Superman: Unbound

This week's smartest sci-fi pick is Superman: Unbound. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 464 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch it for Matt Bomer — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. Start it whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Superman: Unbound is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. What makes Superman: Unbound work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. Superman and Supergirl take on the cybernetic being known as Brainiac, who boasts that he possesses "the knowledge and strength of 10,000 worlds." Matt Bomer and John Noble lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. Superman: Unbound came out in 2013. What separates Superman: Unbound from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Superman: Unbound fits the bill. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Matt Bomer's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.

Superman: Unbound was released in 2013, directed by James Tucker. The full 75-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.