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

Deadly Illusions (Netflix)
Starring: Kristin Davis, Greer Grammer, and Dermot Mulroney
Synopsis: This feels an awful lot like a Lifetime movie. It centers on a popular writer (Davis) who hasn't done a new book in a long time. But when she and her husband (Mulroney) need money, she can't pass up an offer to write a new story. In order to balance the demands of her life, she hires a nanny (Grammer) who seems like a perfect fit. But soon, the lines between reality and fantasy begin to blur, and Mary (Davis) begins to worry she's been pulled into a dangerous plot from which there is no escape. There is a lot of pent up sexual energy here, and a lot of bad writing and storytelling. The score, the look and feel and the story feel like something out of a bad B-Movie, but it seems Deadly Illusions wants you to take it seriously. I couldn't. It's terrible.
Rating: R for sexual content/nudity, some bloody violence and language.
Verdict: Zero stars out of four

The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (Paramount+)
Starring: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Andy Garcia, and Sophia Coppola
Synopsis: It's not uncommon for filmmakers to go back and try to tweak previously released films. In the case of this new edition of The Godfather, Part III, director Francis Ford Coppola revisits the film 30 years later, offering a new beginning and ending, a new title and a new cut of the film. The story is largely the same, as are the key scenes. The final installment of this film franchise was always something of a weak link. Sophia Coppola, upon whom much of the plot rests, didn't feel like the right fit as a performer, and that's still true. However, I enjoyed the new opening and thought much of the film flowed better. I was disappointed by the ending, which had been my favorite part of the original. Overall, it's worth checking out for fans of the series, but it's not a huge leap forward for the story.
Rating: R for violence and language.
Verdict: Two stars out of four

The Last Blockbuster (Netflix)
Synopsis: This documentary is about the rise and fall of the video rental chain Blockbuster, and a celebration of the last remaining store in Bend, Oregon. There is plenty of nostalgia here, as well as a fun examination of the history of the franchise and the video rental movement in general. As a kid, I loved to visit the video store and pick out movies. In college, I went every week and pulled down a stack of films to immerse myself in. I found kindred spirits among the stars and comedians interviewed for this film, and I was taken with the interviews with the staff and manager at the last remaining store, and the efforts they go through to keep this concept afloat. I miss video stores, and clearly the cast and crew of this documentary feel the same. This is a fun, nostalgic look at a bygone era for film.
Rating: NA
Verdict: Three stars out of four

Minari (VOD, Theaters)
Starring: Steven Yeun, Youn Yuh-Jung, Will Patton, Alan S. Kim, and Yeri Han
Synopsis: Director Isaac Lee Chung delivers a beautiful and moving story of triumph and struggle that is uniquely American. Set in the 1980s in Arkansas, this film focuses on a family trying to carve out a better life for themselves and their children after coming to the United States from Korea. The film was nominated for Best Picture, and earned nominations for Chung's directing and performances from Yeun, best known as Glen on The Walking Dead, and Yuh-Jung. This is a beautifully told story that has humor, tension and plenty of heart. It's one of the best films in this year's awards cycle and a very timely and inspiring story that explores the power of the American dream. It's well worth checking out.
Rating: PG-13 for some thematic elements and a rude gesture.
Verdict: Four stars out of four

The Mole Agent (Hulu)
Synopsis: This documentary is one of five that was nominated as Best Documentary Feature for this year's Academy Awards. In this documentary, a private investigator in Chile hires someone to work as a mole at a retirement home where a client of his suspects the caretakers of elder abuse. Instead, the man hired becomes attached to the residents, becoming a part of their stories. Last year was a powerful one for documentaries with a number of engaging and inspiring stories. I was hoping to see more of the same from The Mole Agent, one of this year's nominees, but I wasn't taken with the story or production. It was just OK, and in fact felt more like it was some sort of scripted adventure than a true documentary exploration. It was just OK.
Rating: NA
Verdict: Two stars out of four

Zack Snyder's Justice League (HBO Max)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller, and Amy Adams
Synopsis: In 2017, we got Justice League. It was a film that was meant to bring together all the pieces in the D.C. Extended Universe and kick off a wave of films that would compete with Marvel. But along the way, Zack Snyder, the director and architect of the project and the cinematic universe, had to step away. Joss Whedon stepped in to finish the film, and the final product fizzled, as did the future plans for additional films. Now, four years later, we finally get to see the film presented with Snyder's original vision. Released on HBO Max, Zack Snyder's Justice League is a revelation. It's the best film to be released as part of the DCEU, and it greatly enhances the story and presentation of everything that was in Justice League. Yes, the film runs four hours, but it never feels long or wears out its welcome. Instead it delivers a well-constructed and satisfying story that pays off the action well. It was meant to be the start of a trilogy and with how well it was made and received, I hope we get to see the original vision for the continuation of this universe come together. For fans of the D.C. heroes, or those that just want a fun and satisfying ride, this is a great one.
Rating: R for violence and some language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four