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It's Awards Season! Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

All The Money in the World
Starring: Michelle Williams, Mark Wahlberg, and Christopher Plummer
Synopsis: This has probably been one of the most talked about films of the end of 2017. Ridley Scott's drama about J. Paul Getty (Plummer) and the kidnapping of his grandson in the 1970s would be interesting to audiences on its own, but it became more of a story because the original star, Kevin Spacey, was replaced in the matter of weeks before the film was released. That led to some curiosity about how it would work and how the film would all come together with those late-stage changes. I was also interested because of the story and the cast, but watching the film you can't help but wonder if it would have benefitted from some more time. Some of it feels a little off. And some of the story feels a little off. I don't know if that's a result of the rushed changes, or the way the story is told. In reading some of the historical accounts, it seems as though the story here diverges from reality in some interesting ways, too, making Williams' character a little more integral to the Getty Family at the end. Plummer does a nice job here, especially knowing that he had to come in and do his work quickly through re-shoots. And Wahlberg is fine here, too. But I thought the real emotional and powerful center of the film is Williams. That being said, this was an uneven film to me, one that had quite a bit of drag in the second act. I like Scott as a director, but I feel like this film could have been 20 minutes shorter (it runs 132 minutes) and been better. It's OK, but it's not as compelling as I expected. And, after seeing it, I was interested that it got so many Golden Globe nominations. I suspect some of that might have been a nod to the work done to remove Spacey, but I'd be surprised to see this film do as well with Academy voters. The film is fine, but hardly memorable or compelling.
Rating: R for language, some violence, disturbing images and brief drug content.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Downsizing
Starring: Matt Damon, Hong Chau, Christoph Waltz, and Kristen Wiig
Synopsis: I have been a big Alexander Payne fan for years. My favorite of his films is "About Schmidt," but there is a quality to the slice of life storytelling and blend of humor and drama that is endearing. And I was excited to see this film based on his reputation and the trailer and concept alone. But I think those trailers give you a skewed view of the layers and complexity of this film. This film isn't what you expect. And it isn't the kind of straight dramedy that you get from the trailer. Having seen it, I understand the disconnect. This a movie that defies simple marketing in a lot of ways. There are a lot of different kinds of ideas and stories packed into this two hour frame, and that's where the problems lie. The trailers focus on the most commercial aspects of the film, and that makes sense. But it might also explain why audiences came away confused seeing the final film. I think it would be interesting to sit down with Payne and co-writer Jim Taylor and ask them what they most wanted to convey with this story, or better yet if it was always envisioned as a single film. With all the different movements and ideas tackled here, I could easily envision this as a mini-series or a TV series. But, instead, we have to evaluate what we have. And from a stand alone film standpoint, there a moments of great engagements, moments of brilliance, and things that just don't work. This feels like at least five different stories packed into a tight frame, and as such it makes some quick transitions. That the film takes place over the course of about 20 years adds to this sense of disconnect. Any of these stories could have been powerful, and at moments in this film all of them are powerful, but unlike the best of Payne's previous films (which are often over a compacted time frame), this one feels too sprawling to be totally satisfying. Sometimes characters come and go, and there are moments that feels as if they've been abridged and we missed something. That keeps you from being as emotionally connected to characters as you could be. That being said, I appreciate Payne's filmmaking, and I appreciated some of the clever writing from Payne and Taylor in this script. Additionally, there's some good performances here. Damon is solid in the lead role, but I really enjoyed Waltz in a different kind of supporting role and especially Chau, who carries a large part of the back half of this film. In the end, "Downsizing" is interesting and entertaining, but falls short because it tries to do too much in too short a time.
Rating:  R for language including sexual references, some graphic nudity and drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Molly's Game
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Michael Cera, and Kevin Costner
Synopsis: Aaron Sorkin has long been noted for his talent and skill as a writer. He's done it on the small screen, with shows like "The West Wing," and on the big screen with films like "Moneyball," "The Social Network," and "Steve Jobs."  With his latest film, "Molly's Game," he's shown that he has a deft hand as a director, too. This is his directorial debut, and it's based on the true story of Molly Bloom, a one-time Olympic hopeful who ended up running one of the biggest underground poker games in the world. The film, much as many of his other works has, takes place in two realms. In the present, Molly (Chastain) and her lawyer (Elba) are trying to defend her in federal court. At the same time, we get to see how Molly got to that point, including building her game and empire. Through it all we see her sometimes rocky relationship with her father (Costner), and how that's shaped the trajectory of her life. Sorkin handles it all deftly, and in this case it probably helps that he crafted the screen story, based on Bloom's own book. The film also benefits from some incredible performances. Chastain, one of the finest actresses working today, is great as Bloom, carrying nearly every scene. But she's hardly alone. I appreciated the work of Costner, who appears in just a few key scenes, and Elba, who is great in a much bigger role. I was also surprised by Cera, who plays something a little different than his past parts and does so in a compelling and fascinating way. "Molly's Game" is one of those films that reminds you of why it's a shame the best of awards season often doesn't reach wide audiences until well into the new year. It's great, and is a film I hope to see thrive during awards season. I loved this movie, was fascinating by the story, and compelled by the craft with which it is told. I hope to see more of this from Sorkin in the future.
Rating: R for language, drug content and some violence.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, January 12 — "The Post," "I, Tonya," "Commuter," "Proud Mary," "Paddington 2"
Friday, January 18 — "Den of Thieves," "12 Strong," "Forever My Girl," "Hostiles"
Friday, January 26 — "Maze Runner: The Death Cure"