As media professionals, our team at Around the Corner Productions consumes a lot of media. It’s important to review this media since it keeps us fresh with many essential skillsets that we use on a daily basis, and ensures we have a fresh understanding of public tastes and current culture- so we can continue to inform and advise our clients accurately. As a team, we wanted to review the media we have been watching lately that’s continued to help us grow in our field.
Jack’s Media Review
Superman (2025)
Movie, Action
Superman was a fun movie, and actually the first film I’ve seen in theaters in about seven years! I usually stick to my home theater setup, but some friends wanted to go, and after hearing good things online, I figured it was time to give the big screen another go.
Without knowing the comics, James Gunn’s Superman still felt like what I’ve always imagined Superman to be: compassionate, down to earth, and genuinely caring about every life. Seeing his internal conflict and the weight of his decisions really grounded the character for me, and it gave me a better sense of the difficult side of being Superman.
Superman official trailer.
While it’s mostly lighthearted, action-packed fun, the film also delivers some more meaningful moments. There was one scene in particular that caught me off guard and showcased the brutality of Lex Luthor. It stood out from the typical superhero movie to me as it felt emotional, intense, and layered, adding depth to Superman’s motivation and purpose.
There were a few other things I liked (and a few I didn’t), but overall, if you’re interested in a fun movie that really captures the spirit of Superman, I’d definitely recommend it.
Devin’s Media Review
K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025)
Movie, Animation, Musical
My wife (and I, to a lesser extent) got into K-Pop in 2019 when we stumbled upon songs on like Fake Love, Love Shot, and God’s Menu on YouTube. The music, choreography, and production value are incredible. How do they dance like that AND sound so good?!?! After two concerts we discovered the fan culture is welcoming, inclusive, and all about loving oneself and others. K-Pop Demon Hunters is a concentrated dose of all of this. At its core, it’s a beautiful story about overcoming shame and believing in oneself. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans knocked it out of the park with this visually striking animated movie and an absolute banger soundtrack.
K-pop Demon Hunters official trailer.
Jacob’s Media Review
The Rehearsal, Season 2 (HBO Max)
TV Series, Documentary, Comedy
In The Rehearsal, comedian Nathan Fielder asks the question “What if we could rehearse important life events before committing to those decisions?”
With his awkward, improvisational, reality TV-inspired comedy (and HBO’s healthy budget), Fielder takes that question to extreme ends that I won’t spoil here. The result is part documentary, part clown act, part magic show — and its almost impossible to forecast the next major story beat.
In the phenomenal first season, Fielder helps a trivia-obsessed man share a burning secret with his teammates, a brother settle a family dispute about an estate, and a mother practice parenting before having a child of her own.
In the follow-up second season, Fielder and co. devote the six-episode run to preventing airline disasters, while also diving into relationship problems, autism, antisemitism, and government bureaucracy. Its finale episode, “My Controls,” is one of the most perfect hours of TV I’ve watched in a long, long time.
The Rehearsal, Season 2 trailer.
For other documentary projects that ask the viewer to parse fact from fiction, watch: Nathan for You, F for Fake (Orson Welles) , How to with John Wilson
Prushia’s Media Review
Sinners (2025)
Movie, Horror
Written and Directed by Ryan Coogler– whose career began with Creed (2015), Black Panther (2018), and Judas and the Black Messiah (2021), Sinners (2025) is a supernatural horror layered with wit, awareness, and, despite it’s monsters, a deeply human current of creativity and beauty throughout.
Twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan) attempt to put their past behind them by returning to their hometown in Mississippi. There, they recruit a vibrant cast of characters- old friends, scorned lovers, and their loyal cousin Sammie- to take part in the revival of music and entertainment in their community (and make some good money while they do it). Their plan is interrupted, however, when an evil they can not escape comes knocking at their door.
This film was full of surprises and inspirations. Along with being a gorgeous film simultaneously shot in two large formats, the cast is star-studded and their performances rock solid. This genre-bending, reality- altering film is one that will define the new age horror genre alongside the likes of Jordan Peele, Bong Joon-Ho and Ari Aster. Sinners is absolutely worth the watch- even if you aren’t the average horror junkie type.
Sinners official trailer.
Eric’s Media Review
1883
TV Series, Western
Often the characters were filmed against massive backdrops to symbolize their smallness and place against nature. I thought the writing by Taylor Sheridan was extremely powerful as it took audiences on a rollercoaster journey of loss, freedom and death. While I do not want to live in the late 1800s, this series offered a captivating portrayal of life from this time period on the American frontier.
I have always been drawn to the Western genre and the Paramount+ drama miniseries 1883 is the best show I watched in 2025.
Filmed in wide-open Western American landscapes with natural lighting, 1883 looks more like a feature film than a TV show. I was in awe of the natural beauty of the land, and the frequent use of sprawling aerial shots showcase the scale of the ranch and emphasize the legacy of the Dutton family.
1883 official trailer.
Brad’s Media Review
September 5 (2024)
Movie, Historical, Drama, Thriller
I recently watched a 2024 movie by Paramount Pictures called “September 5”. Named after the date of a 1972 hostage crisis in the Olympic village during the Munich Games, September 5 tells the story of the ABC sports production team who went from covering the Olympic sporting events, to covering a horrendous hostage situation involving Israeli athletes. This intense Docudrama was written and directed by Tim Fehlbaum, and will have you on the edge of your seat trying to answer the toughest questions that have faced journalism teams during live coverage.
I really enjoyed this film as it covers topics of sports broadcasting, live journalism, ethical dilemmas, and a historic event. In this film, you’ll recognize iconic television names like Jim McKay, Peter Jennings and Roone Arledge, while noticing that many unknown production team members prove to be vital in covering such a delicate and dangerous situation. September 5 reveals a piece of broadcasting history while pointing out the ethical questions a live broadcast can face. This film will make you think.
September 5 official trailer.