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As we approach Thanksgiving, we have a lot of different films in theaters and on streaming. Below is a look at the movies I saw this week and my thoughts on what’s worth checking out.

Best. Christmas. Ever! (Netflix)
Starring: Jason Biggs, Heather Graham, and Brandy
Synopsis: We’ve reached the time of the year where we’re getting holiday features. Netflix is offering this Christmas-themed film where a married couple (Biggs and Graham) in the midst of some big decisions get tricked into arriving at an old friends (Brandy) house for Christmas. The friends have lost touch but at this crucial point in their lives, a reunion might be just what they need. All you need from these type of films is a little festive setting some fun and a happy ending. This mostly tries to provide that, but the story and the characters fall short. At times, this made me yearn for the earnest storytelling of a Hallmark film. I wasn’t a big fan.
Rating: TV-PG
Verdict: One star out of five

Dashing Through the Snow (Disney+)
Starring: Chris Bridges, Lil Rel Howery, Teyonah Parris, Madison Skye Validum, and Oscar Nunez
Synopsis: In our second holiday feature of the week, we get the tale of a father (Bridges) whose marriage is on the rocks and is trying to spend Christmas Eve with his daughter (Validum). Soon, he stumbles on a visitor (Howery) who turns out to be Santa himself. Santa’s also being pursued by some thugs because of what he stumbled on to at the home of a local official (Nunez). Can they save Christmas by saving Santa? There’s some fun and some comedy here. I enjoyed a late sequence with the reindeer as bouncers. But Bridges—also known as Ludacris—is a little too stiff through most of it. The Atlanta setting also doesn’t lend itself to much of a Christmas wonderland. This is fine and has its moments, but it’s not likely to become a Christmas classic.
Rating: Rated PG for some thematic elements and action.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (Theaters)
Starring: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, and Viola Davis
Synopsis: It’s been 11 years since The Hunger Games was released. That film helped make Jennifer Lawrence a star, kick-started a franchise and brought the world in Suzanne Collins’ books to life. The original series—four films based on three books—wrapped up in 2015. Now, eight years later, we get a return to the world. This new film—The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes—tells the story of a young Coriolanus Snow (Blyth). We begin in the midst of the war that made him an orphan. Now more than a dozen years later, Snow is a top student in the capital on the verge of a scholarship that will send him to university. The final test for him and the rest of the top contenders in the class is to serve as a mentor to the contestants of the annual Hunger Games. He is paired with Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler), a tribute from District 12. Can he turn her into a star and gain himself notice in the process? Or will he get too close to Lucy and change his course? Those are the questions and challenges in the narrative. We also get some interesting supporting turns from Dinklage, as Dean Casca Highbottom, the head of the school and creator of the games. We see the toll being the creator has wrought on him. We also get Davis as Dr. Volumina Gaul, head of the war department and the game-maker. This film wants to explore the idea of the games and what it means for society. Snow’s best friend, Sejanus Plinth (Josh Andres Rivera), came from the districts and opposes the cruelty of the games. For much of the film, Snow is torn between points of view, especially as he comes to see Lucy as something more than an assignment. The problem with prequels is we already know how it’s going to end up. The stakes for Snow are somewhat low. We know he won’t die. We also know he won’t find compassion to make a change. We’ve seen him in the later films. We know the games continue and he leans into becoming something of a villain. That makes it hard to invest in his potential as a hero. That being said, I wasn’t sure I wanted a return to the world of Panem. It felt like the original franchise was a set of diminishing returns after the original. But this film drew me back into what worked best for me in the first film. I enjoyed the consideration of the games and what they mean and say about society. I also appreciated Blyth in the lead role. He adds humanity and depth to Snow, while Zegler shines as Lucy Gray Baird. Her songs are beautiful and her performance as fierce. You can’t help but root for them, particularly during the game sequence. The third act and much of the time in District 12 fell a bit flat, but this still ends up being a worthy prequel. Though you know where we’re going to end up with Snow, there is enough here to draw you into the journey.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for strong violent content and disturbing material.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story (Prime Video)
Synopsis: The latest from Prime Video is a documentary looking at the life and career of Tyler Perry. Perry is a unique performer whose success isn’t always fully appreciated. And yet, he just keeps producing films and shows that resonate with audiences. This film examines his background, his early struggles and the way he’s morphed into a self-made mogul in the entertainment business. I enjoyed learning more about Perry’s story and this celebration of his tenacity and bravery as an artist. While I might not always love his projects, I appreciate his story and his drive. This film captures that and serves as a loving tribute, at times, to his mother, Maxine. It’s worth checking out.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic material and strong language.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (Peacock)
Starring: Ben Marshall, John Higgins, Martin Herlihy, X Mayo, Conan O’Brien, and Megan Salter
Synopsis: The latest for Peacock is a comedy of three friends (Marshall, Higgins and Herlihy) who are in a state of arrested development and need a bit of luck and direction. They come together to look for a lost treasure worth $100 million. But will finding the treasure bring them together or tear them apart. This film is co-written by Marshall, Higgins and Herlihy, who team together as Please Don’t Destroy to make digital shorts for Saturday Night Live. There are portions of this film that feel like something that would work as a digital short. There’s also portions that work well and bring some humor. But it’s not consistent enough. It’s mildly amusing enough at times but hardly memorable.
Rating: Rated R for pervasive language, sexual material, some drug material, brief graphic nudity and violence.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Rustin (Netflix)
Starring: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Thurman, Aml Ameen, and Gus Halper
Synopsis: This biopic for Netflix looks at Bayard Rustin (Domingo) a fierce freedom fighter who was part of the movement for equal rights in the 1960s. He was also a gay man whose life was something of a crime at the time. This new biopic looks at his challenges and the way he challenged those in power for causes he believed in. This includes his close working relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King (Ameen) and how he helped organize the demonstration in Washington D.C. in 1963. Domingo gives a powerful and often fierce performance. The film, directed by George C. Wolfe, feels a bit underwhelming. It feels similar to other movies of this style and despite a good lead performance there’s not enough to make it feel compelling or special. It’s worth seeing for Domingo and to learn more about Rustin and his role in history.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some violence, sexual material, language including racial slurs, brief drug use, and smoking.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

