American Night (2021):

I like a good “mob” picture, but unfortunately for the good cast and the good production values, this just isn’t one. There are a good number of familiar faces including those of Jeremy Piven (“Entourage”), Emile Hirsch (“Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood”), and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“Mission Impossible III”), and the story, that of a new mafia boss taking over a New York City crime family looks as if it has real potential, but it’s what the characters do that makes everything fall apart. Somehow, the direction taken, that these crime figures have a interest in pursuing the arts, particularly as they relate to fine paintings, just doesn’t ring true at any level. Michael Rubino (Hirsch) is heir apparent to the mob family in which his father has been the kingpin, and he has the desire to become an artist. John Kaplan (Meyers) is an art forger who wants to become legitimate, mostly to help pursue the lady of his dreams, and art historian (Sara Vega), by opening a gallery, and his brother Vincent (Piven) is a failed stuntman who must find his own way. Too many characters, a premise that’s muddy and difficult to fathom gets in the way, and the movie itself is easily a half-hour too long. Hard to recommend this one at any level. Rated 18A.

The Show (2020):

And now for something completely different! This British product, a drama/fantasy that has a number of themes that are not the usual, pedestrian film of the week stars British mini-series fixture Tom Burke (“The Crown,” “The Musketeers,” “War and Peace”) as a man of mystery named Fletcher Dennis, scouring the streets of Northampton, looking for a wanted jewel thief. Essentially, at its heart, this is a detective story but the world in which Fletcher finds himself is far from what he expected. Characters ranging from vampires to voodoo gangsters to hauntings of various sorts. What makes the story, the look, and the feel of this film so unusual is the talent behind it, the talent that isn’t quite so obvious. That is in the person of Alan Moore who wrote the script, making this his first movie. Moore’s work has appeared on the big screen in many ways before, as he is the creator of a number of graphic novels that have received movie treatment, including “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,” “V for Vendetta,” and “Watchman, but this is the first time writing his own screenplay. A dark, unusual, and truly different movie experience at every level. Rated 14A.

The Eight Hundred (2020):

Based on actual events, this Chinese military drama was the top-grossing movie at the worldwide box office in 2020, making it the first non-American, non-English language film to acquire that distinction. Set in 1937 during the Chinese war with Japan, it’s the story of the 800 Chinese troops tasked with defending a key warehouse during the Battle of Shanghai. Referred to by some as “The Chinese Alamo,” this is the commemoration of the battle that is technically an overlooked part of WWII. The movie’s $461 million gross has been attributed, by some, to the holding off of big Hollywood titles last year because of Covid, but regardless, this is an epic story. Rated 14A.

Tick, Tick ... Boom (2021):

This Netflix original marks the debut of Lin-Manuel MIranda as a director, spelling out the answer to the question, "what do we do with the time we have?" The story follows Jon (Andrew Garfield) who is a promising young theatre producer on the cusp of his 30th birthday. He waits on tables in New York City while waiting for what he hopes with be his big break, but pressure is everywhere in his life - pressure from his girlfriend who wants to leave New York and the arts community behind, pressure from his best friend who has just left the arts community for the financial security of a real job, and the pressure of an artistic community being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. What does he do? Where does he turn? Stars include Vanessa Hudgens, Joel Grey and Judith Light based on the story by the late Jonathan Larson ("Rent"). Rated 14A.

Robin Robin (2021):

This stop-motion animated film from the UK tells the story of a little baby robin who rolls out of her nest onto the ground, and who is saved, and then raised by a family of mice. As Robin gets older, she begins to realize that she is not a mouse, and that maybe she doesn't really belong with this family. A heart-warming story with an excellent message that both children and parents will enjoy. Gillian Anderson ("The X-Files") provides one of the major voices in this British made film. Rated G.