The films coming out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the past year have been OK, but not great. The third film in the Jon Watts-directed Spider-Man trilogy remedies that situation with "Spider-Man: No Way Home." It's all about redemption and second chances.

Actor-turned-writer/director, Fran Kranz, tackles a tough subject in his feature film debut, "Mass." The emotional aftermath of a school shooting for family members left behind seems like an unusual plot for a film, but Kranz hits all the right notes in this understated but realistic portrayal of two couples struggling to come to terms with what happened at their sons' school six years previous.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Apple TV+ brings to the screen the musical that pays tribute to the people of Gander, Newfoundland, who welcomed over 7,000 people, practically doubling their population, when planes were diverted from American airspace after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The musical, at the same time heartwarming, funny, and respectful, tells the stories of the best of humanity on a day when the worst was also in evidence.

The story of US Airways flight 1549, landed by Captain Sullenberger on the Hudson River in 2009 seems straightforward, and it is. Director Clint Eastwood has intuited that the power of the story of a man's character over that of an airplane crash might make a better movie, and for my money, it does. But put them together and you get a hero's story of epic proportions.

Set in some small towns of West Texas that modern society seems to have forgotten, “Hell or High Water” offers a commentary on how harmful our profit-driven economy can be and to what lengths people will go to make sure their families have a secure financial future.

Fans of the original Star Trek TV series get ready to be blown away. The newest film in the J.J. Abrams rebooted series, “Star Trek Beyond,” feels like vintage Star Trek with plenty of big-screen action. At the same time, the film reaffirms the franchise’s core values of embracing the best parts of flawed humanity and finding hope in people’s goodness rather than despair in our human weaknesses.