Freeze Frame

Mark Ruffalo portrays a conflicted corporate lawyer in the sincere social drama, “Dark Waters.” This true story involves mysterious deaths and illnesses in a small community that may have been caused by the malfeasance of a major US corporation. Ruffalo plays Robert Bilott, who waged a 20-year war with DuPont. As a work of social activism, it’s fine. As a movie, “Dark Waters” is modest and somber.   A demanding father puts too much pressure to succeed on his teenage son in the heartbreaking family drama, “Waves.” Kelvin Harrison, Jr. and Sterling K., Brown lead a terrific cast in this realistic, harrowing and touching tale. It’s overlong, but for patient viewers, “Waves” is an intelligent and compassionate work.   If David Lynch had collaborated with John Hughes on a teen drama about female empowerment, it might have looked a bit like “Knives and Skin.” The filmmakers of this quirky tale about a missing high school student deserve kudos for trying something different, but “Knives and Skin” is a bit too meandering for its own good.   Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones star in “The Aeronauts” a visually impressive historic tale about a balloon pilot and a meteorologist who risk life…

Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci deliver the goods in Martin Scorsese's epic, violent gangster flick, "The Irishman." In a sweeping tale that takes place over a number of years, DeNiro plays a truck driver and hitman who serves as a go-between linking the Teamsters Union and the mob. Pacino plays the colorful union boss Jimmy Hoffa and Pesci is a soft-spoken Mafia boss. “The Irishman” is the work of a master filmmaker and a cast in full command of their craft. The length may be excessive, but "The Irishman" is an impressive, blood-soaked morality tale and savvy character study.   The much-anticipated sequel to the 2013 Disney blockbuster “Frozen” has arrived. While it isn’t quite as magical as the original, “Frozen II” successfully maintains its atmosphere, tone and themes of female empowerment. The plot is a little complicated, but the visuals are top notch and the vocals are stirring. It’s just what 7-year-old girls crave and “Frozen II” is likely to warm the hearts of parents, too.   Chadwick Boseman stars in the police thriller, “21 Bridges,” an action flick about the hunt for cop killers in Manhattan. After a number of cops are ambushed when they stumble into…

Actor Edward Norton (“Birdman”) wrote, produced, directed and stars in “Motherless Brooklyn,” a big screen adaptation of Jonathan Lethem’s novel. It’s a film noir thriller about a private eye who uncovers city corruption in New York City. It also stars Alec Baldwin, Bruce Willis, Willem DeFoe and Gug Mbatha Raw.

“The Report” is an intriguing and political drama that focuses on the investigation that uncovered the CIA torture program during the Gulf War. Adam Driver stars as lead investigator Daniel Jones who spent years fighting to find the truth and then battling forces that tried to keep that truth under wraps. While the drama is somewhat reserved, it’s smartly written and involving.   You don’t have to be a race fan to enjoy “Ford v Ferrari,” but it sure helps. Matt Damon stars as the legendary car designer Carroll Shelby who, in 1966, recruits driver Ken Miles, played by Christian Bale, to help Ford defeat the Ferrari team in the grueling Le Mans Grand Prix race. There’s plenty of clashing egos, back-stabbing and testosterone-fueled action. While the movie has flaws, the cars speed past them in an entertaining petrol-headed blur.   “Gift” is a documentary inspired by the writing of Lewis Hyde that focuses on art as a philanthropic act and not as a commercial endeavor. Examples come from Burning Man, an occupied warehouse in Italy and from a community of the natives of Canada’s Pacific coast. “Gift” is sweet and very low-key.   “Warrior Queen of Jhansi” is a…

Hollywood's 'Master of Disaster,' director Roland Emmerich, is best known for big screen spectacles like “Independence Day” and “The Day After Tomorrow.” He gives the famous South Pacific WWII battle "Midway" that same splashy, special effects-heavy treatment. While the action sequences are impressive the human drama is soapy and superficial. Stars like Woody Harrelson and Dennis Quaid give it their best, but only the Japanese characters seem authentic. Still, “Midway” is a fitting tribute to those who served and sacrificed.   The broad and goofy John Cena comedy "Playing With Fire" plays a bit like "Kindergarten Cop" with firemen. A group of California smoke jumpers rescue three kids from a fire and realize that their babysitting skills are lacking. If you're over the age of six, don't expect many laughs from this juvenile and labored effort.   “Tel Aviv on Fire” is a winning Israeli comedy about a Palestinian man who stumbles into a job as a TV writer. Things get complicated when an Israeli border officer forces him to alter the plotline of a politically charged soap opera. While this movie won’t bring peace, it finds common ground and a respite from conflict.   Antonio Banderas reunites with acclaimed…

