This weekend saw a number of interesting new releases in theaters and on streaming, including the long-awaited sequel for a classic. Below is my take on all the new movies I saw this week. To keep up with everything I’m watching, you can follow me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Apollo 13: Survival (Netflix)
Synopsis: This new documentary features footage from the time along with interviews with surviving family members. It seeks to tell the true story of Apollo 13, the mission, how it went wrong, and the steps taken to bring the crew back safely. We’ve seen this story told a number of times in different ways—including a great scripted film starring Tom Hanks. But this one is from the families and the people involved in their own words—either via contemporary interviews or the footage documenting the incident. That gives it a unique feel that will be appealing for those who want to know more about the event.
Rating: NA

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Theaters)
Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe
Synopsis: Back in 1988, Tim Burton gave the world Beetlejuice, a weird, wild, and creative film that’s remained a classic with fans for more than 30 years. Now, with much of the original cast intact, Burton is bringing us the sequel—the aptly named Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. This one finds Lydia Deetz (Ryder) as a famous medium who has carved out a nice living. Her stepmother, Delia (O’Hara), is an artist of some repute as well. As Lydia is hosting her show, she thinks she catches a glimpse of Beetlejuice (Keaton). She dismisses it but soon gets an urgent call from Delia and learns her father is dead. She and Delia collect her estranged daughter, Astrid (Ortega), to return home for the funeral. There, she sees Beetlejuice again. She’s also getting pressure from her boyfriend (Justin Theroux) to marry and struggling to connect with Astrid. Turns out, Beetlejuice hasn’t forgotten about his almost bride and has been appearing to throw her off. He has troubles of his own, as his ex-wife (Bellucci) puts herself together and wants his soul. Beetlejuice sees a marriage to Lydia as his way out, if only he can convince her. This film has a look and feel that returns to the original. Classic Burton has a great visual feel, and that’s certainly true of this film. I enjoyed seeing this cast come together and some of the visual gags and jokes. The story works well enough, and the cast seems to be having fun, which helps. This is one of the rare sequels that surpasses the original. I had a blast with this and can see it becoming another spooky season classic.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for violent content, macabre and bloody images, strong language, some suggestive material and brief drug use.

Rebel Ridge (Netflix)
Starring: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, and Annasophia Robb
Synopsis: The latest scripted fare from Netflix is a pensive drama from director Jeremy Saulnier. The film sees Pierre as a man who comes to a small town to bail out his cousin. Along the way, he runs afoul of two aggressive police officers (David Denman and Emory Cohen), who seize his money seemingly without cause. When he confronts the Chief of Police (Johnson), he finds no ally. At the courthouse, a young clerk (Robb) tries to help him—and tries to shed light on the corruption occurring in her town. That puts both of them in the crosshairs as they seek justice. This is a beautifully conceived drama that smolders at times. It moves at a good pace and builds this world, story, and characters. Pierre is great in the lead role, while Johnson makes for an interesting foil as the corrupt Chief of Police. I enjoyed Robb, Cohen, Denman, and the rest of the supporting cast as well. This film takes some interesting twists and turns and delivers a compelling story from start to finish. I enjoyed this a lot.
Rating: R for Some violence/bloody images, language and drug content.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.