Arts & Culture • Podcast • Short Segment

Freeze Frame

Freeze Frame is a weekly show reviewing the latest movies from Hollywood's best films to independent and arthouse movies.

Hosted by

Russ Simmons

• Airs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 10:58 am; Sunday at 12:30 pm; Monday ats at Noon on "Arts Magazine"

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Freeze Frame is a weekly show reviewing the latest movies from Hollywood’s best films to independent and arthouse movies.

Recent Episodes

October 23, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Rebecca” (PG-13), “The Witches” (PG), “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” (R), “Synchronic” (R), “Over the Moon” (PG), “Friendsgiving” (R)

“Rebecca,” a Netflix remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic suspense drama is a handsomely produced but uninspired adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s novel.
Armie Hammer and Lily James star in this dark gothic romance that checks all of the appropriate boxes but can’t match the 1940 Best Picture Oscar winner, which can be seen for free at any time on YouTube.

“The Witches” is yet another remake, this one based on Roald Dahl’s scary children’s story. Anne Hathaway and Octavia Spencer lead the cast in this tale of a boy who discovers that a coven of witches plans to turn kids into mice. Hathaway’s over-the-top performance is bound to creep out the kiddies in this capable if overstuffed production.

After fourteen years, Sacha Baron Cohen returns as a faux Kazakhstani TV reporter
in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.” In this shocking mockumentary, Borat ambushes the clueless Rudy Giuliani among others. It’s shameless, irreverent and uneven, but succeeds in lampooning contemporary hypocrisy.

Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan star in the philosophical sci-fi entry, “Synchronic.” Mackie plays a paramedic, dying of cancer, who discovers that a street drug enables the user to travel through time. While this thoughtful film raises interesting questions, it’s a bit too dark and brooding for its own good.

“Over the Moon” is a colorful animated musical adventure from Oscar-winner Glen Keane. A Chinese girl builds a rocket to the moon in an attempt to meet a goddess. It’s all very sweet, but the convoluted storyline may make it too confusing for its target audience.

“Friendsgiving” is an annoyingly coarse R-rated ensemble comedy about dysfunctional Hollywood types who assemble for a last-minute holiday fete. Malin Ackerman and Kat Dennings lead the talented but wasted cast. The actors were apparently having a really good time, but “Friendsgiving” is no party for viewers.

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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October 16, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (R), “Clouds” (PG-13), “The Secrets We Keep” (R), “Martin Eden” (Not rated)

Oscar-winning filmmaker Aaron Sorkin offers one of the year’s finest movies, “The Trial of the Chicago Seven.” This surprisingly timely drama covers the infamous case in which peace activists were tried for allegedly inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Sasha Baron Coen, Eddie Redmayne and Mark Rylance are part of a great cast that skillfully delivers Sorkin’s sharp, incisive dialogue. The movie’s pace is very lively and it’s unusually funny for a historical courtroom drama. The verdict on “The Trial of the Chicago Seven” is ‘compelling,’ beyond a reasonable doubt.’

“Clouds” is a Disney+ drama that tells the true story of Zach Sobiech, a teenager suffering from terminal cancer who released the hit song “Clouds” a few months before his death in 2013. Actor/musician Fin Argus fits the role of Sobiech like a glove and the earnest cast helps mitigate some of the movie’s manipulative aspects. “Clouds” is a four-hankie tearjerker. Thankfully, the pathos is somewhat balanced by the movie’s upbeat humor.

“The Secrets We Keep” is a modestly effective post WWII thriller. Noomi Rapace plays a Romanian woman living in a small American town who thinks she recognizes a German soldier who committed brutal war crimes against her and her family…and decides to exact revenge. This is the sort of suspense drama that Alfred Hitchcock or Orson Wells might have successfully tackled back in the day. There are some dubious aspects to this story, however, that sap “The Secrets We Keep” of some of its potential power.

“Martin Eden” is a self-consciously arty but smart and intriguing Italian adaptation of Jack London’s classic novel. Luca Marinelli gives a sly performance as a poor sailor who educates himself to fulfill his dreams of being a writer but is ultimately disillusioned. Filmmaker Pietro Marcello’s attempts at philosophical discourse are interesting, but unfocused.

