Bob Strauss
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Bob Strauss covers film and television for the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times' The Envelope, The Wrap and whoever else will pay him.
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Articles by Bob Strauss
‘Dexter: Resurrection’ Season 2 review: Is the franchise losing its edge?
The serial killer of serial killers Dexter Morgan has survived 20 years, a prequel and two sequel series on television. Little surprise that he’s now undergoing a midlife crisis. That’s a plot element in “Dexter: Resurrection’s” second season. It also describes where the franchise is at after all this time. The new season’s murders have a rote quality, stabs at humor more like self-parody, and the ongoing introductions of new and old characters don’t intrigue like they did before.
Helen Mirren makes 'A Talent for Murder' deliciously wicked
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Review: Helen Mirren makes ‘A Talent for Murder’ deliciously wicked
Despite lush Alpine and Roman locations and its Modernist main setting, “A Talent for Murder” unfolds like something in a hall of mirrors that only reflects darkness. A treat for fans of literary mysteries and nasty behavior, this speculative work is built around the queen of both, Patricia Highsmith, and what could have been the circumstances that led up to her final novel. “A Talent for Murder”: Thriller. Starring Helen Mirren, Alden Ehrenreich and Olivia Cooke. Directed by Anton Corbijn. (R.
The New Stanford Prison Experiment
Summary30 men and women are assigned guard and prisoner roles in the reality series filmed over two weeks at a real correctional facility in Georgia and promises more safeguards from physical and psychological abuse that occurred during the original 1971 experiment. Available after 4 ratings 0% Positive 0 Reviews 100% Mixed 4 Reviews 0% Negative 0 Reviews Oct 21, 2026 The Independent As with all reality television, we’re clearly at the mercy of the edit.
VisionQuest season 1 Reviews
SummaryVision (Paul Bettany) struggles with reclaiming his memories and humanity in the concluding installment of the "WandaVision" trilogy.
Marvel’s ‘VisionQuest’ review: James Spader’s Ultron steals the show in a lore-heavy sequel
A few years back, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige said they’d stop making shows that required knowing everything that came before in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If “VisionQuest” is any indication, he was just foolin’. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying the series’ new sequel. “VisionQuest”: Superhero. Starring Paul Bettany, James Spader, Ruaridh Mollica and T’Nia Miller. (TV-14. Eight 60-minute episodes.) Available to stream on Disney+ starting Wednesday, Oct. 14.
‘Lanterns’ Finale Review: HBO’s Epic DC Drama Ends on a Quiet but Promising Note Original
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Note: This story contains spoilers from “Lanterns” Episode 8. After belatedly coming through with some apocalyptic action and awesome other worlds, “Lanterns” powered down for its finale. Characters and their issues — which it could be said had already eaten up too much time for a superhero show — sauntered toward resolution with very little slam-banging deemed necessary. Maybe it wasn’t.
‘East of Eden’ Review: Florence Pugh Astounds as Steinbeck’s Wickedest Villain in Vast Netflix Retelling
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
‘East of Eden’ Review: Florence Pugh Astounds as Steinbeck’s Wickedest Villain in Vast Netflix Retelling Original
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… This is not your grandfather’s “East of Eden” and that’s no joke. The seven-hour adaptation of John Steinbeck’s epic novel that actress Zoe Kazan scripted and co-produced for Netflix is quite a departure from her grandpa Elia’s 1955 CinemaScope movie. The series covers the whole, decades-long narrative, not just its final year during World War I.
‘Resident Evil’ review: Zach Cregger delivers the franchise’s first great movie
No surprise that Zach Cregger’s “Resident Evil” is the first good movie adaptation of the landmark horror video games. Cregger’s previous solo directed features, “Barbarian” (2022) and “Weapons” (2025), are widely considered to have refreshed the genre with wit, style and storytelling ingenuity. But this one is more than just a smarter, more cinematic remedy to a half-dozen mindless, Milla Jovovich zombie slaughters. “Resident Evil”:Horror.
