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Freeze Frame is a weekly show reviewing the latest movies from Hollywood’s best to independent and arthouse movies.
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Artificial Intelligence is once again the antagonist in the sci-fi thriller, "Mercy." Set in the crime-ridden near future, Chris Pratt plays a detective on trial for his wife's murder. He has 90 minutes to convince an A.I. judge, played by Rebecca Ferguson, of his innocence. While it gets a bit goofy and stretches credibility to the limit, “Mercy" gets to its over-the-top climax in an entertaining manner.
The gentle British drama "H is for Hawk" is based on an acclaimed memoir. Claire Foy plays naturalist Helen Macdonald who spent a year training a goshawk. She used the experience to cope with the death of her father and her own clinical depression. “H is for Hawk” is relatable, thanks to Foy's performance, but never quite soars.
Another strong performance from Maika Monroe can't save the depressing crime thriller, "In Cold Light." Monroe plays a drug dealer recently released from prison who wants back in the game but comes into conflict with mobsters and crooked cops. Good guys are hard to find here. "In Cold Light” is a little too cold and a little too calculated.
The two-part HBO Max documentary "Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man" is a funny, loving and sometimes critical look at life of the legendary comedian and filmmaker from director/interviewer Judd Apatow. Brooks, who is both revered and reviled for his low-brow comedies like "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein" is a natural performer who may not always be candid in his interviews, but he's always entertaining. A lineup of famous comics shares their adoration, and some family members share their criticism. Overall, “Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man” is a worthwhile overview of a remarkable life.
It’s double feature time for fans of stalwart actor Ralph Fiennes. "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" is the fourth installment in the horror series about a zombie infection. Fiennes plays a doctor who confronts human evil worse than that exhibited by the zombies. While gripping, well-made and genuinely scary, its graphic and sadistic violence approaches the level of torture porn.
Fiennes pops up again in a movie that couldn't be more different. In the gentle comic drama "The Choral," he plays a conductor in a small English village mounting an amateur performance of the Edward Elgar piece “The Dream of Gerontius” while struggling with the challenges of WWI. “The Choral” is well crafted, but very lightweight.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck team up once again for the taut and intense Netflix crime thriller, "The Rip." Inspired by a true story but highly fictionalized, it's about a team of Miami drug agents who stumble upon a stash of $20 million in cartel drug money. The discovery sews distrust between the agents as they are forced to decide what to do with the cash, resulting in a lot of violence and intrigue. Fans of the genre will enjoy the action of “The Rip,” as well as the challenge of figuring out who the good guys are...if there are any.
In the bizarre true story "Dead Man's Wire," Bill Skarsgård plays a troubled man who took a bank executive hostage over a disputed mortgage issue, forcing the media to cover the standoff. In a bit of stunt casting, “Dog Day Afternoon” star Al Pacino shows up in a supporting role. While it generates a certain level of tension, this thriller from filmmaker Gus Van Sant is really a sober study of utter desperation.
In the very adult comic drama "Is This Thing On?" Will Arnett plays a man who tries out standup comedy as a way to cope with his impending divorce. Strong performances by Arnett and Laura Dern propel this empathetic tale, well directed by Bradley Cooper, who also has a funny supporting role. A number of noted comics appear as cynical versions of themselves. While fictional, the movie inspired by the true story of British standup comic Jim Bishop. Arnett’s foul-mouthed comedy material isn't really all that funny but still rings true. "Is This Thing On?" should appeal to those not easily offended.
What's really being said when estranged family members engage in awkward 'small talk?' Indie film darling Jim Jarmusch offers a suggestion in "Father Mother Sister Brother," three unrelated stories of family dysfunction. The strong cast includes Adam Driver, Tom Waits, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling and Cate Blanchett. Surprisingly, this restrained and subtle drama was the big winner at the 2005 Venice Film Festival. The talented cast helps a lot, but “Father Mother Sister Brother” is one that will probably only appeal to fans of Jarmusch's slow, low-key style.
