Favorites to check out before the Critics' Choice Awards show

This weekend is all about the Critics' Choice Awards, and FOX 11's Amanda Salas has a handful of favorites for you to check out this weekend.

LOS ANGELES - This weekend is all about the Critics' Choice Awards which is this Sunday, hosted by Taye Diggs on the CW. Speaking of critics, I am officially a member, and I have a handful of my favorites for you to check out this weekend.

Let's start with a film from Focus Features, the thriller, Promising Young Woman.

The film stars Carey Mulligan and shines a light on sexual assault, modern dating culture, and true friendship. It is twisted, yet suspenseful and will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

Another film with a twisted plot is, I Care a Lot, starring Golden Globe winner Rosamund Pike. This film is now streaming on Netflix and is a very dark comedy that also stars Dianne West and Peter Dinklage. Following a court-appointed guardian played by Pike who seizes the assets of elderly people that she is caring for. Caring being a strong word as you'll see in the film.

I want to share one of the strongest performances of the year, about a true American icon Billie Holiday. Another Golden Globe winner, Andra Day, shines as the singer Billie Holiday, while also giving a heartfelt performance showing the darker moments Billie faced behind the scenes. The film is now streaming on Hulu.

In other news, I really enjoyed the Universal Pictures western drama News of the World starring Tom Hanks. The film also stars a young starlet Helena Zengel. It's the story of a Civil War veteran who must return a young girl who was taken in by Native Americans as a young child. It's heartfelt, and it's always good seeing Tom Hanks in a nurturing yet strong role.

Strong and nurturing is also how I describe Actress Frances McDormand. She constantly delivers, and in her new Searchlight Pictures film Nomadland, in the words of DJ Khaled, "Another one" ...to watch! McDormand plays a woman in her 60's who loses everything in the Great Recession, and embarks on a journey through the west and living in a van as a modern-day nomad. This film is existential and important. I feel that many will relate to what is truly valuable and vital for everyday living.

Tweet me and let me know your favorite films this season!

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