‘Buddy’ review: Children’s TV show horror satire scares, amuses and mostly impresses
For anyone who finds the forced glee of most children’s television shows creepy, “Buddy” may be your forever home. Casper Kelly’s feature-directing debut is all about the psychosis lurking behind the big smiles, happy dances and bright colors of a 1990s “Barney & Friends”-style program. The star of “It’s Buddy” is a furry orange unicorn with a gray-violet heart covering its plush chest.
Birth and death scenes can be 'melodramatic.' How 'Paradise' made them shattering instead
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‘Lanterns’ Review: Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre’s Superhero Show Is More ‘True Detective’ Than DC, and That’s OK
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
‘Lanterns’ Review: Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre’s Superhero Show Is More ‘True Detective’ Than DC, and That’s OK Original
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Fans of the “Green Lantern” comic book run that began in the 1960s have approached HBO’s TV adaptation, “Lanterns,” with understandable wariness.
‘Ice Cream Man’ review: Eli Roth’s blood-soaked horror is a lot to stomach Original
Eli Roth’s career ranges from the extreme torture porn of “Hostel” (2005) to family-friendly fantasy in “The House with a Clock in its Walls” (2018). Now the filmmaker has combined those incompatible genres in “Ice Cream Man,” hoping there’s an audience for preteens graphically eviscerating their parents and teachers. “Ice Cream Man”: Horror. Starring Charlie Zeltzer, Kiori Mirza Waldman and Shiloh O’Reilly. Directed by Eli Roth. (Not rated. 86 minutes.) In theaters Friday, Aug. 7.
‘Furious’ Review: Emmy Rossum Is Bolder Than Ever in Visceral Hulu Thriller
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Why ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ may be the best ‘Big Bang Theory’ spinoff yet
“Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” is the latest spinoff of the hit CBS comedy “The Big Bang Theory” — and the best one yet. The 10-episode HBO Max production is infinitely fun by staying true to its title promise (or threat). Protagonist Stuart Bloom, Kevin Sussman’s weak-chinned comic bookstore owner, just can’t be called a hero. Every time he tries to save the universe, he finds innovative ways to fumble the assignment. “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe”: Science fiction comedy. (TV-MA.
‘Furious’ Review: Emmy Rossum Is Bolder Than Ever in Visceral Hulu Thriller Original
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Gripping and relevant with a high squirm-count, serial killer thriller “Furious” tells a tough story with intense commitment. But it can get tripped up by some questionable good intentions. Immensely watchable despite any missteps, this series from the estimable Elizabeth Meriwether (“The Dropout,” “Dying for Sex”) shocks and saddens on the regular.
You may hate ‘Her Private Hell,’ but you probably won’t forget it Original
If a movie was ever worth watching for its component parts, “Her Private Hell” is the one. Nicolas Winding Refn’s first feature in more than a decade bears all the grotesque violence, gratuitous misbehavior and somnambulistic acting we expect from the notorious Danish director. But while he’s also developed a reputation as a fashion-forward film stylist with “Drive” (2011), “Only God Forgives” (2013) and “The Neon Demon” (2016), this work operates on a whole other plane of formal virtuosity.
‘Maddie’s Secret’ review: John Early’s gender-bending, gut-wrenching film about bulimia is a true work of art
Campy and outrageous, “Maddie’s Secret” is also one of the most heartfelt movies of the year. John Early’s feature film writing and directing debut stars the “Search Party” comedian as Maddie Ralph, a beloved “perfect” wife and rising online food content creator with a bulimic impulse she has wrestled with since childhood. “Maddie’s Secret”: Comic melodrama. Starring John Early, Kate Berlant and Kristen Johnston. Directed by John Early. (Not rated.
‘The American Experiment’ shows how the nation has been an inspiration — and a mess — from the start
“The American Experiment,” Netflix’s contribution to the nation’s 250th birthday, packs a good deal of information about our governing principles into five-plus, nimbly paced hours. Neither as detailed nor exhaustive as Ken Burns’ twice-as-long “The American Revolution,” this Tom Hanks-produced, Brian Knappenberger-directed docuseries covers much of the same ground in unavoidably similar ways.
