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As we make our way toward the new year, we’re getting a mixture of blockbuster films and films that have award aspirations. But are they any good? Below is my take on the new movies I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

The Brutalist (Limited)
Starring: Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and Felicity Jones
Synopsis: This is an epic tale looking at life in pursuit of the American Dream in the aftermath of World War II. Laszlo Toth (Brody) was an architect of some renowned whose life and career was derailed by persecution during the war. After surviving the Holocaust and believing himself alone, he heads to New York in 1947. There, he reunites with his American cousin Attila (Alessandro Nivola), who owns a furniture store, has an American wife, and has left his Jewish faith behind. Attila gives Laszlo a place to stay, a job, and a reason for hope—letting him know his wife, Erzsebet (Jones), and niece, Zsofia (Raffey Cassidy), are alive. Laszlo hopes to bring them to America, but it’s difficult. After years of toil, he meets a wealthy businessman, Harrison Lee Van Buren (Pearce), who could be the answer to all Laszlo’s dreams. Or he could be the path to a nightmare all his own. This comes from Brady Corbett and Mona Fastvold and is a sweeping epic that seeks to explore some deep and rich themes. Corbett also directs the film and brings a solid cinematic style to this epic. I call it epic not only because of its scope but because of the scale of the film. It runs more than three and a half hours and includes an intermission, which makes it a commitment. The performances are strong as is the craft. It’s an interesting piece of world-building. But your interest will likely ebb and flow with the story itself, which is dark and, at times, brutal. I wasn’t as taken with the story and the struggle to get through the dense narrative. I appreciated the craft, but this fell short of being overly compelling for me.
Rating: Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, rape, drug use and some language.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)
Starring: Kerry Washington, Dean Norris, and Susan Sarandon
Synopsis: Tyler Perry delivers this new tale of World War II. This one is a historical story based on the only unit comprised of African American Women in the war. After months of hard training, they’re sent to Europe with a crucial mission—get the mail running. Their commander, Charity Adams (Washington), has to fight through racism, sexism, and outright dismissal to get the job done. We’ve seen Perry deliver different kinds of films over the years, but primarily working in over-the-top comedies and dramas. This is different. It’s a historical film that is grounded and lovingly crafted to honor those who served. This is a story that was crucial to the war and one that most haven’t heard about. Washington does a nice job in this role, and the rest of the cast is strong as well. I enjoyed diving into the history of the 6888 and this mission that played such a crucial role in the war. This is worth checking out on streaming during this long holiday weekend.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for language including racial slurs, thematic material and some war violence.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Theaters)
Starring: Ben Schwartz, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves, Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, and Tika Sumpter
Synopsis: This is the third trip into the world of Sonic. The key players are all back here as Team Sonic—Sonic (Schwartz), Knuckles (Elba), and Tails (O’Shaughnessey)—are called into action when a long-held and powerful new Hedgehog, Shadow (Reeves), is released. He starts causing chaos as a result of long-held trauma. That draws out Dr. Robotnik (Carrey), who soon finds that Shadow has a connection to his past. Can team Sonic save the day again? If you’ve seen these movies, or even movies of this type, you already know the answer to this. Like the previous two, this is a bit of family-friendly entertainment. Schwartz is having fun as the voice here, while the cast does a fine job, too. I don’t love Carrey’s over-the-top approach to the role, which is doubled up here, but I’m sure it works for many. Reeves does a fine job as the voice of Shadow, while the rest of team Sonic remains fun. The film ties things up, provides some action and laughs, and sets the stage for another film in the franchise. So, this fun should continue. These films aren’t deep, but they are likely to be crowd pleasers for audiences of all ages.
Rating: Rated PG for action, some violence, rude humor, thematic elements and mild language.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five