Freeze Frame

The raunchy ‘girls gone wild’ comedy “Rough Night” wastes a talented cast on an effort that tries to be the female equivalent of “The Hangover.” Scarlett Johansson’s friends plan a wild bachelorette party in Miami but, in a coke-induced haze, they accidentally kill a male stripper. Yes, there are some bawdy laughs, but not enough to sustain a feature-length film. It’s a rough night for the audience.   Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the theater, we have “47 Meters Down.” Mandy Moore and Claire Holt play sisters on vacation in Mexico who get trapped in a shark cage at the bottom of the ocean, surrounded by man-eaters. It all seems pretty familiar territory by now.   Pixar goes back to the gas pump for more animated racecar action in “Cars 3.” While it’s not Pixar at its best, “Cars 3” is still goes through the paces in a cheery and spectacularly animated way.   “Kill Switch” is an effects heavy sci-fi outing that owes a lot to video games. Dan Stevens plays a pilot who faces fire from military drones and soldiers upon his return from a parallel universe. Like a game, much of…

Acclaimed British filmmaker Ken Loach is known for his realistic kitchen sink dramas that focus on disparities and injustices in contemporary British society. His latest, “I, Daniel Blake” is no exception. It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival. …

Acclaimed British filmmaker Ken Loach is known for his realistic kitchen sink dramas that focus on disparities and injustices in contemporary British society. His latest, “I, Daniel Blake” is no exception. It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival. Dave Johns plays Daniel, a 59-year-old carpenter who has been sidelined by the death of his wife and his own heart disease. He has to fight the system when the medical pros refuse to allow him to work but the government bureaucrats won’t give him benefits unless he proves he’s seeking employment. It’s powerfully acted, believable and heartbreaking.   Oscar winner Rachel Weiss carries the day with her sly performance in a new adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s classic gothic novel, "My Cousin Rachel." Is she an innocent widow or a manipulating murderer? Sam Claflin, a naïve but wealthy young heir, can't tell because he's fallen in love with her. Although handsomely mounted and respectably done, this intriguing mystery isn't quite as riveting as it should have been.   Kate Mara stars in "Megan Leavey," the true story of a Marine corporal, her combat dog and their heroic exploits serving in Iraq. While it covers familiar territory, this likable drama…

Lawrence, Kansas native Patty Jenkins, the director who steered Charlize Theron to her Oscar-winning performance in “Monster,” takes on her biggest Hollywood project to date with the highly anticipated “Wonder Woman.” Gal Gadot stars as the Amazonian princess who is …

Lawrence, Kansas native Patty Jenkins, the director who steered Charlize Theron to her Oscar-winning performance in “Monster,” takes on her biggest Hollywood project to date with the highly anticipated “Wonder Woman.” Gal Gadot stars as the Amazonian princess who is …

Lawrence, Kansas native Patty Jenkins, the director who steered Charlize Theron to her Oscar-winning performance in “Monster,” takes on her biggest Hollywood project to date with the highly anticipated “Wonder Woman.” Gal Gadot stars as the Amazonian princess who is among the luminaries of the DC Comic Universe. This crackling origin story shows how her rescue of an American spy, played by Chris Pine, led Wonder Woman away from her idyllic island life and into the battlefields of WWI and, ultimately, a confrontation with Aries, the God of War. The production values are terrific and Jenkins breathes enough humor and life into the characters that the nearly non-stop action never becomes too exhausting. “Wonder Woman” may provide just the spark necessary to revive the DC Universe.   On the other side of the cinematic spectrum comes “The Wedding Plan,” an Israeli comedy about an Orthodox woman in her early thirties who decides to plan an elaborate wedding in 30 days, even though she hasn’t landed a groom. While the setup sounds like a standard Hollywood farce, writer/director Rama Burshtein adds some original elements, thoughtful and clever dialogue and elicits a winning performance from her leading lady, Noa Koler. “The Wedding…

It may seem early to start a “Worst Movies of the Year” list, but surely “Baywatch” will qualify. A raunchy parody of the old TV series, “Baywatch” struggles to mine a few meager laughs from gross-out jokes, but it drowns …

It may seem early to start a “Worst Movies of the Year” list, but surely “Baywatch” will qualify. A raunchy parody of the old TV series, “Baywatch” struggles to mine a few meager laughs from gross-out jokes, but it drowns in its own off-color excesses. Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron have charisma and the female cast members provide plenty of cheesecake, but they’re efforts can’t resuscitate this victim.   And speaking of shipwrecks, Johnny Depp’s latest appearance as Capt. Jack Sparrow isn’t enough to save the bloated adventure, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” the fifth entry in the popular series. The production values are stupendous and it has some dazzling action sequences, but the plot is so perplexing that it seems like they were making it up as they went along. An Easter Egg after the credits hints that there may be one more episode in the works.   Reclusive actress Debra Winger and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts star in “The Lovers,” a comic drama about an aging married couple who are both involved in extramarital affairs. Things get complicated when they start cheating on their lovers…with each other. It’s beautifully acted and more than…

While Ridley Scott’s newest “Alien” prequel “Alien: Covenant” doesn’t add much that’s new, it does fill in the blanks. We now know where the creatures came from. Fans of the franchise should enjoy the action and mayhem that this origin …

While Ridley Scott’s newest “Alien” prequel “Alien: Covenant” doesn’t add much that’s new, it does fill in the blanks. We now know where the creatures came from. Fans of the franchise should enjoy the action and mayhem that this origin story provides, even though it all seems a bit too familiar. Still, it’s a spectacular production that manages to make you jump even though you know what’s around the corner.   In the high-concept teen romance “Everything, Everything,” a homebound girl suffering from immunodeficiency problems falls in love with the boy next door through her bedroom window. Will she step outside to be with him even though it could kill her? What do you think? This sweet but very predictable film based on the YA novel has likable stars in Amandla Stenberg and Nick Robinson, so it should appeal to its teen target audience. Others, beware.   Richard Gere gives one of the top performances of his career in “Norman,” the story of an aging Jewish con man who befriends a high-ranking Israeli government official and uses the connection to wheel and deal among the Jewish business elites of New York City. Smart filmmaking and a top-notch supporting cast help…