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After years of military service Malik Khan (Riz Ahmed) returns home to rescue his two young sons, Jay and Bobby (Lucian-River Chauhan and Aditya Geddada), from an alien invasion that’s silently creeping across the globe; meanwhile, the schism between reality and fiction appears to be growing. Written by Joe Barton and Michael Pearce and Directed by Pearce this sci-fi, road tripping, precocious coming of age adventure works nicely in that its principal cast members, including Octavia Spencer, deliver heart felt, endearing, and captivating performances to sell the illusion from start to finish, special nods to newcomers Chauhan and Geddada. Meanwhile, thoughtful character development makes for a more dimensional watch. And, for its size, this little train that could offers a connection that feels authentic between father and sons. Running just shy of two hours the overall pacing seems on par and even better crafted in its brevity. Worth your attention this weekend, Encounter is rated R.

Adapting the 1957 musical that showcases a forbidden love in the midst of two rival gangs on the streets of old New York battling it out for territory in West Side Story. Written by Tony Kushner, based on the work of Arthur Laurents and Directed by Steven Spielberg, this cinematic masterpiece captures the choreography, music, time, and spirit of the original work with a stellar ensemble placing Ansel Elgort at Tony, Rachel Zegler as Maria, Ariana DeBose as Anita, David Alvarez as Bernardo, and Mike Faist as Riff. And, with Spielberg’s mind and eye for cinematography this immersive dive into the 50’s immediately bathes the audience in the magic of one of the most iconic musicals in American theatre history; miraculously keeping the action centered on screen with the perfect balance of movement, almost dancing with the chorus. Running two hours and thirty six minutes this lovingly and beautifully crafted work will remind you of the power that can exist in musical theater when executed properly. Winner, West Side Story is rated PG-13.

In the 1950’s, partners on screen and in real life, Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arna (Javier Bardem), would help to shape one of the formative and most recognizable programs in American television history with I Love Lucy. But, portrayal as America’s sweethearts would come into question amidst The Red Scare and personal troubles off screen, this is a week in their life. Written and Directed by Aaron Sorkin this deconstruction of I Love Lucy from the inside out works as a reenactment of actual events and further efforted with pseudo documentary interviews of writers and producers in present day– a presentation that has the best intentions but ultimately mixed results. Specifically, the present day interviews are mainly a miss, however, Kidman’s portrayal of the late Lucille Ball is haunting and transformative, the real winner amidst this analeptic scramble of events. Bottom line, points for visual presentation, style and massive acting chops, but, demerits for an otherwise dry procedural distillation of history. Being the Ricardos is rated R and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome at two hours and five minutes of runtime.