously low. Lobo is in it for some reason, but doesn't really justify his inclusion. Milly Alcock is super as the titular heroine, but by the time she's kicking ass in the suit, it's already fallen victim to a generic capeshit plot. It does exactly what you think it's going to do. No subverted expectations here. It lacks all of the darkness and emotional depth that made Superman stand out for me, which doesn't bode well for the DCU's future. It's too bad because I was rooting for her all along.

2 bastiches out of 5

Note: Next project in the DCU will be the limited series Lanterns this summer, followed by the theatrical release of Clayface, just in time for Halloween '26.

Toy Story 5 (2026)

The reason this franchise hits so hard is because it's clearly made by people who love film and have a fond remembrance of childhood. Each one has been about embracing and leaving behind the past, and as we get older, so do our memories. The farther away we are from those experiences, the harder it hits.

This one tells the story of how electronic devices are leaving the traditional brick and mortar toys in the dust and forcing kids to grow up too quickly. It's easily the most depressing entry of the series and makes me feel older and more obsolete than ever because it hits on an inevitable truth. It seems like it's on the verge of having something significant to say, but then bails out at the last minute. It's a shame. Can't disparage our technological overlords, I guess...

2½ Lilypads out of 5

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Boy, 2019 feels like a long way behind. This film features the vocal talents of Don Rickles, Carl Reiner, Betty White, Estelle Harris and Carl Weathers, all of whom are no longer with us anymore. It also predates COVID, which feels like simpler times. Film truly is a time capsule. It's important to preserve the past.

Likewise, this franchise understands the value of legacy while continuing to take risks and reinvent itself, branching out in all new directions. This film is about those left behind who must move on from the past in order to find new purpose. It does it in traditional Pixar fashion and succeeds with flying colors.

This would have worked better as the last film in the series, but, you know...

3½ sporks out of 5