DC League of Super-Pets (2022):

DC Comics has demonstrated many times over the decades that Superman, the Man of Steel, and his pet dog Krypto are inseparable, true companions who share the same super powers including the ability to fly, X-Ray Vision, and super strength. They have fought crime together in Metropolis for years, but when Superman and the rest of the Justice League of America are kidnapped by the evil Lex Luthor in this animated action film, it's up to Krypto to master his own powers, and to help awaken secret powers in a band of shelter animals that hope to save the day, to release the JLA members, and to put Luthor in his place. I am not entirely sure how I felt about this movie. It seemed to try to walk a difficult path, making certain that it was politically correct at every level, making certain that same-sex relationships, LGBTQ issues, blending families, and diverse relationships were properly represented, but never, I think, to the detriment of the story. There were lines from various characters that would only be appreciated by adults, like the position that Lex Luthor takes when he explains that his office building doubles as a space rocket, something, he says, that "all billionaires have," a clear shot across the bow at Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. There are several storylines on the go, but great care is taken to ensure that the violence that is presented is entirely of the comic book variety, and is something that even the youngest of kids are not likely to find worrisome. A lot of preaching takes place, to make certain we get the point - it is better to have friends than to have no friends, and forgiveness of those who have wronged you is the high road, not bad values to hammer home. Dwayne Johnson voices Krypto, while a hound named Ace (voice of Kevin Hart) gets the gift of super-strength, a pig named PB gets the power to increase in size dramatically, a squirrel named Chip gets electric powers, and a turtle named Merton gets super-speed. John Krasinski is the voice of Superman, and Keanu Reeves voices Batman. Rated PG.

Watcher (2022):

This tense thriller with horror overtones stars kite-surfing champion Maika Monroe (“The 5th Wave”) as Julia, a woman who follows her husband Francis (Karl Glusman) to Bucharest, Romania when a job transfer takes him there. It sounded fine in theory, but now, living in an apartment in a strange city, with Francis working long hours, it is very soon wearing thin. The husband speaks fluent Romanian, and she does not, so when friends invite them over for dinner, Julia sits there listening to them talk, about what she does not know. Her thoughts become occupied with the news that a serial killer may be operating in their neighbourhood, and she notices a man in the apartment across the street who seems to be staring at her. To prove to herself that he is not, she waves. He waves back. Obsessed with the belief that he must be the killer, she contacts the local police who do not take her seriously, but just to ease her concerns, they go over to the apartment and find the man, warning him to leave her alone. He doesn’t change his behaviour, and as viewers, we aren’t sure if he is or is not the bad guy. Julia becomes more and more obsessed, her marriage is headed for the rocks because her husband things she has lost her marbles, and then … another murder occurs, this one in the suite next door to Julia and Frank. What follows is a low-budget, but tension-filled ending that makes the story a worthwhile watch. Rated 14A.

Dead for a Dollar (2022):

Christoph Waltz is excellent here as a bounty hunter named Max Borlund, working at his trade in New Mexico, circa 1899. Hired to find and free a woman being held hostage in Mexico, Max is on the case with a vengeance, until everything changes. First off, the woman, Rachel (Rachel Brosnahan), isn’t really being held hostage at all. She actually fled her abusive husband to go and live with the alleged hostage-taker, and she is just fine, thanks. While on this case, Max runs across an old enemy, Joe Cribbens (Willem Dafoe) whom he tangled with and sent to prison years earlier. Now Cribbens is out and he is looking for revenge. An almost-contemporary western that has some good performances and a story that will keep you guessing. Rated 14A.

Luckiest Girl Alive (2022):

Netflix is the worldwide distributor for this dramatic mystery produced by Reese Witherspoon based on the best-selling novel by Jessica Knoll who also wrote the screenplay.  Ani (Mila Kunis) is a tough-talking New Yorker who seems to have the world by the tail.  She has a prestigious position at a high-end New York magazine, she dresses like a model, and she has the wedding of her dreams set just months away on Nantucket.  What more could she want or need?  Well, a little help, that's what.  The director of a crime documentary approaches her about an event that occurred when Ani was in her teens at a prestigious private school, forcing her to face the dark facts that may now cause her perfect life to unravel.  The cast also includes Connie Britten ("Nashville") and Jennifer Beals ("Flashdance," "The White Orchid").  Rated 14A. 

Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022):

Based on a story written by Stephen King, this tale of what happens beyond the grave has as its protagonist a boy named Craig (Jaeden Martell) living in a small town, and befriending a most unlikely companion, an elderly billionaire named Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland), brought together by their mutual love of books.  Craig did odd jobs for Mr. Harrigan, and over time they began to read and discuss the books that they loved.  Sadly, the old man passed away, and at the funeral, Craig, for no apparent reason, slipped Mr. Harrigan's cell phone into the dead man's pocket before the casket was closed.  Weeks after the funeral, Craig faced a challenge that he could not overcome, one that was literally life-threatening.  Wishing desperately that his friend was still alive, he phoned Mr. Harrigan's cell, got his voice mail, and left a message, asking what he could do.  Surprisingly, Craig received a text from that same phone, and the real mystery began to deepen.  He was communicating with his friend - which was impossible, but there it was.  Rated 14A.