Freeze Frame

With the rise of Netflix, I’ve been asked to occasionally depart from our usual Freeze Frame format of reviewing movies in local theaters to cover some of the newest releases available for streaming viewing. So, here goes. Harrowing and skillfully acted, the Netflix miniseries “When They See Us” is a powerful indictment of one of […]

Disney's ongoing effort to create live-action versions of its animated classics continues with "Aladdin." Will Smith steps into Robin Williams' genie shoes for this eye-popping musical extravaganza.   Director Guy Ritchie is best known for his frenetic action movies and he brings that sensibility to this busy enterprise. It doesn't capture the magic of the original, but this "Aladdin" is a likable family flick.   The teen comedy "Booksmart" is shamelessly raunchy but lives up to its lofty title. In this sharply written farce, Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein play two well-behaved high school seniors who are at the top of their class. On the night before graduation, however, they decide to cut loose just once and enjoy a night of outrageous debauchery.   "Booksmart" plays like a female version of "Superbad." The dialogue is clever, the performances are fresh and Olivia Wild shows real finesse in her directorial debut. You may feel guilty for laughing at this brazen entry, but laugh you will.     Also opening this week, “Brightburn” is a something of a bizarro upending of the Superman myth. Elizabeth Banks and David Denman star in the story of a boy from outer space whose ship lands…

If great stunt sequences were are all a movie needed, then “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” would definitely fill the bill. Uber-talented professional hit man Keanu Reeves returns in yet another decadent explosion of violent mayhem. The script and plot are ludicrous, and the action sometimes becomes mind-numbing. But the fight choreography is first rate, making it an R-rated guilty pleasure.   Likable leads are the main attraction of the teen romance, “The Sun is Also a Star,” based on a popular YA novel. Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton play young New Yorkers who are thrown together, not by coincidence, but by the unshakable power of fate. It’s sweet and innocuous but tends to unravel toward the end.   KC native David Dastmalchian stars in and wrote the very dark and harrowing drama “Are Creatures Here Below,” shot mostly in the Kansas City area. Dastmalchian and Karen Gillan play young lovers who flee their hard, poverty-stricken lives in LA and head back to KC. They return home but can’t escape the ghosts of their past. It’s hard to watch but beautifully acted.   The acting also carries the day in “Trial By Fire,” the true story of Texas man…

The early years of author J.R.R. Tolkien are the focus of the lethargic biopic, “Tolkien.” Nicholas Hoult plays the “Lord of the Rings” scribe who suffered multiple losses in his youth. Lily Collins portrays his lover and muse, Edith Bratt. Although it’s sincere, “Tolkien” never provides much insight into the novelist’s imagination.   The vocal wisecracks of Ryan Reynolds provide most of the entertainment value in “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu,” a beautifully produced comic mystery featuring the popular video game characters. The visuals are impressive and the cast is likable, but the storyline gets overly complex for young kids who are, ostensively, the movie’s main audience. “Detective Pikachu” is amiable enough, but no “Zootopia,” which may have been its inspiration.   Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson star in “The Hustle,” a gender flip remake of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” which was, in turn, also a remake. Hathaway plays a sophisticated con-woman whose territory is invaded by a brash, uncouth Australian upstart, played by Wilson. While it certainly has its funny moments, this broad and goofy comedy is merely the third-best big screen version of this story.   Dame Judi Dench has a supporting role in the drama, “Red Joan,” loosely based on…

Dennis Quaid may be best-known for his good-guy roles in movies like “The Rookie” and “The Right Stuff.” But he takes a successful turn to the dark side in the new thriller, “The Intruder.” Meagan Goode and Michael Ealy play a nice couple who buy Quaid’s lovely Napa Valley home. Problem is, the strange senior citizen refuses to leave. At first, he just pesters them. As time goes on, he becomes a terrifying menace.   “The Intruder” is a throwback to the horror movies of the 80s, replete with growing tension and collective jump scares. Writer/director Deon Taylor pulls out all of the stops with moments that serve as homage to other classic creepfests. It doesn’t plow any new ground, but “The Intruder” a modestly effective suspense flick.   Charlize Theron and Seth Rogan star in “The Long Shot,” a raunchy R-rated comedy about the unlikely romance between a stoner journalist and the Secretary of State of the United States. The premise stretches credibility to the limit, but Theron is always watchable and Rogen handles the bawdy material with his usual free-and-easy timing. It’s predictably silly, but “The Long Shot” is good for a few off-color laughs.   “UglyDolls” is…