Wish (Theaters)
Starring: Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, and Angelique Cabral
Synopsis: This year, Disney celebrates 100 years. A great part of that rich legacy is Disney animated features. Fittingly, in this anniversary year, we get a beautiful tribute to that legacy in the form of an original story with engaging songs and a beautiful story. That film is Wish, which opens wide on Wednesday, just in time for a long Thanksgiving weekend. Once upon a time, Cinderella sang that, “a wish is a dream your heart makes.” This new film takes that idea and builds upon it through Asha (DeBose), a talented young dreamer in the Kingdom of Rosas. The Kingdom was founded by Magnifico (Pine), a talented magician, and his wife Amaya (Cabral). Magnifico has the power to grant wishes and purports to create a haven of safety and dreaming for all. His own backstory is traumatic, which seems to have informed Magnifico’s mission. As residents join the community, or turn 18, they make a wish of their heart and give it to Magnifico. He keeps them all safe, granting wishes to those in the kingdom along the way. Asha has the opportunity to interview as Magnifico’s apprentice and as she learns more about the wishes and his role in safeguarding them, she becomes concerned. Asha comes to realize that in losing their wishes, the people of Rosas are losing something fundamental to themselves. Soon, she makes a wish on a star that changes her life and her kingdom forever. There’s a fundamental question in this film—is it better to hold on to our dreams and strive, even though they may not come true or to surrender them for a life of safety. The answer from the film is clear but the question and that journey really bring life and energy to this story. The voice cast is strong. I loved DeBose as Asha, and I enjoyed Tudyk as Valentino, her boisterous talking goat. Pine is great as the antagonist and the rest of the supporting voices add depth to the story. The music here works well, too. The songs catch you and bring out the depth and emotion of the story, particularly the main anthem that is repeated in a couple different forms. This is a film that’s beautifully crafted with an emotional story that will appeal to audiences of all ages. There are also loving tributes to the history of Disney animation both in parts of the film and over the end credits. I also found that moving. I’ve enjoyed a number of Disney animated features over the years, and this is one that will join those ranks. It’s a fun journey and one of my favorite animated films of the year. It’s a perfect family-friendly outing this Thanksgiving weekend.
Rating: Rated PG for thematic elements and mild action.
Verdict: Four stars out of five