Actor Edward Norton wrote, produced, directed and stars in the moody film noir melodrama, "Motherless Brooklyn." Norton is excellent as a gumshoe with Tourette’s Syndrome who uncovers a web of fraud and racial exploitation in 50s New York City when he investigates the death of his employer, played by Bruce Willis. The solid supporting cast includes Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Alec Baldwin, who oozes shadiness as a powerful city official. This handsomely produced story of murder and political corruption is beautifully acted and involving, but a bit too long for its own good.   Looking for something different? New Zealand filmmaker Taiki Waititi offers one of the most original satires in recent memory, “Jojo Rabbit.” This irreverent and wacky comedy is about a fervent 10-year-old Nazi youth, beautifully played by young Roman Griffin Davis, who has a unique imaginary friend, Adolph Hitler, played like a petulant child, by Waititi. Jojo’s troubles mount and his loyalties tested when he discovers that his mom, played by Scarlett Johansson, is hiding a young Jewish girl in their attic. The humor and social commentary are hit-and-miss, but when it hits, it hits strong. “Jojo Rabbit” is definitely not for everyone, but you’ve got…

With a great cast and a riveting true story to work with, “The Current War” should have been an electrifying movie. It tells the tale of the bitter competition between Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse during the early days of electrical power. Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon and Nicholas Hoult are all fine, but their efforts can’t overcome the film’s awkward pacing. “The Current War” simply runs out of juice.   Naomi Harris and Tyrese Gibson star in “Black and Blue,” an action thriller about a rookie cop who goes on the run after she records some dirty cops murdering a drug dealer on her body cam. While the story is pretty predictable, Harris is terrific in the lead role and it’s a taut little thriller.   Amazingly, a documentary about an impoverished middle-aged female beekeeper in rural Macedonia is one of the year’s most moving films. “Honeyland” is more than just a cinema verité glimpse at another world. It’s a canny observation of delicate social and environmental balances. It’s heartbreaking, but “Honeyland” is also surprisingly sweet.   Emma Roberts stars in “Paradise Hills,” a visually vibrant sci-fi thriller about a near-future spa-like island where unwilling women are sent…

Disney’s Halloween season offering is a sequel to a 2014 hit that flipped the script on “Sleeping Beauty,” turning the evil sorceress into a heroine. Angelina Jolie is back in the titular role of the gargantuan production, “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.” Apparently, the filmmakers wanted to make a kiddie version of “Game of Thrones,” giving us a story that is more about war and palace intrigue than fairytale fantasy.   The tone shifts are jarring and the visuals, while very impressive, are so frenetic that they weigh the movie down. Parents should be warned that the body count is high, the bad guys are humans and the story may be a bit too dark for little kids. But Jolie’s sly performance is the movie’s saving grace. She provides more magic with an arched eyebrow than all of the special effects combined.   Natalie Portman gives it her all, but the over-directed arthouse drama “Lucy in the Sky” is a misfire. The movie is a fictionalized version of the case of former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak who was infamously tried in 2007 for the attempted kidnapping of a romantic rival. The premise asserts that astronauts have some kind of existential crisis…

Gary Oldman has always been a busy actor, but since picking up his Oscar as Winston Churchill in 2017’s “Darkest Hour,” he’s made ten more movies. If the horror entry “Mary” is any indicator, perhaps Oldman should seriously consider slowing down the pace a bit. In what is essentially a haunted house movie set at sea, Oldman plays David, a struggling sailboat captain trying to keep his head above water financially. Against the better judgement of his longsuffering wife, played by Emily Mortimer, David buys a ramshackle sailboat that was discovered after years of apparent abandonment. After some paint and plenty of elbow grease, David, his wife, two daughters and a two-man crew hop on the boat named Mary and set sail for (where else?) the Bermuda Triangle.   The actors are too good for this material and they do their best to add some spark to an overly familiar script. “Mary” isn’t terrible, it just drifts.   Also opening this week, Will Smith stars in “Gemini Man” a sci-fi effort about an assassin who goes to battle with a much younger clone of himself. Oscar-winner Ang Lee directs. “Addams Family” is a computer animated reboot of the popular horror…

Joaquin Phoenix gives a riveting performance in “Joker,” undoubtedly one of the more controversial and provocative movies of the year. Can the hard knocks of life rob a person of the gift of empathy? On one hand, that seems to be the story’s underlying theme, but, intentional or not, “Joker” is sending mixed messages.   This character study attempts to explain why a seemingly nice guy turned to the dark side long before he became Batman’s evil nemesis. Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, a party clown and wannabe standup comic just barely surviving in bleak 1970s Gotham City. Things never go his way. A mix of mental illness, societal apathy and social class strife are enough to push him over the edge. The ensuing violence and unrelenting darkness make “Joker” excruciating to sit through.   Writer/director Todd Phillips is best known for his broad comedies like “Old School” and the “Hangover” trilogy. His turn to the dark side is skillful enough to be taken seriously even though the movie is sometimes repetitious and its point of view, muddled. That leaves us with Phoenix’s immersive performance to carry the day…and carry it, he does. Phoenix may well become the second actor to…