Movie & Television Reviews

Capsule reviews of theatrical movies available now for streaming or scheduled for broadcast on network or cable television as well as notes on TV programming for the same week.

Faith is put under the spotlight to a much greater degree in the auteur’s latest quirky work, “The Phoenician Scheme” (Focus), and the results are far more negative.

The British-Belgian crime drama “Patience” premieres on PBS Sunday, June 15, 8-9 p.m. EDT. The six-part series will continue in the same timeslot through July 20 while also streaming on station-based PBS platforms.

A decade and a half after its popular animated namesake was released comes the live-action remake “How to Train Your Dragon.” While the basic story and some of the personnel remain the same, the new arrival, although appropriate for a wide audience, falls short of the heights to which its predecessor soared.

In a commendable effort to avoid sensationalism in his dramatization of allegedly real events, set in the Midwest in 1928, director and co-writer David Midell downplays the chills and icky special effects to concentrate on more cerebral matters.

The Grim Reaper will have his revenge on those who try to cheat him of his haul. Such is the dubious message of the franchise whose sixth installment, “Final Destination Bloodlines” (Warner Bros.), maintains the series’ high splatter factor while throwing in some “moral” posturing that only makes the film more repellant.