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

Al Davis vs. The NFL (ESPN+)
Synopsis: The latest in the ESPN 30 For 30 series, this one dropped on Thursday night. It's now available on demand on ESPN+. The film tracks former Raiders' owner and general manager Al Davis and his often contentious relationship with the NFL, particularly former commissioner Pete Rozelle. The film comes from director Ken Rodgers, who has made some of my favorite 30 For 30 entries on the NFL, including From Elway to Marino. Here, while the story is interesting the filmmakers make an interesting choice. Rodgers uses a CGI re-creation of both Davis and Rozelle to tell the story. It doesn't quite work as a framing device, which diminished the experience for me a bit. Still, it's an interesting story and exploration of a man who was doggedly determined to do whatever necessary to build the best team he could.
Rating: N/A
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Below Zero (Netflix)
Starring: Javier Gutiérrez, Karra Elejalde, and Luis Callejo
Synopsis: This new Netflix action film is imported from Spain. You can watch it in its original language or dubbed over in English. It was a hot watch after its release, so I checked out. It's an action film about a prisoner transfer that goes wrong when the transfer van is attacked and an officer (Gutierrez) is forced to fight for his life in dangerous circumstances with the temperatures dropping. I was interested in the set up here and thought this might be a fun action film, but I didn't really enjoy the story or production style. It was fine, but hardly compelling.
Rating: TV MA
Verdict: One star out of four

Bliss (Amazon Prime)
Starring: Owen Wilson, Salma Hayek, and Nesta Cooper
Synopsis: This latest Neflix film comes from writer/director Mike Cahill (Another Earth) and focuses on a man (Wilson) fresh off a divorce and struggling with his life. He meets a strange woman (Hayek) who convinces him he's in a simulation meant to make him more grateful for his idyllic life in the real world. But which is real? This is an interesting concept, and I was curious to see it play out. But the reality of this film is dull and a confused mess. The performances are bland, and the story is often difficult to follow. The end leaves it even more confused. This is a mess from the jump and an easily skippable film.
Rating: R for drug content, language, some sexual material and violence.
Verdict: One star out of four

Earwig and the Witch (HBO Max)
Starring: Taylor Henderson, Kacey Musgraves, and Richard E. Grant
Synopsis: This is the latest animated release from Studio Ghibli, and is the third feature from Gorô Miyazaki, son of Hayao Miyazaki. That sets the bar fairly high, and this was an anticipated release. The story here is OK, as is the animation. This one eschews the traditional hand-drawn animation Studio Ghibli is known for in favor of computer-generated animation. It's OK, but it doesn't look as strong and isn't as compelling. This one feels like a miss.
Rating: PG for some scary images and rude material.
Verdict: One star out of four.

