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We’re in mid-September, which leaves us with an interesting mix of films in theaters and on streaming. Below is my take on all this week’s new releases. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

The Killer’s Game (Theaters)
Starring: Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Ben Kingsley, and Sophia Boutella
Synopsis: The latest is an action film starring Bautista as Joe, a contract killer who is one of the best in the game. In the midst of a job, a dancer, Maize (Boutella), catches his eye. When he helps her out of a jam, he catches her eye, too. Soon, a spark flies and he decides to jump in. His friend and handler Zvi (Kingsley) is a fan of the relationship and makes plans to help Joe retire from his trade. Before he can, he gets a terminal diagnosis. Wanting to go out on his own terms, Joe makes arrangements for Maize to be taken care of and wants to put a hit on him to end his suffering quickly. Zvi won’t handle it, so he turns to a rival, Marianna (Klementieff), with whom he has bad blood, all seems to be handled. But just as the contract is about to take effect, Joe changes his mind. Marianna won’t cancel the job, which leaves Joe—and soon Maize—to fight to stay alive. The trailer for this film gives away most of the plot. But with a film like this, twists and turns in the story aren’t really the point. The goal is to develop some interesting characters and craft some good action sequences. On that account, this does fine. I liked Bautista in the lead role and the rest of the supporting cast works well enough. The action sequences are fun and stylish, and the story moves at a decent pace. This isn’t anything special but it’s a good time for fans of action films that just want to kick back and escape for a bit.
Rating: Rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, language, some sexual material, brief drug use and nudity.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

Speak No Evil (Theaters)
Starring: James McAvoy, Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, and Aisling Franciosi
Synopsis: The people we meet on vacation come in all varieties. But every once and a while you make a genuine connection. Still, are people showing you their real selves? Will you ever see them again? If you’ve watched the 2022 Danish film Speak No Evil, you might be tempted to forgo making connections with strangers on vacation altogether. Doubtless the new re-make won’t make you any more excited about vacation friends. The film follows a similar formula and is coming to theaters this Friday the 13th. The film centers on a couple—Ben (McNairy) and Louise (Davis)—who are trying to enjoy their Italian vacation. They’re Americans now living in London who are going through a rough patch personally and professionally. While they’re trying to make the most of the holiday, they come across another couple—Paddy (McAvoy) and Ciara (Franciosi)—and hit it off. The connection is fun, and it helps pass time on the trip, which ends with Paddy and Ciara inviting the family to join them at their country home. A bit later, at home back in London, things aren’t going any better for Ben and Louise when an invitation for a weekend away arrives. Ben thinks it could be fun, but Louise is skeptical. In the end, they go. The reunion with Paddy and Ciara takes place out in the middle of the country, a beautiful albeit isolated place. Things start off OK, but the awkward exchanges and the rough edges of their hosts begin to weigh on Ben and Louise. As they plan to make their exit, things go from awkward to dangerous, putting them in a race to survive. For those who’ve seen the original, the course of the movie will be of little surprise until the final act, where a majority of the changes took place. In the early going, the film also has a few winking nods to the original film in its script and some of the dialogue. While that will be fun for those who’ve seen both versions, it might not mean much to those coming to the film fresh. This story goes through a few stages. The opening and the first connection between the couples is, at times, awkward. So, too, is the early section when they come back together at the farm. There are awkward moments and dialogue that often verges on creepy. The film also takes a bit of time to get to the reveal we know is coming. The third act picks up the action but at times it feels under-whelming. The ending here diverges from the original in ways that are probably going to feel a little more palatable to the general audience, but it’s ultimately just OK. The film is creepy at times but not overly scary, especially for a film releasing on Friday the 13th. The performances are fine, with the standout being McAvoy, who brings a lot of creepy intensity to the role from beginning to end. His work is almost worth the price of admission. But ultimately, this is a flat and predictable thriller with some wildly uncomfortable sequences.
Rating: Rated R for some strong violence, language, some sexual content and brief drug use.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Uglies (Netflix)
Starring: Joey King, Laverne Cox, Chase Stokes, and Keith Powers
Synopsis: The latest from Netflix is based on the novel from Scott Westerfeld. The story is set in the future where society has radically changed in order to stave off war, violence, and discontent. Youths are raised with an aspiration—to receive a surgery when they turn 16 that will make them their perfect selves in order to live their perfect life. Up until that surgery, they’re known as uglies. They spend their days focusing on their imperfections and preparing to undergo a change. But is that the only option? Tally (King) is mere months from her procedure, but her best friend Peris (Stokes) is up now. They promise never to lose who they are or forget one another, but after Peris has his procedure, Tally sees a change. As her big day approaches, she’s challenged there is another way. She meets David (Powers), who expands her knowledge of the world and the truth behind the surgery that everyone is so eager to get. Soon, Tally finds her world challenged as she considers who she really is and what she wants. This film comes from McG, who offers a nice, glossy sheen on the film. It’s a well-constructed world with some decent enough performances. The idea, while a new twist, feels all-too-familiar, as do the character archetypes. Meanwhile the story is just OK, and the characters aren’t drawn well enough in the film to hold your gaze. We’ve seen this kind of story play out before in better ways. This film is OK, but hardly compelling.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for some violence and action, and brief strong language.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Winner (VOD)
Starring: Emilia Jones, Zach Galifianakis, Connie Britton, and Kathryn Newton
Synopsis: There is a well-worn path in entertainment of dueling projects on the same topic. Often, they come out within a few months of one-another. Usually, it ends up that one approach has a longer lasting cultural reach. We won’t know for a while which approach to the story of Reality Winner wins out. But with Winner, we get a unique approach. Reality Winner was in the Air Force where she used her talent with languages to help direct foreign actions. But it took a toll on her. She sought to move on, but with her options blocked by a lack of a college degree, she took a position working with classified documents. When she came across the truth about the Russian interference in the 2016 election, she couldn’t remain silent. Her choice to reveal that truth by releasing a classified article cost her greatly. Since her arrest and prosecution—and subsequent release—we’ve seen two different versions of her story. The first was the HBO original Reality, which featured Sydney Sweeney in the role. It chose to focus solely on her home interview with FBI interrogators. It was an interesting approach that relied on real dialogue from the recorded interview. But it didn’t dive deep into who she was, what happened, and why. That’s where Winner picks up. This new film—which debuted at Sundance and comes to streaming Friday—focuses on telling the story of Reality Winner. It begins during her childhood, where the beliefs and activism of her father (Galifianakis) have an impact on how she sees the world. As a child, she experiences 9/11, which further influences how she sees the world. That’s what leads her to the Air Force—and what turns out to be a false promise she can use her gifts to help those in need around the world. Instead, Reality (Jones) is set in a classified office decoding radio messages. What she hears and translates is used—quite successfully—to identify targets for drone strikes. She’s told it is important work, but the human cost weighs on her mind and spirit. When she tries to change that, she hits roadblocks. That leads to another classified job where she seizes on a chance to make a difference. This new film is much more an exploration of Reality, her life, and her motivations. The cast includes Britton, who plays her mother, and Newton, who plays her sister, and explores their relationships as well. All that helps ground the story differently. I enjoyed Jones in the lead role. I thought she handled the complexity of the character well and brought out the deep emotions of her journey. I also liked how director Susanna Fogel brought the story to life, injecting humor where possible. It makes for an engaging and interesting cinematic journey. There will likely be a wide range of thoughts on what Reality Winner did and her story, but I like the way this film attempts to provide larger context to the journey. It’s worth seeking out for those who want to learn more, or just have an enjoyable ride.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for some strong language, sexual material and drug material.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five