Coach Carter: Good / Great
A high school basketball team formed by a bunch of rowdy, delinquent thugs gets a new coach (Samuel L. Jackson) who steps in with his strict brand of order and discipline and turns the program around to resounding success.
This is nothing new. In fact, I've seen it before, and still noted how formulaic it was. What I didn't know is that it's based on a the true story of coach Ken Carter. Had no idea. Recommended, but the movie came out in 2005, and it's a Samuel L. Jackson joint, so you've probably seen it.
Nanny: Decent / Great
A young Senegalese woman works as they nanny for the small child of a young, white couple whose chaotic lives find the nanny working long hours, often for inconsistent pay. But the nanny is determined to keep the job as she's saving to bring her 7-year-old son from Senegal to live with her in New York. However, the unstable working conditions and the couple's tumultuous relationship start to wear on her, and she begins having telling nightmares that spill over into her reality.
Decent film. Really slow boil, but if you're paying attention to the details, the reveal at the end is pretty satisfying. Recommended if you've an hour and a half to spare.
A House on the Bayou: Good / Great
A woman plans a family vacation after it's revealed her husband has been having an affair. She is determined to keep the family together and plans a trip to a large, remote home in the Louisiana Bayou. Not long after their arrival, a young, ostensibly kindly stranger knocks on the door, and a series of convenient circumstances finds the family hosting the stranger and his grandfather for dinner. Things immediately go from uncomfortable, to strange, to fucking crazy.
This one is pretty nuts. It wastes no time getting to the good stuff, so for the bulk of its runtime, you're in the thick of things asking yourself "WTF?!" There's a really unexpected twist in the middle the pays off fairly well with another not-completely-unexpected twist towards the end, but they balance well. Recommended... just recommended.