‘House of the Dragon’ review: After Season 2’s letdown, HBO finally delivers the chaos fans wanted
After a two-year wait and an infamous anticlimax last season, “House of the Dragon” finally delivers the firepower fans were promised. While it’s not certain the Dance of the Dragons will happen this year either — HBO only provided the first four of eight episodes to review — the Chronicle can happily report that Season 3 features a satisfying amount of blood, thunder and incineration this go-round. “House of the Dragon” Season 3: Fantasy drama series.
‘The Death of Robin Hood’ review: Hugh Jackman turns the hero’s tale into a bloody, brilliant reckoning
It may be hard for delicate souls to sit through the first half of “The Death of Robin Hood.” But it might be tough for graphic violence fans, too. A cold hell of mud, blood and homicidal intent, this medieval myth-buster grinds viewers in the muck of 13th-century brutality. It goes so far as to show Hugh Jackman’s aged bandit killing two children by the 20-minute mark. In self-defense, arguably, but jeez, what happened to the hero of Sherwood Forest? “The Death of Robin Hood”: Drama.
In 'Power Ballad,' Paul Rudd delivers a hilarious warning for every frustrated dreamer
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In ‘Power Ballad,’ Paul Rudd delivers a hilarious warning for every frustrated dreamer
For anyone haunted by creative ambitions that never quite materialized, “Power Ballad” offers a bracing reality check. But if the movie doesn’t inspire a regretful smile, there may be no hope. “Power Ballad”: Musical comedy. Starring Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas and Peter McDonald. Directed by John Carney. (R. 98 minutes.) In Bay Area theaters Friday, June 5. For a while, it may seem as though Irish writer-director-composer John Carney has gone into reverse with his latest musical character piece.
In homage to the original, 'Alien: Earth' made a 64-minute 'Alien' movie. Here's how
Dropping a tribute to Ridley Scott’s 1979 “Alien” halfway through his franchise-expanding series wasn’t easy. But Noah Hawley just had to do it.
Spider-Noir season 1 Reviews
SummaryBen Reilly (Nicolas Cage), a private investigator in 1930s New York, must face his past as a superhero called "The Spider" in the live-action series based on the Marvel comic "Spider-Man Noir".
‘Spider-Noir’ Review: Nicolas Cage Marvels in One of the Year’s Top TV Treats
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‘Spider-Noir’ Review: Nicolas Cage Marvels in One of the Year’s Top TV Treats Original
A marvelous mesh of style, homage and deconstruction, “Spider-Noir” is the year’s top TV treat so far. Showrunner Oren Uziel has developed an obscure Marvel property into a genre mash-up that quickly establishes its own distinct attitude, then uses it to bring new energy to worn out hardboiled detective, superhero and horror movie conventions. All while looking great, in your choice of rich vintage color or shimmering/shadowy black-and-white. All television should be this much, well-done fun.
‘Mortal Kombat II’ is the franchise’s goriest and most entertaining movie yet
C.J. Bloomfield as Baraka in New Line Cinema?s ?Mortal Kombat II' Warner Bros. Pictures Karl Urban, right, portrays Johnny Cage in “Mortal Kombat II,” due in theaters on May 8. (Warner Brothers Pictures/TNS) Courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture/TNS “Mortal Kombat II” is a sterling example of an action movie that starts out dumb but gradually becomes kind of awesome — and a little bit smarter.
‘Mortal Kombat II’ is the franchise’s goriest and most entertaining movie yet
“Mortal Kombat II” is a sterling example of an action movie that starts out dumb but gradually becomes kind of awesome — and a little bit smarter. Simon McQuoid’s sequel to his 2021 adaptation of the popular video games will surely resonate more with fans of the fighting franchise, but casual moviegoers out for a night of big blood-soaked action won’t be disappointed.
