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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

Concussion
Starring: Will Smith, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Albert Brooks, and Alec Baldwin
Synopsis: I have always loved sports, but one sport has always stood about the rest — the NFL. I live for Sundays in the fall, watching games nearly all day and managing a handful of Fantasy Football teams. Over the past few years, it’s been hard to ignore how the game — or rather the perception of the game — has changed. The focus has been on safety, rightly so, and it’s changed the way the game is played. It’s also changed the way we think about football. I can remember, growing up, watching for the big hits. The highlights always included scenes of men being violently thrown about. We celebrated it. We cheered for it. We watched the games hoping to see it. Then came all the discoveries about the high cost of professional football and head injuries. Now, all those huge, catastrophic collisions elicit another reaction — a cringe. You can’t help but wonder about players and their long-term future. As a Broncos fan, I worried about Wes Welker every game last season. Each time he caught the ball, there was a fear about him getting concussed — again — and what that might mean. And he’s not the only one. The new film, “Concussion,” puts the crisis in focus. It follows Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) as he discovers and names CTE, a condition that causes brain degradation following chronic, long-term trauma that occurs during contact sports like football. His discovery revolutionized sports medicine and brought greater awareness. But it also put a spotlight on something that has serious ramifications for the NFL, making him a threat. “Concussion” is a difficult movie to watch at time, particularly for those who love to watch the NFL. I see it as a beautiful and compelling game, but it’s impossible to deny the risks associated with playing the game. The research is now widely accepted, and new advancements in safety are made every day. But this film chronicles the events a decade earlier that put the whole thing in motion. Writer/director Peter Landesman focuses some on the science and the research done by Omalu, but most of the movie actually focuses on Omalu himself. Omalu was a dedicated professional who refused to bow to public pressure to recant, even when it cost him his life and home in Pittsburgh. He was dedicated to the truth, and to protecting men who he viewed as warriors. Smith, who is known as a suave performer, does something radically different here. He channels the quiet confidence of Omalu and delivers a great performance. He was nominated for a Golden Globe and has a shot at an Academy Award nomination, too. He carries the film, bringing the narrative to life in a vibrant way. In 2015, anyone who follows the NFL and even most who don’t are familiar with the dangers of head injury and the risks of playing professional football. But “Concussion” tells the story of the man who risked his reputation and family to make sure the world learned the truth. The man who was committed to finding out why our heroes of the gridiron were suffering so much in their post career lives. And the world is better for it.
Rating: PG-13 for thematic material including some disturbing images and language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

The Danish Girl

Starring: Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander

Synopsis: Eddie Redmayne is having a moment. After winning the Academy Award for his work in "The Theory of Everything" last winter, he's among the front-runners this year for "The Danish Girl." In the film Redmayne plays Einar Wegener, an artist in Denmark in the 1920s. He has a beautiful wife, Gerta (Vikander), and a great reputation as an artist. But that's not all of who he is. Einar is holding a secret within. When his wife, Gerda, jokingly has Einar attend an artists' ball as a woman, Lili, it awakens something in Einar. He and Gerda go on a journey as Einar finally admits Lili is who he's really been all along. Based on a true story this film, from director Tom Hooper, chronicles the love between Einar and Gerda, and the tremendous challenges he undergoes in a process to becoming the woman he always felt he was meant to be. Transgender stories are all the rage this year, and this is the story of the first man to under take such a journey. It's a difficult story to watch at times, and I thought the narrative was sometimes too slow and drawn out. That being said, the film features two incredible performances. Redmayne, for the second year in a row, delivers a beautiful and nuanced performance in an incredibly difficult role. It's another role that requires significant physical and emotional demands, and he handles it beautifully. But I was almost more impressed with Vikander. She should be among a handful of women — Emily Blunt for "Sicario" and Brie Larson for "Room" — that should be considered for the top prize. Her work is stunning. I didn't love "The Danish Girl," but I thought it was well made and featured two lovely performances.

Rating: R for some sexuality and full nudity. Enter with caution

Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Joy

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez and Virginia Madsen

Synopsis: Jennifer Lawrence is an incredible talent, and her partnership with David O. Russell in "Silver Linings Playbook" was magic. They were great again in "American Hustle." For "Joy," which is loosely based on the story of Joy Mangano, Lawrence is front and center, and is the heart and soul of the film. There are plenty of strong actors in the supporting cast, but this movie all comes down to Lawrence. It could be argued that she's too young for the part — which requires her to move from college-aged to middle aged throughout the story. There are other problems with the film from a structural standpoint. Everything doesn't come together well and doesn't coalesce. The pieces of a great film are there, but there were some issues, to me, with the story. However, I loved the work Lawrence did in the lead role. She's nothing short of stunning in a different and difficult role. She carries the film, despite it's weak story points, and in fact is the only reason it's a good as it is. She is clearly comfortable working with Russell, and he gets the most out of her. She's very good, but the starring vehicle around her is just OK, which is a shame. "Joy" aspires to be something great and compelling, but in the end — outside of Lawrence' performance — it's just OK.

Rating: PG-13 for brief strong language.

Verdict: Three stars out of four