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It was another busy week at the movies. Below is my take on the week’s new releases and streaming options. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Eternity (Theaters)
Starring: Mile Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, and Callum Turner
Synopsis: If we’re lucky, we find someone to share our life with. But what happens when that life here is over? How will we spend eternity? Will we be together with them forever? What if they weren’t the only option? That’s some of the big questions tackled in Eternity, a new romantic comedy opening just in time for Thanksgiving. It takes a look at the afterlife, examining a scenario will have viewers hooked and torn. It’s an engaging and romantic ride for those looking for a holiday outing with one they love. The film centers on Larry and Joan, who’ve been married for 65 years. They’ve built a life together. They are attending a family gathering with children and grandchildren, when Joan is given a photo of her first husband, Luke (Turner), who passed away during the Korean War. It’s just at that moment that Larry chokes and awakes on a train. Except it isn’t Larry as we’ve first seen him. Now Larry (Teller) is younger. He’s on a train to a station in the afterlife. As his Afterlife Coordinator, Anna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), soon explains he has died. Now, he has to choose where to spend eternity. But Larry doesn’t care where he ends up, as long as Joan is there. The question is how long he’ll have to wait. Just as Larry has made a decision and is on his way to set things up, Joan (Olsen) arrives too. She also is her younger self but is less overwhelmed by what’s happened. Her Afterlife Coordinator, Ryan (John Early), is excited she’s finally arrived. While Joan is happy to be reunited with Larry, a new wrinkle emerges. One of Ryan’s earlier clients, Luke, is there and has waited decades for Joan to arrive. He, too, wants to spend eternity with his love. Now, Joan is faced with a choice. Does she pick her first love, Luke, or the man she spent her life with, Larry? This is an interesting twist on the format. It isn’t exactly a pure comedy, though there are plenty of funny moments. In particular, Randolph and Early are a delight opposite each other. They bring a lot of fun and humor to these roles, which lightens a somewhat serious idea. But the crux of the story is about these three people. Larry represents a life well lived. Luke represents possibility and a bit of regret. With Joan caught between the two and trying to decide what she really wants. That leads to some interesting, amusing, and emotional sequences. Teller and Turner are great here. They bring some fun to Larry and Luke and have some nice sequences opposite each other. Both also have some nice sequences opposite Olsen, who carries the narrative beautifully here. It’s a tough premise but it’s explored in a rich and engaging way. For those who enjoy a good romantic story, this is worth checking out. Eternity now playing in theaters.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some strong language.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Hamnet (Theaters)
Starring: Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal
Synopsis: William Shakespeare is one of the most famous writers of all time. Centuries after his death, his works continue to be read, performed, and quoted all around the world. But what inspired some of his greatest plays? That question is wrapped up in speculation about the man and his life away from the page. It was a question that rolled around in the mind of Maggie O’Farrell, led to her writing the novel Hamnet. It draws its name from Shakespeare’s son, who passed away just before the creation of possibly his greatest play. She wondered if the two things were linked. That novel is the inspiration for a new movie, adapted by Chloe Zhao. The film focuses on Shakespeare’s life, his marriage, and the death of his son. It ties into how those events led him to write Hamlet, the play that continues to entertain, captivate, and inspire the world. Before he was a famous writer, Shakespeare (Mescal) was a man with a dream. That led him to Agnes (Buckely), and they fell in love. Despite the protest of their families, they were joined in marriage and started a family. While Shakespeare’s work as a writer took him to the city, Agnes remained in the country on the farm, raising their three children. When The Plague came, Shakespeare’s family wasn’t immune. After falling ill, his son Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe), passed away. He passed shortly before his father could return home. In his grief, he was lost. At the urging of his wife, he returned to London to continue his work. But rather than the comedies he’d authored before, he began working on a new tragedy. When word of the new play—titled Hamlet—spread back home, Agnes was forced to journey to learn what her husband was writing.  Zhao is a talented director with an eye for some stunning visuals. She crafted the Best Picture winner Nomadland, which had shots that stuck with me long after the film ended. She brought that same scope and beauty to The Eternals. While some didn’t enjoy the story, its visual style was undeniable. She brings that same energy to this story. The production here is often quite captivating. There are some beautiful shots in the wooded sequences and throughout. I also enjoyed the look and the score of the film, which draws you in and builds this world. All of it is in service of a story that’s a slow build. The early sequences feel a bit drawn out as you wait to see where it’s going. But it’s building to a beautiful emotional crescendo that plays out wonderfully in the Third Act. It ends up being a showcase, too, for the performers. Mescal is a talented actor that has a few beautiful moments to shine. There is a scene following his appearance in the stage play that was beautifully haunting. But I really enjoyed Buckely, who carries a bulk of the film. Most of it is told through her eyes, and she does a wonderful job of conveying the depth of emotion. Hamnet is a gorgeous and well-acted film. It’s worth checking out and is one of my favorite of the year so far. It figures to be a big player in year-end awards and will be a soaring, emotional experience.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic content, some strong sexuality, and partial nudity.
