Freeze Frame: “Hamilton” (PG-13), “The Outpost” (R), “The Truth” (PG), “Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things” (Not rated)

“Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip-hop history lesson about a founding father may be the most unlikely hit musical of all time. The Disney+ ‘live capture’ version of the original Broadway production more than lives up to the hype. While no filmed play can capture the electricity of a live performance, “Hamilton” comes close. Miranda and director Thomas Kail present Alexander Hamilton’s warts-and-all life in a clever, absorbing and inventive way and the diverse, top-notch cast delivers the material as well as can be imagined. Remarkably timely, “Hamilton” is ‘must-see’ viewing.

“The Outpost” tells the gripping true story of the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan where 50 American soldiers were ambushed by nearly 400 Taliban insurgents. Scott Eastwood and Orlando Bloom lead the cast in this involving tale, based on the book by Jake Tapper. Director Rod Lurie has created a harrowing war film that’s so immersive that you might be tempted to take cover. “The Outpost” is an apolitical tribute to remarkable heroism.

French superstars Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche co-star for the first time in “The Truth,” a backstage drama of family conflict. Deneuve plays an aging, self-absorbed actress and Binoche is her estranged daughter who attempts reconciliation. While this modest affair isn’t the best work from acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda, “The Truth” is worth seeing for Deneuve’s sly, self-effacing performance.

While the documentary “Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things” doesn’t dig too deep into the famed singer’s personal life, it’s still a good primer on her musical virtuosity…and that’s plenty.

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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