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

Ford v Ferrari
Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Caitriona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas, and Tracy Letts
Synopsis: Passion is a magical thing. It can drive you when logic and experience tell you it's a losing proposition. In the new film, "Ford v Ferrari," passion is a driving force in the action. Ken Miles (Bale) was a talented mechanic and driver, but had a prickly personality that cost him some opportunities. Carroll Shelby (Damon) was a talented driver and mechanic whose personal health drove him out of the car and into the designer and crew chief role. And in a partnership with Ford, and their desire to win Le Mans and show Ferrari they were more than first appeared, Miles and Shelby found a place to ply their talent and use their passion to fuel their vision. This latest film is driven by this story, and friendship, along with a pair of fantastic performances in telling a fairly inspiring story. Bale and Damon are great in the lead roles, and this whole cast does a great job. I liked Balfe in what could have been a thankless role as Miles' wife, too. I really enjoyed the story here, the performances and the production. The racing scenes really draw you in, and the narrative is built in a really satisfying and emotionally engaging way. This was a great film, and one that I think could be a contender come awards season.
Rating: PG-13 for some language and peril.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Holiday in the Wild
Starring: Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis
Synopsis: Netflix has become a player in original movies in the past few years, and this year that means really diving into the holiday film market. "Holiday in the Wild," which began streaming on November 1, is a romance film set in Africa headlined by Davis, who plays a woman that sees her marriage crumble at the time her son leaves for college, and Lowe as a pilot working with elephants for a non-profit in Africa. Davis' character heads to Africa on what was supposed to be a second honeymoon to find herself, and instead finds a calling. The plot here isn't overly complex, and this isn't the kind of movie where you have to wonder where it's going. Still, it hits all the right notes in a satisfying fashion and provides nice entertainment. Davis and Lowe are good in this, too. This is the kind of content that can help give Netflix a boost.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Noelle
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, and Shirley MacLaine
Synopsis: Disney+ launched last week with a couple original scripted series, plenty of unscripted series and a couple original films. The biggest of these is "Noelle," a holiday themed comedy fronted by Kendrick. This is the kind of movie that could have gone to theaters, and might have had Disney not wanted a boon to launch its streaming series. It focuses on Santa's daughter, Noelle (Kendrick) and her older brother, Nick (Hader), in their first Christmas after their father has died. The mantle is supposed to pass to Nick, but he has reservations about his calling. Noelle is tasked with tracking him down when he decides to run away to Phoenix, and along the way she finds a calling of her own. MacLaine has a fun supporting role, as do a number of others. But this comes down to Hader, who brings his trademark skill and comedy, and Kendrick, who exudes bubbly joy. She's great as the lead here and uses all her talents to make this a really fun seasonal gem. This is a big win for Disney+ and a holiday delight for audiences.
Rating: G
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, November 22: "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," "Frozen 2," "21 Bridges"
Wednesday, November 27: "Queen & Slim," "Knives Out"
Friday, November 29: "Dark Waters"