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This weekend we had an explosion of new films to check out including a handful in theaters and one streaming. This was a weekend that truly had one or two options for everyone. Below are my thoughts on new films I saw this week. If you want to keep up with everything I’m watching, follow me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Between the Temples (Theaters)
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Carol Kane, Dolly De Leon, and Caroline Aaron
Synopsis: We all go through tough times that have us questioning many things, sometimes even our core beliefs. Those times can lead to big revelations and big changes. That’s the idea behind the new comedy Between the Temples, which opens on Friday. The film centers on Ben (Schwartzman), a Cantor who is struggling. He can’t sing, likely because he’s enduring a crisis of faith in the wake of his wife’s death. He’s now living with his moms (Leon and Aaron), who are supportive but not totally understanding. They’re trying to fix Ben up on dates, but he’d rather see a therapist. Still, Ben is trying to gut it out at work by continuing as the mentor for boys and girls that are preparing for their Bar and Bat Mitzvah. Soon, he gets a new student—Carla (Kane)—who is rediscovering her Jewish roots. She’s also Ben’s former teacher, and a mentor who helped him find his singing voice as a young student. But as they progress in training, Ben feels a kinship to Carla that causes him to look at life and faith in a new way. This film comes from writer/director Nathan Silver, who worked on the script with C. Mason Wells. There is something interesting and engaging about Ben, likely owing to the performance from Schwartzman. But it doesn’t always come together in a compelling way. The film takes a while to get to the point as you’re never totally sure where it wants to go. When it does get there, it comes in the form of some painfully awkward sequences. One between Ben and the Rabbi’s daughter, Gabby (Madeline Weinstein) in a car. Another with the whole ensemble at a family dinner. Some of that works, and for those who like that cringe style of comedy, it certainly has its moments. I enjoyed Schwartzman and Kane in the film, I also liked the supporting cast enough, but I wanted a tighter, more focused narrative.
Rating: Rated R for language and some sexual references.
Verdict: Two and a half stars

Blink Twice (Theaters)
Starring: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Alia Shawkat, and Adria Arjona
Synopsis: When you get offered something that seems to be too good to be true, it usually is. The question is if you can live with the twist on the offer. That’s the case with a new thriller, Blink Twice, which is now in theaters. Frida (Ackie) is a catering staff member working a big gala for the charitable foundation run by Slater King (Tatum). She’s got a gift with nails, but otherwise is a bit lost. She’s also near broke, scrapping by with her friend, roommate, and co-worker, Jess (Shawkat). But Frida has a surprise. She has used the last of her money to buy elegant dresses for herself and Jess as they try to sneak into the social mixer part of the night. Frida makes an impression, but not the one she intended. Still, it catches Slater King’s eye. Soon, as the party breaks up, he invites Frida and Jess to accompany him and a group of friends to his private island. The ladies agree and quickly find themselves in what seems like an all-expenses paid paradise. But, after something happens to Jess, Frida begins to have misgivings. Turns out she’s not the only one. Soon, another guest, Sarah (Arjona), begins to have some weird feelings. Together, they begin to unravel the mystery. Can they come together to change their fate and take back the night? This film marks the directorial debut of Zoe Kravitz, based on a script she co-wrote with E.T. Feigenbaum. It’s a sharp concept that has some strong characters and a good cast. But it takes its time to get to the point. Perhaps taking too long. In addition to Ackie, Tatum, Shawkat, and Arjona, the cast includes Christian Slater, Geena Davis, Simon Rex, and Haley Joel Osment, among others. It’s a good group and a good location. At times, it feels like it could be the next set of a Benoit Blanc mystery. But the middle section takes a while. It becomes clear later it’s meant to show something, but when you’re in the midst of it you’re just waiting for some forward momentum. Even when the momentum begins, it’s a bit of a slow build. But the reveal—and the true horror of the story—definitely draws you in. The ending also works quite well and has some fun turns. I liked the mood and atmosphere, and I liked the final act of the film. But the soft middle was too drawn out and not interesting enough to sustain momentum.
