Underwater
The crew of the Kepler undersea mining rig knew there would be hardships on their current mission, but nothing prepared them for the terrors they're about to face. The adventure begins when a devastating earthquake damages the rig, including its communication devices and escape vehicle. Although the quick-thinking mechanical engineer manages to temporarily stave off imminent disaster, the need to evacuate escalates quickly. Their only hope is to walk across the ocean floor to an abandoned vessel, in hopes that its communication equipment still works. As if their journey isn't treacherous enough, they begin to sense that they're not alone in the murky ocean depths.
Vitals: Director: William Eubank. Stars: Kristen Stewart, T.J. Miller, Vincent Cassel, Jessica Henwick, John Gallagher Jr., Mamoudou Athie, Gunner Wright.
2020, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 95 min., Action Thriller, Box office gross: $17.247 million, Fox.
Extras: Blu-ray extras: Alternate ending; deleted scene; six extended scenes; two featurettes: "Real Bunny Montage" and "Making Underwater"; commentary.
Just Mercy
Powerful true story follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Brie Larson). One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuvering and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds - and the system - stacked against them.
Vitals: Director: Destin Daniel Cretton. Stars: Brie Larson, Rafe Spall, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Tim Blake Nelson.
2019, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 136 min., Drama, Box office gross: $35.489 million, Warner.