Freeze Frame

“The Personal History of David Copperfield” is a fanciful reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic novel. Dev Patel takes the title role in this quirky adaptation, an offbeat but fresh, exuberant and mostly comic take from writer/director Armando Iannucci, the man behind TV’s “Veep.” Purists may balk, but many viewers will be captivated by this version’s unconventional casting and upbeat whimsy.   “Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies” is a documentary that’s true to its title. While there are plenty of naked bodies on display, if your interests are prurient, you may be disappointed. The expert talking heads offer a clinical examination of censorship and the role of nudity in mainstream Hollywood, porn excluded. It’s not erotic, it’s academic.   “Cut Throat City” is a very dark, gritty and violent gangster thriller set in New Orleans, the third film directed by rap star RZA. It’s all very familiar, often doesn’t ring true and could have used some tightening in the editing bay. But “Cut Throat City” is involving and has a relevant social undercurrent that makes it hard to dismiss.   “Desert One” is a comprehensive and informative documentary about the courageous but ill-fated special ops attempt to…

Oscar winning filmmaker Kevin Willmott’s drama “The 24th” is a harrowing depiction of the intolerable racism that led to the 1917 mutiny of an all-black US infantry division. Trai Byers leads a solid cast in this true story that ably illuminates a dark episode in American history.   Russell Crowe’s bloodcurdling performance fuels “Unhinged,” a sadistic thriller about a psycho with road rage. It’s tense and well made, but the wheels fall off due to some improbable plot elements.   Plot absurdities also plague “The Vanished,” an unnerving thriller starring Thomas Jane and Anne Heche about a couple whose daughter goes missing during a camping vacation. If you stick it out until the end, your eyes will be rolling.   Taylor Russell and Charlie Plummer are excellent in the YA drama “Words on Bathroom Walls,” a sympathetic look at a teen with schizophrenia. It’s modestly effective thanks to its unique visual approach.   “The Sleepover” is Netflix family comedy about kids who embark on an adventure when they discover that their mom is a black ops-trained international jewel thief. It’s wacky, but surprisingly funny and powered by an amusing cast.   “The One and Only Ivan” is a sweet-natured DisneyPlus…

The star power of Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the only thing powering Netflix’s “Project Power,” a silly, overblown sci-fi action flick about a street drug that provides short-lived superpowers. The premise showed promise, but the plot gets goofier as it goes along. Try not to laugh.   “Endless” is a morose paranormal romance that plays like a dull reworking of the 1990 film “Ghost.” Alexandra Shipp plays a teen whose boyfriend, who was killed in a car wreck she caused, comes back in spirit to console her. Shipp’s presence helps, but not enough to console viewers.   “Sputnik” is a genuinely chilling and extremely well-made sci-fi horror offering from Russia about a cosmonaut who brings back a malevolent parasite from space. This grisly thriller has more intelligence and thematic depth than you might expect. Just be prepared to be creeped out.   “Day 13” on the other hand, is a boring horror flick about a teenage who notices strange goings on by new neighbors across the street. Nothing happens until the movie’s final moments, and then it devolves into a laughable avalanche of bad special effects.   “What We Found” is a suspense thriller about middle school kids…

“An American Pickle” is a ‘stranger-in-a-strange-land’ comic fantasy starring Seth Rogan in dual roles. He plays an immigrant worker accidentally brined in a pickle vat 100 years in ago. When he miraculously awakens, he meets his only living descendant, his great-grandson, also played by Rogan. “An American Pickle” is a surprisingly sentimental look at the ups and downs of family ties.   “Work It” is a Netflix musical comedy about misfit dancers. Sabrina Carpenter and Liza Koshy lead an appealing and talented cast as high school seniors who form a competitive dance group to further their post-school ambitions. It’s goofy and predictable but “Work It” should prove to be engaging for fans of contemporary dance.   “The Secret Garden” is at least the seventh adaptation of the classic children’s novel. Colin Firth and Dixie Egerickx star in a well-produced and workmanlike version that doesn’t avoid the story’s dark themes. However, it relies heavily on visual dynamics and doesn’t quite achieve the emotional catharsis it aims for. For a better rendition, seek out the film version of “The Secret Garden” that was released in 1993.   “She Dies Tomorrow” is an original, high-concept horror film that couldn’t be timelier. For unexplained…

