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 We had some high-profile projects drop this week at the movies. Below is my take on the new films I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Animals (Netflix)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Kerry Washington, and Gillian Anderson
Synopsis: This is a new drama for Netflix co-written, directed by, and starring Affleck. He’s an LA Mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped. Except it wasn’t his son, it was another boy who was mistaken for his son. Now that boy is being held for ransom, forcing him to make some potentially costly decisions. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s essentially the plot of High and Low, a classic Akira Kurosawa film. That film was already re-made by Spike Lee and Denzel Washington last year. That re-make was OK but lacked the pop of the original. This one makes some changes to the basic plot and especially to the ending, and it’s another in a line of diminishing returns. Affleck is fine here as the star and director. The film feels a little thin and is very interested in the action sequence—and the lies—that close the film. That’s all well and good, but if we’re honest there is no reason for this film to exist.
Rating: Rated R for language throughout, some violence and sexual references.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Matchbox the Movie (Apple TV)
Starring: John Cena, Jessica Biel, and Sam Richardson
Synopsis: At some point, everyone has probably handled a Matchbox car. The toys have a range of options, truly offering something for everyone. And thinking about those different little cars, trucks, helicopters, and planes brings you back to a certain time in your life. But can that feeling be captured as an adult? We’ve seen a lot of different classic toys brought to life in new ways. Transformers is a film franchise, as is G.I. Joe. The Barbie movie was not only beautifully rendered but was honored as one of the best films of the year. So, now Mattel is going back to the well with Matchbox cars. But how to bring it to life? Matchbox the Movie, which streams on Apple TV, is that answer. It’s a big spectacle movie with a sprawling cast and some fun sequences. But does it capture that old Matchbox car magic? The film kicks off in 1998 with a group of friends in a small town brought together by their love of Matchbox toys. They’re called the Matchbox gang. And it turns out the cars they were drawn to are a big piece of their personality. But one of the gang, Sean, must move away. His connection to the gang is severed, but he never forgets them. Flash-forward 28 years, and Sean (John Cena) is a top agent for the CIA. We catch up with him as he’s driving cool cars, using gadgets, and accomplishing a big mission. After the mission, he’s told to lay low for a bit. He sees in the news that an old mentor (Bill Camp) in his former hometown has died. So, he heads back. Returning offers a chance to re-connect with his four friends (Jessica Biel, Arturo Castro, Teyonah Parris, and Sam Richardson). But their reunion is quickly interrupted as they’re all drugged. The new CIA director (Corey Stoll) has some answers about a missing warhead he thinks Sean took. Sean then sets out, with his friends, to find the warhead, discover the truth, and clear all their names. Some of these films adapted from toys have really leaned into the toy idea. That was certainly the case with Barbie. Others have kind of used them to try and incorporate a real-world story that fits with the toys. Matchbox the Movie seems to fit more with the latter. This is an action-comedy built around Cena that layers on Matchbox cars as a bit of an entry point. That’s not a bad thing. No matter what the source material or inspiration, you need a movie to be good, to have an engaging story and characters, for it to work. I thought this was a solid approach to trying to bring the toy cars to life. The ways that premise is worked in don’t feel like a distraction as mostly you’re focused on this gang of friends and this mission. Director Sam Hargrave, who helmed the Chris Hemsworth action films Extraction, does a nice job bringing some big set pieces to life. There are some good action sequences here that draw you in and really keep you hooked. That does add to the run time, as this movie runs two hours, but I liked the chases and the way it all comes together. The win here, too, is finding a great way to maximize Cena in a lead role. We’ve seen him placed in a lot of different kind of roles, but this makes the most of his action skills and his comedy. He makes for an affable leading man, playing well off his friend group. You can’t help but root for them, which is part of what makes this a fun journey. Matchbox the Movie seemed like a hard swing, but it turns out to be fun and delightful. It would have been great to see some of these action sequences on the big screen, but this will make for a nice streaming option this weekend.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence/action, and language.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Musk (Theaters)
Synopsis: This is the latest documentary from Alex Gibney. It is a nearly four-hour film focusing on the career and pursuits of Elon Musk. If that sounds like a lot—both in terms of length and in terms of subject—then you’re not wrong. Gibney does a lot to capture the public life and exploits of Musk, despite his subject refusing to participate. Of course, the film doesn’t much explore early Musk or dive too deep into his personal life, outside of the reflections presented by his various partners and baby mamas that participated in the film. There are also some artistic choices here that likely won’t work for everyone, and certainly didn’t work for me. Ultimately, my biggest struggle is what the purpose of the film is. If you already love Musk and his exploits, you’ll see this as a hit job. If you’re already weary of Musk and his exploits, this will reinforce your opinion. If you don’t know what to think, it might sway you. Otherwise, it feels like a long record of his public pursuits that is quite the commitment for something that doesn’t entirely work.