Rating: Rated R for strong violent content, sexual assault, drug use and language throughout, and some sexual references.
Verdict: Two and a half stars

The Crow (Theaters)
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, FKA twigs, and Danny Huston
Synopsis: Back in 1994 the world was introduced to The Crow. That original film, based on the comic book, featured Brandon Lee. It ended in tragedy—on screen and off screen—but created an iconic film that has lingered as a cult classic for 30 years. The film inspired several sequels and now we’re getting a new version. This isn’t really a re-make so much as a re-imagining. It still draws from the same source material and features the same basic idea. In this case, Eric (Skarsgard) has had a troubled childhood and developed an addiction that landed him in a rehab center. Shelly (twigs) was once a promising musician who has run afoul of a criminal (Huston) with a dark power. She got arrested purposely to end up in rehab. There, she connects with Eric. When her past comes look, Eric and Shelly make a break for it. But they can’t outrun her past. As they’re attacked and killed, Eric finds himself in a dark interim place. Fueled by his love, he’s granted the power of The Crow to return and exact vengeance for himself and his love. This film comes from Rupert Sanders and spends a fair chunk of time building up the relationship between Eric and Shelly. That’s something of a departure from the original film, which jumps off with the violent inciting incident. It changes a lot of the backstory of the villains, which might not sit well with some. The last act is fairly violent, which feels in keeping with the spirit of the source material. I thought Skarsgard and twigs did a nice job and created a believable protagonist couple. It’s not great but I thought it featured some nice visuals and was a solid re-boot of the original.
Rating: Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, language, sexuality/nudity, and drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Didi (Theaters)
Starring: Izaac Wang, Shirley Chen, and Joan Chen
Synopsis: Coming from director Sean Wang, this film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and now is playing in theaters. It’s set in 2008 and focuses on 13-year-old Chris (Izaac Wang) during the final few weeks before he begins high school. His sister (Shirley Chen) is preparing to leave for college and his mother (Joan Chen) is trying to hold the family together on her own and follow her passion for painting. Chris is still trying to find himself, find his place in the world, tries to figure out how to connect with his crush, and tries to work out his relationship with his mother and sister. This is a slice-of-life film with a simple premise. It’s about what it’s like to be a teen making a transition and trying to find your way in life and your family. Izaac does a nice job in the lead role, interacting in some beautiful and often emotionally resonant scenes with both Shirly and Joan. I thought the family moments were often the best parts of the film for me. The rest of his summer adventures are often rambling, though I appreciated the way Sean Wang captured that cultural moment and early Internet culture. The film has some strong moments but also some sections that slumped for me. Overall, it is a nice story that will likely make you reflect on the universal themes that attach to all our journeys at some point.
Rating: Rated R for language throughout, sexual material, and drug and alcohol use – all involving teens.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Incoming (Netflix)
Starring: Mason Thames, Ramon Reed, Rafael Alejandro, Isabella Ferreira, Kaitlin Olson, and Bobby Cannavale
Synopsis: This is another film aimed at that transition to high school. This follows three freshmen (Thames, Reed, and Alejandro) after their first week as they attend a senior party. They have their own goals, but things go quickly off the rails on a wild night that might change all their lives. The film comes from Dave and John Chernin, who served as writers on The Mick and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. That helps explain Olson, who pops up in a couple scenes as a supporting character. One of the best supporting performances comes from Cannavale as the “cool” teacher who is coping with not having much going on in his adult life. He was the only thing that consistently made me laugh. Elsewise, this is pretty much the over-the-top teen comedy you think it is. There are some amusing moments and some gross out situations. All of it is pretty inane and feels fairly stale, as do the characters. This is fine for those looking for a wild comedy they haven’t seen, but it’s fairly skippable in general.
Rating: Rated R for drug use and drinking, sexual content, pervasive language, some violence and brief nudity – all involving teens.
