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When we get to Labor Day Weekend, we know it’s going to be a mixed bag. With people traveling and the start of the College Football season, it’s not traditionally a big weekend for film. We got some new films, but were any actually good? Below is my take on the week’s new releases.

1992 (Theaters)
Starring: Ray Liotta, Tyrese Gibson, and Scott Eastwood
Synopsis: This film is set in Los Angeles in 1992 during the Rodney King riots. It follows an ex-con, Mercer (Gibson), who is trying to turn over a new leaf. He’s left behind his gang member days and is trying to work hard, keep his head down, and keep his son out of trouble. When the riots break out, Mercer knows it’s bad news. He rounds up his son and tries to get to his workplace—a metal factory that’s heavily guarded because of the value it holds. There, he comes across a gang of thieves led by Lowell (Liotta) and his son (Eastwood). That forces Mercer to lean on his former life to keep his family safe. It’s been more than two years since Liotta passed away in May of 2022, but his projects keep coming. This film had a long journey to a wide release, finishing filming a few years back. But now it’s here, and it’s mostly a by-the-numbers heist tale. Gibson is solid, as is Eastwood. Liotta has lot a little off his fastball but he’s still excellent at playing the creep and does so here. The film has some moments and doesn’t wear out its welcome and just over 90 minutes. It’s fine if you like heist films but not altogether memorable.
Rating: Rated R for violence and pervasive language.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

Afraid (Theaters)
Starring: John Cho, Katherine Waterston, and Havana Rose Liu
Synopsis: You can’t escape artificial intelligence, no matter how hard you try. It’s continuing to evolve and continuing to be rolled out in a variety of devices and avenues that touch our daily lives. And since the 1980s—with Terminator—Hollywood has made sure that we’re weary of its downside. If you’re feeling like stories of killer AI has been on the rise, you’re not imagining it. Which is what makes this week’s new release—Afraid—feel both timely and played out. From writer/director Chris Weitz, the film builds a horror movie style premise on an AI that begins to take over.  In the film, Curtis (John Cho) and Meredith (Katherine Waterston) are a married couple trying to raise their kids, ranging from teens to a young elementary-aged son. They have their challenges trying to balance the demands of jobs and other household needs. At his job, Curtis and his boss Marcus (Keith Carradine) are trying to land a big client. Said client—The Kids (David Dastmalchian and Ashley Romans)—have developed a new AI. It appears to be revolutionary, and they need Curtis and Marcus to market it. In particular, they’re interested in Curtis. To get him onboard, the Kids send their top advance aide—Melody (Havana Rose Liu)—to bring AIA to Curtis and his family. At first, AIA is a welcome addition. She seems to bond with the kids, help around the house, and ease the family’s burdens. But Curtis soon becomes weary of what AIA is and what it could mean. As he has reservations, AIA acts to cement her place in the family’s lives, creating a standoff that threatens them all. As noted, stories of out-of-control AI products are nothing new. And this story doesn’t feel fresh or original. It feels like yet another cautionary tale about this technology. It’s fine to be weary, and it’s fine to mine people’s fears for content, but it still needs to be interesting. Despite a decent cast, this isn’t. The film runs just about 84 minutes and yet it often drags. It takes its time to get to the story it wants to tell and when it does, it feels like the action plays out a bit too quickly. There are a lot of different hot button issues introduced, too, from swatting to deep fake porn, and yet none of it really gets a satisfying resolution. Ultimately, the film seems to suggest that while AI is dangerous it’s humanity that are the real villains with an Internet that’s out-of-control. Overall, the film features a cliché story that fizzles in its production. It’s a misfire that can be safely skipped.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sexual material, some strong violence, some strong language, and thematic material.
Verdict: One star out of five

The Deliverance (Netflix)
Starring: Andra Day, Glenn Close, Mo’Nique, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Synopsis: This horror movie dropped on Netflix for the weekend and comes from director Lee Daniels. It’s also based on a true story. It centers on a single mother (Day) who is struggling to keep her three kids. Her mother (Close) has moved in to help, but she’s struggling with an illness and is frequently at odds with her daughter. A Social Worker (Mo’Nique) is keeping close tabs on the family, and when the kids start showing odd signs, she becomes suspicious. But a local pastor (Ellis-Taylor) approaches the mother and tells her of the dark history of her house. Can she rise above and save her family from the evil that lives in their new home? This is a standard kind of story and it’s put together in a very by-the-numbers way. It being a true story is noted more in the resolution at the end, but even that does little to make up for the middling production that preceded it. The film feels overly long and at times too melodramatic. None of the performances feel that grounded despite a good cast. There was potential in the premise, but none of it comes together in the end. This is something of a disappointment.
Rating: Rated R for violent content, language throughout and some sexual references.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Gary (Peacock)
Synopsis: Gary Coleman was at times a captivating young actor. He was also popular and leaves behind a legacy. This new documentary seeks to explore his story, looking back as his career, his struggles, and his often-messy personal life. The best documentaries bring you into the subject, inform, and entertain. This often felt like it was constructed in weirdly bad taste, giving more weight to those left behind than honoring the memory of the subject it seeks to explore. It wasn’t overly long but it felt under-whelming.
Rating: NA
Verdict: Two stars out of five