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We’ve made it through President’s Day Weekend and got one of the biggest releases of the year so far. But that wasn’t the only new film this weekend. Which were worth your time? Check out my reviews on this weekend’s latest offerings. If you’d like to see more of my scores for films and thoughts, feel free to follow me on Letterboxd here.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Theaters)

Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, Jonathan Majors, and Kathryn Newton

Synopsis: Back in 2021, we got our first glimpse of where the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going. In the finale of the first season of Loki, our titular guide came across a multiversal traveler named Kang. It was a fateful meeting. Now, more than a year later, the MCU as a whole is finally ready to dive into the era of Kang. The newest offering, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania launches a new phase and brings Majors as Kang into focus. It also reunites us with Scott Lang (Rudd) and his family, heading on a fun new adventure that portends the danger to come. When last we left Scott, he was helping his fellow Avengers save the world, and half the population, from Thanos (Josh Brolin). In the aftermath, life’s been a little slower. As we pick things up, Scott is something of a celebrity living in San Francisco. Meanwhile, those in his life are still trying to make a difference. Hope (Lilly) has poured into her work while Cassie (Newton) is fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves and working alongside Hank (Michael Douglas). Meanwhile Janet (Pfeiffer) is trying to adjust to life back on Earth. When something goes awry and pulls them into the Quantum Realm, they come face-to-face with Kang, a marooned traveler that he wants to be free from the Quantum Realm. And he needs Scott to help him do it. If you’ve seen the trailers, you know this has a different look at feel. Most of the film is set in the fantastic Quantum Realm, relying on green screen and digital technology to build vast new worlds and new groups of people fighting for their freedom. While the film doesn’t feel like your typical MCU film, it does feel very familiar, hewing closer to another Walt Disney Company property. Yes, this new Ant-Man film feels an awful lot like Star Wars, both in its look and feel and the way the story plays out. That will hit everyone differently, but it worked for me. I loved the worlds created throughout this film. I also enjoy Majors in the role. He’s off to a hot start in 2023, having already blown away viewers with his performance in Magazine Dreams at the Sundance Film Festival. He’s quite good in this role, too. The film doesn’t let him shine as much as you might like, but it’s a solid start for this next phase of the MCU. I enjoyed Rudd in this film, and the comedy that remains a big part of the storytelling. The opening sequence is delightful and much of film has fun back-and-forth. It's a sturdy and fun new film, my favorite of the three stand-alone Ant-Man films. I’m excited to see where all this leads and where the MCU goes from here.

Rating: Rated PG-13 for violence/action, and language

Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Marlowe (Theaters)

Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, Jessica Lange, and Alan Cumming

Synopsis: This new noir comes from director Neil Jordan who co-wrote the script with William Monaghan. It’s also based on the famous books centering on 1930s detective Philip Marlowe. All that portends something that should be good. The cast here includes Neeson as Marlowe and Kruger and Lange as the femme fatales at the heart of the case. Again, the pieces are in place for a winning formula. That’s what makes it all so disappointing. The pieces are in place but they never quite come together into anything worth the effort. I liked the period style, and I enjoyed scene-chewing supporting roles from Alan Cumming and Danny Huston. But it’s the case at the center of the mystery and the way it unfolds that just doesn’t work. Neeson is fine in the lead role but there’s a lot going on and none of it resolves in a satisfying fashion. That leaves this a dull and somewhat lifeless rendition. 

Rating: Rated R for language, violent content, some sexual material and brief drug use

Verdict: Two stars out of five

The Other Fellow (Theaters)

Synopsis: What’s in a name? Does it define your life? That’s the question at the center of a new documentary, The Other Fellow. In it, filmmaker Matthew Bauer looks at people worldwide who share the name James Bond. While we know Bond from Ian Fleming’s novels and the myriad of films over the years, many around the world that carry the name and have no connection to the British government’s most prolific asset. The film interviews these men and tells their stories and explores how the connection to the world of Bond has impacted their lives. The stories of those interviewed vary. Some are proud to share the name and even want to be like James Bond. For others, it’s an inconvenience. For some, it feels like a curse, even if they’ve found a way to profit from it. The film shares a bit of history about the origin of the character name, but mostly it’s about the people that share that name and what it’s meant for their lives. Bauer does a nice job of putting the story together. He helped craft the script with Rene van Pennevis and has a nice feel for these people, exploring their lives and telling their stories. Some of them are quite emotionally engaging. As a long-time fan of the Bond franchise, and someone who has experienced sharing a name with a famous Hollywood star, I was drawn to this idea and story. I enjoyed the way it was told and getting to know the real men behind the name James Bond. For those who are fans of documentaries or fans of the Bond franchise, it’s worth giving this film a look.

Rating: NA

Verdict: Three stars out of five

Sharper (Apple TV+)

Starring: Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, John Lithgow, Justice Smith, and Briana Middelton

Synopsis: Stories built on cons are tricky. You have to build the characters and build the layers without giving away where you’re going. In the case of Sharper, which dropped on Apple TV+ Friday after a limited release in theaters, you get the timeline all out of order. It’s a unique process meant to introduce you one-by-one to the key players. There are a number of different cons at work here, with the key players taking turns betraying each other in pursuit of a big score. How will it turn out? That’s what’s at play here in a film that twists and turns before coming to the third act reveal. This is a solid cast and the performances are fine but there’s nothing special about these characters or story. The mystery of the way the script is laid out keeps you somewhat engaged and the reveal at the end works, though it’s not totally unexpected. In the end, Sharper has plenty of potential but ultimately ends up being just OK.

Rating: Rated R for language throughout and some sexual references.

Verdict: Three stars out of five