Freeze Frame: “Greyhound” (PG-13), “The Old Guard” (R), “Palm Springs” (Not rated), “Never Too Late” (Not rated), “Mucho Mucho Amor” (Not rated)

“Greyhound” is a fast-paced WWII Naval battle flick starring and written by Tom Hanks. He plays the captain of a destroyer assigned to escort commercial vessels through parts of the Atlantic teeming with Nazi subs. The tension is derived from cat-and-mouse skirmishes with invisible enemies. While no dog, “Greyhound” is at best a modest, workmanlike thriller.

Charlize Theron is the best thing about the comic book action movie, “The Old Guard.” This bloody fantasy is about a small band of soldiers for hire who are virtually immortal. There is some terrific stunt work on display, but most of the story’s themes seem borrowed from dozens of movies we’ve seen before.

Andy Samberg’s fantasy “Palm Springs” wants to be “Groundhog Day” for Millennials. It’s a raunchy romantic farce about a guy who is keeps living the same day over and over and accidentally draws a young woman into his curse. The bawdy material is somewhat redeemed by its unexpected sweetness and an appealing performance by Christin Milioti.

“Never Too Late” is a middling comic import from down under aimed squarely at a geriatric audience. It plays a bit like “Grumpy Old Men” meets “The Great Escape.” James Cromwell portrays a  Viet Nam vets who recruits other vets to help him escape their old folks home so that he can propose to an old flame. It’s featherweight but harmless.

“Mucho Mucho Amor” is an involving portrait of the flamboyant Walter Mercado, an androgynous personality who was the Liberace of astrology on Latino TV. His rise and fall makes for a surprisingly touching documentary.

Your local art house theaters are offering online viewing options for a number of  intriguing movie titles. More information is available at nelson-atkins.org, Screenland.com, fineartsgroup.com and drafthouse.com.

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