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Here's the new movies I saw this week.

Coastal Elites (HBOMax)
Starring: Issa Rae, Sarah Paulson, Bette Midler, Dan Levy, and Kaitlyn Dever
Synopsis: This latest original film from HBO is more like a stage play. It's a series of five monologues, each that are meant to express a slightly different difficult reaction to the current environment and political climate. The thing is, this is very obviously timed to coincide with election season. Four of the five monologues were incredibly political, while the fifth from Dever was arguably the most emotionally engaging, focusing on the trauma of COVID-19. My issue here is that none of this will be compelling to those who didn't already feel the same. It's meant to make us think about the division and wish we could come together, but the first four speeches, in and of themselves, feel divisive. This also plays out very much like a stage play, which isn't bad but doesn't totally work as a movie. There was potential here, and some decent performances, but this didn't totally work for me.
Rating: TV-MA
Verdict: One Star out of four.

Irresistible (VOD)
Starring: Steve Carell, Rose Byrne, Chris Cooper, Mackenzie Davis, and Brent Sexton
Synopsis: This film was released earlier in the summer but is still available for rent on VOD. It comes from writer/director Jon Stewart, and it's got an interesting hook. It focuses on a pair of political operatives (Carell and Byrne) who clashed in the 2016 Presidential Election and are looking for their next challenge. That comes with a mayoral race in Wisconsin, where a former Marine (Cooper) makes an impassioned speech that goes viral. That brings Democratic strategist Gary Zimmer (Carell) to run his campaign. That, in turn, draws Republican strategist Faith Brewster (Byrne) to do the same for his opponent. And soon it's game on in a tiny Midwestern town. This film has some potential and some funny people. Carell, Byrne, Cooper, Davis and Sexton do a nice job. This film also takes a big twist at the end that is somewhat surprising and compelling. I enjoyed the work here from Stewart to try and make a statement he wants everyone, particularly the political elites, to hear. And yet, this film doesn't always work. It doesn't always land its jokes or its plot points, but it's still interesting. I had hoped for something a little more compelling, but this is still an interesting watch.
Rating: R for language including sexual references.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Rent-A-Pal (VOD)
Starring: Brian Landis Folkins, Amy Rutledge, and Will Wheaton
Synopsis: Psychological horror is a tough nut to crack. There have been many that have tried to wade into this area and ended up falling short of compelling. "Rent-A-Pal," the debut feature from Jon Stevenson walks that line and creates something fascinating. He does that, in part, by tapping into the loneliness that plagues many in our country. The film is set in 1990 and focuses on David (Landis Folkins), a 40-year-old man who lives with his frail mother, serving as her caregiver. He's also trying to make a connection using a video dating service. Before he matches with a woman, he finds a tape called Rent-A-Pal featuring Andy (Wheaton) as a many offering to become someone's friend. This instantly connects with David and dominates his thoughts, even after he matches with an ideal woman in Lisa (Rutledge). Will David's loneliness cost him everything? This film is well-made and builds the tension thanks to some great performances. Wheaton is disarmingly creepy though he only ever appears via video. Landis Folkins does a nice job in the lead role, and I appreciated Rutledge as well. Stevenson has a solid ability to craft and present a story. I thought this worked pretty well even though you know how it's likely to end.
Rating: N/A
Verdict: Three Stars out of four.

Unpregnant (HBOMax)
Starring: Haley Lu Richardson and Barbie Ferreira
Synopsis: This one is about a high school girl (Richardson) who discovers she's pregnant and ends up taking a road trip with her estranged former friend (Ferreira) to New Mexico to take care of the problem because her home state of Missouri, and the Red States neighboring it, won't allow it without parental consent. This film is trying to do a lot of things, including make a political statement. And that certainly is something each individual has to consider. But what worked for me, with this, was the friendship and road trip aspect. Richardson and Ferreira are solid in the lead roles, and their adventures are fun. There are some interesting a wild sequences, too. That being said, not all of this works for me. It was slow at times, and some of the plot twists didn't land as we reached the inevitable conclusion. There are moments of heart and of joy, but also some dull and weird twists. It's uneven, which is disappointing.
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexual content, strong language and some drug references.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.