Freeze Frame: “How to Train Your Dragon” (PG), “The Life of Chuck” (R), “The Unholy Trinity” (R), Echo Valley (R)
Update: 2025-06-13
Description
The live action remake of the terrific, animated fantasy "How to Train Your Dragon" may not be better than the original, but it's possibly its equal. It’s an enjoyable adaptation that captures an adventurous, whimsical spirit. A lively cast, involving storytelling and sharp production values make it a good family pick. The only drawback: Why is it a half hour longer than the 90-minute original??
For all of those who complain that Hollywood never tries anything different, here's one for you. "The Life of Chuck" is a thoughtful, philosophical comic drama based on a non-horror Stephen King novella, largely inspired by a Walt Whitman poem. Tom Hiddleston leads a strong cast in the 39-year life story of a cancer victim, but this three-act tale is told in reverse order. "The Life of Chuck" is touching, tragic and life-affirming.
Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson bring a bit of gravitas to the by-the-numbers western, "The Unholy Trinity." In this familiar tale of revenge and hidden gold, Brosnan is the sheriff in a tiny Wyoming town in the 1870s and Jackson is a colorful bad guy. Aside from the blood and profanity, “The Unholy Trinity” could have been a minor episode of "Gunsmoke."
Almost everything featuring Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore is worth seeing. Almost. The Apple TV+ thriller "Echo Valley" is an irritating thriller about a loving mom whose drug-addict daughter, played by Sydney Sweeney, makes her life a living hell. You can’t blame the cast, but “Echo Valley” is unrelentingly grim, and the plot takes some extremely unlikely turns. Best not to descend into “Echo Valley.”
For all of those who complain that Hollywood never tries anything different, here's one for you. "The Life of Chuck" is a thoughtful, philosophical comic drama based on a non-horror Stephen King novella, largely inspired by a Walt Whitman poem. Tom Hiddleston leads a strong cast in the 39-year life story of a cancer victim, but this three-act tale is told in reverse order. "The Life of Chuck" is touching, tragic and life-affirming.
Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson bring a bit of gravitas to the by-the-numbers western, "The Unholy Trinity." In this familiar tale of revenge and hidden gold, Brosnan is the sheriff in a tiny Wyoming town in the 1870s and Jackson is a colorful bad guy. Aside from the blood and profanity, “The Unholy Trinity” could have been a minor episode of "Gunsmoke."
Almost everything featuring Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore is worth seeing. Almost. The Apple TV+ thriller "Echo Valley" is an irritating thriller about a loving mom whose drug-addict daughter, played by Sydney Sweeney, makes her life a living hell. You can’t blame the cast, but “Echo Valley” is unrelentingly grim, and the plot takes some extremely unlikely turns. Best not to descend into “Echo Valley.”
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