“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 conform to magical norms. The production values are fine, and the cast is likable, but the movie’s execution is so pedestrian that it will appeal only to the very young. It has cool special effects, but not much movie magic.   “Summerland” is an easy-going British import set during WWII. Gemma Arterton plays an ill-tempered, antisocial writer living alone in a small seaside village who is forced by authorities to board a young boy whose parents are tied up in the war effort. Her hard-kept secrets are slowly revealed as she reluctantly bonds with the lad. While the cast is fine, the story lacks the hard edges necessary to give the drama a real spark. Still, “Summerland” is a sweet-natured and sentimental trifle.   Ron Howard, who directed the firefighter drama “Backdraft” almost 30 years ago, turns his attention to the aftermath of a real-life…

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 female Noble Prize winner.   “The Rental” is a genuinely creepy horror effort that marks the directorial debut of actor Dave Franco. Dan Stevens and Alison Brie star in this story about two couples on a weekend retreat who are stalked by a video-savvy peeping tom. The territory it covers is all-too familiar, but “The Rental” is a well-acted thriller that manages to effectively ratchet up the tension.   “The Big Ugly” is a film noir opus that feels like a 1970s drive-in throwback. Vinnie Jones, Malcom MacDowell and Ron Perlman star in the story of a British mobster whose bodyguard goes on a bloody quest for revenge when his girlfriend is murdered in rural Appalachia. It’s atmospheric…and sadistic.   Natalia Dyer from “Stranger Things” stars in the coming-of-age comic drama, “Yes, God, Yes, “ about a Catholic teenager, guilt-ridden because of her self-pleasuring. She…

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 words “Fatal” and “Affair” and you’ll find a lot of better movies that cover this territory.   The fine performances of Kelly MacDonald and Garret Hedlund are also the main attraction for the romantic drama from down under, “Dirt Music.” MacDonald is an unhappy housewife who begins an affair with a lonely seafood poacher, played by Hedlund, unaware of the fact that his melancholy state is a result of a tragedy that involved her husband. The unfamiliar Australian setting adds a bit of interest to this otherwise sluggish and morose movie.   “Blessed Child” is a documentary by Cara Jones that tells her own story. She is a once devout member of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church who broke free of that religion while attempting to maintain ties with her beloved family. “Blessed Child” is a touching and heartfelt account of a painful…

“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 thriller.   Charlize Theron is the best thing about the comic book action movie, “The Old Guard.” This bloody fantasy is about a small band of soldiers for hire who are virtually immortal. There is some terrific stunt work on display, but most of the story’s themes seem borrowed from dozens of movies we’ve seen before.   Andy Samberg’s fantasy “Palm Springs” wants to be “Groundhog Day” for Millennials. It’s a raunchy romantic farce about a guy who is keeps living the same day over and over and accidentally draws a young woman into his curse. The bawdy material is somewhat redeemed by its unexpected sweetness and an appealing performance by Christin Milioti.   “Never Too Late” is a middling comic import from down under aimed squarely at a geriatric audience. It plays a bit like “Grumpy Old Men” meets “The Great Escape.” James Cromwell…

“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 Thomas Kail present Alexander Hamilton’s warts-and-all life in a clever, absorbing and inventive way and the diverse, top-notch cast delivers the material as well as can be imagined. Remarkably timely, “Hamilton” is ‘must-see’ viewing.   “The Outpost” tells the gripping true story of the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan where 50 American soldiers were ambushed by nearly 400 Taliban insurgents. Scott Eastwood and Orlando Bloom lead the cast in this involving tale, based on the book by Jake Tapper. Director Rod Lurie has created a harrowing war film that’s so immersive that you might be tempted to take cover. “The Outpost” is an apolitical tribute to remarkable heroism.   French superstars Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche co-star for the first time in “The Truth,” a backstage drama of family conflict. Deneuve plays an aging, self-absorbed actress and Binoche is her estranged daughter who attempts…

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 depth and bite needed to make it an effective election year commentary.   “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” is a Will Ferrell spoof about an Icelandic goofball whose goal in life is to win Europe’s biggest music competition. It’s predictably silly, broad and absurd, but painfully overlong and almost totally devoid of laughs. It’s still early, but “Eurovision” is a contender for worst movie of the year.   “My Spy” is better, but that’s not saying much. In this riff on the “Kindergarten Cop” setup, Dave Bautista plays a CIA operative who, through a series of merry mix-ups, winds up training a precocious kid to be a spy. This territory has been explored many times before, but “My Spy” is an inoffensive time waster.   Jorge Garcia from TV’s “Lost” stars in an arty Chilean drama, “Nobody Knows I’m Here.” Garcia plays…