This column has focused exclusively on the new television season for the last many weeks, as the major networks and cable outlets launched a slew of new series.

Judging the new lineup of TV shows is as difficult as trying to pick winners and losers during the baseball playoffs. Some shows bite the dust quickly in spite of high expectations.

I called ABC’s new series “Lucky 7” to be “potentially very interesting, maybe even rewarding, new drama.” I have to eat those words now. “Lucky 7” had the misfortune of being cancelled after only two episodes. Ouch, that hurts.

We’ll get back to TV later, so let’s look at a rundown of several movies released since Labor Day, some of them quite good for a period not usually optimal for new films.

Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer play mob-affiliated spouses in the Witness Protection Program in “The Family,” having been relocated at taxpayer expense to a small village in France.

Neither one of them can resist their old ways of doing business, causing frustration for the agents assigned to protect them from a hit squad. For one, De Niro terrorizes local officials into doing the right thing to improve the quality of the local water supply.

Their two children, enrolled in the local school, must adjust to being outsiders who don’t fit in. The entire family has difficulty adjusting, which of course is the source of comedy for “The Family.”

The youthful Joseph Gordon-Levitt wears three hats in “Don Jon,” serving as star, writer and producer of a decently offbeat and decidedly risqué comedy-drama about addiction to Internet porn and finding true romance.

Gordon-Levitt’s Jon is a New Jersey womanizer who develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn on his laptop, but whose ability to charm beautiful women turns him into a serial one-night stand lothario.

He finds intimacy and potential true love with Scarlett Johansson, only to find that his porn obsession interferes with commitment. “Don Jon” is an adult-themed film that may have limited appeal.

One of the most disturbing films of the year, and yet quite good, is “Prisoners.” As a parent with daughters, I find this one hard to watch, considering the story of child abduction and a father’s frantic search.

When Hugh Jackman’s daughter and her friend disappear, this distraught father takes matters in his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads but turn up nothing, even turning loose a suspicious person of interest.

Meanwhile, Jake Gyllenhaal is the methodical local police detective, so abrasive that his own colleagues tend to shun him. He understands Jackman’s pain but is nonetheless on a collision course with the self-styled vigilante as pressure mounts.

“Prisoners” is tough to watch for a lot of reasons, but the tension is superb and surprises lurk everywhere. Be warned that there is some very strong graphic violence and just general ugliness to the kidnapping business.

You don’t need to be a fan of Formula One car racing to enjoy “Rush,” the story of the 1976 racetrack rivalry between the German perfectionist Niki Lauda and British playboy James Hunt, who proved reckless both on and off the track.

Chris Hemsworth’s James Hunt strikes the right note as the handsome British racer who attracts legions of female fans, even marrying Olivia Wilde’s Suzy Miller, a fashion model who later runs off with Richard Burton.

But James Hunt is focused on defeating reigning champion Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) as they battle for supremacy on courses around the world. The film vividly recreates Lauda’s fiery accident that horribly disfigures him.

Yet, after the horrific crash than nearly claims Lauda’s life, a grudging respect develops between the two racers as Hunt realizes just how devoted his greatest adversary is to the sport they both love.

“Rush” may be the best film that Ron Howard has directed, and the film score by Hans Zimmer has an excellent, propulsive beat fitting to the racing world.

I don’t believe there is gravity in outer space because it was not confirmed by Isaac Newton dropping an apple while floating outside a space capsule.

On the other hand, “Gravity” is the title of one of the best films of this fall season. Sandra Bullock stars as Dr. Ryan Stone, a medical engineer on her maiden space shuttle mission headed by the lively astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney).

The garrulous Kowalski is a charismatic leader full of colorful stories that he shares with mission control and the tight-lipped Dr. Stone, who carries some deep emotional burdens that are revealed as the story unfolds.

Meanwhile, on a rather routine mission, Stone and Kowalski are warned by Houston that a Russian spaceship disaster is sending debris their way at a speed that threatens their safety.

While still on their space walk, the pair soon discovers they are detached from their ship and stranded in space, with not a lot of options other than to try to get to another shuttle floating nearby.

Ultimately, “Gravity” is a story of survival, dealing with personal pain and past regrets, while valiantly struggling to stay alive. In some ways, it is reminiscent of Tom Hanks being stranded on a remote island in “Cast Away” where he finds a volleyball as his only companion.

Sandra Bullock is spectacular in her difficult position as the neophyte in space who grapples with emotional issues. “Gravity” is a stunning piece of entertainment deserving of its many accolades. Try to see it in IMAX for the full effect.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.