“Upside-Down Magic” is a “Harry Potter” wannabe aimed at an even younger demographic. This Disney Channel movie, based on the Scholastic book series, is about students who attend a school for kids with the gift of magic, but the story concentrates on the struggles of four misfits who are ostracized because their magical powers don’t […]

Rosamund Pike’s solid performance is the main attraction of the arthouse biopic, “Radioactive,” the story of Madame Curie and her discovery of radium. Scenes that jump forward in time to illustrate the ultimate effects of her pioneering work are awkward and heavy handed. But “Radioactive” still serves as an informative primer about the world’s first […]

Nia Long and Omar Epps star in the predictable and overly familiar Netflix thriller, “Fatal Affair.” Long plays a lawyer who becomes the unwilling object of obsession for the smart but psychologically disturbed Epps. While shamefully derivative, the earnest performances from Long and Epps make “Fatal Affair” a moderately tense little time waster. Search the […]

“Greyhound” is a fast-paced WWII Naval battle flick starring and written by Tom Hanks. He plays the captain of a destroyer assigned to escort commercial vessels through parts of the Atlantic teeming with Nazi subs. The tension is derived from cat-and-mouse skirmishes with invisible enemies. While no dog, “Greyhound” is at best a modest, workmanlike […]

“Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip-hop history lesson about a founding father may be the most unlikely hit musical of all time. The Disney+ ‘live capture’ version of the original Broadway production more than lives up to the hype. While no filmed play can capture the electricity of a live performance, “Hamilton” comes close. Miranda and director […]

Comedian and commentator Jon Stewart steps behind the camera for the second time with the political satire, “Irresistible.” Steve Carell stars as a big time Democratic strategist who gets involved in a small-town mayoral race. The oversized role of money in politics is the movie’s main target. While it generates some laughs, “Irresistible” lacks the […]

If a claustrophobic thriller is what you’re looking for, the airline hijack movie “7500” fills the bill. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as a mild-mannered pilot fending off terrorists wielding glass knives. All of the action takes place in the  plane’s cockpit. Gordon-Levitt is solid and the filmmakers strive for realism over melodrama. While tense and well […]

Oscar winners Spike Lee and Kevin Willmott reunite for an intriguing and timely drama, “Da 5 Bloods.” This Netflix movie is about aging African American Vietnam vets who return to that country to retrieve the remains of a fallen brother and a fortune in gold they left behind. Delroy Lindo and Chadwick Boseman lead a […]

As our local cinemas are still temporarily closed, this week’s Freeze Frame will concentrate on NEW movies that can be streamed at home. Elisabeth Moss, easily one of the best actresses working today, turns in yet another impressive portrayal the drama “Shirley.” This fictionalized biopic focuses on a difficult period in the life of acclaimed […]

In the new Netflix romantic comedy “The High Note” Dakota Johnson portrays the hardworking assistant of a famous and demanding pop star. Tracee Ellis Ross plays the music diva in a role that might -or might not- be inspired by her famous mom, Diana Ross. Ice Cube is the hard-as-nails manager. “The High Note” is […]