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

I'm Your Woman (Amazon Prime)
Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Arinzé Kene, Frankie Faison, and Marsha Stephanie Blake
Synopsis: This new crime drama from Julia Hart is set in the 1970s and focuses on a woman (Brosnahan) whose husband mysteriously disappears, dropping her in the middle of a plot that unravels her world. Soon a man named Cal (Kene) and his wife (Blake) step in as the plot thickens. This one has some style and potential, and I think Brosnahan is a great performer who does well in this role. However, this one is a real slow burn that doesn't fill in all the gaps well enough to rise to the level of compelling. Hart has some nice cinematic scenes, and does well getting a great performance from her lead, but this film fails to rise to the level of great. It's OK, and interesting, but not as compelling as I'd hoped it would be.
Rating: R for violence and language.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always (HBOMax)
Starring: Sydney Flanigan and Talia Ryder
Synopsis: This indie drama was a festival darling that dropped earlier in 2020. It centers on a young woman (Flanigan) who lives in rural Pennsylvania and finds herself pregnant and without an option. She and a cousin (Ryder) head to New York City for a solution and end up finding more than they bargained for in the process. This film from Eliza Hittman shows her care with storytelling, and features some solid performances from Flanigan and Ryder. It's not always easy to watch, and definitely will be difficult for some to watch and get into because of the subject matter. I thought it was well crafted but ultimately just OK in terms of story.
Rating: PG-13 for disturbing/mature thematic content, language, some sexual references and teen drinking.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

The Prom (Netflix)
Starring: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan Michael-Key, Kerry Washington, Andrew Rannells, and Jo Ellen Pellman
Synopsis: Woof. This is a high-profile project for Netflix with an all star cast and coming from producer/director Ryan Murphy. His deal with Netflix was a big get, and it has yielded a number of different original projects so far with mixed results. This one is adapted from the Broadway show of the same name about a group of Broadway stars who head to Indiana to raise hell after a young woman (Pellman) is made an example because she wants to bring her girlfriend to prom. This one has a lot of flashy colors and sets, and some well crafted musical numbers, but it's one of the worst films I've seen this year. The story is overly preachy and full of cliches. It's the kind of plot and story that will rankle audiences without producing anything positive. The kind of cliches offered here won't change hearts or minds, and pander to the kind of bias and prejudice the film seeks to root out in others through its story. One of the biggest misses of 2020.
Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements, some suggestive/sexual references and language.
Verdict: Zero stars out of four.

Safety (Disney+)
Starring: Jay Reeves, Matthew Glave, James Badge Dale, and Thaddeus J. Mixson
Synopsis: This is the story of Ray McElrathbey (Reeves), a Clemson freshman who had to take on more than he bargained for when his younger brother (Mixson) needed someone to take care of him. Ray stepped up and with the help of friends, teammates and coaches found a way to balance the responsibility of school, parenting and football. That's when he drew the gaze of the NCAA, which threatened to pull his scholarship for illegal benefits. So Ray had another battle to fight on his path to doing the right thing. This is a well-crafted and powerful film. Disney+ has found a sweet spot among its original films by telling inspirational stories that are good for the whole family. This fits the bill, and I loved Reeves in the lead role. However, let me just say, if you thought the NCAA was anything more than a greedy, self-absorbed and pathetic excuse for an organization, this film and story will disabuse you of that notion. It's shameful to think a young man who stepped up to care for his brother had to fight to prove that some rides to school for said brother didn't violate the NCAA's notion of unfair compensation. Anyway, that part yields some emotional highs to the final act but might also rankle you. Still, this is one of the more inspiring films I've seen this year.
Rating: PG for thematic content involving drug addiction, and some language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Wolfwalkers (Apple TV+)
Starring: Sean Bean, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Eva Whittaker, and Honor Kneafsey
Synopsis: This new animated film was another festival darling that landed on Apple TV+. Apple has had a strong slate in 2020, and this is a big get for them. "Wolfwalkers" is a unique story with a unique animated style, one that could end up drawing a nomination in the animated category this year. It hasn't been the strongest year for animated film, and this one is solid. I thought the story was interesting and the characters were interesting, even if the film didn't entirely work for me. It's a solid and interesting film, one worth checking out, especially for animated fans.
Rating: PG for sequences of violence and peril, scary images, some thematic elements and brief language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.