Freeze Frame

Disney continues its strategy of making so-called live-action films featuring characters from its animated classics. Ewan McGregor plays the troubled “Christopher Robin,” a grown-up who has lost touch with the magic of childhood. Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and his …

At age 56, it may seem impossible for Tom Cruise to do his own stunts, pilot doomed helicopters, run his own cameras and lead high-speed motorcycle chases. But he and his co-stars do all this and more in the sixth …

Disney continues its strategy of making so-called live-action films featuring characters from its animated classics. Ewan McGregor plays the troubled “Christopher Robin,” a grown-up who has lost touch with the magic of childhood. Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood step into the real world to help him reconnect with his family and rediscover joy. Although beautifully produced and sweetly sentimental, “Christopher Robin” is extremely low-key and maybe too long and slowly paced for many kids.  “The Darkest Minds” is the latest in a parade of dystopian, sci-fi dramas aimed at teens. After an outbreak of childhood disease, the surviving kids develop extrasensory powers and must flee frightened authorities. A likable cast tries hard, but there’s not a moment in this movie that doesn’t seem derivative. Believe me, you’ve seen it all before. A much more satisfying movie about teen life is “Eighth Grade,” a poignant and extremely realistic look at the angst of adolescence from writer/director Bo Burnham. Elsie Fisher plays Kayla, a painfully shy girl who makes internet videos full of helpful advice. If only she listened to her own counsel. Fisher is terrific as Kayla and Josh Hamilton is equally good…

At age 56, it may seem impossible for Tom Cruise to do his own stunts, pilot doomed helicopters, run his own cameras and lead high-speed motorcycle chases. But he and his co-stars do all this and more in the sixth entry in the breathless action franchise, “Mission: Impossible – Fallout.” Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must attain three nuclear warheads from powerful and skilled anarchists before the terrorist group kills millions. Henry “Superman” Cavill joins the team as an intrusive CIA operative who authorities force on the crew. Plot-wise, it’s goofy, convoluted and, yes, impossible. But there’s enough explosive action and spectacle in “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” to please demanding and undemanding fans alike. Joaquin Phoenix gives a powerful performance as famed paraplegic cartoonist John Callahan in “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot.” This irreverent and sharply acted biopic concentrates not on Callahan’s work or the controversial subject matter of his cartoons, which often poked fun at people with disabilities. Instead, writer-director Gus Van Sant focuses on Callahan’s recovery from alcoholism and his struggle with a number of emotional demons. The rock-solid supporting cast includes Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, Jack Black and Carrie Brownstein. The film’s structure,…

Audiences say they want originality, but do they actually prefer familiarity? If the latter is true, then “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” should catch the fancy of audiences who made the original 2008 Abba musical a box office hit. …

Audiences say they want originality, but do they actually prefer familiarity? If the latter is true, then “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” should catch the fancy of audiences who made the original 2008 Abba musical a box office hit. All of the original cast members are back, joined by a cadre of actors who portray the characters in their earlier years. The flimsy-dual timeline plot doesn’t make sense if you think too hard about it but thinking hard isn’t what this movie is about. Meryl Streep’s role, the best thing about the original, has sadly been reduced to a cameo. But her appearance is still the best thing about this movie. It’s a breezy, cheerful lark with plenty of earworm pop tunes that will invade your brain for days after viewing. “Mama Mia! Here We Go Again” is the cinematic equivalent of a mirror ball; a cheesy, sparkly distraction. Familiarity also abounds in “The Equalizer 2,” Denzel Washington’s first sequel, the follow-up to his 2014 action thriller that was based on the old TV series. Washington plays a former CIA black ops agent who uses his impressive kills to wreak violent revenge on the people who murdered his friend,…

“Die Hard” meets “The Towering Inferno” in “Skyscraper,” Duane “The Rock” Johnson’s third action/adventure special effects extravaganza in the past seven months. Johnson plays a security expert whose family is trapped above the fire line when the world’s tallest building …

“Die Hard” meets “The Towering Inferno” in “Skyscraper,” Duane “The Rock” Johnson’s third action/adventure special effects extravaganza in the past seven months. Johnson plays a security expert whose family is trapped above the fire line when the world’s tallest building in Hong Kong is torched by a crime syndicate. Can he save his loved ones while battling the elements, the bad guys and the cops? Need you ask? This by-the-numbers thriller delivers just what you’d expect, and that’s probably enough for Johnson’s legion of fans. You’ve got to give writer/director Boots Riley a lot of credit. His film debut “Sorry to Bother You” is an original, audacious work. This comic sci-fi social commentary stars LaKeith Stanfield as an uber-talented telemarketer in the near future who unwittingly uncovers an evil corporation’s massive plot to enslave people. One could argue that this R-rated farce often goes way too far, but “Sorry to Bother You” is smart, funny and observant about the state of racial affairs. Homelessness, PTSD and family dynamics are at the heart of Debra Granik’s low-key drama, “Leave No Trace.” Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie are excellent as a father and daughter who live off the grid. Things get complicated…

In the Marvel Universe, we’ve recently been hit with the dark tragedy of “Avengers: Infinity War” and the comic superhero parody, “Deadpool 2.” In tone, the latest Marvel entry, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” falls somewhere in between. Paul Rudd is …

In the Marvel Universe, we’ve recently been hit with the dark tragedy of “Avengers: Infinity War” and the comic superhero parody, “Deadpool 2.” In tone, the latest Marvel entry, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” falls somewhere in between. Paul Rudd is back in a light-hearted thriller that has Ant-Man joining forces with The Wasp, played by Evangeline Lilly, in an attempt to save her mother from entrapment in the Quantum realm. It’s brilliantly produced, action-packed and benefits greatly from Rudd’s likeable persona and an easy-going, summer popcorn movie vibe.   In contrast, “Boundaries” is an oddball road trip movie that doesn’t quite live up to its promise. Vera Farmiga plays an eccentric woman who reluctantly agrees to drive her estranged, irascible father, played Christopher Plummer, from Seattle to LA. Turns out, he’s a pot dealer who’s using her as an unwitting mule to haul a load of goods to a Southern Callifornia client. Both of these actors are terrific, but the film is self-consciously quirky and never quite credible.   Also opening this week, “The First Purge” is a prequel to the horror series about the near future where murder is legal one night per year. “A Kid Like Jake” is…