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We’re launching into a crowded month of February with a loaded slate this first weekend, including three new streaming films. Below is my take on this week’s new offerings. As always, you can follow everything I’m watching on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Argylle (Theaters)
Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena, Dua Lipa, and Samuel L. Jackson
Synopsis: The latest from director Matthew Vaughn is a complex espionage tale. Writer Elly Conway (Howard) is a famous author, writing a series of books about her hero Argylle (Cavill) and his partners. But it seems she’s gotten too close to the truth and now a nefarious agency, led by Director Ritter (Cranston), is trying to capture her to see what else she knows. A rogue spy, Aidan Wilde (Rockwell), intercedes. He wants to protect Elly, while discovering what she knows. But it turns out Aidan knows more about Elly and her past than it first appears. There is a great look and feel here. The opening sequences are a lot of fun and I enjoyed Howard and Rockwell in these roles. But the plot gets overly complicated to the point of feeling somewhat absurd near the middle. And the third act action sequences, while visually engaging and well-choreographed, are beyond ridiculous. That makes for a film that’s uneven at best and largely misses the mark despite a lot of fun, creative elements. This is a talented cast and crew but in service of a story that goes off the rails. That combined with a finished product that feels about 25-35 minutes too long makes for a bit of a downer theater experience.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for strong violence and action and some strong language.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Bosco (Peacock)
Starring: Aubrey Joseph, Nikki Blonsky, Thomas Jane, Theo Rossi, Vivica A. Fox, and Tyrese Gibson
Synopsis: The new streaming option on Peacock based on a true story. It follows Quawntay “Bosco” Adams (Joseph), who had a tough childhood and settled into a life of small-time crime. When he’s busted for marijuana possession, he’s sentenced to 35 years in prison and placed in a high security facility because of prior escapes. Around the same time, he finds out he’s going to be a father. That keeps him thinking about his relationship with his own parents (Fox and Gibson), clashing with his guards (Jane and Rossi), and looking for a way out. The true story aspect here is interesting, but most of this film falls very flat for me. The script was written and directed by Nicholas Manuel Pino. The script is dry, and the visuals are often dry as well. The rolling narration is meant to get us into Bosco’s head, which it does to some degree. The flashbacks to life with his father don’t have the emotional punch expected. In fact, none of it packs much of a punch at all. I was interested in the prison break aspect, but that’s not a lot of the focus here, and when it comes it’s incredibly underwhelming. This film is a complete misfire.
Rating: TV-MA
Verdict: One and a half stars out of five

Fitting In (Theaters)
Starring: Maddie Ziegler and Emily Hampshire
Synopsis: It’s hard being a teenager. You’re still trying to figure out who you are, what you want and how you fit in the world. It’s even more pressure to be a teenage girl, especially one who is dealt a blow with a special diagnosis. That’s the case in Fitting In, a new film from writer/director Molly McGlynn that opens in limited release on Friday. The film, which is based on McGlynn’s own experience, takes a look at those struggles from a very intimate and personal perspective. The film centers on 16-year-old Lindy (Ziegler). She’s an athlete and a maturing young woman who is trying to find her place in the world. She’s got a solid relationship with her mother (Hampshire) and she’s looking to take things to the next level with her boyfriend Adam (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai). When Lindy goes for a routine appointment with her doctor, they make a discovery. Turns out Lindy isn’t like other girls. She’s diagnosed with MRKH Syndrome, a reproductive condition that turns her life, her future and her conception of identity on its head. Soon, Lindy goes on a journey of self-discovery which impacts her romantic relationships, her friendships and her relationship with her mother. McGlynn called the film her “emotional horror story.” That makes sense because getting a diagnosis like MRKH and all its implications thrown on someone still trying to step from childhood into adulthood is stressful. All that swirl of emotions and all the questions that come along with it come through this story. We go on a journey with Lindy as she asks those questions, comes to grips with what it means for her, and tries to find a way to fit in with her friends and classmates. None of it is easy, and the film treats the story and the subject with care. I also enjoyed the back-and-forth between Lindy and her mother. Hampshire, who has done comedic roles in projects like Schitt’s Creek, does a nice job in the role. I appreciated the journey for Rita and the journey she goes on trying to find a way to reach and support Lindy. One weakness in the film is Ziegler. She’s a young actress who is still learning to be a lead. There are a lot of demands in this part from the story and sometimes I didn’t get enough depth of performance to maximize the depth of the story. However, I appreciated the script from McGlynn and the care she uses putting the film together. This is a film that makes you think and takes a deeper look at a difficult subject, handling it with thought and care.