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October 9, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “On the Rocks” (R), “The Forty-Year-Old Version” (R), “Yellow Rose” (PG-13), “From the Vine” (Not rated)

Bill Murray re-teams with “Lost in Translation” filmmaker Sophia Coppola for the disarming comedy, “On the Rocks.” Rashida Jones plays a woman who fears her husband, played by Marlon Wayans, may be cheating on her. Her pushy ne’er do well father, played by Murray, manipulates her into spying on her spouse. There’s a lot more going on here than meets the eye, making “On the Rocks” a sly, engaging and loving look at family dynamics.

“The Forty-Year-Old Version” may be the year’s biggest surprise. Acclaimed playwright Radha Banks plays herself in this autobiographical movie about a struggling theater artist who tries her hand at rap. Whip smart and often hilarious, it’s an eye-opening exposé of racism and ageism in the liberal New York performing arts scene. This very adult film has brazen language and content that will make it radioactive for many, but if you can get past the barrage of dirty words, “The Forty-Year-Old Version” will be a welcome introduction to a charismatic talent.

“Yellow Rose” is a charming coming-of-age movie about a Philippine-American teenager who faces possible deportation while trying to break into the Austin country music scene. Broadway star Eva Noblezada makes an impressive movie debut in this sweet-natured comic drama that’s filled with pathos and affecting, well-sung tunes. The presence of Austin music icon Dale Watson is a big help, too. “Yellow Rose” is an appealing, sweet-natured sleeper.

Noted character actor Joe Pantoliano takes a rare leading role in low-key comedy, “From the Vine.” He plays a disaffected Canadian auto executive who ditches his career to return to his ancestral home in rural Italy and tries to re-open his family’s abandoned vineyard and winery. It tries hard to be charming, employing some awkward moments of magic realism. It’s good-natured, but “From the Vine” often seems forced and artificial.

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October 2, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The Glorias” (R), “The Boys in the Band” (R), “Herb Alpert Is” (Not rated), “A Call to Spy” (PG-13), “Eternal Beauty” (R)

The life of feminist icon Gloria Steinem is given the art house treatment in Julie Taymor’s overambitious biography, “The Glorias.” Four actresses play Steinem in various stages of her life, including Oscar winners Alicia Vikander and Julianne Moore. While it’s illuminating and relevant, the film skims the surface while indulging in some unnecessary and pretentious sequences of surrealism. Still, “The Glorias” is a modestly involving experiment.

“The Boys in the Band” is a Netflix adaptation of the famous 1968 Broadway play about a birthday party amongst a group of gay men that devolves into an ugly session of self-loathing and bickering. Jim Parsons leads a strong cast in this wicked comic drama that isn’t nearly as shocking as it would have been 50 years ago, but still packs a punch.

The documentary “Herb Alpert Is” provides a sweeping overview of the life of the phenomenally successful musician, artist, philanthropist and founder of A&M Records. For those unfamiliar with his work, it’s an involving primer. For those old enough to remember the heyday of the Tijuana Brass, it’s downright nostalgic.

“A Call to Spy” is a WWII drama about England’s spy agency that sent women to Nazi occupied France in an attempt to thwart the German war effort. Writer/producer Sarah Megan Thomas plays American Virginia Hall, one of the leaders of the mission. Although it’s earnest, well meaning and serves as a fitting tribute to those honorable women, “A Call to Spy” never generates the tension necessary to make it a memorable thriller.

An excellent performance by Sally Hawkins is the main attraction of the arty drama “Eternal Beauty,” the tale of a woman’s struggle with mental illness. The showy, self-conscious direction draws attention to itself and dilutes what might otherwise have been an absorbing narrative. At least “Eternal Beauty” it’s not the same old thing.

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September 25, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

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.

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September 18, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Antebellum” (R), “The Devil All the Time” (R), “Blackbird” (R), “H is for Happiness” (Not rated)

Pop superstar and Kansas City native Janelle Monáe stars in “Antebellum,” a bizarre horror entry with significant social overtones. Monáe plays a slave on a plantation in the Civil War South…or is she a renowned author living today? This well acted but enigmatic film doesn’t make much sense until the final scenes when the film starts to look like a project that M. Night Shyamalan might have started…and rejected.