The Father (Limited Release February 26)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Coleman, Olivia Williams, Rufus Sewell, and Mark Gatis
Synopsis: This drama comes from writer/director Florian Zeller, and it's based on his stage play of the same name. It features Hopkins as an aging man who is losing his grip on reality while simultaneously rejecting all help from his daughter (Coleman), who tries to get him to accept care. His grip on what's real and imagined fractures further to the point he can't remember who is his daughter and who is his caregiver. This is a difficult film to watch. Many people fear aging for different reasons, personally I've always struggled with the idea of losing my mental faculties. Hopkins, a lion of a performer, gives this role his all and captures that struggle beautifully. This is a strong cast, and features a good performance from Coleman, too. There are a couple scenes where she really delivers the emotional experience of this narrative in a compelling way. Both Hopkins and Coleman, along with Zeller and the film have been nominated for a Golden Globe and all should be in the mix for the Academy Awards as well. This is one of the better films, with some great performances. It's worth checking out.
Rating: PG-13 for some strong language, and thematic material.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Greenland (VOD)
Starring: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd, and Scott Glenn
Synopsis: This disaster film, after a few delays, finally dropped on VOD late in 2020. It centers on an asteroid named Clark that is coming near the Earth. What at first seems like something to behold becomes a danger to mankind, creating an extinction level event. Meanwhile an engineer (Butler) whose marriage has hit a rough patch works tirelessly to get his wife and son (Baccarin and Floyd) to safety in Greenland. This film, directed by Ric Roman Waugh, reunites director and star from Angel Has Fallen. This one has good action and some good special effects. It also has some unexpected turns and some truly emotional moments. Disaster movies aren't really about the plot, as you know where it's going. It's about the characters and the journey, and this is one of the better entries to the genre. The cast is strong and the story flows well. If you're a fan, this is worth checking out.
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of disaster action, some violence, bloody images and brief strong language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Malcolm and Marie (Netflix)
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Synopsis: This latest Netflix film comes from writer/director Sam Levinson and features two strong young performers in Washington and Zendaya. It is a two-hander, filmed during quarantine that features a couple arguing about their relationship and life on the night that one (Washington) had a successful film premier. Part of the plot also involves some insider discussion of films and the nature of criticism, which is an interesting addition to this narrative. This was a hotly anticipated film thanks to its cast and crew. Shot in beautiful black-and-white, this is a showcase for its stars. And that is the best part of the film. Washington and Zendaya essentially get a number of different shots at powerhouse monologues throughout the film, and their chemistry on screen and ability to deliver these speeches is what keeps you going through the film. I also enjoyed the black-and-white aesthetic and the visuals of the production. However, the script and some of the dialogue felt forced and took me out of it. Overall there were some elements that worked but some of it that didn't work for me, so I thought it was just OK. Watch it for the performances, but you'll be forgiven if you don't buy into the story.
Rating: R for pervasive language and sexual content.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Possessor (Hulu)
Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sean Bean, and Tuppence Middleton
Synopsis: This latest horror/thriller from Brandon Cronenberg centers on a corporate assassin (Riseborough) who uses technology to take over the mind of others to commit her crimes. As we drop in, she's completing a job that ends in a violent and bloody mess. Her co-hort (Leigh) has some concerns, and she has a fractured and strange home life. When she gets dropped into the mind of her next target (Abbott) she begins to lose her grip on what's real, causing a fracture in her personal and professional life. Can she escape the mind before it consumes her? This is a strange, ultra violent and ultra sexual film. That may appeal to some. Cronenberg has some strong visual sequences, and he gets some decent performances out of his cast. However, the story was too weird and to graphically done for me. I thought it tried to replace genuine story beats with some shock value all the way through to its ultra graphic conclusion. There are those that will be drawn to this style of filmmaking, but I wasn't. It felt excessive in the worst way.
Rating: R for strong bloody disturbing violence, strong sexual content, some graphic nudity, language and brief drug use.
Verdict: One star out of four

The Secret Garden (Hulu)
Starring: Dixie Egerickx, Julie Walters and Colin Firth
Synopsis: This isn't the first adaptation of the popular book, and probably won't be the last. Released last year, this is a more dower take on the material. It has some famous faces, like Walters and Firth, but there's not a lot of energy in offering of the narrative. It feels like a lot of sequences moving between beautiful visuals with music at the expense of character. It also doesn't make much use of Firth and Walter, leaving the young stars to mostly carry the film. It's OK, but doesn't do much to add to the legacy of this story.
Rating: PG for thematic elements and some mild peril.
Verdict: Two stars out of four

Vox Lux (Hulu)
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jude Law, and Jennifer Ehle
Synopsis: This film begins with a school shooting, using that as the jumping off point for telling the story of a young girl who establishes her music career. The first half of the film is about her discovery and forming in the early 2000s. The second half jumps to 2017, where a 31-year-old Celeste (Portman) is struggling to balance life, career and motherhood when another violent shooting incident pulls her in and forces her to relive some of that trauma. This is and oddly constructed film. Portman is the star, but she doesn't show up until about an hour into the production. Portman is a good actress, but this is an odd story and production. In addition, the musical numbers that pepper the film and are a major aspect of the conclusion, aren't great or memorable. I also struggled that something as painful as a school shooting and another mass casualty event seemed to be used as a plot device. Overall, this wasn't a very good film.
Rating:  R for language, some strong violence, and drug content.
Verdict: One stars out of four