Queen’s Gambit – 7.5

Everyone loves a good sports story, in which the underdog overcomes adversity and wins the big game. Three things distinguished this one: the hero was female, playing against men; the sport, unusually, was chess; and the men who lost to her were nice guys. The adversity was all inherent: her situation as an orphan, then a self-destructive urge toward booze and tranquilizers. Anya Taylor-Joy was an excellent choice for the lead–nice on the eyes but not distractingly pretty–and the men were easy to follow. In short, this was a fun escape during Trump’s post-election craziness.