What’s it like to be a smart kid who gets no support at home and is harassed at school? That’s a problem a lot of kids can relate to, which makes Akeelah (Keke Palmer) a sort of every girl that resonates with the audience. Akeelah’s mom (Angela Bassett) has her own stuff going on and is distressingly dismissive of her daughter’s talents, leaving Akeelah to persevere on her own to try to win the National Spelling Bee.

Part of the movie’s charm comes from her relationship with teachers like Joshua Larabee (Laurence Fishburne) and fellow contestants like Dylan (Sean Michael Afable). You won’t see the final act twist coming, but will stick with you long after the movie ends.

Yukito Kishiro’s beloved manga series Battle Angel Alita has been in development for years, which often bodes poorly for a project like this. But with grindhouse director Robert Rodriquez at the helm (taking over a script written substantially by James Cameron), it really sings. No, this film isn’t perfect, but it’s a beautiful story of a junkyard cyborg (Rosa Salazar) without any memory of who or what she is, who turns out to be much, much more than she first seems.

Reincarnation is real, at least for certain films. A Star is Born has been made no fewer than four times, starting in 1951. The Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson version in 1976 is the best known, but 2018’s take with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga is a charming update that’s worthy of the title.

You already know the story: Established musician Jack (Bradley Cooper) discovers diamond-in-the-rough Ally (Lady Gaga) and they fall in love, both as people and with each other’s musical talents.

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