Freeze Frame

“The Birth of a Nation” is Nate Parker’s controversial but powerful film about the educated slave Nat Turner who became a pastor and led an ill-fated slave revolt in 1831. Parker wrote, directed, produced and stars as Turner in this …

“The Birth of a Nation” is Nate Parker’s controversial but powerful film about the educated slave Nat Turner who became a pastor and led an ill-fated slave revolt in 1831. Parker wrote, directed, produced and stars as Turner in this unflinching look at the horrors of American slavery. While the violent content is certainly disturbing, the emotional force and the importance of the story help make up for some filmmaking flaws. It’s vibrant enough to start some meaningful conversations. “The Girl on the Train” is an adaptation of the bestselling thriller. Emily Blunt plays an emotionally disturbed alcoholic who may or may not have seen evidence of a crime during her daily train commute. The narrators of this story are unreliable, so the mystery is a bit convoluted. Blunt is terrific in a difficult role that requires her to spend most of the film’s 112 minutes in tears. As this trashy train comes to its final stop, however, it may generate more laughs than chills. “The Great Gilly Hopkins” is an adaptation of the 1979 National Book Award winner for children’s literature. On screen, however, it comes off like a soppy 1979 After School Special. Sophie Nélisse (NAY-less) plays Gilly,…

Disney’s “The Queen of Katwe” may be the sunniest view of Uganda you’re likely to see. David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o and newcomer Madina Nalwanga star in the true story of a brilliant young girl who escapes her difficult circumstances when …

Disney’s “The Queen of Katwe” may be the sunniest view of Uganda you’re likely to see. David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o and newcomer Madina Nalwanga star in the true story of a brilliant young girl who escapes her difficult circumstances when she discovers the world of competitive chess. While this lovely story is told in a pedestrian way, the terrific cast and never-say-die spirit that makes it work. “Deepwater Horizon” is a well produced disaster movie based on the tragic true story of the 2010 oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Kurt Russell and Mark Wahlberg lead a solid cast in what is essentially an exercise in chaos. The jargon-laden dialogue is very hard to take in, but you could watch this one without the sound and not miss a thing. There’s not much depth in “Deepwater Horizon,” but it successfully puts the audience in the midst of disorienting mayhem. “Masterminds” is an action comedy based on a true story about nitwit thieves who manage to make off with $17 million, only to get into plenty post-heist trouble. Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis and Kristen Wiig star in this goofy and mildly amusing farce that could have been an episode…

Western fans have been eagerly anticipating the remake of the classic 1960 shoot-‘em-up, “The Magnificent Seven.” Antoine Fuqua’s reimagining of the story isn’t magnificent, but it could be called “The Pretty Good Seven.” Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke …

Western fans have been eagerly anticipating the remake of the classic 1960 shoot-‘em-up, “The Magnificent Seven.” Antoine Fuqua’s reimagining of the story isn’t magnificent, but it could be called “The Pretty Good Seven.” Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke lead a group of vigilante gunmen who help defend a small western town from an evil industrialist and his private army. Seems the homesteaders stand in the way of his mining interests. There’s plenty of action and some occasionally hilarious moments, mostly thanks to Pratt’s terrific comic timing. But this revenge tale is overlong, chaotic and extremely violent. The folks who gave this a PG-13 rating are dum-dum-da-dum, dum-dum-dum-da-dum. The latest computer animated farce “Storks” delivers…almost. No longer delivering babies, storks now deliver packages FedEx style. Andy Samberg gives voice to a stork who goes through daunting tribulations to deliver one last baby. The fast-paced humor is hit-and-miss, and when it hits, it’s very funny. But the screwy storyline plays out like they were making it up as they went along. The talented voice cast also includes Key & Peele, Ty Burrell, Jennifer Aniston and Kelsey Grammer. While it’s a bit too manic for it’s own good, “Storks” has some…

It’s been 12 years since the last Bridget Jones movie. It’s amazing how little she’s evolved in the meantime. Rene Zellweger and Colin Firth are back, this time joined by Patrick Dempsey in a love triangle involving Bridget’s pregnancy and …

It’s been 12 years since the last Bridget Jones movie. It’s amazing how little she’s evolved in the meantime. Rene Zellweger and Colin Firth are back, this time joined by Patrick Dempsey in a love triangle involving Bridget’s pregnancy and her doubts about the identity of the baby’s father. Her antics were amusing when she was young and stupid. At middle age, they seem a bit embarrassing. The cast is likable, but “Baby” is labored. Seventeen years ago, "The Blair Witch Project" created a new movie genre, the "Found Footage Film." The reboot “Blair Witch” comes from Columbia, MO, screenwriter Simon Barrett and his frequent collaborator, director Adam Wingard. There is nothing new here, but horror fans may enjoy a few familiar shocks in this creepy entry. The concert documentary, "Hillsong: Let Hope Rise,” focuses on the phenomenon known as Hillsong United, a Christian pop band that sprang from an Australian mega church. Fans should love the inspiring music and candid behind the scenes footage. Oscar-winning director Ron Howard turns his attention to the Fab Four with his compelling and immersive documentary about The Beatles during their heyday. “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week –The Touring Years” boasts a wealth…

Tom Hanks is an actor who, like the late Jimmy Stewart before him, has a natural aura of decency that comes through in his characters. That makes him the ideal person to portray a modest American hero, airline Captain Sully …

Tom Hanks is an actor who, like the late Jimmy Stewart before him, has a natural aura of decency that comes through in his characters. That makes him the ideal person to portray a modest American hero, airline Captain Sully Sullenberger. In “Sully,” he plays the man who, in 2009, steered a disabled jet into the Hudson River saving the lives of all 155 passengers. Clint Eastwood’s movie focuses on some intriguing aspects of the story that most people probably don’t know. Like the man himself, “Sully” the movie has a modest, low-key integrity. What would it be like if the animals told the story of shipwreck victim “Robinson Crusoe?” That must have been what the makers of “The Wild” said in their studio pitch. Too bad they got the green light. “The Wild Life” is one of the weakest computer animated entries in recent memory. If the makers of this desert island adventure had spent as much time on the script as they did on the colorful animation, then they might have had some success. “The Wild Life” might be a reasonable distraction for the youngsters, but is squirm-worthy for the rest of the family. "The Beatles: Eight Days…