American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally

Immediately after the end of the Second World War, American Mildred Gillars (Williams) was the most hated person in her country. Working for infamous Nazi Joseph Goebbels (Kretschmann), Mildred became Germany's American mouthpiece. Broadcasting messages to American soldiers that aimed to humiliate them and spread misinformation on the Nazi's crimes against humanity, her voice was synonymous with the German propaganda machine. Extradited to America after the Allies won, Mildred was to stand trial, the entire nation hoping for the now-nicknamed "Axis Sally" to be sentenced to the death penalty. Her assigned lawyer, James J. Laughlin (Pacino), and his co-counsel, Billy Owen (Temmel), grew to expect an open-and-shut case, but as they come to hear her side of the story, things change. With questions of agency at the forefront of their defense, Mildred's trial suddenly becomes less about retaliation against Nazis and their sympathizers and more about the struggle to know how to punish a person's evil actions when those actions were violently coerced out of them.

Director: Michael Polish. Stars: Meadow Williams, Al Pacino, Swen Temmel, Thomas Kretschmann. 2021. 108 mins. Drama.

Queen Bees

Widow Helen (Burstyn) temporarily moves to a retirement community called Pine Grove while her home is being renovated. Expecting little more than a boring few months with other people her age, she's shocked to arrive at a dynamic resort that can only be described as an old-timer's answer to ridiculous high school hierarchies. At the very top stand Janet (Curtin), Sally (Devine) and Margot (Ann-Margret), the three reigning "mean girls" of Pine Grove. Disinterested at first, Helen soon finds herself getting wrapped up in the odd happenings of the community, discovering a second chance at youth, friendship and fun.

Director: Michael Lembeck. Stars: Ellen Burstyn, Loretta Devine, Ann-Margret, Jane Curtin, Christopher Lloyd. 2021. 100 mins. Comedy.

My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To

Jessie (Schram) and Dwight's (Fugit) worlds revolve around their brother, Thomas (Campbell). Tending to him day and night, it's all beginning to weigh on Dwight, who has murdered countless innocent people to satisfy Thomas's need to quench his thirst with human blood.

Director: Jonathan Cuartas. Stars: Ingrid Sophie Schram, Patrick Fugit, Owen Campbell, Judah Bateman. 2020. 90 mins. Horror.