The one-week post-Thanksgiving movie line-up is usually a time for smaller releases like Nightbitch and Y2K. Still, there are other efforts out there as well. This set of write-ups includes a sports drama, a horror-action film, a raunchy rom-com, a family comedy, a folk horror-comedy, a Netflix rom-com, and a holiday family comedy-drama. The following features reviews for Unstoppable, Werewolves, Sweethearts, Nutcrackers, Get Away, Our Little Secret, and Dear Santa.
Unstoppable: 7 out of 10
The Setup: The inspiring true story of Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome), who was born with one leg but whose indomitable spirit and unbreakable resolve empowered him to defy the odds and pursue his dreams. With the unwavering love and support of his devoted mother, Judy (Jennifer Lopez), and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team. But it will demand everything he has, physically and mentally, to achieve his ultimate quest to become an NCAA Champion.
Review: I tend to be a lot more kind to biographical sports movies compared to, say, music biopics, as the arcs tend to wrap me up with emotion. Yes, these are both sub-genres that can apply a formula, but when real life has specific checkpoints to tap into, done well, there’s a lot to enjoy from seeing these sorts of dramatizations. Unstoppable isn’t bringing much new to sports movies, but the effort is to present a strong enough version of the underdog story. Not hurting are the uses of visual effects and double work from the real Robles to allow us a great presentation of this young man born with only one leg. That allows the wrestling scenes, let alone things like training montages, to stand out in a way that celebrates one’s disability. It also adds a clear visual regarding what and who Robles was up against, without treating him as a flawless individual or one that needed to be pitied.
Jerome shines here, again showing how talented he is as a younger performer. He makes Robles human, and you believe in his struggle. Taking on a supporting role, Lopez is also quite good as Robles’ mother, who must deal with her own issues, including an abusive husband played quite commendably by Bobby Cannavale (given how awful his character is). There’s also reliable support from Don Cheadle and Michael Peña as two of Robles’ coaches. Outside of the visual effects element, director William Goldenberg doesn’t add much more to the mix regarding this film’s construction (another upcoming sports drama is more successful for this reason, among others). However, there’s still a sturdy piece of work at play here, and it’s as effective as it is inspiring.
Where To Watch: Opening in select theaters on December 6, 2024, and available to stream on Prime starting January 16, 2025.
Werewolves: 5 out of 10
The Setup: A supermoon event has triggered a latent gene in every human on the planet, turning anyone who entered the moonlight into a werewolf for that one night. Chaos ensued, and close to a billion people died. Now, a year later, the Supermoon is back…
Review: In the realm of werewolf movies, the idea for this one is not bad. It basically amounts to being The Purge, but with werewolves this time, and having Frank Grillo as the lead doesn’t do much to sway me from that line of thinking. Still, there’s fun to be had here for a film working on a moderate budget and using the horror element as an excuse to deliver a lot of wild action sequences. Director Steven C. Miller makes the most out of what’s available, and while things start to feel a bit repetitive, at least the practical werewolf effects allow for other ways to admire what’s on display.
Not hurting is the solid work from Grillo, Katrina Law, and Ilfenesh Hadera, who bring more than what’s required. Plus, I’m never averse to seeing Lou Diamond Philips land some random role in a film like this. Honestly, there’s only so much to really recommend here. If you read the premise and think it sounds neat, you’ll get mostly what you expect. It’s not great, but it’s an okay and very bloody diversion.
Where To Watch: Opening in theaters on December 6, 2024.
Sweethearts: 6 out of 10
The Setup: Two college freshmen (Kiernan Shipka and Nico Hiraga) make a pact to break up with their high school sweethearts over Thanksgiving break, leading them on a chaotic night out in their hometown that puts their co-dependent friendship to the test.
Review: This one took me a bit by surprise, as it had more edge than I expected. Working as a sort of younger-skewing combination of When Harry Met Sally and Planes Trains & Automobiles, with some Farrelly Brothers humor thrown in, Sweethearts is able to not only get by thanks to its charming leads and their chemistry but because the film actually has a good number of jokes. The concept in mind isn’t bad, as it relies on a different sort of core story idea that makes this film more of an anti-romantic comedy, but the intentions are not mean-spirited. We’re following characters who have naturally grown out of their current relationships but have other issues complicating things further. On top of that, the antics they and their friends end up in are funny.
Some of it is a bit trite. Caleb Hearon is hilarious as a gay best friend character. However, he still ultimately amounts to that, even with the film attempting to add more depth for him. Other sections of the film rely on the kinds of arguments you’ve seen plenty of times, though the way this film toys with the main characters possibly finding romance with each other is handled in a more fun way than I’ve seen lately. Plus, the film’s dialogue is presented with college-age kids of today in mind, which leaves out any real filtering in favor of appropriately R-rated dialogue. Director Jordan Weiss does well with this less traditional holiday rom-com.
Where To Watch: Now available to stream on Max.
Nutcrackers: 6 out of 10
The Setup: A strait-laced man (Ben Stiller) finds his life suddenly upended when he becomes the caregiver for his rambunctious, orphaned nephews.