Rating: Rated R for language and brief violent content.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

Other Mommy (Theaters)
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, and Karen Allen
Synopsis: If you’ve seen the trailer for this film—and honestly how could you miss it—you know there are some deeply unsettling moments from star Chastain in this film. And she’s giving it her all here. But some of those unsettling moments occur fairly early in the film, which keeps you at a certain level of intensity for the whole of the 93-minute run time. That’s a lot. The good here is Chastain, a next level creepy intensity for whole sequences, and some of the good shots in the film. The bad here is that it’s not enough story to justify the run time. The ending is also a let down. But if you’re looking for something spooky this season, this works well enough and is enjoyable for this type of film.
Rating: Rated R for some bloody violence, and language.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

The Social Reckoning (Theaters)
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Mikey Madison, and Jeremy Strong
Synopsis: Eric Schmidt, the former CEO and Chairman of Google, once said, “The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had.” I remember the first time I saw that quote. It was in front of an episode of Criminal Minds, back when it was a CBS procedural of the week. In other words, more than a decade ago. It’s stuck with me and it’s clear that it remains the case today. Facebook is something that has clearly stuck with Aaron Sorkin for a long time. Sorkin wrote the script for The Social Network, which released in 2011. It followed the creation, rise, and struggles of its creator Mark Zuckerberg. It’s also one of the finest films of this century. But that wasn’t the end of the story for Zuckerberg and Facebook, nor was it the end of Sorkin’s interest in it. Now, more than a decade later, much like that quote, Facebook has stuck with Sorkin. The Social Reckoning, which is in theaters today, comes from him as both a writer and director, and continues the story of Zuckerberg and Facebook. It seems to examine its influence—for good and for bad—on our country and some of the biggest issues of our times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the events of January 6. The film picks up in 2019 as Jeff Horowitz (White) joins the Wall Street Journal in San Francisco as the new Facebook reporter. He doesn’t have a tech background—in fact as we meet him, he can’t even really use the GPS in his car. But he’s an investigative reporter fresh out of Washington. He knows something is happening and Zuckerberg—and Facebook—is at the center of it. We quickly cut to Facebook headquarters. They know about Jeff, and they’re warning employees about it. But there is one employee—Frances Haugen (Madison)—who is more troubled by what they aren’t talking about. That’s the increased engagement and the changes to the platform that are revealing some negative things about Social Media. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg (Strong) is preparing for his own testimony before Congress. As he prepares his public statements and image, he’s confronted with the decisions he’s made and the safeguards he has, and has not, put in place. At this point, Sorkin has a certain style of writing. He tells stories in a specific way. Often, he’s interested in key points in history, in debating the issues, in taking moral positions, and in a certain kind of hero or heroine. All that is certainly in play with this film. As are some trademarks about references to musicals, running jokes throughout, and the pacing of the character beats. He wants to present an idealized vision of what the world could or should be. That is what made The West Wing transcend politics into something of comfort television. I’m certainly his target audience. I enjoy the style and I enjoy the patter. I have in all his projects, and I certainly enjoyed it here. That does make me predisposed to look past some things that are certainly true of this project. It’s an investigative journalism story meant to be hard-hitting about the negative impacts of Facebook, Meta, and Social Media in general. As we all know in 2026, the things Facebook did and likely still is doing aren’t exclusive to them and their platform—which includes Instagram, WhatsApp, and more. But he makes for a high-profile target that clearly sparks Sorkin’s interests. It's also clear, when we get to the end, that all the work from Haugen and Horowitz, though it makes for an inspiring story, made little change. Facebook is still going and arguably has even more lax standards. And people certainly haven’t stopped using Social Media. At times, it’s not even clear how Sorkin feels about Social Media. He—through his characters—rails against the excess and failings of the platform. But he also seems to see some potential upside and nobility in its original premise. That might well leave you, as an audience, feeling mixed about the platform in general. There are plenty of cliches here, and Horowitz and Haugen, at times, feel too earnest. And Zuckerberg, at times, feels too much like a two-dimensional villain. This film certainly lacks the flair and style from a visual sense that David Fincher brought to Sorkin’s first script. Sorkin isn’t a flashy director, but he offers a sturdy tale. And, ultimately, despite the flaws I couldn’t help but enjoy the ride. I love a good journalism story, and this one certainly hits those notes. Madison gives a great and compelling performance, and I really enjoyed White here, too. Strong does a good job of channeling Zuckerberg’s mannerisms and speaking tone, making this a compelling journey. I understand the flaws. I understand why some might struggle with it. But I was drawn to The Social Reckoning. It in no way lives up to the original, but it’s a fun exploration of the topic and an engaging time at the movies. It worked for me, and it will likely work for you if you’ve enjoyed Sorkin’s projects in the past.
Rating: Rated R for language.
Verdict: Four stars out of five