Freeze Frame: “Kajillionaire” (R), “Enola Holmes” (PG-13), “Secret Society of Second Born Royals” (Not rated), “LX 2048” (Not rated), “Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles” (Not rated)

If nothing else, you’ll have to admit that the comic drama “Kajillionaire” is not the same old thing. This quirky and gentle movie stars Evan Rachel Wood as an emotionally stunted young woman who works as a petty scam artist with her parents, Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger. Things get complicated when they invite a stranger, played by Gina Rodriguez, into one of their schemes. “Kajillionaire” has a sweet and eccentric vibe that viewers will find either refreshing or annoying. In either case, “Kajillionaire” unique.

 

Millie Bobbi Brown of “Stranger Things” fame is terrific as Sherlock Holmes’ teenage sister in the lighthearted Netflix mystery thriller, “Enola Holmes.” When her mom disappears, Enola attempts to find her by deciphering clues her tricky mother left behind. The story is told with a wink and a nod and never really amounts to much, but Brown carries the day in “Enola Holmes,” the probable first installment of a wannabe franchise.

 

“Secret Society of Second Born Royals” is a Disney+ fantasy aimed at preteens. It seems that some folks with royal blood have unusual superpowers and they’re recruited to save their kingdoms from an evil villain. It’s very pat and predictable, but the kids won’t mind. You will.

 

“LX 2048” is a terminally talky and boring sci-fi offering that is one of the worst films of the year. James D’Arcy plays a man contending with terminal illness, family squabbles and clones, all in a future where the rays of the sun are deadly. Stay inside…and watch something else.

 

“Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles” is a documentary about the famous chef who recruits renowned bakers from around the world to create unique pastries for an exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s a mouthwatering and decadent behind the scenes look at culinary creativity.

 

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.


Share This Episode