American Underdog (2021)

★★★
There are three reasons why, in 1999, I was not aware of Kurt Warner or The Greatest Show on Turf. During that N.F.L. season, I was a senior in college and focused on finishing up my education. Secondly, going to the movies was my preferred form of entertainment, not least because 1999 was such a strong year for movies, enough that there’s a book dedicated to it—Brian Raftery’s excellent Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen. Finally, as a native of Southwestern Pennsylvania, I was indifferent to whatever was going on that season when the Steelers lumbered to a 6-10 record. Warner’s first season with the St. Louis Rams was a remarkable achievement, and Warner himself has always come across as a stand-up guy. American Underdog tells the story of his rise to stardom through adversity. In that, it follows the standard underdog story arc. However, this movie has some things going for it. While it falls squarely in the Christian Film genre, it’s a polished presentation with experienced actors to give the narrative gravitas, which elevates it above the weaker entries in this genre.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

★★½
I have not seen the 2016 reboot Ghostbusters, with its all-female cast a magnet for intense criticism, some of which is deserved if its infamous trailer is any indication. If I decide to see it, I'll be fair. Until then, we have this third official entry in the Ghostbusters canon, and though it neatly continues the narrative from the original movies, it still falls short of truly standing on its own. Too many callbacks to the first film, some genuinely funny, suggest that director and co-writer Jason Reitman was preoccupied with distancing his project from the reboot. It's not so much one step forward and two steps back—maybe one step forward and half a step back. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is clever, but once it was over, I felt like if another 30+ years went by without another entry, then I could just as well declare this series over.