Sitting through the Netflix drama “The Devil All the Time,” based on the novel by Donald Ray Pollock, may be a certified form of torture. The beautifully acted and lensed drama stars Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson in a sweeping story spanning two generations dealing with religiously conflicted rednecks in post- WWII rural Ohio. It’s unrelentingly ugly and violent, filled with loathsome characters. “The Devil All the Time” falls well short of its lofty thematic aims.

Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslett and Sam Neill lead a potent cast in the talky family drama, “Blackbird.” Dying of ALS, Sarandon decides to get the family together for one last sendoff before she commits suicide. It’s hard to knock the cast and the filmmakers’ intent, but the dialogue goes over like fingernails on the chalkboard.

The easy-going family flick “H is for Happiness” is yet another cute Australian import. Based on the novel “My Life as an Alphabet” by Barry Jonsberg, it’s a sweet-natured story about a precocious 13-year-old girl named Candice who attempts to overcome her family’s emotional malaise and mend fences with her unflinching, Pollyanna-like optimism. The filmmakers’ aren’t quite able to strike the right balance between serious drama and whimsey, but “H is for Happiness” is a painless, inoffensive distraction.

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September 11, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The Broken Hearts Gallery” (PG-13), “I Am Woman” (Not rated), “All In: The Fight for Democracy” (PG-13)

“Broken Hearts Gallery” is a cute, maybe too cute romantic comedy for millennials that exists in an otherworldly rom-com dimension. Geraldine Viswanathan (VISH van ath aun) plays a young woman who saves mementos from her many failed romances and turns them into a gallery exhibit. Can she ever find true love? What do you think? The cast is affable and there are some hearty laughs, although the amusing dialogue often sounds like it’s all coming from the same voice.

Seventies pop music star Helen Reddy gets the biopic treatment in “I Am Woman.” Australian actress Tilda Cobham-Hervey plays the singer who went through many personal struggles before hitting it big and writing the number one hit “I Am Woman” that became the anthem for the women’s movement. It’s slickly produced and features many of Reddy’s hit songs, but it suffers somewhat due to its formulaic and melodramatic execution. The feminist angle of “I Am Woman” may, however, strike a chord with viewers in the “Me Too” era.

“All In: The Fight for Democracy” is a compelling documentary about contemporary voter suppression efforts in the run-up to the 2020 Presidential election. A number of expert talking heads weigh in on the subject and the historical background of voter suppression is covered, but the film focuses mainly on Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election who, the filmmakers argue, may have been robbed of a victory due to underhanded efforts by her opponent, Brian Kemp, the then Secretary of State who was also in charge of the election. If nothing else, “All In: The Fight for Democracy” is a thoughtful rallying cry for voter involvement.

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September 4, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “Tenet” (PG-13), “Mulan” (PG-13), “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” (R), “All Together Now” (PG)

Christopher Nolan’s mind-boggling sci-fi action thriller “Tenet” begs to be seen on the big screen. It also begs to have subtitles. While it’s involving and visually dazzling, the confounding time-inversion plotline is further muddled by an obtrusive soundtrack and heavy accents. John David Washington and Kevin Branagh do an impressive job of navigating their tricky roles. “Tenet” is virtuoso filmmaking and frustrating storytelling in equal measure.

“Mulan,” the live-action, non-musical adaptation of its 1998 animated hit is now on Disney+. Liu Yifei takes the title role of a Chinese girl who poses as a man to enter the Imperial Army and defend against Northern invaders in 620AD. It’s a beautifully produced and involving action fantasy, with considerably more violence than we’re used to seeing from Disney. Little girls everywhere will be inspired.

Charlie Kaufman, Hollywood’s most acclaimed eccentric stays true to form with the mind-bending and soul-chilling metaphysical horror film, “I’m Thinking of Ending Things.” A young woman travels to her boyfriend’s childhood farm to meet the parents, which serves as an excuse for Kaufman to comment on a number of existential subjects. Jessie Buckley is nothing short of brilliant in a movie brimming with terrific performances. It’s disturbing and depressing, but watchable until it goes completely off the rails in the final scenes.