Verdict: Four stars out of five

The Secret Agent (Theaters)
Starring: Wagner Moura
Synopsis: We’ve reached the point in the year where we’re getting a flood of stories all vying for year-end awards. Some of these stories are about people and from places we don’t often see. It can be a way to learn more about these places and times, dropped into stories we don’t know. One of those is The Secret Agent, which opens this week in limited release. It’s set in Brazil in 1977, a time of great unrest and corruption. It follows a man who stood up to the system and sought to escape with his son, if he could. We meet Armando (Moura) as he’s traveling to the small area of Recife during the carnival holiday. It’s a perilous journey and a dangerous area. During the holiday, already nearly 100 people have lost their lives. It’s even more perilous for Armando. He’s traveling under the name of Marcelo because he’s being hunted. Armando is a talented scientist and researcher who got on the bad side of a corrupt government official. His wife was killed, and now he’s going into hiding. He finds a place of refuge with Dona Sebastian (Tania Maria). He’s one of a group of political refuges waiting for their chance to make a way out. He has come for two reasons. First, he wants to find out more about a mother he never knew. Second, he wants to find a way to safety for himself and his son. But to do that, he has to survive long enough to escape. That isn’t easy with assassins chasing him. This is an interesting story set during a turbulent period in Brazil’s history. It’s Brazil’s official entry to the Academy Awards and could well earn some nominations. Last year’s entry—I’m Still Here—focused on the same period and was among the Best Picture nominees. This film is a long journey that takes an interesting jag at the end. That might not sit as well with some, but I thought it worked for the story that’s being told. It does a nice job of capturing the period and capturing this story. There are moments of levity and some interesting production values as it comes to fruition over the course of 160 minutes. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho does a nice job of laying out the story and the world. There are some beautiful and emotional moments before we get to a wild ending sequence. Throughout it all, the film is anchored beautifully by Moura in the lead role. Moura is a talented actor, and he slips into this role well. He carries most of the narrative and is electric in the lead role. There is a sequence in the middle, when Armando is telling the story of his trouble, that really captured his ability in the role. It’s worth checking out for him alone. He could be in the running for Best Actor. The Secret Agent is a longer film that might not appeal to everyone. But it’s a well told story that’s worth checking out this awards season.
Rating: Rated R for strong bloody violence, sexual content, language, and some full nudity.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

The Thing With Feathers (Theaters)
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch
Synopsis: Grief is funny. It takes a toll on all of us, but often appears in different ways. There is no timeline and no easy answers. You just have to fight your way through it. In the new film The Thing With Feathers, which opens in theaters Friday, takes that literally. The film centers on a grieving father. But that grief takes the literal form of a crow, with whom he has to do battle to survive. The film is based on the book from Max Porter. In it a father (Benedict Cumberbatch) has lost his wife. It’s left him along with his two kids. As he tries to fill his role as parent, he struggles with his own grief and loss. But rather than sharing it, he tries to keep it bottled up. Eventually, that grief manifests as a crow. That puts him in a position where he has to fight his grief, literally. Will he be able to battle grief and keep it at bey, or will it consume him? Can he learn to open up and share with his children, helping them to heal together along the way before it’s too late? This is some difficult and emotional material. Porter’s book is the inspiration for this script from Dylan Southern, who also directed the film. Southern had previously worked on shorts, music videos, and even a full-length musical documentary. This feels like something very different as he ventures into a scripted special. The film has some strong moments and some interesting visuals, especially in the way it brings this father’s grief to life. It’s an interesting way to approach the subject that creates opportunities for catharsis and deep emotions. Southern finds a good partner in Cumberbatch. He’s a gifted actor who pours himself into this part and this journey. He has some really compelling moments in this as well. But unfortunately, it doesn’t quite come together as it could. This is a solid subject for a feature. It also takes an interesting approach in literalizing grief. There are some strong moments, but some moments that feel confused. The film also drags at times, despite a relatively short running time. It had potential and had some moments, but it doesn’t all come together. The Thing With Feathers is in limited release starting Friday, November 28.
Rating: Rated R for language and some bloody violent content
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five