The home stretch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Three is finally here, and the Russo brothers deliver an epic, brutal, and oftentimes scattered showdown with the Mad Titan Thanos. Buckling, even if never caving, under the weight of the preceding 18(!) films, Avengers: Infinity War can't quite live up to the high-water mark year the MCU has had, but it damn well tries and it's a minor miracle that the film works as well as it does. Mild spoilers ahead...

One of the most decorated directors of the past few decades, Steven Soderbergh has made a name for himself with his daring forays into experimental filmmaking. In some ways, Soderbergh challenges the very concept of the auteur filmmaker: with no trademark look or style, his diverse filmography ranges from mainstream blockbusters like the Ocean's films, to micro-scale stunt-casted indies like The Girlfriend Experience and Haywire, to prestige period television like The Knick. Soderbergh's latest film, Unsane, is a thrilling master class in suspense that works in tandem with Soderbergh's eye for experimentation, but it's not for everyone. Mild spoilers ahead...

Thoroughbreds, which started its life as an unproduced stage play by Cory Finley, is a fresh and confident debut for the first-time director. Dark, humorous, and sharp, the film is aided by two magnetic performances from Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke, and a special assist from some of the best sound editing in a film this year. Mild spoilers ahead...

Under the Radar is a column by Strange Harbors that explores hidden gems in pop culture. Whether it's a little seen film, an underappreciated television show, or a forgotten comic, there's a lot of quality stuff out there that goes relatively unnoticed. This column's job is to shine an oft-needed light on these overlooked, but ultimately worthwhile, works. This week, we'll be taking a look at the short-lived but excellent Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - a television series that captured the magic of the James Cameron films way more than their later sequels ever did.

An uplifting celebration of blackness, Black Panther represents a momentous turning point in black cinema. Ryan Coogler has crafted one of the most poignant explorations of African culture and what it means to be black. The main character just happens to kick ass and wear a cat costume. Mild spoilers ahead...

Netflix, in an unprecedented move, dropped an entire feature-length film onto unsuspecting audiences right after the Super Bowl last night. The third film in the Cloverfield franchise developed by J.J. Abrams, The Cloverfield Paradox is a new sci-fi film that attempts to tackle parallel universes, space adventure, and giant monsters...and fails miserably. Uninspired, lazy, and mostly just nonsensical, The Cloverfield Paradox is a waste of a perfectly executed marketing stunt. Mild spoilers ahead...

Under the Radar is a column by Strange Harbors that explores hidden gems in pop culture. Whether it's a little seen film, an underappreciated television show, or a forgotten comic, there's a lot of quality stuff out there that goes relatively unnoticed. This column's job is to shine an oft-needed light on these overlooked, but ultimately worthwhile, works. This week, we'll be taking a look at the Canadian sci-fi import that's currently streaming on Netflix: Travelers.

Don't let its grindhouse and exploitation trappings fool you, Brawl in Cell Block 99 is a fantastic film that puts Vince Vaughn to great use in a way you'd least expect: as a take-no-prisoners asskicker. A film that depicts a slow unraveling of a man's life that suddenly explodes into bone-crunching madness and gruesome violence in its third act, Brawl in Cell Block 99 will change the way you look at Vince Vaughn forever. Minor spoilers ahead...

Premium channel Starz gets into the prestige sci-fi game with Counterpart, an espionage thriller starring J.K. Simmons and featuring spies, parallel universes, and games of Go. Although the series doesn't officially premiere until this Sunday, Starz has made the pilot available for viewing since December 10th of last year. Fringe by the way of The Americans, the Counterpart pilot offers thrills and suspense at a brisk clip and introduces us to its dizzying world with a rock solid first outing. Minor spoilers ahead...

The tracking shot. The long take. Whatever you decide to call it, no other cinematic device tests the prowess of a film director like a long scene uninterrupted by any cuts. Directors love the tracking shot because a beautiful long take proves more than anything that they know what they're doing: dialogue must be timed perfectly, camera operators must be on point, action choreography must hit their marks, and no mistakes can be made. The longer the shot, the harder it is to film. So, in my humble opinion, here are the five greatest tracking shots of all time...

Marvel's Runaways fails to capture the magic of its source material. While the comic is now considered a classic of the modern Marvel era, this new adaptation can't seem to muster the focus, charm, and creativity of the original. A disclaimer: as a huge fan of the original comic, it is impossible for me to review this show objectively. If you are looking for a review that can judge this show on its own merits, this one may not be for you. Mild spoilers ahead...

Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the second installment of the modern trilogy of films that started with The Force Awakens. The Last Jedi is an uneven film that has lower lows than its predecessor, but also higher highs. The film is saddled with dull subplots and wheel-spinning, but a rollicking and completely unpredictable third act revives an otherwise limp entry in the Star Wards canon. Minor spoilers ahead...

Justice League avoids DOA status like Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, but Wonder Woman it is not. An attempt is made to inject much needed levity and fun to the franchise; however, a rotten foundation of previous stinkers, a cookie-cutter plot, and the worst comic book film villain in recent memory sabotage the film. Mild spoilers ahead...

What makes a killer kill? Netflix's new series from David Fincher and creator Joe Penhall about the birth of serial killer profiling, based on the true crime book of the same name, tries to answer that question in a mostly worthwhile trip to the 1970s with one caveat: the pilot is a mess. Tough out the first episode, however, and you will be rewarded with a gripping look at the real-life psyches of America's most disturbed murderers. Mild spoilers ahead...

Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 is not for everyone, but the film is a remarkable slow burn that not only improves upon, but elevates, the original. Deliberate in its pacing and world-building, the follow-up to Ridley Scott's dystopian vision of Los Angeles uses breathtaking cinematography, impeccable production and costume design, and interesting character moments to make our second visit even more revelatory than the first. Mild spoilers ahead...