‘Mortal Kombat II' is the franchise's goriest and most entertaining movie yet
Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn, left, and Ludi Lin as Liu Kang in "Mortal Kombat II." (Warner Bros. Pictures) "Mortal Kombat II" is a sterling example of an action movie that starts out dumb but gradually becomes kind of awesome - and a little bit smarter. Simon McQuoid's sequel to his 2021 adaptation of the popular video games will surely resonate more with fans of the fighting franchise, but casual moviegoers out for a night of big blood-soaked action won't be disappointed.
Review: Adam Scott goes dark in one of the year's best horror films, 'Hokum'
Adam Scott stars in "Hokum." (Courtesy of NEON) It's frightening how "Hokum" moves from murder mystery to supernatural shenanigans and then to psychological horror with such confidence. It's exhilarating as well. Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy has perfected a mastery of unease in eerie places since the short festival favorite "He Dies at the End" (2010) through to his first two features, "Caveat" (2020) and "Oddity" (2024).
Review: Adam Scott goes dark in one of the year’s best horror films, 'Hokum'
Adam Scott stars in "Hokum." Courtesy of NEON It’s frightening how “Hokum” moves from murder mystery to supernatural shenanigans and then to psychological horror with such confidence. It’s exhilarating as well. Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy has perfected a mastery of unease in eerie places since the short festival favorite “He Dies at the End” (2010) through to his first two features, “Caveat” (2020) and “Oddity” (2024).
‘Hokum' review: Adam Scott goes dark in one of the year's best horror films
Adam Scott in "Hokum." (Neon) It's frightening how "Hokum" moves from murder mystery to supernatural shenanigans and then to psychological horror with such confidence. It's exhilarating as well. Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy has perfected a mastery of unease in eerie places since the short festival favorite "He Dies at the End" (2010) through to his first two features, "Caveat" (2020) and "Oddity" (2024).
‘Hokum’ review: Adam Scott goes dark in one of the year’s best horror films
It’s frightening how “Hokum” moves from murder mystery to supernatural shenanigans and then to psychological horror with such confidence. It’s exhilarating as well. Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy has perfected a mastery of unease in eerie places since the short festival favorite “He Dies at the End” (2010) through to his first two features, “Caveat” (2020) and “Oddity” (2024).
Review: NOFX’s farewell documentary is chaotic, crude — and unexpectedly heartfelt Original
In honor of NOFX’s final performances, the punk band produced and candidly participated in the documentary “40 Years of F—n’ Up.” The result is even wilder than expected, and more heartfelt than it has any right to be. Even still, it will likely be more appreciated by fans of the veteran California punks than by anyone new to their music. “40 Years of F—n’ Up: A Film By NOFX”: Music documentary. Directed by James Buddy Day. (Not rated. 125 minutes.) Bay Area premiere with Fat Mike.
‘The Audacity’ skewers Bay Area tech elites — and is almost as insufferable as they are Original
“The Audacity” is admirable and exasperating at the same time — much like the tech moguls the show tries to skewer. AMC’s Palo Alto-set, Vancouver-shot tragicomedy series is too smart and densely written to be dismissed as “Silicon Valley 2.0.” That is, until its eccentric, venal and greedy characters do something goofy, which is often. But creator/showrunner Jonathan Glatzer has more on his mind than geek caricatures.
‘Newborn’ review: David Oyelowo powers a tense, uneven story of trauma and isolation Original
Shot in 2020 and looking like it, with small cast groupings in sparsely populated locations, “Newborn” turns the restrictions of filming during the COVID pandemic into an advantage. This is, after all, a tale of personal isolation that leads to madness. That thematic alignment carries into the storytelling, but not without strain. Nate Parker’s film isn’t always successful at balancing empathy with suspense or its prison reform message with character development.
‘The Boys’ Season 5 Review: Superhero Series Thrives Through Its Grotesque Finale
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‘The Boys’ Season 5 Review: Superhero Series Thrives Through Its Grotesque Finale Original
As you set about watching the fifth and final season of “The Boys” you may think, yeah, it’s time to call it quits. Make no mistake: Eric Kripke’s adaptation of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s comic books remains the smartest and most relevant superhero TV show ever made.