Lucy Liu's impressive performance is the main draw of the excruciating true story "Rosemead" which is based on a 2017 article from the Los Angeles Times. Liu plays a widow suffering from terminal cancer who is forced to decide what to do with her teenage son who's struggling with schizophrenia. The intent is admirable, and the execution is competent enough. But “Rosemead” is a hard watch that offers no easy answers. It’s tragic and depressing in equal measure.
Happy New Year. It’s time to look back and name my top ten movies, the cream of the cinematic crop for 2025.
10) THE SECRET AGENT is an oddly structured but involving Brazilian paranoia thriller set during that country’s political strife in 1977.
9) WEAPONS is an extremely original and genuinely unnerving horror chiller about 17 children who mysteriously disappear from the same grade school class.
8) IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT is a harrowing, secretly filmed Iranian drama about former political prisoners who kidnap a man they believe was their tormentor.
7) THE LIFE OF CHUCK is a thoughtful philosophical and ultimately life affirming comic drama about a terminal cancer victim but told in reverse chronological order.
6) BLACK BAG is a clever and twisty drama that plays like “Who’s Afraid of Virgina Wolf?” but with spies.
5) MARTY SUPREME is an offbeat character study about a brilliant but manipulative and conceited ping pong champ, set in the 1950s.
4) SENTIMENTAL VALUE is an insightful Danish drama about a filmmaker who tries to make up with his estranged daughters by making a film about his family.
3) HAMNET tells an absorbing speculative tale about William Shakespeare and his wife whose personal tragedy inspired his most acclaimed play, “Hamlet.”
2) SINNERS is a grisly vampire film that’s really about racism, Jim Crow, the Blues…and much more.
1) ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is a wildly entertaining thinking man’s action film dealing with wannabe revolutionaries. Smart and skillfully made, it’s the best film of 2025.
Timothée Chalamet proves once again that he's the real deal in the whacky comic drama, "Marty Supreme." It's an offbeat character study from filmmaker Josh Safdie, set in the 1950s and involving the misadventures of a manipulative, conceited but somehow likable table tennis phenom. While fictional, it's inspired by the remarkable life of ping pong ace Marty Reisman. "Marty Supreme" is supremely watchable.
Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star in "Song Sung Blue," a biopic about a Neil Diamond tribute band called "Lightning and Thunder" that achieved a degree of success in Milwaukee in the 1980s. They experience extreme highs and lows in their personal and professional lives. The stars are very appealing, but if you're not a fan of Diamond's music, steer clear.
Amanda Seyfried gives a strong performance in the unorthodox historical musical drama, "The Testament of Ann Lee." She portrays the title character, the founder of the Shaker movement who was considered by some of her followers as the second coming of Christ. She attempted to establish a utopian religious society in 1700s New England but met with ample hardships and considerable backlash. The music is a mix of original songs and hymns of the era. “The Testament of Anne Lee” is dark and dramatically erratic but oddly involving.
Kate Winslet makes her directorial debut in the Netflix family drama, "Goodbye June." Winslet plays one of four siblings who come together when their mother, played by Helen Mirren, is hospitalized with terminal cancer during the holiday season. It's manipulative and obvious, but the sterling cast prevents “Goodbye June” from becoming too saccharine.
"Avatar: Fire & Ash" is the third entry in the phenomenally successful sci-fi franchise, and delivers exactly what you'd expect, 3 hours and 12 minutes of spectacular visuals and zippy action. The story, however, is very repetitive and has little to offer that's new. Plus, there's no real sense of peril. The attraction is the remarkable eye candy, so if you opt to see it, go ahead and splurge on the Imax version.
The very busy actresses Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried star in the goofy psychological thriller "The Housemaid." Sydney plays the maid who uncovers some dark secrets in the household of wealthy Amanda. Seyfried is excellent but Sweeney is merely adequate in this trashy flick. "The Housemaid" doesn't clean up because the filmmakers didn’t have the nerve to go full camp...which would have been the better route to take.
The strange political thriller "The Secret Agent" is a nominee for this year's Critics' Choice Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Set during Brazil's political strife of 1977, Wagner Moura plays a tech pro who is being pursued by secret foes. The structure of “The Secret Agent” is disjointed for sure, but only that adds to its offbeat appeal.
