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It’s a big weekend for movies with a highly anticipated streaming release and one in theaters. Below is a look at my take on the new movies out this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Ella McCay (Theaters)
Starring: Emma Mackey, Albert Brooks, and Jamie Lee Curtis
Synopsis: We don’t get films from James L. Brooks often, but when we do it’s worth taking note. Whether it was 1980s classics like Terms of Endearment and Broadcast News, or the fun Jack Nicholson performance in As Good As It Gets, his films have resonated with audiences. He has a certain style and approach to the world that feels like a bit of comfort. But we haven’t had a film directed by Brooks since 2010 with How Do You Know. All that changes on Friday as Ella McCay drops in theaters. And, if you’ve long been a fan of Brooks and his cinematic style, this will be a can’t miss event. The film focuses on the titular Ella (Mackey). We first meet her as a teen, where her father (Woody Harrelson) is embroiled in a scandal that means changes for the family. While he and her mother (Rebecca Hall) are moving away, Ella’s life is in her hometown. So, she stays and lives with her Aunt Helen (Curtis), with whom she’s always been close. That led to Ella starting a career and getting married (Jake Lowden). Now, she’s risen all the way to the post of Lt. Governor of her home state. Her mother’s gone and she remains estranged with her father, but she’s still close with Helen. She’s a visionary whose policies have helped Governor Bill (Brooks) accomplish great things. But it’s made her something of a political pariah. Still, she’s happy with her chaotic life and career. But things are about to change. Governor Bill gets an offer, which leads him to resign, vaulting Ella to the big chair. Her father is back, hoping to reconcile to keep his current girlfriend happy. Ella’s brother, Casey (Spike Fearn), is having a bit of a meltdown, requiring her attention. And a minor scandal involving her husband threatens to make her the subject of some unflattering reports. Ella’s trying to keep all the balls balanced in the air, but it certainly isn’t easy. Can she push through to the finish line? All of Brooks’ best films are a mixture of comedy and drama. This is the same. There are some really funny moments and sequences, but also some touching moments. And all of it is a lot of fun and engaging for those looking for a little December escape in theaters. Mackey does a nice job in the lead role. She has to balance a lot as the center of this orbit. While the rest of the talented cast gets to come-and-go around her, she’s at the center, balancing it all. She sinks into the part and is a lot of fun in the lead role. But it’s a good cast. Albert Brooks is a veteran of James L. Brooks productions, and you can tell. He easily slides into the role of Governor Bill and has some really funny sequences. I also loved Curtis in the role of Aunt Helen. She had a couple line deliveries that made me laugh out loud. She is having fun in the part and really lifts the production when she’s on screen. One criticism would be the story and the pace. It meanders a bit and takes a while to get where it’s going. The payoff is still fun, and most of the journey is fun, but it takes a while to tell where we’re going. And, at times, there’s almost too many side characters and side plots to keep track of, especially when some don’t factor into the conclusion. That being said, I really enjoyed Ella McCay. I’ve long been a fan of Brooks’ films, even ones that aren’t as popular. This felt like a welcome return with a good cast and a fun premise. It’s worth checking out. Ella McCay is in theaters nationwide.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for strong language, some sexual material and drug content
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five.

Wake Up Dead Man (Netflix)
Starring: Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, and Josh Brolin
Synopsis: I remember the first time I saw Knives Out. It was in theaters, near the end of the year, in 2019. And from the moment I watched it, I was hooked. I’ve remained a fan, as it sits among my favorite films of all time. It was a brilliant whodunnit with an outstanding cast. When Rian Johnson made a deal with Netflix to continue the franchise, I knew we were in for more fun. That was the case when The Glass Onion dropped in December of 2022, and it’s the case now with Wake Up Dead Man, the third film in the franchise. It is another excellent and engaging murder mystery romp with another great cast. The film had a limited run in theaters and drops on Netflix on Friday. It’s a great film to check out for fans, especially if you’re a fan of O’Connor. The film is focused on young priest Jud Duplenticy (O’Connor). A former boxer, he’s been assigned to a remote and struggling parish under the senior priest Jefferson Wicks (Brolin). But the two don’t get along well, and don’t seem to have the same vision for the role, the world, or the church. When Wicks ends up dead, it puts Duplenticy in the hot seat. He, in turn, suspects a small group of parishioners and staff (Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Daryl McCormick, Jeremy Renner, Cailee Spaeny, and Thomas Haden Church) of having played a role. With the police chief (Mila Kunis) breathing down his neck, he’s searching for answers. Soon, detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) arrives to look into the case. He teams with Duplenticy to learn more about the church, its attendees, and get to the bottom of a seemingly impossible murder. Wake Up Dead Man is a fun return to the world of Benoit Blanc. It’s a solid original story that has another excellent cast. But, like the other two in the series, it finds ways to be unique and approach this story all on its own. In fact, in recent years, Johnson has been plying his mystery writing to the small screen with Poker Face. That series frequently had long introductions from the point-of-view of the character involved before we met our chief detective and sunk into a familiar formula. I couldn’t help but think of that with this film, which spends a lot of time having Duplenticy weaving his story before we launch into Blanc and the investigation. And it works well. It's been a big year for O’Connor, who has shinned in several different roles. That’s certainly the case here. He’s the center of the narrative and he does a beautiful job of carrying this story and this character. You can’t help but root for him, and his back-and-forth with Blanc is a lot of fun, too. I enjoyed the mystery, but I enjoyed the journey and the exploration of faith that was wrapped up in this story. That’s not to say it doesn’t have some fun twists, too. The whole cast is good here, with each getting a different moment to shine. I loved the production and the look of the film, and I really enjoyed the ride. These films have all been a lot of fun, and this is no exception. It’s one of my favorite films of the year and a great December ride that’s worth seeking out. Wake Up Dead Man is now streaming on Netflix.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for violent content, bloody images, strong language, some crude sexual material, and smoking.
Verdict: Four stars out of five