“Spencer” tells the story of one Christmas toward the end of Princess Diana’s and Prince Charles’ marriage. They are with the entire Royal Family for their traditional three or four days. Diana, who is played convincingly by Kristen Stewart, is in pain and probably going through a mental breakdown. I was struck by how impersonal the royals were to each other. Diana’s anguish is very understandable. Her scenes with her children are warm and playful, but with most of the other adults they are cold and distant. Stewart does a better job than I expected with a spot on British accent. Lucky for her that the part did not require much smiling because she is not known for that. She is being mentioned for acting nominations. While interesting, this movie is slow. It’s more about manners and doesn’t have much action.

“The Guilty” is a one person thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a cop demoted to answering 911 calls, he answers a call from a young woman being abducted. Gyllenhaal’s character keeps referencing that he is going to court in the morning, hoping to be cleared of the charges against him. This film is very suspenseful and keeps you guessing without leaving the room that he is in. All of the other characters are portrayed by voices; we only see Gyllenhaal. Best of all is a plot twist at the end that you won’t see coming. Don’t miss it!

“Tina” is a new documentary showing on Netflix. It tells the life story of Tina Turner, going into a lot more detail than “What’s Love got to Do With It”. Much of the film focuses on Tina’s marriage to Ike Turner and how he controlled all aspects of her life. The one constant throughout is Tina’s incredible talent. She could sing and dance like no one else. Supposedly Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart learned their moves on stage from her. Turner is interviewed and serves as a kind of narrator. As you would expect, the music is the best part of the film. What a talent! I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary.

“Soul” is the new Pixar movie. Once again the studio has produced a beautifully written story about a man pursing his dream and helping another find their place. In some ways it reminded me of “Inside Out” from a few years ago, but it is different enough to stand on its own. As with most Pixar films the characters are well developed and feel real. They are spot on. This time a jazz musician is about to get his big break, but ends up in purgatory. He spends the movie trying to get back to his life. Another great movie from Pixar.