The animated musical “David” is the latest from faith-based distributor Angel Studios. This well made and involving movie tells the story of the King of Israel from his early days as a lowly shepherd to his heroic defeat of Goliath and his ascension as leader of his people. The story’s violence has been toned down, but it’s still faithful to the Biblical themes and is a painless introduction for the kiddies.
The Netflix whodunit "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" is the third movie in filmmaker Rian Johnson's tongue-in-cheek series featuring Daniel Craig as private detective Benoit Blanc. This time out, a young priest played by Josh O'Connor is accused of murdering a charismatic monsignor. The all-star cast includes Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner and Kerry Washington. They’re all obviously having fun and O'Connor, in particular, is excellent. But this mildly engaging mystery is overlong and really stretches credibility. Still, "Wake Up Dead Man" is more than entertaining enough to keep you awake.
The wildly original horror satire "Dust Bunny" plays like a midnight movie for the junior high set. A little girl named Aurora, sharply played by Sophie Slone, is haunted by a giant carnivorous dust bunny under her bed. After it has eaten her parents, she hires a neighbor, played by Mads Mikkelsen to dispatch it. It turns out that resident in apartment 5B is actually a hired killer, an associate of a handler played by Sigourney Weaver. The art direction and off-kilter humor are very imaginative, but "Dust Bunny" doesn't quite clean up as it tries to stick the landing.
The Amazon Prime holiday rom-com "Merv" is one shaggy dog of a movie...and that has nothing to do with the fact that it's about a canine. Zooey Deschanel and Charlie Cox play an estranged couple who share custody of a scruffy pooch who's depressed by their separation, Their efforts to cheer him up mostly fail but rekindle their romantic spark. "Merv" is well meaning, but as artificial as an aluminum Christmas tree.
The outstanding drama "Hamnet" is a speculative period piece about the inspiration behind Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Anchored by terrific performances by Paul Mescal and Jesse Buckley as Shakespeare and his troubled wife Agnes, it's an emotionally involving tale, adapted by director Chloe Zhao from Maggie O'Farrell's award-winning novel. Perhaps surprisingly, "Hamnet" is a better film than Zhao's previous Oscar winner "Nomadland." And speaking of Oscar, Buckley's moving performance is likely a Best Actress shoo-in.
The Netflix showbiz drama "Jay Kelly" provides a role that fits George Clooney like a glove. He plays a movie star who tries to reconnect with his estranged daughters while alienating those in his entourage who've supported him. Adam Sandler gives the film's best performance as George's unappreciated manager. While somewhat engaging, there are phony elements in the movie that are uncharacteristic of the gifted filmmaker Noah Baumbach. "Jay Kelly" is a mixed bag bolstered by megawatt star power.
Mel Gibson stars in the ugly, excessively violent drama, "Hunting Season." Mel and his daughter provide aid and shelter to a woman found shot in the woods, only to invoke the wrath of a vicious drug lord. This is the kind of fodder that used to be called "grindhouse cinema," prodding audiences into vengeful bloodlust. Happy Holidays!
A gifted cast can't save the noisy, irritating Amazon Prime holiday farce, "Oh. What. Fun." Michelle Pfeiffer plays a put-upon mom who goes all out for her family at Christmas, but her efforts aren't appreciated…until she goes missing. None of it rings true. "Oh. What. Fun." is a lump of coal for your cinematic stocking.
The comic fantasy "Eternity" takes the romantic triangle concept to a multidimensional level. Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner star in the tale of an afterlife weigh station, where a woman must decide whether to spend eternity with her husband of many years or her first husband who died decades earlier. The concept is better than the execution, but a likable cast gives this rom-com a considerable boost.
The animated farce "Zootopia 2" is a worthy successor to the 2016 hit. In this lively, funny and smartly executed tale, a fox and a rabbit uncover the mystery of why reptiles are prohibited from a city where most animals live together in relative peace. It’s a family film in the best sense of the term. It’s a beautifully animated offering with zany slapstick for the kids and sly cultural and political commentary for their parents. Can’t wait for “Zootopia 3.”
