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

Cosmic Sin (Netflix)
Starring: Frank Grillo, Bruce Willis, and Perrey Reeves
Synopsis: This latest film from Netflix is set in the future, where a war in space has fractured society. When first contact is made, threatening what remains, a group of soldiers, including a disgraced former commander (Willis), are called to embark on a risky mission to save the world. This one has an intriguing concept and a decent cast that all combine to make something practically unwatchable. The story ends up convoluted, the cast is largely a waste and the film feels like a slog despite being about 90 minutes. This is a creative misfire at nearly every level.
Rating: R for language including some sexual references, and violence.
Verdict: One star out of four

Danny Doom (Amazon Prime, July 30)
Starring: Gavin Michaels and Brett Hargrave
Synopsis: This new independent film comes from a guy I went to college with. I was thrilled to come across it and some of his other films. This one focuses on Danny (Gavin Michaels), who had the misfortune of being born on September 11, 2001. It's something that has come to define much of his life. But Danny has finally found a place of belonging in the church, where he's on the cusp of getting his dream of going to seminary while beginning full-time ministry work. But he's confronted by another dream, a girl named Megan (Brett Hargrave), who is now single. Can he have both, or will the pursuit of each cost him both. This was a fun and funny premise, one that I enjoyed. Michaels and Hargrave are good in the lead roles, and I enjoyed the script and pacing provided by writer/director Matthew Wilson. This does a nice job of balancing spiritual themes and comedy, and it's an enjoyable watch. It debuts on Friday, July 30 on Amazon Prime and I recommend checking it out.
Rating: N/A
Verdict: Two stars out of four

Jolt (Amazon Prime)
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Stanley Tucci, Jai Courtney, Bobby Cannavale, and Laverne Cox
Synopsis: This new action film from Amazon centers on a woman who has a condition that causes her to struggle with rage. She turns to therapy to try and control things and seems to be on the right path when she meets a new guy and hits it off. When he's killed, her rage kicks in as she hunts for the men responsible. This one has a decent blend of action and humor, setting up a potential franchise with bookends featuring Susan Sarandon. Beckinsale is a solid action star as seen in several other films, and Jolt makes the most of her talents. Tucci adds plenty in a supporting role, while I enjoyed the local cops played by Cannavale and Cox, and the humor they brought to the project. Overall, Jolt isn't incredible but it's a fun and entertaining 90-minute ride.
Rating: R for strong violence, sexual content, and language throughout.
Verdict: Three Stars out of four

Last Letter From Your Lover (Netflix)
Starring: Felicity Jones, Shailene Woodley, Nabhaan Rizwan, Joe Alwyn, and Callum Turner
Synopsis: This latest Netflix film, based on the novel from Jojo Moyes, is set in two time periods. In the present, a newspaper reporter (Jones) stumbles on a set of love letters between a married woman (Woodley) and her lover (Turner) in the 1960s. As she reads their correspondence and learns about their relationship, she searches for the couple in the present to, hopefully, give their love story a happy ending. This one has a simple premise and a decent cast. I liked the pacing and the look from director Augustine Frizzell. There are some decent performances, too, and it moves at a good pace. However, the story isn't completely satisfying while being fairly predictable. It's OK but feels like something we've seen before without making a significant addition to the genre. It ends up being a bit of a waste of a good cast.
Rating: TV-MA
Verdict: Two stars out of four

Nine Days (Theaters)
Starring: Winston Duke, Zazzie Beatz, Bill Skarsgard, and Benedict Wong
Synopsis: This latest feature from Edson Oda is a beautiful exploration of what it means to be alive. In the film, an Auditor (Duke) is charged with interviewing new souls to determine which should be born on to earth. He spends his days in isolation, watching the lives of those souls he's already chosen play out. When an incident occurs, it shakes the man and his faith in his process, just as a group of new souls come for evaluation. He is drawn to two of them, one who sees the beauty in the world (Beatz) and one who sees the danger and menace (Skarsgard). His assistant (Wong) tries to push him past his feelings of guilt and grief as he must make a final choice. There is a lot of beauty in this thought-provoking film, which first debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020. I was greatly moved by the story and the rich performances, especially Duke in the lead role. I loved his rich performance and his character. The story crafted here is beautiful and thought-provoking, as this is one of the best films I've seen so far this year. It has a limited release on Friday, July 30 and will be released nationwide on Friday, August 6. It's well worth seeking out.
Rating: R for language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four