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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week, including a deep dive into some new Nicholas Cage B-Movies on streaming.

Biggie: I've Got a Story to Tell (Netflix)
Synopsis: This new documentary looks at the career, life and death of Christopher Wallace, otherwise known as Biggie Smalls or the Notorious B.I.G. Wallace was gunned down in 1997 at the age of 24, and his murder remains unsolved. It's been the subject of a TV mini-series and movies in recent years, but this documentary is more concerned with exploring the man behind it. Through a series of interviews with friends and relatives, it helps to show him in a different light and paint a more full picture of the man behind the artist, the son and father who was lost. It's an interesting retrospective, especially for those who were fans that want to know more about his story.
Rating: R for pervasive language, and drug content.
Verdict: Two stars out of four

Concrete Cowboy (Netflix)
Starring: Idris Elba, Lorraine Toussaint. Method Man, and Caleb McLaughlin
Synopsis: This new drama from co-writer/director Ricky Staub is based on novel Ghetto Cowboy, which is a fictionalized story of the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, a group of African-American urban horse enthusiasts in Philadelphia. The film is a fictional story, but mixes in real people who are living that life, and is meant to be something of a tribute to those who are trying to preserve cowboy culture in Philadelphia and other urban locations. That part was interesting and shed light on something new. The crux of the fictional story is a teen (McLaughlin) looking for direction in his life and trying to form a relationship with his estranged father (Elba). That part works OK, too, but not as well as I'd hoped. This is a good cast, and Elba is always good as a performer, but the story didn't pull me in as much as it might have. There are good moments here, but the film doesn't quite live up to its promise.
Rating: R for language throughout, drug use and some violence.
Verdict: Two stars out of four

Godzilla vs. Kong (Theaters and HBO Max)
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Kyle Chandler, Rebecca Hall, and Brian Tyree Henry
Synopsis: This is the fourth entry in the modern Monsterverse set of interconnected films that began with Godzilla in 2014. This one sees Godzilla attacking cities, seemingly at random, so a group believes King Kong is the only option to stop Godzilla. Kong is removed from his hiding spot on Skull Island as part of a bigger plot, and soon clashes with Godzilla in epic fashion. But the real danger, as always, is the hubris of mankind. These classic monsters have done battle on big screens for decades. King Kong first appeared along with Fay Wray in 1933, while Godzilla made his debut in 1954. This film is what you'd hope from this kind of film, which is a fun spectacle. The human characters are OK, and the plot is convoluted at times, but the clash between King Kong and Godzilla is done really well. I enjoyed the look and feel of the film and thought it delivered what was expected, topping the previous installments.
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of creature violence/destruction and brief language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four

Nicholas Cage Films
Grand Isle (Hulu)
Starring: Nicholas Cage, KaDee Strickland, Luke Benward, and Kelsey Grammer
Synopsis: This one sees Cage and Strickland as a bicker and strange married couple living in Grand Isle, somewhere in the south. They bring on a handyman (Benward), and rope him into staying during a Hurricane. There the couple play mind games with him, and he discovers their dark deeds before they frame him for murder. He's left trying to convince a detective (Grammer) they are the real villains. This one is strange and awful. I thought for a bit it might be a parody, but apparently it was meant to be dark and foreboding. It wasn't. The performances are terrible, as are the accents. This is a disaster from the jump.
Rating: NA
Verdict: Zero stars out of four

Jiu Jitsu (Netflix)
Starring: Nicholas Cage and Alain Moussi
Synopsis: This futuristic action film dropped on Netflix and centers on a group of warriors called to defend earth with Jiu Jitsu moves every six years when aliens attack. No, I'm not joking, that was the premise. Cage plays a grizzled veteran who has a secret connection to a new soldier (Moussi) who is pulled into the series of fights. This one was ridiculous as well, and the action sequences weren't incredible. Even the presence of decent actors like Frank Grillo didn't help. This is also best avoided unless you like unintentional comedy.
Rating: R for violence throughout.
Verdict: Zero stars out of four

Primal (Hulu)
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Famke Janssen, Michael Imperioli, and Kevin Durand
Synopsis: Of the three Nicholas Cage films I watched this week, this was the best. But that is a low bar to set. In this one Cage is a big game poacher who captures rare and exotic animals to sell on the black market. He's taking his latest illegal haul out of the country when the shipping vessel he's aboard is co-opted by a Justice Department official (Imperioli) to transport a dangerous fugitive (Durand) who can't fly because of a medical condition that has him monitored by a military doctor (Janssen). The fugitive breaks out on the high seas, frees the animals and wreaks havoc on the people on the ship. And it's up to Cage to save the day. This one is predictable and, like I said, not incredible. But Cage isn't bad here, and this is a better supporting cast. Durand is a fine villain, and Janssen seems to sink into the role. This wasn't great, but it was at times entertaining.
Rating: R for violence and language.
Verdict: One star out of four