Nightmare Alley

Stanton Carlisle (Cooper) leaves his old life and joins a carnival where clairvoyant Madame Zeena (Collette) and her washed-up husband, Pete (Strathairn), take Stan under their wings and teach him the ways of cold reading. Using these skills alongside fellow carnival worker Molly (Mara), Stan gains a reputation among New York's finest and attracts the attention and help of a mysterious psychiatrist (Blanchett). Together, the two set their sights on a dangerous tycoon, but Stan's newest aide may turn out to be more dangerous than he is himself.

Director: Guillermo del Toro. Stars: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, David Strathairn, Mark Povinelli. 2021. 150 mins. Thriller.

For the Love of Money

Gigi Davis (Hilson) left her wealthy family to carve a path of her own away from the pressure of money. Life is fine and normal, with Gigi living out her days as an average single mom in the city until her daughter's life is put in jeopardy. With threats being made towards her daughter by gangsters, Gigi finds her only choice is to reach out to the world she left behind for assistance. This move comes with a heavy price as Gigi must leave her safe mom life behind and embrace a world of crime as the only solution to saving her daughter.

Director: Leslie Small. Stars: Katt Williams, Keri Hilson, Rotimi, D.C. Young Fly, LisaRaye McCoy, Jason Mitchell, Keith Sweat, Jazzy Jade, Cedric Pendleton, Ryan Francis. 2021. 99 mins. Drama.

West Side Story

Tony (Elgort) and María (Zegler) are from different walks of life, both living in Manhattan's Upper West Side in 1957. Tony is a former Jets brawler and María is little sister to the leader of the Puerto Rican Sharks. The Jets and the Sharks are at war, but that doesn't stop Tony and María from falling in love at the high school dance. As their friends and families clash, the couple are swept up in an whirlwind romance that defies the societal standards of the time and place.

Director: Steven Spielberg. Stars: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Rita Moreno, Brian d'Arcy James, Corey Stoll, Mike Faist, Josh Andrés Rivera, Iris Menas. 2021. 156 mins. Musical.