Freeze Frame

“Suburbicon,” a twisted collaboration between director George Clooney and the Coen Brothers, is a satiric poke in the eye to the idea of an idyllic 50s American suburbia. This pitch black comedy stars Matt Damon and Julianne Moore in a …

With a great cast, bestselling source material and acclaimed filmmakers in command, “The Snowman” should have been a solid thriller. Sadly, it’s an icy misfire. Michael Fassbender plays a detective on the trail of a cunning serial killer who leaves …

With a great cast, bestselling source material and acclaimed filmmakers in command, “The Snowman” should have been a solid thriller. Sadly, it’s an icy misfire. Michael Fassbender plays a detective on the trail of a cunning serial killer who leaves creepy snowmen at his crime scenes. The pace drags and the story is filled with multiple dangling plot threads. “The Snowman” is a frosty fizzle.   The tragedy that befell the Granite Mountain Hotshots gets the big screen treatment in “Only the Brave.” Josh Brolin is rock solid as the supervisor of a crack team of Arizona firefighters who work hard and sacrifice much to protect lives and property. Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly and Jeff Bridges are among the supporting players who help this otherwise melodramatic story catch fire. It’s a fitting tribute to those who heroically put themselves in harm’s way.   “Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House” is a bleak and lackluster biopic about the man who was instrumental in the Washington Post’s investigation of the Watergate Scandal. Liam Neeson plays Felt, a high-ranking FBI official who, as Deep Throat, secretly walked an ethical tightrope to bring White House criminals to justice. Skip this…

“Marshall” is not a biopic about America’s first black Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall. It’s a courtroom drama about one Connecticut rape case that the famed jurist worked on in his early days as a lawyer for the NAACP. Chadwick …

“Marshall” is not a biopic about America’s first black Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall. It’s a courtroom drama about one Connecticut rape case that the famed jurist worked on in his early days as a lawyer for the NAACP. Chadwick Boseman plays the brash young Marshall who manipulates a local Jewish lawyer, played by Josh Gad, into defending the accused, played by Sterling K. Brown. The production is handsome, the actors are fine and its heart is in the right place. But in its execution, “Marshall” is standard courtroom fare.   Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan star in the dark revenge thriller, “The Foreigner.” Chan plays a humble London businessman whose life is upended by a terrorist act. Brosnan is a somewhat shady former member of the IRA, now working for the Brits. “Casino Royale” director Martin Campbell infuses the story with plenty of cat-and-mouse action. This one is for action fans who can look past the movie’s plot deficiencies.   “Ex Libris: The New York Public Library” is the latest documentary from the famed filmmaker Fredrick Wiseman, known for his ‘fly-on-the-wall’ approach. Early in the film, one library official says, “The access to information is the fundamental solution, over…

Is the highly anticipated sequel to the 1982 sci-fi classic “Blade Runner” merely a replicant? Nope. Happily, “Blade Runner 2049” is a compelling film noir follow-up that stands on its own. Ryan Gosling plays a LAPD officer who hunts down …

Is the highly anticipated sequel to the 1982 sci-fi classic “Blade Runner” merely a replicant? Nope. Happily, “Blade Runner 2049” is a compelling film noir follow-up that stands on its own. Ryan Gosling plays a LAPD officer who hunts down …

Is the highly anticipated sequel to the 1982 sci-fi classic “Blade Runner” merely a replicant? Nope. Happily, “Blade Runner 2049” is a compelling film noir follow-up that stands on its own. Ryan Gosling plays a LAPD officer who hunts down replicants, renegade bioengineered humans. Ultimately, he is led to unravel the mystery of his own life and confront a former Blade Runner, played by Harrison Ford. It’s a stylish, smart and visually arresting philosophical thriller.   Throw a disaster movie and a romantic soap opera into a blender and you get “The Mountain Between Us,” a story about two strangers who are forced to work together to survive after their plane crashes on a snowy mountaintop. Idris Elba and Kate Winslet have the charisma and acting chops to elevate what would otherwise be a drab romantic drama.   All you really need to say about “Victoria & Abdul” is that Oscar-winner Judy Dench is in it. She plays Queen Victoria, who befriends an Indian footman, played by Bollywood star Ali Fazal. Against the wishes of her staff, he becomes her teacher and confidant. This low key drama may not be accurate history, but it’s entertaining speculation.   Just when you…

One the most watched sporting events of all time is celebrated in the crowd-pleasing comic drama, “The Battle of the Sexes.” Emma Stone and Steve Carell star as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, who, in 1973, faced off on …

One the most watched sporting events of all time is celebrated in the crowd-pleasing comic drama, “The Battle of the Sexes.” Emma Stone and Steve Carell star as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, who, in 1973, faced off on the tennis court in a battle with significant social implications. The stars are appealing even if the movie is a little unfocused. “The Battle of the Sexes” doesn’t ace the story, but it’s a match worth approaching.   “American Made” tells an astonishing true story in a sly, decadent way. Tom Cruise is solid as a former TWA pilot who, in the 1980s, was recruited by the CIA to do aerial surveillance in Central America, only to become involved in drug smuggling, gun running and government corruption. The movie revels in its moral ambiguity, forcing us to root for Tom even though we know he’s an utter reprobate.   “Different Flowers” is a likeable, low-key comic drama shot largely in the KC area, written and directed by KC native Morgan Dameron. Emma Bell and Hope Lauren are very engaging as sisters who take off on a wild road trip after one of them gets cold feet on her wedding day.…