"Left-Handed Girl" is an edgy Netflix drama from Taiwan. A struggling single mom opens a food stand in a busy Taipei marketplace. She contends with the troubles of her two daughters, one a wayward teen and the other a 5-year-old kleptomaniac. Although it’s the first effort of director Shih-Ching Tsou, Sean Baker of “Anora” fame is the co-writer and editor. “Left-Handed Girl” is a shrewd movie that takes viewers to places they may not expect.
A solid performance by Josh O’Connor is the main attraction of “Rebuilding,” a convincing if stubbornly low-key drama about a group of people living in Fema shelters after losing everything in a devasting Colorado wildfire. “Rebuilding” is an effective, deliberately paced tale of resilience anchored by inspired casting.
Okay, Ozians. The wait is finally over. The second and final part of the big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical "Wicked" is finally here. In "Wicked: For Good," Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba and Ariana Grande's Glinda use their vocal powers for good, providing a long but fitting climax. Both films combined have a running time of over 5 hours and, yes, it's padded. But thanks to spectacular production values and soaring vocals “Wicked: For Good” provides enough magic to satisfy all the Munchkins out there.
In the sweet, low key comic drama "Rental Family," Brendan Fraser plays a struggling American actor in Japan who takes a job pretending to be the dad of a lonely young Japanese girl. While it works on a sentimental level, the whole setup glosses over some troubling ethical lapses. It's well-intentioned but tries a bit too hard to be heartwarming.
Speaking of sentimental, the Norwegian comic drama "Sentimental Value" is about a famous filmmaker who tries to reconnect with his estranged daughters by making a comeback film about his family. Stellan Skarsgard, Renate Reinsva and Elle Fanning give terrific performances in an involving tale that will keep you guessing. It manages to live up to its 'sentimental' title without getting sappy.
In the mood for a laid-back cinematic tone poem? "Train Dreams" is a beautifully shot Netflix period drama starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones about an ongoing series of tragedies that beset a railroad worker and his family in the early 20th Century Pacific Northwest. Tragic and austere, “Train Dreams" is a film to appreciate if not necessarily enjoy.
"The Running Man" is a remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1987 dystopian action thriller based on a Stephen King book. Oddly enough, it was set in 2025. This time out, Glen Powell plays a man desperate for money for his family, who agrees to appear in a TV reality game show where he attempts to outrun a team of murderous bounty hunters to win a billion dollars. Director Edgar Wright, who made "Baby Driver" and "Shaun of the Dead," knows his way around action and comedy and delivers on both counts. However, this time he just doesn't know when to quit. He's guilty of overkill. The biggest problem with "The Running Man" is the running time.
"Now You See Me: Now You Don't" is the third installment in the comedy heist action series about an ensemble of magicians who pull off bank jobs using their considerable skills at illusion. Jesse Eisneberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Isla Fisher team up once again, this time attempting to steal the world's largest diamond from a villainous crime organization led by Rosamund Pike. It's a reasonably entertaining installment, but the tricks are very familiar. What's missing from "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" is magic.
If you haven't seen Jean-Luc Godard's classic 1960 French New Wave film "Breathless," then Richard Linklater's "Nouvelle Vague" probably won't have much meaning for you. This Netflix offering is a painstaking recreation of the making of "Breathless," which popularized a new style of filmmaking and made international stars of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg. Nerd alert!! It's a loving homage to avant garde movie making.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro's dream project "Frankenstein" is now on Netflix. There is much to be admired in this visually stunning adaptation, including strong performances from Oscar Isaac as the egotistical creator and especially from Jacob Elordi as his misbegotten creation. While it's certainly worth a watch, this version adds some curious elements that resemble superhero movies more than Mary Shelley. "Frankenstein" is more to be respected for its ambition than for the end result.
"Predator: Badlands" is the ninth installment in the popular sci-fi franchise. A runt exiled Predator ventures to a dangerous planet where he reluctantly teams up with a droid, played by Elle Fanning, to hunt an un-killable creature. This smart, action-packed thriller really delivers, and Fanning gives a sharp performance in dual roles. “Predator: Badlands” proves that old properties can seem fresh when infused with enough imagination.
