In “The Wall,” director Doug Liman and scripter Dwain Worrell brilliantly reduce the Iraq War to a few skirmishes between a pair of American soldiers (Aaron Taylor- Johnson, John Cena) and an unseen sniper who has them pinned behind a crumbling wall.
After Cena is struck down, “The Wall” becomes a one-man show as Taylor-Johnson struggles to survive his physical wounds and the mind games he’s forced to play with the enemy.
Liman not only manages to pack every minute of this menacing movie with white-knuckle suspense but he raises goose-bumps with a finale that ranks as one of the year’s most bracing and subversive. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu
Also New To Streaming and VODMarvel’s The Defenders: Now that “Spider-Man: Homecoming” has come and gone, this series supplies your superhero fix until “Thor: Ragnarok” arrives in November. “The Defenders” brings together the protagonists of all four of Marvel’s world-saving shows-“Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage” and “Iron Fist” – for a new adventure set in New York. The twist? Our heroes (Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, Finn Jones) will be less worried about battling super-villains and more concerned with stamping out everyday crime on the streets. Sigourney Weaver co-stars. On Netflix.
What Happened To Monday: Here’s a sci-fi drama which pits seven sisters (all played by Noomi Rapace) against an exacting bureaucrat (Glenn Close). The action unfolds in the near future when all governments have passed legislation disallowing families from having more than one child per household. The seven sisters manage to get away with breaking the law until one day one of them does not come home. Creepy. On Netflix.
How To Be A Latin Lover: From the same production company behind the surprise hit “Instructions Not Included” comes another broad but infectious comedy. Eugenio Derbez is well cast as an aging gigolo who is suddenly dumped by his much older lover, forcing him to move in with his wary sister (Salma Hayek) and her young son (Raphael Alejandro). The film tries too hard to showcase its big supporting cast (Raquel Welch, Rob Lowe, Kristen Bell) but the scenes involving Derbez and Hayek are delightful fun, with Hayek, in particular, showing off her considerable comic chops. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu
The Blacklist – The Complete Fourth Season: James Spader continues to give one of the slyest performances on TV as the mysterious Reddington, a master criminal who now works with an FBI task force and rookie agent Liz (Megan Boone) in hopes of ensnaring other dangerous felons. This season, Liz continues to dig into the mystery of her lost childhood while Red finds himself betrayed by those closest to him. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu.
Billions – Season Two: One of cable TV’s most thrilling looks at money and power has gotten even better with its latest batch of episodes. The action pits brilliant hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Damian Lewis) against ruthless U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti). Both Lewis and Giamatti are superb but keep your eyes on Maggie Siff as Rhoades’ wife; she steals every scene she’s in. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu.
Teen TitlesEverything, Everything: Here’s an amiably formulaic, gently bittersweet romance about a pair of teens who fall in love despite heaps of complications. It’s a bit like “The Boy In The Plastic Bubble” with a gender switch and it may win you over with its low-key approach. Amandla Stenberg plays a teenager suffering from a rare immune disorder which restricts her from leaving her house. After meeting the dreamy boy next door (Nick Robinson), she begins to realize that a life without love isn’t worth living. The characters are two-dimensional but the actors have pleasing chemistry and director Stella Meghie makes imaginative use of fantasy sequences. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu
Riverdale – The Complete First Season: Based on the characters from “The Archies” comics, this addictive series hooks you with a number of elements, including a mystery that needs solving, the fractured friendship between Archie (KJ Apa) and Jughead (Cole Sprouse) and, of course, the romantic triangle between Archie, Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Veronica (Camilla Mendes). Set in the present day, the show boasts an almost “Twin Peaks”-esque desire to subvert the notion of smalltown America as a safe haven. While not as dark as the David Lynch show, “Riverdale” delivers kicks worth craving. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu.
For The KidsDescendants 2: The first movie featuring the Villain Kids was such a big hit, Disney has brought them back for another adventure that promises to be bigger, bolder and badder. The plot kicks in when Mal (Dove Cameron) grows tired of being a perfect royal and flees Auradon for the Isle of the Lost. Her pals give chase, in hopes of retrieving her, but discover that Mal’s former archenemy (China Anne McClain) has seized power and is preparing to unleash havoc on Auradon and the Villain Kids. There’s plenty of swashbuckling action as well as song-and-dance numbers. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu.
PJ Masks – Time To Be A Hero: Your kids will love to hang out with Catboy, Owlette and Gekko as they head out on their midnight missions, venturing into the night to save the day. Among the developments: Cameron’s mini-car gets stolen and Owlette learns that two wrongs don’t make a right after he tries to get back at Night Ninja by destroying his masterpiece statue. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu.
