Honest Thief (2020):

When Liam Neeson was interviewed after making the mediocre 2019 movie, "Cold Pursuit," he said that was the end of him as an action star.  He lied.  And unlike "Cold Pursuit," "Honest Thief" crackles with his presence, the action builds tension like electricity in an overhead transmission line, and every character is a perfect fit for a great revenge story, a genre that Neeson practically owns.  Written and directed by Mark Williams, who did the same work for the excellent Ben Affleck action-thriller "The Accountant," we meet Neeson's character "Tom," who is just having another day at the office - blowing a safe in a bank vault, and taking the money.  Tom is an ex-Marine who fought in Afghanistan, and was a demolitions expert, giving him a way with all things explosive. He has amassed a total of $12 million from a series of robberies over the years since he was discharged, and he has never spent a penny. He has a reason for doing what he does, and in the early minutes when he meets Annie (Kate Walsh of "Grey's Anatomy"), he swears off his life of crime, as he falls for her immediately.  Of course, Annie has no idea that her new boyfriend has an interesting "job."  Tom tells her his plan:  he is going to turn himself in to the FBI, return the money, and ask for a light sentence in return for his cooperation.  Then he can marry Annie with a clear conscience.  Unfortunately, things get out of hand when the FBI shows up at his request, but the deal the two agents make is one where they take the money, pin the whole thing on Tom, and let the courts send him away for a long, long time.  The two agents (played by Jai Courtney and Anthony Ramos) have clearly never seen a Liam Neeson movie.  They don't know what happens if he comes for you. Rated 14A. 

Shortcut (2020):

Five teenagers are in their school bus late at night in a strange location – strange because the bus driver decided to take a shortcut and found himself lost. Being lost in the dark is bad enough, but soon, a strange creature accosts the bus and now the teens are on their own, trapped inside the bus, as the invading entity plots their demise. This horror-thriller is not just about a monster on a desert road, but focuses on how cooperation and teamwork between the teens, as well as an understanding of their relationship with one another, may help them to set a better course. Rated 14A.

The Last Shift (2020):

Oscar-winner Richard Jenkins stars as Stanley, a man who has been working in the same fast-food restaurant for years. This “small” movie debuted at the Sundance Festival where it attracted a lot of attention for its comedic drama, and its character study that took it several steps beyond what could have been expected. Ed O’Neil also stars, and a young man who works in the restaurant is in for something of a surprise as he listens to Stanley talk about his years on the job. A nice little movie. Rated 14A.

Enola Holmes (2020):

Netflix acquired the distribution rights for this whodunnit after it was decided to stream the movie rather than put it in theatres.  It's a Sherlock Holmes story, but unlike any that have come before.  Enola (Millie Bobby Brown who played "Eleven" on ``Stranger Things") is a much younger sister to Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, but she has the detective genetics that it takes to go looking for a mystery to be solved.  None of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle books mention a younger sister, but here she is, and when her mother goes missing, Enola sets off to find her.  Helena Bonham Carter plays Mother Holmes, and Henry Cavill is Sherlock.  When it's discovered that mother is missing, and that there are a number of gifts and trinkets that she has inexplicably left behind, big brother Sherlock continues to insist that Enola leave the matter alone, and head off to boarding school.  Not her ... soon she is searching all of London, looking for clues.  A crime-adventure, rated 14A. 

Country-ish (2020)(TV series):

This Netflix original is a reality series that features country singer and internet star Coffey Anderson and his wife Criscilla.  It walks through their daily lives with the couple, and focuses on their careers - she's a hip-hop artist - their Christian faith, and their desire to provide wholesome entertainment in a world that seems to want things a lot more raunchy.  A former U.S. Marine, and an active participant in the Nashville music scene, Coffey has released nine albums so far, about half of them faith-based and the other half mainstream.  He was a contestant on season 2 of American Idol in 2003 where he made it as far as the Hollywood round.  Rated PG.

Pets United (2020):

A perfect animated film for youngsters, parents, and grandparents, but only if they watch with the kids. The central characters are all pets of one sort or another, and their common thread is that they are spoiled, they are selfish, and they live a life of luxury, because their owners have all the mechanical denizens of Robo City doing the hard work.  But what happens when the robots run amuck and the humans have to flee?  Time for the skate-boarding pug, the self-aggrandizing Siamese, a pet pig, and a smart fox to grow up and take some responsibility.  Good fun for kids of all ages - meaning, much past 13, they will probably think it's lame, but younger ones will relish it.  Rated G.