Jennifer Lawrence gives an intense, impressive performance in "Die My Love," an otherwise confusing slog of a movie that's supposed to be about post-partum depression but is actually about unbridled psychosis. Robert Pattinson plays her ineffectual husband. “Die My Love” is the kind of artsy mess that only appeals to critics and it's a chore to watch.
“Sarah’s Oil” is an appealing drama inspired by the remarkable true story of America’s first Black female millionaire, Sarah Rector, who lived out most of her life in Kansas City. The drama involves how this spunky eleven-year-old girl managed to hang on to the oil rights on her land in early 1900s Oklahoma Territory despite efforts greedy speculators to steal them. “Sarah’s Oil is a family friendly crowd-pleaser.
Tessa Thompson is solid in "Hedda,” the Amazon Prime reimagining of Ibsen's classic tragedy "Hedda Gabler." Writer/director Nia DaCosta has changed the setting and added lesbian and racial components that Ibsen probably never would have imagined. While not all of DaCosta’s changes work and purists may balk, “Hedda” is a mostly effective update that remains true of Ibsen’s themes concerning the dangers of greed, passion and ambition.
The animated horror comedy "Stitch Head" is aimed squarely at the kindergarten crowd. It’s about the monstrous creations of a mad scientist who are more scared of humans than vice versa. “Stitch Head” is reasonably well animated, but the weak storyline blunts its overall appeal.
The devastating Netflix documentary "The Perfect Neighbor" is both enlightening and heartbreaking. Told mostly through footage from police body cams, it depicts the events leading up to a tragic and utterly senseless murder. It’s sharply edited and skillfully executed. Smoldering racism and convoluted gun laws are exposed in “The Perfect Neighbor, a thoughtful, disturbing and timely social document.
Ethan Hawke gives an impressive performance in Richard Linklater’s melancholy “Blue Moon,” a talky drama about famed Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart whose alcoholism and emotional troubles ruined his successful collaboration with composer Richard Rodgers. The whole movie takes place at Broadway’s famed Sardi’s restaurant, when Hart’s life seemed to unravel on the opening night of Rodgers’ biggest hit “Oklahoma!” with his new partner, Oscar Hammerstein. “Blue Moon” is a creative bit of speculation that will appeal mostly to fans of musical theater.
"Regretting You" is a drama about romance, infidelity and grief based on a popular novel by Colleen Hoover. A teenage girl played by McKenna Grace discovers dark secrets after some family members are lost in a tragic accident. She navigates the tragedy while experiencing a big high school crush. Grace is terrific, as is Allison Williams as her troubled mom. The story is very soapy, contrived and manipulative, so many viewers will feel like they've been jerked around. However, fans of Colleen Hoover, known as "Cohorts," will get exactly what they want in “Regretting You.” Everyone else, beware.
The Hulu entry "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" is a remake and update of a hit thriller from 1992. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays a wealthy suburban mom who hires a nanny, played by Maika Monroe, who lies about her past and, as it turns out, has a long-standing grudge against the mom. Slowly but surely, all heck breaks loose. You can't blame the talented cast, but this awkward version is saddled with implausible twists and is just a shadow of the original.
The Apple TV+ documentary "Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost" is a comprehensive, warts-and-all look at the late comedy duo directed by their son, Ben Stiller. The duo achieved fame with their appearances on the “Ed Sullivan Show,” and worked their own marital angst into their routines. As it turns out, Jerry Stiller taped and saved everything in both his public and private life, giving Ben a mountain of material to sort through. Ben discovers some uncomfortable parallels between his parents' struggles and his own. It's a thoughtful showbiz time capsule.
Who would have thought that a movie with a great cast, intriguing theme and acclaimed director could have resulted in something as bad as "After the Hunt." Julia Roberts stars as a college professor who becomes embroiled in a sex scandal. The strong supporting cast includes Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny. Director Luca Guadagnino is responsible for acclaimed films like “Call Me by Your Name” and “Challengers,” but he’s lost his grip here. Colossally pretentious, burdened with pompous dialogue and unlikable characters, it’s a burden to watch. The terrific performances are the only saving grace of “After the Hunt,” so viewers should hunt for something else to watch.