Verdict: One star out of five

The Killer (Peacock)
Starring: Nathalie Emmanuel, Sam Worthington, Omar Sy, and Diana Silvers
Synopsis: In the latest from Peacock, director John Woo offers a modern update to his own 1989 film of the same name. In it, a killer named Zee (Emmanuel) is handed a job. She dispatches with a group of low-lifes but can’t bring herself to kill the girlfriend (Silvers) who is injured in the action and ends up blind. This leaves a loose end that makes her the focus of a French detective (Sy) and draws the ire of her handler (Worthington). Can she make things right? What is the best way to make things right? Zee has to ask herself hard questions that steer her in a unique direction. This is a familiar kind of story—the contract killer with a moral code. Emmanuel handles the role well, and the film kicks into high gear when she is paired with Sy. Both are worthy of more lead roles. Woo also still has a knack for action sequences. Some of the artistry of the big set pieces here is amazing to behold. I liked Silvers decently in her role, too. But the story here is predictable, cliché, and mostly designed to tie together the larger action sequences. That’s fine, but it’s hardly compelling. And at just over two hours, there are some pacing issues as well. It’s fine as an action spectacle but offers little more than some well-crafted shootouts.
Rating: Rated R for strong/bloody violence and language.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Strange Darling (Theaters)
Starring: Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner
Synopsis: This has been a strong year for horror and thriller films. We’ve seen many different kinds of films with many different takes on the genre. Some of the best films have used twists on familiar tropes to offer something new. That’s the case with Strange Darling, a new serial killer thriller from JT Mollner. The film is a tale told in six chapters, but the chapters aren’t told in order. That’s part of the twist that makes this take on the world unique. In the film we’re introduced to The Lady (Fitzgerald) and The Demon (Gallner) at the outset. But as the film makes clear, we’re dropped into the middle of the action. Can we trust what we’re seeing or what we think we know. Soon, the story bounces back-and-forth between the two and their night, which starts with a meet cute of sorts, a proposal, and something of an agreement. Soon, the tables are flipped and we’re off to the races. Along the way we meet a mountain dwelling couple (Ed Begley, Jr., and Barbara Hershey), among others. There are a few things that work well here. I enjoyed the way Mollner shot the film and the way he builds the tension through certain sequences. I liked the idea of a story in six chapters and rolling it out in non-sequential order helps to build toward some interesting reveals. What also worked was the performances. Fitzgerald is good and quite compelling in the film. I also thought Gallner, Begley, and Hershey did a nice job in their roles. The cast buys into the world and the story and makes it memorable. But the story itself doesn’t always land. The style of rolling it out helps make it more compelling but the script doesn’t do a lot to build up these characters, which sometimes leaves you with some more questions. I also felt the final 15 minutes or so was underwhelming compared to the way the film built prior to that sequence. Strange Darling is clever with some good performances but fails to put all its elements together at the end.
Rating: Rated R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual material, drug use and language.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (Hulu)
Starring: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Latham, Uzo Aduba, Mekhi Phifer, Julian McMahon, and Russell Hornsby
Synopsis: The latest Searchlight film is based on the novel of the same name from Edward Kelsey Moore. It was adapted by Gina Prince Bythewood and Tina Mabry, who served as the director. The film focuses on a trio of women who come into the world in unique ways and with unique backgrounds. We pick up the action in 1968 and then leap to 1999 where the trio (Ellis-Taylor, Aduba, and Latham) have been friends for more than 30 years, living in the same town and coming together at Earl’s diner to work out their life, love, and other issues. They are friends but their friendship is tested by struggles, illness, and marital discord. Together they lean on each other to weather the storms and enrich all their lives. It’s a beautiful idea and a story that works well on screen thanks to the chemistry between the actresses. Many of the tropes here feel familiar, as does the basic set up. We’ve seen these kind of stories told before. It’s not about the plot or the destination, it’s about the journey. The journey with these characters and this story works well enough to hold your attention. It’s lovingly crafted and will likely be a hit with female audiences.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic content, sexual content, strong language including racial slurs, and violent content.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five