Freeze Frame: “Candy Cane Lane” (PG), “May December” (R), “Family Switch” (PG), “Under the Influencer” (Not rated)

Eddie Murphy’s comic dexterity isn’t enough to save the bloated Amazon Prime Christmas fantasy, “Candy Cane Lane.” Murphy makes a deal with a backslidden elf to help him win a neighborhood decoration prize. There is too much of everything in this wacky and painfully overlong mess. “Candy Cane Lane” is an explosion of middling ideas and themes and will only appeal to undemanding kids.

Nuanced performances from two Oscar-winning actresses are the main draw of the Netflix drama, “May December.” Natalie Portman plays an actress slated to portray the subject of a notorious sex scandal. Julianne Moore plays a fictional character inspired by convicted child rapist Mary Kay Letourneau. Portman’s character visits Moore’s to supposedly get to the truth. “May December” is a dark, unsettling drama with nervy comic undertones. It’s smart, but frustratingly uneven.

Take the basic premise of “Freaky Friday” and apply it to a whole family and you’ve got the Netflix comedy, “Family Switch.” Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms lead the cast in the story of family members who switch bodies during an astrological anomaly, It’s harmless, but “Family Switch” is about a half-hour too long to sustain its frothy spirit.

KC native Alex Haughey’s timely comic drama “Under the Influencer” premiered at the KC Film Fest International last April. It will be available on major streaming services and cable platforms on December 12^th. It’s about a web celeb who’s aging out of the market. It takes some jarring swings of tone, but “Under the Influencer” is an observant social commentary with a solid central performance by Taylor Joree Scorse.

Share This Episode