Freeze Frame

Ever seen a movie that should have been great but just missed the mark? Such is the case with “Free State of Jones,” an earnest and well-meaning historical drama undone by a jagged structure that prevents it from being the …

It’s taken Pixar 13 years to come up with a sequel to the smash animated hit, “Finding Nemo.” But even after all these years, this fish is still fresh. Ellen DeGeneres again provides the voice for the forgetful blue tang …

It’s taken Pixar 13 years to come up with a sequel to the smash animated hit, “Finding Nemo.” But even after all these years, this fish is still fresh. Ellen DeGeneres again provides the voice for the forgetful blue tang in “Finding Dory,” as she and her aquatic friends go on a cross-ocean adventure to find her lost family. While the movie lacks the strong story of its predecessor, there’s still an ocean of imagination on display, from the amazing visuals to the snappy sense of humor. And, yes, you may need a Kleenex or two. There are those who will say that “Finding Dory” is lesser Pixar. Maybe so, but “lesser Pixar” is still better than most movies, animated or otherwise. “Finding Dory” may well rescue this summer’s floundering box office. The standard buddy comedy gets a big boost from two charismatic stars in “Central Intelligence.” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays a once overweight nerd who reconnects with his school’s most popular jock, played by Kevin Hart, on the eve of their 20th high school reunion. But now, The Rock is a rogue CIA super agent and Kevin is a morose accountant who gets suckered in on a spy…

If director James Wan had worked in the Golden Age of Hollywood, he might have made musicals. His camera work is more like choreography than direction. But it’s that showy style that makes his horror entry “The Conjuring 2” work …

If director James Wan had worked in the Golden Age of Hollywood, he might have made musicals. His camera work is more like choreography than direction. But it’s that showy style that makes his horror entry “The Conjuring 2” work as well as it does. The entire creative team behind the hit chiller “The Conjuring” is back, telling the so-called true story of a supernatural event. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson play paranormal experts Lorraine and Ed Warren who travel to London in the 70s to investigate a case of demonic possession. While there are more than a few genuinely creepy moments, there are a couple of unintentionally funny ones, too. While overlong and derivative, “The Conjuring 2” is a generally effective creepfest that should summon up good box office numbers. “Now You See Me 2” is yet another sequel to a surprise box office hit. Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo and their band of vigilante magicians are back exposing corporate corruption, but this time biting off more than they can chew. There’s plenty of visual razzle-dazzle, but the filmmakers have outwitted themselves with an absurd, maze-like plot that’s just too tricky for its own good. Ever been to a movie…

So, can the Mother of Dragons become the Queen of Weepies? “Game of Thrones” star Emilia Clarke takes on the lead role in the four-hankie romantic drama “Me Before You” and her sparkling performance is the best thing about the …

So, can the Mother of Dragons become the Queen of Weepies? "Game of Thrones" star Emilia Clarke takes on the lead role in the four-hankie romantic drama "Me Before You" and her sparkling performance is the best thing about the emotionally manipulative big screen adaptation of the popular novel by Jo Jo Moyes. Clarke plays Louisa, a working class young woman who is hired by a wealthy lady to be the caretaker for her paraplegic son Will, played by Sam Claflin of “The Hunger Games” fame. zin true rom-com fashion, things get off to a bumpy start. But eventually their relationship thaws and a budding romance begins to bloom. Louisa plans some elaborate and exotic adventures for them. It sure is handy to have someone with loads of dough in these situations. But Louisa discovers, to her dismay that Will intends to commit suicide. The likable stars help make this superficial romance more palatable. But the movie has met with a backlash from some who claim it promotes suicide. In fact, there’s a trending topic on twitter, #MeBeforeEuthanasia. Controversy aside, "Me Before You" is a romantic fantasy conceived in a Kleenex factory. Also opening this week, the Teenage Mutant Ninja…

The latest installment in the X-Men franchise follows the ‘younger mutants’ timeline from “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” Jennifer Lawrence is the nicer Mystique of days gone by and Michael Fassbender’s Magneto gets more than he can handle from Oscar …

The latest installment in the X-Men franchise follows the ‘younger mutants’ timeline from “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” Jennifer Lawrence is the nicer Mystique of days gone by and Michael Fassbender’s Magneto gets more than he can handle from Oscar Isaac’s mutant god, Apocalypse, the most powerful mutant of them all. Problem is, the appropriately named Apocalypse wants to cleanse the Earth of all mankind. Will the mutants step up to save the humans? With this terrific cast, a strong director in Bryan Singer and a $234 million budget, it should have been a lot better than it is. There’s a lot of noise both audibly and visually, but it all seems a bit too familiar. It’s not a bad movie, it’s just a predictable one. It plays a bit like someone accidentally inserted a reel from the recent Gerard Butler stinker, “Gods of Egypt.” Also opening this week, “Alice: Through the Looking Glass” is the sequel to Disney’s phenomenally successful live action version of “Alice in Wonderland.” Johnny Depp is back as the Mad Hatter and Mia Wasikowska, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter all return to their roles for another Lewis Carroll adaptation. This time, however, director James…