Review: It’s worth noting that due to all the directing he had been doing, Ben Stiller hasn’t been the star of a film in nearly a decade. Seeing him back in a top-billed role and playing a character a bit different from his 2000s-era neurotic guys was a little refreshing. That said, this film from David Gordon Green (continuing his run as one of the more random filmmakers going) works far better if you think of it as a drama that happens to feature some comedy. It’s not just the idea that four brothers have suddenly become orphaned or that Stiller’s Uncle Michael must take care of them, but the idea that Michael is so deadest on being a jerk the entire time. The story’s arc is obvious in that regard, as Michael will have to learn to love his nephews. However, Green is so weirdly good at getting honest human performances and framing his films in grounded ways that the comedic element never really hits hard. Instead, we get what feels more like a slice-of-life drama that’s only slightly heightened at times for some humor.
Does that make for a good movie? One could argue the tone isn’t well-balanced if one assumes they know what they’re getting here. As said, there’s a very familiar structure to this sort of plot, but the antics the kids put Michael through never really come off as malicious, especially when considering this is partially due to grief over the death of their parents. It comes down to whether an audience can enjoy what Stiller is bringing to the role and if the kids played by newcomers Homer, Ulysses, Atlas, and Arlo Janson are enjoyable enough to watch. I say they are, which makes for a decent film about an unexpected family.
Where To Watch: Now available to stream on Hulu.
Get Away: 6 out of 10
The Setup: A remote getaway takes an unexpected turn when a family discovers the island they’re on is inhabited by a serial killer.
Review: To get into why this film really worked for me would be to talk a bit too much about what’s going on with this story, but I did get a kick out of what it amounted to. That said, Get Away does present a folk horror story with a comedic edge, and I can’t say I’ve seen that before. Sure, films like The Wicker Man have a dark sense of humor (and that remake is a wacky cult favorite for many who are not me). That said, Nick Frost both wrote and stars in this film, and he makes the most out of what could have been just any other horror film about a family stuck on a murderous island for a small vacation. The charm he and co-star Aisling Bea bring as mother and father on holiday allows for an amusing enough feature. Sure, Get Away doesn’t seem to have much else on its mind other than to entertain, but director Steffen Haars makes decent use of the Scandinavian setting and allows the film to use its twisted sensibilities to its advantage whenever possible.
Where To Watch: Available in limited release starting December 6, 2024, and on Shudder beginning in January.
Our Little Secret: 5 out of 10
The Setup: Two resentful exes (Lindsay Lohan and Ian Harding) are forced to spend Christmas under the same roof after discovering that their current partners are siblings.
Review: At this point, it seems clear that a particular sect of audiences and Netflix are trying their best to make Lohan into some kind of streaming star to revitalize her for all. I get it, but I’m just not seeing anything that’s elevating her or her various rom-com co-stars above the same stuff one expects from Hallmark’s various Christmas romance movies. I guess the difference here is star power and the choice to make TV-14-rated streaming flicks, where they can add a bit more adult edge to the proceedings. As it stands, Our Little Secret is, by default, more average than bad compared to Netflix’s efforts to take on Hallmark (the popular Hot Frosty similarly stands out in this regard). However, this still feels like a movie that primarily works for a specific audience.
I can handle goofy rom-coms, but they need a bit more to rise above one-time watches for me. This movie adds Tim Meadows, Henry Czerny, Judy Reyes, Chris Parnell, and most notably, Kristin Chenoweth for good measure, but that only amounts to so much comedic satisfaction. Harding is decent enough against Lohan, who seems less out to sea than the previous streaming rom-coms she has led, but it’s hardly a romance for the ages. And, not for nothing, but director Stephen Herek and his team have really underdelivered in terms of the look of this movie. Even for Netflix, this is a pretty ugly film in terms of simple stuff like lighting. So, it may be no little secret that these films aren’t winning me over all that often, but I’m more than willing to play along when better material comes around.
Where To Watch: Now available to stream on Netflix.
Dear Santa: 3 out of 10
The Setup: When a young boy (Robert Timothy Smith) mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error, a devilish misfit (Jack Black) arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays.
Review: You may as well call Jack Black Atlas, as he is working very hard to carry this entire movie on his back. There’s a silly but fun premise here, but for whatever reason, director/co-writer Bobby Farrelly and his team just don’t know what to do with it outside of a few chunks of the film. The idea of a kid with dyslexia accidentally addressing a letter to Satan instead of Santa is pretty funny and entirely in the realm of what a Farrelly brother could hit with successfully. Unfortunately, the balance is just entirely off here. It’s a long setup, the second act really drags, and the third act adds on emotional stakes that do not feel earned at all. Again, Black does all he can with his character, working as a sort of Christmas-time genie with a lot of naughty energy, but the movie needs more than just that. And we certainly need more than just an extended Post Malone cameo to help things out as well. This film is not on the good list.
Where To Watch: Now available to stream on Paramount+.