‘They Will Kill You' review: A fierce Zazie Beetz can't quite save this déjà vu horror tale
David Viviers, left, Tom Felton, Patricia Arquette, Willie Ludik and Gabe Gabriel in "They Will Kill You." (Warner Bros. Pictures) "They Will Kill You," this week's plucky heroine battles rich devil worshippers horror movie, has a few cool moves the "Ready or Not" films haven't done yet. But you still may feel like you've seen this one before.
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2 is even better — and brutal in all the right ways Original
Last year’s Disney+ revival of “Daredevil: Born Again” was as shockingly brutal as the Marvel superhero show’s earlier Netflix run. It was also arguably more engaging, a neat trick considering the original “Daredevil” was a landmark of gritty TV comic book adaptations. So it shouldn’t be surprising that Season 2 is even better. “Born Again” is just as bloody, with big, bone-crunching fights climaxing seven of its eight episodes (the outlier ends in operatic tragedy). But engrossing as all get out.
‘The Gates' review: James Van Der Beek's final performance gives this racially charged thriller its edge
James Van Der Beek as Jacob in the thriller "The Gates." (Sherwood Jones/Lionsgate) "The Gates" benefits from simple, straightforward plotting and understated social commentary that's as effective as shouted outrage. These organic qualities make the movie more than just a thriller, if not as thrilling as some may like. The pacing could be tauter and shocks more visceral, but the film keeps us intrigued enough.
‘DTF St. Louis’ Review: Jason Bateman Anchors HBO’s Creepingly Compassionate Murder Mystery
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
‘DTF St. Louis’ Review: Jason Bateman Anchors HBO's Creepingly Compassionate Murder Mystery
Jason Bateman's stunning wife steals the show in slinky dress for rare red carpet appearance Jason Bateman may have been the man of the hour at the premiere of his new show, DTF St. Louis, in Los Angeles on Tuesday, but it was his wife, Amanda …
‘DTF St. Louis’ Review: Jason Bateman Anchors HBO's Creepingly Compassionate Murder Mystery Original
It’s hard to tell whether “DTF St. Louis” is a cold-blooded contemporary “Double Indemnity” or a humanistic examination of love and friendship that transcends conventional understanding. Hard to tell by Chapter Four of the intriguing murder mystery, anyway, which is the number HBO showed critics of the seven-episode season.
‘Paradise’ review: Season 2 leaves the bunker for even richer storytelling Original
In “Paradise,” Xavier (Sterling K. Brown) battles the elements and other threats as he follows a broadcast to Atlanta in search of his wife. Ser Baffo/Disney While “Paradise” was rightly received as a superior post-apocalypse thriller, some wondered why Dan Fogelman was showrunning a plot-heavy murder mystery set in a town built inside a Colorado mountain. Fogelman was, after all, coming off “This Is Us,” one of television’s great, character-centered studies of everyday life.
‘How to Make a Killing’ review: Stylish, cynical — but not quite deadly enough Original
Glen Powell is Becket Redfellow, cut off before birth by his wealthy relatives and determined to murder the heirs standing between him and the family fortune, in “How to Make a Killing.” A24 Charm goes only so far for a serial killer in the age of TMZ and traffic cams. “How to Make a Killing” puts that limit to the test, relocating the 1949 British black comedy “Kind Hearts and Coronets” to modern-day New York.
'Sentimental Value' isn't a critique of Netflix. 'It's an encouragement'
Actor Stellan Skarsgård, left, with writer-director Joachim Trier of "Sentimental Value," the year's most Oscar-nominated international feature. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” is nominated for an impressive nine Academy Awards, among them the first best picture nod for a Norwegian film and the auteur himself for both directing and co-writing (with longtime collaborator Eskil Vogt) the family drama’s original screenplay.
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