Freeze Frame: “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (PG-13), “Worth” (PG-13)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe just got a bit more diverse. Newcomer Simu Liu stars in the rousing adventure “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” an impressive visual spectacle that will ultimately tie in with other movies in the ongoing superhero series following the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” Liu plays a martial artist trained to be a reluctant assassin by his estranged father, a powerful criminal obsessed with ten rings which provide him supernatural powers. Can Shang-Chi break the chain of criminality and save his mother’s homeland from destruction? Under the direction of Destin Daniel Cretton, best known for quiet social dramas, “Shang-Chi” is involving and entertaining for its first hour and a half. But like so many other action films, it becomes repetitious and overblown in the final act. Still, “Shang-Chi” is a diverting popcorn movie that should provide Marvel fans with the action fix they yearn for.

Michael Keaton gives an Oscar-worthy performance in the compelling Netflix drama, “Worth.” In this true story, Keaton plays Ken Feinberg, the lawyer commissioned by the U.S. government to head the September 11^th Victim Compensation Fund. It was Fienberg’s job to figure out how to set aside the appropriate amount of money to give to victims’ families…and get them to agree not to sue for more. In other words, he had to decide what a human life was worth and essentially get the families to agree to that amount. What could have been a stuffy legal procedural becomes a compelling drama as numbers-cruncher Feinberg is forced to do some soul-searching when confronted with the staggering individual tragedies. “Worth” is an intelligent and empathetic drama that’s definitely worth your time.

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, and fineartsgroup.com.

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