What should I watch next? 'King Richard,' 'Belfast,' 'Hand of God,' 'Bruised'

We’re in the midst of Oscar-fishing season, and dozens of anglers are casting their bait hoping to snag an 8-pound, gold statuette. Will they reel one in? A better question: Should you bother to bite?

Here are four short reviews of legit contenders I’ve lived to tell about. One is the story of a determined father; another chronicles the phoenix-like rise of a downtrodden mother; and two are autobiographical tales of young sons, both future European directors, learning the hard way that life is rarely fair. See them or skip them? Read and decide:

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'King Richard' reigns

Will Smith serves a scorching ace with his portrayal of obsessed tennis dad Richard Williams. Don’t recognize the name? Well, he’s the father of superstars Venus and Serena Williams. You’ve heard of them, I’m sure. But you might not know how this dynamic duo came to be. Director Reinaldo Marcus Green (taking a step up from the treacly “Joe Bell”) aims to rectify that with his surprisingly candid cradle-to-court biography about how Richard devised a strategy to raise two of his five daughters as tennis pros almost before they were out of diapers. But being the Williamses are a Black family from Compton, there weren’t many coaches or clubs willing to buy into Richard’s plan. Smith excels at capturing Richard’s gift for perseverance and hucksterism, as we watch him spend much of the movie trying to sell others on investing in his dream of Black girls not just winning grand slams, but the minds of athletic-wear companies hungry for the next big thing. It’s a certified crowd-pleaser enhanced by excellent supporting turns by Aunjanue Ellis as Richard’s put-upon wife and unheralded equal in grooming his future champions; and irrepressible Jon Bernthal as jocular, mop-topped tennis coach to the stars Rick Macci. Look for both to earn Oscar nods, as well as Smith and the film they’re in. It’s a love-love match in which everyone wins.

• How to watch: In theaters and streaming on HBO Max; Grade: B+.

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Branagh’s 'Belfast'

The trouble with Kenneth Branagh’s Troubles-set tale of a Protestant boy growing up in Northern Ireland is that it lacks any semblance of heart. Jude Hill, playing a 9-year-old version of the writer-director, is fabulous at pouring a Guinness-sized mug of nostalgia-filled blarney. But the story, set in 1969, is nothing more than a mechanically constructed series of clichéd sketches awkwardly linked by a dozen Van Morrison tunes. It’s as if Branagh is running down a checklist: A classy-lassie classmate Hill’s Buddy longs to win over; a gregarious gramps (Ciaran Hinds) nursing black-lung disease; a cranky granny (Judi Dench) praying to keep her hubby alive; and a set of parents (Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe) engaging in their own war within a war, as unruly Catholic mobs threaten their home and safety. Heck, even their fellow Protestants are getting itchy for a fight. What’s an increasingly frightened clan to do? The query would be more compelling if Branagh knew how to blend the precious memories with the real-world violence as well as Alfonso Cuarón did with his similarly themed “Roma.” By comparison, “Belfast” is just Irish rehash.

• How to watch: In theaters and available to rent via video on demand or streaming platforms; Grade: C.

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Berry's 'Bruised'

Halle Berry goes to the mat vying for a second Oscar, playing a washed-up mixed-martial arts fighter whose most recent bout is with the bottle. That’s not all her Jackie Justice is grappling with in Michelle Rosenfarb’s kitchen-sink screenplay. There are also the issues of poverty, an abusive live-in boyfriend (Adan Canto), a lush mama (Adriane Lenox) often as drunk as Jackie, and an estranged 6-year-old son (Danny Boyd Jr.) recently deposited on her doorstep after the kid’s daddy turns up dead. Wow! That’s a lot for one woman to deal with; more so for one making her directorial debut. That would be Berry, who does a serviceable job in front of and behind the camera. But in each capacity, the clichés have her pinned to the canvas. Only Brit marvel Sheila Atim emerges victorious as Jackie’s trainer whose tough exterior softens in the muscular arms of her pupil. Besides shoveling far too much misery, Rosenfarb digs herself deeper by pinching every “Rocky” trope from the musical-montage workouts to the aging, gentlemanly corner man in Stephen Henderson’s lovable Pops. Is it a contender? Nope! Just a pretender.

• How to watch: Streaming on Netflix; Grade: C.

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Sorrentino's 'The Hand of God'

Writer-director Paolo Sorrentino (“The Young Pope”) gets personal with his often joyous, but ultimately tragic, tale of growing up in a family brimming with certified crazies. And what they’re most gaga over is Naples’ new superstar soccer hero, Diego Maradona. Is it possible his appeal is singularly responsible for saving a life? If Sorrentino’s thinly veiled, 1980s-set tale of laughter preceding sorrow is to be believed, the answer is indisputably yes! Serving as Sorrentino’s teenage doppelganger, Fabietto, a terrific Filippo Scotti presents us with an impressionable youngster whose thoughts are initially confined to his two obsessions: Maradona and the teen’s molto sexy – but borderline insane – Aunt Patrizia (Luisa Ranieri). The first half of Sorrentino’s 135-minute dive into Felliniesque nostalgia is a laugh riot, recalling what it was like growing up in a loud, brutally honest family holding nothing back, including hurling hilariously biting insults at one another. But then an unthinkable event occurs, and what was once zany and breezy is suddenly sullen and morose. As much as you'd like Sorrentino’s coming-of-age tale to succeed, it’s just not happening, as Scotti struggles with the impossible task of carrying the problematic final hour wholly on his rail-thin shoulders. What’s the final score? Consider it an unrewarding tie.

• How to watch: In theaters Dec. 3; Streaming on Netflix beginning Dec. 15; Grade: B-

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Skip or stream? King Richard Belfast Hand of God Bruised