Rating: Rated R for sexual content, language throughout, drug use and drinking – all involving teens.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Orion and the Dark (Netflix)
Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Ike Barinholtz, Nat Faxon, Angela Bassett, Colin Hanks, and Mia Akemi Brown
Synopsis: We got our first few animated films of the new year this week with a pair of streaming options. The first is Orion and the Dark, based on the book from Emma Yartlett. It’s based on a script written by Charlie Kaufman, who isn’t probably the first name you think of when you think of an animated film aimed at younger viewers. And yet, this one works. It features Orion (Tremblay), a boy who is afraid of nearly everything, trying to face one of those fears. He meets Dark (Hauser), who wants to change Orion’s perspective. They go on a 24-hour adventure so Orion can understand and learn to appreciate the dark. Turns out, Orion (Hanks) as a father is also recounting this story to his own daughter, Hypatia (Brown), to help her overcome her own fears of the dark. This ends up being a sweet, multi-generational family tale. I enjoyed the story and the construction here. Director Sean Charmatz does a nice job putting the film together. The look, the use of colors and the emotions, particularly in the third act, all work well. I was drawn to the story here and appreciated the final product. This is a sweet film worth checking out on streaming.
Rating: TV-Y7
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Scrambled (Theaters)
Starring: Leah McKendrick
Synopsis: When we get to a certain age, it’s normal to take stock of our lives and what we want for our future. But what do we do when we’re not where we want to be? How do we move forward into a future of our choosing? That’s the struggle for Nellie (McKendrick) in the new film Scrambled, which opens Friday. She’s the eternal Bridesmaid. She’s the single friend who is the life of the party at weddings, parties and baby showers for her friends. But at 34-years-old, she starts to realize that the time for her to achieve her own life goals is eroding rapidly. In the wake of another breakup, Nellie is alone. Her biological clock is ticking but she doesn’t have any easy answers or any prospects. So, she gets a lone from her brother (Andrew Santino) and decides to freeze her eggs—hoping to preserve that ideal future as she works through her issues. That leads Nellie on a bit of a journey of self-reflection, and a walk through her past relationships, often with mixed and hilarious results. Can she find a way forward while feeling optimistic about the future that lies in front of her? This film was written and directed by McKendrick, based on her personal journey and experiences. You can feel that in the performance and in the way the story comes to life on screen. It’s funny and wild at times, but there’s a strong emotional core. Particularly in the third act, we see McKendrick stretch her range and explore the emotional depths of Nellie’s journey. I appreciated the supporting cast, particularly Nellie’s family portrayed by Santino, Clancy Brown and Laura Ceron. As Nellie’s best friend Sheila, Ego Nwodim delivers some solid sequences too. From the opening sequence that is quite funny to some of the emotional beats of Sheila’s journey, Nwodim delivers a strong screen presence. I enjoyed other cameos as well. My favorite was June Diane Raphael, who has a hilarious opening sequence that serves as a catalyst for Nellie’s journey. This is a funny and at times emotional journey. I appreciated McKendrick’s performance and the way she put this story together. This is worth checking out in the theaters.
Rating: Rated R for sexual content, nudity, language throughout and some drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

The Tiger’s Apprentice (Paramount+)
Starring: Henry Golding, Brandon Soo Hoo, Lucy Liu, Michelle Yeoh, Sherry Cola, Sandra Oh, Jo Koy, and Bowen Yang
Synopsis: This second animated release of the weekend is also based on a book. This one comes from the novel by Laurence Yep. This one focuses on Tom (Hoo), a boy who learns of his family’s magical history and responsibility after his grandmother dies and a powerful sorcerer (Yeoh) tries to come and claim the magical Phoenix his family is charged with guarding. Aided by other magical warriors, led by the Tiger (Golding), Tom has to learn to embrace his power and step into the role vacated by the death of his grandmother. This is another animated film that has fantastic and incredible visuals. Some of the use of colors and the sequences really captured my attention. The film also moves at a good pace, clocking in at well under 90 minutes for the overall story. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make as strong an emotional connection as I had hoped. I enjoyed the overall arc of the story and the visuals, and I enjoyed the voice performances from the talented cast, but I didn’t get as invested in Tom’s journey as I could have been. This is worth checking out, and will work well for younger viewers, but it falls short of its potential.
Rating: Rated PG for action/violence, thematic elements, some language and suggestive references.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five