Writer/director/star Aziz Ansari offers a low-key, feel-good comic fantasy, "Good Fortune." Keanu Reeves is an inept guardian angel who switches up the lives of a struggling gig worker, played by Ansari, and a wealthy investor, played by Seth Rogan, to try to make Ansari feel better about his life. Big mistake! Ansari likes being rich and doesn’t want to return to his old life, even though he had a great girlfriend, played by Keke Palmer. Good Fortune” is a likable comedy that tries to be a modern take on a Frank Capra-style premise but is only modestly successful.
The Netflix drama "Ballad of a Small Player" is an intriguing experiment that doesn't quite live up to its promise. Colin Farrell is fine as a deeply indebted gambling addict in Macau who desperately strives for one big win to save him. The shifts between the real and the imagined are sometimes awkward and confusing. Even so, “Ballad of a Small Player” is a stylish look at the descent of a loser.
Talk about product placement! The bizarre true story of a kind-hearted criminal gets the big screen treatment in "Roofman." In this entertaining comic drama, Channing Tatum stars as a clever thief who robbed dozens of McDonalds by entering the restaurants through the roof, was sent to prison, escaped, and then holed up for months in a Toys 'R' Us. Kirsten Dunst plays his clueless love interest. “Roofman” was directed by Derek Cianfrance, best known for the dark dramas “Blue Valentine” and “The Place Beyond the Pines.” Here, he takes a much lighter approach. Funny and often touching, "Roofman" is a surprisingly effective crowd-pleaser.
The white-knuckle thriller "A House of Dynamite" is in theaters today and will appear on Netflix on October 24th. It explores what would happen if an unknown entity launched a nuclear missile at the US. Under the sure-handed direction of Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow, it's a taut and realistic nightmare that effectively shows the chaos such an event would cause. It strives for authenticity, but having well-known actors in the cast is a bit of a distraction in “The House of Dynamite,” and the multiple, intersecting storylines muddy what is otherwise a sharp, well-constructed nail-biter.
A terrific cast led by Elisabeth Moss and Kate Hudson can't quite save the derivative tongue-in-cheek horror-thriller "Shell," now available on multiple pay-per-view outlets. "Shell" owes a bit too much to last year's similar body horror entry, "The Substance." A struggling actress tries a mysterious and shady new scientific method for beauty and youth, but guess what, there are...complications. "Shell" is trying to be a black comedy, but the humor seldom lands.
Respectable. That may be the best thing one can say about the new Dwayne Johnson movie "The Smashing Machine." In this art house sports drama from writer-director Benny Safdie, The Rock plays troubled mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr who battles drugs and insecurity as well as his opponents in the ring. Emily Blunt is his impatient, moderately supportive girlfriend. The performances of real-life MMA fighters Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten and former heavyweight champion boxer Oleksander Usyk bring additional authenticity. The stars are fine, but in an attempt to avoid cliches, the movie also avoids dramatic momentum. This low-key, matter-of-fact approach prevents "The Smashing Machine" from scoring a knockout.
A true story from California's devastating 2018 Camp Fire is the basis of the Apple TV+ thriller, "The Lost Bus." Matthew McConaughey stars as a troubled school bus driver who attempts to navigate the overwhelming blaze and save the lives of two dozen kids and a teacher, played by America Ferrera. Director Paul Greengrass, best known for the Jason Bourne films, knows how to build tension. With “The Lost Bus,” he’s created a realistic and involving nail-biter.
In the tongue-in-cheek Amazon Prime crime thriller "Play Dirty," Mark Wahlberg plays Parker, the gifted professional thief from Richard Stark's novel series. What may have worked on the page seems overblown and ludicrous on screen under the direction of action filmmaker Shane Black. After a racetrack heist goes bad, Parker recruits a band of thieves to steal some priceless antiquities and exact revenge on the woman who ruined his previous caper. A good cast is wasted in a bloody, noisy, profane and utterly preposterous crime opus.
Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson once again proves to be one of the world's top filmmakers with his thinking man's action thriller, "One Battle After Another." Inspired by Thomas Pynchon's novel "Vineland," Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn star in a spellbinding, entertaining and profane tale involving wannabe revolutionaries, racism, military corruption, secret political cabals...and much more. Smart and masterfully made, "One Battle After Another” easily one of the year's best movies.
Parents with preschool girls know that "Gabby's Dollhouse" is the partly live-action, partly animated Netflix series about a girl who shrinks herself to doll size for adventures with her tiny doll pals. The theatrical version "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie" works surprisingly well thanks to imaginative art direction and a funny performance by Kristen Wiig as a cat-obsessed villainess. While squarely aimed at the tots, it's pleasantly painless for parents.
The dark action thriller "Dead of Winter" stars Emma Thompson as a woman ice fishing in remote Minnesota who stumbles upon a ramshackle cabin where a strange couple have kidnapped a young woman. It's so well acted that one can almost forgive how unrelentingly grim it is. “Dead of Winter” is suspenseful but mostly unpleasant and implausible.
With her directorial debut, Scarlett Johansson shows she’s been paying attention. Ninety-five-year-old June Squibb stars in the touching story of a woman who pretends to be a Holocaust survivor, befriending a teenager enamored with her and her bogus story. Squibb and young Erin Kellyman are excellent in “Eleanor the Great,” a sweet-natured comic drama about the results of questionable choices.
While it doesn't all work, the fantasy romance "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" is, at least, an interesting experiment. Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell are very appealing, but they're stranded in a bizarre story about strangers who revisit trying episodes from their past by passing through a series of mystical doorways. Its message that encourages risk-taking comes through, but “A Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey” can't quite overcome some uneasy, saccharine elements.
Don't be fooled by the name Jordan Peele above the title for the horror movie "HIM." He produced but did not write or direct this ugly and dull one-note chiller about a wannabe quarterback, played by Tariq Withers, who is lured into a Satanic cult led by Marlon Wayans to ensure he becomes the "GOAT." It's odd that a movie about football has no forward momentum. “HIM” fumbles an interesting premise.
"Xeno" is an offbeat sci-fi tale that plays like an uneasy mix of the family friendly "ET" and the grisly "Alien." A troubled teenage girl befriends a stranded carnivorous space creature, but the bad guys are the government agencies hunting it. While it's reasonably well made, "Xeno" has a frustrating finale that will likely leave audiences underwhelmed.
The Hulu drama "Swiped" purports to tell the true story behind the scandalous rise of dating apps "Tinder" and "Bumble." Lily James plays Whitney Wolfe Herd, the tech entrepreneur who experienced blatant sexism and misogyny as she helped establish the popular sites and wound up being exploited in the press. "Swiped" could have used a bit more bite, but it's an interesting historical nugget.
It's taken 41 years, but the sequel to the classic rock mockumentary "This is Spinal Tap" has finally arrived. In “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer return as the clueless British hard rock band attempts a perilous comeback. Rob Reiner is back as director -on and off screen- and Paul McCartney and Elton John join in the fun along with a number of others from the original movie. The sequel never quite hits the hilarious heights of the original, so it doesn’t go quite to 11. Still, “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” is an enjoyably goofy dip into satiric nostalgia.
"The Conjuring: Last Rites" is the ninth and supposedly final chapter in "The Conjuring" franchise. We'll see. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are back as famed paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren in what is touted as a true story of demonic possession. Right. Fans of the franchise may want to indulge once again, but it's overlong, poorly paced and plays like a hodgepodge of scenes from the previous movies. The cast is right, but "The Last Rites" is wrong.
The HBO Max documentary "Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television" is an enlightening overview of the ups and downs experienced by African American artists over the last 75 years. It’s produced by Issa Rae. The first episode of the two-part series is excellent, an involving and entertaining history lesson. The second part, dealing with more recent history, tends to meander and goes a bit off-subject. Overall, “Seen & Heard” is still a timely and provocative examination of ongoing inequality.
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