“All Together Now” is a sentimental Netflix drama about a good-hearted teenager, played by Auli'i Cravalho, who keeps her homeless status a secret from her friends. Carol Burnett has an effective cameo as a curmudgeonly retirement home resident. This heartfelt and optimistic drama walks the edge of treacle but never quite succumbs to excessive sweetness.

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August 28, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” (PG), “Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies” (Not rated), “Cut Throat City” (R), “Desert One” (Not rated), “Get Duked” (R)

“The Personal History of David Copperfield” is a fanciful reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic novel. Dev Patel takes the title role in this quirky adaptation, an offbeat but fresh, exuberant and mostly comic take from writer/director Armando Iannucci, the man behind TV’s “Veep.” Purists may balk, but many viewers will be captivated by this version’s unconventional casting and upbeat whimsy.

“Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies” is a documentary that’s true to its title. While there are plenty of naked bodies on display, if your interests are prurient, you may be disappointed. The expert talking heads offer a clinical examination of censorship and the role of nudity in mainstream Hollywood, porn excluded. It’s not erotic, it’s academic.

“Cut Throat City” is a very dark, gritty and violent gangster thriller set in New Orleans, the third film directed by rap star RZA. It’s all very familiar, often doesn’t ring true and could have used some tightening in the editing bay. But “Cut Throat City” is involving and has a relevant social undercurrent that makes it hard to dismiss.

“Desert One” is a comprehensive and informative documentary about the courageous but ill-fated special ops attempt to rescue the American hostages in Iran in 1980. Oscar-winning filmmaker Barbara Koppel leaves no stone unturned, and the first-hand accounts she captures are heartbreaking.

“Get Duked” is a wacky horror comedy about some foul mouthed, drug loving delinquent Scottish teens who are forced to participate in a survivalist program in the remote Highlands. Set on their own, they’re hunted like game by a bizarre cult. It often seems forced, but “Get Duked” has a twisted sensibility that may generate laughs for those who enjoy raunchy, irreverent humor.

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August 21, 2020 Arts & Culture, Podcast, Short Segment

Freeze Frame: “The 24th” (Not rated), “Unhinged” (R), “The Vanished” (R), “Words on Bathroom Walls” (PG-13), “The Sleepover” (Not rated), “The One and Only Ivan” (PG), “Tesla” (PG-13)

Oscar winning filmmaker Kevin Willmott’s drama “The 24th” is a harrowing depiction of the intolerable racism that led to the 1917 mutiny of an all-black US infantry division. Trai Byers leads a solid cast in this true story that ably illuminates a dark episode in American history.

Russell Crowe’s bloodcurdling performance fuels “Unhinged,” a sadistic thriller about a psycho with road rage. It’s tense and well made, but the wheels fall off due to some improbable plot elements.

Plot absurdities also plague “The Vanished,” an unnerving thriller starring Thomas Jane and Anne Heche about a couple whose daughter goes missing during a camping vacation. If you stick it out until the end, your eyes will be rolling.

Taylor Russell and Charlie Plummer are excellent in the YA drama “Words on Bathroom Walls,” a sympathetic look at a teen with schizophrenia. It’s modestly effective thanks to its unique visual approach.

“The Sleepover” is Netflix family comedy about kids who embark on an adventure when they discover that their mom is a black ops-trained international jewel thief. It’s wacky, but surprisingly funny and powered by an amusing cast.

“The One and Only Ivan” is a sweet-natured DisneyPlus flick, an adaptation of the children’s book that uses a mix of live action and CGI to tell the story of a gorilla who stars in a small circus in a mall. It’s got the high gloss Disney sheen and may even evoke a tear or two.

Ethan Hawke stars in the artsy, avant-garde biopic, “Tesla,” about the struggles that the brilliant inventor faced during America’s Gilded Age. The offbeat approach to this tale about the conflict between altruistic science and unbridled capitalism doesn’t quite generate the electricity it had hoped for.

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Freeze Frame

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Freeze Frame

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